Is was seems to be his inability to alter shots. I really thought he would have been a game changer at the defensive end which is just as important as the other stats.
I think what bothers me the most about Skal
- Thread starter louisvilleblue
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Yep, he changes the game ...just the opposite way we were thinking he would
With that said, it's time to step up and be Skal, not the guy that makes us scowl
With that said, it's time to step up and be Skal, not the guy that makes us scowl
Honestly, in the entire Cal era, I have never 'written someone off' like I did last night with Skal. Funnily, he had one of his better rebounding performances last night from a numbers standpoint (4 boards). Archie used to drive me crazy, but he was in a tough spot on a train wreck of a team. Poy doesn't always show up, but there are times when he makes plays that are just unbelievable. Vargas used to drive me crazy, but we never expected much from him.
But last night, there were a few plays where he just had the ball taken from him, and there was a play where he got the ball on the low block and attempted a spin move and just fell over and lost the ball.
Now, I know he is a great kid, and he has been through a lot. But honestly, I'd rather see us give Humphries more minutes at this point. He gets killed once in a while on defense, but no worse than Skal. Plus, he is a big body and grabs rebounds with two hands, and generally holds on to them. I know we need Skal, but I've finally decided he isn't going to improve this season. And since I believe he's gone to the NBA, I would rather us spend time in the game developing Hump.
Of course, if Lee is out Saturday then I guess we need them both. Ugh.
But last night, there were a few plays where he just had the ball taken from him, and there was a play where he got the ball on the low block and attempted a spin move and just fell over and lost the ball.
Now, I know he is a great kid, and he has been through a lot. But honestly, I'd rather see us give Humphries more minutes at this point. He gets killed once in a while on defense, but no worse than Skal. Plus, he is a big body and grabs rebounds with two hands, and generally holds on to them. I know we need Skal, but I've finally decided he isn't going to improve this season. And since I believe he's gone to the NBA, I would rather us spend time in the game developing Hump.
Of course, if Lee is out Saturday then I guess we need them both. Ugh.
His defensive box plus/minus of 5.5 is among the best on the team, so maybe he does a little more defensively than is readily apparent?
On defense, it seems like he could apologize to someone for being aggressive.
The only kind of aggressive he is, is when he throws an elbow or something to try and make it "look" like he's being aggressive.
He's very talented but he's just not a baller!
Murray, Ulis and Briscoe TAKE what's theirs and they don't ask for it and they don't apologize for it!
Our guards are ballers!
Lee, Poythress and Skal are not.
Humphries...
He seems to have the makings of a baller but he's just really young and raw.
The only kind of aggressive he is, is when he throws an elbow or something to try and make it "look" like he's being aggressive.
He's very talented but he's just not a baller!
Murray, Ulis and Briscoe TAKE what's theirs and they don't ask for it and they don't apologize for it!
Our guards are ballers!
Lee, Poythress and Skal are not.
Humphries...
He seems to have the makings of a baller but he's just really young and raw.
I am not sure if this was directed at the OP or me or someone else, but I think that is exactly the problem.
It's classic marketing, politics, PR, everything….
If X isn't great, but exceeds expectations, we have more positive feelings about it.
If Y performs exactly the same as X, but we expected Y to be phenomenal, we have very negative feelings about it.
It's no surprise everyone is down on Skal. Much of that is based on expectations. However, the other component is improvement. I really haven't seen Skal improve this year. He hits jump shots sometimes, but he was always able to do that, he just wasn't always being played in that way. Stinks for the kid because he really needs 3-4 years to improve. I guess he can do that in the NBA, but it would be nice to watch him grow.
I think at times that he appears to be afraid of the rim. He settles for those jumpers, which he has hit at times, instead of attacking. When he does attack, his lack of upper body strength puts him at risk. He needs a year of eating and lifting and a map to locate where the rim is.
We need Skal to continue to improve moving ahead. I like what he gives us, instead of looking at what he doesn't give us.
His ability to give us a bucket when we bog down on offense has improved. We're going to continue to see good things from Skal.
His ability to give us a bucket when we bog down on offense has improved. We're going to continue to see good things from Skal.
haven't given up on Skal yet. Obviously, unless some miracle happens, he won't be that much of an impact this year - other than to give us five more fouls. he'll have some games when that little jump shot falls - and he will grab a few boards.
But he is what he is - add some bulk, and more time actually learning the game he should be ok. Just won't be this year
But he is what he is - add some bulk, and more time actually learning the game he should be ok. Just won't be this year
most negative people I have ever seen. We are playing good ball and peaking at the right time of the year. Skal is improving and who knows what he will do in the tourney.
Last night that little jumper wasn't falling for him. That's what he brings to the table at this point. He hasn't transitioned to the college game with footwork and dealing with experienced players. I don't know if he'll get while he's in a uniform at UK. Still about a month away from the real season so a lot can happen but realistically, you can only hope that little jumper is falling for him. It's a dangerous weapon for us when it is. You can't look at him from a defensive standpoint.
But he will not be at UK next year. He has a family to feed in an impoverished country. His college experiment, meant to be a promotional tour of his greatness by his handlers, has failed miserably. He needs cash.
I just don't see the improvement that others do. The word is out about his fear of the inside. Everyone in the SEC knows he cannot hold onto a rebound when one falls into his lap, and every team snatches the ball away from him. His jumper fails with the least pressure. I mean, I get that he is tall. I get that he can shoot inside the arc sometimes if he is left alone. But he just isn't the type of guy who you would see recruited by UK. I can't think of a bigger UK fail off the top of my old flat head.
that's true - shouldn't forget his situation.
I hope for his sake, though, that he can improve
My disappointment is with the attitude that I see displayed. No fight in him. He needs to pay attention to Ulis. Ulis has fight in him.
He is improving and even if you just look at stats that is obvious . He went 3 games basically without a rebound before , he ain't doing that now . Also last night he showed confidence in his post moves which was one of the best things about the whole game. Granted he missed 2 of the 3 but the fact he went to them in the 1st place is good.
Well I would absolutely disagree with you.
Poy and Lee have NEVER been aggressive players who have what it takes mentally to get to the next level.
I'm sure that you'd agree that they are physically talented enough?
Yeah...
Not silly.
I understand the NBA drafts a lot based on potential. I just can't understand why they would draft him so high, other than the fact he's tall.
I wish the best for him, but he really needs to improve a lot more for him to be a big impact player on our team.
I wish the best for him, but he really needs to improve a lot more for him to be a big impact player on our team.
Wow the one and done era has really spoiled us. Skal is weak he has no strength in his hands at all. He has decent hands but once he catches it it's easily knocked out of his hands he gets his hands on alot of rebounds just can't hold on. Cal has self admitted screwing with his development. Look at Marcus Camby he played in another generation where the play was way less physical and as a true fresh he averaged around 10 a game and 20 min in a much weaker league. Also Tim Duncan a player who came into college much more developed 10 a game. Both forgetnthstbad a whole lot more hoops in their careers let's be honest Skals handler did not help his development. Now for some reason our bigs are getting more crappy phantom calls then I have ever seen. It's messing with their aggressiveness. Don't give me this they just foul alot Poy has been playing good d for a while and they are whistling him too. I thought last night Skal played the pic and roll really well but the shot just wasn't falling. Some guys just need confidence and I think Skals early success really messed with him when teams figured him out. Some guys handle that differently and honestly if u had been buried underneath a building contemplating ur own death just a few years who knows how any of us would be when it comes to priorities and motivation. The kid is going to play in the league. He just is. He knows it Cal knows it and the NBA knows it. I remember Randolf Morris who was ranked right up there with Dwight Howard right out of us only grabbing 4 rebounds a game as a freshman and he had 50 lbs on Skal. If u are aloud to be pushed out of ur block out and hit from the side as guys crash in and its not called and ur not strong enough to do anything about it not sure how much aggressiveness matters. We forget that Davis had Jones Cousins had Patterson Towns had Johnson, and WCS. All guys much stronger than Lee and Willis. Only big I remember being pretty much on an island by himself was Noel and he was just much stronger than he looked and that freak reach of his and years of American ball just made him more ready. If Lee had stepped up and Poy been more consistent on the offensive in if we could stay out of foul trouble i think we would see a different Skal. He needs a confident big beside him and we just don't have that. Still his blocks per min are pretty good and some teams like TN with strong mature guys just know how to get into Skals chest and score and in college hoops the land of the 5 min point of emphasis and them back to bad officiating jumping into a guy going straight up to block a shot is a foul everytime. I would love to have Skal next year instead of another Fresh big. I think he dominates with a year of weights and confidence. However I wonder how most of our attitudes would have been at 18 or 19 having been buried in rubble lost all ur possetions and then move a world away a short time later. To come to a place where fat 40 year olds question ur heart. Because ur adjusting differently than what expectations were. I hope he stays. But my guess is when he goes for workouts and teams see what he can do in an NBA structured game that not only will he go lottery he will climb back up to top 5. I give u Andre Drummond a few years ago a cant miss physical freak and his Fresh year at UConn was underwhelming to say the least and after he worked out he skyed up the draft charts
Needs to hit the gym HARD and transform himself in the off season.
I'm betting that Skal himself is a wee bit disappointed that he isn't the player people imagined. Does anyone think he's playing poorly on purpose?
Skal IMO will never help us this year. Skal did not get the right training before coming to UK and he can not be taught that in the short period that he will be here. From my perspective he is just playing until draft time. He may be a great kid and all but he has very little bb skills. He will be playing in the D league for a long time.
I feel for the kid. Not his fault that some people hyped him up too much. In this era, we seem to forget that the way Cal has been doing things was not the way things have been done normally.
Cal has taken 18-19 year olds and gotten them to play like NBA veterans. I think his ability to do that has been severely overlooked. Skal appears to be a kid that truly needs 2-3 years at least in college.
Last night was hard to watch at times. I feel there may a be a game down the road that UK will desperately need Skal to play like a big man and I am hopeful that he will.
Cal has taken 18-19 year olds and gotten them to play like NBA veterans. I think his ability to do that has been severely overlooked. Skal appears to be a kid that truly needs 2-3 years at least in college.
Last night was hard to watch at times. I feel there may a be a game down the road that UK will desperately need Skal to play like a big man and I am hopeful that he will.
In the days before the NBADL, no way he would be drafted; however, he can play professionally overseas and still help his family, I would expect him to get paid somewhere next year even if out of the US
Mind boggling that he's even projected to be a 1st round pick, let alone lottery pick at this time. And even more mind boggling that a team would risk drafting him at this stage.I agree the potential is there, but he needs at least 3 yrs of college ball. The teams he works out for will see this and tell him to come back to school, as will Cal. I'm sure he'll wow them with his shooting ability and athleticism, but the lack of motor, and physicality at this stage, will turn pro teams off from wanting to draft him in the lottery this year. However, they will be salivating to draft him in a year or two once he gets stronger and learns to fight. If i'm a GM, I make him prove it to me at the College level before I even take a sniff at him. Huge gamble if you take him now. I think he and Briscoe come back.
I'm super excited about this team and where it's going. We have improved on both ends of the floor and I believe we have the best backcourt in the country.
But this thread is about Skal, specifically. I am not optimistic about him.
I can be excited and optimistic about the team and its trajectory while also being underwhelmed by the performance of one of its members. Those are not mutually exclusive concepts.
The thing is....kids develop at UK under Calipari. Not one kid has been a surprise once they hit the league. The ones who were supposed to be great have been great. The ones who everyone including Cal thought should have returned have flamed out. Archie is the closest thing to a surprise, but everyone could see his game would improve once he played in the pros due to the spacing and one on one ability. If Skal has not progressed at UK during the year then he will not progress in the D-League either. I would take Cal and his staff over any developmental league staff when it comes to improving a player.
Skal is not ready for D-1 ball. Simple as that. He doesn't have the experience or knowledge of the game yet. His shot was off last night, but he does have a nice touch. It takes a lot more than that though, and if he does go in the draft, he will spend at least 1 full season in the D-league.
Love UK and think Skal has tremendous potential but I think he might have been better served going to a smaller school where the demands and expectations aren't so high. I truly hope the best for him.
I hope we either get Bolden, or Skal stays. If neither happens, we will have SKJ, Humphries and Wynyard. Not sure we will be that strong at the 5.
