Man im rooting for the kid , but at some point you gotta think the best way to win games. No way hump would lose rebounds or get pushed around in critical moments to win a game.
Im sorry but its impossible to watch skal
- Thread starter whhs22
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I'm with you. His basketball IQ and overall strength is lacking. Hope he develops and reaches his maximum potential by March. Meanwhile, I'm a big fan of Lee's and believe he will develop quite well with the extra playing time.
Skal is a non-contributor right now. Murray commits 5 turnovers a game and takes countless bad shots. In spite of that we somehow won.
I think Murray could kick the ball like a football and stay in. If Willis breathes wrong he comes out.
he looks like most freshman normally do -- he needs to grow into his body and the college game -- the top rating he carried was obviously subjective like all top ratings - but he looks like the kind of player that can be a real piece of the puzzle to win a title
Murray on the other hand -- If this were the NBA I'd trade him today
lots of bad decisions at a high rate of speed there.,,,,,
Because Murray also hits shots as well. But, back to the O.P. I have to agree that Skal is only a project. Everyone got hung up his top 5 ranking but it was against fiction in terms of the high school team he played on. He may one day be good, but he seems to be the biggest miss in Cal's recruiting in terms of what was thought and what is. Can Skal become better by end of season? Hard to say and I don't even see good shooting from him away from the basket either. But, so far this season he has been out-classed by other interior players many whom we don't even know their names or are not pro material themselves. When I commented about how Cousins in the second half of the Miami game just dominated the paint despite a big Kentucky lead against Miami, I suggested that any big physical presence seems to eliminate Skal. Got heat back then but I wasn't wrong. And, Cousins is not his brother.
He has the weakest hands I've ever seen on a Big. He can't hold onto the ball even when someone flinches at him much less swipes at the ball. He has no nose for the basketball to rebound. He struggles going up underneath because he is so weak.
He needs to work on so many things, it's hard to see him making an impact for us. I hope i'm wrong.
He needs to work on so many things, it's hard to see him making an impact for us. I hope i'm wrong.
When the announcers are having to credit him for "attempting" to get position on an offensive board then you know it is bad. At halftime Doug asked Seth what Skal is actually doing well and the only thing he could say is "he crashes the boards well" lol.
Kid could turn it on, but I honestly think when the physical SEC schedule hits you will see him fall further and further out of the top 10 and on in the draft. The kid needs weight and a will to succeed....the first can be done in the pros or college....the second has to happen if he ever hopes to get drafted.
Kid could turn it on, but I honestly think when the physical SEC schedule hits you will see him fall further and further out of the top 10 and on in the draft. The kid needs weight and a will to succeed....the first can be done in the pros or college....the second has to happen if he ever hopes to get drafted.
If he is still at this level at the end of the year, Cal would be do him a disservice to let him leave. He may drop out of the first round anyway.
At least you're not shortsighted. Trading a 18/19 year old with a huge ceiling after one bad game?
Yep, that wouldn't get you fired as an NBA GM.
Skal also struggles with the angles he needs to take on both ends. His reaction time is a step behind the flow of the game. Combine this with his lack of strength and you get what we have seen so far. It has really put a damper on the expectations for this team.
Any talk of Skal and NBA at this juncture needs to be completely stopped. Let him show up and compete at the collegiate level before we even talk about his potential at the next level. If season ended today and draft was tomorrow, he most likely does not get drafted at all.
There's a slim possibility Skal might just be back next year (although I wouldn't consider it to be probable). People keep pointing to his potential, and how the NBA drafts on potential, but if he doesn't show some significant strides this year physically, he won't be a top 10 pick, regardless of his potential as a scorer. To put it bluntly, how does a 6'11" guy who averages 3.5 rebounds/game translate to the NBA, even if an NBA team stashes him away for a few years? He's skilled as a scorer, but the NBA wants their bigs to show some type of physicality. He doesn't presently have any.
Now, do I think he maintains his current struggles enough to slip out of the lottery? No. But I wouldn't be surprised if he tells Cal he wants another year from a mental level. He is, after all, a full year behind from a competitive standpoint (he didn't play against anyone that matters as a senior). Some of our fans need to realize Skal's stock is on thin ice right now.
Now, do I think he maintains his current struggles enough to slip out of the lottery? No. But I wouldn't be surprised if he tells Cal he wants another year from a mental level. He is, after all, a full year behind from a competitive standpoint (he didn't play against anyone that matters as a senior). Some of our fans need to realize Skal's stock is on thin ice right now.
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Cal won't let him leave with his blessing if he doesn't make any strides. People point to Skal's guardian being the chief influence, but I think that mostly ended the second Skal ended up in Lexington. He'll listen to Cal if Cal doesn't think he's ready. Right now, he's not ready, and he doesn't even exude anything from a potential standpoint either.
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