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OT: Bryce Hopkins big man on Providence campus: leads in mins, shots taken and made, points and rebounds.

You don't know that. So far, Toppin or Collins haven't done much against good teams.

Toppin was better last game.

When i finally watched the game i was actually pretty happy with toppin. He finally looked like the guy we all thought he would be for an important stretch in the 2nd half.

I think that with his athleticism his jumper is good enough that he can be a matchup nightmare for other teams. his defense seems to have taken a step back though. He looked great on defense his first year here. He should be a guy that legitimately guards every spot on the floor. For a 6’9 guy his mobility is other worldly.
 
Yup. That's why these guys leave and find more success. Bryce Hopkins was never going to be a 3. Collins will never be a 4.
Why don't you explain what Collins is since you're such a coaching expert? I guess he's a 3 with his poor shooting. He was skinny as a rail last year. He is still pretty thin. Despite that fact I'm sure you think he should be a 5.
 
Cal doesn't build rosters. We used to say he just took the best recruits available, and that he was just going to out-talent everyone. Then he started with his positionless basketball garbage, and he hasn't looked back sense. He will literally put a big anywhere on the court.
That comes from Cal's jazz player wing it mentality. He dont need no notes or music, just give him some instruments and he'll make something out of it in his head. That misguided confidence gets him in trouble. If he's play it a little more straight and actually work on some fundamental disciplines of coaching (you know the silly X and O stuff) he might just surprise us. He knows basketball, he just thinks the routines and details are for nerds and basketball bennies.
 
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I root for all the guys that Cal runs off with his stubborn refusal to utilize them properly. Charles Matthews, Kyle Wiltjer, Bryce, Dontai…I could keep going.
 
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Why don't you explain what Collins is since you're such a coaching expert?
I don’t think anyone has yet figured out what Collins is …that’s kinda been his problem here.

The combination of that insanely long 7’5” wingspan, his freakish 46” vertical, and quick leaping ability suggests he should have enormous potential as a rim protecting/shotblocking 5. Hell, I don’t think anybody since AD has had a length X athleticism combo enabling more ground to be covered with his reach.

But he doesn’t have AD-like instincts for the role, nor the strength to hold his position down low. But it’s also become quite clear that he’s not suited for the 4 spot either. He’s this incredible physical specimen who can’t find a position where he fits:
 
I don’t think anyone has yet figured out what Collins is …that’s kinda been his problem here.

The combination of that insanely long 7’5” wingspan, his freakish 46” vertical, and quick leaping ability suggests he should have enormous potential as a rim protecting/shotblocking 5. Hell, I don’t think anybody since AD has had a length X athleticism combo enabling more ground to be covered with his reach.

But he doesn’t have AD-like instincts for the role, nor the strength to hold his position down low. But it’s also become quite clear that he’s not suited for the 4 spot either. He’s this incredible physical specimen who can’t find a position where he fits:
He does have all of those attributes no doubt but what he doesn’t have is even a remote understanding on how to play the game.
Sadly we recruit way to many of these guys.
 
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When i finally watched the game i was actually pretty happy with toppin. He finally looked like the guy we all thought he would be for an important stretch in the 2nd half.

I think that with his athleticism his jumper is good enough that he can be a matchup nightmare for other teams. his defense seems to have taken a step back though. He looked great on defense his first year here. He should be a guy that legitimately guards every spot on the floor. For a 6’9 guy his mobility is other worldly.
He plsyed his best game imo againdt Michigan. Hope he continues to play that way.
 
Cal doesn't build rosters. We used to say he just took the best recruits available, and that he was just going to out-talent everyone. Then he started with his positionless basketball garbage, and he hasn't looked back sense. He will literally put a big anywhere on the court.
How do you build rosters when kids will not stay ??
 
Did you not see the 38% from 3.
Him at the 3 is ok if he does that, or even 35%.

Him and Livingston are slightly on the small side of a "modern 4". Maybe not in bulk/build, but in height. Your typcial modern 4 is probably 6'8-6'9. Both are more "tweeners". And I like having tweeners on your team, because being undersized for the NBA you often get them for an extra year in college.

Had he stayed, he would have battled Livingston for PT (yeah probably at the 3). Maybe he didn't want to compete for that, maybe knowing Cal's history of preferring the 5*. I would have liked to see him stay, thought he would be better than a 5* FR (that year makes a difference). Actually, I think him and Livingston could have played together (w/ Toppin out) at the 3 & 4, both really 3.5 (tweener) guys.

Lyles was a clear 4 with some 3 skills (say a 3.75). But for "the Platoon" to work he had to be a 3. Then once Poythress (another 3.75) got hurt and "the Platoon" ended, Lyles was still stuck as a 3 because Poythress was the other guy playing the 3. Booker and Aaron did play some 3 too at that point.
Had he stayed, we probably wouldn’t have gotten Livingston.
 
Hope the kid well, but I could care less what he is doing somewhere else. If he had faith in his ability he would still be here and probably be starting at the 3 or 4. He ditched us for an easier way to see the floor. Who cares.
 
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It comes down to this. Adults cheering for jerseys instead of the person in the jersey. Wild stuff
 
Great post you clearly get the game, some just play it on a video game, there in lies the constant Cal slurpers. ANYONE that knows squat about the game knows Hopkins passed the eye test bigtime and probably played against a guy like that. Dudes like that are awfully tough to guard and sure he needed to drop a few pounds but bluntly his body type is a real asset to him overall, Cal just refused to allow him to play to his strengths.
Cal likes stick men that can jump 40 inches and look like world champs in the Blue/White game....
But only bench press 40 pounds and shoot like a 6 year old at a Saturday morning YMCA game.
 
I was only happy when he left because I knew Cal would continue to try and make him play the 3 in his offense. It wasn't going to work.
 
A lot easier to put up stats when you're playing Manhattan and a bunch of bullcrap like that. Of the three small forwards that we had Toppin is the best of the three and I know that to be a fact.

When I see Bryce Hopkins actually playing some competition and scoring some points then I might change my view but as of right now Toppin is better than Brooks and Hopkins.
If Jacob Toppin was playing for Providence he'd also be leading their team with better stats than Hopkins in my opinion.
obviously Hopkins wouldn't have transferred if he thought he was better than Toppin. He ain't so he's where he needs to be playing ....bullshit teams.

I have no love for people that transfer from University of Kentucky I hope you stub your toe on the way to bed mfers. .... so bad you got to have surgery and you can't play basketball for 2 years. You turned your back on the big blue and we turn the back on you.
Toppin, hahahaha. Toppin couldn’t lead the local YMCA in scoring, he’s terrible.
 
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