We have some players coming in and Sheppard is as good as any of them. Should be a fun team to watch unless the HOF coach screws it up.
Sheppard in practice
- Thread starter Smashcat
- Start date
Jeff shep is definitely in my top 5 all time favorite cats.
I've watched every reed highlight out there (like most of our recruits)
Reed is going to be a major player here and he will be good enough to be drafted when this year ends although he gives me the feeling as someone who might be here a few years regardless of draft status as long as it isnt a top top pick .
I've watched every reed highlight out there (like most of our recruits)
Reed is going to be a major player here and he will be good enough to be drafted when this year ends although he gives me the feeling as someone who might be here a few years regardless of draft status as long as it isnt a top top pick .
Thought Sheppard was underrated in the final high school rankings . He should have at least been top 20.
You should like this. Well done.
Cal plays the guys that can help us win. Nothing else.
The whiners were complaining last season that Brooks played over Toppin.
This season showed that Toppin wasn’t good enough to play.
Wheeler is never going to to the NBA but Cal played him.
Because he thought Wheeler gave us the best chance to win.
He was wrong. But he didn’t play him out of any NBA bullshit.
Not all of Cals favorites are nba hopefuls as evidenced by his fascination with wheeler, BUT the point still stands. Cal plays his favorites and gives them longer leashes than he does others and that is 100% fact.
If he can put on some weight he'll be good to go. I think he's got too high of IQ to not play, but Cal is at the head so what do I know.
As has every coach in history. Coaches play the guys who they perceive give them the best chance to win. No coach has ever treated every guy on the team the exact same. Better players get longer leashes. It’s not rocket science. That has always been a criticism of Calipari that didn’t hold up.
At the rnd of the day thats all I want. Some really fun basketball. Don't expect to win all of them . Would like to see us be over 500 against top 25 teams.
Don’t know many coaches that continue playing unproductive players who make numerous mistakes over others who are actually showing promise but come out after one mishap. That’s a cal staple. Other coaches play players who perform not just who they want to perform and give them chance after chance after chance to do so.
I know it’s a highlight video, but that shot was created in a lab, it’s so perfect.
He looks very solid and it appears he looks to pass first, which I really like. Let's all hope his shooting is at its best when baskets are most needed. It will be fun to watch him progress and mesh into the overall team concept and vibe. His future looks very bright and promising in many ways.
Yeah he plays the guys who can help us win... if he's not busy forgetting anyone on the bench. I hate when that happens, but other than that and him not wanting to take anyone heart he plays the guys who can help him win him ball games.
Yeah I think he’s gonna be really solid as long as Cal gives him the minutes he should. That shot is pretty.
That is probably gonna be an issue anyway, especially since we are used to Oscar eating the boards up game after game for 2 years.
Fans tend to forget that coaches see the guys everyday in practice. They also know exactly where each guy is supposed to be offensively and defensively at all times during the game.
I am not saying Cal's substitution patterns and minutes are right. But they are what he believes to be best, based on what he sees. All the "Oh, I forgot to play so-and-so", thats coach speak BS for "I did what I did".
So Reed plays if he earns it, in practice. All these kids are good players, you could put 20 people in a room with all the time and knowledge the coaching staff has about our squad ...... and still have valid debates why Player G really should be getting more minutes than Player E. Or Vice Versa. All that matters is, did it work or not TODAY.
Coaches want to win games. Everything else is 2nd. Cal has to hear the drumbeats, even if they're distant. He has a big personality. He wants to win. He'll play who he thinks gives him the best chance.
I am not saying Cal's substitution patterns and minutes are right. But they are what he believes to be best, based on what he sees. All the "Oh, I forgot to play so-and-so", thats coach speak BS for "I did what I did".
So Reed plays if he earns it, in practice. All these kids are good players, you could put 20 people in a room with all the time and knowledge the coaching staff has about our squad ...... and still have valid debates why Player G really should be getting more minutes than Player E. Or Vice Versa. All that matters is, did it work or not TODAY.
Coaches want to win games. Everything else is 2nd. Cal has to hear the drumbeats, even if they're distant. He has a big personality. He wants to win. He'll play who he thinks gives him the best chance.
I believe playing too many mins without rest breaks have contributed to 2 problems last few years. (1) injuries (2) bad shooting, esp causing not winning close games. Cal let's them take themselves out when tired. A good coach would rest his best players whether they wanted to or not to prevent over tiredness.
His movement without the ball will be as key as hitting the shots. Lot of creativity off the dribble on this team, think Sheppard and Reeves will need to be good (think they both will be) at sliding and finding wholes when eyes go to the ball.
BJ Boston says hi.
But I understand he HAD to play because he had a heart, unlike anyone else on the team and Cal didn't want to take it (even though it was clear BJB was killing that teams chances) even if it meant we lost games.
Cal playes favorites and it's mostly to the higher ranked kids and he obviously makes promises to them during their recruitment. Prime example wasLivingston last year playing the 3 even though it was hurting the team.
Not quite the athlete his dad was, but probably a more complete skill set coming out of high school. Really excited to see him here, seeing a #15 Sheppard on the court is so cool.
I think we all know he's really good, it's just that most feel Cal is going to do what he always does, which is pre-determine who plays the bulk of the minutes and who is nailed to the bench.
Cal sticks with certain players even if they are struggling. If you're a bench guy, it might be late December before you see any real playing time and Reed fits the description of the guys Cal sticks on the bench no matter how good he is. Ado was one of those guys last year.
Reed is definitely talented, he has game and he can spread the court with his shooting, but he's not a projected 1st round pick, so he's going to sit. Hopefully he comes through when called on.
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But is it as good as Hart's? And will either be in Reeves' league percentage wise this season?
I don’t agree, respectfully.
They’re 18 and 19. Push and redline them if it means winning. Find your group and just go. I’ve never heard of a Team winning in march and April because they’re rested.
True.
But plenty have lost due to injuries, many times caused by too many minutes.
For example, Grady in ‘22.
Yes, your best need to play a lot, but you can’t run them in the ground.
Just my opinion.
Gonna be a few on here that swear you are wrong. But you aren’t.
