Skal has not played in a year.

[whhs22]

right now Skal is a work out gym player. no experience in game. he sat his entire SN year and if I'm correct only played partially his JR.

I'm not blaming the young man. Cal new this when bringing Skal in. he also knew Skals demeanor. in Memphis it was known Skal was laid back sheltered almost hidden from everyone else. not sure Cals in your face approach will work with this kid. not saying it won't, just saying I've seen guys crumble not get better when pushed and embarrassed in front of others.

kinda not fair. Skal is taking a hit right now in the media. I mean hit because questions asked to his own teammates about his lack of production by the media is probably uncomfortable for a young man completely lost right now. UK is not for everyone.

but at the same time Cal should be able to get a idea who can survive in this crazy atmosphere that is UK. Skal will need time. not only to get his game right but to mature. sad part is he will be in that freaking draft next year when he should be preparing to be a soph in college enjoying the experience.

to much pressure on this young man to get paid. I'm from Memphis so have an idea about his handler. not saying the guy is horrible. but I will say he did not flip the bill for Skal all these years for him to be a college kid and grow into his own skin as a person and player. unfortunately he will have this young man in that draft and from what I've seen no way a NBA team will take him high in the draft. so he will bounce around making a pretty good check by the way, but would Skal not be better off taking time to grow smell the roses a little and become more then just a cash machine for others?

maybe I'm way off here but I really like the kid and it breaks my heart to see this young man being pushed way to fast when he is a great student and could grow into more then just a bball player if given time. it is UK we expect a lot from our young men on the floor and we can be very demanding. and that's OK. Skal in my opinion is different then these high profile kids who have lived in the pressure of high competition on and off the floor. Skal just has not lived in the world of a Briscoe or Ulis. once he got here he has been sheltered for the most part. for the last year he did not even give interviews. time will tell.

 

[Ben101er]

right now Skal is a work out gym player. no experience in game. he sat his entire SN year and if I'm correct only played partially his JR.

I'm not blaming the young man. Cal new this when bringing Skal in. he also knew Skals demeanor. in Memphis it was known Skal was laid back sheltered almost hidden from everyone else. not sure Cals in your face approach will work with this kid. not saying it won't, just saying I've seen guys crumble not get better when pushed and embarrassed in front of others.

kinda not fair. Skal is taking a hit right now in the media. I mean hit because questions asked to his own teammates about his lack of production by the media is probably uncomfortable for a young man completely lost right now. UK is not for everyone.

but at the same time Cal should be able to get a idea who can survive in this crazy atmosphere that is UK. Skal will need time. not only to get his game right but to mature. sad part is he will be in that freaking draft next year when he should be preparing to be a soph in college enjoying the experience.

to much pressure on this young man to get paid. I'm from Memphis so have an idea about his handler. not saying the guy is horrible. but I will say he did not flip the bill for Skal all these years for him to be a college kid and grow into his own skin as a person and player. unfortunately he will have this young man in that draft and from what I've seen no way a NBA team will take him high in the draft. so he will bounce around making a pretty good check by the way, but would Skal not be better off taking time to grow smell the roses a little and become more then just a cash machine for others?

maybe I'm way off here but I really like the kid and it breaks my heart to see this young man being pushed way to fast when he is a great student and could grow into more then just a bball player if given time. it is UK we expect a lot from our young men on the floor and we can be very demanding. and that's OK. Skal in my opinion is different then these high profile kids who have lived in the pressure of high competition on and off the floor. Skal just has not lived in the world of a Briscoe or Ulis. once he got here he has been sheltered for the most part. for the last year he did not even give interviews. time will tell.

I agree that he needs more time, but lack of production, offensively, is totally different than effort. I don't see a lot of effort when there is a loose ball, or a rebound that doesn't come right to him. He is 6'11" and averages less than 4 rebounds a game. He should get that from missed foul shots. Let's not confuse production with effort, and until the effort improves, the production certainly will not.

 

[Crankdatmustard]

Where are people getting this notion he didn't' play last year? That simply isn't true.

 

[UK_Memphis]

Where are people getting he didnt' play last year? That simply isn't true.

He did play during high school season but it was with an unaffiliated team that his handler made up because he wasnt eligible after transferring to a different school for his senior year. They would play home school and some high school teams. Also, he had a personal trainer that worked with him before coming to UK.

 

[whhs22]

Not sure its not effort on his part. Seems more like confusion and just being uncertain. Its like his mind and body are not on the same page yet.

He has never played at this level. Last year his handler tried to create a travling school ,but from what i understand no other schools would play them so it was limited. And thats my point he had a trainer and worked out in a empty gym. Nothing compares to the experience a guy like Murry got playing competitive year around.

Not making excuses for the kid. But the fact is he has very limited competitive experience and in the last month he has been thrown on the biggest stage of coll ball.

 

[ZaytovenCat]

Yes you are making excuses. All of our other past great freshmen had never played at this level and yet they were great from day 1.

Skal played last year. Hell his team played twice in KY last year. He had a 40+ point game in the Marshall County HF.

 

[Poetax]

Where are people getting this notion he didn't' play last year? That simply isn't true.

He never played a schedule like other top 25 recruits did. I think that is the point some were making.

 

[whhs22]

Poetax thats my point. He has not played at this level ever. he is adjusting and at this level having potential is a lot different then being battled scared and tested from past experience.

Skal will either develop into a nice player or he will be another Goodwin who never came close to expectations and leaves after a year. this is the part of the one and done I do not like.

 

[JFCats22]

http://sports.yahoo.com/blogs/ncaab...re-to-start-showing-more-fight-065319747.html

 

[brianpoe]

http://sports.yahoo.com/blogs/ncaab...re-to-start-showing-more-fight-065319747.html

I love that first photo, they took the ball from Skal on that play.

I guess that big hand grabbing his wrist from behind is not a foul with the new rules?

 

[Mojocat]

Yes you are making excuses. All of our other past great freshmen had never played at this level and yet they were great from day 1.

False.

 

[catinacchel]

There is no other viable approach. Basketball can be tough and you have to learn to adapt.
Skal is very skilled and he will adapt and, I think, could be an all-star NBA player.

write it down: in 3 months or 1 year, or whenever, we will be saying: "that guy is awesome."

 

[catinacchel]

False.

Agreed: "false." Davis, probably Skal's best proxy, was not some world-beater in December. I didn't think he could shoot a lick until march.

 

[wildcatsboston1984]

I love that first photo, they took the ball from Skal on that play.

I guess that big hand grabbing his wrist from behind is not a foul with the new rules?

More like the hand, and the hand is considered part of the ball

 

[dckala2]

Posters make it seem like ad right now was ad in december

 

[Poetax]

Poetax thats my point. He has not played at this level ever. he is adjusting and at this level having potential is a lot different then being battled scared and tested from past experience.

Skal will either develop into a nice player or he will be another Goodwin who never came close to expectations and leaves after a year. this is the part of the one and done I do not like.

Yeah as long as the pros fill their heads with the potential theory and big money it's hard to stop them.

 

[FFWhite]

Skal had a back injury his junior year and played minimum games. Give him time and Payne will get him there.

 

[anon_013cn8yrfncx2]

[QUOTE="
write it down: in 3 months or 1 year, or whenever, we will be saying: "that guy is awesome."[/QUOTE]

Whenever or 1 year may be good for Skal but not for UK

 

[Jkwo]

Yes you are making excuses. All of our other past great freshmen had never played at this level and yet they were great from day 1.

you GD kidding me? Do you really not remember all the way back to this time last year when the same threads were popping up about Karl? How he would never be a top 5 pick with his soft play?

 

[sambowieshin]

Another issue I haven't seen brought up yet is culture shock. I honestly don't know his complete family background but from the stories I have heard about being buried by rubble in the earthquake, it seems likely he is from an impoverished Hatian home. Most of Haiti is. Haiti is about as different from the high stress world of major college bball as you can get. Not only is he learning new subject matter in classes,(Haiti is not world renowned for its education system), but he is learning to play at the highest level of college bball and learning to operate in a very different culture from where he grew up. No wonder the kid is struggling.

 

[BengalWACO]

Should Cal reconsider starting him? Curious what you guys think. I mean, this guy has a huge ceiling, but the poster that said culture shock might have hit it on the nose.. maybe if he were more eased into the situation he might be able to mature faster. The speed of the game is no joke.

 

[doneitall]

There is no other viable approach. Basketball can be tough and you have to learn to adapt.
Skal is very skilled and he will adapt and, I think, could be an all-star NBA player.

write it down: in 3 months or 1 year, or whenever, we will be saying: "that guy is awesome."

 

[Mojocat]

you GD kidding me? Do you really not remember all the way back to this time last year when the same threads were popping up about Karl? How he would never be a top 5 pick with his soft play?

Yep - didn't Townes have something like 2 points and 2 boards in a game early last year. Bust!!

 

[Ajax10]

More like the hand, and the hand is considered part of the ball

Yes, that is what you hear all of the time, but it is nearly always called a foul when you hit a shooters hand. Additionally, that rule is generally used and referenced when there is a block and the ball is hit and the hand is on the ball - in the picture he is clearly grabbing his hand and wrist - clear foul.

 

[whhs22]

Skal has been In America awhile, so I think he understands the culture. now the culture of big time competitive bball he has no idea so sitting him will have him miss out on vital in game experience in my opinion.

some say he is lazy. no he is far from it. right now he is lost and a little scared. that combination is bad. his brain and eyes see and are saying do this, his body is just not reacting fast enough. he will be fine. time and experience heals this.

no real competition his SN year and I had thought he sat his JN year with back injury. that's a lot of missed ball. the trainers and practice has no comparison to in game play. time will heal this be patient with the kid.