Almost every good player is paid now. You don't get a good player unless you pay them. That's no excuse.
We need to have a serious conversation about Oscar…
- Thread starter Jamal Sunburn
- Start date
Almost every good player is paid now. You don't get a good player unless you pay them. That's no excuse.
He’s clearly struggling lately and seems to have got down on himself, but don’t give into the habit of whatever the most recent happening is is the end all be all. Not long ago I believe he went for what 38 and 20 or something
A power forward can put the ball on the floor and shoot mid range. Oscar can do neither of those things.
I honestly believe his terrible defense and lack of offering any resistance/rim protection has been the single biggest problem on this team…and we’re not short of problems.
If it wasn’t for his reputation and offensive rebounding masking some of our offensive deficiencies these threads would have been prevalent weeks ago.
If it wasn’t for his reputation and offensive rebounding masking some of our offensive deficiencies these threads would have been prevalent weeks ago.
He’s competing for rebounds with absolutely nobody on our team. 😂😂😂
I will say in Oscar's defense, he could really use a Sestina or Willis type beside him who the defense has to respect at the 4. Teams are just sagging off Toppin and clogging up the lane so he can't work. You can hate on Brooks if you want but teams at least had to respect his shot which helped Oscar a lot.
He'd get more because he would be in the paint instead of out on the floor. Plus no chance at rebounds when the other team shoots 70%+ thanks to a refusal to change defense.
A 2 year stint that includes a consensus NPOY is just as bad if not worse than Billy G’s embarrassment? Dramatic
Wonder where he learned that from...
This post needs a not safe for life warning.
He’s limited athletically and is a 6’8 5 averaging 5 offensive rebounds per game. Your point?
NPOY…. Y’all act like you don’t care about getting drafted in the first round. But we talking about NPOY and losing in the 1st round and making the NIT?
It’s gotta be NIL money. I didn’t see him play last year, but the player I’m seeing this year doesn’t look like a NPOY IMO. Just being honest.
I don’t give a shit about the NBA but you compared a player who was a consensus NPOY to Billy G? You need to blame last year’s loss to St. Peters on the coach and not the guy who had 30 and 16.
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I feel the same way about NPOY. 🤷🏾♂️
A horrible season is a horrible season.
But it’s worse when there is talent on the roster.
Now you're seeing thee reason he's not high on any draft board. Lots of limitations. That said, and I realize this thread is about Oscar, but basketball is a team game, and his supporting cast is simply average and that hurts his game. My opinion is that he's not getting the coaching he needs, thus, an all systems failure can make even him look pretty bad. Our defense is woeful, even in spite of tonight when you might have thought we matched up pretty well with Arkansas. They played one of their better games of the year, and maybe their best, but we have been awful defensively and that will apparently not be improving. Did you see the Duke at Miami game yesterday? Miami's frenetic defense is what we should be playing, but many times defensively we cannot do the fundamentals right, and have no pride in what we're doing defensively...no stance, no help side defense, no screen and roll defense, leaving our feet, getting out of position, and many times lollygag back down court and can't even get back. Add in that they're not very tough at all and you have a bunch who can be easily exposed for what they truly are...and yes, unfortunately, I question whether it's important enough to them for this team to do well, i.e., their "heart" or lack thereof. Like football, a big disappointment.
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I just can't see some NIL money drastically changing the entire mindset of a kid with a strong upbringing and background.
It's not like he's joe cool driving around in a Porsche, skipping practices.. He's the same guy as far as I can tell.
I think the team around him is worse this year, I think teams have started to figure him out and I think it's started to get into his head.
Brooks was better than Toppin.
Ty and Grady were better than Reeves and CJ
And Wheeler was fine with those two wings... the offense just flowed better last year when we were healthy.
We're back on the bubble now and last year we got to a 2-seed.. that tells you how far off this team is from last year. And when the team around you is worse, you play worse.
It's not like he's joe cool driving around in a Porsche, skipping practices.. He's the same guy as far as I can tell.
I think the team around him is worse this year, I think teams have started to figure him out and I think it's started to get into his head.
Brooks was better than Toppin.
Ty and Grady were better than Reeves and CJ
And Wheeler was fine with those two wings... the offense just flowed better last year when we were healthy.
We're back on the bubble now and last year we got to a 2-seed.. that tells you how far off this team is from last year. And when the team around you is worse, you play worse.
Oscar went from dirt poverty to filthy rich (for him) overnight. He got tons of accolades. He's still cashing checks every week. Dude has lost his fire and desire. His family is living large in Africa. His motivation is gone. Comparing him with other players who got NIL deals is not the same considering where Oscar came from.
There is just no proof of any of this. How the hell does anyone know what his family is doing in Africa?
This whole "money got to his head" is just low hanging fruit. I mean Oscar is STILL trying to play for a potential NBA spot which *could* be a heck of a lot more than his NIL money. So why would he just give up on trying? This is an extremely pivotal year for him.
Yeah…. This ain’t the place for any racially tinged hot takes or generalizations. Save those for your diary.
Bruiser on post game game saying Oscar not running the floor like he was last year.
His body doesn't look the same as last year.
Definitely in better shape last year.
Confidence is shot.
Cant really blame Cal for trying to get him going. What else can you do this late in season?
His body doesn't look the same as last year.
Definitely in better shape last year.
Confidence is shot.
Cant really blame Cal for trying to get him going. What else can you do this late in season?
I know Oscar was hurt early in the season, but he came back with a totally different mindset, that showed it's ugly head very early in the season. I believe Oscar actually started believing his own press. In Game 1 Oscar was flexing and doing the "he's too small" gesture while running down the court. He then started showing up his teammates and calling them out, while basically taking no account for his own poor play. He seems to be more concerned now with gathering stats, rather than playing winning basketball. This is evident by the numerous times he has knocked teammates down going after rebounds that were clearly being controlled by his teammates. Now it looks as if his teammates don't really like to play with him or give him the ball, so I think there is an underlying issue going on with the team.
What? It's basically the same exact team.
Cason Wallace is better than anyone on last year's team... Reeves and Grady are a wash so who was the lost talent
If that dude wasn't being sarcastic he should be banned...
He should have left after last year. It was obvious to me that it was a mistake for him to come back. He gave up a more lucrative future for short term gain.
And you all really think Cal and Oscar are the problem...Look in the mirror. 98% of the people on this board are poison to the program. Kids will not come here when they see grown adults bashing other kids or the coach.
Who cares who comes here at this point? Cal can't/won't do anything with any of them. I don't bash players, but the coach is fair game if he's taken a program down as far as Cal has to UK. This isn't just one game or one season. This multiple seasons of this crap.
I don’t know that any NPOY has had as many holes in his game as Oscar. Can’t defend. Can’t score against equal or greater length. Has limited post moves. Can’t consistently shoot from 15 feet. Is an absolute liability against pick&roll.
Beat Kentucky, take Oscar out of the game. Good teams are concentrating on keeping Oscar off the boards and swarming when he has the ball, the weak supporting cast doesn't make them pay.
I think he is a really great kid who is the best pure two handed rebounder I have seen since Rodman. If our offense were spread more I think teams wouldn’t be able to double him in a clogged lane. He isn’t quick so you have to work around that.
What on earth makes Oscar a true 4 especially in todays game ?
Agreed he’s just a limited player . I don’t think effort is the issue .
Oscar looks to me like someone that has not played a whole lot of basketball and just doesn't have instincts for the game.
