Why is Skal unable to rebound?

[runt#69]

While I agree with a lot of the things people are saying about Skal, I'm reminded he's ONLY A FRESHMAN. Sometimes freshmen have a steeper learning curve than one would expect. It's the case with Skal.

As for the rebounding, Coach Cal already said it last game or two :

He said he's using him as a spot shooter as he is finding his role on the team, and that is making it hard for him to rebound (because, as another poster pointed out) that he reacts to the shot rather than pre-positioning himself and getting into a bulkier physical shape to handle the rebounding contact, which is going to happen.

He's gotta learn at some point. My big question about Skal is this :

Can he find it and put it all together this year, or can we (GOD PLEASE) have him for just ONE MORE YEAR, and see how he is after a year's seasoning.

People are hoping he goes pro, I guarantee that. NO WAY they want to see him on next year's team. Get him gone from UK before he starts to mature and get bulk.

Just my 2 cents.

 

[smooth as butter]

Skal is a project.

 

[willievic]

His basketball IQ is very low. When he sets a pick, he then just stands there. He never rolls to the basket for a pass.

OLD STOLL FIELD GUY!

 

[screwduke]

I hope he gets drafted in the 1st round so we don't have to play him next year.

 

[runt#69]

I hope he gets drafted in the 1st round so we don't have to play him next year.

stinker of a post from westerncat, whom I have the utmost respect for.

C'mon now, westerncat. You have had much better moments than this. Shake it off, get back on the horse, brother.

 

[4UK]

Cal is the master motivator - but I think Skal will go down as one of the few players that he couldn't get through to. When you look at it, why should Skal care about rebounding?

It's hard work; so why do it if you don't have to. Everyone is telling him he's a first-round pick right now. A 7-footer who can't get a single rebound - over THREE games - is a joke; but not Skal. He's got "potential."

Cal says if you don't rebound, I can't play you. Yet Skal goes three games without getting a rebound, and there he was on the floor, letting Perry Ellis take a rebound away from him and ultimately send the game to OT. So again, if you're going to play, and you're going to get drafted, whether you rebound or not -- and you're soft to begin with -- why bother with rebounding?

 

[mj2k10]

I swear to God he's allergic to the ball after it touches the rim. You would think he'd get more rebounds by accident.

 

[UKgreatinmyveins]

He'll be fine in the NBA because they don't exactly battle for every rebound

You must not watch.

 

[goforitcats]

Bilas mentioned during the game that the criticism was justified regarding Skal. Skal will be a decent player, but he needs a couple of years to develop. I think if he doesn't take the d league road and stuck around, he could turn into a very good player in the NBA . If he jumps after this year it would be a tremendous mistake and he will turn into a (What is Skal doing now?) thread in a couple of years.
I hope he sticks around and becomes a good player like WCS did. I think that would be the best option for him.

I wish he,or his handlers were smart. IMO Skal would benefit with more time as well.

 

[Ineverplayedthegame]

Skal is a 3 year guy. Best thing in the world for him would be to stay at UK and play and practice with next years team. As a junior he should be ready to shine. This would allow him to develop and be challenged but at a rate that he could assimilate.
Right now he is too far behind to gain anything playing against grown men.

 

[stenchymouse]

He loses 3 or 4 rebounds game by just having weak hands.

The other 3-5 he could get a game are from not being able to hold his position and not anticipating where the rebounds are going to come from.

Eventually, he'll improve in all those areas but he'll never be a great rebounder.

 

[Ky_Bred_Cat]

At this point, Skal is unable to play defense or rebound because he has no instinct or natural ability to do it. He doesn't know how to position himself or anticipate anything and thus is reacting to everything going on around him. Regardless of how hard he might (or might not) be trying, this leaves him a step behind and out of position as he watches and reacts to the action. Some players are instinctively good at defense and rebounding, some can learn it and some just don't ever get it. He may be able to learn how to play it effectively one day, but he has a long, long way to go.

 

[USNNFOCAT]

A six year old can take it from his clutches - he might be the weakest player I've ever seen.

Can't be! Didn't you see him flex those guns against MO?

 

[Ky_Bred_Cat]

As has been mentioned, the rebound he gave up late was a killer. We had no shot wining in overtime with our roster deleted by foul trouble. He had the ball in both hands and paused just long enough for the stronger player to rip it away from him. We were up one with a chance to control the outcome.

 

[SosaUK]

While I agree with a lot of the things people are saying about Skal, I'm reminded he's ONLY A FRESHMAN. Sometimes freshmen have a steeper learning curve than one would expect. It's the case with Skal.

As for the rebounding, Coach Cal already said it last game or two :

He said he's using him as a spot shooter as he is finding his role on the team, and that is making it hard for him to rebound (because, as another poster pointed out) that he reacts to the shot rather than pre-positioning himself and getting into a bulkier physical shape to handle the rebounding contact, which is going to happen.

He's gotta learn at some point. My big question about Skal is this :

Can he find it and put it all together this year, or can we (GOD PLEASE) have him for just ONE MORE YEAR, and see how he is after a year's seasoning.

People are hoping he goes pro, I guarantee that. NO WAY they want to see him on next year's team. Get him gone from UK before he starts to mature and get bulk.

Just my 2 cents.

Your 2 cents are about a dollar short.

Edit: the freshmen excuse is BS. Did boogie have a problem rebounding?

 

[CatsnRoses]

I'm genuinely curious, has anyone ever seen a player his size who's a worse rebounder? It's unfathomable. Even Andrea Bargnani when he came into the league hit the glass better than this kid.

 

[UK90]

Can't be! Didn't you see him flex those guns against MO?

Yep. Skal looked just foolish doing that flexing stuff, because the one thing's he's proven this year is that he's NOT strong. Defenders barely even need to graze the ball to strip it out of his hands, and he can't hold his position vs. a rag doll. Until those things change the last thing he should ever be doing is posing like Schwarzenegger.

 

[JonathanW]

He'd rather shoot the ball. Rebounding is about desire.

This ^^^^.
Skal has no fight in him.
Often when the shot goes up, players simply freeze, or at most turn around. Damn it, that is when you get in position, spin around the guy blocking you out. Go crash the glass if you are within 20', there are always openings.
Skal was not a good rebounder when Cal was trying to teach him to be a post player, but he would get some. Now that he is a 15' jump shooter, he is not near the rim much on offense, and doesn't have the fight/desire to go get position. I have no explanation why he can't at least get some defensive boards since he is guarding the other team's big man (unless his guy is a jumpshooter too).

 

[WayneDougan]

Well he doesn't even attempt to box out

This is correct. I was watching him last night a few times when the shot went up - he doesn't expect contact from the man behind him so he easily gets pushed out of the way. You don't have to be big or strong to box out, you just have to do it.

 

[Oldbluefart]

I think it is just a good kid who is more of a "soft" personality type, could be from where is from and not having years and years of AAU ball exposure or street ball to toughen him up.
This does not make him a bad player in anyway; it is not his fault others built him up to be something is not yet.
I remember running into the UL player, Mathang (spelling) when he first arrived in Louisville. He came over to one of our places to see a female who played field hockey for them. She introduced me to him and after speaking with him a minute or two, I teased him about getting down to McDonalds and eat something and gain some weight and muscle or when he came into Rupp my boys in blue was going to tear his ass up. He laughed and was a very nice kid.
Look at him now, may not be a NBA guy but he sure has bulked up and gotten better. Given Skals skill over Mathang's, he bulks up some with muscle and he will be fine.
This is why I hated youth sports my last few years, everyone thinks their kid is ready to skip a grade, jump ahead of older players and will not let them enjoy the journey of growing up and getting there on their time line.

 

[Notorious23]

Skal averaging 0 rebounds the last three games??????

 

[AzubuikeandFitch]

I was upset with Skal's rebounding before but this is unheard of. Whether a UK fan or not u can and should be critical of his performances.

 

[denhunter]

It's really hard to believe that one ball hasn't fallen in his hands in 3 games. No strength and lack of toughness seem to be the main issues! As someone stated above... that one rebound that he had taken away from him was a HUGE play in the game!

They DO fall into is hands! A lot! The other team just reaches out and takes them away, or slaps them out of his hands before he tries to put it back.

 

[Icecoldbrewdoggy]

3rd straight game with ZERO rebounds.

Skal will be a beast in all facets if he stays at Kentucky and lets Cal coach him another year. And no matter what people say, I don't think he's as dead set on leaving as people think. I give it a 50/50 chance that he comes back. If not, he'll kick around the D-League and never make it because nobody will push him.

 

[dave5164]

I believe Skal will help us in the remaining SEC games and NCAA Tourney. The problem right now is that he does have to rebound to gain more minutes with Coach Cal. The big rebound yesterday was getting the rebound that Ellis stripped right away from him and then fouling Ellis and letting him go to the line and tie the game with 9 sec. If Skal grabs that rebound and holds on he probably gets fouled with under 9sec. to play with Kentucky up 1 point and Skal going to the line. Skal is a decent FT shooter and would feel confident in him hitting the FT's. If this happens we probably finish out the game with the Win at Kansas. There were so many different opportunities in the last 1 minute of play for UK to win. Skal does have a very nice jump shot from 10-15ft. and could be a nice forward for us going forward in the SEC and NCAA Tourney. I just wish Coach Cal would have noticed like we all did and alot of the experts and Media were saying earlier in the season the Skal was a Forward and not a Center and would play better at forward like he played in High School. It took us 20 games to figure out this was the best for Skal to play. He is just going to have to get the rebounds though to get more playing time from Coach Cal. Getting into the game each night and being a 7 footer and at the end of the game look at the stats and he has a Third Zero rebounds in a game. That can't happen if he wants to get more minutes no matter how many points he scores he has to start rebounding for us.

 

[Cawood86]

Hard to spin it any other way, but at 7ft and not get any rebounds in 3 straight games is beyond bad.
Rebounding is part instinct and part desire. Unfortunately, he has neither right now as far as rebounding. No excuse for 3 straight goose eggs.

 

[Woodrow_Call_1998]

I feel sorry for Skal. The "experts" put these lofty expectations on him and were way off when they scouted him. It's hard not to be critical of him but we all have to remember he is just a kid. If anyone can help develop the kids game, it's our coaching staff. I just hope that he improves because we need him to make this a special season.