2019-2020 Season

First game. He will be fine.

 

How many guys played their first games tonight for Duke and Kansas? For UK? Can you point out any other highly touted recruits who scored 2 points or less against substantially better opponents?

I’m seriously asking.

 

He’s not a very good shooter right now. That’s why I think he won’t go one and done. But he signed with the right coach to fix that.

 

Go look at the box scores at those games. Kansas and Michigan St don’t even start freshmen. Duke had a few freshmen around 10 points, all of which had more shots than James. Maxey for Kentucky is the only the freshman that really shined tonight. Just settle down and give the kid some time. He’ll be ok. Congrats on the girlfriend btw.

 

This is actually JJJ’s MO. He doesn’t look for his shot. Barnes says they’ve been trying to correct, but he’s gonna choose a dish over points if he can right now. Pretty sure he ended up with 0 in the McDonalds AA game.

 

10 points is a lot more than 2. If JJJ had scored 10 points, then saying "it was his first game" would have been a perfectly normal way to look at last night.

But he scored 2, on a team desperately in need of scoring options. And let's not pretend he was passing up shot after shot to dish easy buckets to his teammates. He only had 2 assists to go with his 2 points. And let's also not act like he didn't have opportunities to score. He was 1-5 from the field. Comparatively, Fulkerson, who has a 0.0% chance of ever sniffing an NBA contract, was 5/6 from the field with 10 points.

I didn't watch the game, so maybe y'all saw something I didn't. But I'm concerned that a guy whose name some people were mentioning in the same sentences with the phrase "one and done" scored 2 points against inferior competition in his first chance to shine on the collegiate level.

 

James right now just needs quit turning the ball over and distribute the ball, and play good defense. The scoring will come.

 

Can somebody get the manager for Karen over here?

 

Fire everybody. Every last one of them.

 

Jjj wasnt trying to score. His shot needs help though and his intensity as well. I was more concerned with getting beat to balls. He looked a little lackadaisical after loose balls. He is big and smoothe though and needs to use his body to get to the rim.

 

Damn, even the new guy, Indy.

 

This was a team-wide issue last night. I suspect Deacon will fix that

 

You failed to mention he had 6 rebounds.

 

Yes. We definitely saw something you didn't: the game. UNC-Asheville was playing press and man to man most of the game. It clearly did bother him, but not to the point that I am concerned given that it was a freshman's first game.

He's a work in progress. I'm not terribly worried. Many point guards have to learn to find their shots when transitioning to college.

 

This is pretty cool.

 

I really think this kid is going to be a great player for us at some point.

 

Gaines is going to do some contributing before he’s done too

 

He needs to contribute at the supper table.

But I agree.

 

How did the Florida freshmen do in their first game? Memphis? Those that watched the game haven't really said anything to help me feel better about his play.

This team desperately needs scoring options this season. I get that it's just one game, but it's not an ideal start for a player we were originally concerned may not be around next year to play with all the other talent we are bringing in. Hopefully he finds his shot soon.

 

I'm not sure that looking at rebounds is the best way to evaluate a point guard. 6 assists, and I'd feel much better.