WHOOP! After the letdown at Baylor, that was a much-needed win. Fantastic atmosphere at Reed today, and I finally made it onto the jumbotron
A tough guard who can shoot from the outside, drive the lane and create his own shot? I can't see why you would think he has no chance in the league. Many in the Big XII also believe that Sloan is a good defender. I also forgot to mention that when he drives the lane, he often creates offensive opportunities for his teammates. Will he make the NBA? I really don't know. To completely foreclose it based on his abilities is a little silly. Remember that many people thought that Dat Nguyen was too small to play LB in the NFL.
With Dat it was a physical issue, with Sloan I just don't think he has the tools or natural ability to play in the NBA. I could be wrong, but I am usually decent judging PG talent. See my old posts on Collison or Gibson for example. Carter IMO had more to offer.
I really disagree. Josh Carter was good at hitting the clutch 3 an played good defense. I think that Sloan's game has more dimensions and he is better at creating offense for himself and for his teammates. We will see. You may end up being completely right on this.
Tools or natural ability? if anything, those two things are what make me think he will have an NBA future. The guy is built like a linebacker and is freakishly strong and athletic. Physically, he could punish any PG in the league not named Deron Williams or Derrick Rose. He is literally a boxer lol. Notice I said physically, I still doubt his shot, his turnover problem, and to an extent, his decision making. But all of those can be worked on and improved, the raw talent and physical ability are there, and that's what NBA scouts look at.
IMO, I'm not sure about Sloan. I've been pretty accurate myself when it has come to Aggies making the NBA or not over the last decade. And in my circles people have said the following: Bernard King 2nd rounder (I said nope) Antoine Wright superstar lottery pick (I said 16 to the T-Wolves, but he ended up 1 higher or lower to NJ when the T-Wolves got Rashad McCants instead) Acie Law superstar lottery (I called NBA lottery the 1st game I saw him live in his freshman year bc of his NBA handles, but was unsure of his shooting skills) Kavaluskus 2nd rounder (I said nope) Joe Jones 2nd rounder (I said nope) Josh Carter 1st rounder (I said nope b/c he only had one good skill) DeAndre Jordan 1st rounder (I missed on this one...I think he's not an NBA level talent, but I'm wrong so far...it's a little unfair though because he's so young and still considered a project and still might go the way of the Jerome Moiso's of the NBA) Anyhow, my instincts tell me Sloan is at best a 2nd rounder...probably will make a summer league team, the D-League, and might get a shot at some 10 day contracts down the line. He could be a 1st rounder and I could be wrong, but his bulldog abilities aren't that unique. I do think that he has more NBA potential in terms of having a career than DeAndre, who I still think can be out of the league soon. Bryan Davis is a dark horse to me. He has euroball written all over him...I just really like his basketball IQ though. He really does a good job at maximizing his limited athletic ability.
I think Loubeau and Turner definitely have potential to be drafted down the rode....other than that no way....Sloan and Davis will play pro somewhere but if its in the NBA then some GM went nuts, which I guess isn't totally out of the question...with that said I love that about our team... no real great pro prospects, but we still hang with big boys by good coaching and controlled play.
i used to think that davis and sloan stood no chance to make it in the nba but based upon this season i believe sloan has an outside shot to make a team. When you hear other coaches talk about him they really go on an on about him this year and how difficult he is to stop. Since moving to the two spot he has been pretty much unstoppable when he really wants to score and has done a very good job of not commanding the ball too much by getting his shots when needed. Plus he has stepped it up big in the final minutes of games this year scoring consistently when the defense is zoning in on him. He's still way too small for a two though so he's going to need to put on a big show in the tourney or do really well in workouts to show that he could maybe be a rotation player. Davis has zero chance though of being drafted. He has great post moves and is very aggressive but is a head case on defense still making stupid fouls in his senoir season. Plus physically he is undersized for the nba and has absolutely no jumper to stretch the floor. For the future players dash has a ton of potential but in the end probably isnt big enough to get to the next level with his defensive pass first style. DL looked like a great pro prospect last year but came out this year with an embarrasing soph slump missing open layups every game. Hes cleaned it up very well recently and has a good chance to make it. the freshman havnt reallly shown enough yet to make any kind of prediction. Turner though has beasted it up especially considering he couldn't even practice with the team until after fall finals.
Glad we took care of business this week. Now I actually have to hope the Horns can knock off the Bears. Weirdness.
Keep this in mind, we have locked up a bye in the first round of the Big XII tourny. We have locked up being in the top third of the toughest conference in the nation. That will translate into a better NCAA seed.
As far I understand it now, We are tied with the Bears in Big 12 record, but apparently we lose the tiebreaker. I haven't been able to find what the tiebreaker is, but we lose that. That makes us the #4 seed. I know we are already in, but I preferred having go through #6 Texas and then potentially redeem ourselves against #2 KSU in the Big 12 Tourney. I still think we can beat #5 Missouri, but their style is so frenetic that almost anything can happen in that game. Then playing #1 KU would be nice to get some revenge, but we showed we can hang with them last time we played them. However, playing either KSU or Kansas in a de-facto road game in Kansas City would be real tough. If we were to beat either team, I would hope we could get a #4 seed in the tourney. First thing is first though, #5 Mizzou....unless Nebraska pulls off a miracle.
I disagree. Did you watch Texas play Baylor tonight? That team is absolutely awful... and thing is, I was cheering for Texas. They look like a team that has NEVER practiced or played together. Turnovers in the back court, awful passing, running around like chickens with heads cut off, mis-communication, my goodness. I don't understand how Rick Barnes still has a job. You can't say a matchup against Texas will be as difficult as one against Missouri. Texas is god awful, and I'm not saying this as an Aggie, I'm saying it as a basketball observer lol.
Would definitely rather play Texas than Mizzou at this point. That first round game is going to be tough and we always seem to falter in the Big XII tourney. Not too concerned about it though as I care more about the big dance. Would be nice if we could somehow work our way into a better seed though.
Well, what do you know Nebraska upset Mizzou. Let's hope our Big 12 Tourney haze of past years clears so that we beat a team we should beat.
