Why is it assumed that Jacob Hammond will redshirt?

[HB]

No chance Shields or Pitchford are drafted to the NBA after this year. If they declare (which I highly doubt), they will be playing overseas.

That seems a little strong, especially with regard to Petteway. He came back as a late second rounder in the vetting process THIS year. I would think that projection would only move up next year.

[Cookie Belcher]

No chance Shields or Pitchford are drafted to the NBA after this year. If they declare (which I highly doubt), they will be playing overseas.

That seems a little strong, especially with regard to Petteway. He came back as a late second rounder in the vetting process THIS year. I would think that projection would only move up next year.

I didn't mention Petteway in my post. He could declare after this year for sure.

[HB]

No chance Shields or Pitchford are drafted to the NBA after this year. If they declare (which I highly doubt), they will be playing overseas.

That seems a little strong, especially with regard to Petteway. He came back as a late second rounder in the vetting process THIS year. I would think that projection would only move up next year.

I didn't mention Petteway in my post. He could declare after this year for sure.

My bad--man, it's Friday; I should do no more work today with the reading comprehension I just displayed!

[Cookie Belcher]

I give you full permission to take the rest of the day off

[PimpMario]

No chance Shields or Pitchford are drafted to the NBA after this year. If they declare (which I highly doubt), they will be playing overseas.

 

I think you are wrong about Pitchford.  I wouldn't say I think Pitchford has a strong chance to get draft after next year but I certainly wouldn't say he has no chance.

 

Pitchford has an NBA body.  He could easily play SF or wing for some team.  Plus he can already hit the outside shot pretty dang well.  He will only get stronger and more physical over the offseason and next year.

[Cookie Belcher]

You are entitled to your opinion, but I think posters here are drastically underestimating how difficult it is to make it to the NBA.  Pitchford will not be drafted in next year's draft.

[HuskerFever]

You are entitled to your opinion, but I think posters here are drastically underestimating how difficult it is to make it to the NBA.  Pitchford will not be drafted in next year's draft.

 

He might be drafted, but that doesn't mean he wouldn't spend most of his time in D-League.

[NeHoops]

You are entitled to your opinion, but I think posters here are drastically underestimating how difficult it is to make it to the NBA.  Pitchford will not be drafted in next year's draft.

I agree. Just my opinion but while Pitchford had some very productive games that teased you as to his becoming a regular contributor, there were too many games where I felt he under performed. I don't know if it's a matter of confidence or what but he had way more games where he was almost a non-factor than he had good games. To land in the NBA you better be consistently good shot, a great defender or an incredible rebounder and defensive presence in the middle. While he showed me flashes of that, I felt he failed to deliver more often than not. How much will Miles and his staff be able to help develop each of the players during the off season? I hope they each continue to develop. Hard to imagine too many making the mega jump I felt Benny Parker made but I do feel confident that the coaches will help each player before the start of next season.

[OurDecay]

I have no idea if Walter will ever be drafted by the NBA or not (I suspect not), but there is undeniably some reasons for optimism based on how the season went for him.  Just strictly looking at statistics, post-Biggs dismissal/@PSU debacle, this is what Walter put up in the following games:

 

MINN: 13 PTS, 4 REB

IND: 11 PTS, 3 REB

@ #10 MICH: 10 PTS, 4 REB

@ NW: 15 PTS, 5 REB

ILL: 7 PTS, 1 REB

@ #9 MSU: 18 PTS, 5 REB

PSU: 11 PTS, 6 REB

PUR: 10 PTS, 5 REB

@ ILL: 2 PTS, 5 REB (they apparently own him?)

NW: 10 PTS, 9 REB

@ IND: 17 PTS, 9 REB

#9 WISC: 15 PTS, 5 REB

#24 OSU: 15 PTS, 5 REB

 

Now, I obviously left off the Baylor game (scoreless with 5 rebs), but prior to that was a 13-game stretch where he was in double-figures 11 times, and averaged 11.9 PPG (up from his season average) and 5.5 RPG.  He did that into the teeth of a Big Ten schedule as a sophomore, in his (essentially) FIRST EVER season of D-1 play.  In his last 3 games against ranked teams prior to the NCAAs, he put up 18, 15 and 15.  Petteway and Shields are also sophomores, but had a lot more previous playing experience.  Walter played 22 total minutes in 2011-2012...and suddenly is facing Adreian Payne and Frank Kaminsky down the stretch. Yo. He was essentially a freshman.

 

He was a consistent contributor down the stretch, proved to be a pretty clutch 3-point shooter (shot 26-54 - 48.2%!!!) over that 13-game stretch.  Add to that the fact that he really stepped up his game defensively and also served to draw away interior defenders, and he was a pretty valuable player for us.

 

Its impossible to say at this point where his ceiling is...but I believe it is quite high.  His only issue is that unlike some others, he cannot create his own shots...he relies on spacing, passing, and some concerted effort to get him involved.  Usually when he disappeared it was mostly a matter of his teammates not getting him looks.

 

I half-jokingly have compared him to a potential Robert Horry to some friends...but he does have that kind of promise IMO.

 

If it weren't for the fact that we also have two of the top-10 returning scorers in Big Ten play on the same team, we would be hyping him up quite a bit more.

 

Just my $.02.

[TheKamdyMan]

I'll give you some of that on Walt but you say he was essentially a freshman. No other freshman in the country got two years on the practice squad to get bigger, stronger, and better before making his splash. He's a very good player don't get me wrong but that part I don't see the same thing.

[OurDecay]

That's a fair point.  I was mostly speaking in terms of actual playing time.  There's a big difference between practice squad and go-time...particularly in the Big Ten. 

 

Even if you just look at him as a sophomore..that's still a very impressive stretch.  There was a pretty marked improvement in his play, production and consistency over the course of the year.  10.0 PPG & 4.8 RPG in Big Ten play is pretty good at this point in his career.

 

If - IF - he can carry that trajectory into next year at the start of the year...he could eventually be a 15 PPG guy and at that point I think he'd start to get some attention.

 

But again...I agree that he won't be drafted by the NBA. 

[kleitus]

The thing that hammond won't get by redshirting is experience against all-B1G caliber inside guys.  Ayegba and smith are two ok guys but they're never going to be all B1G offensively or defensively.  ayegba's probably better defensively than smith.

 

contrast that to tarin smith.  benny has a lot of shortcomings (pun unintended) but he can flat out play defense.  tarin smith will be able to go up against a legitimately good (and possibly great) defender everyday in practice.  if he can beat benny consistently in practice and take playing time, you flat out know he's good enough to play in our league.

 

you just won't know with hammond unless he dominates inside.  think of how good kenny bell got by going up against amukamara in practice.  similar things here.  success breeds success.

[Cookie Belcher]

I love Walter and have high hopes for him the next couple years.  I think he is a great college player.  I just think the level one has to be at to be an NBA draft pick is being underestimated big time.

[kleitus]

I love Walter and have high hopes for him the next couple years.  I think he is a great college player.  I just think the level one has to be at to be an NBA draft pick is being underestimated big time.

 

it is.  this isn't the nfl where you have 50 or so roster spots plus the taxi squad.  nba has what... 15 spots tops?  and with 300 or so division 1 teams (versus 100 or so football teams) it gives you some idea how much harder the NBA is than the NFL to stick around.

 

gives you a new appreciation for how good tyronn lue and mikki moore really were.... and they were basically bench guys in the NBA.

[hhcmatt]

The thing that hammond won't get by redshirting is experience against all-B1G caliber inside guys.  Ayegba and smith are two ok guys but they're never going to be all B1G offensively or defensively.  ayegba's probably better defensively than smith.

 

If Hammond can hold his own against Ayegba and Leslee this summer, he's ready to play this year.

[NeHoops]

The thing that hammond won't get by redshirting is experience against all-B1G caliber inside guys.  Ayegba and smith are two ok guys but they're never going to be all B1G offensively or defensively.  ayegba's probably better defensively than smith.

 

contrast that to tarin smith.  benny has a lot of shortcomings (pun unintended) but he can flat out play defense.  tarin smith will be able to go up against a legitimately good (and possibly great) defender everyday in practice.  if he can beat benny consistently in practice and take playing time, you flat out know he's good enough to play in our league.

 

you just won't know with hammond unless he dominates inside.  think of how good kenny bell got by going up against amukamara in practice.  similar things here.  success breeds success.

I agree that you can never duplicate game conditions during practice and as we have a shortage of great Bigs, Hammond won't get the experience against them if he redshirts. Having said that, We have some very athletic and talented guys he will be going against every day in practice. Defending the basket he will be facing All B1G Terran Peteway each day, not to mention Shields and the others. So while not like going up against Kaminsky, he will get that benefit from the practices.

[TheKamdyMan]

The thing that hammond won't get by redshirting is experience against all-B1G caliber inside guys. Ayegba and smith are two ok guys but they're never going to be all B1G offensively or defensively. ayegba's probably better defensively than smith.

contrast that to tarin smith. benny has a lot of shortcomings (pun unintended) but he can flat out play defense. tarin smith will be able to go up against a legitimately good (and possibly great) defender everyday in practice. if he can beat benny consistently in practice and take playing time, you flat out know he's good enough to play in our league.

you just won't know with hammond unless he dominates inside. think of how good kenny bell got by going up against amukamara in practice. similar things here. success breeds success.

I agree that you can never duplicate game conditions during practice and as we have a shortage of great Bigs, Hammond won't get the experience against them if he redshirts. Having said that, We have some very athletic and talented guys he will be going against every day in practice. Defending the basket he will be facing All B1G Terran Peteway each day, not to mention Shields and the others. So while not like going up against Kaminsky, he will get that benefit from the practices.

Sometimes all it takes is going up against more seasoned vets. For example every year for the hoops summit they bring in seniors from local colleges to scrimmage team USA. Over the years the college guys have beaten the best of the best HS teams with guys from D3 schools and Oregon and OSU. This year Mike Moser from Oregon whom averaged only 12 a game averaged 28 over the 3 scrimmages. I guarantee if Hammond only went against Ayegba, Smith, and Pitchford all year he would get better just because he would be going against older, smarter, and stronger players than he ever has before.

[PimpMario]

@OurDecay Thanks for putting in some time and thought with your post.  I feel like Pitchford was a valuable part of "the big 3" last year when we went on our run.

 

It is just weird to me that I am more positive than most on this board about something related to Huskser Hoops.  

 

Again, I am not saying Pitchford has a 55% chance of getting drafted, simply that he can play himself into consideration next year.  It is certainly about 0%.  Maybe 10 to 20 percent.

[HB]

The thing that hammond won't get by redshirting is experience against all-B1G caliber inside guys. Ayegba and smith are two ok guys but they're never going to be all B1G offensively or defensively. ayegba's probably better defensively than smith.

contrast that to tarin smith. benny has a lot of shortcomings (pun unintended) but he can flat out play defense. tarin smith will be able to go up against a legitimately good (and possibly great) defender everyday in practice. if he can beat benny consistently in practice and take playing time, you flat out know he's good enough to play in our league.

you just won't know with hammond unless he dominates inside. think of how good kenny bell got by going up against amukamara in practice. similar things here. success breeds success.

I agree that you can never duplicate game conditions during practice and as we have a shortage of great Bigs, Hammond won't get the experience against them if he redshirts. Having said that, We have some very athletic and talented guys he will be going against every day in practice. Defending the basket he will be facing All B1G Terran Peteway each day, not to mention Shields and the others. So while not like going up against Kaminsky, he will get that benefit from the practices.

Sometimes all it takes is going up against more seasoned vets. For example every year for the hoops summit they bring in seniors from local colleges to scrimmage team USA. Over the years the college guys have beaten the best of the best HS teams with guys from D3 schools and Oregon and OSU. This year Mike Moser from Oregon whom averaged only 12 a game averaged 28 over the 3 scrimmages. I guarantee if Hammond only went against Ayegba, Smith, and Pitchford all year he would get better just because he would be going against older, smarter, and stronger players than he ever has before.

Good posts. An OWH article this morning on Agau is instructive on the physical and mental adjustments a kid faces when trying to play at the elite level.