Is Walt going to be ok??

[Section_316]

When we went on our epic run last year- he was nails- close to 13 ppg offensively during the streak if I recall.

 

In the B1G tournament and the NCAA he was brutal and he has really struggled this year too. Walt strikes me as a guy who mentally is up and down confidence wise and I just worry that he could fall into a Rey Gallegos type funk were he's only giving us 3-5 a night. In my opinion, If we want to be an NCAA team again this year, we need 12+ from Walt a night....

 

Are we gonna get it?

[Silverbacked1]

The people we sit with asked if I thought Walt looked healthy.

He is kind of playing like he is just getting over the flu, you know what I mean?

[hhcmatt]

Is it the whole "I need to be a post player" thing?

 

Some guys seem to clench up when it's a big moment. Walt has always seemed like a guy who has risen to the occasion.

Thus, if he is in some sort of a mental funk I think he has the sort of makeup to eventually get out of it.

[TheKamdyMan]

I think its just an adjustment of him wanting to being a post guy.  Its like a hitter in baseball or golf changing their swing.  It will take some time to adjust and some mental issues to get over but in the end things should work out.  He needs to find a good happy medium imo to do his post work but also get out on the wing to shoot.

[Norm Peterson]

As I said in uneblinstu's post-game thread, there was one series where Walt kept after it until he hit that outside shot.  And when he hit it, it was like a monkey was taken off his back.  He'll be fine.  I'm more worried about Moses filling in for Leslee and Nick Fuller finding his handles.

[Swan88]

As I said in uneblinstu's post-game thread, there was one series where Walt kept after it until he hit that outside shot.  And when he hit it, it was like a monkey was taken off his back.  He'll be fine.  I'm more worried about Moses filling in for Leslee and Nick Fuller finding his handles.

Agree on all points. On the other hand with Walt, it may have been the same series in the second half when someone fed the ball to Walt inside with his back to the basket. But instead of working toward loving the rim, he backed away from the defender for a long shot (but not quite a three). That seemed . . . wrong somehow.

So, in defense of the prior paragraph, I started griping last night about Tai in the second half--about his three travel turnovers, etc. As soon as that happened, he did a whole bunch of great things. So the new strategy is to "go negative" . . . it worked once!

[Marv]

Walt is who he is and that is not a post player.  I wish we would quit trying to jam a square peg in a round hole and start building on his strengths.  Let him be the guy that everyone wants Fuller to be and let him be a sharp shooter from the corner.  Our offense doesn't suit feeding Walt anyway.  He isn't the type of player who will break his defender down and beat him to the rim.  He moves well without the ball and pops open for threes a couple times a game.  

 

If everyone would quit trying to make him a back to the basket post player I think it would free him up and we might just see the Walt that we saw during that nice run in 2013-14.

[Section_316]

Plus I think the lane would be more open for Tai , Benny , Terran, & shavon.

[ajb5856]

Walt is who he is and that is not a post player. I wish we would quit trying to jam a square peg in a round hole and start building on his strengths. Let him be the guy that everyone wants Fuller to be and let him be a sharp shooter from the corner. Our offense doesn't suit feeding Walt anyway. He isn't the type of player who will break his defender down and beat him to the rim. He moves well without the ball and pops open for threes a couple times a game.

If everyone would quit trying to make him a back to the basket post player I think it would free him up and we might just see the Walt that we saw during that nice run in 2013-14.

Just think Brian Conklin with extra hops.

[Norm Peterson]

Walt is who he is and that is not a post player.  I wish we would quit trying to jam a square peg in a round hole and start building on his strengths.  Let him be the guy that everyone wants Fuller to be and let him be a sharp shooter from the corner.  Our offense doesn't suit feeding Walt anyway.  He isn't the type of player who will break his defender down and beat him to the rim.  He moves well without the ball and pops open for threes a couple times a game.  

 

If everyone would quit trying to make him a back to the basket post player I think it would free him up and we might just see the Walt that we saw during that nice run in 2013-14.

You sure about this?

 

I'm not at practice and I'm not on the bench during games and I'm pretty sure Walt isn't listening to me.  Or, frankly, anyone else around here for that matter.  I don't think what we do or don't do will free him up to do or be anything.

 

I think you're attributing powers to message board posters that we just don't have.

[HuskerPower #nato73]

Yes, Walt is going to be fine.  He goes for double figures on Saturday.

[TheKamdyMan]

Walt is who he is and that is not a post player.  I wish we would quit trying to jam a square peg in a round hole and start building on his strengths.  Let him be the guy that everyone wants Fuller to be and let him be a sharp shooter from the corner.  Our offense doesn't suit feeding Walt anyway.  He isn't the type of player who will break his defender down and beat him to the rim.  He moves well without the ball and pops open for threes a couple times a game.  

 

If everyone would quit trying to make him a back to the basket post player I think it would free him up and we might just see the Walt that we saw during that nice run in 2013-14.

 

Walt also submitted his name to find out what he needs to work on.  I can guarantee you the main focus for him to work the post is more than Miles saying he needs to get better at it, its the NBA which is Walt's main goal.  If he wants to reach his end goal becoming a better post player will be expected beyond NU's expectations of what they want from him in the post.

[Section_316]

I kind of feel like he is mixing it up/hanging in the post to get some work in and when we play the big boys and start drawing stuff up... he will go back to being that stretch guy. Drive and dish to him for 3, pick and pop for 3. His inside game is just not very good, lis it clogs the lane.

[Huskerpapa]

If Walt makes it to the next level it will be (at least in part) because he will be able to go both inside and outside with his game.  I believe his shot is great...his ability to put the ball on the floor and drive under control needs work as does his back to the basket game.  Walt has difficulties creating his own shot, but with the players that surround him, his outside shot is a fantastic tool.

 

Walt is going to be better than okay, he has a tremendous upside.  I fully expect him to continue to refine his game.

[lanigan123]

Walt in my opinion needs more work than just getting better in post. If you rewatch the games it doesn't seem to me that it's him wanting to be a post guy. It's not like he is posting guys up and just not scoring he just isn't showing up really at all. It's a head scratcher to me

[hhcmatt]

I think playing in the post would make him a better college player...not really a better pro prospect.

[Handy Johnson]

Walt needs to be the Chris Bosch of our "Big 3".

[hal9000]

I don't think he necessarily needs to have a post game to play in the NBA.  If you can shoot the ball at his size there's always a place for you in the League.  Think Robert Horry.

[TheKamdyMan]

I don't think he necessarily needs to have a post game to play in the NBA.  If you can shoot the ball at his size there's always a place for you in the League.  Think Robert Horry.

 

Robert Horry at the beginning of his career was not the Robert Horry at the end known as Big Shot Bob.  Horry scrapped down low and was in the post before developing his long range game.  It wasn't until his 3rd year in the league before he started extending his shot range.  You have to show you have it, use it and be somewhat effective, before you can start carving out that niche shot as a big man on the wing.

 

Same can be said for Channing Frye.  The guy didnt average more than 1 3 pt attempt per game for the first 4 years in the league and then in year 5 started averaging over 4 per game.  Same situation where you need to have it, show it, then can build your game the more you're there.

[a0t0w0]

HE WILL PROVE HIMSELF. 

 

I only have one of these each season to use, but...

 

Walt is blessed.  I hereby acknowledge this from 11/20/2014 on. 

 

Thank me in March. 

[AuroranHusker]

Walt P for 3. That's his twitter handle.  I suspect he thinks of myself as a really tall shooting guard!

 

In all reality, Pitch will be fine. He's shown tremendous improvement in being a good teammate. His all-around game will get better...

[BenJammin63]

If it is a confidence thing, then he is making it harder on himself. Every time he gets the ball down low, he dribbles it back out and then does some step back 3 or another not high percentage shot. He needs to get the ball midrange and just start his jump shot early on. Build his confidence up on making some point blank to midrange shots. Also think having Tim run some plays for Walt, that he will help him to. Get him open instead of having him shooting contested shots. But ultimately, I think it's all on Walt and just having him take better shots and not forcing things.

[Section_316]

Bump...

He was god awful tonight. Some of you probably don't like my bluntness but I call a spade a spade.

Walt playing at this level takes us from a top 4 B1G team to a bottom 4 B1G team.

[HuskerCager]

Bump...

He was god awful tonight. Some of you probably don't like my bluntness but I call a spade a spade.

Walt playing at this level takes us from a top 4 B1G team to a bottom 4 B1G team.

His shooting might have been off, but he made some solid plays defensively.  He's going to be fine.

[Huskerpapa]

I kinda thought he struggled in all phases tonight.  I thought he was not bodying up on rebounding, he was not a force on defense and his offense was...ahem...challenged.  We need Walt...need him bad...I hope his game comes around soon.