Breakout Player This Year

[T_Neal's Twitter]

Will be Cameron Clark.

I have seen him several times since the semester has started. He looks bigger and looks like he put in a lot of time in the weight room this summer.

Also I noticed when he was shooting jumpers prior to the alumni game that his shot has backspin on it now. He rarely missed while out on the court.

Also, I thought he looked like the best player in the workout video amongst him, Osby, Neal, and M'Baye.

I just think this kid is primed for a huge year.

Thoughts?

 

[thebigabd]

I am going with Calvin Newell, but also think Cam will be greatly improved.

 

[WTSooner]

Cam's biggest problem, to me, is that he isn't super skilled. He doesn't have a "plus" skill in my eyes. Simply being more aggressive would elevate his game some, but other than that, I kind of see him like a Tony Crocker. A VERY solid guy to have on your team, but not really the type of guy that can be your best guard, on a good team.

I'm going to say Pledger. Kid has put up good numbers for two years now, and I think LK will find a way to get more consistency out of him. Besides, he is really the only true "shooter" we have on the roster right now.

 

[bocabull]

Clark & Tyler Neal.

 

[garyeb2]

Cam's biggest problem, to me, is that he isn't super skilled. He doesn't have a "plus" skill in my eyes. Simply being more aggressive would elevate his game some, but other than that, I kind of see him like a Tony Crocker. A VERY solid guy to have on your team, but not really the type of guy that can be your best guard, on a good team.

I'm going to say Pledger. Kid has put up good numbers for two years now, and I think LK will find a way to get more consistency out of him. Besides, he is really the only true "shooter" we have on the roster right now.

Pledger?? He is slow. He does not defend. Anyone can get to the hoop on him. He does not rebound. Arent is a better 3 pt shooter. And i think LK will find a way to get him on the bench an keep him there.

Tyler will likely contribute solid minutes. If Cam can accept coaching, he will be the breakout guy.

 

[WTSooner]

Pledger?? He is slow.

So was Larry Bird. And Tim Heskett.

He does not defend. Anyone can get to the hoop on him.

Defense is about effort and know how. LK will coach him up, and Bird will put out the effort.

He does not rebound.

Good thing I'm not a big believer in SG's needing to rebound a bunch to help a team win.

Arent is a better 3 pt shooter.

Keep pimping Arent as something he isn't. But when the season starts, and he comes off the bench to defend and rebound, and shoots 25% from three, I expect you to man up and post that you were wrong.

And i think LK will find a way to get him on the bench an keep him there.

He will start all season unless he gets hurt, or has a bad attitude. He is the ONLY shooter we have. For no other reason, he starts.


Gary, you are going to have a very rude awakening when the starting lineup for that first game is announced.

 

[euphguy]

I think it will be hands down Tyler Neal! Did you see how well conditioned and better he looks this year?!?! He's actually attractive now, and that jumper is consistent to boot!

 

[SoonerBounce13]

Pledger?? He is slow.

i think this is a myth. At times, he has shown a lot of quickness. I don't know if its effort or hustle or what, but I don't think he is slwo

 

[NickZepp]

I think it'll be Tyler Neal although I don't know if he'll start. I think he'll be something off the bench we haven't had in a long time at OU.

 

[garyeb2]

WT, you have lost your objectivity. I don't know what the startng lineup will be. But, this i do know. For as long as we have to see players the caliber of Blair,Fitz, and Pledger on the floor, OU will have a bad basketball team.

I don't know if Arent is good enough to start. But, if he isn't we are in trouble. I don't if Grooms is good enough to start. But, if he isn't, we are in trouble. I don't know if Cam will play the #2 of if Newel will step up. But, if they don't we are in trouble.

I don't know what you think you are seeing in Pledger, but it is a mirage. If the objective is to win games against quality oppostion. He is a liability. He has proved it. And for someone you think is a shooter, he doesn't make baskets at a very impressive clip. And what solid numbers has he put up. He played over 30 minutes a game last year and scored 10 more points than a dead man.

It is impossible to measure how inefective last years team was with stats. The were outmanned so badly so often that many of the points,rebounds,asst., ect were racked up against the other teams mop-up squad.

You can spend all the time you want to talking about hopes and dreams. I'll stick to the results. OU needs better players than they had last season. Hasn't Kruger said as much?

 

[SoonerBounce13]

He played over 30 minutes a game last year and scored 10 more points than a dead man.

LOL at using that phrase in this context.

He did shoot 35% last year. not great but prob the best shooter we have.

U needs better players than they had last season. Hasn't Kruger said as much?

I don't think Kruger has said that

 

[garyeb2]

And I wasn't pimping Arent as a 3 pt shooter. He is a big slow #5 that had a better 3pt shooting pct last year than Pledger.

 

[CoachTalk]

WT, you have lost your objectivity. I don't know what the startng lineup will be. But, this i do know. For as long as we have to see players the caliber of Blair,Fitz, and Pledger on the floor, OU will have a bad basketball team.

I don't know if Arent is good enough to start. But, if he isn't we are in trouble. I don't if Grooms is good enough to start. But, if he isn't, we are in trouble. I don't know if Cam will play the #2 of if Newel will step up. But, if they don't we are in trouble.

I don't know what you think you are seeing in Pledger, but it is a mirage. If the objective is to win games against quality oppostion. He is a liability. He has proved it. And for someone you think is a shooter, he doesn't make baskets at a very impressive clip. And what solid numbers has he put up. He played over 30 minutes a game last year and scored 10 more points than a dead man.

It is impossible to measure how inefective last years team was with stats. The were outmanned so badly so often that many of the points,rebounds,asst., ect were racked up against the other teams mop-up squad.

You can spend all the time you want to talking about hopes and dreams. I'll stick to the results. OU needs better players than they had last season. Hasn't Kruger said as much?

You're becoming very annoying!

 

[hoopsaustin]

He's actually attractive now...

:neal

hmm.. i guess its all relative

 

[CoachTalk]

Pledger?? He is slow. He does not defend. Anyone can get to the hoop on him. He does not rebound. Arent is a better 3 pt shooter. And i think LK will find a way to get him on the bench an keep him there.

Tyler will likely contribute solid minutes. If Cam can accept coaching, he will be the breakout guy.

I dont think Cam has ever had that problem!

 

[WTSooner]

OU needs better players than they had last season. Hasn't Kruger said as much?

To win a NC? To win the Big 12? Sure, I won't disagree that we probably don't have the talent to do those things.

To have a 20 win season? To finish 4th, 5th, or even 6th in the conference? To make a trip to the Dance, even if it's as a 12 seed? Darn right we have the talent to do that. OU has had less talented teams in the last 15 years that made the Dance. How? Good coaching, for starters. I'm not going to debate it, but I'm of the opinion that Capel was a pretty awful coach, in the sense of teaching and game planning. If LK is more Sampson then Capel, that alone, with the exact same roster, is probably worth 3-4 wins. Add in Osby, maturity from guys like Clark, Neal, Washington, and maybe even Blair, and I'm not sure why a 20-23 win season is so out of the question.

 

[NickZepp]

I would be shocked if any of our new guys are better than good role players.

 

[NickZepp]

To win a NC? To win the Big 12? Sure, I won't disagree that we probably don't have the talent to do those things.

To have a 20 win season? To finish 4th, 5th, or even 6th in the conference? To make a trip to the Dance, even if it's as a 12 seed? Darn right we have the talent to do that. OU has had less talented teams in the last 15 years that made the Dance. How? Good coaching, for starters. I'm not going to debate it, but I'm of the opinion that Capel was a pretty awful coach, in the sense of teaching and game planning. If LK is more Sampson then Capel, that alone, with the exact same roster, is probably worth 3-4 wins. Add in Osby, maturity from guys like Clark, Neal, Washington, and maybe even Blair, and I'm not sure why a 20-23 win season is so out of the question.

I'm not sure if we can win that number of games. I just don't know if we have the offense and the athletes on defense. But it isn't out of the question I guess.

 

[ksSooner13]

Also I noticed when he was shooting jumpers prior to the alumni game that his shot has backspin on it now. He rarely missed while out on the court.

I totally agree, that jumper had he at the alumni game was looking SWEET... should be a key player in our offense, instead of just a guy Carl throws half court alley-opps too... :clap:clap

 

[sharp1]

lololololol