Can Bijan Cortes shoot?

[AdaSooner]

Posters keep asking why Cortes doesn’t shoot, or they wonder if he can shoot? I posted this on the game thread in attempt to answer those questions, but decided it might be best to give the topic its own thread.

Why doesn’t he shoot is a valid question. All I know is it’s not because he can’t. He averaged 51% from three his senior year in high school. Check out the article below when he knocked down 11 of 22 shots from three on his way to scoring 46 points and tell me if this kid can shoot?

The “why doesn’t he?” may have to be answered by Porter Moser or by Bijan himself.

https://www.oklahoman.com/story/spo...nts-help-kingfisher-down-blanchard/324100007/

 

[WichitaSooner]

I’m not saying this will be Bijan, but there are plenty of guys who can shoot in high school who can’t shoot in college. Bigger, faster, better athletes defending them, more pressure, etc. Most college guards probably shot a good percentage in high school. Bryce Thompson is still struggling to shoot and he is two years into his career. It’s way too early and too small a sample size on Cortes, but the high school numbers themselves always have to be taken with a grain of salt.

 

[WTSooner]

Hitting shots in HS doesn't mean he'll be a good shooter in college. I'm not saying he can't or won't be, I'm just saying HS isn't going to be a great indicator.

It seems to me that his release is a little slow. So they may be working on that, and he has either lost some confidence or has been told to focus more on driving/dishing. That is just me speculating.

 

[AdaSooner]

All good points, guys!

A lack of confidence makes the most sense to me. He does a lot of good things, and he has shown signs of gaining more confidence in his passing and in his decision making—except when he loses his focus under pressure of course. I could be wrong, but if Bijan continues to improve, I think next year’s team will be in good hands with him as their floor leader.

 

[152219]

Look at his FT stroke, which is typically a good, but not perfect, indicator of one's shooting ability.

I think what is lacking is confidence in letting it fire.

 

[pnkranger]

He doesn't have the quickest set-up or release, but it's enough to get some shots up. If he could hit 35% from 3, it would open so many things up for him.

 

[152219]

He doesn't have the quickest set-up or release, but it's enough to get some shots up. If he could hit 35% from 3, it would open so many things up for him.

Right now he is shooting .500 from 3....the issue is he has only taken four 3 pointers.

 

[tmeyer3307]

Pass first point guard! I like it.. and he doesn't need to shoot 3s even next year really.. Guy gets to the basket and can create for others. I'll take it.

 

[jaymOU]

Right now he is shooting .500 from 3....the issue is he has only taken four 3 pointers.

He is going to have to take more. He did take an open 3 last night - missed it, but at least he took it.

 

[steverocks35]

I would be happy if he got stronger with the ball and stopped turning it over.

Right now he’s just not ready.

 

[OKURanger]

Pass first point guard! I like it.. and he doesn't need to shoot 3s even next year really.. Guy gets to the basket and can create for others. I'll take it.

Plus, he's a true freshman. We might have gotten spoiled with Trae; most true freshmen do not have that kind of talent and confidence.

 

[opsooner]

I would be happy if he got stronger with the ball and stopped turning it over.

Right now he’s just not ready.

He may not be as good yet as we (and I am sure, he) would like him to be yet. But he is the right guy on our team to be getting the time he is getting now. I liked the future I saw in him during the early non-conference but thought his time would greatly diminish during conference. But as I further watched him and everyone else I understand why Coach M is playing him now.

He is taking a giant leap from small HS to Big 12 and, while he sometimes hits speed bumps, he is holding up well and he is going to be a very good player. The toughest part for him is that he doesn’t have the quickness of those typically defending him but he is crafty and his acute skills are going to get a lot better as a result of what he is going through now.


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[SoonerinNC]

The percieved lack of quickness and lack of quick release on shots may be a result of lack of confidence. Looks like he is still in Moser's version of the survival mode in his development. We may see a drasticly different player when he reaches the competitive mode.

 

[steverocks35]

He may not be as good yet as we (and I am sure, he) would like him to be yet. But he is the right guy on our team to be getting the time he is getting now. I liked the future I saw in him during the early non-conference but thought his time would greatly diminish during conference. But as I further watched him and everyone else I understand why Coach M is playing him now.

He is taking a giant leap from small HS to Big 12 and, while he sometimes hits speed bumps, he is holding up well and he is going to be a very good player. The toughest part for him is that he doesn’t have the quickness of those typically defending him but he is crafty and his acute skills are going to get a lot better as a result of what he is going through now.


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He’s getting so many minutes now because Coldwire has been terrible.