CJ Henry in high school...

[Cheno]

was he that good a player on the national level. I know once he pretty much was a lock for baseball that basketball was on the backburner. Would he have been a high major player? Anybody play against him or see him in high school? Who would you have compared him too?

 

[cowboysooner]

Saw him play many times in high school. I thought he was plenty skilled and tough enough to play high D-1 basketball. I just don't know if he has the lateral quickness or handles to play guard at Kansas. On a side note, I'm sure he did but I don't remember ever seeing him miss a shot that had to be made at the end of a game. He seemed really clutch to me.

However, it has been so long since I have seen him play I just don't remember for sure what I thought of him.

 

[OUsky]

:OUbball-logo::boomer:sooner:OU-logo:

 

[Cheno]

Saw him play many times in high school. I thought he was plenty skilled and tough enough to play high D-1 basketball. I just don't know if he has the lateral quickness or handles to play guard at Kansas. On a side note, I'm sure he did but I don't remember ever seeing him miss a shot that had to be made at the end of a game. He seemed really clutch to me.
However, it has been so long since I have seen him play I just don't remember for sure what I thought of him.

Interesting. Thanks! The one thing he is for sure now is a man. I mean he's physically mature and a pro athlete. He's gotta be 22 or 23.
We will see if Papa Carl's prediction comes true about CJ's playing time.
He better be good if he's going to beat out Tyshawn Taylor or possibly even his brother.

 

[brettromar]

CJ became a long range shooter his senior year. He didn't want to take the ball to the basket in the state tourney even though he could have at will many times. He settled for too many jump shots and long range bombs. That allowed us to get them in the finals when they had plenty of talent to win it all.

 

[Cheno]

CJ became a long range shooter his senior year. He didn't want to take the ball to the basket in the state tourney even though he could have at will many times. He settled for too many jump shots and long range bombs. That allowed us to get them in the finals when they had plenty of talent to win it all.

Since you've played against him do you think he was a high major recruit back then? Now is a different story because he's a grown man so who knows but I would think he's more prepared now to play major college basketball than right out of high school. It's going to be interesting to see his progression. It won't surprise me if he's the third guard in the rotation behind Collins and Taylor and ahead of Elijah Johnson, Tyrel Reed and Morningstar.

 

[AdaSooner]

I saw CJ play three times his senior year. He was good, but not good enough to play for an upper echelon D-1 program like KU.

Two things come to mind when I think about his game: "Ball hog" and "selfish." Take your pick. Judging by what I saw, that had a lot to do with the numbers he put up as a senior. Don't get me wrong, CJ is an outstanding athlete and a fine addition to KU's team as a walk on. But if X was not part of the bargain and KU had to use a scholarship on him, he would not be in Lawrence right now.

 

[Cheno]

I saw CJ play three times his senior year. He was good, but not good enough to play for an upper echelon D-1 program like KU.

Two things come to mind when I think about his game: "Ball hog" and "selfish." Take your pick. Judging by what I saw, that had a lot to do with the numbers he put up as a senior. Don't get me wrong, CJ is an outstanding athlete and a fine addition to KU's team as a walk on. But if X was not part of the bargain and KU had to use a scholarship on him, he would not be in Lawrence right now.

Thanks Ada! It's definitely going to be interesting to see how he plays this season. It's not going to help him that he's still hurt with a stress fracture I believe.

 

[Romulus]

he's better than Sherron Collins, Self just has to be on board

 

[playmakr]

Self will have the most talented team next year, but he has one helluva coaching job ahead of him.

he's better than Sherron Collins, Self just has to be on board

But you're not going to step on anyone's toes.

 

[Cheno]

he's better than Sherron Collins, Self just has to be on board

:clap Carl certainly likes to hear Carl talk doesn't he.
Really from a KU standpoint if CJ gives KU anything it will be a huge bonus. The great thing is the competition at KU is intense. I'd love to see those practices. You'll have guys going to war. KU's got 14 guys that all could start or challenge for starting spots at over half the Big 12 schools. I don't know if that's ever been the case. It's going to be one helluva ride.

 

[brettromar]

Since you've played against him do you think he was a high major recruit back then? Now is a different story because he's a grown man so who knows but I would think he's more prepared now to play major college basketball than right out of high school. It's going to be interesting to see his progression. It won't surprise me if he's the third guard in the rotation behind Collins and Taylor and ahead of Elijah Johnson, Tyrel Reed and Morningstar.

haha, didn't play against him, but was down at floor level. haha.

I thought in his early years he was big time. He was a great athlete and played hard. Then as he got older I felt the attention had gone to his head and he became more of a men's league player out to "Get his". I guess I am in the same boat as ADA, he really didn't seem like much of a team player and he had bulked up and I thought lost a step as a result.

I think Bill will rock Xavier's world. he will either respond and be a man child, or wilt and hate Bill for it. Bill is not the type of coach to coddle his good players and yell at the bad ones. That is why the guys he got from Roy had trouble with him his first year.s Those are his words that he told me before his clinic that year. I am hoping to go back this year and see how he feels X is doing. I know some on here don't like Self and like to knock his hair but I think he is a good coach, great recruiter and has always been a good guy to me.

 

[Cheno]

I think Bill will rock Xavier's world. he will either respond and be a man child, or wilt and hate Bill for it. Bill is not the type of coach to coddle his good players and yell at the bad ones. That is why the guys he got from Roy had trouble with him his first year.s Those are his words that he told me before his clinic that year. I am hoping to go back this year and see how he feels X is doing. I know some on here don't like Self and like to knock his hair but I think he is a good coach, great recruiter and has always been a good guy to me.

See I think X will be fine. I think CJ may be the one in for a rude awakening. X has too much to lose not to be fine. Plus everything I've heard and seen out of X is positive. Carl's attention reflects badly on his boys especially X.
X wants to win and KU's going to win. X is an almost certain one and done so I don't see him causing any problems to hurt that. KU is so loaded in talent that like I said X has everything to lose not KU. Like you said Self don't mess around. If X was a problem he'd say see ya or sit his butt on the bench. And there is too much money on the table for X to let that happen. Plus again all this talks from Carl makes X look like a bad kid when everything I've seen/heard out of him is very positive. He's always smiling, yes sir/no sir type of kid and seems to be a happy go lucky type of kid. Much so like Brandon Rush, he'll gain a lot from playing for Coach Self. If he buys in and works as hard as Brandon did on the defensive end under Self he could potentially be the top pick or two or three in the draft.

 

[brettromar]

See I think X will be fine. I think CJ may be the one in for a rude awakening. X has too much to lose not to be fine. Plus everything I've heard and seen out of X is positive. Carl's attention reflects badly on his boys especially X.
X wants to win and KU's going to win. X is an almost certain one and done so I don't see him causing any problems to hurt that. KU is so loaded in talent that like I said X has everything to lose not KU. Like you said Self don't mess around. If X was a problem he'd say see ya or sit his butt on the bench. And there is too much money on the table for X to let that happen. Plus again all this talks from Carl makes X look like a bad kid when everything I've seen/heard out of him is very positive. He's always smiling, yes sir/no sir type of kid and seems to be a happy go lucky type of kid. Much so like Brandon Rush, he'll gain a lot from playing for Coach Self. If he buys in and works as hard as Brandon did on the defensive end under Self he could potentially be the top pick or two or three in the draft.

OK, I think your opinion of Henry is way too high. I don't think X is a one and done guy. Most guys who are just catch and shoot 2 guards don't leave after one year. That will be his thing next year as he doesn't have that first step to blow by guys. I know he is ranked high but that is because of his size at the 2 spot and his ability to shoot. I think he struggles at times next year to get his shot off unless it is off penetration by his teamates.

Xavier might be a good kid but he has been told how great he is by his HS coach and his father. Bill is going tocall him every name in the book and challenge his man hood. We will see what happens because in the past few years I would not have described X as a hard worker and have seen that attitude come out that maybe you haven't seen when it isn't game night.

 

[Cheno]

OK, I think your opinion of Henry is way too high. I don't think X is a one and done guy. Most guys who are just catch and shoot 2 guards don't leave after one year. That will be his thing next year as he doesn't have that first step to blow by guys. I know he is ranked high but that is because of his size at the 2 spot and his ability to shoot. I think he struggles at times next year to get his shot off unless it is off penetration by his teamates.

Xavier might be a good kid but he has been told how great he is by his HS coach and his father. Bill is going tocall him every name in the book and challenge his man hood. We will see what happens because in the past few years I would not have described X as a hard worker and have seen that attitude come out that maybe you haven't seen when it isn't game night.

Right but you can say that about many a kid in high school. Then they get to college and it's a whole nother level. I think X will respond to Coach Self and become a better player. I don't see any reason to believe he will go the other way. Let's be honest the only negativity about X's game on the court at this time is because he's going to KU. His game is polished for a HS senior.

 

[SoonerNorm]

Often we hear the knock on recruits for having a bad attitude or not playing hard. While that may be true with many of the hot shots in high school, it doesn't seem to carry over to college very often.

If I were to guess, I would guess that X will fall right in line with the others and play hard. If not, he will be sitting close to Self while someone else plays.

 

[Cheno]

Often we hear the knock on recruits for having a bad attitude or not playing hard. While that may be true with many of the hot shots in high school, it doesn't seem to carry over to college very often.
If I were to guess, I would guess that X will fall right in line with the others and play hard. If not, he will be sitting close to Self while someone else plays.

Exactly. Really the only knock on X is Carl. If Carl would have kept his mouth closed the last few years you wouldn't have heard anything negative about X. He doesn't get in trouble, you don't hear bad things about him on the court, etc. Again, X has much more to lose this season than Self or KU. Self's got plenty of other talented players to get the job done. I don't expect X to be a problem in the least bit. In fact, I think he'll flourish like Brandon Rush did.

 

[buttermaker1]

:clap Carl certainly likes to hear Carl talk doesn't he.
Really from a KU standpoint if CJ gives KU anything it will be a huge bonus. The great thing is the competition at KU is intense. I'd love to see those practices. You'll have guys going to war. KU's got 14 guys that all could start or challenge for starting spots at over half the Big 12 schools. I don't know if that's ever been the case. It's going to be one helluva ride.

Good lord KU FAN who cares this is a OU BB. Take it to the phog already. What did they ban you?

 

[Seymore Cox]

was he that good a player on the national level. I know once he pretty much was a lock for baseball that basketball was on the backburner. Would he have been a high major player? Anybody play against him or see him in high school? Who would you have compared him too?

If CJ would have played right out of High School he would have been a better player than AJ. He was a poor man's Byron Eaton. I saw him play first his freshman year with the Smith boys and Hayden and he was poised and the best player on the court. Like Bomar said, he was pretty much a long range shooter his last year. I believe this stems from what I call PGitis. Alot of PGs are dribble, drive, and dish guys. When their game gets evaluated, the liability is most often shooting. Alot of guys try to overcompensate. CJ actually became a better shooter his last year and like Bomar said, would often shoot the long range shot if his man went under the screen.

 

[Cheno]

If CJ would have played right out of High School he would have been a better player than AJ. He was a poor man's Byron Eaton. I saw him play first his freshman year with the Smith boys and Hayden and he was poised and the best player on the court. Like Bomar said, he was pretty much a long range shooter his last year. I believe this stems from what I call PGitis. Alot of PGs are dribble, drive, and dish guys. When their game gets evaluated, the liability is most often shooting. Alot of guys try to overcompensate. CJ actually became a better shooter his last year and like Bomar said, would often shoot the long range shot if his man went under the screen.

Thanks for the breakdown Dirty.