ESPN analyics guy Seth Walder isn't sold on the Sooners

[AdaSooner]

I implied.. Other than TY OU isn't a very talented team (said) no once did I say no talent. I still stand by what I really said..If this will make some feel better how about this OU is TY and a bunch of avg players..better? Holly Cow

If you can explain how a team that “isn’t very talented” except for TY, beat Oregon, USC, WSU on their home floor, TCU twice and a very good TTU team, I might agree with you.

Even I have said this team has weaknesses; among them, they rely too much on perimeter shooting. Our bigs are too inconsistent and our defense, while improving, is still not where it needs to be by any means. But, this team does indeed have talent. Trae Young is special. But he didn’t win those games by himself.

 

[sperry]

If you can explain how a team that “isn’t very talented” except for TY, beat Oregon, USC, WSU on their home floor, TCU twice and a very good TTU team, I might agree with you.

Even I have said this team has weaknesses; among them, they rely too much on perimeter shooting. Our bigs are too inconsistent and our defense, while improving, is still not where it needs to be by any means. But, this team does indeed have talent. Trae Young is special. But he didn’t win those games by himself.

We don't shoot from the perimeter enough. Trae Young can get into the lane, draw double teams and kick the ball out to the perimeter moving it around until you find the open man. The last few games our guys not named Trae haven't been taking nearly enough 3s.

 

[hoopsaustin]

If you can explain how a team that “isn’t very talented” except for TY, beat Oregon, USC, WSU on their home floor, TCU twice and a very good TTU team, I might agree with you.

Even I have said this team has weaknesses; among them, they rely too much on perimeter shooting. Our bigs are too inconsistent and our defense, while improving, is still not where it needs to be by any means. But, this team does indeed have talent. Trae Young is special. But he didn’t win those games by himself.

This.

Just need to limit the turnovers, bad shots (last game was largely trae) and poor defense that stem from too much AAU style of play and well be good.

We clearly have talent. Just need more effort and more basketball IQ. 50% on the players 50% on Kruger to line them out imo

 

[WaymanFan]

The article never calls OU a 1 man team and never even suggests that it is.

Actually, they did. Either the article had two separate headings or there were two variations of the same article. Either way, I DEFINITELY read "One man team" on their website yesterday.

For the record, Stephen Curry was a one-man team in 2009 and Ben Simmons was a one-man team in 2016. Neither made the NCAA tournament that year. So, if OU doesn't make it this year, the same can be said about us. Otherwise, it's just a bunch of nonsense.

 

[AdaSooner]

We don't shoot from the perimeter enough. Trae Young can get into the lane, draw double teams and kick the ball out to the perimeter moving it around until you find the open man. The last few games our guys not named Trae haven't been taking nearly enough 3s.

Perimeter shooting is an important part of our game. That’s who we are. There are times, however, when we “rely too much” on scoring from behind the arc. Case in point when KSU jumped out to a big lead in the first half. Their lead grew when our players panicked and forgot about taking the ball inside. OU closed the gap by getting back to that part of our game.

 

[chuckb]

Actually, they did. Either the article had two separate headings or there were two variations of the same article. Either way, I DEFINITELY read "One man team" on their website yesterday.

For the record, Stephen Curry was a one-man team in 2009 and Ben Simmons was a one-man team in 2016. Neither made the NCAA tournament that year. So, if OU doesn't make it this year, the same can be said about us. Otherwise, it's just a bunch of nonsense.

You're right. Funny, I never read the title but it never says that in the actual text. My mistake.

The thing is, the article is about the team's efficiency and how good Trae Young is but never criticizes any of his supporting cast at all. The author may believe it's a 1 man team but he doesn't make the case for it in the article.

 

[sperry]

Perimeter shooting is an important part of our game. That’s who we are. There are times, however, when we “rely too much” on scoring from behind the arc. Case in point when KSU jumped out to a big lead in the first half. Their lead grew when our players panicked and forgot about taking the ball inside. OU closed the gap by getting back to that part of our game.

Trae Young was jacking up bad 3s, but the rest of the team really wasn't shooting them. Again, I don't like Trae's 30 foot nonsense shots. I do like guys like James, Manek and McGusty bombing from deep as often as they can get open though. Also, the less Freeman plays moving forward, the better off we'll be.

 

[stormspencer]

Trae Young was jacking up bad 3s, but the rest of the team really wasn't shooting them. Again, I don't like Trae's 30 foot nonsense shots. I do like guys like James, Manek and McGusty bombing from deep as often as they can get open though. Also, the less Freeman plays moving forward, the better off we'll be.

Agree on all points. I also think Doolittle needs even more minutes.

 

[SoonerSpock]

Agree on all points. I also think Doolittle needs even more minutes.

Doolittle has played 21, 22 and 23 minutes the last 3 games. Based on how Lon is distributing minutes except for Trae's it is hard to see Doolittle playing more than 25-26 minutes so I expect see Doolittle in a very similar role to what we have seen the last 3 games.

 

[stormspencer]

Doolittle has played 21, 22 and 23 minutes the last 3 games. Based on how Lon is distributing minutes except for Trae's it is hard to see Doolittle playing more than 25-26 minutes so I expect see Doolittle in a very similar role to what we have seen the last 3 games.

I would like to see Doolittle's minutes in the 28-30 range....although I'm not sure it will ever get to that point. I believe he does a lot of things well (defend, rebound, and can score on occasion) and he maybe the most poised/under control guy on the team. It may be just perception, but it seems like we are much more calm when he is out there.....IMO.

 

[sdcloud9]

You've got to be fortunate in close games. Has KU not been fortunate in theirs (and they've had plenty of them)?

OU was due some good fortune after all of last year's close losses.

 

[okcsooner83]

Spot on so far.

 

[stormspencer]

Dude nailed it. I'm still not a fan of the BPI, but we are certainly regressing back to the mean.

 

[oudna]

We’ll see if he nailed it. He predicted OU to go 11-7 in Big 12.

As I said then and I say now, I’d kill for 11-7!

 

[Soonerinkc]

Ya...11/7 would be nice.

Ku 2 games
Tt 1
Bu 2 games
Ksu 1 game
Isu 2 games
Wv 1 game
Ut 2 games

7/4 rest of the way.. losing road games, winning all home which at this point I'm not sure that will happen

 

[Soonermarty]

Looks like this guy nailed it. Lol

 

[Soonerinkc]

Ya...11/7 would be nice.

Ku 2 games
Tt 1
Bu 2 games
Ksu 1 game
Isu 2 games
Wv 1 game
Ut 2 games

7/4 rest of the way.. losing road games, winning all home which at this point I'm not sure that will happen

I sure didn't...lol

 

[oudna]

Looks like this guy nailed it. Lol

He said 11-7 and we’re 6-8.

But definitely right about not being as good as record.

 

[sperry]

He got it right, but more of a blind squirrel finds a nut. His analysis was garbage, and BPI is a laughably bad metric.

Put it this way: if he had a fantastic predictive algorithm, he wouldnt' be writing for ESPN.com for $50k a year. He'd be making millions betting.

 

[SoonerSpock]

Most of the guys on this team went 11-20 last year without Young.

The potential is there, but those guys, without Young, are clearly missing something. You could definitely see it last year. And you can see it this year if you look hard enough.

Aside from Trae the balance of the team is comprised of players that really do not have a high basketball IQ. They have skills and athleticism. They just do not know how to play good consistent basketball. And based on their time in Norman they are not going to learn how to play good consistent basketball. JMHO!