This season has completely fallen apart, but most are blind (or choose to be) to the actual reasons.
Fact: Trae is an unbelievable talent, that is and will always be a polarizing figure. Trae has never, and will NEVER play defense or rebound, and that has cost this team physically and emotionally.
Fact: Trae's time spent on-ball has been, and is counter-productive to a team. Just about every basketball coach was telling you that the way we played early in the season was (and is) not sustainable. Dribble Drive teams have long had issues being able to win consistently late in season and in March. This is true on the high school and college level. It leads to stagnation of offense, lack of opportunities to score in "tough" game moments, and is subjected to the whim of the whistle (which we know is not consistent). The great NCAA programs either have a post game to be able to draw tough buckets, or have the ability to run set pieces to multiple options to keep defenses honest...we have neither.
Fact: Trae has never been able to produce for his team in playoffs or late season. He couldn't do it in high school (failed to win a State Title with 4 D-1 players), and didn't even get there the other three years--simply put: he struggles with leading. He is a side-show...a gifted sideshow, but not a consistent and reliable weapon either in taking care of the ball or defensively. These areas cost teams heavily over the course of the season. He gives as much momentum over a year as he creates.
Fact: OU has plenty of recruited talent...that talent just does not fit with the Trae Young experiment. That is not those kids fault (or Trae's). Bottom line--Trae struggles to play with structure--the rest of the team needs it. Manek had success early on because he could just catch and shoot. Obviously, we see the change over time. Doolittle and McGusty are very gifted--and just a year ago, OU was hearing from NBA scouts that they would probably lose the former after his Soph year to the league. That doesn't change overnight. Difference? Those players were having opportunities schemed for them last year...this year, they haven't. McGusty is ball-dominant just like trae which causes friction...to be honest Odomes is much the same (cannot score off the ball). Doolittle, James, Lattin, Shep, and others operate much better in structured settings...where certain action can be expected, manipulated, executed, and then played off of.
Fact: Trae's 28 foot 3 point shooting is demoralizing for a team. Particularly, when he often does it 14 seconds in a shot-clock. No one wants to bust there tail to defend 4 on 5, sprint the floor, just to watch you loft a ridiculous shot, so you can sprint back on D to do it all over again.
Fact: When a single player is overly ball-dominant--other players suffer. There is no rhythm, no flow, and you go from standing to shooting all to often. Does it need to be better? Yes! Is that ever highly sustainable?? NO!!! Anyone who has actually played the game can attest to this. Bottom line.
Fact: Trae is an unbelievable talent, that is and will always be a polarizing figure. Trae has never, and will NEVER play defense or rebound, and that has cost this team physically and emotionally.
Fact: Trae's time spent on-ball has been, and is counter-productive to a team. Just about every basketball coach was telling you that the way we played early in the season was (and is) not sustainable. Dribble Drive teams have long had issues being able to win consistently late in season and in March. This is true on the high school and college level. It leads to stagnation of offense, lack of opportunities to score in "tough" game moments, and is subjected to the whim of the whistle (which we know is not consistent). The great NCAA programs either have a post game to be able to draw tough buckets, or have the ability to run set pieces to multiple options to keep defenses honest...we have neither.
Fact: Trae has never been able to produce for his team in playoffs or late season. He couldn't do it in high school (failed to win a State Title with 4 D-1 players), and didn't even get there the other three years--simply put: he struggles with leading. He is a side-show...a gifted sideshow, but not a consistent and reliable weapon either in taking care of the ball or defensively. These areas cost teams heavily over the course of the season. He gives as much momentum over a year as he creates.
Fact: OU has plenty of recruited talent...that talent just does not fit with the Trae Young experiment. That is not those kids fault (or Trae's). Bottom line--Trae struggles to play with structure--the rest of the team needs it. Manek had success early on because he could just catch and shoot. Obviously, we see the change over time. Doolittle and McGusty are very gifted--and just a year ago, OU was hearing from NBA scouts that they would probably lose the former after his Soph year to the league. That doesn't change overnight. Difference? Those players were having opportunities schemed for them last year...this year, they haven't. McGusty is ball-dominant just like trae which causes friction...to be honest Odomes is much the same (cannot score off the ball). Doolittle, James, Lattin, Shep, and others operate much better in structured settings...where certain action can be expected, manipulated, executed, and then played off of.
Fact: Trae's 28 foot 3 point shooting is demoralizing for a team. Particularly, when he often does it 14 seconds in a shot-clock. No one wants to bust there tail to defend 4 on 5, sprint the floor, just to watch you loft a ridiculous shot, so you can sprint back on D to do it all over again.
Fact: When a single player is overly ball-dominant--other players suffer. There is no rhythm, no flow, and you go from standing to shooting all to often. Does it need to be better? Yes! Is that ever highly sustainable?? NO!!! Anyone who has actually played the game can attest to this. Bottom line.
