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WT, here is how the formula works. And you should know this. If a player can shoot 40% or more from 3, that player becomes a marginally positive asset. They are a marginally positive asset even if they can do absolutely nothing else and a total liability in every other area. Even in that case they deserve to be on the floor.

Proficiency in other areas would naturally increase the value of that asset. Based on Pledger's shooting accuracy as a junior, Kruger would naturally assume that he had a 40% shooter on his hands. If that was going to be the case, it would be perfectly logical for Kruger to accept Pledger's shortcomings and stick him out there. A marginal asset after all, is better than no asset.

Here is the problem. Getting 40% out of Pledger wasn't the norm or expectation. It was an aberration. A regression toward the mean was what his senior season was all about. My contention is that if Kruger had any way of knowing in advance what he going to get out of Pledger as a senior (which he didn't) he would have never inserted Pledger into the starting line up to start with. Anything less that 40% from a payer as deficient as Pledger turns him from a marginal asset into a marginal liability.

Kruger did have some other options. But, they were limited and they also came with some liabilities. I can't blame Kruger for making the choice that made based on the information that he had. But, in retrospect, I doubt that he would make the same choice again.

So your telling me by years end that kruger could not look at shooting percentages and bench pledger? Lol come on....You make adjustments as the season goes along....
 
Pledger was a career 36-37% career 3 pt. shooter. That's it. That is the fact. That is pretty good. But, it isn't in the same time zone as an elite 3 pt. shooter.

Gary is correct. Heskett, Erdmann, Hollis Price, Raymond, Blaylock, Grace, Neal, and Evans all shot at higher precentages than Pledger. 9 of the top 15 on the most 3 point shots made in a career shot better than Pleger. Others on that list are Minor, Godbold, AJ, Cade Davis and Tony Crocker The career list (on Soonerstats.com) only includes the top 15 guys. Players like TMG, Seiger, and McCallister are not on the list.

Based on seasons Pledger had the 18th highest shooting percentage from 3 point range in OU history. He also had the 50th, 63rd and 78th. Outside of his junior year, his yearly shooting percentages really were not all that special. His career shooting percentage was very solid and arguably really good. For some perspective, Tyler Neal had the 80th, David Godbold had the 62nd and Tyrone foster had the 49th best seasons on percentage basis. (I used Neal at 80th rather than Terry Evans at 77th because I don't think anyone would argue Neal is the best 3 point shooter in the history of the program.) As a freshman, Pledger benefited from the fact he played with TMG, WW, Cade Davis and Tony Crocker. All of those guys were respectable three point shooters, therefore, Pledger did not draw a lot of attention. His best season was impressive because he had very little help from 3 point range meaning teams focused on his 3 point shooting.

You also have to remember than the 3pt line was not in college basketball until the mid to late 80s. I think it was 87 but I am not positive. As a result, this is based on a limited sample size.

To me Pledger was a good 3 point shooter but limited in other aspects of the game. He really couldn't take the ball to the rim. He was not one of the better defenders. He did not have good handles. He was not an elite passer. He was slow. I wish Pledger had redshirted as a true feshman and had another season becaus his percentage 3 point shooting would be a positive for the team but I think it is a big stretch to call him one of the best ever. I would much prefer Dave Seiger over Pledger because Seiger offerred a lot more than just 3 point shooting. I might prefer any of the guys on the top 15 list over Pledger. Certainly Ryan Minor with his slightly lower pecentage shooting is a way better player.
 
So your telling me by years end that kruger could not look at shooting percentages and bench pledger? Lol come on....You make adjustments as the season goes along....

Who would he have used last season? Hornbeak and Heild were already playing significant minutes. Kruger didn't have any other options. Neal did not shoot well from 3 point range last season. The coaches clearly told Cam Clark not to take 3 point shots because he only took 1 on the season. Grooms is not a 3 point shooter. Cousins did not shoot well from 3 point range. Osby and M'Baye were starting. Pledger shot 36.4% from 3 point range last season. The only guys that shot better from 3 point range were Osby, Grooms and Clark. Grooms and Clark combined for 16 3 point attempts on the season. So Kruger could not look at shooting percentages and bench Pledger.

I also don't think you want to bench a 36.4% three point shooter. That is 109.2 points on 100 attempts or almost the equivalent of 55% from inside the arc.
 
Most people consider Michael Neal a pretty good 3 point shooter. Pledger's Jr/Sr years were better from three than Neal's were. Pledger's Jr/Sr years from three were better than Mookie's were. Pledger's Jr/Sr years from three were better than Brent Price's were. Pledger's Jr/Sr years from three were better than Terry Evan's were. I believe his Jr/Sr seasons were also a tick better than Grace's, but those two were pretty much even for the sake of this argument.

See where I'm going with this?

Also, there are other factors that play against Pledger. Just about every name we've compared Pledger to, had better coaching, better players around him, and overall, just played on better teams. Put Pledger on some of Kelvin's old teams, and Kelvin would have turned Pledger into a guard as good as any that weren't in the Hollis/Brewer/whomever category.
 
Most people consider Michael Neal a pretty good 3 point shooter. Pledger's Jr/Sr years were better from three than Neal's were. Pledger's Jr/Sr years from three were better than Mookie's were. Pledger's Jr/Sr years from three were better than Brent Price's were. Pledger's Jr/Sr years from three were better than Terry Evan's were. I believe his Jr/Sr seasons were also a tick better than Grace's, but those two were pretty much even for the sake of this argument.

See where I'm going with this?

Also, there are other factors that play against Pledger. Just about every name we've compared Pledger to, had better coaching, better players around him, and overall, just played on better teams. Put Pledger on some of Kelvin's old teams, and Kelvin would have turned Pledger into a guard as good as any that weren't in the Hollis/Brewer/whomever category.

Put Pledger on some of Kelvin's old teams, and Kelvin would have run him off for not guarding anyone. Kelvin never would have recruited a player like him in the first place. Pledger only really had one redeeming quality (outside shooting) and he wasn't always very consistent at that.
 
Put Pledger on some of Kelvin's old teams, and Kelvin would have run him off for not guarding anyone. Kelvin never would have recruited a player like him in the first place. Pledger only really had one redeeming quality (outside shooting) and he wasn't always very consistent at that.

Eh. Kelvin could have taught him to defend. Kelvin didn't have many individual great defenders. He taught TEAM defense, and you can have a lot of average individual defenders play great team defense. As for the consistency point, I just showed that as an upperclassmen, he was more consistent from three than Mookie, Neal, Grace, Brent Price, and Terry Evans. Just how consistent does he need to be to get your respect?

I've said this 100 times, but if Kelvin could get good defense out of Tim Heskett, and guys like Avila and Renzi Stone, he could have gotten acceptable defense out of Pledger. Few want to admit it, but Pledger's defense this past year wasn't all that bad. I watched just about every minute of every game this year, and I can say that with an honest face. His team defense was more than adequate.
 
Eh. Kelvin could have taught him to defend. Kelvin didn't have many individual great defenders. He taught TEAM defense, and you can have a lot of average individual defenders play great team defense. As for the consistency point, I just showed that as an upperclassmen, he was more consistent from three than Mookie, Neal, Grace, Brent Price, and Terry Evans. Just how consistent does he need to be to get your respect?

I've said this 100 times, but if Kelvin could get good defense out of Tim Heskett, and guys like Avila and Renzi Stone, he could have gotten acceptable defense out of Pledger. Few want to admit it, but Pledger's defense this past year wasn't all that bad. I watched just about every minute of every game this year, and I can say that with an honest face. His team defense was more than adequate.

WT, Pledger was what he was. An acceptable perimeter shooter. For me, I needed to see more consistent shooting from him game to game and a higher %. It was his forte, his contribution to the team and we didn't get enough from him. I liked him and last seasons team needed a player like him. There are some on here who underestimate that importance just like you overestimate him as a player. I'm trying to make a commitment to posting only about OU and its current players or players on the way so I won't post about Steven anymore. Ill end on this. We needed him last year. He's gone and we will be a better program moving forward. We will not miss him.
 
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