Lattin = Longar as Fr

[BigTime]

Remember when LL had like 29 against popcorn state as a Fr and then had large stretches of games where he barely played? I think he and Khadeem share a similar skill set. I also think Lattin will have a big number game in the noncon. The best thing for Lattin is having to go up against Spangler and Thomas everyday in practice.

I think he will be a really good player if he works hard - like Longar.

 

[SKSooner]

Lattin has a LONG way to go, in my opinion. He has a ton of raw ability, but I would be very surprised if he was a major contributor this year. There are just so many things he doesn't do well at this point.

 

[AdaSooner]

Lattin doesn't need to be a major contributor this season. The good news about Thomas a couple of weeks ago, and the improvement in Bennett's play of late, means the coaches can bring him along at a slower pace, free of the pressure to perform at a high level.

It's obvious he has some work to do. But I like what I have seen out of him so far. He has a nose for the ball in going after rebounds. He has good hands and he's not a bad passer for a big with very little experience.

I get the sense that Khadeem may not have had the best coaching in high school. Some assume that since his grandfather and mother were great players in their own right back in the day, he should be further along. People forget that he spent his freshman and sophomore seasons in Spain. He returned to the U.S. for his junior and senior seasons, but attended a homeschool academy. I have no idea what kind of coaching he received at either stop. But I think we all know that overseas and homeschool coaching can be suspect sometimes.

BT's comparison to Longar's freshman season is a good one. He came in with a lot of fanfare, but turned into a bit of a disappointment when he hit the freshman wall later that season. Khadeem will be fine. He just needs more experience, and above all another 20 pounds of muscle.

 

[j2d2]

Iron sharpens iron and he has some good trainers on this team. By the end of the year he should be showing some signs of what he will become. He has good potential to contribute .

 

[DenverSooner]

Lattin is still better than Bennett just like he was before the team went to the Bahamas. Lattin jumps higher, is quicker ,has better hands, has more range and has a higher bball IQ. He just plays a bit out of control at times. Bennett is more in control even though less talented.

 

[NickZepp]

Lattin is still better than Bennett just like he was before the team went to the Bahamas. Lattin jumps higher, is quicker ,has better hands, has more range and has a higher bball IQ. He just plays a bit out of control at times. Bennett is more in control even though less talented.

Not sure that's true yet. Lattin has pure ability. His IQ is low for the college level right now. Bennett has the IQ on his side right now. And it's not like Bennett has no talent. He can defend and rebound well. The good thing about our younger bigs is that they have some solid veterans to learn from. When Lattin figures the game out he'll have a chance to be as good as any of the bigs on campus right now

 

[JBaker]

Latting won't be a big contributor this year, but there's nothing wrong with that. He still has a ton of upside, and will be a big part of this team in the years to come. With a little bulk and some work with the coaches, he has next level potential. He's very raw right now though.

 

[usedtobe1]

According to this article, Lattin actually spent only 1 school year in Spain (2011-2012) but spent the adjoining summers of 2011 and 2012 playing on Houston AAU teams. It's interesting because it shows his famous paternal grandfather, David "Big Daddy" Lattin, wasn't in favor of him going overseas for his sophomore season.

When he returned from that year, he was home schooled. I refereed a lot of "private" school games in Houston, and they play some good basketball but not as good as some of the inner-city schools play. The home school teams played kind of a lower-tier than some of the private schools ...... Honestly the fact that Lattin played AAU ball every summer for Houston Hoops is a bigger deal than where he played his HS ball. The competition is tougher.

I think playing in the home school league for 2 years hurt his development more than his 1 season in Spain. JMHO.

Lattin

 

[AdaSooner]

According to this article, Lattin actually spent only 1 school year in Spain (2011-2012) but spent the adjoining summers of 2011 and 2012 playing on Houston AAU teams. It's interesting because it shows his famous paternal grandfather, David "Big Daddy" Lattin, wasn't in favor of him going overseas for his sophomore season.

When he returned from that year, he was home schooled. I refereed a lot of "private" school games in Houston, and they play some good basketball but not as good as some of the inner-city schools play. The home school teams played kind of a lower-tier than some of the private schools ...... Honestly the fact that Lattin played AAU ball every summer for Houston Hoops is a bigger deal than where he played his HS ball. The competition is tougher.

I think playing in the home school league for 2 years hurt his development more than his 1 season in Spain. JMHO.

Lattin

I stand corrected that Lattin spent two years in Spain. That's what I get for scan reading instead of reading slow enough to digest what the article actually says.

According to SoonerSports.com, he spent his sophomore and "part" of his freshman seasons at the Canarius Academy in the Canary Islands off the "coast" of Spain. Assuming that is correct, he must have left Houston for the Canary Islands sometime during his freshman season, where he played for the remainder of that year and all of his sophomore season. That's not a good way for any kid to start their high school career.

http://www.soonersports.com/ViewArt...B_OEM_ID=31000&ATCLID=209525863&Q_SEASON=2014

Combine that with a return to Houston where he spent the remaining two years at a homeschool academy, and it's easy to see why the coaching he received could have been suspect. I say that with no knowledge whatsoever about the kind of coaching he was exposed to at the Redemption Christian Home School Academy, so that may be an unfair assumption on my part.

I agree that the competition as well as the coaching he received in playing for his AAU team were likely better than the private academies he attended. One thing is for sure, Khadeem seems to have been on a bit of a journey through four years of high school ball.

 

[hoopsaustin]

I'm not seeing that comparison at all..

 

[SilliSooner]

I know Longar Longar went to John Marshall HS in Minnesota but I think also went to a basketball centric prep school when meant he would've came in older than Lattin with daily competition against pretty good players. Some where I read he was considered one of the best 5th year senior centers in the country, maybe the best.

I thought Longar had a nice 10-12' jump shot as a freshman. He also had a drop step and decent footwork at a freshman. It appeared he had some coaching. As a shot blocker he wasn't quite Stacy King but in shots per possession I bet he wasn't far behind. I do remember Longar getting eight blocks against Baylor.

 

[SilliSooner]

I do remember Longar gaining muscle every year he was here. Came in at 215, left at 235. Maybe the same can happen for Lattin. I do think the front line for our 2008 season of Ryan Wright (was he red shirting?), Keith Clark, Taylor Griffin, Blake Griffin and Longar Longar might have been our best in a long time.

 

[BigTime]

I'm not seeing that comparison at all..

Neat.