Next year's starting line up

[SoonerBounce13]

Bufurd is going to transform into a really really good player. I can see it in him. He just needs to slow down a bit. I think he has the skills for all big 12 team by the time he is down. This was his first year to play guys

 

[WTSooner]

Woodard
James
McGusty
Buford
Lattin

I know I'm going to get smoked but I think McGusty starts day one. For one I think you get a combo fwd/guard when he's on the floor so it's almost a 3 guard lineup. For two I like having Woodard, James, Buford, and Lattin in the starting five because all those guys have played significant minutes for the Sooners. I think if there's a freshman capable of coming in and starting it's McGusty.

I actually really like our chances with this starting five next year. Woodard and James have shown they can stroke the three ball. As previously stated I think McGusty can be affective. I think Buford will only get better and has shown some very good potential and ability. Lattin is a warrior and I think he'll improve his offensive game over the off season.

If our bench can develop with guys like McNeace, AK, and Odomes making big improvements and perhaps Freeman and Grandstaff making contributions it should make for an interesting season.

McGusty may start. His biggest competition, IMO, is Grandstaff, who is ineligible for the first semester. I suppose we could start James at the 2 and Odomes at the 3, but I think LK will eventually go with one of Grandstaff/McGusty at the 2 spot.

 

[JBaker]

It all depends on AK or Mcnease.. I would like that rotation at the 5 then split Lattin and Freeman/Buford at the 4. Odomes/Grandstaff at 3 and James/Mcgusty at 2 and Woodard/Strong at 1. Play fast pace and sub more maybe next year!! Press a little more I don't know. It will be very interesting and I'm excited.

I don't see any scenario in which Lattin and McNease/Manyang play alongside each other for significant minutes.

 

[BigTime]

It sure will be fun to predict and banter about who will start next year. I am looking forward to it.

Woodard and Lattin seem like the only "locks" to me. James sure seems close to a lock.

Couple of things to look for:
- I could see McGusty getting a look at PG much like what Kruger did with Cousins. Probably won't play much of it as a freshman but he seems to be insurance in case Strong isn't ready/able

- Speaking of Strong, I think he WILL be ready/able to contribute. Have heard/read reports about how hard the guy works.

 

[garyeb2]

It is my understanding that Freeman has gotten some run at the point several times in practice.

 

[SoonerBounce13]

It is my understanding that Freeman has gotten some run at the point several times in practice.

sarcasm?

 

[AdaSooner]

It is my understanding that Freeman has gotten some run at the point several times in practice.

Seriously? I knew Freeman had good handles, but never dreamed his handles and passing might be good enough to play the point. A legit 6' 9" guy with guard skills, who can knock down shots from three at close to a 50% clip is going to play and play often next season.

I said sometime ago I thought he had a chance to start. That might be a stretch. But, developing into an integral part of our rotation is not. Matthew Freeman is going to be special someday, and it might not be as long in coming as most seem to think.

 

[sperry]

The problem with Lattin at the 4 is that there is no one we can put at the 5 who has any offensive skills alongside him, and that gives us two non-factors on offense. McNeace and Lattin on the floor at the same time would kill us offensively.


I think Freeman is the best fit to start at the four, so long as he is ready to physically compete. And I woudl expect with a full semester competing in practice and a summer in the offseason program that he will be ready. Buford will also compete if he improves in the offseason.

 

[BCSooners]

The problem with Lattin at the 4 is that there is no one we can put at the 5 who has any offensive skills alongside him, and that gives us two non-factors on offense. McNeace and Lattin on the floor at the same time would kill us offensively.


I think Freeman is the best fit to start at the four, so long as he is ready to physically compete. And I woudl expect with a full semester competing in practice and a summer in the offseason program that he will be ready. Buford will also compete if he improves in the offseason.

That's why we have the off-season. I think Lattin can be a stretch 4, while I don't think he'll shoot better than Spangler I do believe he'll be able to take guys off the bounce better.

 

[BCSooners]

Seriously? I knew Freeman had good handles, but never dreamed his handles and passing might be good enough to play the point. A legit 6' 9" guy with guard skills, who can knock down shots from three at close to a 50% clip is going to play and play often next season.

I said sometime ago I thought he had a chance to start. That might be a stretch. But, developing into an integral part of our rotation is not. Matthew Freeman is going to be special someday, and it might not be as long in coming as most seem to think.

The thing that worries me the most about Freeman next year is that based on his overseas stats it doesn't seem like he rebounds well at all. He can be used to stretch the floor but if he can't rebound or play defense I just see him as a role player next year. Now him coming in early a semester really helps his cause on the learning curve and understanding what he needs to do in order to get this (and other things) done.

 

[Sooner04]

I was a doom and gloomer after Osby graduated and M'Baye left. The 2013 season made me look like an idiot. From a plodding, inside-out team to a bunch of gunners who became one of the highest-scoring teams in the country. Out of nowhere.

As long as Kruger is manning our bench and molding our roster, he gets my trust.

 

[sperry]

That's why we have the off-season. I think Lattin can be a stretch 4, while I don't think he'll shoot better than Spangler I do believe he'll be able to take guys off the bounce better.

He can't shoot at all though. That's the problem. He is also starting from zero regarding low post moves, even McNease is ahead of him in that department.

 

[Eielson]

Maybe it's just because of these recent group of guys that just graduated, but I don't get the feeling Kruger likes to mess with his starting 5. Since the tOSU kid can't play first semester, I could see Kruger settling on a starting lineup before then, and just making him a high-minute reserve. Of course, if nobody steps up, Kruger isn't going to hand somebody a spot in the starting lineup. As many have said, I think Woodard, Lattin, and James are the three locks. As nice as it is to have your starting five nailed down before the season starts, I really like the competition that open-competitions tend to breed. Nothing brings improvement like competition.

 

[BCSooners]

He can't shoot at all though. That's the problem. He is also starting from zero regarding low post moves, even McNease is ahead of him in that department.

His shooting stroke is much better than his freshman year. Now whether Lon plans to make him the 4 next year or Buford idk. But Lon has said he intends to move Lattin to the 4, if he decides to do this then I believe Lattin will be putting in a lot of extra shooting.

If Buford starts at the 4 next year I believe this increases Odomes chance of starting. Someone on this or another thread mentioned since Buford is undersized you'll need better rebounding & defense from the guards, I agree and to me that leads to Odomes.

 

[soonerjunky]

2017 PF, Theo John 4* is taking an official to OU this weekend. Too bad he can't come in next year. He would be a day 1 starter

 

[DenverSooner]

Woodard, Grandstaff, James, Buford, Lattin

I think that looks correct. I don't understand the negativity towards Buford from the first poster. I think he is going to be a really good player before he leaves. I saw a lot of things I liked from him this year. Next year he should get lots of experience and then he can be a major threat as a junior and senior.

I think James is going to be a major threat as a sophomore.

I want Grandstaff to earn that starting spot because it means he is the best and that a bunch of minutes in the early season went to the bench players. That should pay off late season.

 

[Smash Williams]

He can't shoot at all though. That's the problem. He is also starting from zero regarding low post moves, even McNease is ahead of him in that department.

Off the top of my head, I can't think of a big who went from shooting 54% from the free throw line in his first two seasons to becoming a reliable 3-point shooter as an upperclassman.

Maybe you hope that Lattin becomes a more consistent mid-range threat, but expecting him to become a legitimate 3-point threat seems a bit much.

 

[SoonerinNC]

We don't need Lattin to be a 3 point threat. We just need him to have a good back to the basket game and a good 12 for shot.

I don't see the knock on Buford. He gets hurt on missmatches with our switching defense at times but he can hit from the outside and is athletic. Like most newbies he hasn't learned to finish well but give him a little slack.

McNease improved 1000 percent during the year. He should contribute next year.

Manyang is the one I have the biggest question about.

My only question about Freeman is his slender frame.

Like Buford, Odemes has to learn to finish. He could improve like Isaih did from his freshman year. No way as a freshman Isaih would get many minutes on a team of this years quality. But Isaih's advantage is that he got a lot of minutes as a freshman.

Of the newcomers I expect Grandstaff and Freeman to be the most impactful. Primarily because of the practice time at this level they got this year.

McGusty could be a factor but only the real 5* guys usually make a big impact. We always expect more than a reasonable performance from the newbies. He may be our X factor.

We will have more depth. We could easily go 9 or even 10 deep. That should allow Kruger to play a more agressive defenst and even more uptempo offense.

 

[CoachTalk]

I was think RS for Doolittle but the more I think. He plays some. Rebounding machine. More athletic and versatile Spangler. Ryan was an athlete (not saying he isn't)

 

[OUBig12Champs]

Not sure about starting line ups next season, but it should be both fun and frustrating. But hey we are Young too!

I think the following years team has the potential to make a deep run again, providing there is no turnover in players (transfers). Kruger appears to be building depth and that could take this program to that deep run.