Practice Video

[atlantasooner]

Just to confirm earlier posts.
Victor is in the ou.edu directory.

That usually means that all his grades/test score/transcript stuff is completely clear.
At least, it has for football.

 

[daqman]

The lack of respect/appreciation for Doo is just astounding. He does basically everything well, some things extremely well, yet so many act as if he is a fourth or fifth option on a "good" team.

If you want to play the hyperbole game. Some people act like we're loaded with all-conference players, compete for conference championships, and the program is right where it should be.

But the fact is, Doolittle is playing out of position as an undersized post player who isn't terribly athletic. He scored 8 pts and 5 rebs against Virginia. If that's our best player, we're in for a long season.

 

[BCSooners]

The lack of respect/appreciation for Doo is just astounding. He does basically everything well, some things extremely well, yet so many act as if he is a fourth or fifth option on a "good" team.

I agree some of these comments are head scratching like Doo didn’t work some very good teams over. Obviously though if Doo is the 2nd or 3rd option that means your team is going to be very good.

Main issue with Doo always having to be the 1st option is that when he plays an athletic taller 5 he’s going to struggle. If he’s not the main option he can pick his spots more then become the main option when OU plays less athletic 5s.

 

[WichitaSooner]

If you want to play the hyperbole game. Some people act like we're loaded with all-conference players, compete for conference championships, and the program is right where it should be.

But the fact is, Doolittle is playing out of position as an undersized post player who isn't terribly athletic. He scored 8 pts and 5 rebs against Virginia. If that's our best player, we're in for a long season.

Always good to point to one game to support your argument. But I guess if we're going down that road, he is likely a first team All American based on his game against KU.

 

[Eielson]

But the fact is, Doolittle is playing out of position as an undersized post player who isn't terribly athletic. He scored 8 pts and 5 rebs against Virginia. If that's our best player, we're in for a long season.

He was clearly outmatched by Diakite. AKA the starting 5 on last year's national championship team. That's a fair statement in arguing that our ceiling is the Final 4. Beyond that, not much else.

 

[CMSOONER]

Doo is outmatched by Centers.......BECAUSE HE'S NOT A CENTER! It's amazing that this is still a point of argument. He had a great game angainst KU, he was our best player last year, we were not remotely competitive against the National Champion in round 2.

If Doo is our best player this year it's because we find a center who can play meaningful minutes and allow Doo to play his natural SF/PF position. And he has players around him who can make plays. Plain and simple. When we were successful last year it was when players other than Doo & Manek were making plays. The games Odomes stepped up, the spurts when James played well and the end of the year when Bieniemy started playing well.

I like the makeup of this team more than last years.

Doo > Doo
Manek > Manek
Reaves > Freeman
Harmon > James
Kuath > McNeace
Bieniemy > Calixte/Reynolds
Iwuakor = Odomes

 

[vbdad]

Doo was extremely good down the stretch. He will be even better this year.

 

[Sooner04]

Doo was extremely good down the stretch. He will be even better this year.

I wish he was a Junior.

 

[daqman]

I wish he was a Junior.

I wish he was 4 inches taller.

 

[Eielson]

I wish he was 4 inches taller.

I'm glad he's not, because he'd be in the NBA right now.

 

[usedtobe1]

I like the makeup of this team more than last years.

Doo > Doo
Manek > Manek
Reaves > Freeman
Harmon > James
Kuath > McNeace
Bieniemy > Calixte/Reynolds
Iwuakor = Odomes

I'm not ready to say Iwuakor is as good as Odomes was last year. He was offensively challenged as a HS junior, and didn't even play as a senior. Can he handle the ball? Is he going to be our best on ball defender? He was a HS center. Honestly, I look at him more as an offensively challenged Doolittle. JMHO.

One other point..... Alondes Williams (assuming he makes it in) is a stud. I think he might even start at a wing in Big 12 play.... he's more physically able to handle the 3 than Bienemy is. Don't count out Jalen Hill either.

 

[Eielson]

Doo is outmatched by Centers.......BECAUSE HE'S NOT A CENTER!

I didn't say he was outmatched by centers -- I said he was outmatched by Diakite. Virginia's "true center" lasted about two minutes before Doo ran him off the court. Diakite is listed as a F on every site. In a lot of ways, he's similar to Doolittle.

 

[daqman]

I'm not ready to say Iwuakor is as good as Odomes was last year. He was offensively challenged as a HS junior, and didn't even play as a senior. Can he handle the ball? Is he going to be our best on ball defender? He was a HS center. Honestly, I look at him more as an offensively challenged Doolittle. JMHO.

One other point..... Alondes Williams (assuming he makes it in) is a stud. I think he might even start at a wing in Big 12 play.... he's more physically able to handle the 3 than Bienemy is. Don't count out Jalen Hill either.

Harmon/Bienemy/Reaves/Williams/Hill is a very good 5 guard rotation and will be the strength of the team imo.
If Williams does not show up, it will be a huge blow. The first and only guard off the bench will be a true freshman.
Most likely you would see Doolittle having to play some at one guard spot and Manek/Kuath on the inside. Which isn't a great option for a couple reasons. The Jamuni/Manek/Doolittle experiment last year did not impress. And, we're not exactly well stocked at the 4/5 spots with ready for big 12 players.

 

[BCSooners]

I didn't say he was outmatched by centers -- I said he was outmatched by Diakite. Virginia's "true center" lasted about two minutes before Doo ran him off the court. Diakite is listed as a F on every site. In a lot of ways, he's similar to Doolittle.

Bingo

 

[CoachTalk]

Harmon/Bienemy/Reaves/Williams/Hill is a very good 5 guard rotation and will be the strength of the team imo.
If Williams does not show up, it will be a huge blow. The first and only guard off the bench will be a true freshman.
Most likely you would see Doolittle having to play some at one guard spot and Manek/Kuath on the inside. Which isn't a great option for a couple reasons. The Jamuni/Manek/Doolittle experiment last year did not impress. And, we're not exactly well stocked at the 4/5 spots with ready for big 12 players.

Victor is built like a college junior. He’ll be fine at 4/5 in a role of some kind.

Like I said before kur 5, manek at 4 doo at 3 any 2 guards....

Not center power forward small forward sg pg

You realize players get better at times as they get older and more mature? Or just think they’ll be the same player as last year?

 

[CoachTalk]

I'm glad he's not, because he'd be in the NBA right now.

Very true!

 

[daqman]

Victor is built like a college junior. He’ll be fine at 4/5 in a role of some kind.

Like I said before kur 5, manek at 4 doo at 3 any 2 guards....

Not center power forward small forward sg pg

You realize players get better at times as they get older and more mature? Or just think they’ll be the same player as last year?

The last video I saw of Victor, he looks like a very promising 4. Very athletic, but not built like a college junior. I think in time he will be a better version of Doolittle. Not expecting a whole lot from him this season.

Yes, some players get better. The past few years I saw a whole bunch of players that made very little progress.

 

[usedtobe1]

I think Victor will be very active and aggressive in the post. I love his potential..... especially as he knocks the rust off this summer. He won't get bullied down low. I noticed in AAU ball last summer he only played in 8 games, averaged 26 minutes, 8.5 ppg, 5 rebounds, and 3 blocks. I really don't think not playing as a HS senior will hurt him. He has all summer and fall practices to get ready.

https://basketball.realgm.com/player/Victor-Iwuakor/Summary/135027

With Doo, Manek, Kur, and Victor in the post, I think we will be better than we were last season.

 

[CoachTalk]

I think Victor will be very active and aggressive in the post. I love his potential..... especially as he knocks the rust off this summer. He won't get bullied down low. I noticed in AAU ball last summer he only played in 8 games, averaged 26 minutes, 8.5 ppg, 5 rebounds, and 3 blocks. I really don't think not playing as a HS senior will hurt him. He has all summer and fall practices to get ready.

https://basketball.realgm.com/player/Victor-Iwuakor/Summary/135027

With Doo, Manek, Kur, and Victor in the post, I think we will be better than we were last season.

And guard play as well. Should be fantastic.

 

[CMSOONER]

I'm not ready to say Iwuakor is as good as Odomes was last year. He was offensively challenged as a HS junior, and didn't even play as a senior. Can he handle the ball? Is he going to be our best on ball defender? He was a HS center. Honestly, I look at him more as an offensively challenged Doolittle. JMHO.

One other point..... Alondes Williams (assuming he makes it in) is a stud. I think he might even start at a wing in Big 12 play.... he's more physically able to handle the 3 than Bienemy is. Don't count out Jalen Hill either.

I debated about putting Iwuakor on the list and also comparing him to Odomes. They play different positions and Odomes was better in spurts as a Senior, but both can't shoot 3's, are defensive minded and physical players. So I went with it. :ez-laugh:

I didn't include Williams since we don't know his status at the moment and I left Hill off because I also didn't want to put every new incoming player on a pedestal before they ever play a minute. That said I think Williams could be a better contributor than Odomes, better offensively and not a major decline of the defensive end. Hill I believe will be better than what Bieniemy was asked to be most of last year.