Summer Practices

[cowboysooner]

If anyone knows a date and time of a summer practice, I would appreciate a heads up. Just want a peek at the new kids.

Most intriguing prospect for me is Kauth. Film looks better than his numbers. I'll be interested to see how he looks against bigger and better players.

 

[thebigabd]

If anyone knows a date and time of a summer practice, I would appreciate a heads up. Just want a peek at the new kids.

Most intriguing prospect for me is Kauth. Film looks better than his numbers. I'll be interested to see how he looks against bigger and better players.

Kuath is redshirting... I am most interested in Calixte, Polla, and Doolittle. If we start hearing reports that Doolittle is the best player on the floor and Polla has developed a lot, that will be positive.

 

[CoachTalk]

If anyone knows a date and time of a summer practice, I would appreciate a heads up. Just want a peek at the new kids.

Most intriguing prospect for me is Kauth. Film looks better than his numbers. I'll be interested to see how he looks against bigger and better players.

They’ve been shutting down summer practices. Just bc limited time.

I’d call Renee forney at the men’s office before heading over there.

 

[SuperHoops]

I saw that OSU is heading over to Europe at the end of the summer to play some exhibition games. Does OU have anything like that this year or are there rules against it since they did it last year?

 

[WichitaSooner]

I saw that OSU is heading over to Europe at the end of the summer to play some exhibition games. Does OU have anything like that this year or are there rules against it since they did it last year?

Only allowed once every four years, if memory serves. Definitely can't go two years in a row.

 

[OU92Grad]

Polla playing FIBA ball this summer. He will be back in August

 

[thebigabd]

Polla playing FIBA ball this summer. He will be back in August

I assume that is a good thing for him?

 

[usedtobe1]

Only allowed once every four years, if memory serves. Definitely can't go two years in a row.

That’s right. They can only go overseas once every 4 years.

 

[WTSooner]

Kuath is redshirting... I am most interested in Calixte, Polla, and Doolittle. If we start hearing reports that Doolittle is the best player on the floor and Polla has developed a lot, that will be positive.

I'd argue that if Doolittle is the "best player on the floor", we're in trouble. His game has a ceiling, IMO. We need a couple of the guards to step up and be our best players. Maybe the two new guys will be better than I'm expecting. James is solid, but I'm not sold that he can really be "the guy" on a good OU team.

 

[Darwin]

"The Guy" could be Manek, not a big stretch but maybe a year early.

 

[sperry]

I agree with the sentiment that if Doolittle is our best player we are in for a world of hurt. Doolittle should be a garbage man, energy type guy, not a guy you're relying on to be one of your better players. You want him to get some rebounds, a few putbacks, and maybe hit a 3 every once in a while.

Manek is the guy we need to be our best player. He's a high end talent, a 6'9" athletic guy with one of the smoothest strokes I've ever seen. He wore down by the end of the season last year, which isn't surprising for a guy who was playing basketball for Harrah High School 18 months ago. He needs to come back with some more strength and stamina.

 

[AdaSooner]

I'd argue that if Doolittle is the "best player on the floor", we're in trouble. His game has a ceiling, IMO. We need a couple of the guards to step up and be our best players. Maybe the two new guys will be better than I'm expecting. James is solid, but I'm not sold that he can really be "the guy" on a good OU team.

Agreed. Didn’t we hear the same think last summer when Doolittle was working out at a local high school? I think we’ll see a better, more committed player this season. But the best player on the team? Not likely.

James or Manek, or McNeace if he develops a mean streak in the off season, would be my guess. IMO, Jamuni has the most talent and the biggest upside. I think his lack of aggressiveness and passive demeanor on the court may be the only things standing in his way to becoming a potential high draft pick.

 

[thebigabd]

I'd make the counter argument that if Doolittle isn't the best player or one of the best players, this team is in serious trouble.

You pretty much know what you are getting from James, Muni, Lazenby, Freeman, and Odomes... James will average 8-11 ppg... Muni will average 5-7 ppg... Odomes will average 5-7 ppg... All the talk about "well if Odomes does X/Y/Z he will make it to the NBA" is over.. same for James and Muni. These are seniors now and while fine players, are what they are. Calixte and Reynolds are also unlikely to be the best player on this team, because they were average players on horrible teams before.

These guys can't be your best players... so who does that leave? Well, the guys we really don't know about with this mix of players are Bienemy, Doolittle, Manek, and Polla.

Bienemy is a true freshman... Polla, while likely to make a jump, isn't going to be your best player.

That leaves Manek and Doolittle. Doolittle had his season wrecked last year, and we could argue it should be tossed out. Was his fault, but he had a freshman year of:

9 points, 6 rebounds, and 1.1 assists per game... Averaged 10 and 7 in Big 12 play. He had 19 points and 13 rebounds against a good TCU frontcourt... Had 29 points and 10 rebounds against Texas... Had 15 points and 15 rebounds against ISU.

Sorry to tell you guys, but his resume is more attractive for "best player" than anyone elses. You basically have to toss the sophomore year, but he has shown the most. Now, those performances were on a 9 win team so you have to consider that as well.

But, regardless of that... if he isn't the best or one of the best, this team will have a serious problem. It NEEDS him to be a primary contributor, not some role guy...

The team needs 15ppg out of Manek and 12-15ppg out of Doolittle. Muni will never put up 29 points in a game (especially against a Big 12 team), ever. But Doolittle can.

 

[sperry]

I'd make the counter argument that if Doolittle isn't the best player or one of the best players, this team is in serious trouble.

You pretty much know what you are getting from James, Muni, Lazenby, Freeman, and Odomes... James will average 8-11 ppg... Muni will average 5-7 ppg... Odomes will average 5-7 ppg... All the talk about "well if Odomes does X/Y/Z he will make it to the NBA" is over.. same for James and Muni. These are seniors now and while fine players, are what they are. Calixte and Reynolds are also unlikely to be the best player on this team, because they were average players on horrible teams before.

These guys can't be your best players... so who does that leave? Well, the guys we really don't know about with this mix of players are Bienemy, Doolittle, Manek, and Polla.

Bienemy is a true freshman... Polla, while likely to make a jump, isn't going to be your best player.

That leaves Manek and Doolittle. Doolittle had his season wrecked last year, and we could argue it should be tossed out. Was his fault, but he had a freshman year of:

9 points, 6 rebounds, and 1.1 assists per game... Averaged 10 and 7 in Big 12 play. He had 19 points and 13 rebounds against a good TCU frontcourt... Had 29 points and 10 rebounds against Texas... Had 15 points and 15 rebounds against ISU.

Sorry to tell you guys, but his resume is more attractive for "best player" than anyone elses. You basically have to toss the sophomore year, but he has shown the most. Now, those performances were on a 9 win team so you have to consider that as well.

But, regardless of that... if he isn't the best or one of the best, this team will have a serious problem. It NEEDS him to be a primary contributor, not some role guy...

The team needs 15ppg out of Manek and 12-15ppg out of Doolittle. Muni will never put up 29 points in a game (especially against a Big 12 team), ever. But Doolittle can.

Doolittle is a 6'6" power forward who has shot sub 40% both seasons on campus. He's a good but not great athlete. There is absolutely nothing to indicate that that Texas game was anything more than a fluke.

He may occassionally be able to give you a 12 and 10 type game, but he has nowhere close to the ceiling to be the best player on a Big XII team that's anywhere but the basement.

 

[AdaSooner]

I'd make the counter argument that if Doolittle isn't the best player or one of the best players, this team is in serious trouble.

You pretty much know what you are getting from James, Muni, Lazenby, Freeman, and Odomes... James will average 8-11 ppg... Muni will average 5-7 ppg... Odomes will average 5-7 ppg... All the talk about "well if Odomes does X/Y/Z he will make it to the NBA" is over.. same for James and Muni. These are seniors now and while fine players, are what they are. Calixte and Reynolds are also unlikely to be the best player on this team, because they were average players on horrible teams before.

Exactly! I know what we’re getting wth the player you picked, as well as the three players on my list. Nothing I saw out of Doolittle last season makes me believe with any degree of confidence that he will improve enough to be the best player on the team.

I also know what we’re getting from James, Manek and Muni, Odomes too for that matter. Doo was better as a freshman than he was last year. No, I didn’t forget that he came in late after sitting out the first semester. Doesn’t change the fact that he didn’t do much to prove he was ready for a breakout season this year.

I would love to be wrong about him. If I am, I will be the first to admit it. We need his toughness, rebounding and scoring inside.

 

[sperry]

Exactly! I know what we’re getting wth the player you picked, as well as the three players on my list. Nothing I saw out of Doolittle last season makes me believe with any degree of confidence that he will improve enough to be the best player on the team.

I also know what we’re getting from James, Manek and Muni, Odomes too for that matter. Doo was better as a freshman than he was last year. No, I didn’t forget that he came in late after sitting out the first semester. Doesn’t change the fact that he didn’t do much to prove he was ready for a breakout season this year.

I would love to be wrong about him. If I am, I will be the first to admit it. We need his toughness, rebounding and scoring inside.

I think he will be a major contributor next year. I think last season was a product of him shooting himself in the foot by getting suspended, and then he came into the weird situation where Trae Young was getting admittedly too much of the offense going through him.

But Doolittle is not a star. He's not the best player on any kind of decent team. He's a role player, and there's nothing wrong with that. Every team needs role players, and he can play a key part. But if he is the guy we need to get buckets and make plays, we're in for a complete distater of a season.

 

[thebigabd]

I think he will be a major contributor next year. I think last season was a product of him shooting himself in the foot by getting suspended, and then he came into the weird situation where Trae Young was getting admittedly too much of the offense going through him.

But Doolittle is not a star. He's not the best player on any kind of decent team. He's a role player, and there's nothing wrong with that. Every team needs role players, and he can play a key part. But if he is the guy we need to get buckets and make plays, we're in for a complete distater of a season.

So it sounds like we have a whole team of average role players then.

 

[Maverick008]

So it sounds like we have a whole team of average role players then.

Which is the way most teams hovering around the top 25 are. There is nothing wrong with that as long as they learn to play together and work hard at getting better as a team. No one has said or expects in my opinion that any one player on this team is going to come out and average 20 a night and carry this team. This team has to get it done by committee. Again, nothing wrong with that.

 

[WTSooner]

So it sounds like we have a whole team of average role players then.

Is that really a surprise? I mean, we had TY last year and basically fell apart down the stretch. We had some transfers, and IMO were forced to go sign some grad transfers that are fine "fill-ins", but certainly nothing special. The best player on next year's team, whoever it ends up being, probably isn't going to be all that great. I think at best we're a pretty mediocre team next year. We're back in the constant "retooling" phase that LK's teams seem to always be in.

 

[Maverick008]

We're back in the constant "retooling" phase that LK's teams seem to always be in.

I'm not sure how you can say "always"? Lon's record's at OU:

11-12: 15-16 No Post season
12-13: 20-12 NCAA tourney
13-14: 23-10 NCAA tourney
14-15: 24-11 NCAA tourney
15-16- 29-8 NCAA tourney- FF
16-17: 11-20 No Post season
17-18- 18-14 NCAA tourney

If you want to say "recently" or over the last couple of years then sure I could get on board with that. But to say always is a huge stretch. After the first year of filling spots to cover what he returned or chased off from Capel's team, he built a strong nucleus over the next 4 years that led to a final four. The year after the FF was led by mainly underclassmen (after the Sr. leader was hurt). Last year was out of the norm for Lon as he brought in a superstar and it didn't work overall. This year looks to be another fill-in type year to hopefully get back to the start of another solid nucleus of young players in 2019.