Trae Young.

[CoachTalk]

I know. Nba thread….


Just WOW.

 

[NickZepp]

Who is the last Sooner to be at least on the conference finals level? Any since Anthony Bowie?

 

[tmeyer3307]

He's been great.. Think he's on the verge of being a top 5-7 NBA player. Wish Blake/Nets would have won damit.. feel bad for him. He's had a great career just no luck in the playoffs.

 

[WaymanFan]

Who is the last Sooner to be at least on the conference finals level? Any since Anthony Bowie?

Brent Price might have in Sacramento, but Bowie was the last to play in the NBA Finals. Ironically, the only NBA Sooner to win more than one ring was the most disappointing of all NBA Sooners based on draft position - Stacey King (who won 3). Clifford Ray is the only NBA Sooner to have been a starter on a title team. Alvan Adams and Gar Heard are the other two Sooners to play in the NBA finals (same one). Of the most memorable plays in NBA finals history, Gar Heard's shot to send the Phoenix - Boston game to triple-OT is on that short list.

I have a feeling Trae Young will be on the list with those others very soon. However, I remember reading what Alvan Adams once said when the Suns lost in the NBA Finals in his rookie season. "(Paraphrasing) I was looking around the locker room at all the older players feeling bad for them because they may never get back to the Finals. I figured I would have several more chances. And then Magic Johnson showed up."

 

[steverocks35]

I didn't share the opinion of a lot of people here and other places. I thought Trae would be a good NBA starter. What I didn't predict is that he would be an all-NBA type player and a leader like he is on this Atlanta team. Don't forget, Atlanta is doing this without two of their main weapons, Hunter and Reddish. Most people thought Atlanta got the short end of the stick with the Dallas trade but with the problems now in Dallas it looks like Atlanta came out of that smelling like a rose.

 

[BoulderSooner]

I didn't share the opinion of a lot of people here and other places. I thought Trae would be a good NBA starter. What I didn't predict is that he would be an all-NBA type player and a leader like he is on this Atlanta team. Don't forget, Atlanta is doing this without two of their main weapons, Hunter and Reddish. Most people thought Atlanta got the short end of the stick with the Dallas trade but with the problems now in Dallas it looks like Atlanta came out of that smelling like a rose.

i was of the same mind .. he would be a good player and make an All star team or 2 ... he has blown past that projection ..

the book is still out on reddish to a degree ..

but you could argue that Hunter was the 2nd most important player on their team.

 

[hoopsaustin]

I knew that Trae was going to be a star in the nba, but i think he'll outshine even my predictions for his career. Its sad that he didnt have more talent with him at ou too, we underperformed with such a star on the team. And to think, there are still posters on here that don't like him somehow and thought he was overrated.. crazy

 

[SoonerBounce13]

I knew that Trae was going to be a star in the nba, but i think he'll outshine even my predictions for his career. Its sad that he didnt have more talent with him at ou too, we underperformed with such a star on the team. And to think, there are still posters on here that don't like him somehow and thought he was overrated.. crazy

I think the reason some fans have/had a sour taste with Trae was because we weren't better as a team. I think he had plenty of talent around him at OU. but it seemed to be the trae show and that dynamic can backfire.

I was one of the few from the very beginning that didn't like the dynamics. From the moment he commited to the sooners and called himself the savior or something like that I had a feeling it would rub some on the team the wrong way. You have a kid in high school that hasn't put in the work, commenting on a team he isn't a part of. Then he comes in and we killed it the first half of the season. Then when the attention came, and the obvious green light he had , it started causing problems. Right or wrong, I think it is obvious the failure of that season was a chemistry/lockerroom issue.

A TY spearheaded team with Christian James, Odomes, Lattin, Mcneace, Mcgusty, Manek, and doolittle should have performed more like the first half of the season than the second half. That is a very talented group

 

[steverocks35]

I think the reason some fans have/had a sour taste with Trae was because we weren't better as a team. I think he had plenty of talent around him at OU. but it seemed to be the trae show and that dynamic can backfire.

I was one of the few from the very beginning that didn't like the dynamics. From the moment he commited to the sooners and called himself the savior or something like that I had a feeling it would rub some on the team the wrong way. You have a kid in high school that hasn't put in the work, commenting on a team he isn't a part of. Then he comes in and we killed it the first half of the season. Then when the attention came, and the obvious green light he had , it started causing problems. Right or wrong, I think it is obvious the failure of that season was a chemistry/lockerroom issue.

A TY spearheaded team with Christian James, Odomes, Lattin, Mcneace, Mcgusty, Manek, and doolittle should have performed more like the first half of the season than the second half. That is a very talented group

That was not a very talented group, at all. McGusty was a head-case. Christian James never lived up to his potential. I was amazed that Trae led the nation in assists on a team of guys that couldn't shoot (outside of freshman-year Manek).

 

[MJSooner]

That was not a very talented group, at all. McGusty was a head-case. Christian James never lived up to his potential. I was amazed that Trae led the nation in assists on a team of guys that couldn't shoot (outside of freshman-year Manek).

I agree that the blame on what happened that year shouldn't be mostly placed on Trae, which is a common belief. We can see from what Trae is doing now, with the same playing style and the same attitude, that he can make talented teammates better and his team can perform well. Trae has improved a lot, especially in efficiency under the guidance of Nate McMillan, but he is still ball-dominant. He runs the pick and roll as well as anyone in the NBA and tried to do that at OU but guys would fumble around the basket more than finish.

I think there were plenty of problems on that team, including McGusty as mentioned. Guys like McGusty and Shepherd thought they should have been bigger contributors or stars than their talent warranted. I liked CJ, but he was as up and down mentally as Brady was this past year. Lattin was a head case at times too and didn't really improve from the FF year. Odomes was an athlete that didn't really have a position and didn't know you could use the right hand in basketball. Outside of all those issues, there was a lack of talent with guys like Freeman, Polla, and Lazenby. Doo had not come into his best play yet. More athletes on the roster than actual talent. Don't get me wrong, Trae wasn't perfect either and we shouldn't have finished the regular season as we did, but plenty of blame on that team to go around.

I just think what we are seeing now in Trae might be a little surprising on his rise to the top, but the signs were there at OU this is what could happen when he is in the right system with the right talent.

 

[SoonerBounce13]

That was not a very talented group, at all. McGusty was a head-case. Christian James never lived up to his potential. I was amazed that Trae led the nation in assists on a team of guys that couldn't shoot (outside of freshman-year Manek).

Disagree. That is a talented roster. They proved it the first half of hte season. Talented is doesn't always equal results though.

It is a lot easier for a rookie to come into the NBA and lead a team the way trae does than in college. They are professionals and for the most part understand the process and are gettign paid to perform. Completely different story in college. You have some guys with their head on wrong and add in an alpha like Trae and things could go really good or really bad.

If you told me that we could a roster of what we are having next year vs a roster of Trae, CJ, McGusty, Manek, Lattin?....I'd take Trae's team in a heartbeat. That is as talented as a lineup that OU has put on the court in awhile

 

[NickZepp]

If Young was on any of the teams since he left those teams probably all contend or at worst are a lot better than the team that year.

Sent from my SM-G975U using Tapatalk

 

[WichitaSooner]

Disagree. That is a talented roster. They proved it the first half of hte season. Talented is doesn't always equal results though.

It is a lot easier for a rookie to come into the NBA and lead a team the way trae does than in college. They are professionals and for the most part understand the process and are gettign paid to perform. Completely different story in college. You have some guys with their head on wrong and add in an alpha like Trae and things could go really good or really bad.

If you told me that we could a roster of what we are having next year vs a roster of Trae, CJ, McGusty, Manek, Lattin?....I'd take Trae's team in a heartbeat. That is as talented as a lineup that OU has put on the court in awhile

Next year’s squad would smoke that team. James was a below average shooter, and shooting was his best offensive skill. He also never played well once conference play came around. He was limited athletically. Lattin never had much of an offensive game and didn’t develop the way you’d expect. He could have averaged 12 a game just by catching and finishing all the easy baskets Trae set him up for. Brady was a sniper early that season but tailed off badly and was not good at all on the road. If Doo had been eligible the entire season, he certainly would have made a big difference. McGusty certainly had the offensive skill to be a very good player, but he apparently wasn’t happy playing second fiddle, and that’s on him.

The game at Stillwater was when I knew we were in trouble. Trae came out looking to get others involved, and the Pokes basically made it clear they were willing to give other guys open shots even if it meant doubling Trae 30 feet from the basket. We fell behind by a million in the first half, and only rallied when Trae took over and brought us back and put us in position to win. Other teams were willing to live with other guys getting open looks because they knew we didn’t have enough guys who would consistently capitalize on their chances.

 

[WichitaSooner]

Disagree. That is a talented roster. They proved it the first half of hte season. Talented is doesn't always equal results though.

It is a lot easier for a rookie to come into the NBA and lead a team the way trae does than in college. They are professionals and for the most part understand the process and are gettign paid to perform. Completely different story in college. You have some guys with their head on wrong and add in an alpha like Trae and things could go really good or really bad.

If you told me that we could a roster of what we are having next year vs a roster of Trae, CJ, McGusty, Manek, Lattin?....I'd take Trae's team in a heartbeat. That is as talented as a lineup that OU has put on the court in awhile

Next year’s squad would smoke that team. James was a below average shooter, and shooting was his best offensive skill. He also never played well once conference play came around. He was limited athletically. Lattin never had much of an offensive game and didn’t develop the way you’d expect. He could have averaged 12 a game just by catching and finishing all the easy baskets Trae set him up for. Brady was a sniper early that season but tailed off badly and was not good at all on the road. If Doo had been eligible the entire season, he certainly would have made a big difference. McGusty certainly had the offensive skill to be a very good player, but he apparently wasn’t happy playing second fiddle, and that’s on him.

The game at Stillwater was when I knew we were in trouble. Trae came out looking to get others involved, and the Pokes basically made it clear they were willing to give other guys open shots even if it meant doubling Trae 30 feet from the basket. We fell behind by a million in the first half, and only rallied when Trae took over and brought us back and put us in position to win. Other teams were willing to live with other guys getting open looks because they knew we didn’t have enough guys who would consistently capitalize on their chances.

 

[BCSooners]

Team just didn’t mesh, CJ had a solid year that year but you could tell he really hated TY. McGusty was a huge head case, but his & Doo’s style wasn’t suited with TY. Only one that really benefitted were the posts bc Manek is spot up & other 2 could finish a lob.

TY has to play with 3 & D perimeter guys, a lob threat & a perimeter shooting 4. He’s so ball dominate it’s hard for someone who is better on the ball to fit with him. He’s a great passer & gets to his right hand easier than I thought he could. Still plays no defense & it’ll be interesting if they get rid of the non-natural shooting motion fouls.

 

[sanguinetti]

i had high hopes for James, played well for a FR on the final four team. and he had some moments, but something went wrong there. don't know what. his senior season was decent. i went to an early practice the year after the FF.....and James was the best player on the floor and knew it. still working hard. whatever he had then, left.

i am from Norman, loved Trae from the hometown....going to OU.....but I never got that attached to him as a Sooner. not like Tis or Blake or Buddy. part of that is just logistics of "now".....he wasn't going to play more than one year....

and the team slide that season is hard for me to forget.

happy for his NBA success and representation for the program...pull for the Hawks like wherever Sooner players play.....though i don't watch the NBA much at all.

 

[TINY]

Trae is the GOAT

 

[Max Power]

The same guys, less Manek, lost 20 games the year before Trae. That’s the most in program history. Trae did not have a good team around him.

 

[Sooner04]

We were a dreadful defensive team with Trae. 4 on 5 was being polite.

We outscored teams when we were hitting shots. When we stopped hitting shots we got our doors blown off. Those same guys lost 20 games the previous year. The worst season in school history. They earned that title fair and square. They were AWFUL.

Christian James's body language was as bad as any player in recent memory.
Kameron McGusty and his mother should've been strapped on board the nearest rocket and fired into the sun.
Rashard Odomes, for all his defensive prowess, was an offensive liability.
Khadeem Lattin is the main reason Trae didn't average 15 assists a game.
I love Doolittle, but something about the entire dynamic changed when he got back from suspension.
And Brady Manek. Well. He left.

It was just a mess. Trae is a much better NBA player than I ever thought he'd be. I thought I'd be good, but he's great, and he's perfect for the modern NBA. In tougher times, some 7-foot goon would knock him ten rows into the nickel bleachers. Can't touch 'em now.

 

[skyvue]

I've no interest in defending a 20-loss season but there have been a good number of Sooner teams that had a worse won-lost percentage than that 2017 squad, several of whom surely have lost 20 or more games if they'd played as many games as teams do today.

John McLeod coached an OU team to a 7-19 record (27%); a Bruce Drake squad went 6-12 (33%). Benny Owen, bless 'em, coached a team to a 17% winning percentage (1-7). Tubbs' first team came in at 33%. Dave Bliss matched that 2017 team's 35% winning percentage in 1976.

And there were several others.