Which one of the freshmen guards

BigTime

BigTime

The Red Wig
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will make the biggest leap from year 1 to year 2 in your opinion?
 
I would hope Cousins makes the biggest jump but I would expect Hield to really emerge and expand his game next season.
 
Je'lon has the "steadiest" game, meaning you know what to expect from him. My guess is he improves in the same way: methodically. I don't think he'll make a big leap but will improve bit by bit into a pretty salty junior/senior.

Buddy on the other hand doesn't do anything at a slow pace, so my money's on him. Better jump shot, better handles, and better decision making.
 
Cousins has the highest ceiling. He has the most natural ability. When/if the game slows down for him, he has the physical ability to be a nightmare for other guards similar to what Westbrook does in the NBA. We got small tastes this season, like the drive during the NCAA tournament when he raced past everyone in the halfcourt and finished for the and 1.
 
uberjamb said:
Cousins has the highest ceiling. He has the most natural ability. When/if the game slows down for him, he has the physical ability to be a nightmare for other guards similar to what Westbrook does in the NBA. We got small tastes this season, like the drive during the NCAA tournament when he raced past everyone in the halfcourt and finished for the and 1.
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Westbrook is an interesting comparison. Similar looking bodies, similar looking jump shots with very different outcomes so far, prone to turnovers/going too fast, and loads of athleticism.
 
uberjamb said:
Cousins has the highest ceiling.
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I don't agree with that at all.

I see Cousins in the mold of Cam Clark. Super athletic. Wows you sometimes. But at the end of the day, his athleticism far outweighs his basketball skills.

The list of super athletic guards that never developed into difference makers is a mile long.

I think it'll be Hield or Hornbeak, but I'm not sure which one. Both have the offensive ability to become good scorers on a good basketball team.
 
I don't think we've seen enough of Cousins at his natural position to judge how high his ceiling is.
 
Buddy has the most potential because of his skill + work ethic + ayhleticism. Buddy is quick and can get up--remember the follow dunk in the sdsu game.
 
I agree with WT. I saw enough of him to know that he is careless and non chalant with his ball handling. Or it could be that he has no court awareness when he was bringing up the ball. I know that when an opposing guard actually pressured him, he turned it over and then gave up on the play and then his confidence dropped so low that his demeanor was pathetic on the court.

Now what is his natural position. I am judging him as a PG, but if he is supposed to be a SG then maybe we will see an improved Cousins.

I was not overly impressed.
 
And just to clarify my position.

I'm not saying that by his junior/senior years Cousins can't be a solid contributor that helps the team. I'm just saying that I think the skill level of Hield and Hornbeak is such, that they have the higher, and more immediately reachable ceilings.
 
I don't see cousins as having the most potential. I do think he has a chance to be the most improved simply because I think he was the least effective of the three guards.

I think Hield has the highest potential followed closely by Hornbeak. What I am hoping is that Woodard will be an even better talent than Hield and Hornbeak and that Booker will be a major D-1 contributor. If that happens, the back court should be set for the next three years.
 
Love this thread! It's like a tug-of-war between the Hieldites and the Cousinites. Buddy fans believe his work ethic and the skill set he put on display last season, make him the logical choice to improve the most. Isaiah fans feel that his upside and the fact that he has been playing out of position, gives him the advantage. I think all of you may be right.

It's hard not to pick Buddy because I know how hard he'll work to get better and to improve his shooting from the perimeter. He was easily one of our best players last year, and with Roe and Amath no longer around, the expectations will be even higher when the season starts this fall.

I'm tempted to go with Cousins, because I agree with those who say that we haven't seen the best of him yet. People tend to forget that he was a combo guard in high school with limited experience in playing the point. Even experienced point guards have trouble in adjusting to the college game sometimes. I'm not too fond of his shooting stroke, but he has the tools to be a really good player in time.

Hornbeak is the whole card in that threesome. He may turn out to be the best all around player in time, due to his well-rounded skill set that really has no glaring weaknesses. He just needs more experience and more time to adjust to playing at this level.

In short, OU fans had three pretty darned good freshmen guards who will only get better with experience. That's a good problem to have!
 
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For my eye Cousins will be a great 3rd guard off the bench throughout this career - bringing the energy and forcing the tempo of games when need be. I wouldn't be so quick to judge him yet as it was pretty obvious the game was nowhere near slowing down for him yet, it's going to be fun seeing him once it does.

Buddy is gonna be a star, he has all the tools including elite athleticism and length and most importantly the desire to really get better. Like everyone else I really like Hornbeak playing off the ball, going to be a solid contributor for us but for us to be a real contender I see him as more of a guard off the bench also in the future.
 
I think in reference to the OP's original question you would have to say Cousins. I mean, there were flashes of talent, but it didn't always translate to the court at game time. So, I think he will make the biggest jump, because he has the furthest to jump. That all is assuming that he works hard enough to make that jump though... As far as talent: I don't think there is any question that at this point on their careers Hield has shown he has the most. However, that could def change. I'm not sure who said it, but by far Hornbeak is steady Eddie, Hield is all energy and Cousins is an underacheiving talent. But the flash I saw in the tourney, makes me think that Cousins could be a rely good one!
 
Anyone who doesn't pick Buddy is clueless IMO.
 
Dignon003 said:
Does Cousins shot look like it is going to hit the ceiling? Johnson's shot always seemed like it was coming down from the rafters.
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Cousins jump shot is really flat. It is going to need some work this offseason.
 
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