Young and McGusty

[jaymOU]

I know, a little early, but could Young and McGusty be OU's best ever backcourt?

Off the top of my head, I'd say Blaylock/Grace; Price/White; Cousins/ Woodard.....

I am missing some for sure, but the combination of Young and McGusty sure looks like it has a chance to be awesome. I'd guess they are the highest rated - recruiting-wise - backcourt mates in OU history.

 

[okhoops918]

Uh...Cousins and Hield?

People need to tap the breaks a bit on Young/McGusty.

They'll be good in their own right and in due time but McGusty disappeared in many games in conference. Young will have alot on his shoulders. He hasn't ever been in a situation where he is clearly the best player on the team but the opposing team has equal or greater overall talent.

He'll get his own production but it's a wait and see on his total overall impact as a PG.

 

[Oscar Uniform]

Tommy Mason-Griffin and Willie Warren

 

[skyvue]

McGusty disappeared in many games in conference.

McGusty arguably had a better freshman season that Hield. He averaged 11 points to Buddy's eight. I agree that there's no guarantee he'll go on to match Buddy's career output, but who's to say he won't, either?

 

[thewez]

Tommy Mason-Griffin and Willie Warren

+1

 

[chuckb]

McGusty arguably had a better freshman season that Hield. He averaged 11 points to Buddy's eight. I agree that there's no guarantee he'll go on to match Buddy's career output, but who's to say he won't, either?

I'm not sure it's even arguable. He was definitely better than Hield was as a freshman.

That said, Trae Young hasn't even played 1 college game yet. Let's slow down a little and keep the expectations manageable. If we anoint him the greatest Sooner ever before he makes his 1st basket, we're setting ourselves up to be really disappointed.

 

[WichitaSooner]

Uh...Cousins and Hield?

People need to tap the breaks a bit on Young/McGusty.

They'll be good in their own right and in due time but McGusty disappeared in many games in conference. Young will have alot on his shoulders. He hasn't ever been in a situation where he is clearly the best player on the team but the opposing team has equal or greater overall talent.

He'll get his own production but it's a wait and see on his total overall impact as a PG.

I don't remember Kam disappearing in "many" conference games. He scored in double figures in 14 straight conference games, and his numbers were far better in conference play than in the nonconference. Sure, he wasn't brilliant for 40 minutes every game, but who is, especially as a freshman? If he had disappeared "many" times, there is no way he would have made the All-Newcomer team and been an honorable mention All-Conference pick.

 

[tmeyer3307]

Lavender and Everett. I just loved watching Lavender!

 

[Big Old Booger]

I'm not sure it's even arguable. He was definitely better than Hield was as a freshman.

That said, Trae Young hasn't even played 1 college game yet. Let's slow down a little and keep the expectations manageable. If we anoint him the greatest Sooner ever before he makes his 1st basket, we're setting ourselves up to be really disappointed.

Agree. His shooting is far and above where Buddy's was after the freshman year. Buddy became an excellent shooter but his freshman year he was very inconsistent shooting the jumper.

 

[jaymOU]

Uh...Cousins and Hield?

People need to tap the breaks a bit on Young/McGusty.

They'll be good in their own right and in due time but McGusty disappeared in many games in conference. Young will have alot on his shoulders. He hasn't ever been in a situation where he is clearly the best player on the team but the opposing team has equal or greater overall talent.

He'll get his own production but it's a wait and see on his total overall impact as a PG.

Buddy played the three - to me. I would say Cousins and Woodard were always the "true" guards on those teams.

 

[Eielson]

They should make for a pretty nasty duo.

 

[okhoops918]

Buddy played the three - to me. I would say Cousins and Woodard were always the "true" guards on those teams.

He is not even close to being a SF. McGusty is more of a SF than Hield and he isn't really that close to being a SF.

Hield and McGusty are both shooting guards. Having 2 other guards on the court with them doesn't really matter or dictate how they play the game.

So saying that - No one has ever called Hield a SF and he is definitely in the top Duo with Cousins. One of the best trio of guards if you include Woodard.

 

[Sooner04]

 

[CoachTalk]

90% of teams are playing 4 guards. pg and 3 SG or 2 pg and 2 sg.

Stop getting hung up on 3-4 sf/pf thats more NBA

Heck KD played the 5 for GSW last night. doesnt make him a "5"

 

[WTSooner]

90% of teams are playing 4 guards. pg and 3 SG or 2 pg and 2 sg.

Stop getting hung up on 3-4 sf/pf thats more NBA

Heck KD played the 5 for GSW last night. doesnt make him a "5"

I agree with you, but I'd say it's closer to this:

90% of teams play 3 true guards, some kind of stretch 4 (small PF, not really a guard or even a SF either), and a big.

There is almost no such thing as a true SF in the college game. Those guys almost always play as stretch 4's in college.

 

[Zimwillett]

Bingo. In my opinion, the Blaylock/Grace backcourt was the best ever, and it's not all that close.

 

[BoulderSooner]

very few teams play 4 guards ...... lots play 3 guards a SF and 1 post ..

 

[jaymOU]

90% of teams are playing 4 guards. pg and 3 SG or 2 pg and 2 sg.

Stop getting hung up on 3-4 sf/pf thats more NBA

Heck KD played the 5 for GSW last night. doesnt make him a "5"

Not hung up on it in the least, but I will stand by the fact I believe Buddy was more of a traditional forward than a guard. He rarely handled the ball in the backcourt - this was done by Cousins and Woodard.

I do agree the traditional "1-5" roles are becoming more interchangeable - but I don't believe any successful teams play 4 guards with any regularity.

As I think about it, McGusty may not handle the ball much in the backcourt either, so maybe he's not a really that much of a 2 either.

Now that I think about it, hard to talk about a backcourt duo anymore, but it's still fun to discuss and get excited about the future

 

[NickZepp]

We've yet to see Young play and we've put em in that class?

BTW Price/White/Ere was up there as a top back court in OU history.

 

[chuckb]

Not hung up on it in the least, but I will stand by the fact I believe Buddy was more of a traditional forward than a guard. He rarely handled the ball in the backcourt - this was done by Cousins and Woodard.

I do agree the traditional "1-5" roles are becoming more interchangeable - but I don't believe any successful teams play 4 guards with any regularity.

As I think about it, McGusty may not handle the ball much in the backcourt either, so maybe he's not a really that much of a 2 either.

Now that I think about it, hard to talk about a backcourt duo anymore, but it's still fun to discuss and get excited about the future

Buddy was a guard. McGusty is a guard.

If you prefer calling them "wings" instead of guards, I won't disagree with that. But they're not "forwards" in any traditional basketball sense.