I dont know if he feels "jilted". From what I read he said that Florida showed him more attention. I obviously don't know if that was BS after the fact or if Coach P has other plans for the position.
Rick’s Targets
- Thread starter paultzman
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SJUDave
Well-known member
66.7% last year, 68.3% 2021, 77.8% the year before that.
Rick Pitino is a stickler for free throw shooting and I believe if I remember correctly from his book makes players take hundreds most practices. He would improve with Rick's teachings.
That's the biggest take away I keep trying to remind people. Yes we want elite talent and transfers, but this guy has a HOF resume of talent development. He can make a 2 star into a contributor...and a 3 star into a starter. We've seen it before...many times. He's different.
Rocket
Well-known member
Exactly!
Walter Clayton Jr. was a zero star recruit. Last season as a freshman he didn't shoot .95% from the free throw line but .78%.
He shot .35% from three and not .43%.
In short, he would not have been a Florida recruit after his freshman season.
This new staff seems dedicated to looking for talent all over the country. I'm sure there are players who have reached out to them but they can afford to be selective with over 1,500 players in the portal.
Except that you don't get to the foul line as much and you don't put your opponent infoul trouble by shooting threes.
I think that aspect is often overlooked in the discussion. In college 2 fouls in the first half puts you on the bench, 3 fouls early in the second half, 4 fouls at any point. The strategy of getting front line players in foul trouble works and you can't do that by shooting threes.
So, in my opinion a 40% three point shooter is very desirable but a 27% three point shooter who misses 3 out of 4 attempts is nowhere near as effective as a 41% shooter who gets to the stripe.
Having guys who shoot better from three also spreads the floor better since defenses can't pack it in when you have very good 3 point shooters. We had some guys who thought a 3 was a good shot because they were open but I'm pretty sure opponents were happy to see our guys who shot 28% shoot from out there.
Paultz, this is why I respect you, not afraid to admit that you may be wrong. Have a great day.
Nice insightful post SJUDave - another important dimension to our new HC:
he’s a teacher, passionate, wins and would not have taken this “job” unless he KNEW he’d bring winning basketball to our campus.
All the best!
I hope this helps us with Dunlap though I think NC might be the team to beat for his services.
Then Panther you would beyond respect me. I admit to my wife I am wrong multiple times a day.
RedStormRising
Well-known member
Bringing RP in for a potential bubble team would be a huge disappointment in my eyes. G’town went from 2 big east wins in the past two years, to a potential bubble team in three weeks. Yes they have the highest paid coach in the big east. But we have the second, and so far we’ve retained 3 players and added the third best player on the best MAAC team.
I’m sure Jenkins is going to work hard and perform better than last year, but if he is our top I fear the big east will eat us alive.
SJUDave
Well-known member
Rick is very hands on. He's already in the gym working with Joel and Drissa. (Not sure if Keita is fully back on the court and to what extent after injury but he did tell me he will be 100% for the start of the season. Did see him in some photos in the gym.)
Rick is already working with our returnees and developing their game, has started with Joel's shooting. Every time there is a stoppage Rick is involved and coaching and giving pointers. He may be 70 but the man is still spry and active.
It certainly should help with respect to Nova. As far as the heels go, they too are looking at other forwards. I think we might be ok in this one and I’m not positive they Dunlap as their primary target. Will be interesting to see what happens.
thank god we have a fan on twitter who felt the need to get into it with the CTK coach. I'm sure that'll help Rick with future CTK guys lol
SJU14
Well-known member
Arbitello is known to be a bit of a talker but how idiotic for someone to say something like that towards him
It is also just lacks so much self awareness. Why SHOULD he have been sending guys like Kofi to us at that time (also Kofi didn't even end his career at CTK i thought?) He sent his top tier kids to better programs like who are SJU fans to bitch about that. It's funny SJU fans are always honest about the faults of our last few regimes but then turn around and get mad at coaches who weren't funneling their best players to our program. It doesn't add up
Take a break.
SJUWillRockNYC
Well-known member
Doubt the CTK coach gives two s* what a fan says.
He'll be talking to Rick, not the fan.
If it does bother him that much then I don't know what to say.
Exactly my view, Dave., thanks.
Yeah, we haven't had a 'teach & drill' head coach ever---maybe the great Joe Lapchick, but not sure about that.
Noah Thomasson took more FT's last season (132) than he did his first two years combined (90). I bet his FT% rises above 70% next year if he comes here.
Just guessing but Rick seems to recruit guys who will accept structure, discipline, a hard-core work ethic, and are 'coachable'.
The list of Rick's targets will likely change but the point is the guy's he'll get will be coachable and he'll form them into a winning team.
Next year won't be a barn burner--unless we get lucky and get a couple studs from the Portal--but I think we'll dance and maybe win a game with the current crew named above.
I'd call that progress and a first step.
