Texas Rising: Episode I

[Hank South]

Check it out! 
 

https://watch.longhornnetwork.com/video/1027732?showInterstitial=false

[Gerry Hamilton]

If Texas stays healthy enough 2-3 seed is ceiling

If they have to deal with any extended injuries, probably 4-5

[Rocky P]

19 minutes ago, Gerry Hamilton said:

If Texas stays healthy enough 2-3 seed is ceiling

If they have to deal with any extended injuries, probably 4-5

you don't think they are good enough for a 1 seed?  I think if we can figure things out, the sky is the limit for this team.

[Rocky P]

Love the content that LHN is putting out, especially for the training camps.  I hope they continue this for the spring sports and start to include more of the women's sports.

[LonghornFan4Ever]

Just now, Rocky P said:

you don't think they are good enough for a 1 seed?  I think if we can figure things out, the sky is the limit for this team.

Florida, Duke, Illinois, and UConn are probably gonna be the four #1 seeds, but Texas could be the top #2 seed.

[Bootleghorn]

Gerry, who’s the one player we can’t lose to an extended injury?  

[Gerry Hamilton]

27 minutes ago, Bootleghorn said:

Gerry, who’s the one player we can’t lose to an extended injury?  

Isaiah and Matas 

[Gerry Hamilton]

27 minutes ago, Bootleghorn said:

Gerry, who’s the one player we can’t lose to an extended injury?  

There is good depth, so if you lost a key piece for some time … they could keep it together and keep building. 
 

Obviously, late season injuries are another story 

[Gerry Hamilton]

Want to add this … because media types or people on X will take what Sean Miller said about free throws and expect Texas to be an 85% FT shooting team 

That’s not reality. 27,800 unguarded free throws (meaning no crowd, no pressure, no TV, etc…) is just so different.

All the returning players that played college basketball last year combined to hit 72% last season.

If there are 2-3 guys that make marginal improvements… Texas could go over 75% as a team.

My goal is 74-74.5% … Texas would be taking advantage of being a team that will be top 3 in high major ball in FT attempts per game 

[Gerry Hamilton]

44 minutes ago, Rocky P said:

you don't think they are good enough for a 1 seed?  I think if we can figure things out, the sky is the limit for this team.

I believe 3 No. 1 seeds are already accounted for barring major injuries 

Duke

Florida 

Illinois 

One spot left … I’m not sure this UConn team is as talented as past FF teams, but Hurley is great too 

[GQ03]

9 hours ago, Gerry Hamilton said:

I believe 3 No. 1 seeds are already accounted for barring major injuries 

Duke

Florida 

Illinois 

One spot left … I’m not sure this UConn team is as talented as past FF teams, but Hurley is great too 

I have some doubt about Illinois too. Guards are most important in cbb and I'm not sure about their lead guard play. Not saying they'll be bad or anything, I just wonder if it limits their ceiling. 

[Gerry Hamilton]

1 hour ago, GQ03 said:

I have some doubt about Illinois too. Guards are most important in cbb and I'm not sure about their lead guard play. Not saying they'll be bad or anything, I just wonder if it limits their ceiling. 

I’m going to push back a little … Michigan didn’t win the NC last year because of point guard/lead guard. Not you, but many people, tried to give Elliott Cadeau too much credit for Michigan last year. Anyone think Michigan will win it again this year without 3 lottery picks at C, PF and F gone? Plus a great offensive coach in Dusty May gone. He operated in perfect space and situation last year, and with all game plan eyes on other players. You could have put 10-15 different college PG’s on that team with similar skill set, and the result would have been the same IMO. 

Florida won the NC with a combo guard playing role as lead guard two years ago. 

But on Illinois, me too a little … because Coleman is a freshman. So he’s got to prove it. But he’s just got to build over time because the parts around him are so good. Adding Vaaks perimeter ability to that roster too gives them spacing help they didn’t have last year. Their parts are so good, and college/European pro experienced. 

[harveycmd]

16 minutes ago, Gerry Hamilton said:

I’m going to push back a little … Michigan didn’t win the NC last year because of point guard/lead guard. Not you, but many people, tried to give Elliott Cadeau too much credit for Michigan last year. Anyone think Michigan will win it again this year without 3 lottery picks at C, PF and F gone? Plus a great offensive coach in Dusty May gone. He operated in perfect space and situation last year, and with all game plan eyes on other players. You could have put 10-15 different college PG’s on that team with similar skill set, and the result would have been the same IMO. 

Florida won the NC with a combo guard playing role as lead guard two years ago. 

But on Illinois, me too a little … because Coleman is a freshman. So he’s got to prove it. But he’s just got to build over time because the parts around him are so good. Adding Vaaks perimeter ability to that roster too gives them spacing help they didn’t have last year. Their parts are so good, and college/European pro experienced. 

Vaaks was a turnover machine last year at Providence. Maybe Underwood's offense helps him, but it's not a forgone conclusion that he simply cleans up his game. Coleman may be pretty good. He may not. The key here is that if those two don't play well, they don't really have other options.

Last I checked, neither Fland nor Aberdeen at Florida were consistent shooters or smooth initiators. Haugh is highly overrated. Condon's a bricklayer. They can rebound and play defense, but they have serious spacing wing issues (offensively and defensively). 

[PaulieD]

13 hours ago, Hank South said:

Check it out! 
 

https://watch.longhornnetwork.com/video/1027732?showInterstitial=false

Thanks @Hank South!!!  Heckuva watch.  I'm pumped.

[Gerry Hamilton]

1 hour ago, harveycmd said:

Vaaks was a turnover machine last year at Providence. Maybe Underwood's offense helps him, but it's not a forgone conclusion that he simply cleans up his game. Coleman may be pretty good. He may not. The key here is that if those two don't play well, they don't really have other options.

Last I checked, neither Fland nor Aberdeen at Florida were consistent shooters or smooth initiators. Haugh is highly overrated. Condon's a bricklayer. They can rebound and play defense, but they have serious spacing wing issues (offensively and defensively). 

You can say such things for every team 

If Isaiah Johnson doesn’t play well enough in a full time PG move this year … Texas doesn’t have another option 

Etc… with every team other than… maybe save Duke. That’s a coaches dream roster to start a season 

I don’t disagree on Fland. I’m not a big fan. But they have a tremendous offensive coach and a team of veteran winners. They will be a tough out if healthy. 

I believe only one team this year has the chance to come together and be dominant … Duke. But Scheyer has to deal with minutes on the most talented in the country 

I will add CBK is a wild unknown of sorts right now… until it’s seen what some of these rosters will truly look like. If Rick Pitino’s guys are all eligible, he can out coach about anyone … hard to know right now what the sport will truly look like by November 
 

 

[harveycmd]

7 hours ago, Gerry Hamilton said:

You can say such things for every team 

If Isaiah Johnson doesn’t play well enough in a full time PG move this year … Texas doesn’t have another option 

Etc… with every team other than… maybe save Duke. That’s a coaches dream roster to start a season 

I don’t disagree on Fland. I’m not a big fan. But they have a tremendous offensive coach and a team of veteran winners. They will be a tough out if healthy. 

I believe only one team this year has the chance to come together and be dominant … Duke. But Scheyer has to deal with minutes on the most talented in the country 

I will add CBK is a wild unknown of sorts right now… until it’s seen what some of these rosters will truly look like. If Rick Pitino’s guys are all eligible, he can out coach about anyone … hard to know right now what the sport will truly look like by November 
 

 

The difference between the Texas and Illinois backcourts is that Isaiah Johnson and Mikey Lewis have done it before, Vaaks and Coleman haven't. That's a really big difference. Further, Illinois could have real defensive trouble with athletic teams. Those slow Euro boys run good offense, but they can't defend Tom Izzo's mother.

Having said that, I think Illinois will be a top five team, but I also think they're likely to lose to really good, athletically gifted teams. Could you say that about almost any team? Sure. But we're talking top of the top here. 

I agree with you on the uncertainty resulting from these sleazeball coaches trying to add a bunch of 25 year old pros. A large percentage of college basketball coaches have always been scumbags.