Is my impression wrong, or does this team

[How_did_this_happen?]

...as a whole look more athletic than any team Smith has had?

Isaac Jones taking it to the rim for a major flush against a defender yesterday was just nasty.

I've seen some other plays that impressed me. Seems like we have guys who can create their own shots more than years past.

I guess we will have to see vs high quality Pac 12 competition how they do though.

 

[Rich Lewis]

You might be right. I think they're definitely the longest. Rice, Cluff and Chinyelu are all better than I expected.

 

[SaveFerris]

Rice provides more backcourt quickness than we have had in some time. He's explosive and I doubt he's back to full strength yet. Pretty sure he said preseason he was still putting weight back on. He's been really impressive given he didn't play for 2 years and recovering from an illness.

I don't think Jones is more athletic than Gueye or Efe, but Jones is long and skilled. Chinyelu is raw, but good combination of size and athleticism. Wells is interesting as well. Seems to be adjusting pretty quickly.

 

[mikalalas]

...as a whole look more athletic than any team Smith has had?

Isaac Jones taking it to the rim for a major flush against a defender yesterday was just nasty.

I've seen some other plays that impressed me. Seems like we have guys who can create their own shots more than years past.

I guess we will have to see vs high quality Pac 12 competition how they do though.

It's not a question of pure, raw athleticism.

Gueye, EFE, Dishon Jackson, Bamba, Noah Williams, etc, were MORE athletic.

And Gueye, Efe, have made dunks, plays, that were way the hell better then anything Isaac Jones has done.

The difference, is HEIGHT, WEIGHT, SIZE, having a NBA esque frame.

In that area except at the PG spot, WSU has more COMBINED HEIGHT, WEIGHT, SIZE, NBA ESQUE FRAMES, AND COMBINED WITH ATHLETICISM, that COMBINED with the SKILLS, TALENT, EXPERIENCE, ETC, GIVES SO MUCH VERSATILITY, FLEXIBILITY, DEPTH, ETC, OVER OPPONENTS.

With this lineup WSU can pound it inside, and score inside, or create their own shot, drive from the perimeter to slash, penetrate inside, attack the basket, and FINISH, SCORE at the rim, and if things clog up inside, kick it out for a OPEN, EASY, either midrange jumper, or 3 point shot.

That's a lot more consistent, better then either trying to Drive into amongst the taller then you trees, or jacking up 3 pointers.

Past WSU guards, 1,2,3's were 5-10 at PG, 6-1,2,3 at SG, 6-3,4,5,6 at 3 spot. Now WSU is 6-0,1 at PG, 6-2,3,4,5,6 at SG, and 6-6,7,8,9 at 3, SG, Wing,

And in the Past, Isaac Jones, EFE, Gueye, Dischon Jackson, would have been 5's, Centers. Now Isaac Jones, Jaki can play the 4, 3 spots, with a TRUE 6-11.5 to 7-0 244 pound, 7-8 Wingspan CENTER. And WSU has a TRUE POST UP CENTER in 6-10.5, 6-11, 256 pound Cluff.

HEIGHT + GOOD WEIGHT + SIZE + NBA ESQUE FRAMES + ATHLETICISM + SKILL + TALENT + EXPERIENCE, ETC MATTERS MORE THEN ANYTHING ELSE A LOT IN BBALL.

In the past didn't have a lot of height, etc, and tho had some athleticism, had some of those pieces, things, they didn't have as many of those things all combined together like this years team.

Now as you said, we'll see how they will do in conference. But even if they were to lose in conference, the team still has better size, etc, and it wouldn't be lack of size, athleticism, etc, that would cause losses, it would be the 9, NINE, NEW PIECES, NOT JELLING, NOT HAVING CHEMISTRY, NOT PLAYING TOGETHER, ETC, that would cause the losses, if they lose, despite the size, athleticism.

That said, I think WSU will win about 17,18,19,20,21,22,23 wins by end of regular season, 10-2, 9-3 in noncon, and 9-11, 10-10, 11-9, 12-8, 13-7 in conference, tied for 3,4 at best, alone in 6th,7th at worst, 1,2 PAC tourny wins, NIT Elite 8, NCAA bubble(50/50 that make NCAA's), 2nd round of NCAA tourny if make it. 21,22,23,24,25 total wins after post season play done.

Think that's a realistic projection.

Size can, does semi rule basketball.

And WSU has MORE SIZE.

And that's been the difference, and will continue to be the difference overall, over the long term this season.

 

[jourdand]

We so far have beaten the teams we are supposed to beat. That as I see it has always been a key for WSU, it seems we always have a bad loss somewhere along the line. The only team of any quality so far was Mississippi State and we lost to them. It’s easy to look faster or better against sub- par opponents. It will be interesting to see how things look as competition increases. Santa Clara should be a good gauge they have two wins over PAC 12 teams

 

[Flatlandcoug]

...as a whole look more athletic than any team Smith has had?

Isaac Jones taking it to the rim for a major flush against a defender yesterday was just nasty.

I've seen some other plays that impressed me. Seems like we have guys who can create their own shots more than years past.

I guess we will have to see vs high quality Pac 12 competition how they do though.

We definitely have some dudes this year.

 

[Cougsocal]

Coach Smith has been able to recruit athletes all along, tournament talent, the problem has been chemistry. But with the insane level of player turnover, chemistry has not had the chance to develop.

 

[mikalalas]

Coach Smith has been able to recruit athletes all along, tournament talent, the problem has been chemistry. But with the insane level of player turnover, chemistry has not had the chance to develop.

LOTS OF INJURIES TO KEY PLAYERS HAS ALSO BEEN A FACTOR, IN ADDITION TO LACK OF CHEMISTRY, DUE TO INSANE LEVEL OF PLAYER TURNOVER DUE TO PORTAL, NIL, ETC.

That said, the SIZE factor is better this season, then past seasons. Level of athleticism is about the same, or if better, only very slightly better athleticism as plenty of athleticism in past.

 

[How_did_this_happen?]

LOTS OF INJURIES TO KEY PLAYERS HAS ALSO BEEN A FACTOR, IN ADDITION TO LACK OF CHEMISTRY, DUE TO INSANE LEVEL OF PLAYER TURNOVER DUE TO PORTAL, NIL, ETC.

That said, the SIZE factor is better this season, then past seasons. Level of athleticism is about the same, or if better, only very slightly better athleticism as plenty of athleticism in past.

Under Smith, we seem to have the most injuries of any college basketball team (from toothaches to ankle sprains to cancer to pinky splinters 😀).

I have never seen anything like it. Maybe the law of averages kicks in this year and we have an injury-free season.

I hope our players are brushing their teeth. Haha.

 

[SaveFerris]

Would have been nice to see what we could have done with Jackson in the lineup and Rice in the rotation. Then this year with Jackson and Rice with a year under his belt.

Every program has to deal with injuries. I just haven't seen so many and in so many different ways like we have either. Would be nice to see what Smith could do with a full deck before the portal takes it down in the spring.

 

[mikalalas]

Would have been nice to see what we could have done with Jackson in the lineup and Rice in the rotation. Then this year with Jackson and Rice with a year under his belt.

Every program has to deal with injuries. I just haven't seen so many and in so many different ways like we have either. Would be nice to see what Smith could do with a full deck before the portal takes it down in the spring.

That EVERY PROGRAM HAS TO DEAL WITH INJURIES line is overused.

A DUKE, KENTUCKY type can handle LOTS of injuries.

Also while every program has to deal with a injury or 2, not every program has to deal with LOTS of injuries.

And even if every program has to deal with at least 1 season of LOTS OF INJURIES, not every program has had to CONSISTENTLY deal with LOTS OF INJURIES YEAR AFTER YEAR.

Ken Pom says that WSU is the MOST UNLUCKIEST, MOST INJURED, ETC, TEAM IN THE HISTORY OF COLLEGE BBALL.

Yet despite that Smith has had winning seasons, gone to NIT's, made deep runs in NIT, etc, despite being college basketball's most unluckiest, most injured overall team, according to Ken Pom.

Erase the injuries, and or give WSU a break for a change and WSU would have gone to the NCAA's under Smith.

Most HC's, if they had to deal with WSU challenges, injuries, unluckiness, NIL, Portal, etc, would be crushed, only get 7 wins etc, as evidenced by in the past when WSU had Derrick Low get injured, WSU only won about 7 to 10 to 12 games that year.

So for Smith to do as well as he has done despite the injuries, unluckiness, Portal, NIL, etc, borders on the miraculous.

So the every team has to deal with injuries thing is semi BS ish and overused and certainly does not apply to WSU's situation in past.

 

[jourdand]

Not only does every team deal with injuries, every team deals with NIL and the portal and having all new players every year. Smith has done just fine he doesn’t need any excuses.

 

[mikalalas]

Not only does every team deal with injuries, every team deals with NIL and the portal and having all new players every year. Smith has done just fine he doesn’t need any excuses.

According to KEN POM, NO TEAM HAS HAD THE SHEER LOTS OF INJURIES, BAD LUCK, THAT WSU HAS HAD CONSISTENTLY, YEAR AFTER YEAR.

WSU has had it WORSE then any other team.

And ONLY DUKE, KANSAS, KENTUCKY, NOTH CAROLINA, TYPES, ETC, ARE ABLE TO CONSISTENTLY DEAL WITH, GOTO NCAA TOURNEY, DESPITE HAVING LOTS OF BAD LUCK,LOTS OF INJURIES, NIL, TRANSFER PORTAL, ALL COMBINED TOGETHER, like the LEVEL OF SHIT, that WSU has had to deal with.

There is a BIG DIFFERENCE between non blue bloods having to deal with 1/10 the Shit that WSU deals with, and the LOTS of SHIT that WSU deals with.

There is a BIG DIFFERENCE between a BLUE BLOOD having to deal with LOTS of SHIT, and WSU type having to deal with a LOT OF SHIT.

What your saying is exactly what the UW Huskies, Blue bloods say.

Your acting like a UW Husky, your acting like a STUCK UP, SNOBBY BLUE BLOODIE, as what your saying is exactly what the BLUE BLOODIES DUKIES, KENTUCKIES, ETC, SAY.

Smith has had to DEAL WITH THE ABSOLUTE MOST SHIT, and DESPITE that, he has done miraculously well.

It's a ABSOLUTE LEGIT REASON.

 

[mikalalas]

According to KEN POM, NO TEAM HAS HAD THE SHEER LOTS OF INJURIES, BAD LUCK, THAT WSU HAS HAD CONSISTENTLY, YEAR AFTER YEAR.

WSU has had it WORSE then any other team.

And ONLY DUKE, KANSAS, KENTUCKY, NOTH CAROLINA, TYPES, ETC, ARE ABLE TO CONSISTENTLY DEAL WITH, GOTO NCAA TOURNEY, DESPITE HAVING LOTS OF BAD LUCK,LOTS OF INJURIES, NIL, TRANSFER PORTAL, ALL COMBINED TOGETHER, like the LEVEL OF SHIT, that WSU has had to deal with.

There is a BIG DIFFERENCE between non blue bloods having to deal with 1/10 the Shit that WSU deals with, and the LOTS of SHIT that WSU deals with.

There is a BIG DIFFERENCE between a BLUE BLOOD having to deal with LOTS of SHIT, and WSU type having to deal with a LOT OF SHIT.

What your saying is exactly what the UW Huskies, Blue bloods say.

Your acting like a UW Husky, your acting like a STUCK UP, SNOBBY BLUE BLOODIE, as what your saying is exactly what the BLUE BLOODIES DUKIES, KENTUCKIES, ETC, SAY.

Smith has had to DEAL WITH THE ABSOLUTE MOST SHIT, and DESPITE that, he has done miraculously well.

It's a ABSOLUTE LEGIT REASON.

Find, Name even 1, ONE Head Coach at a WSU type mens basketball program team, that has had to deal with as much COMBINED LOTS OF INJURIES, TRANSFER PORTAL DEFECTIONS, NIL DEFECTIONS, AS MUCH OF LOTS OF SHIT, ETC, THAT Smith has gone thru at WSU, that has gone to even 1, ONE NCAA TOURNAMENT, in the last 5 to 10 to 15 years.

 

[How_did_this_happen?]

Find, Name even 1, ONE Head Coach at a WSU type mens basketball program team, that has had to deal with as much COMBINED LOTS OF INJURIES, TRANSFER PORTAL DEFECTIONS, NIL DEFECTIONS, AS MUCH OF LOTS OF SHIT, ETC, THAT Smith has gone thru at WSU, that has gone to even 1, ONE NCAA TOURNAMENT, in the last 5 to 10 to 15 years.

Bobby Knight would have kicked the player's butt who said "I've got a toothache, I can't play tonight!"

That one killed me.