What's happened to WCS?
- Thread starter ParniValjak
- Start date
It's a concern, but if it's still a problem next season, it might make sense to look to the 2018 draft for a starting caliber center. Ayton, Bamba, Carter, & Williams all seem like potential early picks next year that play C.
I'm starting to like Fox & Isaac as my two draft choices this year (with Jawun Evans being my 2nd rounder). If we were to finish in the bottom 3 in 2018, we'd have a shot at drafting Ayton. Then you have this core moving forward:
PG - Fox / Evans
SG - Hield / Richardson
SF - Isaac / Bogdanovic
PF - Labissiere / Cauley-Stein
C - Ayton / Papagiannis
Now that would be a team with some serious potential, length, athleticism, and defense. With Joerger leading that group of youngsters, I would be very excited about that future.
I'm starting to like Fox & Isaac as my two draft choices this year (with Jawun Evans being my 2nd rounder). If we were to finish in the bottom 3 in 2018, we'd have a shot at drafting Ayton. Then you have this core moving forward:
PG - Fox / Evans
SG - Hield / Richardson
SF - Isaac / Bogdanovic
PF - Labissiere / Cauley-Stein
C - Ayton / Papagiannis
Now that would be a team with some serious potential, length, athleticism, and defense. With Joerger leading that group of youngsters, I would be very excited about that future.
I moved this out of the game thread. I found THIS THREAD from our old discussions. Looks like the prevailing opinion was that we were getting WCS for defense and were worried he wouldn't find a way to contribute on offense.
Well, now I feel the need to go the other way, and defend Cauley-Stein. When you're going to compare them by production by age, it should be acknowledged that, by the time DeAndre Jordan was twenty-three, he'd had twice as much access to NBA-caliber coaching, training and development as Cauley-Stein has had. Their experiences are not quite equivalent.
Yeah, his rebounding is disappointing so far, but I have hope that he will improve on that aspect of his game. But, I don't believe all good rebounders are born good rebounders. Looking at per minute rebounding stats over a period of years, some of our best rebounders have developed into our best rebounders. Some of them had to change their game to become better rebounders. For example, Patrick Ewing became a better rebounder when he stopped relying so much on his fall-away jumper (because it took him out of good rebounding position). Others become stronger rebounders once their bodies develop to the point where they can hold their rebounding position. It's kind of a romantic notion that good rebounders are born good rebounders - as if they never needed to go to school or college, or learn about values and work ethic. They just came from the womb a great rebounder! 
Took him like 5 years to be able to be good enough for those minutes though.. He wasnt close to the player/rebounder he became later on in his career.. Bigs take forever to develop.
Regardless, I dont think WCS needs to be a 12 RPG player for the Kings to succeed.. Skal and Papa both look like they'll be above average rebounders.. Hopefully our future SF can fill that role aswell.
Willies got some unique skills that our other bigs dont have.. The passing and quickness/defensive versatility are huge for that position.
Regardless, I dont think WCS needs to be a 12 RPG player for the Kings to succeed.. Skal and Papa both look like they'll be above average rebounders.. Hopefully our future SF can fill that role aswell.
Willies got some unique skills that our other bigs dont have.. The passing and quickness/defensive versatility are huge for that position.
WCS was not known for his rebounding prowess when we drafted him. Im pretty sure coach Cal scouted him while he was playing football, indicating to me he had not devoted himself to basketball as early as most players.
I am just as disappointed with the low rebounding numbers as anyone. However he is bringing a lot to the table as is, and twenty three is not too old to work on areas of your game going into your third or fourth season.
I am just as disappointed with the low rebounding numbers as anyone. However he is bringing a lot to the table as is, and twenty three is not too old to work on areas of your game going into your third or fourth season.
I'm hoping Joerger and Co can get his developer pointed in the right direction.
His improvement on the offensive end is great, but when you're 7' tall and rebound like garbage. ..... maybe don't worry about drills to improve your handle or whatever.
I still think he's a rotation player at the least, but dude needs to realize his defensive potential if he wants to be a long time starter, much less a star.
Anyways, he's had several stinkers in a row, so we should be due for a good game..... well, maybe after we play The Clippers. DJ is gonna eat WCS alive.
His improvement on the offensive end is great, but when you're 7' tall and rebound like garbage. ..... maybe don't worry about drills to improve your handle or whatever.
I still think he's a rotation player at the least, but dude needs to realize his defensive potential if he wants to be a long time starter, much less a star.
Anyways, he's had several stinkers in a row, so we should be due for a good game..... well, maybe after we play The Clippers. DJ is gonna eat WCS alive.
This is not really true. O'Neal's minutes were a casualty of being behind a better player, Rasheed Wallace, until he was traded to Indiana. Wallace, ironically enough, was traded to Portland because his minutes in Washington were a casualty of being behind a better player, by the name of Chris Webber.
Of course Willie can improve in all areas. What's concerning is, that rebounding and rim protection aren't related to basketball technique. You don't need actual basketball skills to rebound and to block shots. What you need is athleticism and Willie has that in the extreme. He is a world class athlete and extremely coordinated for a 7 footer. Well on top of that you need physicality, some basic understanding of boxing out and the defensive schemes of your team and most of all an aggressive mindset.
And that's the problem. After 7 years of DMC people act like only an overly aggressive and emotional mindset can cause problems. But actually that's not the case. Being too timid and too laid back may be even more detrimental to a pro sports career and there isn't really any other viable explanation for Willie's troubles when rebounding the ball.
And that's the problem. After 7 years of DMC people act like only an overly aggressive and emotional mindset can cause problems. But actually that's not the case. Being too timid and too laid back may be even more detrimental to a pro sports career and there isn't really any other viable explanation for Willie's troubles when rebounding the ball.
I agree with you about the 2018 draft and the possibility of getting a center in that draft. It also wouldn't be a bad thing to get a low priced FA or even a D-Leager center who isn't afraid of contact so that WCS is not "given" minutes, but instead he "earns" his minutes. If WCS had only a $100 in his pocket and he were paid by the number of rebounds he gets, I'd really like to know how much differently he would approach rebounding. It seems he's just not hungry enough to me.
I'm really not very high on Isaac because from what I've seen he floats around too much; in that respect he does remind me somewhat of WCS.
I'm really not very high on Isaac because from what I've seen he floats around too much; in that respect he does remind me somewhat of WCS.
To me it is both. It is absolutely a skill or skills, some which can be taught or learned. Angles, trajectories, probability, boxing out. These are skills and knowledges that can be learned.
However there is also the part that can not be taught. Maybe inspired. That is the WANT. This has to come from within oneself . This is where I wager Willie needs most improvement. Willie is a laid back guy. You cant just let the rebound come to you. This is how you get 4 rebounds in 30 minutes. You have to apply your knowledge and skills aforementioned with a burning FIRE to go after rebounds. To want that possesion for your team like each one could decide the game. Because they can.
The coaching staff needs to work with Willie on the skills and knowledge side of it. Willie needs to dig deep within himself and light that fire to dominate the boards.
Just my two coppers
However there is also the part that can not be taught. Maybe inspired. That is the WANT. This has to come from within oneself . This is where I wager Willie needs most improvement. Willie is a laid back guy. You cant just let the rebound come to you. This is how you get 4 rebounds in 30 minutes. You have to apply your knowledge and skills aforementioned with a burning FIRE to go after rebounds. To want that possesion for your team like each one could decide the game. Because they can.
The coaching staff needs to work with Willie on the skills and knowledge side of it. Willie needs to dig deep within himself and light that fire to dominate the boards.
Just my two coppers
I didn't say it was a lie, but it is misleading. Kentucky is a blue chip college basketball program, so it wouldn't surprise me if they had a training and conditioning staff that was on par with NBA teams. Calipari is former NBA coach at an elite program, so I don't think it's unreasonable to compare Jordan and WCS when they were the same age.