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HoosierBoiler

Who will be most improved player & Why.

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I think everyone who buys into what CMW is trying to do will be better than they were a year ago. The new guys should excel, especially Bates. I expect a really good product on the floor once they figure out how to do what coach Woodson wants them to do.

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I have been hoping that Rob Phinesee will break out and become a great offensive asset for Indiana.  I still hope that.  But I don't see it happening.  Because he has had that opportunity and it hasn't happened.  

Indiana basketball really needs a great point guard.  Lander might just do it.  His freshman year is behind him.  Is he gaining strength?  Will he have less turnovers? Will his shooting improve?  Well, yeah!

How about TJD?  Will his inside game improve now that Indiana is spacing better and hitting 3's?  Will he use his right hand?  Will he have a decent jump shot? Will he gain some muscle and be able to push others around?  Will he stop with the soft roll off of the fingers about 3' from the rim?  Well, yeah!

Will those players on the perimeter not let the other team get that quick step around them towards the basket? Will they start hitting 3's at a much better clip?  Will everyone improve their free throws?  And improve overall defense?

I think that they all will improve...

Spoiler Alert:

The person who will make the most improvements this year is...

Coach Woodson! (And the whole team as a team will be improved!)  Clearly!  He was a great player way back when.  He is going to make a bigger impact on Indiana now.  

Edited by Dave from Dayton

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Good question, there's two answers to this imo.

 

Kristian or Jordan.

Kristian has skill, we saw very very very very few flashes of it, but he has some wiggle. Sure his shot looks terrible, his defense looked incomparable to other guards in the B1G, he's pretty small, etc. But he has the offensive toolset to be a capable PG. I'd argue he was so disappointing last year that the growth he could see next year would be the largest and would equal to the most improved player. We have to remember, he's younger than most. 

Jordan is an athlete. When you're an athlete a lot of doors open for yourself. Jordan showed the ability to hit the 3 a couple times, with a pretty shot I might add. He has a lot of room to grow offensively and defensively. But let's be honest here for a second, OG and Victor were in similar shoes. Both were general athletes coming in, showed perhaps a little more offensive and defensive skill than Jordan but they were mostly athletes. Jordan has the second most potential from the returners. 

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11 hours ago, Hoosier1984 said:

Hopefully at the end of the year we are asking ourselves was there anyone that didn’t improve. 

I'm expecting this to be the case!

I put improvement into two categories: observed and unobserved.

  • observed: improved statistics, may or may not be because of particular skill improvement.
  • unobserved: skillset has improved, but it may not play out in their stats in 2021-2022 (due to things like greater competition).

Observed:

  1. Lander:  will learn why he was a 5-star before reclassifying. Strength/shooting will improve
  2. Rob: skillset was there to be an elite player; shooting %'s to improve.
  3. Hunter: competition/time from injury will bring out his best. Improved handling/passing
  4. Race: improved outside shot will add some extra points per game.

Unobserved:

  1. Geronimo: improved #'s, but full fruit of skill improvement to be observed in 2022-2023 season.
  2. TJD: skills improve (shot & right hand) to improve draft stock considerably; but will "only" have slight improvement on ~ 20 / 10.
  3. Galloway: skills to improve (e.g., 3 point shot); long-term investment. 
  4. Leal: Game will develop, team benefits will immerge in junior and especially senior year

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Galloway

Leal

Geronimo

TJD

Phin

Hunter

Thompson

Lander

They all will drastically improve based on the following:

  • They have leadership that will actually develop, have faith, and mentor these young men.
  • They will have an offense that will actually work and give them the opportunity to do something.
  • Fierce competition that will either force improvement and drive or sit on the nice shiny seat at the end of the bench.
  • Players actually have positions that they can fit into (barring any injury).
  • The massive adrenaline shot that has been injected into this program by the university to show that they are serious again about their basketball program and the history that it shares. 

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I believe it could be TJD, although the stats may not show as much improvement as some others because he was already putting up All-American numbers...and I think there will be a much more balanced offense. His consistency, energy level, versatility, and leadership should be most apparent...and very important.  With some of the bigs leaving the Big Ten, I also believe he'll be the upper classman and alpha more often than not.

He is very coachable and seems to have completely bought in to Woodson.  I have a feeling this will be a summer of extreme growth he's never experienced before.  He's well aware this is "his team" and he knows he has a lot to prove to himself, NBA scouts, and the national naysayers.  He wants to do great things, individually and for the program...and he knows this is his last season to add to his legacy at Indiana.

And, an important factor to note, Woodson wants to showcase his improvement. They both know he is a good coach away from becoming a lottery pick, and they both know how those results would be favorable for both going forward.  I believe he will make small adjustments to his game (and work tirelessly on his shooting range) which will translate into massive improvements.  And, I think there are some new faces coming in with a work-ethic that will only add to this motivation to spend more time in the gym (for TJD and others).

I only hope he isn't trying to showcase a three-point shot too frequently if his shot isn't there.  With more spacing, more creativity around the rim, and putting his athleticism to even better use with each play, I think he only needs to show he can knock down some midrange and long distance shots.  His skill and athleticism around the rim will still be his bread and butter.

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Lander

Hunter

Rob

 

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using BtownBanners

 

 

Lander for his quickness and passing ability. Now a year older and more seasoned.

 

Hunter for his outside shooting and rebounding. He has talent, just needs better coaching.

 

Rob for his seniority and his Ability to defend at a high level . He had a good Freshman year. Now it’s up to him to believe in himself.

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I said Lander but didn't give a why.  Big part of the why is that guys that shoot in the 20%s have a lot of room for growth.

FWIW, the Bartovik site has Lander's sophomore year offensive rating improving more than anyone on the team....yet still not being a great rating.  If Lander were to put up numbers of an average guard next year, he would be the most improved player on the team.  So even with expected improvement, he'll improve the most.  Could be even higher if he shows what produced his high school rating.

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Can I say Miller Kopp? It sounds like he’s a hard @$$ worker and in my opinion Collins held him back. Kopp was forced to play outside his game to make up for NU’s talent deficiencies, and I think Woodson finds a good niche for him from the wing.

 

Could see a 15 and 6 stat line.

 

Sent from my iPhone using BtownBanners

 

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7 hours ago, Bigred3588 said:

Geronimo. During his HS season he said he was shooting 44% from 3 until the coach asked him to start taking over on offense. On the AAU circuit he shot 36% from 3. Either way, he can shoot. If they space the floor and give him room to drive, God help whoever is standing under the rim.

On the defensive end, he has the length and athleticism to be a lock down defender. He also has the ability to be a great rebounder. There were a handful of instances last year where his standing vertical was enough to snag rebounds over post players. 
 

If he clicks with this coaching staff and they are able to maximize his potential...watch out.

I love this kid. I thought he was the player we wanted Hanner Perea to be...with a jumper 

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11 hours ago, Bigred3588 said:

Geronimo. During his HS season he said he was shooting 44% from 3 until the coach asked him to start taking over on offense. On the AAU circuit he shot 36% from 3. Either way, he can shoot. If they space the floor and give him room to drive, God help whoever is standing under the rim.

On the defensive end, he has the length and athleticism to be a lock down defender. He also has the ability to be a great rebounder. There were a handful of instances last year where his standing vertical was enough to snag rebounds over post players. 
 

If he clicks with this coaching staff and they are able to maximize his potential...watch out.

 

This post should be getting a lot of attention IMO.

Jordan G is a great kid and a big-time player waiting to happen. His tools are as good as anyone on the roster, and with a new coaching staff the player preferences are reset. After Trayce, for me he was without question the single biggest save from the portal players.

If Jordan gets 25+ mpg this year it will be fantastic news for the team's success.

 

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1 hour ago, Stuhoo said:

 

This post should be getting a lot of attention IMO.

Jordan G is a great kid and a big-time player waiting to happen. His tools are as good as anyone on the roster, and with a new coaching staff the player preferences are reset. After Trayce, for me he was without question the single biggest save from the portal players.

If Jordan gets 25+ mpg this year it will be fantastic news for the team's success.

 

Geronimo has those bits and pieces from Vic and OG that you want. He's got size and versatility to play the 3-4 like OG. He's got the out going personality of Vic. I don't expect him to play 25 minutes or score 15 a game but he could a massive part of this season. 

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I'm hoping the most improved person involved is Loaded Chicken Sandwich in terms of his satisfaction with the product. If he is satisfied with the product, then things will be going well.  (totally not meant as a shot at LCS.......just that if the product is satisfying the more critical posters, then Woodson has done his job).

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