(C) Kel 'el Ware - COMMITTED TO INDIANA

[WayneFleekHoosier 51,339]

2 hours ago, Demo said:

Apparently we’re having another good day. 

I mean, the fluidity and size to pick, pop, roll…. Oh boy.  

[lillurk 5,084]

5 hours ago, Stuhoo said:

I really, truly think that the one single player that the fanbase and media are sleeping on is...

Payton Sparks.

He may not be an NBA talent, but he's a great kid and an enforcer, screen setter, and at-the-rim-finisher that will be very much appreciated throughout the upcoming season.

My hope is that the frontcourt depth also means optimal deployment and rest etc. for all these guys. 28 minutes of Kel’el, rested just right, because you slide Malik up for some minutes at the 5 and Sparks bullies some backups? That’s good news for everybody in cream and crimson.

[Demo 23,413]

 

Love it

[Stuhoo 89,311]

25 minutes ago, Demo said:

 

Love it

Someone does not miss Oregon.Glad you have found your home KelEl.

I’ve heard him interviewed; he’s a really nice kid. I feel like he’s going to have some ‘Mike Woodson on his @$$’ moments, but his evolution IU comp can be Landon Turner.

[realTomCrean 2,762]

On 8/13/2023 at 7:02 PM, Stuhoo said:

Someone does not miss Oregon.Glad you have found your home KelEl.

I’ve heard him interviewed; he’s a really nice kid. I feel like he’s going to have some ‘Mike Woodson on his @$$’ moments, but his evolution IU comp can be Landon Turner.

Shades of TJD effort level from tape pre-Woodson. If CMW helps Ware to NBA I don't see how players can turn their back on him in recruiting for *almost* any other coach. I believe the 2024/2025 class (including portal) will be dinner pickens' for CMW if he can get Ware and Mgbako to the draft this year. Reneau would be icing on the cake. 

[Demo 23,413]

The Skinny: The flashes with Kel’el Ware are impressive. He has excellent size, with good length and athletic fluidity. His shot-blocking is his take-home skill. He has natural timing and length and is able to get the ball at its peak with both hands, straight on or from the weak side. Ware has touch; he knocked down 15 threes last season and shot 71.4 percent from the free-throw line. His motor is going to be the question. He has the upside to protect the rim, stretch the floor, and finish around the basket, an interesting archetype for the NBA. Will Mike Woodson be able to get it out of him consistently?

[HoosierHoopster 8,248]

On 8/15/2023 at 9:01 AM, realTomCrean said:

Shades of TJD effort level from tape pre-Woodson. If CMW helps Ware to NBA I don't see how players can turn their back on him in recruiting for *almost* any other coach. I believe the 2024/2025 class (including portal) will be dinner pickens' for CMW if he can get Ware and Mgbako to the draft this year. Reneau would be icing on the cake. 

Yes, I think some may have forgotten how TJD used to loaf back on D early on (in a number of games anyway). That ended under Woodson. How much it came from TJD and how much from CMW we'll never know, but his effort in getting back on D was much, much better, and it paid off for him and the team.

[Certified Sunshine Pumper 11,745]

2 minutes ago, HoosierHoopster said:

Yes, I think some may have forgotten how TJD used to loaf back on D early on (in a number of games anyway). That ended under Woodson. How much it came from TJD and how much from CMW we'll never know, but his effort in getting back on D was much, much better, and it paid off for him and the team.

I'll be honest, I don't think he loafed... I think he was THAT out of shape. Maybe some of KW's issue too. 

Same for Malik last year. He couldn't play more than 6-7 mins at a time, even if he was playing well. Just my thoughts. 

[HoosierHoopster 8,248]

23 minutes ago, btownqb said:

I'll be honest, I don't think he loafed... I think he was THAT out of shape. 

Same for Malik last year. He couldn't play more than 6-7 mins at a time, even if he was playing well. Just my thoughts. 

It's possible his conditioning had something to do with it, but then his effort level on the offensive end vs. the defensive end, in multiple games, draws that at best into question. He looked like he was loafing to me, defensively, not offensively. Malik's issues are just different (imo), he's learning not to throw his big body around, he still fouls at a high clip, and I don't see that as conditioning at all.

[8bucks 7,540]

15 minutes ago, btownqb said:

I'll be honest, I don't think he loafed... I think he was THAT out of shape. Maybe some of KW's issue too. 

Same for Malik last year. He couldn't play more than 6-7 mins at a time, even if he was playing well. Just my thoughts. 

I think USPS can confirm but I think there were questions about TJDs motor coming out of HS.

[Stuhoo 89,311]

21 minutes ago, 8bucks said:

I think USPS can confirm but I think there were questions about TJDs motor coming out of HS.

Absolutely there were. And a few of those questions lingered when Archie was his coach.

No questions anymore. The guy is a Warrior, both figuratively and literally.

 

[Muskie for three 307]

31 minutes ago, 8bucks said:

I think USPS can confirm but I think there were questions about TJDs motor coming out of HS.

Yes and yes very lazy and unengaged at times with flashes of beast mode .

[hoosierbgh 1,276]

15 minutes ago, Stuhoo said:

Absolutely there were. And a few of those questions lingered when Archie was his coach.

No questions anymore. The guy is a Warrior, both figuratively and literally.

 

To be fair, Archie didn't seem to be much of a motivator and playing that pack line defense had to be fairly stifling and de-motivating for TJD. Getting big blocks really seemed to energize and motivate TJD that first season under Woody. 

[Certified Sunshine Pumper 11,745]

1 hour ago, 8bucks said:

I think USPS can confirm but I think there were questions about TJDs motor coming out of HS.

Out of shape to do everything that was being asked. Especially when he got here. 

Look how much he improved finishing around the basket the last two seasons, that triple jump dunk putback vs Maryland was not something he could have done early in his career. 

I agree it came off as loafing, just highly doubt that was the root cause. He was never lazy. 

[Certified Sunshine Pumper 11,745]

1 hour ago, HoosierHoopster said:

It's possible his conditioning had something to do with it, but then his effort level on the offensive end vs. the defensive end, in multiple games, draws that at best into question. He looked like he was loafing to me, defensively, not offensively. Malik's issues are just different (imo), he's learning not to throw his big body around, he still fouls at a high clip, and I don't see that as conditioning at all.

You don't think Maliks issues defensively had anything to with his poor conditioning? Interesting. 

[HoosierHoopster 8,248]

2 hours ago, btownqb said:

You don't think Maliks issues defensively had anything to with his poor conditioning? Interesting. 

No, I don’t. You don’t think he’s worked heavily in practice and all season? 
“Interesting.”

do you just post to be a contrarian? Lol man, you’re welcome to your opinions, but good grief on the endless contrarian routine and the “interesting” thing

[Certified Sunshine Pumper 11,745]

2 hours ago, HoosierHoopster said:

No, I don’t. You don’t think he’s worked heavily in practice and all season? 
“Interesting.”

do you just post to be a contrarian? Lol man, you’re welcome to your opinions, but good grief on the endless contrarian routine and the “interesting” thing

 

What does the first question mean? I think Malik works hard in practice, of course. 

It's interesting because I thought it was rather obvious how out of shape Reneau was. 

I apologize for quoting you/disagreeing with your opinions. 

[HoosierHoopster 8,248]

3 hours ago, btownqb said:

 

What does the first question mean? I think Malik works hard in practice, of course. 

It's interesting because I thought it was rather obvious how out of shape Reneau was. 

I apologize for quoting you/disagreeing with your opinions. 

Lol you’re killing me with the smarmy stuff. What you can’t have a convo now without acting smarmy? Come on man, that’s tired. 
Malik struggled with fouling from day 1. He improved during the year but still had a ways to go. Out of shape, for the season? I didn’t see it that way, I saw a big man with great timing and footwork but who struggled in avoiding fouls. I’d bet on him this season, and hope so, his skill level is exceptional 

[Certified Sunshine Pumper 11,745]

7 hours ago, HoosierHoopster said:

Lol you’re killing me with the smarmy stuff. What you can’t have a convo now without acting smarmy? Come on man, that’s tired. 
Malik struggled with fouling from day 1. He improved during the year but still had a ways to go. Out of shape, for the season? I didn’t see it that way, I saw a big man with great timing and footwork but who struggled in avoiding fouls. I’d bet on him this season, and hope so, his skill level is exceptional 

I have no clue what the word smarmy means.  

Yeah, I love Malik. Now that he's reshaped his body he's going to have a great rest of his career. 

[bigrod 3,164]

17 minutes ago, btownqb said:

I have no clue what the word smarmy means.  

Yeah, I love Malik. Now that he's reshaped his body he's going to have a great rest of his career. 

Excessively ingratiating or insincerely earnest.

Just trying to help! (Is that smarmy of me?)