STrib: The education of Isaiah Washington has led hyped freshman, for now, to Gophers

[BleedGopher]

per Marcus:

The Gophers’ East Coast swing had basketball fans in New York asking the same question that Minnesota fans have been wondering: What’s going on with Isaiah Washington?

The crown jewel of Richard Pitino’s 2017 recruiting class and one of the most hyped freshmen ever to enter the Gophers program suddenly is spending more time on the bench than he is on the court.

To think Washington was immune to a freshman slump would have been naive. It happens to the best young players. But the flashy 6-foot-1, 160-pound Harlem native has only played a combined 20 minutes in the past four games, including six minutes in Tuesday’s 77-69 home loss to Northwestern.

“He’s got talent,” Pitino said. “He’s just understanding it’s not as easy as people think jumping from [the high school] level to the Big Ten. But he’s got a bright future.”

Washington, the presumed Gophers point guard of the future, was averaging 7.6 points in 19.7 minutes in his first 19 games, which included five double-figure scoring performances and two starts. But he has averaged 1.5 points and 5.0 minutes in the past four outings.

Pitino talks to Washington daily to try to make sure he’s not getting discouraged.

“It’s hard when you only play five minutes,” Pitino said. “His time will come soon. He needs to take this time under Nate [Mason] and grow.”

Pitino is not allowing freshmen to speak to media this season, so Washington was not made available to comment.

http://www.startribune.com/the-educ...-freshman-for-now-to-gophers-bench/471456764/

Go Gophers!!

 

[KillmeNow]

I saw a HUGE transformation in IW from the first 10-12 games of the season, to the last few before Lynch and Coffey exited. Earlier in the season he was launching all kinds of 3s and missing most of them, so much so that he literally brought down the entire team's 3 pt shooting average all by himself. Most of the guys were in the 40+ percent range, but he was like 2 of 34 or something like that. I'm not even making this up.

But then I saw him in a couple games in a row, right before Lynch and Coffey went out, and he was driving to the basket more, and shooting from outside less, and he was looking great. Sure a few freshman mistakes here and there, and sure, lots of room for improvement, but what I saw was a player who I feel will become the best drive to the basket player the Gophers have EVER had. Granted I never saw guys like Archie Clark and Lou Hudson play, but he's got the knack for it. There is almost no one better right now on the team. He's young, unrefined, needs time to learn and practice and expand his game, adjust it to B1G play and NCAA play, learn how to draw opponents attention and then dish the ball to open players, things like that, but in time he could/should be just legendary. IF he can do all of those other things I mentioned. And also, if he starts to do all of those other things, he'll get respect when he's out on the perimeter and he'll get better shots and he'll start making more of them, ALOT more of them.

So I pray he never transfers. I pray he sticks it out and listens to Pitino and is willing to learn and make adjustments. And I also hope Pitino knows enough to see his potential and doesn't try to stifle his creative genius too much. Control it some, but not too much.

IW's special. He may not have been a one and doner, he'll end up much better than that!!!

 

[Bordergopher]

I agree with his driving ability. He has great handles. The problem so far is a real problem with finishing his drives. Some of that is due to taking too many drives in heavy traffic. But even when he had little resistance, he couldn’t finish. I just hope that was nerves, and not a bigger issue.


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[LesBolstad]

I saw a HUGE transformation in IW from the first 10-12 games of the season, to the last few before Lynch and Coffey exited. Earlier in the season he was launching all kinds of 3s and missing most of them, so much so that he literally brought down the entire team's 3 pt shooting average all by himself. Most of the guys were in the 40+ percent range, but he was like 2 of 34 or something like that. I'm not even making this up.

But then I saw him in a couple games in a row, right before Lynch and Coffey went out, and he was driving to the basket more, and shooting from outside less, and he was looking great. Sure a few freshman mistakes here and there, and sure, lots of room for improvement, but what I saw was a player who I feel will become the best drive to the basket player the Gophers have EVER had. Granted I never saw guys like Archie Clark and Lou Hudson play, but he's got the knack for it. There is almost no one better right now on the team. He's young, unrefined, needs time to learn and practice and expand his game, adjust it to B1G play and NCAA play, learn how to draw opponents attention and then dish the ball to open players, things like that, but in time he could/should be just legendary. IF he can do all of those other things I mentioned. And also, if he starts to do all of those other things, he'll get respect when he's out on the perimeter and he'll get better shots and he'll start making more of them, ALOT more of them.

So I pray he never transfers. I pray he sticks it out and listens to Pitino and is willing to learn and make adjustments. And I also hope Pitino knows enough to see his potential and doesn't try to stifle his creative genius too much. Control it some, but not too much.

IW's special. He may not have been a one and doner, he'll end up much better than that!!!

I thought he was better in the first few games of the year and has gotten worse as opponents discovered his weakness- shooting.