Why does everyone write off Joey King?

[HOOP DREAMS]

And Joey King can play

I don't share the same level of distane for King as other Ghers do. I'm glad he is on the team. However, if we would have had Buckles this team would have made the dance and had a good chance to do some damage...

 

[MN1nAZ]

I don't understand all the negativity about Joey King. Seems like it's almost a consensus that he's a backup at best and we still have a gaping hole at PF. King was one of our best scorers the 2nd half of the season (when it mattered) and even Pitino said how great he was playing in stretches. His defense might have been a little below average, but I'm confident another off-season under Pitino and crew will get him bigger and stronger - Big Ten size. Look back at the huge improvement with EE and Mo last off-season. I would be very surprised if King isn't our starter next year and possibly 2015 as well.

+1

 

[Slim Tubby]

You are certainly entitled to your view. I, and others here, do not share that view. I take pride in Joey King and any other Minnesotan that puts on the uniform and represents his home state university. I understand we need guys from outside here and, without question, some, if not most, of our all-time best players have come from outside the state. But I want some Minnesotans on the team too, if they can play.

And Joey King can play.

Just my opinion.

Amen, Jake...agree with every word. I didn't expect much from JK at the start of the season but he worked hard and improved dramatically over the season. This can also be said about other players on the team which our coaching staff deserves credit for, too. On a very good college team, JK would be one of the first guys off the bench to add hustle and emotion.

 

[Urbandale]

I've been a fan of a lot of various sports teams over the years, and I've never seen a fan base mercilessly trash its own coaches and players like the Gopher basketball fan base does. It's bizarre.

Completely disagree. The Hawkeye message boards here in Iowa are B-R-U-T-A-L. Gopher Hole is genteel by comparison. When I checked out Cornhusker message boards for fun after the Gopher football win last fall, flames practically shot out of the screen. I would suspect most big-time programs are similarly venomous.

That being said, personal shots against a college athlete seem out of bounds. But there's nothing wrong with honest assessment of on-court strengths and abilities.

 

[march madness]

Your mixing up people who hate a player, versus those who are just being honest about lineup thoughts and what postions could use improvement. Can you find a quote where I hate Joey King?

As far as Florida and Louisville go. PF Parsons and Murhpy were stretch 4's. The last few Louisville teams had a typical pf in Chane Bohannon, and Buckles was a physical pf when healthy but he actually had decent 3pt %, when Harrell played pf he was a pure pf. This years Florida team had a typical pf in W. Yeguete. So it seems that more often than not they have your typical pf. When they have had good stretch 4's, they use them. Let's remember though Parson's and Murphy were highly rated recruits who are decent athletes and they can shoot, and they have NBA careers--I like King but he will not be playing in the NBA. Parsons averaged 7.8 reb a game, Murphy 5.5.

Which would you say is more crucial to the Pitino/Florda/UL system? A physical, Mbakwe like PF or athletic wings who can press and defend?

Just trying to figure out the constant hate for King. Hasn't even been here a full year and has 2 threads with people focussing on how bad he apparently is.

 

[Tommy Flanagan]

Your mixing up people who hate a player, versus those who are just being honest about lineup thoughts and what postions could use improvement. Can you find a quote where I hate Joey King?

As far as Florida and Louisville go. PF Parsons and Murhpy were stretch 4's. The last few Louisville teams had a typical pf in Chane Bohannon, and Buckles was a physical pf when healthy but he actually had decent 3pt %, when Harrell played pf he was a pure pf. This years Florida team had a typical pf in W. Yeguete. So it seems that more often than not they have your typical pf. When they have had good stretch 4's, they use them. Let's remember though Parson's and Murphy were highly rated recruits who are decent athletes and they can shoot, and they have NBA careers--I like King but he will not be playing in the NBA. Parsons averaged 7.8 reb a game, Murphy 5.5.

I agree, King will not play in the NBA, but he will start for us next year. He has made huge strides in the back half of the season, that have cemented him as our starting PF. His rebounding remains a concern, but the rest of his game is not. Unless a transfer, like Anthony Lee, comes forward, expect King to start, and be productive

 

[march madness]

Agreed unless we get a serious transfer King will probably start next year. His 3pt shooting down the stretch really helped with spacing. I am just fearful of getting even smaller in the lineup with McNeil 6-3 playing sf.

 

[HOOP DREAMS]

His rebounding remains a concern, but the rest of his game is not

Let's not pretend the rest of his game is great... He is a good shooter, not bad in the post... but there is plenty of room for improvement in other areas. I don't think he will be starting the entire season. If his shot off for a stretch next season (like Smith) there is little reason to play him.

 

[Tommy Flanagan]

Let's not pretend the rest of his game is great... He is a good shooter, not bad in the post... but there is plenty of room for improvement in other areas. I don't think he will be starting the entire season. If his shot off for a stretch next season (like Smith) there is little reason to play him.

You can be negative, or look at his positives. He is what we have.

 

[GopherJake]

If his shot off for a stretch next season (like Smith) there is little reason to play him.

I disagree with this statement for several reasons. But first off, his shot selection is WAAAAAYYYY better than Smith's. Secondly, his shooting style is much quieter. I don't foresee Joey falling into a shooting slump in the same county as that of Smith.

 

[HOOP DREAMS]

I don't foresee Joey falling into a shooting slump in the same county as that of Smith.

Not that bad, but anyone can fall into a shooting slump... Smith's slump was unprecedented.

Point is; if his shot is not falling, he won't be playing.

 

[march madness]

Pitino felt obligated to play Smith during that slump when he got him to transfer here. He admitted that he should have been playing Mav over him late in the year. I am not sure he would offer King the same leeway.

 

[Winasota Gopher]

Pitino felt obligated to play Smith during that slump when he got him to transfer here. He admitted that he should have been playing Mav over him late in the year. I am not sure he would offer King the same leeway.

That is BS. Had nothing to do with obligation. If that were true Mav would have gotten minutes in the final two games of the NIT instead of Malik. Fact is you have no idea why he went with Malik over Mav and you're assuming things based on what your feelings are.

I would say, through factual evidence of who played and who didn't and removing any "he said/she said" bs, Pitino felt Malik was the better player and played him as such. And he didn't think it was even close based on how he didn't waiver on Malik's minutes until a senior night game.

Malik average 15 minutes a game thoughout the entire year other than that 5 game stretch where Mav got some more minutes from being the hot hand. When 'Dre went down, his 30 MPG got split between Mav and Malik with Mav getting into about 20mpg and Malik to 30mpg. Malik was the better option per Pitino's PT distribution before AND after Mav got hot, forget everything else he said.

 

[HOOP DREAMS]

Malik was the better option per Pitino's PT distribution before AND after Mav got hot, forget everything else he said.

Pitino admitted he may have made a mistake by not going with Mav over Smith... However, he must have believe Smith could snap out of his cool shooting and help the team more then Mav. In hindsight he probably should have went with Mav.

 

[Winasota Gopher]

Pitino admitted he may have made a mistake by not going with Mav over Smith... However, he must have believe Smith could snap out of his cool shooting and help the team more then Mav. In hindsight he probably should have went with Mav.

After Pitino "admitted" Mav should have gotten more playing time Mav saw 5 games in which he got 10+ minutes of PT. Then, still after Pitino admitted Mav should have gotten more playing time, we played a couple tough teams and he went back to Malik. I think his actions speak a bit louder than his words. He wasn't obligated to do anything for the transfer. Relevance to Joey? His leash will be the same, if he thinks Joey brings more to the table, he will get the PT, if not, he wont. Tenure/origin mean nothing, it's all ability.

 

[Dr.Don]

Pitino admitted he may have made a mistake by not going with Mav over Smith... However, he must have believe Smith could snap out of his cool shooting and help the team more then Mav. In hindsight he probably should have went with Mav.

HINDSIGHT! That is the key. We as fans have that, just like the talking heads on ESPN.

There is no one, andI mean NO ONE who can be100% accurate, 100% of the time. But it is sure fun to read all of the pundits who after the fact say, "If... , then ..." and are so good at after the fact prognostications. But, I am easily amused as long as I hace a fridge full of beer close to me.