We aren't coaches, we're fans and hopefully my post came off as only half serious. I think Mason is really playing well, but these fouls are just insanely frustrating.
I mean we aren't talking about him trying to make a play on a drive or something. We are talking about him missing a free throw and running after the guy who gets the board and just slapping at the ball. He's done it multiple times a game for the last few weeks. It has to stop and while its on the coaches to tell him to stop, this is also something the player controls very much. We're aren't talking about the coaches teaching footwork here, we're talking about not making the conscience decision to slap at the ball when another big man gets the rebound.
100% agree. Trying to body someone up or stop a drive, that's one thing, but slapping after you miss a shot or a rebound is another story.
You must not have watched very closely as the times Miles was called for those two fouls on Collins were when Collins faced up and drove the ball baseline from about 18 feet away from the basket. They were nice finesse moves, not lower-your-shoulder power moves, and Miles got beat to the spot.
And for the record, I'm not criticizing that. Its something to work on, but again, its totally different from running after someone after you miss a shot and slapping at the ball. And frankly, I think its a pretty obvious difference.
Did anybody see the one-and-done rumor for Mason Plumlee on ESPN insider.
What's up with that?
Seriously! You need to take her to a game in Cameron sometime, I'm sure she'll grow to understand your devotion.
I used to embarrass my husband at games, and he's a Dukie!
Now, he even gets up and claps once in a while and not just when the game is over! He's really coming along, I'm very proud of him
Who is Mason? Oh, you mean Slappy?
Seriously, though...Mason is like a hyperactive lion cub who bats at everything that walks by...As he grows into his body and becomes a full grown lion he will learn when to pounce and will become king of the court.
Mason is no different than most young post players in college.. he is still learning and adjusting. What is disappointing is when an upper classman that should know, continues the same trend. Give him time.
I'm from Nashville and I'm a big Vanderbilt fan, and I think the same thing about Ogilvy who is a Junior. He and Zoubek have the same issues as post players. A lot of it is blamed on their lack of athleticism, when in reality the majority of their issue is poor foot work and bad angles on defense. The poor or slow footwork is what leads to the reaching. A slow player can still be effective if they have a sense of positioning on the court.
My dream is that one day Duke brings Battier back as an asst. coach, just to teach these ideas to players. He was (and is) a master at it.
My immediate reaction as well. But since I have an insider account I went and checked it out and Chad Ford, who I consider to be one of the better ESPN guys, says that MP2 has a legit shot at the lottery due to the dearth of big men this year.
My guess: the only reason this is being posted is not b/c Mason indicated he is thinking about it, but rather b/c scouts have probably indicated some interest in Mason as a 1st rounder (anyone with connections to scouts here, please chime in.) I find that a little hard to believe but not totally ridiculous. Scouts were drooling over McBob's potential as a frosh when he averaged 5/5. Same with Ed Davis last year at 6/6. "Potential" commands a serious premium in the draft. So that's probably where this speculation is coming from.
Now from Mason's POV, he would have to look at a guy like McBob who increased his numbers to 13/7 (or so) after Sheld left and he got a bigger role, but dropped his draft position significantly as he demonstrated he wasn't a go-to offensive guy. Mason is of a similar mold in that he is athletic, has guard skills with the ball, but isn't a go-to offensive guy...not ridiculous for him to say, heck I might as well strike while the iron's hot.
I know I kinda started it, but this is really speculation for April, not Feb.
I REALLY like that analogy. Well played, dingleberry (speaking of, that's what my 11th grade history teacher, and a HS friend of my father's, used to call my friends and me when we'd get a little too rambunctious in class)
I also read the Chad Ford piece and he is basing his speculation on rising interest in Mason from the NBA scouts that he regularly talks to. Mason is exactly aligned with the modern NBA big man...I am sure they look at him as a Dirk Nowitzki type. To me, the only way to look at it is to hope that he plays well enough to be considered a 2010 lottery pick because that will mean we made a really deep run in March.
If they see Mason as a Dirk Nowitzki type, then I really question their scouting skills. The two players are completely different styles of players. Dirk is a not-super-athletic big guy who is a really gifted shooter/scorer, but not a great passer. Mason is a super-athletic big guy who isn't a great shooter but has game-changing leaping ability and is actually a pretty good passer (though he has a tendency to try to do too much). I don't disagree that Nowitzki is on people's radar due to his size and athleticism, but I don't think the Nowitzki comp is what they see.
they are totally different types of players.