I was curious to hear thoughts on Silent G, particularly in light of Austin's lavish praise in the article linked to the front page. I knew G was athletic, but Austin puts that characteristic into full relief:
“A lot of people haven’t had a chance to see how good Mike Gbinije is. He’s a freak athlete. With him working hard this summer, he can be a really big lift for the team next year... Our best athlete on the team, as far as just jumping wise, Mike is one of the best leapers I’ve ever seen. He’s a very, very athletic dude."
I know this has been discussed off and on in other threads, but I couldn't find a clear discussion of G's limited role this past season and what we're expecting for next year. We can play all sorts of mind tricks in order to inflate the size of our incoming class with the redshirts and all, but I think it's fair to say G will get much more burn next year, almost like adding another new player to the mix. Are others as excited as I am about him?
I have thought the same thing since I heard he was coming to Duke and watched some of the plays he made in HS. He will need to work a little on his handle to utilize all of his ability, but he is awesome. He is not just athletic, but very smooth. Watching him play, he doesn't just turn the burners on. He plays in a way that isn't like Austin, but when he gets near the rim, he can attack it like few others. He reminds me of Gerald Henderson a bit, but he has already shown a little more ability to utilize a consistent jumper. He should be a huge asset.
I have wondered why he wasn't given more PT this year.
To be perfectly honest, I'm not expecting much from Mike next year. He had the entire year to prove himself in practice and subsequently get game experience in a position where it was blatantly obvious that we needed help (SF). What i realistically expect from him next year is to become at least a serviceable role player, 10-15 minutes a game where he can grab some boards and if nothing else just be long. He certainly has the abilities to become a very good player, but he is just so raw on the basketball court that I'm trying not to set my sights too high on the kid, especially for next year. He is reminiscent of Gerald in the type of body he is, but he is no where near ball player that G was after his freshman year, and its a pretty unfair comparison (Gerald was a top 10 pick)
I think we were busy trying to keep Seth, Dre, Austin and Tyler on the floor at all costs. I think it could have helped out to have more athleticism out there, but from the lineups we saw, K didn't. I hope we find better options. It would be nice to see fewer pass only and stationary shoot only players out at one time. I think the growth of Quinn, Gbinije, Rasheed coming in and Alex will lead to a lot more athleticism at any given time. We may end up with lineups that can stop dribble penetration, stop people from making unobstructed cuts, etc.
G's defense wasn't quite where it needed to be and his offense was still raw, which made it hard to leave him on the court. I'd bet that his offensive game will still be a little raw next year (though I'm sure he'll be better) unless he proves to be a really good perimeter shooter. However, I think his size, length, and quickness will enable him to make the leap on the defensive end pretty quickly. Lance Thomas always had the skill to be a good defender. It took him awhile to rise to the occasion. Mike G is in the same boat. I expect that we'll recognize him as an elite defender by the time all is said and done.
His shot was fine. The only problem I saw for Michael was that he wasn't put out in big moments and he seemed like he didn't have confidence because of that. With a push from the coaching staff, he would be a completely different player IMO. He is the type of guy with all of the skills and ability, but he needs to know that he can do all of those things on this stage. The coaching staff believing could be a big step in that direction.
It would be nice for him not to live up to the moniker "silent G". He didn't make much "noise" on the court this year - either on offense or defense. I'm glad to hear Austin praise him, and look forward to seeing him grow as a player next year.
Hope his not playing will cause him to try harder. Players react to his type of treatment in different ways.
It was a big relief when I saw Austin mention Gbinije as part of Duke's future, because I for one was very nervous he might transfer. To be a 4/5 star recruit and barely see the floor when you know you could be making a difference, especially defensively (you can't tell me he couldn't have guarded Harrison Barnes better than Tyler could, as much as I love my TT), had to be extremely frustrating. If he stays, him and Robocop make a dangerous pair as true small forwards.
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Okay, I'm puzzled by a few things here:
Was there a reason you used the t-word in regards to Mike Gbinije's future?
Did you watch Mike when he actually played and did he demonstrate that he was ready for more minutes and responsbility this past season?
Also, what leads you to describe Alex Murphy as a true small forward?
I've been thinking Brian Davis might be a good comparison for Silent G, although Slient G is a little more athletic and was more highly rated coming out of high school. Two 6'7" guys, long, good jumpers. Brian had a very good career, after playing very little as a freshman.
I remember seeing Brian as a freshman in 1988, put in for the final few seconds of the first of a game at Cole Field House, harassing the Maryland guard who was bringing the ball up. As the half ended, Coach K ran out on the floor to praise Brian. Pretty sure I was there, but could have seen it on TV.