Scouting report on Czyz

[jzp5079]

"I think a big watermark in the improvement of Lance Thomas and Brian Zoubek will be when they start
attacking the rim with authority and glee instead of trying to lay it up so much."

if Z ever does that i might faint.

I don't know if Z has a strong enough grip to throw it down. It seems it takes a tap and smaller players just strip him of the ball. ie he needs to a lot of wide grip pullups

[Classof06]

You throw out a lot of big names in this write-up - I hate to see what your evaluation of Elliot would be.

Seriously, though, it's evident that you spent a lot of time on this and I certainly appreciate it. It seems like it will be important for Duke fans to realize Czyz is very much a project. We all said the same thing about Zoubek, but here we are waiting for him to anchor our defense only 1.5 years in. Hopefully we can exercise better patience with Olek, whose future could potentially be very bright.

I agree, I think patience is the key. Olek won't have to come in and be "the guy" whatsoever, so I'm very eager to see how he progresses over his time at Duke. It sounds like the ingredients are there, it's just a question of baking the cake, haha.

Very nice evaluation on Olek, dkbaseball. I've been looking for something like that on him for a while now.

[Blueequalslife23]

Olek Czyz did win his Nevada State title and all of the crtitics to this kid must be mistaken i see no reason why this kid can't come in next year and make a impact for us!

[pless55]

I will not compare Czyk to anybody but I have great things about him. He can jump out of the gym and rebound. If he could put up solid numbers in a David Lee role off the bench like 7 points and 8 rebounds a game kind of what Damion James did for Texas last year. Either way, If he could give us that many rebounds a game it would be very helpful.

[Duvall]

Czyk

It begins.

[mddukefan]

dkbaseball,

I'm not sure if i missed this in one of your previous postings, but what would you say is Czyz's actual size? One of the main scouting services I see him listed as 6'7" 235lbs. Would you say that info is legit on him?? I know a lot of times there sizes are beefed up a little bit. Thanks for the info.

[greybeard]

I don't know if Z has a strong enough grip to throw it down. It seems it takes a tap and smaller players just strip him of the ball. ie he needs to a lot of wide grip pullups

Z does not need to be throwing nothing down. He needs to get comfortable with his new foot and be able to use it in ways that he currently cannot to allow him to move his body in the way of swipes at the ball. That, and better balance, will improve his ability to diversify the way he brings the ball from his waist to shooting to avoid swipes.

As of now, he is predictable and needs to be to maintain some semblence of balance. Once he gets used to his new foot, and his new foot begins helping him more and more, the blocks will become a non issue.

Lance needs to explore ways to diversify bringing the ball up to shooting also. An overlooked part of the game. Old-school inside players, aka Hansbrough, do not get it striped. They manipulate ball movement from the waist to the shot in ways that get defenders off balance trying in vain to find the pea.

It is the ole shell game, in which the guy with the ball should always win, just like the guy with the shells.

[Capn Poptart]

Don't be so hard on yourself: I watched Mike Tissaw absolutely dominate Ralph Sampson in a Virginia All-Star game.

[Lavabe]

Don't be so hard on yourself: I watched Mike Tissaw absolutely dominate Ralph Sampson in a Virginia All-Star game.

Oh boy ..finally, a Mike Tissaw thread.

Before there was Patrick Davidson, there was Mike Tissaw.

Do you remember when he got a player of the game for one of our TV games?

Cheers,
Lavabe

[jimsumner]

Tissaw actually had a decent sophomore season, including a double-double in a win at Vandy. But his career peaked that year and by his senior year K had brought in Alarie, Bilas, and Jackman, and Tissaw hardly got off the bench.

Still, he had his moments.

[dkbaseball]

dkbaseball,

I'm not sure if i missed this in one of your previous postings, but what would you say is Czyz's actual size? One of the main scouting services I see him listed as 6'7" 235lbs. Would you say that info is legit on him?? I know a lot of times there sizes are beefed up a little bit. Thanks for the info.

They announce him at games as 6-8. My guess would be around 6-7, 225 right now. But the numbers are kind of meaningless, IMO. He has a very strong, live body that can be pushed very hard in practice. No question the 40 inch vertical is legit. He's plenty big enough to help out a lot with rebounding and interior defense, while running the floor like a guard. Maybe Duke will let him try to block shots coming from the weak side to help out, which his high school coach didn't let him do. But he's not a widebody that will become a classic low post center. Hopefully. Mssrs. Zoubek and Echenique will fill that role.

[Shammrog]

Anybody who watches Czyz play and envisions Tony Moore at Duke is a glass-99%-empty sort of guy. Tony was similar in size, strength and leaping ability, but didn't have anything like this guy's motor.

Agreed. I would argue the only similarity is in leaping ability. Even watching the video above from when Olek was 15-16, Olek is a. much bigger/more physical, and b. much more skilled. Tony was beyond raw; a good natural athlete but not a very good basketball player. Olek is much better developed basketball-wise, and much more formidable physically. Which is what we need.

(A good friend of mine at Duke was Tony's high school classmate (though 3 yrs. older) and basketball teammate. He could never believe Tony got a scholly to play b-ball at Duke.)

[Shammrog]

Z does not need to be throwing nothing down. He needs to get comfortable with his new foot and be able to use it in ways that he currently cannot to allow him to move his body in the way of swipes at the ball. That, and better balance, will improve his ability to diversify the way he brings the ball from his waist to shooting to avoid swipes.

As of now, he is predictable and needs to be to maintain some semblence of balance. Once he gets used to his new foot, and his new foot begins helping him more and more, the blocks will become a non issue.

Lance needs to explore ways to diversify bringing the ball up to shooting also. An overlooked part of the game. Old-school inside players, aka Hansbrough, do not get it striped. They manipulate ball movement from the waist to the shot in ways that get defenders off balance trying in vain to find the pea.

It is the ole shell game, in which the guy with the ball should always win, just like the guy with the shells.

Hey Beardman!

My biggest issue with Zoubs is that (and, I am accounting for his hurt foot) he needs to STOP DINKING WITH THE BALL AND JUST DUNK IT! Too many times he gets stripped or travels while trying to lay it on the glass like a classic big man. He is 7'1" - he barely needs to jump, so even though he is not a very good athlete and is coming off injury, he needs to be aggressive and just try to ram it home every time he gets the ball at point-blank range.

K should tell him that if he is within 2 feet of the basket and takes a shot without his hand touching the rim, he sits!

[Capn Poptart]

Tissaw actually had a decent sophomore season, including a double-double in a win at Vandy. But his career peaked that year and by his senior year K had brought in Alarie, Bilas, and Jackman, and Tissaw hardly got off the bench.

Still, he had his moments.

I still remember the lede for the article in the Richmond News-Leader, the day after Tiss took player-of-the game in that all-star contest:

"People arrived last night [at the blahblah All-Star game] talking about Ralph Sampson. They left talking about Mike Tissaw."

He was a tough kid.

[Huh?]

Good stuff, I'm so glad we have someone who will dunk on anyone's face.
That said, I still have one more year of eligibility.

[OZ]

Hey Beardman!

My biggest issue with Zoubs is that (and, I am accounting for his hurt foot) he needs to STOP DINKING WITH THE BALL AND JUST DUNK IT! Too many times he gets stripped or travels while trying to lay it on the glass like a classic big man. He is 7'1" - he barely needs to jump, so even though he is not a very good athlete and is coming off injury, he needs to be aggressive and just try to ram it home every time he gets the ball at point-blank range.

K should tell him that if he is within 2 feet of the basket and takes a shot without his hand touching the rim, he sits!

Somehow, I just can not picture Zoubs "DINKING."

[OZZIE4DUKE]

Don't be so hard on yourself: I watched Mike Tissaw absolutely dominate Ralph Sampson in a Virginia All-Star game.

Let's not forget his running mate in the front court, Alan Williams.