Its hard to believe this is happening at UCLA

[SoCalDukeFan]

In their last game, a 10 point loss to Texas, UCLA did not play starting forward Reeves Nelson in the second half and starting center Josh Smith only played four minutes in the half.

Nelson was benched reportedly for having 2 bad practices and missing a defensive assignment. According to the press he sat on bench smiling, laughing and pointing to friends in the stands.

Smith is just completely out of shape and can barely get up and down the court. He needed the rest.

Nelson has been suspended indefinitely. Second time this season. Last one lasted only one game.

Can you imagine a Duke player laughing on the bench in a defeat? Or showing up so out of shape that he can't get up and down the court?

SoCal

[Greg_Newton]

Well hopefully it will help us with Bazz. Lord knows we need him now.

[CDu]

Well hopefully it will help us with Bazz. Lord knows we need him now.

We'd certainly be wing-oriented if we get him. Curry, Cook, Thornton, Sulaimon, Muhammad, Dawkins, Gbinije, and Murphy (assuming Rivers leaves for the NBA). That's almost 3 teams' worth of guard/wing players. Heck, it WOULD be 3 teams' worth if Rivers stayed (which I certainly don't expect).

[roywhite]

I agree, SoCal...it is hard to believe.

When Howland clicked off 3 straight Final Four appearances, I thought he had the program at a very high level.
With good coaching, tradition, and access to the California talent pool, you would expect UCLA to be consistently very good and in the ranks of Kansas, UNC, and Duke.

Is Howland not connecting with the players?
Maybe making some bad choices in recruiting?

[CDu]

I agree, SoCal...it is hard to believe.

When Howland clicked off 3 straight Final Four appearances, I thought he had the program at a very high level.
With good coaching, tradition, and access to the California talent pool, you would expect UCLA to be consistently very good and in the ranks of Kansas, UNC, and Duke.

Is Howland not connecting with the players?
Maybe making some bad choices in recruiting?

It's certainly out of character for a Howland team. His Pitt teams and then his early UCLA teams certainly bought in to the "compete hard on both ends" philosophy. I'm not sure what has happened more recently, but he definitely hasn't had the same success in the past few years. Seems like he's had a few years now of misses in terms of gritty, defensive-minded play.

[Duvall]

I agree, SoCal...it is hard to believe.

When Howland clicked off 3 straight Final Four appearances, I thought he had the program at a very high level.
With good coaching, tradition, and access to the California talent pool, you would expect UCLA to be consistently very good and in the ranks of Kansas, UNC, and Duke.

Is Howland not connecting with the players?
Maybe making some bad choices in recruiting?

To be honest, I think there may just be something wrong with the California talent pool.

[Steven43]

We'd certainly be wing-oriented if we get him. Curry, Cook, Thornton, Sulaimon, Muhammad, Dawkins, Gbinije, and Murphy (assuming Rivers leaves for the NBA). That's almost 3 teams' worth of guard/wing players. Heck, it WOULD be 3 teams' worth if Rivers stayed (which I certainly don't expect).
Seems to me of the players you listed (excluding Rivers, since he might be in the NBA by then) the only possible play-alikes to Muhammad might be Gbinije and Murphy. Perhaps Sulaimon a bit as well. Curry, Cook, Dawkins and Thorton do not play a similar game to Shabazz. He would likely be at least a slight upgrade over any of the similar players (Gbinije, Murphy, Sulaimon), though I think they all have great potential, especially Murphy and Sulaimon.

[SoCalDukeFan]

I agree, SoCal...it is hard to believe.

When Howland clicked off 3 straight Final Four appearances, I thought he had the program at a very high level.
With good coaching, tradition, and access to the California talent pool, you would expect UCLA to be consistently very good and in the ranks of Kansas, UNC, and Duke.

Is Howland not connecting with the players?
Maybe making some bad choices in recruiting?

Smith is the second recent center who is totally out of shape. You would think that almost all college players spend most of the off-season staying or getting into shape. It appears that he was eating. You would also think in the recruiting process you would identify fitness. J'mison Morgan was also out of shape and said in high school they played a zone and waited for him to get down the court.

UCLA has had way too many transfers in my opinion. And a host of guys left early for the NBA.

Nelson is probably a head case who would be a problem anywhere. He was suspended indefinitely before (which became one game )for missing or being late for a team meeting. He then missed the team bus to the airport and had to get himself to Maui. You would think that he would have been 30 minutes early at least for the bus.

There are some who were closer to the program than I who thinks Howland works them too hard and basically loses them. My opinion is that Howland is a great coach with 2 and 3 star players who want to be 4 and 5 stars, but not so good with players who are already considered by themselves to be 4 and 5 star.

SoCal

[DukieInBrasil]

There are some who were closer to the program than I who thinks Howland works them too hard and basically loses them. My opinion is that Howland is a great coach with 2 and 3 star players who want to be 4 and 5 stars, but not so good with players who are already considered by themselves to be 4 and 5 star.
SoCal
kind of in the mould of Gary Williams? He certainly got the most out of talented kids who were overlookd/under-regarded by evaluators. Not sure GW ever went the route of trying to get many 4 and 5 star kids.
Sorry, but if a kid thinks he's gonna be in the NBA cuz he's a 5-star recruit but isn't willing to work hard, he deserves to be lost. IOW, there's no way that is the coach's fault for "working them too hard".

[jimsumner]

To be honest, I think there may just be something wrong with the California talent pool.

Josh Smith is from Washington (state).

A number of UCLA transfers are doing quite well at their new schools.

Duke recruited Nelson pretty hard. Seems like we may have dodged a bullet on that one.

[JMarley50]

In their last game, a 10 point loss to Texas, UCLA did not play starting forward Reeves Nelson in the second half and starting center Josh Smith only played four minutes in the half.

Nelson was benched reportedly for having 2 bad practices and missing a defensive assignment. According to the press he sat on bench smiling, laughing and pointing to friends in the stands.

Smith is just completely out of shape and can barely get up and down the court. He needed the rest.

Nelson has been suspended indefinitely. Second time this season. Last one lasted only one game.

Can you imagine a Duke player laughing on the bench in a defeat? Or showing up so out of shape that he can't get up and down the court?

SoCal

Larry Drew probably shared some of his Kool-Aid with them, told them that they were lottery picks and not to listen to what coach says. His dad knows better. :cool:

[94duke]

http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2011/basketball/ncaa/12/09/Reeves.Nelson.ap/index.html?sct=hp_t2_a8&eref=sihp

[subzero02]

Judging from that article, the "head case" label would be a euphemism.

[SoCalDukeFan]

It could help them.
Frees up lots of time for the Wear Twins, who evidently are Howland favorites.

SoCal