Has there been any comment on Sean Obi all year?

[wgl1228]

Anything at all on Obi? How he looked in practice? I was very close during the celebration yesterday and he's a beast. His arms are huge and he's just a hair shorter than Okafor. If he can be a 10 and 10 guy we'll be fine next year.

[Duke95]

Sean Obi's sartorial acumen is clearly beyond reproach.

[OldPhiKap]

K said a few weeks ago that Sean had a lot to do with Marshall's improvement in practice.

And he is a damn snappy dresser.

[FerryFor50]

Sean Obi told me there was a search feature in the forums.

http://forums.dukebasketballreport.com/forums/search.php?searchid=3263

[NancyCarol]

Help me Obi Sean Kanobi, you're my only hope. Sorry, had to do it.

[BD80]

Help me Obi Sean Kanobi, you're my only hope. Sorry, had to do it.

Only Hope?

Hope Solo is a soccer player.

Han Solo is part of Obi's universe.

[Duke95]

ObiSean SeanObi: Duke student, basketball player, and Jedi knight.

[NancyCarol]

Only Hope?

Hope Solo is a soccer player.

Han Solo is part of Obi's universe.

I am not the droid you are looking for.

[FerryFor50]

Obi dee Obi da

Life goes on

[FerryFor50]

Sean Obi news!

http://acc.blogs.starnewsonline.com/47398/redshirt-obi-savors-duke-title-from-the-sideline/

[OldPhiKap]

Sean Obi news!

http://acc.blogs.starnewsonline.com/47398/redshirt-obi-savors-duke-title-from-the-sideline/

Damn. Another talented, articulate, team-first guy. Don't you get tired of these types, too?

(Cannot wait to see him play -- K also credited Obi with some of Marshall's late-season improvement)

[BrazyATX]

Hard to imagine so little has been mentioned of him throughout the year, considering he was nearly a double double guy as a freshman, granted on a bad team in a non Power 5 conference. Regardless, rebounding numbers like that translate well at all levels IMO. Battling a taller Plumlee, and a more skilled Jahlil for the past 9 months and the strength and conditioning program at Duke can only have improved him overall as a player.

My guess (and hope) is, from various tidbits here and there, Duke will have a rounded player with a little of Winslow's blocking skills, Jahlil's size, Marshall's motor and Amile's rebounding. The biggest question is really his offensive game.

[toooskies]

Obi wins the Dahntay Jones memorial Practice Champion award for Duke. It's really amazing how well having guys like Jones, Seth Curry, and now Obi have been in the years they've sat out. It's a shame that the 2013 team didn't win, too, with Hood coming in, or we'd have a reason to recruit a transfer every year.

[Kedsy]

Obi wins the Dahntay Jones memorial Practice Champion award for Duke. It's really amazing how well having guys like Jones, Seth Curry, and now Obi have been in the years they've sat out. It's a shame that the 2013 team didn't win, too, with Hood coming in, or we'd have a reason to recruit a transfer every year.

At least the 2013 team made the Elite Eight, and might have gone farther if not for Ryan Kelly's injury. Really, the only year we had an incoming transfer in his redshirt year during which the team didn't have great success was the 1996 team with Roshown McLeod.

[Troublemaker]

The wait is over! Finally, some Obi hype!

http://www.dukechronicle.com/articles/2015/06/15/so-fresh-so-clean#.VYM1vdpVikp

Excerpt:

Although rebounding has always been Obi’s calling card, it is this—his one-on-one post defense—that caused the Duke coaching staff to take a second look at him in their recruiting process and is ultimately what won them over in 2014.

“[Obi] was in high school with Andre Drummond of the Detroit Pistons,” associate head coach Jeff Capel said. “Andre was on our U.S. team. Andre says, to this day, he was the toughest guy he ever had to play, as far as having the hardest time scoring on. Sean is really strong—really strong and really physical.He was good for us in practice this past year playing against Jah.”

[Dr. Rosenrosen]

The wait is over! Finally, some Obi hype!

http://www.dukechronicle.com/articles/2015/06/15/so-fresh-so-clean#.VYM1vdpVikp

Excerpt:

Although rebounding has always been Obi’s calling card, it is this—his one-on-one post defense—that caused the Duke coaching staff to take a second look at him in their recruiting process and is ultimately what won them over in 2014.

“[Obi] was in high school with Andre Drummond of the Detroit Pistons,” associate head coach Jeff Capel said. “Andre was on our U.S. team. Andre says, to this day, he was the toughest guy he ever had to play, as far as having the hardest time scoring on. Sean is really strong—really strong and really physical.He was good for us in practice this past year playing against Jah.”

Loved this bit about Obi (and Jah):

“We’d stay back an extra 30 minutes, just me guarding him, getting him ready because that’s what he’s going to face when the tournament came up for him,” Obi said. “He told me, at a point, he said, ‘Sean, I want you to hurt me.’ That’s how you know when someone actually wants to get better, and that’s the good thing about Jahlil.”

[Skitzle]

Figured this would be a good place for this, but why is it that players are better at offensive than defensive rebounding (or vice versa).

I feel like rebounding is a skill that translates for both offense and defense, but I feel like some players just have a lopsided advantage on one side of the court for some reason.

Tying it back to the thread, I feel like everyone talks about Obi's rebounding prowess in a defensive sense. How is this possible? Isn't the skill set required for rebounding the same? (I mean clearly its not or these lopsided stats wouldn't happen but.... what is so different about it?)

[CDu]

Figured this would be a good place for this, but why is it that players are better at offensive than defensive rebounding (or vice versa).

I feel like rebounding is a skill that translates for both offense and defense, but I feel like some players just have a lopsided advantage on one side of the court for some reason.

Tying it back to the thread, I feel like everyone talks about Obi's rebounding prowess in a defensive sense. How is this possible? Isn't the skill set required for rebounding the same? (I mean clearly its not or these lopsided stats wouldn't happen but.... what is so different about it?)

Well, they really are different skills. Defensive rebounders tend to be really good at boxing out , because the defender usually has inside position when the shot goes up. So if you can hold your position and seal off the offensive player, you stand a good chance of getting a defensive rebound. On the other end, offensive rebounding tends to be more about anticipation and hustle, because you usually do not have rebounding position when the shot goes up. So you have to either be better at beating the defender to the spot, or be able to outathlete a guy to get a rebound.

Some guys are good at both ends, but the skills required to rebound at either end do have some distinct differences.

Obi appears to be of the "not overly athletic, but really strong and really good at establishing and holding his boxout responsibilities. That would explain why he is so dominant a defensive rebounder. But that lack of quickness/athleticism may mean he is unable to beat defenders to the spot on the offensive end.

[jimsumner]

Well, they really are different skills. Defensive rebounders tend to be really good at boxing out , because the defender usually has inside position when the shot goes up. So if you can hold your position and seal off the offensive player, you stand a good chance of getting a defensive rebound. On the other end, offensive rebounding tends to be more about anticipation and hustle, because you usually do not have rebounding position when the shot goes up. So you have to either be better at beating the defender to the spot, or be able to outathlete a guy to get a rebound.

Some guys are good at both ends, but the skills required to rebound at either end do have some distinct differences.

Obi appears to be of the "not overly athletic, but really strong and really good at establishing and holding his boxout responsibilities. That would explain why he is so dominant a defensive rebounder. But that lack of quickness/athleticism may mean he is unable to beat defenders to the spot on the offensive end.

Very much agree. Remember Richard Howell, who played at State a couple of years ago? He was a tad smaller than Obi, 6-8, 260 or so. Not an exceptional run-jump athlete. But he was a great rebounder, especially on the defensive end, where he would establish position, anticipate the direction of the missed shot and just wall off any effort by an opposing player to go after the rebound. He also had great hands. If he had the ball, he kept the ball.

I suspect a Howell-like player would be Obi's ceiling and I'm certainly not suggesting he will be as good a college player. But I think Howell is a useful analog of how a player with Obi's size and athleticism can not only survive in the ACC but excel in the ACC.

[Wander]

Well, they really are different skills. Defensive rebounders tend to be really good at boxing out , because the defender usually has inside position when the shot goes up. So if you can hold your position and seal off the offensive player, you stand a good chance of getting a defensive rebound. On the other end, offensive rebounding tends to be more about anticipation and hustle, because you usually do not have rebounding position when the shot goes up. So you have to either be better at beating the defender to the spot, or be able to outathlete a guy to get a rebound.


All this, plus the fact that not all teams/players choose to go crazy going after offensive rebounds in all situations/matchups because it can hurt your transition defense. But I think pretty much everyone tells their post guys to go all-in for all defensive rebounds.

[Edouble]

Big guys at Duke are traditionally poor offensive rebounders, as they are usually at the top of the key, having just set a screen, when a shot goes up.

[CDu]

Well, they really are different skills. Defensive rebounders tend to be really good at boxing out , because the defender usually has inside position when the shot goes up. So if you can hold your position and seal off the offensive player, you stand a good chance of getting a defensive rebound. On the other end, offensive rebounding tends to be more about anticipation and hustle, because you usually do not have rebounding position when the shot goes up. So you have to either be better at beating the defender to the spot, or be able to outathlete a guy to get a rebound.

Some guys are good at both ends, but the skills required to rebound at either end do have some distinct differences.

Obi appears to be of the "not overly athletic, but really strong and really good at establishing and holding his boxout responsibilities. That would explain why he is so dominant a defensive rebounder. But that lack of quickness/athleticism may mean he is unable to beat defenders to the spot on the offensive end.


Very much agree. Remember Richard Howell, who played at State a couple of years ago? He was a tad smaller than Obi, 6-8, 260 or so. Not an exceptional run-jump athlete. But he was a great rebounder, especially on the defensive end, where he would establish position, anticipate the direction of the missed shot and just wall off any effort by an opposing player to go after the rebound. He also had great hands. If he had the ball, he kept the ball.

I suspect a Howell-like player would be Obi's ceiling and I'm certainly not suggesting he will be as good a college player. But I think Howell is a useful analog of how a player with Obi's size and athleticism can not only survive in the ACC but excel in the ACC.

I had not thought of him before, but Howell is a great comp. Howell was a more polished offensive player (especially as a shooter) than Obi has shown thus far, but the physical tools and rebounding skill are indeed very similar. And yes, I think Howell is a great "target" for Obi to aspire.


All this, plus the fact that not all teams/players choose to go crazy going after offensive rebounds in all situations/matchups because it can hurt your transition defense. But I think pretty much everyone tells their post guys to go all-in for all defensive rebounds.

This is also true. A team like Virginia, for example, tends to be fantastic at defensive rebounding and not so hot at offensive rebounding, as they tend to prefer to not allow transition opportunities and are willing to forego crashing the boards.