Traci Carter

[Blackhat]

https://youtu.be/nOaLTQcocute one?t=1401

The moment The Engine was born.

edit: dammit.  replace "cute one" in above URL with the South Park word for annoying inconsiderate Harley rider.

???   couldn't fix it.

[wadesworld]

https://youtu.be/nOaLTQcocute one?t=1401

The moment The Engine was born.

edit: dammit.  replace "cute one" in above URL with the South Park word for annoying inconsiderate Harley rider.

You have Traci Carter's child birth on cam? Gross. I'll pass.

[mu03eng]

That's very high praise 03eng.  I'd hold off just a little.  If this year's team had Frosh Dom James at PG with Luke, Henry and Duane I'd expect it to not only make the NCAA but possibly get out of the first weekend.  Let's let Engine play against some skilled guards first.  I think we're in fine shape as he clearly has the tools and teachers at his disposal.

(Here's hoping that every day in the gym Travis is showing him how far he has to go.  Beat me first kid.)

While I love what frosh DJ did, I don't think his style would have messed with this team and that team needed him to score, this years team doesn't.  DJ was the second leading scorer that season with Novak leading the way and Jerel being the only other double digit scorer.  Look at what happened to DJ as his career progressed and other players developed, he couldn't become a facilitator.

Without counting Engine we have at least 3, maybe 4 double digit scorers on this team (Duane, Luke, Henry.....JjJ?).  Traci will be a facilitator from the start and as such will be a pure point guard.  Same reason we need Duane to play off guard so he can score.

I'm not trying to say that The Engine is already better, but I am projecting that as a pure PG Traci will be better than DJ....time will tell.

[jsglow]

While I love what frosh DJ did, I don't think his style would have messed with this team and that team needed him to score, this years team doesn't.  DJ was the second leading scorer that season with Novak leading the way and Jerel being the only other double digit scorer.  Look at what happened to DJ as his career progressed and other players developed, he couldn't become a facilitator.

Without counting Engine we have at least 3, maybe 4 double digit scorers on this team (Duane, Luke, Henry.....JjJ?).  Traci will be a facilitator from the start and as such will be a pure point guard.  Same reason we need Duane to play off guard so he can score.

I'm not trying to say that The Engine is already better, but I am projecting that as a pure PG Traci will be better than DJ....time will tell.

Gotcha.  I agree with all that.  Dom never did become a dominant facilitator.  Here's hoping that Engine gives us 9-10 points and 4-5 assists a game this year with a 1.5 a/t ratio.  We'll win a lot of ballgames if he can.

[kmwtrucks]

one thing people forget was DJ was a Lock down defender at the PG spot (one of the best I have ever seen), which can really disrupt the other teams OFF. He had the strength to hold you in place when contact was made the lateral quickness where almost no one could get by him.   If you look at his career he was a better passer and setting up the OFF later in his career and a better scorer early.   

[wadesworld]

one thing people forget was DJ was a Lock down defender at the PG spot (one of the best I have ever seen), which can really disrupt the other teams OFF. He had the strength to hold you in place when contact was made the lateral quickness where almost no one could get by him.   If you look at his career he was a better passer and setting up the OFF later in his career and a better scorer early.

Agreed.  DJ's senior year he changed his game to that of a true point guard, and played the role very well.  Crean wanted to run our offense through DJ and Jerel.  Buzz changed that to Jerel and Wes and had DJ playing the role of a true point guard.  Before DJ got injured against UConn, we were a legitimate Final Four threat.  We were 23-4, 12-2 in the BE, and ranked 8th in the country when he went down.  We went 2-6 to close out the season after that.

His senior year he averaged 11 points, 5 assists, 3 rebounds, 2 steals, and 2 turnovers per game.  He transformed his game into that of a true point guard while Wesley became the star that we all thought he would be when he was let lose.

[Lennys Tap]

Agreed.  DJ's senior year he changed his game to that of a true point guard, and played the role very well.  Crean wanted to run our offense through DJ and Jerel.  Buzz changed that to Jerel and Wes and had DJ playing the role of a true point guard.  Before DJ got injured against UConn, we were a legitimate Final Four threat.  We were 23-4, 12-2 in the BE, and ranked 8th in the country when he went down.  We went 2-6 to close out the season after that.

His senior year he averaged 11 points, 5 assists, 3 rebounds, 2 steals, and 2 turnovers per game.  He transformed his game into that of a true point guard while Wesley became the star that we all thought he would be when he was let lose.

DJ was a really good player. As good a defender at PG as I can remember. But he couldn't shoot. In TC's offense the point guard shoots. So DJ shot it (poorly) and Wesley Matthews (who could really shoot it) watched DJ shoot. Buzz may not have been a genius, but he figured out we could be better if the bad shooter passed it to the good shooter instead of the other way around. That's how he turned the three year old Chevy Impala he inherited into a Lambergini.

[bilsu]

8 ppg, 3.7 apg, 1.3 spg, 2.5 tpg, .333 3p% is my guess for the moment. Will do better in non con and end of the year. Will struggle at the beginning of conference play

I think the assists per game is too low. He is surrounded by players that can score and there is a shorter shot clock. Most freshmen do not average over 6 points a game. Not having seen Cheatham play, I do not think we should award him the starting job yet. The point guard that is the least turnover prone has a good chance of starting.

[brewcity77]

I think the assists per game is too low. He is surrounded by players that can score and there is a shorter shot clock. Most freshmen do not average over 6 points a game. Not having seen Cheatham play, I do not think we should award him the starting job yet. The point guard that is the least turnover prone has a good chance of starting.

It'll depend a lot on minutes. In the past decade, we've only had 3 different guys average more than 3.7 apg (though on 8 occasions) and all of them played at least 28.1 minutes per game (Junior averaged 3.8 in 28.1 mpg in 2012-13). The reason I think TAMU's assessment is reasonable is because I see Traci playing 20-24 mpg. Seems like both Cheatham and Duane will get some time there as well. If the kid plays 30 mpg, then getting into that 4-5 range is realistic, but if the PG is more evenly split, I don't think anyone will get a ton of individual assists (though they may have a high assist rate).