Trailblazers' Chad Buchanan, scouting director, on Wes

[77ncaachamps]

Wes visited Portland on Monday and worked out with DeMarre Carroll, A.D. Vassallo, Garrett Temple, Cedric Jackson, Joe Krabby-patty-hoft.

Wes Matthews
Vitals: 6-foot-5, 220 pounds, guard, Marquette
Notable: Averaged 13.2 points, 4.9 rebounds, 2.1 assists and 1.22 steals per game in four seasons at Marquette. ... Averaged career-highs in points (18.3), rebounds (5.7) and assists (2.5) and shot 47.5 percent from the field as a senior last season, when he was named a second-team All-Big East performer. ... Ranked sixth in the Big East in scoring as a senior.
Buck's take: "Wes is a great catch-and-shoot guy. Very smart, intelligent, tough kid. Went through the rigors of the Big East for four years. He's got to get a little quicker, a little more athletic. But I think he knows how to play. He's been well coached."


http://blog.oregonlive.com/behindblazersbeat/2009/05/a_brief_look_at_the_blazers_fi.html

[MR.HAYWARD]

Wes visited Portland on Monday and worked out with DeMarre Carroll, A.D. Vassallo, Garrett Temple, Cedric Jackson, Joe Krabby-patty-hoft.

Wes Matthews
He's been well coached."


http://blog.oregonlive.com/behindblazersbeat/2009/05/a_brief_look_at_the_blazers_fi.html

clearly he is referring to this year

[79Warrior]

clearly he is referring to this year

Yeah, sure. It all happened in one year. give it up.

[Tugg Speedman]

Yeah, sure. It all happened in one year. give it up.

Actually if you look at Wes numbers from Junior to Senior year .... yes it did all happen in one year.  And Wes has said as much saying this year has been like a blanket was lifted off his head.

[Lennys Tap]

Yeah, sure. It all happened in one year. give it up.

Maybe not all but certainly most.

[77ncaachamps]

Maybe not all but certainly most.

Referring to Wes's success, it's recent. Buzz's ability to get him going and in the system cannot be ignored.

He was mired in Crean's system, but nevertheless received good coaching.

And that probably extends to his AAU, high school, and grade school coaches too.

[ChicosBailBonds]

Maybe not all but certainly most.

By that same argument, Steve Novak and Travis Diener (neither of which were on ANY draft board after their junior years), were made into NBA players by Tom Crean.  I'm sure you, Hayward and others are going to stand up and say that.   

Or maybe it has to do with the fact that guys in their senior years tend to play better in their senior years, plus Wes was given obviously a different role this year.   Nevertheless the skills were always there.

I'd argue he got the best of both worlds....good solid principles from Crean and good solid principles from Williams.  In the end, he's a great benefactor of that.

[Canned Goods n Ammo]

By that same argument, Steve Novak and Travis Diener (neither of which were on ANY draft board after their junior years), were made into NBA players by Tom Crean. 

Neither of those guys are in the NBA because of Crean. Dwyane Wade put them in the NBA. Crean was just lucky to land Wade.


Crean is a bad person who kicks dogs, hates babies and Wes Matthews' jumper. Also, he drives a foreign car that uses too much fuel, doesn't use energy saving light bulbs, hasn't stimulated the economy or helped consumer spending, uses plastic shopping bags and throws them in the garbage, doesn't recycle his diet pepsi/coke cans... AND he eats old people's medicine for fuel. He's a monster.

[4everwarriors]

Welcome aboard 02. Glad you've seen the light.

[Lennys Tap]

By that same argument, Steve Novak and Travis Diener (neither of which were on ANY draft board after their junior years), were made into NBA players by Tom Crean.  I'm sure you, Hayward and others are going to stand up and say that.   

Or maybe it has to do with the fact that guys in their senior years tend to play better in their senior years, plus Wes was given obviously a different role this year.   Nevertheless the skills were always there.

I'd argue he got the best of both worlds....good solid principles from Crean and good solid principles from Williams.  In the end, he's a great benefactor of that.

First of all, the idea that "Steve Novak and Travis Diener were made into NBA players by Tom Crean" is laughable. The lion's share of the credit goes to luck (big winners in the gene pool) and hard work on their part. I'll accept the fact that TC was a facilitator for both.

The same is true for Wes. Buzz didn't make him into an NBA player. He unleashed (facillitated) Wes. TC, on the other hand, inhibited him.

Travis showed steady improvement throughout his career but only a slight uptick his senior year. Steve made great strides his senior year, finally listening to his coaches and becoming more assertive (kudos to Crean). Wes blew up his senior year in large part because Buzz allowed him to be truly one of the Three Amigos and not the third wheel he was in the past.

[RawdogDX]

By that same argument, Steve Novak and Travis Diener (neither of which were on ANY draft board after their junior years), were made into NBA players by Tom Crean.  I'm sure you, Hayward and others are going to stand up and say that.   

Or maybe it has to do with the fact that guys in their senior years tend to play better in their senior years, plus Wes was given obviously a different role this year.   Nevertheless the skills were always there.

I'd argue he got the best of both worlds....good solid principles from Crean and good solid principles from Williams.  In the end, he's a great benefactor of that.

Didn't you read any interviews?  Buzz UNLEASHED him this year.  Like how if you bought a dog.  And that dog spent 3 years being trained by a dog trainer who never let him off his leash.  If you take that leash off and the dog behaves admirably, than you are the greatest trainer in the world and deserve all the credit.

btw, we all know that you saying: "I'd argue he got the best of both worlds....good solid principles from Crean and good solid principles from Williams. " Is an attack on buzz.

[Lennys Tap]

Didn't you read any interviews?  Buzz UNLEASHED him this year.  Like how if you bought a dog.  And that dog spent 3 years being trained by a dog trainer who never let him off his leash.  If you take that leash off and the dog behaves admirably, than you are the greatest trainer in the world and deserve all the credit.

btw, we all know that you saying: "I'd argue he got the best of both worlds....good solid principles from Crean and good solid principles from Williams. " Is an attack on buzz.

So the players are dogs and the coaches trainers? Interesting.

[ChicosBailBonds]

First of all, the idea that "Steve Novak and Travis Diener were made into NBA players by Tom Crean" is laughable. The lion's share of the credit goes to luck (big winners in the gene pool) and hard work on their part. I'll accept the fact that TC was a facilitator for both.

The same is true for Wes. Buzz didn't make him into an NBA player. He unleashed (facillitated) Wes. TC, on the other hand, inhibited him.

Travis showed steady improvement throughout his career but only a slight uptick his senior year. Steve made great strides his senior year, finally listening to his coaches and becoming more assertive (kudos to Crean). Wes blew up his senior year in large part because Buzz allowed him to be truly one of the Three Amigos and not the third wheel he was in the past.

Exactly my point....we agree.   Which is why it's equally laughable to state that Buzz Williams made Matthews into a NBA player as some would like to imply.

You and I will have to disagree about Diener his Senior year, however.  He was fantastic his Senior year when he was healthy.  Problem was that he was oft injured and had to carry the team on his back.

[lurch91]

But the question is, who let the dogs out?

Arguably, Deiner was the best PG had had since Tony Miller, as soon as he played his first game in an MU uniform.

Novak made such a big leap in his senoir season because he  had a teammate that could penetrate to draw a defense away from him (DJ driving the lane).  Wade was able to do this Novak's freshman year, and Novak was the quiet kid who was able to take advantage of it.  

[ChicosBailBonds]

Didn't you read any interviews?  Buzz UNLEASHED him this year.  Like how if you bought a dog.  And that dog spent 3 years being trained by a dog trainer who never let him off his leash.  If you take that leash off and the dog behaves admirably, than you are the greatest trainer in the world and deserve all the credit.

btw, we all know that you saying: "I'd argue he got the best of both worlds....good solid principles from Crean and good solid principles from Williams. " Is an attack on buzz.

   You're catching on to me....you must have the decoder ring.

Yes, I read the interviews.  Also read the interview a few days later after the "unleashed" comments that included some interesting commentary from Trey Schwab and others.

-----------------------

It's debatable whether Matthews' improvement was because of Williams' more open style, compared to Crean's set-play oriented offense, or some other factor.

"I think really Wesley's senior year is the first year that he didn't have an injury in the offseason or the fall," said Schwab, a former Crean assistant. "He had all offseason to work out and get stronger and didn't have to miss any time. That's a big factor when you head into your senior year. Obviously, the system was a little more opened up with Buzz's free-flowing motion, whereas Tom called more set plays."

-----------------------

[Hards Alumni]

the same Trey Schwab who was gainfully employeed by Tom Crean is saying this.

credibility score on a scale of 1-10: 3

[ChicosBailBonds]

the same Trey Schwab who was gainfully employeed by Tom Crean is saying this.

credibility score on a scale of 1-10: 3

Yes, Trey Schwab isn't a credible guy.      Wow

[Hards Alumni]

CBB, do you ever play anything but Devil's Advocate?

what makes him credible?  He worked for Crean and had a personal interest in WMJ. 

I realize he is out of basketball at this point, but why bad mouth your own accomplishments... don't most people embellish?

[Blackhat]

It doesn't take a guy with a basketball PhD to see Wes thrived offensively this year because we switched to a motion offense.   

Crean never made Wes a focal point when calling his sets. Would he have "unleashed" Wes more on offense his senior year?  Who knows but the past indicates probably not to the extent the motion freed up/gave control to Wes.

[Avenue Commons]

Wes, by his own account, benefitted from playing in Buzz's system more so than in Crean's system and the statistics bear that out.

Whether his skills were maximized by Crean or Buzz or remain to be maximized, is a totally separate issue.

You guys are confusing the two issues. The first one is blatantly clear, and only the subject is really subject to discussion. As for me, all I know is what Wes said and he would know best. 

[ChicosBailBonds]

Wes, by his own account, benefited from playing in Buzz's system more so than in Crean's system and the statistics bear that out.

Whether his skills were maximized by Crean or Buzz or remain to be maximized, is a totally separate issue.

You guys are confusing the two issues. The first one is blatantly clear, and only the subject is really subject to discussion. As for me, all I know is what Wes said and he would know best. 

Which thing....he said two things.  He said Buzz unleashed him and then 3 days later in another article he complemented Crean and wanted to make sure his original comments were not taken in a fashion that so many here have taken them.

Ultimately he benefited from both coaches.