Mbao

[NotAnAlum]

Well we final got to see extended minutes from Mbao.  I'm trying to think back to Barro's freshman season but Mbao certainly didn't show anything today.  I don't like Buzz putting him out at the top of the zone.  Lets face it this guy has got to develop as either an in the paint shot blocker or a defensive rebounder or he can't help us much.  Putting him out at the top of a zone gets him neither of these .  However down low he is really lost.  He seems to have an uncanny knack for being on the side the rebound does come off to.  He is very timid and appears to be easily blocked out by much smaller players (well duh I guess everybody is much smaller).  He just doesn't have any sense of going after a rebound when the shot goes up.
We are sooo desperate for height and I'd love to think Mbao can develop but he has a long way to go.  Any other thoughts?

[WarriorHal]

I think Buzz signed him in late spring, so there must have been a good reason why a 7'2" guy was still available, right? He appears to be a total project and should have redshirted, but couldn't because of the lack of bodies with height. Sure hasn't showed any potential.

[kmwtrucks]

I think any 7'2" freshman that moves his feet that well and gets up and down the floor quickly shows something. 

[mwbauer7]

I think any 7'2" freshman that moves his feet that well and gets up and down the floor quickly shows something. 

spot on. Just curious to know what those who say "Mbao hasn't shown anything" were expecting?

[Daniel]

I was thinking the same thing about the zone today and wondering why he is put at the top.  Why not put him under the basket and dfend some shots, or get a rebound.  The couple of times they got th eball into him, he kicked it back out.

He is raw, but he moves very quickly.  If he can learn to rebound and block/alter some shots, would be helpful.  He has a hard time clearing out anyone at this point, but he has potential.  We will need him to do something in the BEast.

[Warrior of Law]

Would a sophomore redshirt help him now that he is understanding the speed and physical nature of the game? Plus, there may be more depth next year.

[Jay Bee]

Would a sophomore redshirt help him now that he is understanding the speed and physical nature of the game? Plus, there may be more depth next year.

  Absolutely.  We look very deep at center next year.

[MUCrew]

I think any 7'2" freshman that moves his feet that well and gets up and down the floor quickly shows something. 

Totally agree here.  If anyone has seen him during previous games, he can really move.  For being as tall as he is, Mbao has some great mobility and speed.

[NCMUFan]

Its clear Buzz does not think Mbao can bang in the middle.  Hence, maybe at this point, having him in the front court to cause some disruption is where Buzz feels Mbao can contribute this year.

[Nukem2]

Yous needs to keep his arms up and /or extended.  He is playing very short right now crouching over and keeping his arms down.  And, yes, he should redshirt as a soph ala Amal McCaskill.

[GGGG]

Its clear Buzz does not think Mbao can bang in the middle.  Hence, maybe at this point, having him in the front court to cause some disruption is where Buzz feels Mbao can contribute this year.

Exactly.  Do you really think that playing the inside against Presbyterian is going to help us at all this year?

[WarriorHal]

spot on. Just curious to know what those who say "Mbao hasn't shown anything" were expecting?

I wasn't expecting a lot from a late spring addition that other major teams obviously weren't interested in. He's shown some quickness and the ability to get up and down the court. But he needs to score, rebound and block shots against BEAST opponents to be an asset. Hopefully that will come eventually.

[ChicosBailBonds]

Put 25lbs on this guy and he's all Big East

[Benny B]

But he needs to score, rebound and block shots against BEAST opponents to be an asset.

If Yous can do even one of those three very well by the time he's a junior, I would term his recruitment a mild success.

[MU_Iceman]

I was thinking the same thing about the zone today and wondering why he is put at the top.  Why not put him under the basket and dfend some shots, or get a rebound.  The couple of times they got th eball into him, he kicked it back out.

He is raw, but he moves very quickly.  If he can learn to rebound and block/alter some shots, would be helpful.  He has a hard time clearing out anyone at this point, but he has potential.  We will need him to do something in the BEast.

Typically coaches put their big man at the top of a zone if the opponent has a lights out shooter at the top of the key whose shot they want to alter...that said, though, Wisco doesn't have any scary shooters from the outside and I don't think ANYTHING about Presbytarian is scary...personally I think Buzz should be getting him experience in the paint (use him the way Calhoun used Thabeet when he was a tall, lanky frosh with limited ability)...

But I'm not an NCAA coach, Buzz is, so I suppose we should trust his judgement (as strange as it may be...)

[GOO]

Look, no one should have expected much from him this year.  He has only played ball for a couple of years.  If he can add some strength and mass, he will be a different player.  He can't even get his arms up if he is in tight with a player, and like many young big men he looses his balance if bumped.  These are strength and mass/weight issues.

That being said, he moves like a small forward, and has great hands.  Two things that are important and limit the ceiling of most big men.  I think he is two years of hard work away, but I think he has a very high ceiling.  Most big men can't move like he can, and most big men are not as coordinated.  The first thing I look for with young big men is how they move their feet/quickness and if they have good hands.  If a big man has it all, but has bad hands - good luck, as they rarely significantly improve their hands. 

I've watched him before games and at the open practices.  He has a nice little jumper, is very coordinated, moves well, good to great hands for a big man, etc.  He is just way to light and needs reps and needs to learn the game.  If he sticks it out for two more years, I think anyone that used teal will need to eat their words.   He has a lot to learn and needs to add a lot of strength and size.  He may not be able to add the size and strength, but if he can, I think we'll have a legit Big East 7'2" player by his Junior year.

[GGGG]

Typically coaches put their big man at the top of a zone if the opponent has a lights out shooter at the top of the key whose shot they want to alter...that said, though, Wisco doesn't have any scary shooters from the outside and I don't think ANYTHING about Presbytarian is scary...personally I think Buzz should be getting him experience in the paint (use him the way Calhoun used Thabeet when he was a tall, lanky frosh with limited ability)...

I think Buzz knows that he is getting nothing out of Yous this year in the paint.  Putting him out on the top of the zone is where he will be used this year.  You can put a big guy out there not only to stop a shooter, but to jump out on the swing, which is probably what Buzz was thinking against UW.

[martyconlonontherun]

I think Buzz knows that he is getting nothing out of Yous this year in the paint.  Putting him out on the top of the zone is where he will be used this year.  You can put a big guy out there not only to stop a shooter, but to jump out on the swing, which is probably what Buzz was thinking against UW.

The question is then is Buzz sacrificing future progress to win this year by playing him at the top, instead of getting reps down low?
I am not an expert in big men, just asking if you guys think Buzz is more focused in utilizing him the best this year or more focused on his future development.

[StillAWarrior]

The question is then is Buzz sacrificing future progress to win this year by playing him at the top, instead of getting reps down low?
I am not an expert in big men, just asking if you guys think Buzz is more focused in utilizing him the best this year or more focused on his future development.

In my opinion (and what the hell do I know), the "reps" that Mbao needs will come in practice.  A big man isn't going to learn post moves with 12-15 (or more) possessions in a game.  He's going to learn the moves by doing them hundreds or thousands of times in practice (or after practice on his own).  I think game experience is important, but Mbao won't become the player we need him to become by getting relatively few reps in games.  When game time rolls around, I think Buzz should use Mbao however he feels is most likely to lead to victory.

[GGGG]

The question is then is Buzz sacrificing future progress to win this year by playing him at the top, instead of getting reps down low?
I am not an expert in big men, just asking if you guys think Buzz is more focused in utilizing him the best this year or more focused on his future development.

His development isn't going to come playing inside against the likes of Presbyterian.  His development will come in practice time and in summer work outs.  Buzz is simply finding a way to get him to contribute what little he can this year.

[MU_Iceman]

His development isn't going to come playing inside against the likes of Presbyterian.  His development will come in practice time and in summer work outs.  Buzz is simply finding a way to get him to contribute what little he can this year.

+1

[Golden Avalanche]

His development isn't going to come playing inside against the likes of Presbyterian.  His development will come in practice time and in summer work outs.  Buzz is simply finding a way to get him to contribute what little he can this year.

But do we really feel Marquette's program currently consists of anything that will remotely challenge him in getting ready to be a contributor during Big East games in the future?

[GGGG]

But do we really feel Marquette's program currently consists of anything that will remotely challenge him in getting ready to be a contributor during Big East games in the future?

Yes.  Better to get consistent action against BE quality players in practice than garbage time minutes against cupcakes.  Otule and Mbao are better than anything Presbyterian is going to throw at you.

[Golden Avalanche]

Yes.  Better to get consistent action against BE quality players in practice than garbage time minutes against cupcakes.  Otule and Mbao are better than anything Presbyterian is going to throw at you.

But his primary action in practice is Otule (who is not practicing now) who has played all of 12 college games and barely seen action in the Big East. I'm not so sure that portends good development for Mbao, or even Otule for that matter.

For now, in my opinion, our bigs will improve in spite of what's in our program rather then because of whats in our program. That said, any game action is positive.

[StillAWarrior]

But his primary action in practice is Otule (who is not practicing now) who has played all of 12 college games and barely seen action in the Big East. I'm not so sure that portends good development for Mbao, or even Otule for that matter.

I think much of what Mbao needs to work on is mechanical and he will need thousands of repetitions without any opposition at all.  Many players (including NBA all stars) work on the same move (e.g., drop step to the left, drop step to the right, etc.) thousands of times as someone just feeds them the ball.  I think Mbao needs a whole lot of this type of practice in order to become the player we all would like him to become.  If he plays in the post in games he may get a dozen or two touches (if that many).  While that will provide some benefit to him, it's just a start.  I'm not suggesting that he doesn't need experience against competition (Otule or otherwise), but he also needs a lot of development that will come from work in an empty gym.  As I said before I think Buzz should plug him into games however Buzz thinks will give us the best chance to win that game.  I think that where Mbao plays in these games has very, very little effect on his future development.  That will come in practice.