Davante Gardner Interview

[Tigidal]

http://www.wavy.com/dpp/sports/king%27s-fork-hoops-star-big-east-bound

[Blackhat]

He looks to be at a very good weight.

And that's before Todd Smith has ever worked with him. 

[Murffieus]

Looks to have good postup moves with good hands, but not very athletic or quick. His biggest asset is his wide body, which he uses very well to protect the ball on the finish.

[downtown85]

I hear he has good ball handling and shooting skills for a player his size, too.  Quickness is the biggest question mark.  If he can get into the proper shape that should come along too.  Lots of potential!!

[Brewtown Andy]

Looks to have good postup moves with good hands, but not very athletic or quick. His biggest asset is his wide body, which he uses very well to protect the ball on the finish.

If he turns out to be a taller DeJuan Blair, I presume we'll all be extremely happy.

[GGGG]

BTW, he turned his Facebook name from "Davante' Ox Gardner" to "Davante' Marquette Gardner."

[tower912]

Strong building blocks are in place.    Nice hands, post moves, touch.   If his athleticism improves, we have a keeper.   

[willie warrior]

If he turns out to be a taller DeJuan Blair, I presume we'll all be extremely happy.

Damn right---taller and wider--if he turns out near Blair, and with greater size, he can be a horse down low. That is what Blar was--and still is. We have not had a guy like this in years.Llast guy was Robert Jackson, who probably was not quite as big, but was good!

[bilsu]

Blair could jump.

[Blackhat]

Because he can't jump or isn't very quick his game resembles Robert Jackson's game to me. 

[downtown85]

Zar couldn't jump when he got to MU.  A couple of years of strength and conditioning should make him a bit more bouncy.

[GOMU1104]

Alonzo Mourning and DaJuan Blair   

[brewcity77]

Alonzo Mourning and DaJuan Blair   

Was thinking the same thing, but there are some reasons for the comparisons. Mourning also played his high school ball in Virginia, which is why his assistant coach makes that comparison, and Blair is a similar-bodied Big East player we've seen in recent years. But just because they are making those comparisons now doesn't mean we'll hear the same comparisons 3 years from now.

Even still, he looks to be in much better shape than I expected. He's a big guy, but I wouldn't say he looks fat by any means. If he can just put a big more definition on that big frame of his, he could really be a physical presence down low. The main questions are if his skills are as good as advertised. Any time I hear about his hands, his shooting, and his defense, it makes him sound like a five-star prospect, but we all know he isn't. I guess my real hope is that he was written off as a 3-star project as a junior because he weighed well over 300, and now that he's down to 280, he is maybe underrated as a 3.

Regardless, he seems to have the size and strength we've been hoping for down low. I just hope that he can combine that with the skill and athleticism we all desire. Definitely have high hopes for the Big Ox.

[willie warrior]

Big Ox or Big Kahuna or Big Man, whatever he wants to be called--Come on down!

[Dawson Rental]

There were two things I liked a lot about the interview.

1.  The first shot that Davante made in the interview was against pressure and was left handed.  All his shots later in the interview were right handed, so it looks like he's comfortable shooting in close with either hand.

2.  When asked what he needed to work on, strength was the first thing that he mentioned.

[GOMU1104]

For the record, it is "Ox," not "Big Ox."

[Dawson Rental]

Alonzo Mourning and DaJuan Blair   

In his defense, the assistant coach said that Davante was the best pure post player since Alonzo Mourning, implying that Alonzo was a better pure post player.  Still, big hype.

[nycwarrior]

Upside for Davante = Damon Key.

If by Davante's junior year he can do what Key did as a freshman (13 ppg, 5.7 rpg, double figures 22 times, 26 vs ND), I'll be thrilled.

Seems more likely that if that kind of production is coming, it wouldn't be until his senior year.

Between now and then, let's hope for: getting in shape, staying healthy, contributing and gettin a little better each day/week/month/year.

[cheebs09]

I think the best thing going for Gardner is Chris Otule. If Otule has improved as much as everyone has said, then Gardner isn't coming in and being depended on to be our big man. He can have 3 years of working with Chris to improve, and may not need to be our big guy until his junior year. Also, he can look to Chris as guidance and a great example of someone who has come in, busted their butt, and really improved. We might have some pretty good depth at the center position in a few years. Also, I liked that he has won a state championship. It seems like all our recruits coming in next year either won or got to the finals of a championship in high school. I think Smith is the only one that his team lost early.

[Dawson Rental]

I think the best thing going for Gardner is Chris Otule.

And vice versa. Otule should be able to improve even more having a true post player to defend in practice.

He can have 3 years of working with Chris to improve, and may not need to be our big guy until his junior year.

Like you say, Gardner and Otule will be here together (most likely) for three years.  Do you think that Gardner will surpass Otule by Otule's senior year or did you get mixed up on the years?

Also, he can look to Chris as guidance and a great example of someone who has come in, busted their butt, and really improved.

I think that this is a very good point.

[cheebs09]

Sorry, I meant his senior year. I got mixed up with Otule's red shirt year. I think Otule will be our starter for the rest of his career as long as he can avoid the injury bug.

[Dawson Rental]

Upside for Davante = Damon Key.

If by Davante's junior year he can do what Key did as a freshman (13 ppg, 5.7 rpg, double figures 22 times, 26 vs ND), I'll be thrilled.

Seems more likely that if that kind of production is coming, it wouldn't be until his senior year.

Between now and then, let's hope for: getting in shape, staying healthy, contributing and getting a little better each day/week/month/year.

Here I go being maybe overly optimistic again about a player, somebody let AnotherMU84 know.  I think that Damon Key's career is likely the floor for Gardner.  On the upside, I'll pass on DaJaun Blair, but I'll set a still pretty high mark and say David Boone.  As a transfer from St. Mary (?), Boone only had a two year (?) MU career, but he was a legitimate post threat every time he was out on the floor.  I think that Gardner is a better offensive player right now than Key was his senior year.  While Key didn't arrive at MU in the greatest of shape, but I believe that he was in better shape than Gardner will be when he arrives.  Within a couple of years, I'd expect Gardner to be in better shape than Damon ever was due to the improvements at MU in the facilities and the strength coaching from the O'Neill years.  Key definitely was more ready to play Division I defense than Gardner.  Simply because of the time it will take Gardner to gain Buzz's trust on defense (mentally and physically), I'd expect that Gardner will get off to a slower start than Key who was a starter from the beginning of his freshman year.

[GGGG]

Here I go being maybe overly optimistic again about a player, somebody let AnotherMU84 know.  I think that Damon Key's career is likely the floor for Gardner.  

"Likely" the floor???

C'mon...Damon Key was a Wooden nominee his senior year...one of only 20 players so nominated.  Gardner isn't "likely" to be the next Damon Key anymore than Vander Blue is "likely" to be the next DWade.

[damuts222]

 Lets let our incoming recruits play first before the comparisons come out. Just because Marquette has signed a player doesn't necessarily mean he will pan out or that he is Gods gift to basketball. I love the optimism but where does it stop..

That being said, I root for all the players we get and am just as excited for next years squad to prove everyone wrong again, just like this year.

[Nukem2]

Here I go being maybe overly optimistic again about a player, somebody let AnotherMU84 know.  I think that Damon Key's career is likely the floor for Gardner.  On the upside, I'll pass on DaJaun Blair, but I'll set a still pretty high mark and say David Boone.  As a transfer from St. Mary (?), Boone only had a two year (?) MU career, but he was a legitimate post threat every time he was out on the floor.  I think that Gardner is a better offensive player right now than Key was his senior year.  While Key didn't arrive at MU in the greatest of shape, but I believe that he was in better shape than Gardner will be when he arrives.  Within a couple of years, I'd expect Gardner to be in better shape than Damon ever was due to the improvements at MU in the facilities and the strength coaching from the O'Neill years.  Key definitely was more ready to play Division I defense than Gardner.  Simply because of the time it will take Gardner to gain Buzz's trust on defense (mentally and physically), I'd expect that Gardner will get off to a slower start than Key who was a starter from the beginning of his freshman year.

David Boone was a 6'5" forward with good hops.  Gardner reminds me in no way of Boone.  Gardner is an RJax type post player.