Pro-Am

[muwarrior69]

Thank you for the updates. We who are geographically challenged appreciate it.

And thank you IWB for putting all of this together. I went to every pro am I could when I was still living in Milwaukee

Yes, much appreciated. THANK YOU!

[MUHoopsFan2]

I went today. Unfortunately Otule and JJJ did not show up. I watched the first half of that game. Derrick W. and Thomas were on the other team. The pro am is a different animal as the players can play however they want, which pretty much means they can shoot whenever they want. Thomas was much more impressive than Wilson in this setting. Wilson did however show some ability to drive to the basket and actually make it. The second game I got to watch Deonte Burton and Mayo. Mayo was okay and had 24 points as his team was blown out. Jerry Smith was the second leading scorer on the other team with 50 points as McKay scored 51. Burton had 36 points and at least 5 dunks. I had pretty much decided he was not much of an outside shooter and then he buried three straight threes. Overall he was the second most impressive MU player of the day. The highlight game was Gardner, Anderson and Dawson surviving against McKay, J. Wilson and Duane Wilson. Gardner was somewhat disappointing as he repeatedly in the first half missed shot after shot from the outside. Anderson was very good playing the two guard. Dawson scored the first basket of the game and probably finished with 6 points. Nice player, but most of the time you did not notice him on the court. Jamil Wilson played the first half like he often does, which means he just does not seem to care. In the fourth quarter he was dominate and very impressive. Better than Juan when he wants to be, but Juan played hard the whole game. Duane Wilson is extremely quick and is most likely our starting point guard, but based on what I saw today we do not have a point that can make the other players better. Jamal McKay was allowed 6 fouls before he fouled out, but when he was in he was unbelievable. I think he had 40 points. He is very thin, but so fast that he is impossible to guard. Scored at the basket several times and scored from the outside. He handles the ball very well and to me was the most impressive MU player of the day. Based on what I saw today I would start Juan at the 2 over Mayo. Bigger player, better passer and defender.

I dont know what you saw...but I have to reserve judgement until I see this JJJ fellow who I would start. I thought Mayo looked fit and he moved around great. Jerry Smith was a problem for all as was Myles Mckay.
Deonte Burton is a beast. Solid athlete and already a great Division I and NBA body. Enormous tools and is really blessed physically.
I am not sure how much is muscle or baby fat yet but he is a big boned young man who  knows how to use his body to his edge and play in the right gear.
He will be worth watching to see how he makes it through boot camp and what Todd does with him in the weight room and if he is a kid who will stay healthy and does not have any issues with muscle pulls or any strains as it looks like he might...but he is very impressive.
Sometimes does too much reaching on defense and does not get in front of his man and on offense lunges into his man and takes wild shots and might not yet be as instinctively quick in making decisions but once he makes up his mind, it is almost impossible to stop him.
If it clicks early with him, look out. No one else really worth discussing right now. Juan is a gem. Love is game and how hard he plays all the time. Really locked in. Jumper has improved. Handle somewhat shaky and suspect at times, but if he learns to handle and pull up mid range its a wrap.
He does everything else he needs to in order to start and be on the floor. His hustle and spirit and focus is an example to the young cats. A coaches dream.
Lots of potential and guys that Buzz should love to coach up and who will improve.

[MUHoopsFan2]

To continue my rant, I have had no less than a dozen players contact me in the past 24 hours wanting to be on teams. Yep, registration has been open for almost two months, the league is full and they contact me with one day to go. Crappy part is, I would really like to have most of them as they are top tier Euro Pros.

To answer your question, I e-mailed the rosters to the players.

The new site is not ready yet, still have a bit of cleanup and design to go, but you can at least find the rosters and schedules here:  http://www.hoopfigures.com/0045

If they are top tier then make exceptions then! You know their schedule...surely they are going to come to you at the last minute some of them.

ADAPT.

You need more then 8 teams...

[damuts222]

If they are top tier then make exceptions then! You know their schedule...surely they are going to come to you at the last minute some of them.

ADAPT.

You need more then 8 teams...

Do you like to cast stones?  All these guys are adults if they don't sign up in time for the pro-am to bad how sad.  They'll remember next year to sign-up in time.

[Hamostradamus]

If they are top tier then make exceptions then! You know their schedule...surely they are going to come to you at the last minute some of them.

ADAPT.

You need more then 8 teams...

Yeah! Just add a couple teams at the last minute, find a couple of new sponsors, rework the entire schedule, shuffle the rosters, and voila! How hard could that possibly be?

[GGGG]

If they are top tier then make exceptions then! You know their schedule...surely they are going to come to you at the last minute some of them.

ADAPT.

You need more then 8 teams...

Seriously?  WTF?  Do you have any clue how he puts this together?  Perhaps you should volunteer your time to help out instead of sitting back and making half-ass suggestions.

[Skatastrophy]

Seriously?  WTF?  Do you have any clue how he puts this together?  Perhaps you should volunteer your time to help out instead of sitting back and making half-ass suggestions.

It's way easier to play Monday-morning QB.

[Sunbelt15]

Can someone tell me if JJJ's jumper is as good as advertised?

[brandx]

I dont know what you saw...but I have to reserve judgement until I see this JJJ fellow who I would start.

What does this even mean?

[MuMark]

Anybody who thinks they can make realistic judgements on who will and won't start based on a couple of games in the pro-am is clueless.

I enjoy watching the games to see the MU guys play but run and gun street ball doesn't give you any indications on who will and won't get minutes in Buzz's rotation once the games start to count.

[mubb34]

Here's another angle of Davante's dunk at the Pro-Am that I took.


https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?v=10201556080569893&l=8979112455334387200

[The Lens]

Maybe I am naive...and I understand there is ZERO defense but there were times in the past two years where I don't know if DG could have done that in the lay-up lines before Seton Hall.  I'm cautiously optimistic.

[ChicosBailBonds]

Can someone tell me if JJJ's jumper is as good as advertised?

Player Y is hitting everything in site

Player Z has dropped 20lbs

Player T has learned to dribble with his left hand

Player G has really improved his hands and can catch everything.

Player M is going to be an All American when he is a Senior


I tease, but every year this is typically the report.  Players should get better with age.  Should get in better shape.  Tend to do some pretty amazing things in this setting. Good for the kids, good for the fans.  Ultimately will know when the season comes around.

[bilsu]

The first thing I noticed about Burton was that he had both of his legs wrapped (I suppose there is a better term for this) and it seemed like his legs were bothering him. He started kind of slow and then went out and did a lot of stretching. At that point I wondered if he could play a whole season. However, when he came back in after stretching whatever seemed to bother him was no longer apparent and he became very actice. The second thing I noticed about him was his hands. He has great hands like Gardner.  Hands that means a rebound is his if he gets his hands on it and if you pass him the ball and he will catch it. Hands is something you cannot coach. The last thing that became apparent to me was his two guard skills. In the second half he pushed the ball up court a couple of times and then he buried three straight threes. He appeared to be ready to go for a fourth straight three when he got fouled before he went into shooting motion. He easily gets a foot above the rim on some of his dunks. Unless he is absolutely horrible on defense he is going to play a lot this year.

[AZWarrior]

Player Y is hitting everything in site
Player Z has dropped 20lbs
Player T has learned to dribble with his left hand
Player G has really improved his hands and can catch everything.
Player M is going to be an All American when he is a Senior

Yeah - but it's so much fun!  And besides, we're fan(atic)s.  So we don't have to be rational.   

[real chili 83]

Last year, if I recall correctly, Junior hit a billion three pointers, and scored a zillion points.

The pro-am is strictly entertainment.

[Ellenson Guerrero]

Last year, if I recall correctly, Junior hit a billion three pointers, and scored a zillion points.

The pro-am is strictly entertainment.

Well obviously you are an idiot if you give any weight to the stats at the Pro-Am. But if you actually go to the games you can get a nice up close view of MU players offensive skill sets. They typically dominate the ball for their teams and get to showcase their skills perhaps more than they do in real games. Can be helpful in thinking about how a player may develop. You take the setting for what it is and try to think about what skills would actually transfer to a Big East game.

[bilsu]

When I watch the newcomers I compared their skills to the newcomers in the prior Pro Am's. It seemed to me that Juan Anderson as an incoming freshmen had more talent than Jones did the year before. It appeared to me that Steve Taylor as an incoming freshmen was more physically ready than Juan was year before. Burton appears to have more talent than Taylor. You could also see Gardner's talent, but it was also apparent that he had trouble getting up and down the floor. You get to see what the players will try to do when the coach does not have them under his thumb. Coaches tone all the players down and the players do not get to take the shots they want when they are in an actual game. That is why Thomas looks so much better in pro am. He can take any shot he wants whenever he wants. When he is on the floor in Buzz's offense he has to think pass first. By time he is done thinking pass it is to late for him to shoot. As far as scoring you can take the pro am average and divide it by 3 and it will approximate a starter's average. Subtract 5 from that number and you will get a reserves average. For example if Mayo averages 30 in pro am he will average 10 as a starter or 5 as a reserve. This of course is not totally accurate, but it puts the high scoring in pro am into perspective.

[Golden Avalanche]

Well obviously you are an idiot if you give any weight to the stats at the Pro-Am. But if you actually go to the games you can get a nice up close view of MU players offensive skill sets. They typically dominate the ball for their teams and get to showcase their skills perhaps more than they do in real games. Can be helpful in thinking about how a player may develop. You take the setting for what it is and try to think about what skills would actually transfer to a Big East game.

Exactly. Which is why extrapolating anything to the "real" games would be idiotic.

[Ellenson Guerrero]

Exactly. Which is why extrapolating anything to the "real" games would be idiotic.

I think you can recognize that they are playing a different brand of basketball at the Pro-Am and still come away with some useful insights into a player's game. I don't think it is idiotic to watch a player dribble, pass, and shoot in order to garner an opinion about a player's skill set.

[Golden Avalanche]

I think you can recognize that they are playing a different brand of basketball at the Pro-Am and still come away with some useful insights into a player's game. I don't think it is idiotic to watch a player dribble, pass, and shoot in order to garner an opinion about a player's skill set.

Within the context of a "real" game or official practice, no. Out of context in an open gym setting, yes.

My buddy can pull women all night long in a meat market's last call. Doesn't mean that skill set translates to a day pull from a coffee shop. Different settings lead to different talents showing. The only setting that matters for MU basketball are "real" games.

Far too many summer league stars have been more productive riding the pine then shining the hardwood to take it that seriously for skill evaluation.

[Ellenson Guerrero]

Obviously context matters and you need to keep it in mind when watching the games. If your buddy is landing women by buying shots at 2am that obviously is different than if he's leaving at 12:30 after an hour conversation with a young lady. So when I watch the Pro-Am, I discount Jake's threes because he's shooting against shorter opponents who are sagging off. But I could still glean something when I saw Otule converting six foot left handed hook shots last summer.

The Pro-Am is mostly about satiating that fix for MU basketball during the summer. But I still think that if you look closely you can see players' progression and potential for the winter.

[MUCrew]

Not sure if this was posted, but here are some highlights from the ProAm (looks like it was just day 1):

http://midwestballers.com/marquette-players-show-out-at-the-milwaukee-pro-am/

[muwarrior69]

Who is the guy doing the play by play at the mike?

[AZWarrior]

Did you see #97 with his alley oop feed?

He's a "Point Center", I tell you!