[PaintTouches]Why Derrick Wilson is not to blame for the MU offense

[PaintTouchesSays]

Why Derrick Wilson is not to blame for the MU offense

Every team not playing in a postseason tournament has its scapegoat, and there’s no denying who the public has deemed the cause for Marquette’s woes in 2013-14. But is it justified? Derrick Wilson was expected to enter the starting point guard role after playing Junior Cadougan’s understudy as a freshman and sophomore. The two players […]<img alt="" border="0" src="http://stats.wordpress.com/b.gif?host=painttouches.com&blog=28348875&post=11493&subd=painttouches&ref=&feed=1" width="1" height="1" />

Source: Why Derrick Wilson is not to blame for the MU offense

[ChitownSpaceForRent]

Cue Ners in 3, 2, 1...

[tower912]

Yeah, this should be fun.    I guess it goes without saying that I agree with most of it. 

[GoldenWarrior11]

Well written article.  I will not blame any individual player, as teams win and lose together, but having said that, winning teams do not have a starting point guard (who plays 31 minutes a game) and shoots 7% from 3PT% and 44% from FT%.  Derrick did his best this season.  That's all anyone can ask.  Hopefully he puts in the work this summer and improves upon those numbers.

[Windyplayer]

Good article. The problem was in a down offensive year for the team, Wilson's ineptitude on that end of the floor was magnified, big time. I definitely agree with the paragraph on Jamil Wilson--he got away relatively unscathed when it came to criticism compared to D. Wilson. He was postiively dreadful--including two clanks at the end of the Xavier BEast tourney game.

My only beef with the article is the quote,  "Perhaps Dawson could have done more in extended minutes, but it’s unlikely." That's a little flippant for my liking. Dawson did indeed have flahses of greatness so who's to say that he couldn't have showed that in extended stretches while developing into a trustworthy point guard. I know he's not Mayo, but look what he did once he started seeing the floor more. The fact is nobody knows what what Dawson would have done in extended minutes--so to say that it's unlikely that he would have had success is totally unfair (if only extrapolated from a tiny sample size).

[tower912]

I like that Strottie says that Deonte should have gotten more minutes.   IMO, he should have been the 5th starter, along with the Wilson's, Jake, and CO.   Gotten another offensive minded player into the starting line up.   Mayo comes in for either him or Jake.    Juan comes in for defensive minutes for Jamil with Gardner and Mayo in the game.    Ah, well.    Bygones. 

[Windyplayer]

Maybe this is wishful thinking. But is it possible that D. Wilson just shoots thousands of jumpers a day in the offseason and becomes a signficantly better shooter. I'd be curious to know what he's done in the past to improve his shooting and how often he does it. I would just think that an athletic guy like himself would be able to will himself to become a better shooter if he really set his mind to it. Is this ignorant?

[starting5]

Good article. The problem was in a down offensive year for the team, Wilson's ineptitude on that end of the floor was magnified, big time. I definitely agree with the paragraph on Jamil Wilson--he got away relatively unscathed when it came to criticism compared to D. Wilson. He was postiively dreadful--including two clanks at the end of the Xavier BEast tourney game.

My only beef with the article is the quote,  "Perhaps Dawson could have done more in extended minutes, but it’s unlikely." That's a little flippant for my liking. Dawson did indeed have flahses of greatness so who's to say that he couldn't have showed that in extended stretches while developing into a trustworthy point guard. I know he's not Mayo, but look what he did once he started seeing the floor more. The fact is nobody knows what what Dawson would have done in extended minutes--so to say that it's unlikely that he would have had success is totally unfair (if only extrapolated from a tiny sample size).


When Dawson did get extended minutes he did do more. 

[UticaBusBarn]

One of the most important responsibilities that a parent/teacher/coach has is to push and help a child/student/player reach his, or her, full potential.

However, when a kid is pushed beyond his limits, it can do real damage to his sense of self-worth and confidence.

Derrick had less confidence at the last five games of the season than he did at any point during the season. In contrast, Jake Thomas during the 32 game season grew and pretty much reached his full potential.

I can't help but believe that Coach Williams asked way too much of Wilson, and played him way too many minutes. Wilson did not defend as well at the end of this season as he did as a sophomore. There were times when he was obviously gassed, but he was not pulled off the floor. His shooting the last five games ... well, what can you say - nonexistent? The "there was no alternative" is ingenuous.  

I am a great fan of PT, and I appreciate what you are trying to do in this article. However, look at valueadded.com, or apply the in-depth analysis you have done in the past. If one takes 58 percent of his shoots from around the rim and has a shooting percentage of 44 percent, while playing 30 plus minutes, what does it tell you?

It tells me that Coach Williams may have done a great disservice to what seems to be a hell of good kid, who works his ass off, and who is obviously a great team-mate.

[4th and State]

This team just had too many flaws.  You could point at any single player as a problem and you would be right.  I love DG and think the guy is a beast, but he leaves a lot to be desired on defense.  Jamil....where do I even start?  Those two missed free throws in the BET were a reflection of his Senior season.  Derrick...well known flaws.  Juan is a good defender, but a liability on offense.  And the list just goes on and on.

To top it all off the team appeared to have no leader, though you could make a case Todd stepped in to that role later in the season.  

[Eldon]

One of the most important responsibilities that a parent/teacher/coach has is to push and help a child/student/player reach his, or her, full potential.

However, when a kid is pushed beyond his limits, it can do real damage to his sense of self-worth and confidence.

Derrick had less confidence at the last five games of the season than he did at any point during the season. In contrast, Jake Thomas during the 32 game season grew and pretty much reached his full potential.

I can't help but believe that Coach Williams asked way too much of Wilson, and played him way too many minutes. Wilson did not defend as well at the end of this season as he did as a sophomore. There were times when he was obviously gassed, but he was not pulled off the floor. His shooting the last five games ... well, what can you say - nonexistent? The "there was no alternative" is ingenuous.  

I am a great fan of PT, and I appreciate what you are trying to do in this article. However, look at valueadded.com, or apply the in-depth analysis you have done in the past. If one takes 58 percent of his shoots from around the rim and has a shooting percentage of 44 percent, while playing 30 plus minutes, what does it tell you?

It tells me that Coach Williams may have done a great disservice to what seems to be a hell of good kid, who works his ass off, and who is obviously a great team-mate.

+1,000 on post 1,000

[Eldon]

It is not fair to Dawson to compare his numbers to Dwil's.  Dawson's numbers would have likely improved as the season went on (through natural maturation, game-time experience analyzed in film, etc.), while Dwil's, as we saw, did not.

Dwil's man sags on defense, which clogs the lane for Mayo/paint for Gardner.  Dawson's man can't afford to sag.  Compare the two PGs along that dimension.

[Blackhat]

Wilson screwed up our offense by allowing teams to sag off him and clog the lane and help d easier.

[NersEllenson]

One word to Paint Touches analysis:  Nonsense. 

Here's where the real answers lie:  http://www.muscoop.com/index.php?topic=42641.0

Everyone seemed to overlook Sugar's analysis...which I've attached here.  Do you really believe losing Vander Blue and Trent Lockett is what explains our plummet in ranking in eFG% this season?? Ranked 112 in the nation last year, and fell all the way to 223 this year...far and away the worst ranking in Buzz's tenure..our offense ranked 78th in the country, after ranking 25 last year....and in Buzz's other seasons:  12, 22, 21,52.  Did Buzz all of a sudden forget how to coach offense??  What's different this past season??  Fell 53 spots nationally in Offensive Ranking??  Was Trent Lockett a model of offensive efficiency?  It's already been shown Mayo played more efficiently in every category this past season than Vander...so let's not say its the loss of Vander to blame....the sole reason is the loss of Junior Cadougan....put him on this team and it is an NCAA tourney in the blink of an eye...

[Dawson Rental]

Strotty is a good guy, I swear.  Please don't lynch him.

[NersEllenson]

Strotty is a good guy, I swear.  Please don't lynch him.

I don't have any issue with Strotty...and don't doubt he's a good guy...and generally does a great job with his analysis.  Being as close in age as he is to the players, and as close to the program as he is....it is hard to write a critical piece...and Buzz of course has been the leader in the defend Derrick camp/Derrick's biggest cheerleader..so hard to be in Strotty's place and write a damning article on Derrick.  Obviously, Strotty wants to have an amicable relationship with Buzz...and Buzz is very tuned in to what is written about his team...and I don't doubt for a second Strotty doesn't want to draw the wrath of Buzz...

I say that from the perspective of when I was very close to the program during my college years...albeit not in a "media" capacity...that it is hard to be critical of anyone that you work closely with/near in the setting of college athletics...

[willie warrior]

Ok--Buzz is to blame, and he continues to slobber all over Derrick.

[Silkk the Shaka]

If you're a high major PG getting 30+ mpg and you go 0/5 (0%) from three and 20/54 (37%) from the FT line in conference play wihtout an astronomical assist rate, you're probably a large part of the offensive problem.

Note that I made no reference to defense above, as that is not what the discussion is about, so it is irrelevant.

[BCHoopster]

I did not even read the article as there is only one or two people who should be criticized, the assistant who thought he could play and Buzz saying OK lets go after him.  Derrick is a very nice kid that his talent is really Division 2 or 3 ability.  You can not play 4 on 5 and on this team with Juan in, 3 on 5. He probably could play for the Badgers as they have good offensive players all around.  Never seen a kid rush the ball up the court so quickly but once there backed it out all the time as he had no idea how to create a shot for his teammates or for himself.  The worst shooter of any point guard in the country, go watch, them all this weekend and find one worse, coaches fault, no one other.  The entertainment value was really low, hard to watch this team.

[TAMU, Knower of Ball]

Well written article. Matches what I've been saying all year. Expectations. No one should have expected more of Derrick Wilson. We knew what we were getting when Junior left. I know I at least expected a lot more out of other players.

[BCHoopster]

Well written article. Matches what I've been saying all year. Expectations. No one should have expected more of Derrick Wilson. We knew what we were getting when Junior left. I know I at least expected a lot more out of other players.

Agreed, but did you really think he would be that bad?  I am sure not.  Truly he was bad.  Badgers have 2 points better, UW for sure as one and GB not even close.

[TAMU, Knower of Ball]

I did not even read the article as there is only one or two people who should be criticized, the assistant who thought he could play and Buzz saying OK lets go after him.  Derrick is a very nice kid that his talent is really Division 2 or 3 ability.  You can not play 4 on 5 and on this team with Juan in, 3 on 5. He probably could play for the Badgers as they have good offensive players all around.  Never seen a kid rush the ball up the court so quickly but once there backed it out all the time as he had no idea how to create a shot for his teammates or for himself.  The worst shooter of any point guard in the country, go watch, them all this weekend and find one worse, coaches fault, no one other.  The entertainment value was really low, hard to watch this team.

He averaged 20+ ppg in high school and was ranked as the #30 PG in his class. I don't really blame Buzz for giving him a shot

[TAMU, Knower of Ball]

Agreed, but did you really think he would be that bad?  I am sure not.  Truly he was bad.  Badgers have 2 points better, UW for sure as one and GB not even close.

Go back and check my post history. I predicted apx. 4.5 ppg, 3.5 rpg, and 4.0 apg. He exceeded my expectations. However, I didn't anticipate how much the sagging defense would impact the offense.

[BCHoopster]

He averaged 20+ ppg in high school and was ranked as the #30 PG in his class. I don't really blame Buzz for giving him a shot

Really, he is physically able to go inside and score on high school kids, has an NFL body, but I think any coach can see if a kid has the ability to score from the outside.  Ratings mean nothing,
after the first 20 kids in the Top 100, most of them struggle the first few years in college, different game.  His free throw form is atrocious. I bet there is not one girl on the womens team that is worse then him.

[PuertoRicanNightmare]

Thank you for writing this.