Duane Wilson Poised For Breakout Season

[Herman Cain]

This whole thing about Duane seems to be where message board types fall in love with the new guy (Howard) or hear whispers about the abilities of the transfer (Rowsey), when in reality the guy whose played a lot over the past two years is probably still going to play a lot.  (Duane)

I would be shocked if, barring injury, his minutes were significantly less than in prior years.

Duane has the confidence of the coaches.

[Freeport Warrior]

This whole thing about Duane seems to be where message board types fall in love with the new guy (Howard) or hear whispers about the abilities of the transfer (Rowsey), when in reality the guy whose played a lot over the past two years is probably still going to play a lot.  (Duane)

I would be shocked if, barring injury, his minutes were significantly less than in prior years.

I'm sure I'll get roasted for this, but I just don't like Duane's game. Never have. I don't like his shoot-first mentality and lack of hitting the open man. Don't like his dropped shoulders when he gets taken out. I would rather play the right way, lose and know that we will be getting better the next year because of it. Duane has made some shots that took balls, but a lot of them were dumb shots that went in. I'm not going off of some advanced metrics or formulas, just my eyes. I like Cheatham's game. Similarly, I like the way Howard plays. I can see them growing "together." I just watch Duane and think he is a lone wolf who always "has to get his." Maybe maturity takes care of that, I don't know. But I would love to see Markus and Haanif get a ton of the minutes together. Just my opinion.

[brandx]

I'm sure I'll get roasted for this, but I just don't like Duane's game. Never have. I don't like his shoot-first mentality and lack of hitting the open man. Don't like his dropped shoulders when he gets taken out. I would rather play the right way, lose and know that we will be getting better the next year because of it. Duane has made some shots that took balls, but a lot of them were dumb shots that went in. I'm not going off of some advanced metrics or formulas, just my eyes. I like Cheatham's game. Similarly, I like the way Howard plays. I can see them growing "together." I just watch Duane and think he is a lone wolf who always "has to get his." Maybe maturity takes care of that, I don't know. But I would love to see Markus and Haanif get a ton of the minutes together. Just my opinion.

You probably will get roasted by some. I have when I have said very similar things about Duane.

[Herman Cain]

I'm sure I'll get roasted for this, but I just don't like Duane's game. Never have. I don't like his shoot-first mentality and lack of hitting the open man. Don't like his dropped shoulders when he gets taken out. I would rather play the right way, lose and know that we will be getting better the next year because of it. Duane has made some shots that took balls, but a lot of them were dumb shots that went in. I'm not going off of some advanced metrics or formulas, just my eyes. I like Cheatham's game. Similarly, I like the way Howard plays. I can see them growing "together." I just watch Duane and think he is a lone wolf who always "has to get his." Maybe maturity takes care of that, I don't know. But I would love to see Markus and Haanif get a ton of the minutes together. Just my opinion.

Duane has the coaches confidence. This article after a poor shooting performance demonstrates it. So he will always be a gunner.

http://www.jsonline.com/sports/goldeneagles/extra-gym-time-paying-off-for-marquettes-duane-wilson-b99659145z1-366644981.html

I think his minutes will not change and he may have better shot selection this year, although I have nothing to base that assumption on.

[ChitownSpaceForRent]

What the hell is "playing the right way" nowadays? Curry and Klay jack up shots from pretty much half court but I don't see anyone complaining about that. Suddenly being aggressive is a bad thing? I mean, it's not like we had a surplus of guys who could score the ball last year.

[Herman Cain]

What the hell is "playing the right way" nowadays? Curry and Klay jack up shots from pretty much half court but I don't see anyone complaining about that. Suddenly being aggressive is a bad thing? I mean, it's not like we had a surplus of guys who could score the ball last year.

When it comes down to the clutch Duane is fearless.

[brandx]

What the hell is "playing the right way" nowadays? Curry and Klay jack up shots from pretty much half court but I don't see anyone complaining about that. Suddenly being aggressive is a bad thing? I mean, it's not like we had a surplus of guys who could score the ball last year.

You're comparing Duane's shot selection to two of the greatest long range shooters ever?

Um .... if Duane was even in the same universe as those two, Wojo would let him shoot 25 times a game.

[brewcity77]

I'm sure I'll get roasted for this, but I just don't like Duane's game. Never have. I don't like his shoot-first mentality and lack of hitting the open man.

Duane definitely has bonehead moments. There are quite a few times he makes me want to throw my remote at the screen. But I love the fearlessness. I love that he could go 0/7 and still will want the ball with full confidence on the final possession.

The decision making will need to improve for him to keep his minutes, but he's not the first kid who didn't have it all figured out as a sophomore. I'm cautiously optimistic, but also glad that we have a wealth of options.

[Freeport Warrior]

What the hell is "playing the right way" nowadays? Curry and Klay jack up shots from pretty much half court but I don't see anyone complaining about that. Suddenly being aggressive is a bad thing? I mean, it's not like we had a surplus of guys who could score the ball last year.

To me "playing the right way" means hitting the open man in rhythm and making one more pass. It means not taking stupid shots or forcing it. It means feeding the hot hand (that's not your own) and it means being a great teammate whether you are in the game, or coming out.

The "clutch" thing you guys are talking about also makes me laugh. He took a ton of horrible shots last year that had Wojo fuming. He hit a few at the end. I would personally rather have a squad trained to selflessly make the extra pass and miss that open shot than to hit a few lucky ones. That is what I mean to "play the right way." I would rather sacrifice "lucky" or "clutch" shots today and build a great team to win tomorrow and beyond. My vision for MU is to get to a Final Four sooner than later. Having guys who play for the back of the jersey more than the front is temporary enjoyment. Duane has been gunning since HS and my feeling now is that having a gunner who doesn't make others better is not a good thing for my long-term vision of success.

You don't have to agree with me, I just don't like how he plays. He is definitely talented, but IMO, he will hold back the development of this team if he plays a major role.

[Disco Hippie]

I agree. Duane is a very solid player.  He may not have developed last year like we would like, but he still put up very solid numbers.  Expecting a freshman or transfer to come in and displace his raw ability and proven success is a bit absurd.

Duane has the advantage of being able to grow from averaging 12 ppg against D1 competition in a system he has played in for 2 years; the other players have to adapt to that new level of competition, learn a new system, adapt to a new University setting and grow from high school ball. 

I'll take the proven player first and expect his performance to improve and his minutes to stay relatively constant...28 mpg.

Well said Forgetful!  Breakout year or not, Duane will be a key contributor this season.  I don't see his stats growing significantly but that's ok and probably expected given the composition of the roster.  Even as 6th man, who will realistically displace his minutes? And as you say, his experience in the system and leadership will be called upon often.  As much as I love JjJ, who we all I think expect big things from next year, Duane is a more natural leader.  That said, Freeport makes some very valid points on Duane's negatives that I can't argue with.  Hopefully the coaching staff can reign that in this season as he'll have more options to distribute to.   The smart $ on a true breakout season is being placed on Sacar!

[TAMU, Knower of Ball]

The smart $ on a true breakout season is being placed on Sacar!

Well if he does have a breakout season you would look very smart, because there is no reason to bet any money on that.

[GB Warrior]

I am going to hate myself for saying this, but our depth in the backcourt is enough that I hope Wojo starts using the Bo Ryan method and using taxpayer money to bop a masseuse swap a player out for a teaching moment upon a turnover or bad shot. His players practically sat themselves down when they did - senior leaders included

[Loose Cannon]

   The smart $ on a true breakout season is being placed on Sacar!

I don't know about the smart money, but I'm in his corner.  Hope he gets a chance to play the 2 & 3, really doesn't have the height to play the 4.  Maybe this will be the year that shows what he can bring.

[GGGG]

The smart $ on a true breakout season is being placed on Sacar!

Honestly I am having trouble seeing where he gets much playing time.  And if he does, it will likely be based more on his defensive abilities and energy more than anything else.  Think the role that Wally played last year.

[MerrittsMustache]

Some fans still have it in their heads that Duane is a PG and needs to be a play-maker. That's not his role. He's a scorer. He has no conscience and big stones. His biggest strength is his ability to put the ball in the basket. That's his job. He may have the build of a PG but he's not one. Think Eddie House (the NBA version). Sure, he's going to take some bad shots and his "efficiency" isn't always going to be as high as the statheads like to see but that comes with the territory. The sooner fans accept that that's Duane's role, the sooner they'll start to appreciate what he brings to the floor.

[brandx]

Some fans still have it in their heads that Duane is a PG and needs to be a play-maker. That's not his role. He's a scorer. He has no conscience and big stones. His biggest strength is his ability to put the ball in the basket. That's his job. He may have the build of a PG but he's not one. Think Eddie House (the NBA version). Sure, he's going to take some bad shots and his "efficiency" isn't always going to be as high as the statheads like to see but that comes with the territory. The sooner fans accept that that's Duane's role, the sooner they'll start to appreciate what he brings to the floor.

I'm not necessarily disagreeing with your points, Merritts, but he just isn't a good enough shooter to play the role of a shooter.

[MerrittsMustache]

I'm not necessarily disagreeing with your points, Merritts, but he just isn't a good enough shooter to play the role of a shooter.

He's not a shooter. He's a scorer.

NBA Eddie House was the example I used. I fully understand that NCAA-NBA is not entirely apples to apples, but I'm actually surprised how similar their numbers are.

In his 2 years at MU, Duane averaged 16.6 pts/40 with a FG% of 41.0%, eFG% of 49.4%

In 11 NBA seasons, House averaged 17.2 pts/40 with a FG% of 40.9%, eFG% of 49.0%

Duane isn't the type of player you build an offense around and he's ideally suited to be a guy who can provide quick points off the bench. When he's hot, he can carry a team on a given night. When he's cold, he's going to be picking splinters. Most of the time, he'll be somewhere in between.

[4everwarriors]

I'm sure I'll get roasted for this, but I just don't like Duane's game. Never have. I don't like his shoot-first mentality and lack of hitting the open man. Don't like his dropped shoulders when he gets taken out. I would rather play the right way, lose and know that we will be getting better the next year because of it. Duane has made some shots that took balls, but a lot of them were dumb shots that went in. I'm not going off of some advanced metrics or formulas, just my eyes. I like Cheatham's game. Similarly, I like the way Howard plays. I can see them growing "together." I just watch Duane and think he is a lone wolf who always "has to get his." Maybe maturity takes care of that, I don't know. But I would love to see Markus and Haanif get a ton of the minutes together. Just my opinion.

Spot on, bro, hey?

[MUfan12]

To me "playing the right way" means hitting the open man in rhythm and making one more pass. It means not taking stupid shots or forcing it. It means feeding the hot hand (that's not your own) and it means being a great teammate whether you are in the game, or coming out.

You mean like not taking early threes when ahead with under a minute left?

He's always hunting his own shot. I'm hoping he accepts whatever role the staff has in mind for him.

[Freeport Warrior]

You mean like not taking early threes when ahead with under a minute left?

Exactly. But happy that I now know that Duane isn't a point and that he is a scorer.

Watched the WI Swing 16U at Homestead this morning. They are the perfect example of what I am talking about. Probably one, maybe two D1 guys there.  Their fundamentals and IQ just bore you into submission. Their points, shooters and bigs always make one more pass. No way in hell one of those kids take a shot under a minute left with the lead unless it's a wide open back door layup. IQ too high and they no what's at stake. Never get a sense they care at all who scores. That is the kind of team I want. And it's not like I'm against DW, I'll be rooting for him, but I am hoping he let's the game come to him rather than forcing it. And if he loses minutes in order to figure that out, I'm all for it.

Almost forgot -- I am also glad that I know Wojo has confidence in Duane.

[Herman Cain]

Exactly. But happy that I now know that Duane isn't a point and that he is a scorer.

Watched the WI Swing 16U at Homestead this morning. They are the perfect example of what I am talking about. Probably one, maybe two D1 guys there.  Their fundamentals and IQ just bore you into submission. Their points, shooters and bigs always make one more pass. No way in hell one of those kids take a shot under a minute left with the lead unless it's a wide open back door layup. IQ too high and they no what's at stake. Never get a sense they care at all who scores. That is the kind of team I want. And it's not like I'm against DW, I'll be rooting for him, but I am hoping he let's the game come to him rather than forcing it. And if he loses minutes in order to figure that out, I'm all for it.

Almost forgot -- I am also glad that I know Wojo has confidence in Duane.

My view is that Duane has it in him to embrace the fundamentals your describing. That attitude, in part, is why I believe he is poised to move his game to a higher level.

[MUfan12]

My view is that Duane has it in him to embrace the fundamentals your describing. That attitude, in part, is why I believe he is poised to move his game to a higher level.

It's his fourth year in the program. If it hasn't happened by now...

[GGGG]

It's his fourth year in the program. If it hasn't happened by now...

Well I don't know that I necessarily agree with that.  The first year he was injured.  Then he had his coach leave.  He had a good freshman year, but didn't make much progress sophomore year.  Let's see how it goes.  His game can continue to grow.

[Golden Avalanche]

It's his fourth year in the program. If it hasn't happened by now...

Correct.

We all know that saying about spots and stripes with leopards and zebras. Or something.

[MU82]

What the hell is "playing the right way" nowadays? Curry and Klay jack up shots from pretty much half court but I don't see anyone complaining about that. Suddenly being aggressive is a bad thing? I mean, it's not like we had a surplus of guys who could score the ball last year.

First, I hate the phrase "score the ball." A pet peeve of mine. I'm not sure who started tacking on "the ball," but he should be shot. A player isn't scoring the ball; he's scoring points. I hate the phrase "golf shot," too. Yes, Mickelson is golfing; he didn't just execute a bowling shot!

"Score the ball." It's like saying "Patrick Kane can really score the puck."

There. Rant finished. I feel better already.

Now ... Duane ...

I really, really wanted to like him from the moment I heard we got a commitment from him. A 50% shooter from the arc in HS? Yes, thank you! A Milwaukee kid who would help us recruit others? Love it!

He certainly has had his moments: that shot against Providence last year being No. 1, and some nice play as a RS frosh when we had little else going. But he mostly frustrated me as an MU fan last season.

I almost always knew he was going to fire one up the next time down the court if he had gone 3 straight trips without shooting. He has an "It's my turn now" mentality ... whether he is open for a quality shot or not.

Not an especially good passer, ballhandler or defender, and a mostly awful shot selection. Plus, a bit too fast to sulk.

I'm no insider, so I'm just seeing it as a fan, like most others here. What am I missing? (I know, I know, I'm missing that when he gets hot he can really score the ball.)

Given all the additions to the roster, it's near impossible for me to see this as a breakout season for Duane.

I've been wrong before, though, so we'll see!