MU player opinions

[fjm]

I have a question if y’all will entertain me. (And NO I’m not heiseys son or relative  )

Over the last 4 years I would suspect most people’s answer to this question:
Who is the best player on the team?
And who is the most important player on this team?
Would have been Howard and Howard (or maybe a Hauser in there)

Here’s my question for this team:

Who is the best player?

Who is most important?
And why for those two?

(I’m just curious because I suspect for the first time in a long time we will get a wide variety of answers)

I’ll start: best: DJ
Because I think he drives the team, controls the tempo and clearly is able to direct the team.

Important?
Theo. Theo being on the court for almost full games is allowing for rebounds, hook shots and great D. But it also allows for someone like JL to play as a big 4 and not have to be down low defending.

[MU24]

Best Player: DJ

Most important: Theo

DJ reminds me of the Point Guards of old for Buzz's Marquette teams. I agree with FJM, those teams relied on those "engine PGs" to dictate tempo and flow.

[Dr. Blackheart]

This is going to sound like a bit of a soft response, but I don't know that we will have a best player....and I think that is very good. For example, MU has five players in the top 23 in the BE in defensive rebounding %. And, we have had different players step up offensively in each game.

Most important I would say Garcia. If he gets on a consistent roll, he is a tough inside out match-up. That opens a lot for the others, including DJ and Koby on dribble penetration.

[Skatastrophy]

Most important I would say Garcia. If he gets on a consistent roll, he is a tough inside out match-up. That opens a lot for the others, including DJ and Koby on dribble penetration.

+1

MU doesn't have an offensive identity yet, and what I hope to land on is getting Lewis/Garcia a paint touch every possession. Turn them into aircraft carriers

[dgies9156]

   Best Player:  DJ Carton

   Most Improved:  Theo

   Most important: Justin and Dawson (tie)

Maybe it's blue and gold colored glasses, but as DJ goes, so goes our team. He has to be the one who runs the offense, dishes to our front line and ultimately, leads this team. If he is not as advertised, we barely break .500. He was a vital cog in downing Bucky Badger and if he did nothing else, he drew the foul from the Roadkill flop -- though it would have been nice to see him hit that second free throw!

Theo is becoming a latter day Maurice Lucas down low. Control the fouls and limit the dribbling and this guy has a chance to be truly awesome. See what happens when you don't have a wrist injury.

The most important is fairly obvious. The impact these guys already have had on our team is tremendous and we can only hope they continue in 2021. If they do, look-out! We'll be a Top 3 BEast team this year and a threat for an NCAA Championship next year.

[MUfan12]

Best: Lewis. Versatile, athletic, one of the few guys that can score from all over the floor. Can handle physicality in a way that Garcia can't yet.

Most important: DJ. Having a PG that can get downhill can really open things up.

[Juan Anderson's Mixtape]

Too early to say who the best player is, but I think Carton is the most important.   He's the one guy who can create something out of nothing, both for himself and others.  And he's a good defender to boot.

[PGsHeroes32]

   Best Player:  DJ Carton

   Most Improved:  Theo

   Most important: Justin and Dawson (tie)

Maybe it's blue and gold colored glasses, but as DJ goes, so goes our team. He has to be the one who runs the offense, dishes to our front line and ultimately, leads this team. If he is not as advertised, we barely break .500. He was a vital cog in downing Bucky Badger and if he did nothing else, he drew the foul from the Roadkill flop -- though it would have been nice to see him hit that second free throw!

Theo is becoming a latter day Maurice Lucas down low. Control the fouls and limit the dribbling and this guy has a chance to be truly awesome. See what happens when you don't have a wrist injury.

The most important is fairly obvious. The impact these guys already have had on our team is tremendous and we can only hope they continue in 2021. If they do, look-out! We'll be a Top 3 BEast team this year and a threat for an NCAA Championship next year.

That screams "most important" to me.

Which I would agree with. DJ is our most important player imo. We need a good PG to run the show for this offense.

[Dr. Blackheart]

That screams "most important" to me.

Which I would agree with. DJ is our most important player imo. We need a good PG to run the show for this offense.

This will be interesting to watch. Wojo and the Duke system like combo guards. One could argue Derrick Wilson has been the only true PG who has started for Wojo. Wojo converted Du to a shooting guard. And, in the past, he has used the 3 as the dribble penetrator.

That said, he started DJ as a PG versus Bucky and the results were good. Let's see how that looks versus a zone which is why I think Garcia is the most important.

[bilsu]

Lewis

[Lennys Tap]

I think it’s too early to tell. Multiple candidates for both.

And I think that’s a good thing

[Not A Serious Person]

I will edit my son's post a bit ...

The most surprising player is Cain.  His rise to prominence this year reminds me of Wes Matthews his senior year.  Wes said it was like someone "took a blanket off his head." I wonder if Cain feels the same way?

[Goose]

I think DJ is both for a successful season. The kid is a true PG and am very impressed with him.

[Uncle Rico]

Best player is DJ

Most important is Dawson.  I think he has the highest ceiling of anyone on the team and if he scratches the surface, he can be a Swiss Army knife type player on offense

[Jockey]

That screams "most important" to me.

Which I would agree with. DJ is our most important player imo. We need a good PG to run the show for this offense.

I think you are spot on.

Also, we don't yet know who the best player is. Could be DJ, or Garcia, or JL. I think in another 6 weeks we should know.

[MU82]

DJ is our most important player for certain. If I have to choose our best player right now, that would be Lewis. He's been consistently good, and his production has improved as the quality of the opponent has gotten better.

However, to have a great season, I think we will need DJ to emerge as our best player.

He is showing signs. He's barely played any basketball in the last 10 months. He has good shooting form and his shot will start falling, and he will make better decisions as the season goes on. Love the progress I'm seeing so far.

[MarquetteDano]

Up until the Badger game,  I would have answered Theo was our most important player.  Before that game I thought if he gets injured,  you have two freshmen manning the paint on defense.

Now I feel like Lewis or Garcia,  depending on the game,  could handle Theo's defensive duties.  I really thought we were an injury away from Theo submarining the season.

We would still be in trouble if Theo goes out for the season.  But now I feel like if DJ goes out for the season we will be in more trouble because Greg/Symir/Koby/Dexter just can't bring to the table what DJ will do for us.

[Jables1604]

Too early to say who the best player is, but I think Carton is the most important.   He's the one guy who can create something out of nothing, both for himself and others.  And he's a good defender to boot.

+1000 I think you’ll find out that as he goes so goes our success.

[CountryRoads]

I think DJ is both for a successful season. The kid is a true PG and am very impressed with him.

Agree. MU actually deep at the 4-5 and could throw a lot of different looks so I can’t say Theo is “most” important like others have said. Take DJ off the team and we are in big trouble at the guard spot.