Kolek's Shot

[MuggsyB]

I've never coached but is there something you experts see in his J that is causing some of his probs?  My personal take is that this is mostly a confidence issue.  He's shooting 84% from the stripe.  Anyway, in order to reach our ceiling, which I believe is top 4/5 in the BEast, the rebounding and TK's shooting percentage needs to go up.  Kolek does a lot of good things on the floor and we are at our best when he is on his game.  I just feel if he can find his confidence with his jumper this MU team becomes monumentally more difficult to guard. 

Having watched every team in the BEast I honestly don't think there's much of a separation between the assumed top trio and us.  The difference I see is that our margin for error may be smaller with the rebounding issues.  Nevertheless, I do feel we have the overall personnel to be in that top 5 and that our spurtability is among the best in the conference.   If Kolek in particular can just increase his percentages a bit I feel we're even more explosive and a big problem for our competition.  In other words it takes us from bubble to a solid tourney team Imao.

[tower912]

Coach Smart keeps saying he is the best shooter in practice and in drills.  He shot decently last season.

[Pakuni]

I've never coached but is there something you experts see in his J that is causing some of his probs?  My personal take is that this is mostly a confidence issue.  He's shooting 84% from the stripe.  Anyway, in order to reach our ceiling, which I believe is top 4/5 in the BEast, the rebounding and TK's shooting percentage needs to go up.  Kolek does a lot of good things on the floor and we are at our best when he is on his game.  I just feel if he can find his confidence with his jumper this MU team becomes monumentally more difficult to guard. 

Why do some people insist on Kolek being something he''s not? He's not a shooter. Don't force him to be one. It's not a coincidence that MU has gone on this four-game run with TK shooting less.
Over the past four games, he's taken a total of 22 shots, 10 from three.
In the previous four losses, 34 shots, 18 from three.

Could he develop into a better shooter over the next couple of seasons? Sure. But right now, let him do what he does best.

[MuggsyB]

Coach Smart keeps saying he is the best shooter in practice and in drills.  He shot decently last season.

I know, but he's really struggling this season.  And they're clean looks.  The thing is it changes everything in our h-c offense if he can score the ball consistently.  He's a tremendous distributor.  I just feel we will have more space to operate, guys will get better shots each possession, and defenses can't ignore him, if he can hit some threes along with the floater.

[Scoop Snoop]

I've never coached but is there something you experts see in his J that is causing some of his probs?  My personal take is that this is mostly a confidence issue.  He's shooting 84% from the stripe.  Anyway, in order to reach our ceiling, which I believe is top 4/5 in the BEast, the rebounding and TK's shooting percentage needs to go up.  Kolek does a lot of good things on the floor and we are at our best when he is on his game.  I just feel if he can find his confidence with his jumper this MU team becomes monumentally more difficult to guard. 

Having watched every team in the BEast I honestly don't think there's much of a separation between the assumed top trio and us.  The difference I see is that our margin for error may be smaller with the rebounding issues.  Nevertheless, I do feel we have the overall personnel to be in that top 5 and that our spurtability is among the best in the conference.   If Kolek in particular can just increase his percentages a bit I feel we're even more explosive and a big problem for our competition.  In other words it takes us from bubble to a solid tourney team Imao.

"Spurtability" Muggs?  OK, what other teams are competing with us on spurtability?

Not sure why Kolek has had shooting problems in games but he is definitely getting better (yeah, I know-in a couple of games he could not have gotten much worse) but as you stated, he does a LOT of good things on the floor.

[Pakuni]

Coach Smart keeps saying he is the best shooter in practice and in drills.  He shot decently last season.

[MuggsyB]

Why do some people insist on Kolek being something he''s not? He's not a shooter. Don't force him to be one. It's not a coincidence that MU has gone on this four-game run with TK shooting less.
Over the past four games, he's taken a total of 22 shots, 10 from three.
In the previous four losses, 34 shots, 18 from three.

Could he develop into a better shooter over the next couple of seasons? Sure. But right now, let him do what he does best.

I'm not insisting on anything Pakumi.  It's about shooting better than his percentages which to put it mildly are not good.  Nowhere have I suggested he become a volume shooter or look to be one of our top scorers.  I'm essentially hoping he can give us something like 3-7 or 4-9 in games, regardless if he takes threes, in lieu of what his percentage is currently. 

[panda]

We need him to make layups and midrange pull up to keep defenses honest on the pick and roll. Everything else is gravy.

[The Sultan]

I think his shot looks fine.  Regardless, he isn't going to mess with any mechanics in January.  We just gotta hope that they start to fall, which I blame a combination of speed of the game at this level and confidence. 

[MuggsyB]

We need him to make layups and midrange pull up to keep defenses honest on the pick and roll. Everything else is gravy.

Perhaps this is more realistic and a better more simple analysis. 

[21Jumpstreet]

Fitness and mentality. His mechanics are fine, he's clearly a good player. He's being asked to do a lot, and his shooting is what is suffering. Yesterday, his mental strength was not up to his standards nor was his fitness level (perhaps he is under the weather) and it affected his game. I'm not sold he is or isn't a shooter yet.

[GB Warrior]

Why do some people insist on Kolek being something he''s not? He's not a shooter. Don't force him to be one. It's not a coincidence that MU has gone on this four-game run with TK shooting less.
Over the past four games, he's taken a total of 22 shots, 10 from three.
In the previous four losses, 34 shots, 18 from three.

Could he develop into a better shooter over the next couple of seasons? Sure. But right now, let him do what he does best.

Don't think he needs to be a lights out shooter - just needs to be a threat to hit if left open. Don't do that and his passing windows start closing.

[MuggsyB]

"Spurtability" Muggs?  OK, what other teams are competing with us on spurtability?

Not sure why Kolek has had shooting problems in games but he is definitely getting better (yeah, I know-in a couple of games he could not have gotten much worse) but as you stated, he does a LOT of good things on the floor.

My definition of spurtability is a team capable of inflicting damage, with a medieval type arsenal, that directly leads to buckets in heavy numbers.  Meaning 15-2 spurts or what have you.  MU can field a line-up with multiple guys, from multiple spots, that fit this description.  Nova can also go ballistic with small ball but do not have an interior player.  UCONN probably has the most explosive roster with their inside/outside game and Xavier also has their moments.  However, I think JLew gives MU a bit of an X-factor.  Regardless, we are 1-3 in my spurtability rankings.

[The Sultan]

My definition of spurtability is a team capable of inflicting damage, with a medieval type arsenal, that directly leads to buckets in heavy numbers.

What does this even mean?

[The Sultan]

Fitness and mentality. His mechanics are fine, he's clearly a good player. He's being asked to do a lot, and his shooting is what is suffering. Yesterday, his mental strength was not up to his standards nor was his fitness level (perhaps he is under the weather) and it affected his game. I'm not sold he is or isn't a shooter yet.

I think SHU's interior length was a big issue for him yesterday too.

[Goose]

Muggsy

We once had a program that accomplished your goal virtually every game for a 13 year period. I am 100% in on that style of basketball. It will happen, maybe not this year, but we will have that type of program shortly.

[Pakuni]

Don't think he needs to be a lights out shooter - just needs to be a threat to hit if left open. Don't do that and his passing windows start closing.

Conventional wisdom says you're right, but the results are the results. MU is playing really well right now, and it's not because Kolek is shooting better.
One could argue (I know, I know ... causation/correlation) that it's at least in part because he's shooting less.

[JakeBarnes]

What does this even mean?

I think it means Kolek needs to have a mace and a shield?

[The Sultan]

I think it means Kolek needs to have a mace and a shield?

Also a trebuchet would be pretty intimidating.

[JakeBarnes]

Also a trebuchet would be pretty intimidating.

A trebuchet would definitely help scoring from deep.

[willie warrior]

I've never coached but is there something you experts see in his J that is causing some of his probs?  My personal take is that this is mostly a confidence issue.  He's shooting 84% from the stripe.  Anyway, in order to reach our ceiling, which I believe is top 4/5 in the BEast, the rebounding and TK's shooting percentage needs to go up.  Kolek does a lot of good things on the floor and we are at our best when he is on his game.  I just feel if he can find his confidence with his jumper this MU team becomes monumentally more difficult to guard. 

Having watched every team in the BEast I honestly don't think there's much of a separation between the assumed top trio and us.  The difference I see is that our margin for error may be smaller with the rebounding issues.  Nevertheless, I do feel we have the overall personnel to be in that top 5 and that our spurtability is among the best in the conference.   If Kolek in particular can just increase his percentages a bit I feel we're even more explosive and a big problem for our competition.  In other words it takes us from bubble to a solid tourney team Imao.

he does not follow through in a smooth motion and has no lift to it. It appears to not have enough elevation, more like he is jerking it on a flat trajectory.

[NotAnAlum]

Why do some people insist on Kolek being something he''s not? He's not a shooter.

Something he's not???  Last year at George Mason he WAS a shooter.  He hit 35% of his 3s and 3/4 of his attempts were 3 pointers so he WAS a long range snipper.  What he was not last year was much of a distributor.  That is what he has become this year and its good for the team that he has.  that extra load has cut down on his 3 point shooting.  So he WAS a very good shooter and its certainly reasonable for people to hope he can do both.  But its his point guard distribution skills where we have asked him to be something he wasn't and so far its worked.

[Scoop Snoop]

A trebuchet would definitely help scoring from deep.

Let's go back to being the Warriors and have Joan of Arc as our mascot. She could ride out onto the court on a huge horse and in full armor, charging at the opponents during time outs or scaring the crap out of coaches like Cooley. If a bat terrified him, just think what Joan of Arc swinging a sword and charging at him with her horse would do. Better yet, imagine if she was there yesterday when Williard wouldn't shut up?

[Elonsmusk]

I think he's a little sped up, still adjusting to the uptick in high major athleticism, AND being asked to do so much as the PG.  He played off the ball primarily last year.

His shot does seem a little flat, and his form reminds me a bit of Michael Redd - seems to be a bit of a slingshot, flatter release than traditional form. 

I think he'll improve and is a better shooter than what we've seen so far, but his playmaking/vision are incredible asset to the team.  He's also a solid on-ball defender.

[MuggsyB]

Stop mocking me Fluffy.  Scoop Snoop asked for a definition and I explained it perfectly.