[Paint Touches] Upgrading the Rolls, Royce Parham makes a leap

[PaintTouches]

It's been a while since I came over to post good news, but what we've seen from Royce Parham the past 3 weeks has me giddy.

LINK HERE

It isn't just that he's scoring more, the makeup of his shots has changed dramatically. This and lots of video evidence in the article.

[mug644]

Nice stuff, Andrei, and it affirms the growing enthusiasm for Royce. Count me in, especially if he can start hitting a bit more from beyond the arc.

I've been harping a bit about how roles for players this year have taken longer to emerge and clarify. And about how I think that Zaide's departure and Sean's injury have actually been helpful to some players and the team overall. You note Royce's increase in playing time and seem to imply that having him be the 4 (with Ben more as a 5, though still often on the perimeter, and with Zaide gone) has made him more comfortable and confident.

Since I don't have the data nor the skills, and even though it's a bit tangent to your specific points about Royce's leap, I wonder if you might pull together a chart (or article!) about how playing time and performance for particular players (notably Nigel and Owens) and the team overall have expanded for the better since Lowery and Jones have been gone/out. Perhaps the timing simply coincides with a degree of cohesion (and desperation?) within the season, but my eye test tells me that players 1-7 (Nigel, Chase, Ben, Stevens, Royce, Owens and even Phillips) have benefitted and stepped up since then. And that it's been not only ok, but good that Hamilton and Norman (along with Jones) are playing less.

[Its DJOver]

He still takes too many threes for not being able to hit consistently. If you're going to take 3.5 a game you need to hit more than 26%. I do like that his 3PAr is down significantly from last year. I call him the "anti-Joplin", don't be a catch-and-shoot player, put the ball on the floor and drive.

[Shooter McGavin]

He still takes too many threes for not being able to hit consistently. If you're going to take 3.5 a game you need to hit more than 26%. I do like that his 3PAr is down significantly from last year. I call him the "anti-Joplin", don't be a catch-and-shoot player, put the ball on the floor and drive.

I get your point, but this year by default is a developmental year and if I were Shaka I would not be taking that arrow out of his quiver yet.   Keep shooting the three, if wide open, and get all the confidence he needs for next year and the following.  He can be a first team all Big East player in future years with a legit three point shot.  Nothing to lose this year. 

[Its DJOver]

I get your point, but this year by default is a developmental year and if I were Shaka I would not be taking that arrow out of his quiver yet.  Keep shooting the three, if wide open, and get all the confidence he needs for next year and the following.  He can be a first team all Big East player in future years with a legit three point shot.  Nothing to lose this year. 

Counterpoint, how often do you see someone not have a three point shot as a Freshman or Sophomore suddenly take a significant leap split-wise as a JR? Sure if it's wide open, and the shot clock is sub 5, you want him firing away, but that situation should not be happening 3.4 times per game.

[tower912]

I appreciate how the entire team, not just Royce, has really emphasized getting to the basket.  And then actually making the lay ups. It coincides with the team being much more competitive.  But they still have to take open 3s.

[willie warrior]

He still takes too many threes for not being able to hit consistently. If you're going to take 3.5 a game you need to hit more than 26%. I do like that his 3PAr is down significantly from last year. I call him the "anti-Joplin", don't be a catch-and-shoot player, put the ball on the floor and drive.

Agreed. he is playing well, except for his loving every 3 point shot he can take. He needs to play down low.

[Shooter McGavin]

Counterpoint, how often do you see someone not have a three point shot as a Freshman or Sophomore suddenly take a significant leap split-wise as a JR? Sure if it's wide open, and the shot clock is sub 5, you want him firing away, but that situation should not be happening 3.4 times per game.

I get it.  And believe me I'm not dismissing your point. You absolutely could be right.  I just have a feeling he's got another level to get too.

[Billy Hoyle]

Agreed. he is playing well, except for his loving every 3 point shot he can take. He needs to play down low.

I'd like to see him gain 10-15 pounds over the summer to become stronger in the post. He has good moves and can dribble well in the paint but it would be nice to see him be able to overpower guys down low.

[Vander Blue Man Group]

Royce was actually around 33% from 3 in conference play until the 0-5 against Butler torpedoed that. 

Agree his focus should be in the paint but I still think the 3 can be part of his arsenal with some improvements in footwork and shot selection. 

[muwarrior69]

I appreciate how the entire team, not just Royce, has really emphasized getting to the basket.  And then actually making the lay ups. It coincides with the team being much more competitive.  But they still have to take open 3s.

...but they seem to regress doing that as Dr. V has pointed out. Will have to wait until next season to see if Shaka can reverse that trend.

[PaintTouches]

I've been harping a bit about how roles for players this year have taken longer to emerge and clarify. And about how I think that Zaide's departure and Sean's injury have actually been helpful to some players and the team overall. You note Royce's increase in playing time and seem to imply that having him be the 4 (with Ben more as a 5, though still often on the perimeter, and with Zaide gone) has made him more comfortable and confident.

Since I don't have the data nor the skills, and even though it's a bit tangent to your specific points about Royce's leap, I wonder if you might pull together a chart (or article!) about how playing time and performance for particular players (notably Nigel and Owens) and the team overall have expanded for the better since Lowery and Jones have been gone/out.

Using the start of Big East play as the partition, the change in player usage per quarter is pretty stark. Chase, NJ, Royce went to max minutes full time while Stevens has seen a big surge too. It's basically a 5.5 man rotation. 

NonCon


Big East


As for performance, tough to summarize in a reply, but those two articles on Royce and DO I've done give you a good idea.

[Jockey]

The reason I was so down on Royce (besides his play early) was that he looked woefully out of shape. Breathing hard after a couple trips down the floor.

Looks like he is running better now and so he is getting better looks inside.

[mug644]

Using the start of Big East play as the partition, the change in player usage per quarter is pretty stark. Chase, NJ, Royce went to max minutes full time while Stevens has seen a big surge too. It's basically a 5.5 man rotation. 

...

Thanks so much and for this and the article on Stevens. The charts clearly reveal the tightening of the rotation. I suppose a bit more difficult to show is the link between that and the performances of players on both sides of the split. As said, my thinking is that Zaide being gone and Sean being out led to the opportunity and, maybe, the better outcomes for guys like Royce, Demarius and Adrien.

I supposed it's the dilemma that Shaka flagged in one of his radio shows: players say "give me time and I'll show you that I can do it" while coaches say "show me what you got and I'll give you time." Either way, they've gotten more time and the team is playing better.