Went from on fire earlier in the year to now cannot make a layup. He is pressing so much that his shots are much more like desperation heaves even when not closely guarded. His last handful of 3’s have not even come close. No idea what’s going on but it painful to watch.
We need scoring punch off the bench that he is the key to providing. To me, this is the biggest difference in our recent slide compared to earlier in the year.
I think the problem is in his head. We know the kid can shoot. He just needs to know it.
I’m sure he’s already doing this, but he needs to be making 500 jumpers a day in the gym. Gotta shoot his way out of it…
SEC coaches know the scouting report. Play up close because he won’t go around you with the dribble. Now earlier this year he was shooting so well that he was hitting contested jump shots.
He is like Anthlon Bell in his Fr-Jr year where you trot him out there and if he is on then he plays. I still have faith that he will play a big role in a few games.
The bad thing about CJ is he is a one-trick pony - shooter. His defense is really bad for someone so athletic.
The kid can’t dribble the ball! which makes him easy to guard. He is so uncomfortable creating his own shot and doesn’t even want or have the confidence to bring the ball up the court he panics and look for other guards. My thing is you are a guard on a major college level and if you can’t dribble the ball up the court nor drive than you wont succeed. I’m not sure now if i would be opposed to him, adrio and gabe transferring after the season and we get us some ballers in there place like T.J Moss who can dribble and shoot, A senior transfer point guard, and a senior transfer Big Man to go along side Gafford…Like coach Cunzo Martin said “Ballers Ball” so whether on the road at home or whether you are a freshman or senior “Ballers Ball”
I wouldn’t be so fast to give up on the three you speak of.
We need to build a lead and get him on a game and let him relax and get the ball up.
He either needs to develop a few moves with the ball or go back and take a seat. He can spot up! He needs playing time for his defense to improve!
Agreed. They are sophomores and freshman. They will get better. I think it would be a huge loss if either of those 3 transfer all of them have potential to be really good in the future. I can remember JaCorey Williams looking horrible his freshman/sophomore year then he ended up being CUSA POY when he was a senior and was invited to summer camp for the Golden State Warriors. Nick Babb also was inconsistent his freshman year, now he’s one of the leaders for a good Iowa State program. Anthlon Bell also looked really bad his freshman and sophomore year. And had a huge senior year for us. All of them have shown flashes, that’s what you look for. Only time I think transfer is a good idea when you really never see flashes and just hear reports about them not really doing all that great at practice. Kinda like Doobie Jenkins, he’s a guy that probably really wasn’t up to the SEC level that we needed.
You are exactly right. This is Anthlon Bell all over again. Anthlon was wildly inconsistent his first 3 years. I would argue he had worse slumps than CJ is right now. And both were poor ball handlers at this point, Anthlon was also scared to dribble the ball up the court his first three years, and couldn’t create his own shot. Anthlon’s senior year he really improved every aspect of his game and became a legit triple threat. I think CJ will probably end up having the same type of career, although it wouldn’t surprise me if CJ had his big year his junior year, considering we lose a lot of seniors. I think that will really motivate him this summer to improve on everything knowing that he’s going to have a major role with so many departures.
Gabe is the one that I think is going to surprise a lot of folks.
for some reason Anthlon and CJ really remind me of each other. I think that CJ is a year ahead of Anthlon, so as a soph he’s having about the season Anthlon had as a junior.
Maybe that’ just hopeful thinking, cuz we are sure going to need him to play next year at least as well as Anthlon played as a senior.
GHG
Agreed. I have lobbied for Gabe to get some PT. As far as C. J. this is hard to explain, but I’d like him to do anything to take his mind off of BB. Obviously this is more a mental issue than a skill issue. I remember Nolan talking about FT woes on occasion, and he would say these guys have shot 1000s of FTs over the course of their career and pressing or worrying about it can only compound the problem.
CJ needs to start a game to get his confidence back. Call me crazy but I think it may be the right move.
He is such a defensive liability that I worry he may let the other team get too many shots early. I think it might be better to let him play late in each half when the other team is tired, so that his defense isn’t so weak and he can get some shots.
Spot on analysis. Agree.