2013-2014 Observation Deck

[IGotACoolStory]

I'm surprised at how weak Wiggins has played. He wasn't like that in high school when I saw him play. Sometimes appearing apathetic, sure. But when he played at that next level, he played very aggressively.

Vaughn deciding on Saturday. A week before his visit to UNC... Never expected him to come after the early stages, but I can't stand how he stringed along Roy. Sets up visits and bails twice now. Almost commits (his words) and then somehow we fall to the back of the list soon after. Recruiting is tough to follow.

UNLV or Iowa State. I still think UNLV.

That's alright, Pinson is better and will be more valuable to a college team. Not saying that as a spurned lover either.

[Burgz V2]

I'm surprised at how weak Wiggins has played. He wasn't like that in high school when I saw him play. Sometimes appearing apathetic, sure. But when he played at that next level, he played very aggressively.

Vaughn deciding on Saturday. A week before his visit to UNC... Never expected him to come after the early stages, but I can't stand how he stringed along Roy. Sets up visits and bails twice now. Almost commits (his words) and then somehow we fall to the back of the list soon after. Recruiting is tough to follow.

UNLV or Iowa State. I still think UNLV.

That's alright, Pinson is better and will be more valuable to a college team. Not saying that as a spurned lover either.

I've been following his recruitment for a while and I'm almost glad to say we are not wasting anymore resources on him. Izzo knows better than to mess with guys like this who seem to like the recruitment phase (and the 'benefits' that go along with it) TOO much. Plus I vaguely recall one of his handlers lobbying for a job with whichever team he commits to.

I think you're right. UNLV seems to make a lot of sense. Especially if he wants to be a one and done (which he has potential to be).

Pinson IS better AND has a higher ceiling. Plus, I think Jackson is a better complement than Vaughn, who seems to be more ball dominant. Add that to Berry and the possible holdovers from this year, and Vaughn becomes redundant. IMO good riddance for you UNC fans, one of those kids I wouldn't want to touch anyways.

[IGotACoolStory]

I'm actually surprised Roy continued to pursue Vaughn. He always sniffs stuff like this out quickly. It's why he dropped out of the Shabazz race shortly after his visit where he wanted to commit and his dad wouldn't allow him. It's why he didn't even go after the #1 ranked player, at a position of need, in his own backyard in John Wall. It's why he didn't pursue LaMarcus Aldridge, Tyreke Evans, and the other medley of talented basketball players he would have had very good footing with if he entered early enough.

That's why I always held some hope for Vaughn. Why else would Roy still be recruiting him if he didn't think he had a chance and Kaffey wouldn't be an issue? Especially after the whole Larry Drew's mom fiasco.

Vaughn has some baggage and I had questions about how the rotation would work with an extra player, but he would have brought two things UNC doesn't currently have: outside shooting and an alpha scorer mentality.

3pt shooting need not be explained; look at where UNC ranks nationally. The importance of the latter wasn't more evident than last year. James Michael McAdoo and Reggie Bullock are two talented offensive players in their own right and they struggled trying to take the reins of that role. We were getting blown out. Then PJ starts to get increased playing time, he is eventually inserted in the starting lineup, and the season changed from there. PJ wanted to be that guy, was good at being that guy, and it allowed the rest of the players to play in more comfortable roles. The entire team benefited.

Dealing with the same stuff this year, again, because of the PJ deal. At least Paige has stepped up a bit better than either of McAdoo or Bullock did last year. He's still not completely comfortable at being that guy, and it shows.

I also loathe the thought of relying on freshman. Who is to say Pinson doesn't take his lumps most of next year? Or Jackson? Or even Vaughn, if we would have landed him? I just like having the extra insurance in case that happens because it seems to happen frequently lately (Bullock, Hairston, McAdoo, Hicks). What's that Al McGuire quote? The best thing about freshmen is that they become sophomores. Unfortunately we are in a situation where we need at least one of Jackson or Pinson to make an relatively immediate impact. One should be starting, if not both by conference play.

Anyway, that's done and I love the class we have coming in. Just going need one or two players to surprise if we want to be competing.

[qrich]

Mamadou Ndiaye killing it for UC Irvine. 8.6/6.3 with 3.5 blocks and hitting 76.1% from the field

[KG215]

Five straight ACC wins for UNC (admittedly against weak competition) by an average of 14 points per game. Thought if they were going to win one of these next four in a pretty brutal stretch (@ Notre Dame, vs Duke, vs Pitt, at Florida State) it would be this one but I didn't expect them to beat Notre Dame so easily. After a slow start they dominated the game after going on a late run in the first half.

[IGotACoolStory]

Thoughts on JP? I can't figure if he's going to be really good or a solid bench player. He does so much on the court. Like the other day he had 5 rebounds, 5 assists, and 4 steals in the first half against Maryland. Today, I thought he was the driving force behind us pulling away in the second half.

He was also the reason Notre Dame had any life towards the end of the game when he went 0-4 from the free throw line. I'm rather sure he has never made a pass he hasn't telegraphed. I don't know what's wrong with his shot. Mechanically it's not terrible and he seems to naturally have a decent touch when he gets in the air. Then he shoots a perimeter shot and I'm just hoping he doesn't airball it. To be honest, I'm hoping the same when he shoots free throws as well.

Then he does things like this:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9N8n10YcZgU

And it's like, OK...

I'll wait until after the Pitt game until I revise my expectations. I will say that this is by far the best trapping UNC team in the Roy era. Necessarily so because I still believe this is the least talented offensive team in the Roy era and we need every fast break point we can get.

[irondarts]

Marcus Smart pushed a Texas Tech fan tonight near the end of the game.

link

Eeek. He's lost his composure a few times lately, but this is taking it to another level.

[KG215]

Thoughts on JP? I can't figure if he's going to be really good or a solid bench player. He does so much on the court. Like the other day he had 5 rebounds, 5 assists, and 4 steals in the first half against Maryland. Today, I thought he was the driving force behind us pulling away in the second half.

He was also the reason Notre Dame had any life towards the end of the game when he went 0-4 from the free throw line. I'm rather sure he has never made a pass he hasn't telegraphed. I don't know what's wrong with his shot. Mechanically it's not terrible and he seems to naturally have a decent touch when he gets in the air. Then he shoots a perimeter shot and I'm just hoping he doesn't airball it. To be honest, I'm hoping the same when he shoots free throws as well.

Then he does things like this:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9N8n10YcZgU

And it's like, OK...

I'll wait until after the Pitt game until I revise my expectations. I will say that this is by far the best trapping UNC team in the Roy era. Necessarily so because I still believe this is the least talented offensive team in the Roy era and we need every fast break point we can get.

The more I see him, in just his sophomore season, I really do think he could be a poor man's version of Danny Green...mostly because he'll likely never be able to shoot like Danny could later in his career. Granted Danny wasn't a marksman or anything his freshman and sophomore seasons. But JP is at least a stat sheet stuffer who does a little bit of everything. Ideally he'd be great alongside a great shooting PG and SG (which should've been the case this year) and about the 4th-6th best player on a national championship contender. Unfortunately he's essentially our second or third best player right now who has to carry too big of an offensive load for someone with his limited offensive ability.

[ace23]

Marcus Smart pushed a Texas Tech fan tonight near the end of the game.

link

Eeek. He's lost his composure a few times lately, but this is taking it to another level.

"You called me a ni[COLOR="Black"]gger[/COLOR]". Read his lips.

I don't blame him. Of course I will if he does it again, but nah, I don't blame him for this reaction.

[InspiredLebowski]

I'm really disappointed that people are saying Smart should've just walked away if that guy called him a ******.

Players are people, they aren't ****ing robots. You're a human being far before you're a damn basketball player.

[Burgz V2]

I'm really disappointed that people are saying Smart should've just walked away if that guy called him a ******.

Players are people, they aren't ****ing robots. You're a human being far before you're a damn basketball player.

really a mess. apparently the guy (Jeff Orr) has a history of provoking players. Also rumours that he's a booster for TTU, leading to questions about his relationship with the Texas Tech athletic dept.

but all everyone is talking about is someone who stood up for himself. Ironic it happened during "Black History Month". It really is disappointing.

[Jailblazers7]

I'm really disappointed that people are saying Smart should've just walked away if that guy called him a ******.

Players are people, they aren't ****ing robots. You're a human being far before you're a damn basketball player.

Yeah I agree. This is what I just posted about it in the NBA forum thread:

I think its a little ****ed up how hecklers are given such protection. Sure, Smart shouldn't have lost his cool but he gets suspended for just shoving someone. As a heckler, you better be prepared to deal with the consequences if you are saying something to a player who is a foot away from you. If this guy pulled this on someone in public and got shoved everyone would just think the guy was an asshole who got what he deserved.

[KG215]

This would be a pretty epic chokejob if Kansas State loses this game. Things went to shit after they blew that fairly easy layup on the jailbreak off the full court press.

[kNicKz]

Kansas State with the upset

[IGotACoolStory]

Interesting conditions for the game tonight. Most of the major roads are closed because of the snow/ice storm right now. If this weren't UNC-duke, the game would probably be postponed. Hope ESPN is there by now or they won't get there at all.

Crowd should be rocking, though. A lot of ticket holders are giving their tickets to the students. Snow Game II?