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Day 1 Jordan Classic practice notes

http://insider.espn.go.com/blog/ncbrecruiting/national/post?id=6301

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Day 1 Jordan Classic practice notes

By Adam Finkelstein | Apr 11, 2013 5:50 PM
NEW YORK, N.Y. — The first day of practices for the 2013 Jordan Brand Classic (Saturday, 8 p.m. ET on ESPN2 and WatchESPN.com) took place Thursday at the state-of-the-art Basketball City sitting in the shadow of the famous Brooklyn Bridge.

Here’s a look at some of the themes that emerged during the two-hour workout, including who played well and what it looked like when uncommitted No. 1 prospect Andrew Wiggins teamed up with a trio of future Kentucky Wildcats.

Playing Aggressively vs. Playing Well

In these types of all-star game atmospheres, it’s always interesting to observe the mindset that players approach each session with. On Thursday, very similar to last week’s McDonald’s All American Game, certain players came in determined to impose their will.

Twins Andrew Harrison and Aaron Harrison (Kentucky), Aaron Gordon (Arizona) and Wayne Selden (Kansas) were among the strongest type-A personalities. But sometimes there can be a real difference between being aggressive and being efficient. All four were fairly inconsistent, with their effectiveness often coming in direct correlation to the quality of their decision-making.

Ned Dishman/Getty Images
Andrew Wiggins played well in Thursday’s JBC practice, but his time on the floor with a trio of Kentucky recruits during inter-squad scrimmages didn’t go quite as well.
Conversely, guys like Wiggins, Jabari Parker (Duke) and Joel Embiid (Kansas) seemed much less determined to dominate the action. And as a result, they not surprisingly showed some subtle nuances to their games that are likely to be big factors at the next level.

Wiggins and Parker were both very effective playing off down screens. Wiggins showed an ability to make quick reads to create separation from his defender, while Parker displayed great balance and footwork in order to utilize various jab steps and fakes without shuffling his feet.

Embiid, meanwhile, showed off his tremendous potential, demonstrating touch on his jump hook and trail 3-pointer alike while boasting a frame that caught the attention of the NBA scouts in attendance.

Fours Trying to be Threes

It might have been the presence of the NBA scouts or just a sign of the times, but there seemed to be an overwhelming amount of 4-men (or power forwards) going out of their way to show their playmaking ability on the perimeter in an apparent attempt to prove their potential at the 3-spot (or small forward).

While guys like Gordon and Chris Walker (Florida) were clearly out of their comfort zone at times, it was Julius Randle (Kentucky) who showed the most potential to stretch his game away from the basket. In today’s day and age, most 4-men are widely expected to be able to make open shots and straight-line drives when unchecked on the perimeter, but what separated Randle from the rest of his peers was his ability to improvise when his initial plan needed to be altered.

For example, all three prospects had moments where they made athletic drives to the rim. But while others struggled when that initial drive was cut off, Randle was able to either adjust the angle of his finish or make a quick secondary move off the dribble to elude the weak-side defender. In short, he has an instinct that seems to stretch beyond just the paint.

Sign of Things to Come at UK?

The final portion of the two-hour practice included brief inter-squad scrimmages for both teams, and there was about a six-minute spurt when Kentucky fans would have loved the opportunity to be a fly on the wall as the Harrisons, Randle and Wiggins were on the floor together for the East, along with Walker.

It was a promising start for those hoping to see Wiggins in Kentucky blue as Andrew Harrison made a strong drive to the rim and a beautifully timed wrap-around pass just as Wiggins came flying in to finish the play. Unfortunately, though, it was all downhill from there.

The Harrisons began to dominate the ball in the backcourt, and as they started to force some lower-percentage shots, so did Randle. The sum total for Wiggins was that he touched the ball in only one of his team’s final seven possessions. Ironically, his play was to drive into the teeth of the defense and attempt to set up Aaron Harrison for a corner 3.

Ultimately, the likelihood that this six-minute segment resonates with Wiggins as he approaches his college decision is unlikely. However, if nothing else, it does call attention to the realization that for all the talent Kentucky has assembled for next season — with or without Wiggins — the development of team chemistry is going to be a definite process.

John Calipari is going to have to convince each of these tremendously talented players to make individual sacrifices if the team is going to achieve the collective success that so many are already predicting.
Tags:Kentucky WildcatsBasketball RecruitingJabari ParkerWayne SeldenAndrew HarrisonAaron HarrisonJulius RandleAaron GordonChris WalkerAndrew WigginsJoel Embiid2013 Jordan Brand Classic

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Thanks a lot man, appreciate it greatly!!

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