[ThatDude23Participant]

Only been playing basketball for about 2 years. Excellent footwork, apparently self taught by watching old Olajuwon tapes.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zZoyAqBhVpE

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qBwSvIOOzMo

[slepchorParticipant]

Amazing footwork for such a big guy (if he really stands at 7 feet) as I have said many times before expect him to make a difference at least at the college level. With the departure of Withey the playing time is there for him to step in and grab, so sky is the limit.

[SiggyParticipant]

He’s got great tools and is obviously a quick learner. Big hands, huge wingspan, good spring with what looks like strong anchors. He’ll probably be a lotto pick by the time Self is done with him.

Kansas’ class gets overlooked. If playing with other really talented players is a necessity, then what’s wrong with playing with that class… and for that coach? Randle missed out on a big opportunity, but I think he’s more concerned about having the offensive freedom to play on the perimeter. Kansas expects their bigs to play like bigs, not playing with the ball, sizing up the defense and looking to iso from 20 feet away which is what Randle wants to do.

[JoeJoParticipant]

Calipari really doesn’t let his bigs size up the defense and iso from 20 feet away either. If they’re really good at it and that’s their strength, maybe but not because it’s what the player wants to do. Based on how Cousins played in high school and with the Kings, I imagine he wanted to show off his perimeter skills too at Kentucky but Calipari had him in the low block about 99 percent of the time.

Does Self really also want his bigs to play like bigs or is that because of the skillset of his players? What was Jeff Withey going to do on offense besides hang around close to the basket? Self certainly didn’t restrict Marcus and Markieff from playing out on the perimeter.

I think Randle will be used like Terrance. He’ll get to create from outside but he’ll also be expected to score from the block as well. That should be good for his development. I don’t think he missed out on a big opportunity at all not going to Kansas.

[SiggyParticipant]

Terrence Jones’ best offensive ability was facing up and Cal allowed him to. That actually works great with the dribble drive to have 4 potential penetrators and 1 pressure release big looking for lobs and dump offs. 4 around 1 also creates more space for driving lanes.

For as long as Self has been coaching, he’s always had high low sets in his offense. He expects them to battle down low, play 2 man games with flex cut action. The Morris twins could shoot the 3, but it wasn’t by design. They were mostly off of 2ndary breaks and broken plays.

Cal’s offense is less structured and more simplified with little to no continuity, which makes sense for assimilating freshmen who can’t execute yet, but it doesn’t do much to prepare kids for the next level. Randle missed out on playing for a better coach on a team that had very good talent coming in as well.

[JoeJoParticipant]

Yes, Jones was allowed to face up but he also got plenty of post opportunities. He got a nice balance of inside and outside opportunities. That should be good for Randle’s game. I don’t know how he passed up a huge opportunity by turning down Kansas. This isn’t like a wing player like Harrison Barnes going to UNC and having two bigs block driving lanes on both sides of the court. Kentucky’s system should allow Randle’s versatility to be utilized. He is not just going to iso from 20 feet away all the time.

[Author]

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