Totally disagree. You don’t alter your system to recruit one and done guys. How did that work out for Kansas (who also had Embiid)? Wiggins would fit our system fine anyway.
nm.
What? A good coach always alters the system to suit the talent. Always
In any event, I think I’ve said my piece on this topic, and I’d like the discussion to be limited to Horford and his move to transfer. I’ve given my opinion on that, and so I’ll withdraw at this point unless we’re talking Horford.
Elite talent fits any system.
Horford with 10pts, 11reb, 1 block vs GU tonight. Averaging 12, 7, and 2 for the season.
For comparison purposes, Jon has 47 points and 26 rebounds in 123 minutes, or .38 points and . 21 rebounds per minute, while Michigan’s 3 main guys at the 5 position have 74 points and 33 rebounds in 183 minutes, or .40 points and .18 rebounds per minute. It will be interesting to see how these track each other as the season moves along.
And UF has lost to two unranked teams.
And UF has lost to two unranked teams.
This may be true, but Horford’s offensive and defensive rating is nothing short of spectacular thus far, which suggests he’s doing his job. He’s produced at a much higher level than at any point in his tenure at UM. I don’t get the need to knock his uptick in play since joining UF. I know some are bitter, but let’s be Be happy for the guy, so far it appears he made the correct decision for himself.
Matt, he’s playing very well, and kudos to him for that, but he’s not getting more chances than he would have gotten at Michigan, which was the supposed reason he transferred–he’s just converting better. Let’s be clear here–Florida is playing with 6 scholarship players, the Gators’ PG is shooting 19% from the field, and their wing “shooters” are shooting 31% and 13% (!) from 3, so if there was ever going to be an opportunity for Jon to get more chances/touches/shots, this would certainly seem to be it. That’s not happening though. The fact is that he remains a residual player, getting no more chances than Michigan’s centers are getting. You can argue that John Beillein’s offense doesn’t give enough touches/shots to the 5 (though Deshawn Sims and Kevin Pittsnogle certainly got enough), but Billy Donovan’s offense isn’t getting him any more. To me, that says that it’s Jon’s limitations, not the offensive scheme, which is the issue.
Again, I congratulate him for playing well within his role at Florida and wish him luck.
I’m not getting into the “system” debate because it’s simply too subjective. Whatever the reasons, Horford is simply playing much better at UF than he did at UM. Draw your own conclusions as to why, but let’s not minimize what he’s done thus far by pointing to the fact that he’s playing with what some label as sub-par talent. If anything, it’s more impressive that he’s able to produce when the surrounding talent isn’t as good as anticipated. So whether you want to label him “residual” or any other term, he’s producing, plain and simple
And for those claiming UF lost to 2 unranked teams, I’d be willing to wager GU is ranked within the next 2 weeks, that is a very good team.
I’m not minimizing what he has done–he’s playing extremely well through the first four games and, as I said, kudos to him for that. It was Jon who raised the system debate when he transferred, saying that he wanted to go somewhere which would give him a greater chance to get touches/shots, and that Beilein’s offense simply wasn’t geared that way. Well, apparently, neither is Donovan’s offense, unless Jon believes he should be getting more usage at UF too.
Jon made a change and is prospering. Good for him. But nobody forced Jon to make the comments he did on the way out of town–he could simply have said he felt like a move would be best for him without more. Having done so, I think the issue he himself raised is fair game for discussion.
This may be true, but Horford’s offensive and defensive rating is nothing short of spectacular thus far, which suggests he’s doing his job. He’s produced at a much higher level than at any point in his tenure at UM. I don’t get the need to knock his uptick in play since joining UF. I know some are bitter, but let’s be Be happy for the guy, so far it appears he made the correct decision for himself.
My knocking has nothing to do with Horford (I wish home the best) I just love to see UF lose. I hate the Gators.
I think the explanation for his uptick in production is very simple - more playing time. And I don’t think there was ever a time at Michigan during the past two years that he should have played more but didn’t.
The unfortunate part for us is that in all likelihood, he would have started and played a lot for us this year, and I think his numbers would be pretty similar to what they are now.
He seems like a good kid, I thank him for his contributions here, but I never felt he was treated unfairly either.
Interesting thoughts from Seth Davis on SI.com about Jon today:
“I don’t mean to sound harsh, but Jon Horford is absolutely killing Florida. He is a 6-10, 245-pound senior who transferred from Michigan. During his three seasons in Ann Arbor, Horford made a grand total of one three-pointer in 10 attempts. During his first seven games at Florida, Horford has shot 24 three-pointers and made only five. During Saturday’s loss at Kansas, he was 0-for-5 from behind the arc. Meanwhile, he shot just two free throws the entire game. I honestly have no idea why Billy Donovan is letting Horford play like this, but unless Horford is willing to get on the block a lot more, he will continue to hurt this team’s offense far more than he is helping it.”
Also an interview with NJIT’s coach in the article…gotta think he’ll be on the rise in the next few years
Interesting thoughts from Seth Davis on SI.com about Jon today:“I don’t mean to sound harsh, but Jon Horford is absolutely killing Florida. He is a 6-10, 245-pound senior who transferred from Michigan. During his three seasons in Ann Arbor, Horford made a grand total of one three-pointer in 10 attempts. During his first seven games at Florida, Horford has shot 24 three-pointers and made only five. During Saturday’s loss at Kansas, he was 0-for-5 from behind the arc. Meanwhile, he shot just two free throws the entire game. I honestly have no idea why Billy Donovan is letting Horford play like this, but unless Horford is willing to get on the block a lot more, he will continue to hurt this team’s offense far more than he is helping it.”
Also an interview with NJIT’s coach in the article…gotta think he’ll be on the rise in the next few years
http://www.si.com/college-basketball/2014/12/08/hoop-thoughts-zone-defense-ohio-state-njit-michigan
“I don’t mean to sound harsh” generally prefaces the harshest comments.
Here’s Jon’s advanced stats via kenpom for his entire career for comparison purposes. (Sorry for the size, clicking on it should open a bigger version in a new page).
