How is Russell Going to Develop Like This?

#1
armchair

armchair

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#1
Last night UT won by 30 points, and the team was way ahead the whole game. You'd think that the coaches would use the opportunity of an easy game to give Russell some needed game work--get her the ball in the paint, tell her to work on her offensive moves in the paint, shoot the ball.

Did that happen? No, of course not! Russell got fewer shots (4) and fewer minutes than any player on the team last night except Moore, who almost never plays. I'm not sure how the coaches expect Russell to develop playing and shooting so little in an easy win.
 
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#2
#2
I don't know what they are thinking, but I think she needs weight training and speed training more than basketball skills. She is a step slow really needs to develop her body. Needs a lot of hand strength. She fails to catch a lot of passes in the post. I think she has a really good basketball skill set and really needs body development more than anything.
 
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#3
#3
Volfan2012 said:
I don't know what they are thinking, but I think she needs weight training and speed training more than basketball skills. She is a step slow really needs to develop her body. Needs a lot of hand strength. She fails to catch a lot of passes in the post. I think she has a really good basketball skill set and really needs body development more than anything.
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Should have happened in the off season last year.
 
#4
#4
Her biggest developments will happen in the off season in the weight room. She's been getting decent playing time all season. You win with upperclassman. You're happy if any Freshman can contribute. If you rely on Freshman, your program is rebuilding.
 
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#5
#5
clkou said:
Her biggest developments will happen in the off season in the weight room. She's been getting decent playing time all season. You win with upperclassman. You're happy if any Freshman can contribute. If you rely on Freshman, your program is rebuilding.
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Try telling Calipari that.
 
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#6
#6
There are exceptions to everything but look at all the data and the teams with productive upperclassman are usually the successful ones. The teams that rely on freshman are usually rebuilding.
 
#7
#7
clkou said:
Her biggest developments will happen in the off season in the weight room. She's been getting decent playing time all season. You win with upperclassman. You're happy if any Freshman can contribute. If you rely on Freshman, your program is rebuilding.
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Not true at all in basketball , especially when you're the number 1 player in the country . There are freshman all over the country contributing and making a big impact , just not in Knoxville . Mercedes so far has been a disappointment . I hope she works extremely hard in the off-season and comes back and is the player we all expected.
 
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#8
#8
clkou said:
Her biggest developments will happen in the off season in the weight room. She's been getting decent playing time all season. You win with upperclassman. You're happy if any Freshman can contribute. If you rely on Freshman, your program is rebuilding.
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Wrong, I wouldn't want any piece of North Carolina in the post season. DeShields is a fantastic player.
 
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#9
#9
Watch the Auburn game and you will recognize the importance of posts holding their position as they get pushed toward the bucket. Strength is needed in the lower body. when she develops that strength she will be much more dominant . And as many who have watched the LVs for years - Remember the complaints against Glory and her rushing her shot and how disappointed they were when she was so hyped. Russell ability to finish will improve as she becomes more physical as well as adjusts to the physical play. Also she will improve in moving without the ball - high low.

DeShields and Davis and Russell were all rated #1 by one service or the other. Two of them had the lady vols #2 on their list.
 
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#10
#10
WVU05UT09 said:
Wrong, I wouldn't want any piece of North Carolina in the post season. DeShields is a fantastic player.
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DeShields absolutely wrecked Duke's crap at Cameron Indoor. Meanwhile, Russell is the most overrated #1 recruit in basketball history. It's clear to me that being 6'6" is her only star attribute.
 
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#11
#11
SGMVols said:
DeShields absolutely wrecked Duke's crap at Cameron Indoor. Meanwhile, Russell is the most overrated #1 recruit in basketball history. It's clear to me that being 6'6" is her only star attribute.
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I want a piece of them. Just let me finish this little job here first.:)

kim-mulkey-geno-auriemma.jpg
 
#13
#13
Russell will be just fine,she is getting a lot of playing time this year and a year of SEC Strength and Conditioning will do wonders for her,she is a freshmen,freshmen need to train and learn,she is doing that
 
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#14
#14
She will definitely be fine she is averaging 7 points and 5 rebounds good stats for the minutes she is playing. She never lifted weights in high school has some skills needs to be a lot stronger. Izzy was the same player her freshman year. Look at her now.
 
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#15
#15
If some players played more and LV's won by 10-15 less points, some would be whining about that. Always gonna be something.
 
#16
#16
whats up Sly ? if they were winning every game by 50 points and then dropped to winning by 40,there would be a bunch whining about that too
 
#17
#17
Post players ALWAYS take longer to develop! There are few, if any, centers that have had super star freshman seasons. She has the potential to become something really special. Like others have stated, the main areas to improve are her strength, and quickness. The skill set is already there; it's just getting her body into the condition to handle the physical aspects of the college game. She does need to work on improving her free throws, which she is hopefully doing so now.
 
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#18
#18
governmentmule said:
whats up Sly ? if they were winning every game by 50 points and then dropped to winning by 40,there would be a bunch whining about that too
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Yep. They keep *****in' and I keep going to the games. Smaller crowd against Auburn but good game to watch.
 
#19
#19
I enjoyed watching the replay of it Sly, I do need to get down there and make some games,I wished i was a little closer and didn't have to worry about the ole arthritis
 
#20
#20
I laugh with the overrated #1 recruit stuff....I guess some have a short term memory and forget that even the great Griner was a weak freshman post player and took her a while to adjust to college...you gotta remember in high school they played against no one near as tall so she had it her way...given the time she will develop and be a fantastic player for the lady vols just like Glory and Izzy
 
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#21
#21
Volfan2012 said:
I don't know what they are thinking, but I think she needs weight training and speed training more than basketball skills. She is a step slow really needs to develop her body. Needs a lot of hand strength. She fails to catch a lot of passes in the post. I think she has a really good basketball skill set and really needs body development more than anything.
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Lot of truth here. The question is, how much can she improve her strength and speed? She doesn't seem to have the body type to become a beast.

How much will she improve compared to the other freshman posts that she will be competing against over the years? Her basketball IQ is ok but it is something she needs to do lots of work on.
 
#23
#23
stllvf said:
Watch the Auburn game and you will recognize the importance of posts holding their position as they get pushed toward the bucket. Strength is needed in the lower body. when she develops that strength she will be much more dominant . And as many who have watched the LVs for years - Remember the complaints against Glory and her rushing her shot and how disappointed they were when she was so hyped. Russell ability to finish will improve as she becomes more physical as well as adjusts to the physical play. Also she will improve in moving without the ball - high low.

DeShields and Davis and Russell were all rated #1 by one service or the other. Two of them had the lady vols #2 on their list.
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Being on the list is meaningless if the right player doesn't pick the right school. Unfortunately, of the three, the wrong player selected UT.
 
#24
#24
governmentmule said:
I enjoyed watching the replay of it Sly, I do need to get down there and make some games,I wished i was a little closer and didn't have to worry about the ole arthritis
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Hope you can make it one day. Worth the hour or so drive down. If you ever get the chance, let me know. We could holler together.
 
#25
#25
SGMVols said:
DeShields absolutely wrecked Duke's crap at Cameron Indoor. Meanwhile, Russell is the most overrated #1 recruit in basketball history. It's clear to me that being 6'6" is her only star attribute.
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DeShields is an amazingly skilled player, but she would benefit from a stronger coach. That said, she's doing better that I expected. Gray, Mavunga, DeShields, Washington a great group of freshmen. Throw in McDaniel (Soph) and they could be great if they don't self destruct. Everyone should fear them. All of these players are doing better than MR but they're not centers (slower to develop).
 
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