So now we turn our focus on who's transferring.

[BigZiti09]

Compare Stokes' numbers from freshman to sophomore year. The bashing of Stokes reminds me of Hopson, the guy is 1 of 4 players in major conferences to average a double double, yet gets talked about like he's garbage.

Yes. The guy is a monster and people complain that he messes with his headband. It's nitpicking. Kills me.

 

[leftfield34]

Stokes has moves, but he had them when he got here. Like I said, go watch highlights from games during his freshman year. Stokes game was totally different with Maymon in the lineup. He's facing guys up, shooting jumpers. This year he had to become a banger because of the double teams. He didn't get to showcase his ability.

I've seen huge improvement in Maymon. Stokes averaged a double double in conference play which is no easy accomplishment. Kenny Hall didn't improve for either coaching staff and was nearly booted. Yemi was a reach from day one but still showed flashes of quality.

I don't know what you want. Personally, I've been pleased with the development of our bigs.

This is my whole point. He has high school post moves. I like Stokes a lot, nobody is bashing him here. All I said was the jury is still out on whether they can develope bigs. I stand by that statement, and I hope I get proven wrong this year.

 

[bleedingTNorange]

Who bashed Stokes? I just said his post game isnt that good (developed). He got the majority of his points off rebounds, not from his moves.

Stokes minutes went up 3 pg, up 3 ppg, and 2 rpg from last year to this year.

The bashing part was in general not directed at you, sorry. The guys number went up, to me that's improvement, he was 1 of 4 ayers to average a double double in major conferences, that's quite an achievement IMO.

 

[ShowSomePride]

People are forgetting Stokes was forced to play the big man this year...which is not where he should or wants to be playing. He's an offensive boards master for sure, but for him to have a higher draft stock he needs to show that he can shoot. That'll happen if he moves back toward a traditional forward with Maymon on the court. Just like what we saw when he first got here

 

[cncchris33]

I agree for the most part. Some of Maymon's 'Bull in a China Shop' stuff seemed to stop under CCM. So I might be like Ziti in the giving credit to CCM for that. But it is still TBD whether CCM can get improvement from his bigs. As mentioned Kenny Hall wasnt going to be a success story under anybody. Yemi did show signs of improvement. He just couldnt show consistant play.

Granted we may not have as many former greats as some(ala Danny Manning out there), but I like the idea of having a former player on your coaching staff. Ronald Sylvester Slay, big orange country is cally you sir!!!

Under Pearl (and this not an indictment of Pearl), Maymon seemed to feel the need to shoot everytime he touched the ball in his limited minutes. Maybe as a means of trying to prove himself in limited time? He also sometimes still fancied himself as a perimeter player.

Under Martin, he seemed to finally "get it" that he was a post player, and he succeeded there once he finally committed to it.

If you remember, his reason for transferring from Marquette was due to his (really his dad's) disapproval of the coaching staff trying to make him a post player.

 

[MemphisCanes]

People are forgetting Stokes was forced to play the big man this year...which is not where he should or wants to be playing. He's an offensive boards master for sure, but for him to have a higher draft stock he needs to show that he can shoot. That'll happen if he moves back toward a traditional forward with Maymon on the court. Just like what we saw when he first got here

I dunno about that happening; Maymon has a way better 4 game than Stokes does. He can put the ball on the floor and attack the basket, has shown flashes of a mid-range game.

Stokes is your 5 man. Embrace it. Stokes may develop a mid-range game akin to Zach Randolph once in the NBA, but next season you need him doing the dirty work in the lane.

 

[bleedingTNorange]

I dunno about that happening; Maymon has a way better 4 game than Stokes does. He can put the ball on the floor and attack the basket, has shown flashes of a mid-range game.

Stokes is your 5 man. Embrace it. Stokes may develop a mid-range game akin to Zach Randolph once in the NBA, but next season you need him doing the dirty work in the lane.

The problem is he had scouts telling him he needs to show a midrange game next year.

 

[ShowSomePride]

I dunno about that happening; Maymon has a way better 4 game than Stokes does. He can put the ball on the floor and attack the basket, has shown flashes of a mid-range game.

Stokes is your 5 man. Embrace it. Stokes may develop a mid-range game akin to Zach Randolph once in the NBA, but next season you need him doing the dirty work in the lane.

I'd agree that Maymon is better with the ball, but next year with both of them on the floor I expect to see a dual 4 rather than a set 4 and 5.

 

[MemphisCanes]

The problem is he had scouts telling him he needs to show a midrange game next year.

That is a problem.

 

[BigZiti09]

That is a problem.

He has midrange game. He just didn't get to show it this past season. He was getting swarmed with double teams. Go back and watch some highlights from his freshman year. He faced guys up, shot the short jumper and had the baby hook that we rarely saw this past year.

 

[MemphisCanes]

He has midrange game. He just didn't get to show it this past season. He was getting swarmed with double teams. Go back and watch some highlights from his freshman year. He faced guys up, shot the short jumper and had the baby hook that we rarely saw this past year.

I watched every televised UT game, I'm pretty certain. I paid special attention to Stokes (my boy), and I saw sporadic face-ups.

I'm no NBA scout, but I think scouts and GMs want to see a bit more of that sort of stuff. He didn't look comfortable putting the ball on the floor and going to the basket, and I don't remember a lot of jump shots. He was great in the post when not doubled though.

 

[BigZiti09]

I watched every televised UT game, I'm pretty certain. I paid special attention to Stokes (my boy), and I saw sporadic face-ups.

I'm no NBA scout, but I think scouts and GMs want to see a bit more of that sort of stuff. He didn't look comfortable putting the ball on the floor and going to the basket, and I don't remember a lot of jump shots. He was great in the post when not doubled though.

His freshman year?

Facing up may not have been the best phrase for me to you but he was taking guys to the hole off the dribble.

 

[MemphisCanes]

His freshman year?

Both.

 

[BigZiti09]

Both.

Sorry for the edit above.

Just my opinion, but I think he's got more offensive "game" and post moves than he's given credit. I think that perception is due to him being forced to be a banger for the entire season due to Maymon's injury. He showed more of the kind of game NBA teams are looking for during his freshman year.

 

[MemphisCanes]

Sorry for the edit above.

Just my opinion, but I think he's got more offensive "game" and post moves than he's given credit. I think that perception is due to him being forced to be a banger for the entire season due to Maymon's injury. He showed more of the kind of game NBA teams are looking for during his freshman year.

I agree that it was hard to evaluate this offensive skillset last season. The Vols couldn't spread the floor well on offense for a good portion of the year, and that meant he had 2+ defenders draped all over him most of the time.

 

[dixiebullfrog]

He has midrange game. He just didn't get to show it this past season. He was getting swarmed with double teams. Go back and watch some highlights from his freshman year. He faced guys up, shot the short jumper and had the baby hook that we rarely saw this past year.

Moving away from the basket would give Stokes more room to operate. If he didn't show his mid-range game, that's on Stokes (or Martin).

 

[BigZiti09]

Moving away from the basket would give Stokes more room to operate. If he didn't show his mid-range game, that's on Stokes (or Martin).

I don't know what you saw. I saw him draped by two defenders as soon as he touched the ball. That's not a good thing for a 6'8" guy no matter where you get the ball.

 

[SCowlsVOL]

I always get nervous when he starts dribbling the ball when he gets it down low. He needs to work on that. imo

 

[leftfield34]

Sorry for the edit above.

Just my opinion, but I think he's got more offensive "game" and post moves than he's given credit. I think that perception is due to him being forced to be a banger for the entire season due to Maymon's injury. He showed more of the kind of game NBA teams are looking for during his freshman year.

A banger is exactly what a guy his size should be. Its what he is best at.