Quick Kunkel Stats

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Originally Posted by BigMoeMusketeer

I'm on the opposite end from many, I don't think Kunkel and Sean are a good match for what Adam does (and doesn't do), and I don't think he plays a lot. In fact, I think his minutes go down as the season progresses, both because younger guys are finding their legs at this level, but equally because the things in Adam's game that I think will rub Sean the wrong way will just continue to bug him (Sean). The inability to keep his man from the basket, poor shot selection (including drifting and not getting set), more "rah rah" than effective, and not being able to box out wings on long shot attempts on the defensive end. I think he'll get plenty of chances / minutes early, but I think it will erode throughout the year.

I actually hope I'm wrong, I like the young man personally and I know how much he wants it, I just don't think it is a good match of player and coach in terms of skills / abilities and what the coach expects / demands.

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Kunkel will be a liability on defense. I think thats just a given. So his offensive contribution just needs to outweigh his defensive liability.

Also, there needs to be SOMEONE in the rotation that is a shot getter. Not the catch and shoot kind of guys like Gates and Johnson. and not the attack the rim kind of guys like Holloway or Semaj. You DO NEED these kind of players. But you also need a guy that can create his own shot. Kunkel fits that need. He's either gonna play, or someone else that fits that need will emerge and take his minutes.

But we WILL have a shot getting among our top 6 players.

i think Kunkels defense liability becomes self fulfilling..the other team adjusts their offense to attack him and sometimes it boomerangs if we are able to help without leaving their man. I see effort, some steals and long rebounds. He will be fine, honestly the other teams attacked JP and Trevon. I think he will be great tutor to Claude and Kraft and probably yield some minutes as the year goes on. I am hoping we win some of the early games by enough that KyKy gets some real time as he and Miles may well do an extra year. Cant wait to see some live games as i see Kunkel as a "gamer"...throw out the metrics when the game starts he is ready to go and get results(most good..some bad)

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Originally Posted by whopper

i think Kunkels defense liability becomes self fulfilling..the other team adjusts their offense to attack him and sometimes it boomerangs if we are able to help without leaving their man. I see effort, some steals and long rebounds. He will be fine, honestly the other teams attacked JP and Trevon. I think he will be great tutor to Claude and Kraft and probably yield some minutes as the year goes on. I am hoping we win some of the early games by enough that KyKy gets some real time as he and Miles may well do an extra year. Cant wait to see some live games as i see Kunkel as a "gamer"...throw out the metrics when the game starts he is ready to go and get results(most good..some bad)

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I don't think anyone questions his heart and toughness. He plays hard and is definitely a gamer.

Hope he finds the right fit for him and the team to excel.

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Originally Posted by drudy23

I don't think anyone questions his heart and toughness. He plays hard and is definitely a gamer.

Hope he finds the right fit for him and the team to excel.

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Exactly

The kid plays hard and gives his all. I love him, but he is not a prototypical Big East guard.

He will get decent minutes this year.....the main reason though is because we don't have a better option right now. IF Claude can get decent PG minutes that shifts Boum over more to the 2. That will dramatically impact Kunk's minutes. Guaranteed.

I watch every game at least twice and quite a few three times. The first to just watch the game. The second and third to watch individual players. Kunkel may be undersized for sure but personally I don't see the defensive liabilities that you guys are harping on. Most times he was the only guy boxing his guy out 20 feet from the basket. He plays offside help defense which I can tell you that Goodin NEVER did. His biggest flaw on defense is fighting thru screens which happens to a lot of players. If anyone's defense is a true threat to losing games it's Freemantle. He has been horrible since his freshman year. And I mean horrible. I'm not saying that Kunkel is first or second team BE but he is more than serviceable in this league.

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Originally Posted by MADXSTER

Kunkel may be undersized for sure but personally I don't see the defensive liabilities that you guys are harping on.

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It's called the "Redford Factor."

He's just a small body when you compare that to most Big East guards. He's a good piece. He's neither as good nor as bad as people are making him out to be.

Rotational role player, whether he's starting or coming off the bench - but very important.

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Originally Posted by MADXSTER

I watch every game at least twice and quite a few three times. The first to just watch the game. The second and third to watch individual players. Kunkel may be undersized for sure but personally I don't see the defensive liabilities that you guys are harping on. Most times he was the only guy boxing his guy out 20 feet from the basket. He plays offside help defense which I can tell you that Goodin NEVER did. His biggest flaw on defense is fighting thru screens which happens to a lot of players. If anyone's defense is a true threat to losing games it's Freemantle. He has been horrible since his freshman year. And I mean horrible. I'm not saying that Kunkel is first or second team BE but he is more than serviceable in this league.

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Agree mostly with this. Kunkle is not a bad defender. But he doesnt have elite size, strength or quickness to match up with guys that DO have those elite skills. Its a tall order to play defense at this level. He's playing with the cards he's been dealt, and frankly I think he's maximized his abilities. He's just outmatched on the size , strength, quickness scale. NOT a knock on him, just an assessment of what I see.

And Free is a traffic cone on defense for sure. You could see games where it was entirely obvious that once the ball got in the past, the man was gonna get a shot up. not even a hint of making a pass out of the post. This was an obvious game plan to take advantage of free or draw a foul. Offensively, he's VERY good in the post, but not if he's sitting on the bench because of his lousy D. If I coached against X, my main plan to negate Free on offense would be to abuse him on defense.

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Originally Posted by MHettel

And Free is a traffic cone on defense for sure. You could see games where it was entirely obvious that once the ball got in the past, the man was gonna get a shot up. not even a hint of making a pass out of the post. This was an obvious game plan to take advantage of free or draw a foul. Offensively, he's VERY good in the post, but not if he's sitting on the bench because of his lousy D. If I coached against X, my main plan to negate Free on offense would be to abuse him on defense.

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So that begs the question. We have plenty of alternatives to Kunkel if his play does not measure up. I agree with the above statement about Free's defensive liabilities. In fact, there's probably lots of agreement on this board judging from the game comments over the last couple of years. It isn't clear to me who gets Zach's minutes if his defensive play remains poor.

How much P.T. do posters envision for Zach and, if he's on the bench, who replaces him? I guess I would expect to see Edwards but not sure how well he can play. Thoughts?

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Originally Posted by Jumpin_Jamal_Forever

So that begs the question. We have plenty of alternatives to Kunkel if his play does not measure up. I agree with the above statement about Free's defensive liabilities. In fact, there's probably lots of agreement on this board judging from the game comments over the last couple of years. It isn't clear to me who gets Zach's minutes if his defensive play remains poor.

How much P.T. do posters envision for Zach and, if he's on the bench, who replaces him? I guess I would expect to see Edwards but not sure how well he can play. Thoughts?

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I see Free playing alot of minutes, in spite of his defense. There just isn't an alternative. Hunter is possibly a better interior defender than Free, but he's more of a 3/4 that can guard a little on the perimeter where Free is a 4/5 that needs to stay in the post. You dont want Free to switch onto someone that can shoot or drive, cause that is actually worse. If the opposition is clearly just trying to feed Free's man, maybe send some help from the perimeter, or have the 5 cheat over and try to get the off ball swat? What we CANT do is just let a team go after Free over and over for free buckets all night. Taking him out of the game feeds their strategy. Doubt we see any zone, other than the occasional gimmick.

Maybe work with Free to keep him man a little further from the basket before the entry pass. He was getting posted DEEP last year. Thats 2 points.

Also, maybe Miles or Edwards can factor in somehow. Edwards may be the backup 4 and could get some minutes, but not TAKE minutes from Free. Possibly Miles plays with Free a little more to beef up the rim protection. But with Miles, we're 4 on 5 offensively, so Free is the only post threat. Thats fine, cause I want him down there...