Sean Miller: The Thread

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Originally Posted by Tim

The talent is there. But the issues I see with Claude are...

1. He does not have the clutch gene.
2. Every player makes mistakes, but it seems to me his are almost always the most critical, pivotal, tone-setting, or momentum changing.
3. His constant attempts at the 3 have become selfish at this point.
4. In addition to lacking consistency from one game to the next, he lacks consistency from one half to the next in the same game.
5. I have no evidence other than the eye test, but he looks lazy to me the way he plays, especially mentally.

I don't mean to pile on Claude, I'm harder on him compared to the Euros and bigs because he DOES have the talent and my expectations for him are higher than what he is delivering, but they are NOT higher than what he CAN deliver, and part of that is passion.

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The guy has carried us at many points this year. I can’t imagine what this s*it-show would have looked like without him. His mistakes at crucial times— well, he is the one with the ball at crucial times. Frankly, his game this year reminds me a lot of Naji’s during his last couple years, in which he was forced to carry a bad team.

We also don’t talk enough about the fact Claude was asked to Carey the team while playing out of position. His growth may not be on a perfect trajectory, but he is the least of my worries. — Now watch, he won’t play the rest of the season, as it becomes evident he is the one in Sean‘s doghouse. :)

I’ve said from the beginning of the season:

1) Claude did not get better. Yes, his averages have gone up because of more minutes and more opportunity, but I can’t pinpoint any skill development that is better than last year, and his shooting is worse. I do think he’s a great piece on a good team, but he doesn’t seem to be built for the lead role.
2) This roster isn’t good enough.

Both were accurate then and still accurate today.

Sound alike we might see a very different group of guys playing tomorrow night.

https://x.com/barstoolsports/status/...ZFkQ7RbyDYbL8g


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I think that both things are true….

Claude has carried the team at times and statistically is the 2nd best player on the team

Claude also disappears at times, isn’t a great clutch player, and has holes in his game


But he’s still just a true sophomore and hopefully will fill some of those holes over the next two years. I don’t think that he will ever become a good 3 point shooter though.

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Originally Posted by XUGRAD80

I think that both things are true….

Claude has carried the team at times and statistically is the 2nd best player on the team

Claude also disappears at times, isn’t a great clutch player, and has holes in his game


But he’s still just a true sophomore and hopefully will fill some of those holes over the next two years. I don’t think that he will ever become a good 3 point shooter though.

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This is what I know.....it will be a HUGE loss if he transfers. He is a Steele guy.

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Originally Posted by Tim

Claude has no heart and I'm sure Miller is targeting him in his comments. It's stunning to me that posters i respect think he's developed significantly from last year to now.

Also, at least the same hysterical poster that keeps pointing fingers at Miller is being taken to the woodshed so there's that.

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Fresh: 20.8 mins/game, 42.3 FG%, 29.3 3pt%, 57.1 FT%, 2.5 rebs, 1.8 assts, 0.8 steals, 4.7 pts
Soph: 33.6 mins/game, 40.4 FG%, 21.3 3pt%, 78.7 FT%, 4.3 rebs, 3.4 assists, 1 steal, 15.5 pts

There is zero doubt he has developed significantly. He's had to take on a lot more than last year obviously. His shooting is down, I think that is partly from the volume increase from last year to this year and being the guy or one of the guys and needing to be more selective.

Did he make the jump some expected? No. Some thought he could be 1st team all BE. He didn't make that level jump. But he still had to take on a lot more and made a jump.

The next step is taking a jump from soph to jr year similar to one Colby took. Colby greatly improved his 3pt % and his overall play. Let's hope Des can do the same.

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Originally Posted by bleedXblue

He's the only guy on the roster right now with a legit shot at an NBA career.

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Not true.

https://www.espn.com/nba/insider/ins...nd-projections

ESPN just came out with a 2025 NBA Mock draft. They have Swain the 2nd pick in the 2nd round #32 overall.

I don’t think Miller was calling out Claude, but could be wrong. I guess we will see tonight.

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Originally Posted by D-West & PO-Z

Fresh: 20.8 mins/game, 42.3 FG%, 29.3 3pt%, 57.1 FT%, 2.5 rebs, 1.8 assts, 0.8 steals, 4.7 pts
Soph: 33.6 mins/game, 40.4 FG%, 21.3 3pt%, 78.7 FT%, 4.3 rebs, 3.4 assists, 1 steal, 15.5 pts

There is zero doubt he has developed significantly. He's had to take on a lot more than last year obviously. His shooting is down, I think that is partly from the volume increase from last year to this year and being the guy or one of the guys and needing to be more selective.

Did he make the jump some expected? No. Some thought he could be 1st team all BE. He didn't make that level jump. But he still had to take on a lot more and made a jump.

The next step is taking a jump from soph to jr year similar to one Colby took. Colby greatly improved his 3pt % and his overall play. Let's hope Des can do the same.

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FG% down, 3pt% down considerable, FT% way up mostly because last year sucked badly - but ok,

If you consider more than 60% increase in min/game, rebs, assists, steal hardly up at all (rebounds perhaps because nobody else is and assists because he is in that position more).

I like Des and hope this year ends up as an anomaly but hardly 'significant' in my practically worthless opinion.

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Originally Posted by drudy23

I don’t think Miller was calling out Claude, but could be wrong. I guess we will see tonight.

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I was thinking this was a Gytis/Lazar directed comment