Roundup From BN Walk: News & Notes
by Nestor on May 29, 2008 3:58 AM PDT
in News
44 comments
Once again we will start our walk in Orlando. Brian Dohn reports on how LRMAM is in love with the idea of being a jumpshooter:
Mbah a Moute, who is in Orlando, Fla., participating in the NBA's pre-draft camp, is confident in his jump shot, and that could be the key to whether he gets a chance to make an NBA roster or remains at UCLA for his senior season.
In declaring for the NBA draft but not signing with an agent, Mbah a Moute left open the opportunity to return to college. Yet he is shelling out a few thousand dollars to train for NBA workouts, and he enlisted Joe Abunassar to help turn his inconsistent jump shot into an asset and work his way into the June 26 NBA draft.
"Consistency is very important to me on a jump shot," said Abunassar, who runs an Impact Basketball training company. "The real thing with Luc is getting him repetition. Luc needs to be a dangerous mid-range guy, which he's very much become.
"His 3-point shooting has gotten much, much better, and it's going to continue to improve. Mostly with him, it's the consistency of his release, and his footwork."
Mbah a Moute, who is training at the Home Depot Center, has the ability to defend and rebound, and strong instincts for the game.
But even as he declared his intention to enter the NBA draft, he acknowledged the need to shoot the basketball much better.
I have never heard of this Abunassar dude before. But I will once again repeat what I wrote yesterday. IMHO LRMAM’s meal ticket is his ability to play defense and rebound. If he is going to make it to the next level, I think he needs to do by perfecting the attributes that made him a sensation in his freshman season.
If LRMAM insists on envisioning himself as a jump shooter, I am not really sure I want him back in UCLA for his senior year. I rather have Coach Howland work younger kids like Keefe, Morgan, Gordon and experienced senior like AA2, who will actually understand and appreciate their roles in his team game, and play within themselves. I am not sure I want to see the team game sacrificed for a kid, who is going to insist on being a jump shooter, and in the process shoot us out of big games (like he did by taking those bonehead jumpers against Memphis State). Hopefully Howland and his staff strongly communicate that message to LRMAM if he is coming back as a senior at UCLA. He is going to have to play within the role assigned to him by the best college basketball coach in America, not some guy like Joe Abunassar, who thinks Luc has become a "dangerous mid-range guy" during his NBA workouts.
Anyway, moving on the LA Times has a profile on our softball team which is making a return to the big show after one year absence. The Bruins are making their 27th appearance in the World Series (our program has been around for 33 years) thanks to superb pitching and timely hitting during its post–season games:
Pitching has carried the Bruins (50-7) most of the way, but the offense has come alive of late. UCLA had 28 home runs in 52 regular season games, but has eight in five postseason games.
They are outhitting opponents .338 to .165 in the post season.
"We're playing good softball at the right time," Inouye-Perez said. "Our table-setters are getting on, we're moving runners up and we're getting the big clutch hits."
The trick will be to maintain that level for the next five days and get this year's seniors a championship ring. No class has gone four years at UCLA without winning a championship, and this is the last opportunity for the class of '08, which lost in the finals in 2005 and finished fourth in 2006.
"It is part of our vision to make sure every Bruin leaves with a ring," Inouye-Perez said.
But that doesn't make this year any different, Selden said.
"That's always the goal at UCLA," she said. "It's not because we didn't make it here last year or because our class hasn't won one yet. No one year in the past is the reason to want to win it. We're all driven to get this far. And being able to overcome the adversity we've gone through will help us get through the adversity we'll face this week."
Jelly and her team-mates will get things going tonight at 6 pm PST on ESPN. We will have an open game thread ready to go.
On to football, Dohn posted a note from last weekend’s QB event in Santa Barbara, which I consider to be a pretty exciting development:
One thing I kept forgetting to post from the weekend was how UCLA signee Kevin Prince, the quarterback out of Crespi High, was a huge hit at the Steve Clarkson event in Santa Barbara.
In talking to a few people about Prince's performance, they said he looked the best out of the quarterbacks in attendance.
If this is true, it’s pretty encouraging considering the QBs Prince is being compared to include blue chippers such as Matt Barkley (#1 ranked QB from class of 2009 who committed to Southern Cal), Terrell Pryor (#1 ranked QB from class of 2008 who committed to Ohio State), and Dayne Crist (committed to Notre Dame). No wonder Neuheisel and Chow jumped on this kid so fast when they took control in Westwood.
Lastly, we will end the walk with a quick visit with LA’s other marquee basketball team. Lakers are experiencing what the world of Ben Ball was going through this past March, as rest of the country is whining about a close no call in their last playoff games. Apparently even the NBA officials just like the Pac-10 ones did after the Cal game, have stepped in. All I will do is echo, what our friends at Forum Blue and Gold, the super blog covering the best basketball team in the history of NBA said following game 4:
Let’s talk about the obvious, the no-call on Brent Barry in the final seconds of the game. I’ll say again (this time to Spurs fans) what I have said many times before on this site (and made some Lakers fans mad at me) — if you leave the game up to the refs in the final few seconds, you get what you get. The Spurs had 47:58 to do the things that take the game out of the hands of the referees — hitting more than 7 of their 24 three pointers, keeping the Lakers off the offensive boards, and much more. I thought Fisher should have been called for a before-the-shot foul (two shots), but if you depend on the refs in that situation you take chances.
On point.
Let’s hope the Lakers close it out tonight (tip off 9pm EST).
Flipping between Lakers and Bruins. Should be a great night in this Nation.
GO BRUINS.
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I Want LRMAM Back
“If LRMAM insists on envisioning himself as a jump shooter, I am not really sure I want him back in UCLA for his senior year.”
Sorry, but I’m not going to let something written by Doh! color my opinion of Luc or my desire to have him come back. Nothing in Doh!’s piece says that Luc is envisioning himself as a jump shooter. What the article says is that Luc is working on his jump shot
Throughout his career here, we’ve wished he had a mid-range jump shot. Now, he is working on one—and the fact that he is finding joy in it or seeing its importance does not mean that he has turned into an uncoachable, selfish player who will shoot us out of games.
Fact is, we need that mid-range shot. And, if we can get it from our best defensive player—what a great bonus.
Luc has had one of the best attitudes on our team, for years. We should expect the best from him because that’s all he has ever given us.
I want him back.
sjh
by Class of 66 on May 29, 2008 6:11 AM PDT reply actions 0 recs
I don't mind Luc taking jump shots
as long as he makes them ;-) which he really hasn’t done with any consistency while he was here. But I think I’m with N on this one in that I would take guys like AA2, Keefe, and the incoming freshman to play within the framework of Howland’s offense; I would also take the 2006 version of LRMAM (his freshman year), one who played with remarkable efficiency and poise, and didn’t try to take over games by himself; an NBA-auditioning LRMAM may not be what’s best for this team next year, IMO.
by godblesstyus95 on May 29, 2008 7:56 AM PDT up reply actions 0 recs
Dead on 66. Dead on.
I want Luc back., and I don’t hesitate.
Luc’s goal right now is to evaluate his NBA stock and to see where he needs to improve in order to be a top NBA pick. If that means improving his jumper, he needs to improve his jumper. I will not penalize Luc for trying to evaluate his potential as an NBA player. Many on this board dubbed as “selfish” those who questioned whether players like Luc should be declaring for the draft in the first place. But if all those selfish comments were really about looking out for what’s in the best interests of our players, I don’t understand how we can now question a player for trying to get better.
I think everyone agrees that an improved jumper by Luc would actually help UCLA so long as Luc didn’t become a jump shooter exclusively. So in fact, one could argue his working on his jump shot this summer could actually help us next year. Indeed, the whole argument as to why this extra shooting practice might hurt UCLA is premised on the assumptions that (a) Luc will use his senior year to showcase his jumper at all costs, (b) that Howland will not be able to communicate with Luc about Luc’s role or might just ignore the issue, and© that Luc wouldn’t listen if Howland tried to communicate. The fundamental problem with those assumptions, in my opinion, is that there is no evidence that Luc is a selfish me-first player, and there is even less evidence that Howland will fail to be the leader of the team next year.
I want Luc back. I’d welcome him back. And, by the way, I’m convinced that having a 3-time veteran of the Final Four and former Pac-10 Freshman of the Year isn’t going to hurt us, but might actually help us.
Go Bruins.
by rfirpo on May 29, 2008 8:37 AM PDT up reply actions 0 recs
I want Luc Back Too
I can’t buy Luc getting help with a shot as translating to Luc becoming a gunner. NBA forwards have to have the ability to score away from the hoop.
Every year he has been a great contributer to the team and I just don’t see the “I don’t want him back if …” rationale.
bru79 (formerly Calchas)
by bru79 on May 29, 2008 9:27 AM PDT up reply actions 0 recs
Luc with a jump shot would be
fantastic! If he could have hit some shots in the last tourney, it would have made a world of difference. Just because Luc can hit a jumper doesn’t mean he could or would be allowed to become a ball hog.
The more interesting question, assuming he has learned to shoot a consistent jumper [a big if], is why couldn’t he develop it earlier under Coach Howland? Makes you wonder how true the claim that he’s all of a sudden got a consistent jumper is true, especially since there’s a huge difference between hitting it in practice and hitting it when a game is on the line.
I think Coach knows how to teach kids to shoot, but, if Luc has improved his offense, so much the better. Hope he comes back, period. You need veterans, too. And he is a class act IMO.
by uclahy on May 29, 2008 10:39 AM PDT up reply actions 0 recs
I STRONGLY agree...I want Luc back too
Luc has NEVER been a liability to our team on the court. Sure, he has taken some ill-advised shots every now and then, but find me a player who hasn’t. I will still assert that Luc is the glue which holds our defense together and I see no reason to believe that anything will change that. The point that this Abunassar dude is making is that Luc will be asked to play more on the perimeter in the NBA and must develop a more consistent jump-shot to do so. If these workouts and his continued work in the off-season help Luc develop a consistent jump-shot, that will only add to what he can bring to our team.
GO BRUINS!
by rgalloucla on May 29, 2008 12:05 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs
Spurs fans
and Laker haters seem to conveniently forget that not only did Fisher not get the call for hitting the rim (which should have reset the 24 second clock and given the Lakers the opportunity to run out the clock), but also the fact that for the first 47 minutes of the game, the refs were almost blatantly trying to give the Spurs the game. It’s one thing to call less fouls in the playoffs, but another to look the other way when the Lakers were getting mauled at the basket (Kobe Bryant, 29 shot attempts, 0 free throw attempts) and calling touch fouls against the Lakers (not to mention Tim Duncan’s obvious 3-step jaunt to the basket). Anyway, this isn’t a Laker board, so I will stop there.
GO BRUINS. HOOK 'EM HORNS.
by uclawarren on May 29, 2008 6:41 AM PDT reply actions 0 recs
Couldn't agree more
I don’t wan’t complain about the officiating, but it was getting scary. Luke Walton was getting hacked on both ends, but being treated like a no name rookie, Pau, who does play soft, was still getting hacked as well, and kobe didn’t go to the free throw line once. With all this boiling up, I nearly tossed my computer out the window as Timmeh sailed through the lane and after 6 steps threw down a one handed jam…I have no remorse for spurs fans…
O.A.
by Ollie on May 29, 2008 11:33 AM PDT up reply actions 0 recs
Hey Spurs Fans
The Phoenix Suns find your whining hilarious, and ironic.
Go Lakers.
greg in denver
by gbruin on May 29, 2008 12:33 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs
And this Jazz fan
Finds this comment oh-so ironic.
I should qualify that by saying I didn’t see the game at all. You could be quite right. After our Game 5 though, I have difficulty with Laker fans complaining.
by jaffa on May 30, 2008 5:24 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs
Luc the Jump Shooter
Nestor…you took the words right of my mouth when you expressed hesitation to have Luc back on the team if he is looking to be more of a jump shooter. I must admit that I’ve never been a big Luc fan, and I pretty much cringe every time he gets the ball on the perimeter or tries to be a ball handler. I love his defense and intensity, but on offense he just feels like a liability. So if he returns to Westwood intent on developing his jump shot, likely at the expense of our gameplan, I’m not sure I would want him back either. Having said that, I would absolutely love to have the added frontcourt depth, because even with the other returning players, we still feel rather thin up front.
by SactoBruin on May 29, 2008 7:46 AM PDT reply actions 0 recs
SactoBruin...
At what point did you decide to not be a big Luc fan? Was it when he made a tough catch and hit the winning shot against Gonzaga inthe NCAA tournament? Was it when he was named Pac-10 freshman of the year? Perhaps it was all of the opportune put-backs he’s given us (granted, there were less put-backs last season with K-Love holding down the middle, but I look to see Luc back to his old self again on the boards this year). Or was it every game that he has played Ben Howland’s trademark lock-down defense? For proof, see all the back door cuts that we were exposed to after Luc went out with a cheap shot injury against $uC last year at Pauley. Luc is the quintessential team player and the glue that holds our defense together. I’m sorry but I will defend him to the end!
GO BRUINS!
by rgalloucla on May 29, 2008 12:19 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs
I'm with sjh on this
There were lots of times when Luc got open for jump shots which he either passed up or went ahead and took (usually unsuccessfully.) But the other 98% of the time he was on the court he was playing great defense, getting rebounds and somehow getting his 10 points without anyone noticing.
I don’t think that “working on a jump shot” necessarily means he is going to change the other 98% of his game. If it means he makes a few more of those than he did in the past, it means that we have a defensive beast who can also score. His 10 ppg may well go up a few notches. I can’t conceive of anyone on a Ben Howland coached team forgetting how to play defense because he has been “working on a jump shot.”
Plus, I think the report came from Doh!, which means Luc was probably working on golf or bowling.
by Fox 71 on May 29, 2008 8:21 AM PDT reply actions 0 recs
I''m with Fox and sjh
Remember how we saw Stan Love’s comments and attributed them to trying to boost Kevin’s draft stock? I see this as the same thing. They’re trying to sell NBA teams on Luc. There were a couple games where Luc got a little shot happy, but there were also games where Russ got shot happy and Shipp got shot happy. Everyone has games where they try to do too much. Plus, with Howland at the helm, if Luc tries to turn next season into a tryout I’m sure he’ll find himself on the bench. For all the jump shots that Luc took, there were three times as many charges taken or loose balls he dove for. If Luc does come back to Westwood then I’ll welcome him back.
by Ryan Rosenblatt on May 29, 2008 8:32 AM PDT reply actions 0 recs
I'm with the three of you...
Are some of you really getting that worried about a player improving his game in the off-season? Did you not all wish last year, when you saw Luc open on the baseline because nobody respected his jumper, that he could knock it down when left wide open?
The fact that Luc could not consistently make a mid-range jump shot made UCLA a LOT easier to guard. For one, packing the paint on KL would have been a lot tougher if teams had to guard Luc outside of 3ft. from the basket. Playing zone would have also been tougher if Luc could make a jumper from the free throw line – where he routinely got the ball in the middle of the zone and was only a threat to pass. When we needed offense in the tournament, it seemed Keefe got the call to replace Luc a few times, and I think the reason was clear – Keefe can hit shots out to the 3pt line and open up the offense for everyone else.
I’m really having a hard time seeing anything at all negative about this, unless some of you don’t trust Howland.
by cabz on May 29, 2008 11:53 AM PDT up reply actions 0 recs
Oops
I meant to include this in my comment, but forgot.
Men’s Golf started the NCAA Championships as they take their turn in the quest for #103. The Bruins finished the first round tied for first with USC at +9. Senior Kevin Chappell took a one stroke lead in the individual championships as well. The Bruins are ranked fourth in the country and seem to have as good of a chance as any other team to bring home the national title.
by Ryan Rosenblatt on May 29, 2008 8:34 AM PDT reply actions 0 recs
Round 2 is underway and the Bruins are off to a strong start
They currently find themselves at +10, 3 shots clear of Kent St. and USC who are tied for 2nd. The Bruins are on holes 13-15, Kent St. is in the clubhouse and SC in on 16-18. Only the top 15 teams make the cut which comes after today’s round.
by Ryan Rosenblatt on May 29, 2008 9:21 AM PDT up reply actions 0 recs
It gets better for UCLA
as two birdies move them to +8. Kent St. and USC are still at +13, giving the Bruins a 5 stroke lead.
by Ryan Rosenblatt on May 29, 2008 9:24 AM PDT up reply actions 0 recs
Luc Richard with a jump shot is a good thing
If he has confidence in it and can make it consistently, then he’ll be a tremendous asset on the team and would really boost his stock. I don’t see how Abunassar’s comments really hurt since Luc is most likely just shooting jumpers after jumpers in an empty gym and hyping him for the draft. What concerns me more is the comment in the LA Times where Luc Richard allegedly states that he said even being a second-round pick without a guaranteed contract would tempt him to still leave.
by UCLA4Life on May 29, 2008 8:39 AM PDT reply actions 0 recs
15 to 20 points per game
is what I think we can expect from Jrue, Shipp and DC next year. All I’m saying is that if our defensive/rebounding specialist is trying to put up those numbers, it may lead to some “chemistry issues”. You guys all bring up some good points though, and I think whether Luc stays or goes, with The Caretaker at the helm we’ll be fine either way.
by godblesstyus95 on May 29, 2008 9:28 AM PDT reply actions 0 recs
Expectations too high for these three
If Shipp proved anything last year, it’s that he’s not a 15 point per game guy. He can’t handle the scoring load. We’ll be better if he’s the 4th, 5th or 6th option and plays 20-25 minutes per game. Collison and Holiday may hit 15-20, but we need to keep in mind that Holiday is a freshman and that overall, UCLA plays at about a 70-point per game pace, which makes 45-60 points from 3 players unlikely.
We need scoring from the 4 and 5. Assuming he returns, Luc is capable of putting up 12 per game on mostly second chances. If he can also keep defenses honest at 15 feet (whether by jumpshooting or driving toward the hoop), we will not have to hear from Howland that our opponent’s successful defensive strategy was not to guard our post player.
by BruinsRule on May 29, 2008 11:39 AM PDT up reply actions 0 recs
Interviews with Joe Abunassar
The magic of Google…
Most of the kids coming out are not prepared, and this is no disrespect to the colleges, but its college. These kids are staying up late and eating fast food. I coached in college, so I know what they’re dealing with. If I could change anything it would be stuff like that. For instance, Quincy Douby came to work out with us last summer. Your can ask his college coaches about it, but he returned for his Junior year a completely different player. So, what we do with a Pre-Draft kid coming out will completely shock him the first week. "You’re not drinking enough water. You don’t stretch. You can’t eat that and come into a workout." I mean when I coached in college, you’d have a 3pm practice and nine out of ten guys would come in without having eaten a thing, and if they did they grabbed something terrible.
2007 WarriorsWorld.net Inteview
Baron Davis is looking great. He did a good amount of traveling during the later part of the summer after spending a lot of time with us in Vegas, but Rico Hines, a great friend of mine and a great coach and trainer, spends a lot of time working with Baron in the off-season, and has been with him on the travel, so I am sure he has maintained his form and is ready for a great season.
Interesting reads.
by Telemachus on May 29, 2008 10:00 AM PDT reply actions 0 recs
Tracking Men's Golf
Men’s Team is currently in third place.
by Gen2Bruin1987 on May 29, 2008 10:41 AM PDT reply actions 0 recs
i'm ok with it...
as long as he doesn’t let up on defense. Luc used to have more confidence in his shot, taking the occasional three and hitting it. I don’t mind that and in fact, I was disappointed when he seemed tentative about shooting the past couple years. So if he can develop a jumper, then I’m all for it.
A possible negative of him taking jumpers, is that it moves him further away from the basket and less likely to grab offensive boards.
by UCLAbruin920 on May 29, 2008 11:15 AM PDT reply actions 0 recs
It may be a moot point
Luc is not exactly shooting lights out at the workouts, per this report.
by tasser10 on May 29, 2008 11:35 AM PDT reply actions 0 recs
I'm still having trouble understanding the softball round robin format
but go bruins, any more golf updates?...i can’t believe we dropped 6 strokes on three holes, bummer.
If anyone feels bad about their night tonight, remember me, little ‘ol Ollie…interning and having to work the dirt harry dvd launch event from about 4-10
so I can forget about Dodgers, Lakers, Bruins for this action packed thursday…...
O.A.
by Ollie on May 29, 2008 11:38 AM PDT reply actions 0 recs
Golf is in the clubhouse one stroke off the lead
Clemson is in first place and is also in the clubhouse.
The WCWS is not round robin. There are 8 teams in Oklahoma City for the WCWS and the 8 teams are split into two, four team brackets. Each bracket plays a double elimination tournament with the winner of each bracket advancing to play each other in a best of 3 championship series.
UCLA has Arizona, Arizona St. and Alabama in their bracket, Arizona is the #7 national seed, Arizona St. is the #6 national seed and Alabama is the #3 national seed. In the other bracket is #1 national seed Florida, #5 national seed Texas A&M and unseeded Louisiana Lafayette and Virginia Tech.
by Ryan Rosenblatt on May 29, 2008 11:44 AM PDT up reply actions 0 recs
Interesting Quote
Mbah a Moute still has a choice, though he said being a second-round NBA pick, even without a guaranteed contract, would tempt him.“I really want to be in the NBA next year,” he said.
Sounds like we should start getting ready for Luc to leave for the NBA. He’s a lock to be drafted, so if he really does prefer being a 2nd round pick with no guarantees to coming back to UCLA, he’s as good as gone.
by cabz on May 29, 2008 11:42 AM PDT reply actions 0 recs
Whoa
You’re being a bit harsh on Luc IMO. Nowhere in the article does Luc saying anything remotely close to how he is going to be jacking up perimeter shots to prove to NBA scouts that he has the offensive game at the expense of Ben Ball. All Luc said was that he is practicing his shot. Am I missing something or did I read the article incorrectly?
Luc is a smart kid. He knows his bread & butter is his ability to guard the 1 through 3 positions at the NBA level. However, he also knows that he needs to develop a mid range jumper as well. That is exactly what he is doing. He is working to strengthen a weakness in his game and that is it period. I can’t believe some are questioning Luc. This is the kid that DOVE to dislodge the ball against Gonzaga to secure the comeback, the kid that bangs against bigger 4’s as a 3, the kid that plays his heart out on a busted ankle, the kid that has done everything the right way, represented UCLA with honor & dignity and is what a real “Student-Athlete” is supposed to be. I’ve yet to see a hint of any selfishness on his part during his career at UCLA. Yes, his jumper sucks to put it frankly but this is a kid that at times is too unselfish to a fault.
BN likes to talk about “body of work”. Well, Luc’s body of work speaks for itself. Nothing in that article can lead me to infer that Luc would be a cancer on our team should he choose to return. I wish him the best in his pursuit to fulfill his dream. Whether he leaves or not (I hope he returns), I’m rooting for Luc. He has earned my respect, admiration and unwavering support.
by BlueReign on May 29, 2008 2:51 PM PDT reply actions 0 recs
I scored tickets to tonight's Laker game
So is can someone update the score of the softball game tonight for me to check on my phone? It’d be very much appreciated.
by Ryan Rosenblatt on May 29, 2008 3:15 PM PDT reply actions 0 recs
Rye -- If it's on in Texas, I'll l help out.
What time is the game?
sjh
by Class of 66 on May 29, 2008 4:12 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs
Yeah
It’s the second game of a doubleheader so it’ll start about 30 minutes after the first game ends, approximately 8:30 CT. A huge thanks for helping me out.
by Ryan Rosenblatt on May 29, 2008 4:36 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs
Good thread
I think we are going to have to agree to disagree on this issue. I am not seeing I don’t want Luc back. I am saying if LRMAM is coming back he will have to commit himself to playing like LRMAM of freshman year. I will post more extensive thoughts early tomorrow am.
by Nestor on May 29, 2008 5:20 PM PDT reply actions 0 recs
Nestor, I've got to go w/ the majority here
I think you made a rather large and errant leap to presume that because Luc Richard is working on his jumper that somehow he’s become a selfish player. Like many others have written, his body of work suggests that will never be the case. Mbah a Moute has always been willing to do the dirty work for the team.
Exhibit A (I apologize for the poor quality of the video) comes from the Bruins penultimate game this year. On this play, he rotates from the weakside to help out the pick and roll defense. Then he contests the shot. As the ball heads towards the baseline, Luc makes the save to start the break. Then, despite being the person furthest from the basket when the shot is released, he weaves his way in to get the offensive rebound.
This guy can play for my team anytime.
by insomniacslounge on May 29, 2008 5:38 PM PDT reply actions 0 recs
am i not allowed to embed youtube?
here’s the link: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rEJHl9vFmog
by insomniacslounge on May 29, 2008 5:40 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs
Those highlights
Actually make my point. That’s the LRMAM I want back next season. However, that LRMAM has not appeared consistently last two years like the one who showed up game after game in his freshman year. As I said below I will present my argument by looking at his body of work tomorrow am.
by Nestor on May 29, 2008 5:45 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs
Body of work
As I indicated above I will post some more thoughts on the topic looking at LRMAM’s body of work at UCLA.
I appreciate the fact that lot of folks here disagree with me. However I based my thoughts on what I have seen over the years.
Moreover, let me make it clear I am not saying I don’t want Luc back at all. I am saying I want the Luc back who is going to commit himself to playing the 4 in Howland’s framework, instead of the one from last two years who number of times was lost offensively thinking he was an NBA 3.
Again as I said I am writing a post on this right now, which will go up early tomorrow morning.
by Nestor on May 29, 2008 5:42 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs
Luc in Howland's system
Since Howland tried to have Luc play the 3 last season, and the number of players now that can play the 4, would it stand to reason that Ben might revisit putting Luc at the 3? Especially if after working out this off-season and he decides to come back and actually can make that mid-range jumper consistently, I think it’s possible that Luc would play more 3 next season. Although it’s pretty clear that he’s suited for the 4 in college. I guess that could be something to ask Ben Howland at his program next week in Orange County.
by UCLA4Life on May 29, 2008 5:54 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs
Luc won't get much time at 3 next season
He will have to get in line behind combination of Shipp, Lee and may be players like Holiday and Roll who Howland will be looking to switch between 2 and 3.
Luc will have to earn his stripes as a 4 next year. That means he is going to have to focus on defense, rebounding and going up and down the court play to his instincts like he was doing his freshman season. It’s a good bet Howland is not going to run a lot of plays next season so Luc can take midrange jumpshots.
by Nestor on May 29, 2008 5:58 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs
i'm in love with the idea of being a jump shooter too
but i’m a scientist instead. oh well.
by jjreicher on May 29, 2008 7:58 PM PDT reply actions 0 recs
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