Wow. Pitino can turn him into something? If so then we know it was a coaching problem
@hoosiers94 Doesn't seem like a typical Pitino guy, but maybe he sees something in RB that we do not.
Whether we know that or not, we know several here will leap on it, to say it was a coaching problem.Wow. Pitino can turn him into something? If so then we know it was a coaching problem
What a golden opportunity.
@hoosiers94 It was always a coaching problem. I believe Pitino will "turn him into something", because to start with he won't be asking him to play and defend 5s.
The kid has skills, and limitations, that most here refused to acknowledge because he was miscast in his role at IU.
He was already something. This has been hashed out, ad nauseum. He looked soft. He was soft in many ways. But despite that, he was our best "big", overall, and his efficiency numbers bear that out. And we played our best basketball, mostly, when he was on the floor. Despite him being VERY frustrating to watch. He is a very good pinch post type of big. And he is versatile defensively. He has not shown any sort of ability to bang inside, to score in traffic at the rim, or to rebound out of his space against other bigs.
He will become more physical playing for Pitino. Or he won't play. I'm not sure that'll be an indictment on Devries, or any glowing endorsement of Pitino. Pitino is a great college basketball coach, that happens to employ a football like mentality in to his program. Plenty of examples of other great coaches not employing that same strategy.
To summarize... Rick Pitino, evidently, thinks enough of him to offer him a scholarship and some NIL money. At a minimum, that should shut up some of the so called talent experts on this board. The originator of this thread is already spinning this to a potential indictment on DeVries. Maybe it will be, maybe it won't. But Reed Bailey is a fully capable high major tall basketball player, as I've been saying since last summer. Its nice that Rick Pitino agrees with me.
He was already something. This has been hashed out, ad nauseum. He looked soft. He was soft in many ways. But despite that, he was our best "big", overall, and his efficiency numbers bear that out. And we played our best basketball, mostly, when he was on the floor. Despite him being VERY frustrating to watch. He is a very good pinch post type of big. And he is versatile defensively. He has not shown any sort of ability to bang inside, to score in traffic at the rim, or to rebound out of his space against other bigs.
He will become more physical playing for Pitino. Or he won't play. I'm not sure that'll be an indictment on Devries, or any glowing endorsement of Pitino. Pitino is a great college basketball coach, that happens to employ a football like mentality in to his program. Plenty of examples of other great coaches not employing that same strategy.
To summarize... Rick Pitino, evidently, thinks enough of him to offer him a scholarship and some NIL money. At a minimum, that should shut up some of the so called talent experts on this board. The originator of this thread is already spinning this to a potential indictment on DeVries. Maybe it will be, maybe it won't. But Reed Bailey is a fully capable high major tall basketball player, as I've been saying since last summer. Its nice that Rick Pitino agrees with me.
yes any way it works out it's an indictment on Devries.
he couldn't properly place him to be effective to produce wins
Pitino signs him ...: why didn't Devries resign him
Pitino signs him and he has a monster year ... Devries mistake again
Pitino signs him he has another awful year in relation to expectations... then Pitino eats that one ... and Devries still in the back shed on it because he signed him to his first high major stint and misjudged
see... it all is a negative to Devries. :).
@hoosiers94 It's a negative on DeVries because he signed him expecting him to play (and start) at the 5. He would make a ton more sense with this years roster. But, I think Alexsis took the last open spot and I'd rather have him because I think the most glaring need is depth in the frontcourt; exactly where Bailey struggled. If you could guarantee our 2 bigs would be healthy and able to play every game, Bailey might raise this teams ceiling, but if they can't and we need post play, he could also lower our floor a good bit. Besides, I'd rather see Sherrill in the stretch 4 spot because he's just a more talented player than Bailey and Alexsis coming in might allow him to play there even when Samet is out.
@hoosiers94 ha ha, yes! Trying to inject some life in to the board! I've missed the basketball back and forths on Bailey and Devries.
Obviously we don't know yet how it will shake out. And you could be right. My snide comments were mainly driven by Cavs, and your, comments on how awful a basketball player Bailey was/is. Pitino, evidently, disagrees with that... as do I. At the time, you were not framing it that he was bad... for us... mostly.
In response to your post...
Devries, for whatever reason, probably felt like he needs guys that are already wired better to play more physical inside. Sherrell, Yiggy, Alexis fit that better than Bailey does. Maybe he felt like his time was better suited focusing on other things, than trying to turn Bailey in to something he's not? He has a year of that experience now, Pitino doesn't. Also, Pitino's program, by the style he's basically always played, naturally does that for him. Meaning I don't think he now spends a ton of time individually with players, trying to pull toughness out of them. The style they play implies you have to have it. That is, for sure, one of my big concerns with Devries... true discipline and toughness in his program. But there's absolutely room for that to be a strength, but them not play the football style of defense and rebounding that coaches like Pitino and Izzo make hallmarks of their program.
There's also tons of ways Bailey could shine for Pitino, and not have that be a huge indictment on Devries coaching abilities. Put Bailey on a team with a dawg big inside, some great athletes and finishers on the wing... and he could become a very useful and impactful player as a passing oriented "stretch 4". IU didn't have a roster built for that. That part is obviously on Devries... but I'm not sure its a total indictment on him or his coaching abilities. That's just one example. Maybe Bailey also goes up there and literally gets his ass beat the first week of practice, and it wakes him up? Actual fighting is notorious in Pitino's programs. That's obviously not a culture thing in all programs.
Your third point... yep. Agree.
Disappointed with Devries start, in some ways. Optimistic about some things.
@kkott Agree on all of this. None of it means Bailey isn't a solid high major level basketball player. And we'll get a much more clear picture, starting in a few months, if last season was more about getting a late start with his staff, and IU being a bit too rigid and stubborn on their NIL budget... or if Devries isn't up to the task of building a good high major roster, and then coaching it well.