D.Gordon

[pulitzerdave]

On the issue of leadership, not skills, I note the D. Gordon was apparently the guy who promoted the idea of a start for McAtee. In his HS career he was definitely the leader on a team that went a long way (state championship) w/o an overwhelming edge in talent. However it plays out I'm very very glad to have him. If he's the weak link on a team it's going to be a hell of a team.

Yes, you have something there.

[pulitzerdave]

I think you were mentioned as a fellow agitator.

ya, not sure how i got dragged into your little mess here. i commented above without derailing anything. the poster must have had a bad experience along the way.

You drag yourself into messes. You don't need my help.

But in regard to your response, I meet snakiness with truth. So if some guy wants to make fun of me and disparage a career achievement, then I'll strike back. He teed me up, and I hit it down the middle. That's what you do when someone acts like a smart ass.

[gdgjr78]

One other thing I'd like to add about Gordon is I fully expect for him to be a huge pain in the @ss for other teams on the offensive glass. You pair his natural instincts and athleticism on the offensive glass with a year of getting bigger and stronger he is going to pile up "trash" buckets before he leaves KSU.

[learnin]

I will make what I think is a very relevant comment on my observations from courtside this year. This was the most physical big 12 conference i’ve seen since having a season ticket when Bob Huggins came.

From what I have observed, Bob Huggins, Bruce Weber and Chris beard have changed the dynamic of this conference. Slowly but surely, it is becoming a hard nosed, physical, defensive conference. as an example, KU and Baylor both improve their game by improving their defense. This was the most physical defensive team Scott Drew has put on the court. Many have commented, this year, that the Conference was down this year. The offenses were not as good but, from my observation, this had a great deal to do with the excessive physicality that I witnessed. On a sidenote, the whole College game was down this year. With the evolution of the game, I believe the game is becoming more physical and ugly.

Now, what does this have to do with the OP? I believe the increased physical play, this year, hampered D Gordon’s driving game as it affected even veterans offensive game. I believe this is the reason why the games seem to be off this year. I believe it is why there were a lot of low scoring games this year. My Lord, if veteran teams couldn’t score efficiently, how do we expect a young freshman whose game depends someone on getting to the bucket?

if you’re sitting underneath the bucket, as I am, you appreciate just how physical the game has become. It is almost like watching a running back get a first down with four hands pulling at the ball. i’ve never seen so much out of control hacking in order to knock the ball loose from a driver.

from what I saw, I think it was a big adjustment for D Gordon coming out of high school. I expect him to make some adjustments, get somewhat stronger and wiser by using his body to keep the ball weight from the hackers.Time will tell

Please forgive any typos as I dictated this.

[wild@nite]

Dave here’s my take on D. Gordon. And let me preface my remarks by saying it’s based on what we’ve all seen. His game play. I did not attend any practices this year so take my opinion cautiously. Lol. I will tell you from many years of experience that I can tell you a ton more about a players skills and attitude watching (or coaching) a couple 2-3 hour intense practices than watching every second of all the games. Especially like Gordon who actually played sporadic minutes.

But my take is he’s definitely super athletic. A tremendous offensive rebounder with a nose for the ball. He’s got some hiccups in his shot but I don’t think he’s one that will have to totally be broken down and restart from step 1. He needs a new tune up and not a complete engine overhaul. And I do like his attitude and desire to learn from what’s observable in games. But as I said I could tell a ton more from watching tough practices. I wish I saw the skill level to be a go to guy though. That’s just not there yet. Not a great shooter or get it to the rim guy. So my take is if he sort of levels off he’s a decent role guy for the team. 8-10 pt guy because of him being able to pick up the ‘trash’ points. But able to carry a team even for a couple possessions? Not there yet and I’m doubtful that he’ll ever be that guy. But his attitude and desire still gives him that chance.

Puff, I couldn't have said it better. You are spot on. To expect more than that is a disservice to Gordon. I know he has fans that see greatness in him, and that's fine. I just think we have better options coming in. I watched quite a bit of video on Miguel, and think that he could be really special. And he'll play the same position as Gordon. Selton is a "warrior". We really need that kind of player right now.

I guess I missed where anyone said he had "greatness". Pretty much everyone in this thread has said very similar to what Puff said. He is likely never going to be our best player. He is very capable of scoring 10 a game next year and bring back experience and athleticism. The only thing that most of have said different is that he is likely to improve this off-season.

[Hypeman]

I never trust anything I see on high school highlight videos other than seeing what a guy’s stroke looks like and if he has some hops. The competition is different, the coaching is different, the refereeing. Is different etc. I don’t believe what I hear about recruits until I see them on the court against other collegiate players.

[Puffdad]

Hype we’re talking about D. Gordon here. Not some random highlight video of a high school kid that fans watch. ???

[KITNooga]

In order to make an educated guess about D. Gordon's sophomore year, I have to consider what I saw from him this year.

1. I saw a young freshman who had a special knack of knowing where the ball is going.

2. I saw a young man who just missed multiple ESPN highlights by flying in off missed free throws, or shots, and coming up short on put back dunks.
I felt sorry for him because his knack, and talent, placed him in the position for the spotlight, but the force didn't cooperate because the ball was
off just enough that the young man couldn't finish the job.

3. Likewise, I saw a young man who knocked the ball loose multiple times only to have it bounce just a little bit out of his, or a team mates hands.
He was already high in steals. With a little luck, he would have been top 4, or 5, in conference.

4. I saw a young man who didn't play a great deal until mid way through the season when it finally became clear that Mak, Xavier and Cartier was not
going to produce enough offense.

5. I saw a young man who had one of the highest shooting percentages on the team.

6. I saw a young man who has a knack for hitting the open cutter. Once again, his statistics were hampered by the inability of some to handle the
pass or finish the play.

7. I saw a young man who rebounded very well for a guard.

So:

I predict about 10-12 points per game. 5 rebounds per game. 2.5 steals per game and first team defender.

here's the thing: as long as fans don't let their prediction drive future satisfaction/dis-satisfaction. hoping is fine. actually it's good. just as long as it's tempered with realism.

DG is going to get 'scouted' for tendencies. he'll start getting other teams best defenders. and he'll take more on his shoulders with regard to scoring, etc.

all may not go 'according to hoyle' and some starry-eyed fanbase. I figure to let him do what he and the coaches 'do' and enjoy the ride.

[Highway26north]

Hype we’re talking about D. Gordon here. Not some random highlight video of a high school kid that fans watch. ???

Puff-I think maybe Hype was referring to the incoming class, speaking to the point of whether and to what extent its members will be "better" than Gordon however you measure that.

[bindweed]

It is impossible to measure a player's desire to improve his game and to want to be a leader. Also some player's are more immature as freshman than other's. It takes them longer to grow up and become a better basketball player. Larry Bird failed at Indiana his freshman year and later became player of the year at Indiana State. I am very hopeful Mr. Gordon has the heart and desire to become a great player for us.