I know it's been mentioned a bit in threads elsewhere, but are teams figuring out how to scheme Kam or is he just in a funk? Is it that BE teams already know him to some extent and are better able to D him? If so, I ask the knowers of ball, what are they doing and what kind of adjustments can he/Shaka make to get his groove back?

To my untrained eye it looks like his usage is way up - so even though his assist numbers are up he's actually not distributing as much? From an "eye test" pov, it does feel to me like he's kicking out less from the drives compared to earlier in the season, even when he doesn't necessarily have a good angle or hasn't beat his man.

Quote from: 1SE on January 08, 2025, 06:38:53 AMI know it's been mentioned a bit in threads elsewhere, but are teams figuring out how to scheme Kam or is he just in a funk? Is it that BE teams already know him to some extent and are better able to D him? If so, I ask the knowers of ball, what are they doing and what kind of adjustments can he/Shaka make to get his groove back?

To my untrained eye it looks like his usage is way up - so even though his assist numbers are up he's actually not distributing as much? From an "eye test" pov, it does feel to me like he's kicking out less from the drives compared to earlier in the season, even when he doesn't necessarily have a good angle or hasn't beat his man.

His efficiency is way down in league play but his assist rate is still 38% in league play, 41% overall

Quote from: Uncle Rico on January 08, 2025, 06:42:02 AMHis efficiency is way down in league play but his assist rate is still 38% in league play, 41% overall

Right, his assist numbers are there - but he's also shooting way more (and making less%) - so is he 1) shooting on more drive he "should"/was kicking out? or 2) Taking the same shot selection, but just getting defended better/in a bit of a funk with his touch?

Quote from: 1SE on January 08, 2025, 06:51:22 AMRight, his assist numbers are there - but he's also shooting way more (and making less%) - so is he 1) shooting on more drive he "should"/was kicking out? or 2) Taking the same shot selection, but just getting defended better/in a bit of a funk with his touch?

Eye test says poorer shot selection but I'm sure it's a combination.  Can't be 7-30 from 3 if you're Kam in league play

To my eye, Peavy was the best on ball defender I have seen all year last night. He was phenomenal. He did a great job on Kam, but Kam will be just fine

Kam is now the hunted.  Top of the opponent's scout.  Time to make the next adjustment.

So far in big east play it looks like some defenders are forcing him away from the hoop - so more shots initiated further out.  Also more are just bodying him vs trying to block his shot. 

Last night the G-Town defender did a great job but also face guarded him half to 3/4 court.

I think he needs to adjust.  This happened to TK too.

Good news is it has hampered his scoring but not the ability to initiate and run a good offense.  It should open up opptys too - Chase took advantage last night.

Quote from: tower912 on January 08, 2025, 07:35:13 AMKam is now the hunted.  Top of the opponent's scout.  Time to make the next adjustment.

Uh yeah as opposed to last year yeah

Quote from: Johnny B on January 08, 2025, 07:40:06 AMUh yeah as opposed to last year yeah

Uh yeah as opposed to last year when Kolek was the all American and the man and Kam played off the ball yeah

Defenses are collapsing on him when he drives. Making the shooters shoot.

Feel like teams have finally figured out that he'll always come back to his left and are playing him that way.  The one drive that he spun right, he still tried to finish with his left, and it got blocked out of bounds. Hit enough with the right to keep the D honest and you'll be fine. Peavy is also a very good defender. 

The other thing to keep in mind is the quality of 2P defense Kam has faced in league play.

Xavier: 52nd best 2P defense, 7th best in BE
Providence: 43rd best, 6th best in BE
Butler: 37th best, 5th best in BE
Creighton: 31st best, 4th best in BE
Georgetown: 5th best, best in BE

Kams shooting is at its best when he can keep the defense off balance with his 2P attack. Hes faced a series of teams that are good to elite at defending the paint.  I think we see "bounceback" (in quotes because he still has three KP MVPs in this 5 game stretch) games against DePaul, X at home, Seton Hall, and Nova at home

Kam is a dominant player who, if guarded normally, can easily score 30 points without forcing a shot. As pointed out by several he is being bodied, face guarded etc same thing that happened 2 years ago to TK. So getting into the paint with spin moves becomes a less attractive option.

The good news is other players on the team are taking advantage of the opportunities the over focus on Kam presents. Last night the game came to Chase . Also Kam is not forcing things. An 11 4 and 5 stat line with only 1 turn over is Excellent point guard production.


Kam is a winner .

Quote from: Frenns Liquor Depot on January 08, 2025, 07:35:52 AMGood news is it has hampered his scoring but not the ability to initiate and run a good offense.  It should open up opptys too - Chase took advantage last night.

To me, this is the observation. If we plan to make a deep run, Kam may not be the leading scorer or otherwise on any given night. He will get his, but now in order to do that, someone else will have to get theirs. Kam opens things up for Chase, Chase then starts to open things up for Kam. What an exciting time

Iowa State and GT have defended him best and they did it not only with excellent on-ball defense but also by helping with a big on the left side and predicting the spin move.  What that does is leaves an opening either for a cutter through the lane (Stevie Mitchell bucket late in the game) or someone in the dunker spot (not currently part of Shaka's scheme) because there's no help on the right side which would be the strong side for Stevie/Jop/Ben. 

I think the adjustment here is for Shaka (not criticizing him - love him!) to build a couple of sets that include the cut or the dunker as a reaction to the left side help.  The kick out for 3 will be there, but it can be a long/easier to defend pass and better if it's not the only option.

Personally, the idea of Chase occasionally occupying or cutting to the dunker slot is compelling.

I saw Ed Cooley talk about how it was a point of emphasis where they schemed for Kim and tried to be ready for his spin moves.  That said Peavey was best on-ball defender I have seen this year.

Quote from: WarriorFan on January 08, 2025, 12:10:09 PMI think the adjustment here is for Shaka (not criticizing him - love him!) to build a couple of sets that include the cut or the dunker as a reaction to the left side help.  The kick out for 3 will be there, but it can be a long/easier to defend pass and better if it's not the only option.

Personally, the idea of Chase occasionally occupying or cutting to the dunker slot is compelling.

Yeah I've been complaining about that to my buddies at the games. Especially against a zone, get someone in behind it. They had so many chances to slip baseline against Creighton when Kalkbrenner was out at the elbow.

Quote from: Carl on January 08, 2025, 07:32:20 AMTo my eye, Peavy was the best on ball defender I have seen all year last night. He was phenomenal. He did a great job on Kam, but Kam will be just fine

Peavy is a pretty damn good defender.

Still, almost every time Kam shoots, I think it's going in. He's forced a few, but not many.

Just saw a Yahoo Sports article about how Kam, Flagg and Broome are "headlining" the midseason Wooden list.

We're lucky to have another great player! (And no one here is saying otherwise.)

Scouts and analysts are so concerned about Kam that they are projecting him to be a first-round pick, just on the border of being a lottery pick.

In his latest mock draft, The Athletic's Sam Vecenie raves about Kam while projecting he goes #19 to Utah:

Kam Jones | 6-5 wing | 22 years old | Marquette

Jones has stepped wonderfully into the role vacated by Tyler Kolek, running Marquette's offense gloriously. He is averaging 20 points, five rebounds and nearly seven assists per game, but more importantly, he's also doing it while limiting his mistakes. The guard basically only takes good shots, and he turns it over just 1.6 times per game, giving him more than a 4-to-1 assist-to-turnover ratio. He's also an elite finisher, with pristine gathers and footwork blended with perfect touch in the painted area. He's making 53.5 percent of his shots in total but also a sparkling 70 percent of his shots at the rim. There will always be some defensive concerns with Jones, but he's answered big questions this year in terms of his ability to run an offense, which gives NBA teams a bit more confidence that he can play next to star players as a point guard who can play both on and off the ball. Jones is also only hitting 34 percent from 3 so far, but don't fret, as that won't last. He's a career 38 percent 3-point shooter on over six attempts per game. There are no worries about his jumper long term.

Other projections of interest:

8. Liam McNeeley, UConn

9. Kon Knueppel, Duke

15. Derik Queen, Maryland

17. Thomas Sorber, Georgetown

24. Alex Karaban, UConn

30. Ryan Kalkbrenner, Creighton

No Chase Ross sighting ... yet.

I went to the Illinois-Washington game a few days ago and was very impressed with Illini guard Kasparas Jakucionis. You could tell instantly that he was gifted, and he played wonderfully (including the making of the game-winning basket) ... but I don't follow recruiting very closely (especially if it doesn't involve MU) so I didn't realize he was such a highly regarded stud. Vecenie has him going #4 overall, right behind Flagg and the two Rutgers players.

No Chase Ross sighting ... yet.

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Not surprising.  If he strings together games like Georgetown, that may change.  Right now, he is a 6'5 SG whose best attribute is defense and athleticism, from an NBA perspective.   MU fans view him differently.   

So, at the NBA level, who can he guard, can he get his own shot, can he create for others?   Hopefully, over the next 1.5 seasons, his offensive game catches up to his defense and athleticism.   That would be good for him and good for MU.

I think he's taking too many when he hasn't gotten close enough to the hoop or created enough of an advantage. I trust him to find his takeover spots more judiciously and efficiently as the season goes on tbh.

Quote from: tower912 on January 10, 2025, 10:30:00 AMNo Chase Ross sighting ... yet.



Not surprising.  If he strings together games like Georgetown, that may change.  Right now, he is a 6'5 SG whose best attribute is defense and athleticism, from an NBA perspective.   MU fans view him differently.   

So, at the NBA level, who can he guard, can he get his own shot, can he create for others?   Hopefully, over the next 1.5 seasons, his offensive game catches up to his defense and athleticism.   That would be good for him and good for MU.

NBA types will believe Ross can defend most perimeter players. What will make him draftable is if GMs become convinced he has NBA 3-point range. He has a nice-looking shot at the college level, and he's upped his percentage to 40%.

Selfishly, I want him to stay, and I believe he could improve his stock by being "the man" on next season's team (as Kam has this season). But the draft is all about potential, so we'll see if Chase plays himself into it the second half of the season.

There is enough tape on Kam in the lead dog role for coaches to be scheming solely to slow down Kam, with some who will put greater emphasis on stopping him and taking their chances that someone else steps up on offense. It makes me think back to how SLU used to design their defensive game plans to stop Wade - he was held to single digits in three of the four games against the Billikens but thanks to others like Blankson in 2002 and Travis and RJax in 2003, all of those games were MU victories.

Jay Bilas lists his Top 3 National POY candidates of Broome, Flagg, and Kam.

https://x.com/JayBilas/status/1877752444525973767?t=DRWitbT_jz6j9lZ8Nkq4-w&s=19