Vander Released

[Avenue Commons]

Anyone know what is next for Vander?

He's a great talent. If the worst thing he does in his life is be impatient with chasing his dreams, he will have a good life.

[keefe]

Anyone know what is next for Vander?

He's a great talent. If the worst thing he does in his life is be impatient with chasing his dreams, he will have a good life.

Hopefully, his agent has gotten him on a team in Manila and Vander has already savored the taste of his first Balut...

[BaltimoreMC]

Bummer, but going forward, he should sit in a gym for 12 hours a day working on nothing but getting his elbow underneath his hand on his jump shot.  His J is flat an inconsistent.  If he becomes even an average shooter, he has a spot on an NBA team for sure.

On the other hand, this is not a new issue.  His unwillingness to change his jumper may speak volumes about his attitude (aka, I know better than everyone else...like his decision to jump into the draft).

[GGGG]

On the other hand, this is not a new issue.  His unwillingness to change his jumper may speak volumes about his attitude (aka, I know better than everyone else...like his decision to jump into the draft).

His jumper changed with noticeable results.  Granted it still can be improved, but to imply that he didn't work on it is completely false.

[brewcity77]

Bummer, but going forward, he should sit in a gym for 12 hours a day working on nothing but getting his elbow underneath his hand on his jump shot.  His J is flat an inconsistent.  If he becomes even an average shooter, he has a spot on an NBA team for sure.

On the other hand, this is not a new issue.  His unwillingness to change his jumper may speak volumes about his attitude (aka, I know better than everyone else...like his decision to jump into the draft).

If you didn't notice the changes in Vander's jumper from his freshman to junior years, you must have just been watching replays of Buzz's first Sweet 16 season.

[BaltimoreMC]

He may have shot better, but I didn't see a meaningful change in his shot mechanics. 

[Silkk the Shaka]

He may have shot better, but I didn't see a meaningful change in his shot mechanics. 

It went from a twisting push to more straight up and down with a wrist snap. Watch his midrange form instead of three point form. He clearly worked on that HARD, and without a doubt is working on extending that form to further distance.

[GGGG]

He may have shot better, but I didn't see a meaningful change in his shot mechanics.  

He definitely improved his footwork, his timing and his elevation.  There's a school of thought out there that you don't mess with it too much at once anyway.  That you build in new concepts gradually.  

The fact that he improved his 3pt%, his FT%, and his overall FG% all three years shows that he worked on it.

[PuertoRicanNightmare]

He definitely improved his footwork, his timing and his elevation.  There's a school of thought out there that you don't mess with it too much at once anyway.  That you build in new concepts gradually.  

The fact that he improved his 3pt%, his FT%, and his overall FG% all three years shows that he worked on it.

This can all be explained by increased confidence, which was much more obvious than anything you mention. Besides, improved "elevation" has little to do with improved shooting. In his case, I believe it's a detriment. Not sure what you mean by "timing." Perhaps you reference his rhythm? Rhythm is perhaps the most important aspect of shooting a basketball.

He's still a poor shooter and probably always will be.

[MerrittsMustache]

He may have shot better, but I didn't see a meaningful change in his shot mechanics.  

Then you weren't looking.

As Sultan alluded to, altering a player's shooting mechanics is a process. You can't change everything all at once. Van likely had his same shooting form for at least 5-6 years by the time he arrived at MU. That's a long run of bad mechanics to change. Taking on that task would almost be comparable to teaching a player to shoot with his opposite hand.

Changing a shot also involves a lot of thinking to make sure you're getting things right and creating muscle memory. Pure shooters don't think, they just fire. It's like a golf swing - the less thinking you do, the better.

[BaltimoreMC]

I don't question that he didn't work on his shooting, but he has never revamped his shot. He did improve FG% from 1st year, but it really couldn't have gone much lower.  I'm a Vander bull.  I just wish he would change his shot mechanics.  He won't be (or at least hasn't yet shown that he can be) a good, consistent shooter w/ his elbow out to the side like that.  Just sayin'......

[BaltimoreMC]

Read this article about Stephen Curry....Vander needs to have the same "Ctrl-Alt-Del" on his shot that Curry did.....

http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/nba/news/20130402/stephen-curry-golden-state-warriors-three-point-shooting/

[GGGG]

This can all be explained by increased confidence, which was much more obvious than anything you mention. Besides, improved "elevation" has little to do with improved shooting. In his case, I believe it's a detriment. Not sure what you mean by "timing." Perhaps you reference his rhythm? Rhythm is perhaps the most important aspect of shooting a basketball.

He's still a poor shooter and probably always will be.

Yes, rhythm is better than timing.  And when I said "elevation" I meant more consistent elevation.  In fact I think his elevation was too high as a freshman.

[GGGG]

Read this article about Stephen Curry....Vander needs to have the same "Ctrl-Alt-Del" on his shot that Curry did.....

http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/nba/news/20130402/stephen-curry-golden-state-warriors-three-point-shooting/

Yeah back when a sophomore in high school (as Curry was) that would have done him good.

[brewcity77]

I don't question that he didn't work on his shooting, but he has never revamped his shot. He did improve FG% from 1st year, but it really couldn't have gone much lower.  I'm a Vander bull.  I just wish he would change his shot mechanics.  He won't be (or at least hasn't yet shown that he can be) a good, consistent shooter w/ his elbow out to the side like that.  Just sayin'......

I will admit I don't have the coaching background of some posters on these sites. I'm not by any means a strategy guru or someone that spent a lot of time in basketball clinics. But as I said (and Merrits, and Sultan), if you didn't notice the changes in Vander's shot, you weren't watching.

One of the things he improved was his release point. I think that is a big part of the timing Sultan was referring to. When Vander first got here, he had an inconsistent release point. The best shooters tend to release when they get to the apex of their jump. As a junior, Vander was far more consistent in his release point.

Another issue Vander seemed to have was simply too much motion in his shot. He had a scissor kick that he did every time he took a shot from any semblance of range. He still slid into that tendency from time to time last year, but for the most part, that extra motion in his shot was muted incredibly.

People are acting like his shot just magically got better because he asked Oz for his confidence. Are you freaking kidding me? As though he just said "The ball will go in because I believe it will". Around the rim, Vander softened his touch, which led to those layups that were so often close misses as a freshman and sophomore to the dagger makes against St. John's and Davidson. From range, he retooled his release point and his excess body motion to improve his shooting percentage.

Again, I'm not a coach, but you would have to be blind or simply listening to the radio to not have seen the changes Vander made to his shot both from range and in close. PRN, BMC, you really think it was just him taking extra shots and gaining confidence? That's a pair of the silliest assertions, especially from people I assume are actually watching the games, I've ever heard.

[BaltimoreMC]

Again, I don't disagree that he didn't work on it or that some things changed.  But, he never has done a major overhaul, which I think is what he needs to do to become a good enough shooter to make an NBA roster.

[MerrittsMustache]

Again, I don't disagree that he didn't work on it or that some things changed.  But, he never has done a major overhaul, which I think is what he needs to do to become a good enough shooter to make an NBA roster.

If you look at his freshman year jumper compared to his jumper last season, there has been a significant overhaul. No one is going to go from Joakim Noah's form to Ray Allen's form, but there have been a lot of changes. He jumps straight up, he doesn't jump as high, he squares his shoulders, a dribble gets him into rhythm, his hand/arm motion goes up as opposed to out, his shot begins higher up, he keeps his elbow in. Sure, his shot still isn't very pretty. He still has a tendency to drift and he also turns his lower body occasionally, but his mechanics are much better than they were 3 years ago.

[TAMU, Knower of Ball]

I will admit I don't have the coaching background of some posters on these sites. I'm not by any means a strategy guru or someone that spent a lot of time in basketball clinics. But as I said (and Merrits, and Sultan), if you didn't notice the changes in Vander's shot, you weren't watching.

One of the things he improved was his release point. I think that is a big part of the timing Sultan was referring to. When Vander first got here, he had an inconsistent release point. The best shooters tend to release when they get to the apex of their jump. As a junior, Vander was far more consistent in his release point.

Another issue Vander seemed to have was simply too much motion in his shot. He had a scissor kick that he did every time he took a shot from any semblance of range. He still slid into that tendency from time to time last year, but for the most part, that extra motion in his shot was muted incredibly.

People are acting like his shot just magically got better because he asked Oz for his confidence. Are you freaking kidding me? As though he just said "The ball will go in because I believe it will". Around the rim, Vander softened his touch, which led to those layups that were so often close misses as a freshman and sophomore to the dagger makes against St. John's and Davidson. From range, he retooled his release point and his excess body motion to improve his shooting percentage.

Again, I'm not a coach, but you would have to be blind or simply listening to the radio to not have seen the changes Vander made to his shot both from range and in close. PRN, BMC, you really think it was just him taking extra shots and gaining confidence? That's a pair of the silliest assertions, especially from people I assume are actually watching the games, I've ever heard.

+1. Summed it up nicely

[BaltimoreMC]

"Jane, you ignorant slut...."

Again, I never said that he didn't change/work on things.  You are creating an argument out of something I never said.  Simmer down.

This still doesn't change the fact that he will be a below average shooter until he improves his mechanics by getting his elbow under his shooting hand.  No good shooters have that flip release.   

[GGGG]

"Jane, you ignorant slut...."

Again, I never said that he didn't change/work on things.  

Uhh....yeah you did.  You claimed he had an "unwillingness to change his jumper."

[Slim]

"Jane, you ignorant slut...."

Again, I never said that he didn't change/work on things.  You are creating an argument out of something I never said.  Simmer down.

This still doesn't change the fact that he will be a below average shooter until he improves his mechanics by getting his elbow under his shooting hand.  No good shooters have that flip release.   

Just wait until you see JJJ. He has a very awkward release and is very good.

[MerrittsMustache]

"Jane, you ignorant slut...."

Again, I never said that he didn't change/work on things.  You are creating an argument out of something I never said.  Simmer down.

This still doesn't change the fact that he will be a below average shooter until he improves his mechanics by getting his elbow under his shooting hand.  No good shooters have that flip release.  

Someone tell this guy that his elbow is too far out! He'll never be an above average shooter with that form!



For comparison...

[BaltimoreMC]

good point all.  Vander is a great shooter & should change nothing.  wow

[Golden Avalanche]

good point all.  Vander is a great shooter & should change nothing.  wow

Don't sulk. We all get a teaching lesson from time to time.

[NYeagle]

What does his shooting percentage show for the last 3 years? I believe they went up big last year. That could mean he did in fact tweak it.