Incoming freshmen

[tower912]

Gold isn't Oso.   Oso was the unicorn who.could guard 5 positions well.   Gold showed tremendous improvement in rotations, help, doubles.   He could be beaten when switched onto a guard 20 feet from the hoop.  Just like Sean could be posted up.  And if Clingan/Edey, decided to go straight at/through him, they usually succeeded.   He, like most players, continues to be a work in progress.   
   Offensively, I think he will be Oso with a 3 pt shot.   Will move and pass the ball, will get some PnR dunks.   But more pick and pop.   I just hope he plays confidently and aggressively all of the time.

[We R Final Four]

Gold isn't Oso.   Oso was the unicorn who.could guard 5 positions well.   Gold showed tremendous improvement in rotations, help, doubles.   He could be beaten when switched onto a guard 20 feet from the hoop.  Just like Sean could be posted up.  And if Clingan/Edey, decided to go straight at/through him, they usually succeeded.   He, like most players, continues to be a work in progress.   
   Offensively, I think he will be Oso with a 3 pt shot.   Will move and pass the ball, will get some PnR dunks.   But more pick and pop.   I just hope he plays confidently and aggressively all of the time.

Ben's offensive game is completely different from Oso's. In fact, the list of similarities is much shorter than the list of differences save a few PNR dunks.
Ben hangs out at the 3 almost exclusively.
If the defender closes too quickly, he drives for a dunk....not a pull up push shot....not a floater...not a pass. He doesn't post up on the block to look for a cutter. He doesn't bring the ball up to initiate the offense. He doesn't set multiple screens often several times on the same offensive sequence. Maybe this year will be wildly different, but Ben is not Oso with a 3 point shot.

[BCHoopster]

Basically he is a small forward that will have to play center! Oso was twice as quick as well, it will interesting how the offense is run this year because one thing Oso brought to the table were easy at the rim baskets.  Gold barely did pick and roll. 

[MU82]

Ben Gold had the highest foul rate on the team last season per minutes played. He averaged 1.9 fouls per 17 minutes. Oso averaged 2.1 fouls per 32.5 minutes for comparison.

Thanks for those stats.

Actually Amadou had the highest foul rate on the team with a whopping 9.4 fouls per 40.

Norman was highest of the rotation players at 4.7 per 40.

Ben was third with 4.5 per 40, just ahead of Seans 4.3.

For a big guy,  anything under 5 is okay.  And as jfp pointed out,  2/4 of his games with 4 fouls were against Edey and Clingan. I don't we see anyone resembling those two monsters this season.

Plenty of room on the kiwimobile. Gonna ride it all the way to the Association

Thanks for those stats.

He also didn't foul out playing 37 minutes against Kalkbrenner

And thanks for that.

I guess what I was saying is that I don't think fouls are going to be a huge problem for Gold. I guess we'll see soon enough.

[Its DJOver]

Basically he is a small forward that will have to play center! Oso was twice as quick as well, it will interesting how the offense is run this year because one thing Oso brought to the table were easy at the rim baskets.  Gold barely did pick and roll.

A 6'-11", 235 lb small forward? 

Ben's skillset both offensively and defensively is different than Oso's. I expect scheme on both ends will be adjusted to reflect that. But he is absolutely a center.

[MU82]

Ben's basically a small guard. Smaller than Sean Jones.

In another comment or two, BCHoopster will be comparing Ben Gold to Peter Dinklage.

Or someone even shorter, like Muggsy.

[Its DJOver]

Ben Gold had the highest foul rate on the team last season per minutes played. He averaged 1.9 fouls per 17 minutes. Oso averaged 2.1 fouls per 32.5 minutes for comparison.

Ben Gold fouls per 40 as a Sophomore, 4.5.  Oso's fouls per 40 as a Sophomore, 4.4.

When you know you're a back up you can be more aggressive and therefore you pick up more fouls.  When you know you're a starter and will need to be available, you are more selective. Look back at Oso's reaction after picking up his second against Purdue, he knew right away that it was a big mistake.  Look at how Ben played @CU when he knew there was no real back up.

I don't think Ben will be all conference or anything, but I would guess he's a top third center in the Beast and will be above 25 mpg, while rarely being in foul trouble.

[Juan Anderson's Mixtape]

Some people are weirdly obsessed with their narrow definitions of what position a player can play.  "Markus Howard isn't a PG! Kam Jones isn't a PG! Ben Gold isn't a C!"  Whoop dee doo.

I bet there will be games this season where Ben Gold goes to the bench and Shaka plays 4 guards with Jop. "bUt wHo iS tHe CeNtEr???"

[The Hippie Satan of Hyperbole]

Some people are weirdly obsessed with their narrow definitions of what position a player can play.  "Markus Howard isn't a PG! Kam Jones isn't a PG! Ben Gold isn't a C!"  Whoop dee doo.

I bet there will be games this season where Ben Gold goes to the bench and Shaka plays 4 guards with Jop. "bUt wHo iS tHe CeNtEr???"

At least it seems we have gotten over people trying to assign the 1-5 position numbers to players.

[Juan Anderson's Mixtape]

At least it seems we have gotten over people trying to assign the 1-5 position numbers to players.

But each position has a number equivalent, so it's the same thing.

1. PG
2. SG
3. SF
4. PF
5. C

[TAMU, Knower of Ball]

Some people are weirdly obsessed with their narrow definitions of what position a player can play.  "Markus Howard isn't a PG! Kam Jones isn't a PG! Ben Gold isn't a C!"  Whoop dee doo.

I bet there will be games this season where Ben Gold goes to the bench and Shaka plays 4 guards with Jop. "bUt wHo iS tHe CeNtEr???"

I've never gotten this fascination either. Who guards the opposing teams center? Ben? Great he's our center.

[We R Final Four]

Some people are weirdly obsessed with their narrow  definitions of what position a player can play.  "Markus Howard isn't a PG! Kam Jones isn't a PG! Ben Gold isn't a C!"  Whoop dee doo.

I bet there will be games this season where Ben Gold goes to the bench and Shaka plays 4 guards with Jop. "bUt wHo iS tHe CeNtEr???"

In this scenario.....it's gotta be Jop, right?

[MUMBA]

The offense will be completely different, IMO.  You can't just replace what TyKo and Oso had together.

Agreed.  The game at Creighton provided a hint. Ben allowed them to spread the floor. Driving lanes opened up.  IIRC, Jop dunking on Kalk came on a 5-out set.  Lots of space to operate.  I think Nevada will find the best plan of attack given the talent we have. 

[PGsHeroes32]

Yeah, idk why anyone is worried about scoring under this staff.

They will run a system that works with this personnel and find versatility

It wasn't great at times without TK last year but that was on the fly. This is a full off-season of developing an offense around Kam. That utilizes everyone else a lot more.

Now Ben will be the main big it centers towards rather than Oso.

[MuMark]

https://x.com/marquettembb/status/1798759790786773314?s=61&t=6XPB8f4sAKmJIzxgMcsCjw

[MUbiz]

https://x.com/marquettembb/status/1798759790786773314?s=61&t=6XPB8f4sAKmJIzxgMcsCjw

Clark's sequence on Kam got me a chub. Wow - he's def long and athletic.

[TAMU, Knower of Ball]

Clark's sequence on Kam got me a chub. Wow - he's def long and athletic.

You're not kidding. It was only four seconds but an impressive four seconds

[MUbiz]

You're not kidding. It was only four seconds but an impressive four seconds

Rick Pitino approved.

[PGsHeroes32]

Yeah, Clark might be a project

But there's something to work with. A lot.

[StillAWarrior]

https://x.com/marquettembb/status/1798759790786773314?s=61&t=6XPB8f4sAKmJIzxgMcsCjw

Looking at the 0:08 mark...damn, Hamilton is a big kid. I'm excited to see him play. It sure seems like there is more than 1" difference between him and Parham.

[JakeBarnes]

Clark's sequence on Kam got me a chub. Wow - he's def long and athletic.

Holy hell. That dude is gonna be a PROBLEM. Absolutely love that sequence.

I thought this class was gonna be a special one with the Owens/Parham (add Hamilton given the RS). But Clark's potential is pretty sky high with a motor and defensive persistence like that. Time for Shaka to keep up the "shaka develop's bigs" line

[Jay Bee]

Josh 2 starting C

[Goose]

TAMU

The kiwimobile is going to get awfully crowded. Next stop the NBA.

[Mutaman]

Useful if we play South Florida.

"I knew I should have made that left turn at Albuquerque"

[Goose]

Jake

As you know, I loved the last two seasons a great deal and going to miss the excitement TK and Oso provided big time. That said, I have been waiting from day one of the Shaka era to see long, tall, athletic players and hopefully playing more aggressive D. I cannot wait to see the new guys in action.