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Posted by catmandoo (Member # 1284) on 08-17-2016, 04:46 PM:

Isaiah Briscoe: Shooting

No matter what you think of the rest of the list, this one is tough to argue.

Isaiah Briscoe can be a force off the dribble, but as a freshman, he was simply awful as a shooter. The guard finish 5-of-37 from three-point range, good for 13.5 percent on the year. Many of those were open looks, as teams learned to give him plenty of space defensively.

Meanwhile, the struggles extended to the free-throw line, where he finished the season making just 46 percent of his attempts.

These numbers aren't just below average; they are terrible for a guard and change the way teams play defense. It will become nearly impossible to get a layup when opponents can sit back and then foul if you get close, accepting maybe one point from the charity stripe instead of two from the field.

If this doesn't improve, Briscoe might not be worth playing late in games.

De'Aaron Fox: Creating for Others

In an elite class of point guards, De'Aaron Fox ranks second at the position for 2016, according to 247Sports' composite rankings. While someone like Lonzo Ball is a true point guard who is always looking to make the best pass, Fox still needs to improve in this area.

It's difficult to judge prospects at the high school level because the talent around him won't be quite as good as in college, but more times than not, Fox looks to score rather than pass. This strategy made sense at that level since he was the most dominant player in his league, but he will need to learn how to get others involved going forward.

Malik Monk might become one of the top scorers in the SEC this season. He can shoot the lights out while also having the athleticism to attack the basket and finish above the rim.

The problems might come at the defensive end, where he is a bit behind future teammates Briscoe and Fox.

Monk has the tools to become a great defender, but he will need to dedicate himself more on that end of the court. Calipari stresses team defense each year and won't play someone who can't keep up. The guard will have to work just as hard on his defensive game as his offensive one.

Derek Willis was invaluable during the 2015-16 season. Although overlooked at the start of the year, he helped transform the offense thanks to his 44.2 percent shooting from beyond the arc.

If he can continue to knock down outside shots to spread the floor, as well as play the same type of quality on-ball defense he displayed last year, there is no reason he shouldn't start as a senior.

However, if Willis is going to become an impact player, he needs to learn how to make plays on his own. He is already going to rack up plenty of points this year, but he can be a true matchup nightmare at 6'9" if he can beat players off the dribble and learn how to pull up in the mid-range.

Bam Adebayo is no slouch at 6'9", but a few inches could seriously make a major difference when it comes to projecting his future. At 7'0", he would legitimately be in consideration for the top pick of the 2017 NBA draft. Instead, he is listed No. 9 on DraftExpress' latest 2017 mock.

Obviously, there is a lot of time for things to change, but Adebayo will have to work hard to round out his game.

As of now, he is a force in the paint and a monster rebounder. However, he will eventually have to improve his offensive skill set that allows him to score as either a face-up shooter or beating players one-on-one, similar to former Kentucky star Julius Randle.

Link

[ 08-19-2016, 10:38 AM: Message edited by: catmandoo ]

Posted by catmandoo (Member # 1284) on 08-19-2016, 10:43 AM:

Next years team looks really talented and special. By tournament time with Cal's coaching ability will have the ready to make a big run in the NCAA tournament.