Walter is the primary ball handler on this team. He seemed to play better when Aberdeen was his primary sidekick for a while. Denzel is the second-best ball handling guard on this team, and he took some of the workload off of Walt. Even Taurean Green, one of quickest, best ball handling guards in Gator basketball history, needed help with the workload of bringing the ball up court. On the great 2006-2007 Championship teams, sometimes you'd see 6'11" Joakim Noah take the ball up court to relieve the heavy ball handling duties assigned to TG. If Clayton Jr had more help bringing the ball up court, you would see him have better shooting days. Walt is sacrificing some of his offensive prowess by making life easier on the other senior guards on the team who shoot, pass and defend well but are not strong ball handlers IMO.
A few weeks ago, Walter himself said, "Sometimes they go in, sometimes they don't. It's basketball. But they still goin' up." That's the mindset you want from a scorer.
I laugh at times with Clayton because I don't know if I have ever seen a guy be on fire, knocking shots down 3ft behind the line with a hand in his face, then get a wide open look from the wing and not even draw iron. What's funny though is there's no reaction on his face, he doesn't sulk or do anything really, he dumps it and is ready to pull next time down if it's there. Shooters gonna shoot
It's impossible to overemphasis the importance of confidence in shooting a basketball. Like - any thought in your head at all about the shot and it's probably not going in. Sports psychology is a real field for a reason. I think this is why we all believe Walt will be fine. Haugh's emergence as a 3 pt threat was totally the result of him gaining that confidence. We've been told for 1.5 years that he just buries them in practice. Once he got Condos minutes and started seeing them go in - game on.
Agree 100%.. same can be said for Klavzar. We heard a lot about him being a 3pt threat and for a month it looked like he wasn't ready. He played out of necessity for that stretch, and all of a sudden we all think its going in when it leaves his hand.
Yup. And on this note - we gotta give TFG some props. When you have player after player gaining confidence and improving, it's not coincidental. It's a combination of identifying talent and cultivating that talent.
I have no problem with him letting it fly now. He's also finishing in the lane better than he was earlier.
From what I saw he had reason to complain. Regularly got mugged going inside. He certainly isn't getting the Mark Sears whistle. It will be interesting watch how the Bama game is officiated. Personally, I'm always happier when Clayton is in the game.
Yes, because he is a pure shooter, can drive, is an athlete, and a winner. It’s analogous to a champion golfer missing a two foot putt, then whacking the ball straight down the middle on the next hole. It’s sports and every athlete has their ups and downs.
imo he needs to dribble and drive more. he was getting at least about 8 pts. a game on layups and short range floaters. that seems to have disappeared from his game lately.
I’d like to see him go back to that little elbow pull up. I know it’s not the most efficient shot, but he hits it at a high rate and we usually have rebounders in position.
He makes those at a decent clip. Biggest problem is nobody else is expecting it, so there's nobody ready to rebound if he misses. I still think he's still got the green light from anywhere on the court and don't see that privilege being awarded to anyone else. I do wish people would quit telling him he's the college Curry. Just let the kid play his game. He was doing fine before they started putting all that unnecessary pressure on him. He's not Curry and that's ok, nobody else is.
Tex A and M play like _hugs! You have to stand up to them, like we did. Payne is very physical and pushes all the time; he alone wasn’t going to beat us. Sears at home gets every call to his favor from what I recall; kind of like how Bama goes 3 seasons without an offensive holding - just not possible. I’m not saying we lost many games on bad calls but the SEC refs need to get better. Al Ford should not make a call if he didn’t see it, that would help a lot. It’s better to not call something you didn’t see than call something that “looks” like a foul may have occurred but you really didn’t observe it.
Pretty sure Walter will make first or second team All American so he’s had a great year; who knows where we would ne
