Should Petrusev go pro? A nice breakdown brought together by Brenna Greene

[hockeyzag]

If you're on twitter and don't follow Brenna Greene, you should. She puts out some great Zag related material for Krem2.

She got Sean Farnam, Gary Parrish, and Jeff Goodman together just to talk about whether or not Petrusev should declare for the NBA draft and go pro.

https://www.krem.com/article/sports/...a-2caca24bc5da

There is video and a long article with explanations from all three writers.

Personally I think he should stay another year and work on his weaknesses. With another hard working offseason he could improve enough to be drafted next year. He dominated offensively this year but showed big cracks in his D. He’s not good enough on O to ignore that in the NBA. He has the size and talent to change that though, and hopefully show it on the biggest stage in the NCAA tournament on a team that will be a favorite to with a National Championship.

[JPtheBeasta]

I’m excited to see someone play defense from the post position next year, whether it’s him or someone else. The NBA guys seem to think that he hasn’t shown that he can defend the screen and roll at the next level. That would give a lot of motivation, I think. It seems safe to assume that the Zags are a better team offensively with him in the lineup. Coach Few has said that he’s a good guy. Once a Zag, always a Zag.

[hooter73]

I’m excited to see someone play defense from the post position next year, whether it’s him or someone else. The NBA guys seem to think that he hasn’t shown that he can defend the screen and roll at the next level. That would give a lot of motivation, I think. It seems safe to assume that the Zags are a better team offensively with him in the lineup. Coach Few has said that he’s a good guy. Once a Zag, always a Zag.

I'll go ahead and +1 this.

[BMAN]

If I was him I would come back as long as the coaches agree to let him play some time at the 4 and take some outside shots. He was a 4 in high school and very good 3 pt shooter. He also has to prove he can defend the screen and roll. Since they have Ballo and Timme there is no reason not to let him play some 4 if he can defend the other teams 4. He would then have a chance to play his way into the NBA

I would love to have him back for 1 more year.

[hooter73]

If I was him I would come back as long as the coaches agree to let him play some time at the 4 and take some outside shots. He was a 4 in high school and very good 3 pt shooter. He also has to prove he can defend the screen and roll. Since they have Ballo and Timme there is no reason not to let him play some 4 if he can defend the other teams 4. He would then have a chance to play his way into the NBA

I would love to have him back for 1 more year.

That’s back to “play Harris at the 3 because that’s what he’d be in the nba”
It’s up to Petrusev to improve and showcase an improved defense and mid to outside game, not the coaches priority during a game.

[CB4]

If I was him I would come back as long as the coaches agree to let him play some time at the 4 and take some outside shots. He was a 4 in high school and very good 3 pt shooter. He also has to prove he can defend the screen and roll. Since they have Ballo and Timme there is no reason not to let him play some 4 if he can defend the other teams 4. He would then have a chance to play his way into the NBA

I would love to have him back for 1 more year.

Ballo is a Center so I'd imagine this will be part of the natural course for Petrusev if he come back, also playing time at the 5.

[CDC84]

He will get eaten alive during the pick and roll in the NBA because he gets eaten alive in it even in the WCC. His defense has to improve. Plus his mental demeanor when calls do not go his way.

He has a chance to be a featured player on what will be the preseason #1 team for many publications next season.

[GrizZAG]

He will get eaten alive during the pick and roll in the NBA because he gets eaten alive in it even in the WCC. His defense has to improve. Plus his mental demeanor when calls do not go his way.

He has a chance to be a featured player on what will be the preseason #1 team for many publications next season.

+1

[willandi]

He will get eaten alive during the pick and roll in the NBA because he gets eaten alive in it even in the WCC. His defense has to improve. Plus his mental demeanor when calls do not go his way.

He has a chance to be a featured player on what will be the preseason #1 team for many publications next season.

As has been pointed out by others, he may have held back on defense this last season because he was the only real post player in the rotation. Timme was an unknown and Tillie could not be planned for...so he may have been told to avoid fouling.

This next year will be the telling one. There will be backups at his position and a stronger, proven cast at all the other positions.

I do understand that PG will be a freshman, so unproven, but he will be the best freshman that GU has ever landed.

[JPtheBeasta]

The other side of the coin is avoiding fouling because you know that there are players waiting to take your spot if you get into foul trouble. Was it Adam Morrison who missed a free throw on purpose because he saw someone at the table ready to check in for him at the next dead ball?

The other side of the other side of the coin* is that if he doesn't play hard enough on defense he could just get yanked in favor of someone else.

I just hope he improves. It is the difference between a really good Zag team and a great, national title-contending Zag team, in my opinion.



*I'm not sure where that is exactly, but this coin is obviously a 4 dimensional hypercyclinder

[TexasZagFan]

As has been pointed out by others, he may have held back on defense this last season because he was the only real post player in the rotation. Timme was an unknown and Tillie could not be planned for...so he may have been told to avoid fouling.

This next year will be the telling one. There will be backups at his position and a stronger, proven cast at all the other positions.

I do understand that PG will be a freshman, so unproven, but he will be the best freshman that GU has ever landed.

I sincerely hope that Jalen Suggs will not be a turnover machine like Cole Anthony. Roy Williams was hands-off when it came to Cole's style of play. As great a prospect Jalen is, we should expect him to commit quite a few freshman mistakes in the early going. One thing's for sure, Jalen will have a much better supporting cast than Cole did.

[VaBeachZAG]

I sincerely hope that Jalen Suggs will not be a turnover machine like Cole Anthony. Roy Williams was hands-off when it came to Cole's style of play. As great a prospect Jalen is, we should expect him to commit quite a few freshman mistakes in the early going. One thing's for sure, Jalen will have a much better supporting cast than Cole did.

Having a skilled and mature backup in Cook should stabilize the PG position, at least that's my hope.

[Zagdawg]

Jonathan Givony
@DraftExpress
·
23m
The NBA informed teams on Tuesday that 205 players have filed as early-entry candidates for the 2020 NBA draft, including 163 from the college and other educational institutions and 42 internationals.

[Zagdawg]

NBA draft: 205 early-entry prospects declare for 2020

https://www.espn.com/nba/story/_/id/...s-declare-2020

[rennis]

that's a really good piece on Petrusev and really good work by the reporter at Krem putting it together. great interviews. Man I love Sean Farnham. The dude has it.

The follow-up piece on Chaundee Brown is great too. 6'5", thick, attacks, averaged 12/6, and shoots 80% from free throw line. Yes please.

[hooter73]

The other side of the coin is avoiding fouling because you know that there are players waiting to take your spot if you get into foul trouble. Was it Adam Morrison who missed a free throw on purpose because he saw someone at the table ready to check in for him at the next dead ball?

The other side of the other side of the coin* is that if he doesn't play hard enough on defense he could just get yanked in favor of someone else.

I just hope he improves. It is the difference between a really good Zag team and a great, national title-contending Zag team, in my opinion.



*I'm not sure where that is exactly, but this coin is obviously a 4 dimensional hypercyclinder

lol I enjoy listening to Morrison's storys of the sometimes shady things he did.

We didn't see Petrusev at the end of games or when the score was close for the most part all last year because his defense is so non resistant. This year with even more big bodies ready to step up, he had better fix himself or see the pine even more.

[scrooner]

I dunno, I kind of took some sadistic joy in watching Petrusev dance on defense in the post, with one arm pointed harmlessly aloft as his opponent gracefully swooped around him. If that changes, I might miss it.

[LTownZag]

I don’t think FP’s defense+shooting ever let’s him play in the NBA.

So I think the relevant framing is:

Euroleague now or Euroleague next year?

Assuming both could be played, it’s his personal relative value as starting centerpiece of #1 CBB team in America vs a 10% longer pro career.

[JPtheBeasta]

I dunno, I kind of took some sadistic joy in watching Petrusev dance on defense in the post, with one arm pointed harmlessly aloft as his opponent gracefully swooped around him. If that changes, I might miss it.

Since we are getting things off our chests, I joked last year— maybe to my wife, who could care less— that a guy his height that close to the rim should block or alter a few shots, if not on purpose then by accident, at least. I don’t even know if the stats agree but that was my perception, at times. I fully accept that this perception may be my own psychological reaction to his body language at other times.

[SLOZag]

Since we are getting things off our chests, I joked last year— maybe to my wife, who could care less— that a guy his height that close to the rim should block or alter a few shots, if not on purpose then by accident, at least. I don’t even know if the stats agree but that was my perception, at times. I fully accept that this perception may be my own psychological reaction to his body language at other times.

This past year FP was second only to Timme (31) for blocks. FP had 26, and Tillie was third with 20. https://gozags.com/sports/mens-basketball/stats/2019-20

[scrooner]

1st in height, 5th in blocks per 40.

[SLOZag]

Pavel Zakharov: 1st in height (tied w/FP), 1st in blocks per 40.

[webspinnre]

Was it Adam Morrison who missed a free throw on purpose because he saw someone at the table ready to check in for him at the next dead ball?

I didn't watch nearly as many games this year, but picked them up on the radio, and gotta say, I love Morrison's comments and insights.

[JPtheBeasta]

I didn't watch nearly as many games this year, but picked them up on the radio, and gotta say, I love Morrison's comments and insights.

I’m an out of towner and never looked into getting the radio broadcast online. I have to say that his very candid interview with Doug Gottlieb was my favorite sports-related interview this past year (or was it linger aho now?) His appearance on J.J. Reddick’s podcast a while back was also very good. I love that he isn’t afraid to say what he thinks and doesn’t seem to care about the possible backlash.

[JPtheBeasta]

1st in height, 5th in blocks per 40.

9th in the WCC with 0.81 blocks a game. There are at least 250 persons ahead of him and they quit keeping track at 0.91 blocks a game, per NCAA.com That’s pretty good, right?

(He brings a lot of offense to the table, and his experience in big games should be huge. I hope he is able to bring a more complete game next year (I recognize that I would have zero blocks per game, and I respect the talent it takes to play at the level he does. The conjecture of needing to stay out of foul trouble is also duly noted. It just seems like he could be doing more on that end of the court from an effort perspective)