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'17 Netherlands SF Alexander Strating

BREAKING: the Rumblings of a Deranged Buffalo has also secured this exclusive photo of young Alexander:
600830_stock-photo-male-basketball-player-studio-shot-over-white.jpg
 
The thing that stood out to me on the highlights is that he has a quick release on the catch & shoot to go with a very repeatable form on his shot (he squares up very well). I'd expect that he will shoot very well.
 
Funny, I was struck with how low his release is, sort of pushes it.

Same. It's not chest height or anything, but he's not Ray Allen. I don't think it's something he's going to need to mess with much at least.
 
Agree with holic and goose. Didn't seem high or quick. But he made every shot, so who am I to judge.
 
Agree with holic and goose. Didn't seem high or quick. But he made every shot, so who am I to judge.

I don't care that he made every shot. It's a highlight tape. Not like a RB highlight tape is going to show him fumbling.

Anyway, I didn't say it was a high release point. But I don't care much about that with a big guy doing a catch and shoot. Actually, it doesn't matter in general unless we're talking about some elite guy like a Ray Allen taking a corner fadeaway with a hand in his face (which is a horrible shot for 99% of basketball players and I don't want them thinking they can get that off & should take it).

I do think he's got a very repeatable motion with no hitch in it and he does a great job of squaring his shoulders/head on release. That's usually a very good sign that a guy can shoot.
 
I do think he's got a very repeatable motion with no hitch in it and he does a great job of squaring his shoulders/head on release. That's usually a very good sign that a guy can shoot.
Agreed.

I was obviously (well maybe not) joking about making every shot in a highlight tape.
 
Hard to get excited for a player that we won’t see play for a couple years. But I remain optimistic that he will be a vital cog in a future, competitive Tad Boyle basketball squad. In Tad I trust.

This commitment is consistent with a trend I've noticed regarding Tad's recruiting. Tad likes to recruit players that he can keep in his program as long as possible and preferably have sit out for a year while they learn his system. Tad seems to use the redshirt far more often than other coaches and is on record saying, “a year off is good for every player.” I interpret this approach as Tad’s confidence in his ability to improve players over the long-term.

My guess is this strategy is part necessity and part Tad’s core philosophical belief in how to build a program. If Tad could get the one and dones to come to Boulder, he probably would. But if you can’t do that, put out a team of older, more mature players that have been playing together for multiple years and you should be able to compete. This upcoming year will put that theory to the test. Looking forward to what a team with a bunch of fifth year players (Wesley Gordon, Derrick White, Xavier Johnson, Josh Fortune) and upper classmen (Tory Miller, Dominique Collier, George King) can do. I don’t mean to overlook football season. But as the weather cools all I can think about is the electric atmosphere in the Keg when this Buffs team goes on a run next year atop that shiny new court.
 
Hard to get excited for a player that we won’t see play for a couple years. But I remain optimistic that he will be a vital cog in a future, competitive Tad Boyle basketball squad. In Tad I trust.

This commitment is consistent with a trend I've noticed regarding Tad's recruiting. Tad likes to recruit players that he can keep in his program as long as possible and preferably have sit out for a year while they learn his system. Tad seems to use the redshirt far more often than other coaches and is on record saying, “a year off is good for every player.” I interpret this approach as Tad’s confidence in his ability to improve players over the long-term.

My guess is this strategy is part necessity and part Tad’s core philosophical belief in how to build a program. If Tad could get the one and dones to come to Boulder, he probably would. But if you can’t do that, put out a team of older, more mature players that have been playing together for multiple years and you should be able to compete. This upcoming year will put that theory to the test. Looking forward to what a team with a bunch of fifth year players (Wesley Gordon, Derrick White, Xavier Johnson, Josh Fortune) and upper classmen (Tory Miller, Dominique Collier, George King) can do. I don’t mean to overlook football season. But as the weather cools all I can think about is the electric atmosphere in the Keg when this Buffs team goes on a run next year atop that shiny new court.

Yep. I think that Tad's view is that the way to win at CU is to model things on programs like Gonzaga, Wichita State, Creighton and Butler with roster management but, as a Pac-12 program, to be able to sign more Top 100/ Top 150 guys into that mix.
 
Yep. I think that Tad's view is that the way to win at CU is to model things on programs like Gonzaga, Wichita State, Creighton and Butler with roster management but, as a Pac-12 program, to be able to sign more Top 100/ Top 150 guys into that mix.
Translation: go with a high floor/low ceiling program that wins lots of games but rarely seriously challenges for championships unless you really catch lightning in a bottle (ala Spencer).

I'm ok with that. Great plan for a program like CU that can't compete with the blue bloods on the recruiting trail.
 
When we signed AK and Guzo, I was sort of worried about Tad's recruiting, and AK's performance shut me up. 6-6 to 6-9 guys that can shoot and move are good to have, even if this kid doesn't become a high impact player. The fact that Tad liked this guy enough to get him early is all I need to know until proven otherwise.

I think a lot of us can think of great players on the college level that had low release points. Miles Simon comes to mind for me, and I'd take him any day.

Translation: go with a high floor/low ceiling program that wins lots of games but rarely seriously challenges for championships unless you really catch lightning in a bottle (ala Spencer).

I'm ok with that. Great plan for a program like CU that can't compete with the blue bloods on the recruiting trail.

I hesitate with this. Are you really content with rarely seriously challenging for championships (I'm including PAC championships in here)?

Perhaps my interpretation of your statement is a difference between reasonable expectations for the time being and desires for the future. I don't expect Tad to turn CU into a national powerhouse (although that would be great), but I do think he has a few steps to improve. Instead of making the tournament, make it to an E8 or S16 every now and then. Instead of top 150 guys, get an occasional top 50, and even a top 25 recruit. If he keeps winning at the level he has, I don't think there's any reason Tad can't accomplish these things. To me, this would then mean challenging for a PAC 12 title (reg season or tournament) every other or third year-ish.
 
When we signed AK and Guzo, I was sort of worried about Tad's recruiting, and AK's performance shut me up. 6-6 to 6-9 guys that can shoot and move are good to have, even if this kid doesn't become a high impact player. The fact that Tad liked this guy enough to get him early is all I need to know until proven otherwise.

I think a lot of us can think of great players on the college level that had low release points. Miles Simon comes to mind for me, and I'd take him any day.



I hesitate with this. Are you really content with rarely seriously challenging for championships (I'm including PAC championships in here)?

Perhaps my interpretation of your statement is a difference between reasonable expectations for the time being and desires for the future. I don't expect Tad to turn CU into a national powerhouse (although that would be great), but I do think he has a few steps to improve. Instead of making the tournament, make it to an E8 or S16 every now and then. Instead of top 150 guys, get an occasional top 50, and even a top 25 recruit. If he keeps winning at the level he has, I don't think there's any reason Tad can't accomplish these things. To me, this would then mean challenging for a PAC 12 title (reg season or tournament) every other or third year-ish.
I'd say "rarely" was the wrong word to use. We are basically in agreement, although I think you are a bit strong on the P12 title contending... that's hard to do in this league. Not even the blue bloods do that.
 
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When we signed AK and Guzo, I was sort of worried about Tad's recruiting, and AK's performance shut me up. 6-6 to 6-9 guys that can shoot and move are good to have, even if this kid doesn't become a high impact player. The fact that Tad liked this guy enough to get him early is all I need to know until proven otherwise.

I think a lot of us can think of great players on the college level that had low release points. Miles Simon comes to mind for me, and I'd take him any day.



I hesitate with this. Are you really content with rarely seriously challenging for championships (I'm including PAC championships in here)?

Perhaps my interpretation of your statement is a difference between reasonable expectations for the time being and desires for the future. I don't expect Tad to turn CU into a national powerhouse (although that would be great), but I do think he has a few steps to improve. Instead of making the tournament, make it to an E8 or S16 every now and then. Instead of top 150 guys, get an occasional top 50, and even a top 25 recruit. If he keeps winning at the level he has, I don't think there's any reason Tad can't accomplish these things. To me, this would then mean challenging for a PAC 12 title (reg season or tournament) every other or third year-ish.

I think it is a near-term goal. CU being a 20+ win team that goes to the Dance nearly every season, sometimes with a run to the Sweet 16 or Elite 8. Sometimes being right there to win a Pac-12 regular season or tourney title. And doing it by developing the roster more like a Gonzaga than a Cal or Oregon.

After enough time with that, the hope would be to have the cache which allows Tad to recruit more of a Villanova type roster: pretty much all Top 100 guys but where it would be a rare thing to sign a McDonald's All-American. That's the next level.

I don't know that the Duke-Kansas-Kentucky-North Carolina-Arizona-UCLA level of recruiting above that is something that will ever be possible at CU. I think we want to be Villanova or Michigan State as the ultimate goal in recruiting.
 
Recruiting is just part of the total picture. Cal had a much better team on paper than CU last year, but Buffs finished ahead of them.
Rankings and labels are good talk show and blog fodder, but once ball is tossed, it doesnt matter. Hopefully Alex develops into a productive player for the Buffs in the years to come. Welcome aboard.
 
Recruiting is just part of the total picture. Cal had a much better team on paper than CU last year, but Buffs finished ahead of them.
Rankings and labels are good talk show and blog fodder, but once ball is tossed, it doesnt matter. Hopefully Alex develops into a productive player for the Buffs in the years to come. Welcome aboard.
By finished ahead of them do you mean the Buffs lost on Thursday and Cal lost on Friday in the tournament? Not sure what else "finished ahead of them" could mean.
 
Was thinking Washington and put Cal. You are correct.
In either case, I think you are using anecdotal evidence to understate the importance of recruiting. CU is where they are because Tad is recruiting better than any coach in modern CU history.

I'm trusting that Tad had a plan for Alexander and am excited to have him as a piece of the '17 class.

Welcome, Alexander!
 
In either case, I think you are using anecdotal evidence to understate the importance of recruiting. CU is where they are because Tad is recruiting better than any coach in modern CU history.

I'm trusting that Tad had a plan for Alexander and am excited to have him as a piece of the '17 class.

Welcome, Alexander!

I think a big difference with the way Tad recruits is based on circumstances, too. He legitimately has love for his home state and is making it a life mission to raise basketball in Colorado. So, he cares deeply about the long-term health of the program while expecting to be here in 3, 5, 10, maybe even 15-20 years. On top of that, he's got great job security and support from the administration. So he recruits based on what a guy is going to give the program in 2-4 years rather than constantly chasing the dragon of building only for next season every offseason. He manages the roster the same way. It is a huge advantage for the program.
 
Same. It's not chest height or anything, but he's not Ray Allen. I don't think it's something he's going to need to mess with much at least.
I just worded it wrong, he doesn't get a lot of lift off the floor but he finishes his shot the same way every time. He's looking through the box instead of over it and squares well. Not many are Jesus Shuttlesworth, he was textbook.
 
Really wondering about the 2017-18 roster management. Will Strating be put on scholarship or will that spot be used to add another player via recruiting or transfer?
 
Really wondering about the 2017-18 roster management. Will Strating be put on scholarship or will that spot be used to add another player via recruiting or transfer?

This program isn't in a position for luxury projects like Strating. The kid has some skill but, there's no evidence that he has any legitimate ceiling. I don't fault Tad for losing out on top 50 players. It's his repeated use of scholarships on low ceiling kids that drives me crazy. We should be leaving open a scholarship for a transfer every year.
 
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