SVI?

I have not been active with the new board, but have lurked daily during the season. I have always been a big supporter for Coach Self, but I do not understand how a team this deep can only play veterans. I have some very strong beliefs about this team and this board gives me a chance to express my frustrations.

First off, Where is Svi? I truly believe that if he had been getting Devonte's minutes the past year and a half he would be a star. Self has totally taken this gifted player and ruined his confidence.

Bragg will be a stud but I am afraid it will not be at Kansas. Bragg is a very gifted player that will become dynamic at the next level in my opinion. Maybe next year he will be allowed to grow and shine, but Self is showing me that he wants no part in allowing players to grow and learn through a few mistakes. I like a guy who when he makes a mistake he can go to the other end and make up for it. Self yanks them before they can do something positive to gain confidence.

Diallo is a player that all we heard about was his motor and high energy. Tough to get that motor running in 2 minute spurts. Traylor is a high energy guy with a much lower ceiling than Diallo. I have always believed as a coach that if I have two players, one a senior and one a freshman, the senior had better bring much more to the table or the freshman will get the playing time every time. Seniors have had their chance and if their ceiling is no better than a learning Diallo, play Diallo.

I am not at practice, but I do follow the team and as a coach I would go against Self any day with the following scenario. Give me Frank, Svi, Ellis, Bragg, and Diallo. Give Self Frank, Devonte, Seldon, Ellis, and Lucas. Lets play five on five 30 times over the course of a season and my team will win a majority of the time. They would get some wins early, but by the last 1/3 of the year, my team's talent would win out most of the time.

I do think we might see Coach Self tinker with some different lineups going forward. What we've been putting on the floor hasn't been working so in other words, it's broke so fix it. Love to see Svi play more but he needs to start hitting some shots and playing smarter D. He doesn't get set on his jumpers- too much floating.

I agree Svi needs to become a better defender, but he is no worse than Seldon. Seldon is a good off ball defender, but can not keep anyone in front of him. As for shooting, if Svi had regular minutes I believe he would make a greater percentage. Easy for a young player to press and try to do more than needed when in his mind and in reality may not get to play for 3 games. I just like the way he plays with urgency, something the rest of players that get to play lack.

I am through with the Svi project. Again, I think we were all lead to believe we had an "assassin". Thats not what he is. I think hes an OK college guard that would be at best a good 6th man. IMHO hes better off the bounce driving than taking 3s. At just under 33% I don't think "assassin" is the right word. Wouldn't be shocked if he transferred.

I would change one player on "your" lineup. Give me Hunter instead of Diallo and I bet it wouldn't be close. HCBS is sabotaging what should have been a very good year for Hunter. I am not at practice either but whatever has occurred between them is possibly infecting the rest of the team. Just sad.

RKCKJHK!!!

I could watch Svi play all day long. Yes, he has flaws, but he also has NBA talent and he is still the youngest player on the team and as a coach, the worst thing you can do to a shooter is yank them when they don't make shots. Especially young players. I just think he tries too hard to make an impact when he gets limited minutes, just like every other young player trying to impress a coach. Maybe I'm wrong, but if he were in a system such as Duke's, he would be scoring a ton of points.

I do agree with Hunter. I didn't choose him because he is a senior that Self has already messed up. I love his game and think he brings a lot to the table. Like I said before, Self needs to play the players with "want to" and Hunter has shown he has that. Energy covers many flaws.

Self has a system and he refuses to adjust. His system has proven to be successful, but he does not have the personnel to succeed in that system, so he should adjust for his personnel. I've coached high school basketball for almost 20 years, and at that level you cannot base everything on system. You may have a philosophy that you base your program on, but every year you are presented with players with different skill sets. You must adjust as a coach. In college, you can recruit to your system, but obviously Coach Self has not done that very well. Very little post skill for a program that prides itself on working angles and playing inside out.

I can't help but think that coach is holding the reigns to tight.

I am in basic agreement with what has been said in this thread so far. I understand all of the defenses that have been offered to the 'odd' strategy we've been follwoing this year, but I still do not understand it. We all can see that Jamari Traylor is not a 10-20 minute a game guy. He simply has not improved in the past 2 years, and right now he is a liability. Lucas takes up space, and gets some rebounds, but he's neither quick nor fast, and he literally cannot jump. And, of course, he cannot shoot at all. We have guys sitting on the bench who are simply more talented than the guys that Self is playing, and unless they get their turn to play, we'll not only lose our chance at another league title, we'll almost certainly get knocked out of the NCAAs in the first weekend.

I'll add a few comments. First, Svi did not come to KU to moulder on the bench. If this continues, and he finishes the season playing garbage minutes, we'll never get another international player of consequence. Second, if Diallo doesn't get more time on the floor, and ends up the season as another 'garbage man,' we'll never get another international player of consequence. Third, if Hunter's situation is not explained to the 'outside world,' we may not be getting too many transfers either. Self's bizarre approach this year is not only not getting us wins, it's losing us prospective recruits. Overall, this has been Self's worst year as coach, and as I surmised a few days ago, I think something is going on with him and with the team. And that 'something' is not good, and won't be getting better. I am quite concerned.