George Conditt Improvement

[Cycsk]

I'm a Conditt fan and have seen him improve through the season, particularly with aggressiveness near the basket on both ends. However, there are two issues that remain:
1) Conditioning. He was gassed last night, called over to the bench to be taken out, and didn't even go into the huddle right away.
2) Positioning. He still moves too much instead of holding his position on picks.

 

[mcblogerson]

Conditt and Foster could be a nice rotation at the 5 next year, if they both stay, and have a new coach.

 

[Clonefan32]

I think it has clicked for him. Even before the improved play, he was starting to do the right things, but maybe was still a little rushed. The energy is back, and I love to see it.

This has been what I've noticed with George. He often is in the right place, or will make a good move. But it just seems like the game is moving too fast for him. Missed bunnies, mishandled passes, etc. He always just struck me as a guy who needed some extended run to get into a flow, but foul trouble and limited playing time due to poor play made that hard.

 

[Halincandenza]

I don't really see improvement but he is playing hard.

 

[Aclone]

I'm not sure "improved" is the right word. He's playing better for certain, but I think it's more attitude than anything. He's going after rebounds and lose balls and looking to make plays. It's great to see, but he still can't shoot a lick. That free-throw line jumper he shot was about as bad of a brick as I have ever seen. For someone who's played basketball their entire life, I can't understand how he literally can't shoot beyond 5 feet.

That said, I'll take the hustle. I will give it to this team, that they have not quit like years past. They are just completely devoid of talent.

How is it not the right word? He had to improve over his first half performance to get to where he is now.

 

[Sigmapolis]

I'm not sure "improved" is the right word. He's playing better for certain, but I think it's more attitude than anything. He's going after rebounds and lose balls and looking to make plays. It's great to see, but he still can't shoot a lick. That free-throw line jumper he shot was about as bad of a brick as I have ever seen. For someone who's played basketball their entire life, I can't understand how he literally can't shoot beyond 5 feet.

That said, I'll take the hustle. I will give it to this team, that they have not quit like years past. They are just completely devoid of talent.

There are plenty of big men who make a huge impact without an outside shot. You want him near the rim to block shots and to rebound, anyways, and taking him out of the paint is essentially agreeing to pay a tax on your rebounding numbers. His lack of an outside shot would not be a problem if he was good at the other things a good modern center does.

 

[clonefreek]

What are you guys smoking? He had one double digit point game and that was last night. He is averaging more fouls a game than he is points. He cant rebound, he looks lost offensively, and cant defend without fouling.

 

[Irish1]

Conditt and Foster could be a nice rotation at the 5 next year, if they both stay, and have a new coach.

If we get the right coach I don't think it would have to be either/ or all of the time! And Foster can shoot from outside....... hope he sticks around, I do not believe his game can improve and thrive under Prohm.

 

[Rural]

What are you guys smoking? He had one double digit point game and that was last night. He is averaging more fouls a game than he is points. He cant rebound, he looks lost offensively, and cant defend without fouling.

Yeah but besides that it's all positive.

 

[Rural]

Foster looks like he should never be a traditional 5 but definitely has great potential as a 4.

 

[Clonefan32]

What are you guys smoking? He had one double digit point game and that was last night. He is averaging more fouls a game than he is points. He cant rebound, he looks lost offensively, and cant defend without fouling.

I believe what we have here is what's called relativity. Maybe he hasn't been good, per se, but relative to everyone else maybe not so bad...?

 

[cycloneted]

I'm interested in a lineup of Conditt at the 5 and Foster at the 4, twin towers in there at the same time.

I think George Conditt III should watch all of the workout videos the Garza family loves to post, and institute a similar regimen for GCIV this offseason. He's big enough and more athletic, just needs to learn all the craftiness and positioning Garza does so well.

 

[JStanz51]

I don’t know regarding conditt. But between things he’s said snd prohm said, I wouldn’t be surprised if he was struggling a bit with his mental health.

I believe there is a lot of merit to the idea of him struggling mentally at times this year (as many players across the country are right now). I know he has done a lot to try and get himself back in that area, which I think has corresponded with his improved play. As I understand it he's been putting more time in the gym as well.

I don't think he was having very much fun playing basketball and he was able to find that love again. Just needed to refocus on the things it takes to be successful, as Matt Campbell would say, "in the dark."

His offensive game still needs a lot of work. No question about it but the past few weeks have shown me he does still have it somewhere in him to be the guy a lot of us thought he could be a year and a half to two years ago. That is a high-energy guy on the glass and protecting the rim while picking up some garbage dunks/buckets off of dump downs, pick and rolls and lobs in scramble situations.

Is he going to be Luka Garza and a double-digit monster on the block? Probably not. He just isn't a fit for any system that will include him catching it on the block all the time expected to make a move. He still inexplicably ends up in a lot of the situations now, but I think we all know the way the winds are blowing and that this system likely will not be around much longer.

I do think with the right coaching and voice pushing him he can be a really high-level role player. Still needs to work on positioning on rebounding and knowing when and when not to try and swat shots into the fourth row (which is a big part of the fouling issue) but that's where putting extra work in with film and on the floor comes into play.

He seems much more interested in doing those things right now than he was earlier in the year.

Proud of the kid. He's one of my favorites since I've been doing this. Knowing he's back to loving the game and feeling good on the court has been really great to see.

 

[clonefreek]

I believe what we have here is what's called relativity. Maybe he hasn't been good, per se, but relative to everyone else maybe not so bad...?

No hes just not good.

 

[67CY]

I think he is playing a lot better. I just wish he could hang on to the ball better

 

[Cyinthenorth]

I believe there is a lot of merit to the idea of him struggling mentally at times this year (as many players across the country are right now). I know he has done a lot to try and get himself back in that area, which I think has corresponded with his improved play. As I understand it he's been putting more time in the gym as well.

I don't think he was having very much fun playing basketball and he was able to find that love again. Just needed to refocus on the things it takes to be successful, as Matt Campbell would say, "in the dark."

His offensive game still needs a lot of work. No question about it but the past few weeks have shown me he does still have it somewhere in him to be the guy a lot of us thought he could be a year and a half to two years ago. That is a high-energy guy on the glass and protecting the rim while picking up some garbage dunks/buckets off of dump downs, pick and rolls and lobs in scramble situations.

Is he going to be Luka Garza and a double-digit monster on the block? Probably not. He just isn't a fit for any system that will include him catching it on the block all the time expected to make a move. He still inexplicably ends up in a lot of the situations now, but I think we all know the way the winds are blowing and that this system likely will not be around much longer.

I do think with the right coaching and voice pushing him he can be a really high-level role player. Still needs to work on positioning on rebounding and knowing when and when not to try and swat shots into the fourth row (which is a big part of the fouling issue) but that's where putting extra work in with film and on the floor comes into play.

He seems much more interested in doing those things right now than he was earlier in the year.

Proud of the kid. He's one of my favorites since I've been doing this. Knowing he's back to loving the game and feeling good on the court has been really great to see.

Really looking forward to him continuing to improve, if only in moderation, as long as he keeps his hit attitude right and continues to have fun playing basketball. We could have him 2 more years yet, if I'm right on thinking he'll get an extra year due to covid if he wants it. Not sure he'll ever be a full time starter, but he'd be a great back up big/spot start type of guy, similar to how he's been trending the last month or so of this season.

 

[Cyinthenorth]

I believe what we have here is what's called relativity. Maybe he hasn't been good, per se, but relative to everyone else maybe not so bad...?

Possibly. He's the only player on this team, with the exception of JC-L, that has show marked improvement from start of the season to now.

 

[heitclone]

He had a really rough first half at Baylor but played good in the 2nd half and has been every since. I'm happy for him, regardless of his ups and downs, this kid loves being a Cyclone. Loved his energy last night.

 

[SouthJerseyCy]

How is it not the right word? He had to improve over his first half performance to get to where he is now.

I'm just saying that I'm not sure I've noticed a noticeable improvement in his 'skills'...ie the things we usually refer to as player development. There has been a marked 'improvement' in his effort, so if you want to call it that, fine by me. I didn't mean to quibble over semantics.

 

[SouthJerseyCy]

There are plenty of big men who make a huge impact without an outside shot. You want him near the rim to block shots and to rebound, anyways, and taking him out of the paint is essentially agreeing to pay a tax on your rebounding numbers. His lack of an outside shot would not be a problem if he was good at the other things a good modern center does.

I guess it all depends on our definition of 'outside shot'. No, I don't want/expect him to be shooting 3 pointers. Something between 5-8 feet would be nice. He doesn't look like anyone has ever taught him how to shoot a basketball before. That said, I'm encouraged by his recent efforts and hope it continues.