JJeff Injury Updates

[Pizzapitter]

Just me. I hate to say but we are doing beyond well w/o JJ.
His future NBA career is FAR more important than him playing college bb for "all-important" us.
Like so many of our players, no matter the sport, I gravitate towards these "kids" and their next level.
End all. We've been loaded with "great young men," bb and fb.
Their Next Level Success is far more important to me than a couple of more college wins.
110% sure, TJ would agree

 

[cycloneML]

Just me. I hate to say but we are doing beyond well w/o JJ.
His future NBA career is FAR more important than him playing college bb for "all-important" us.
Like so many of our players, no matter the sport, I gravitate towards these "kids" and their next level.
End all. We've been loaded with "great young men," bb and fb.
Their Next Level Success is far more important to me than a couple of more college wins.
110% sure, TJ would agree

This is where you and I part ways.

 

[BWRhasnoAC]

How long ago was that? PT keeps evolving....

20 years. I'm sure it's wrong.

 

[xr4ticlone]

Just me. I hate to say but we are doing beyond well w/o JJ.
His future NBA career is FAR more important than him playing college bb for "all-important" us.
Like so many of our players, no matter the sport, I gravitate towards these "kids" and their next level.
End all. We've been loaded with "great young men," bb and fb.
Their Next Level Success is far more important to me than a couple of more college wins.
110% sure, TJ would agree

Said it before…we’re actually a better team without JJ.

I don’t hate JJ.

But the reality is Nate is quicker on O and D. He doesn’t turn the ball over. His quickness to the hoop means there isn’t a double team waiting for him…where he launches the ball at the rim like it’s a hand grenade hoping for a bail out call where he hits 1 of 2 fts. Not that I’ve given it any thought.

On top of that he drags his defender out to the perimeter freeing up the lane. Which is why we had so many more cuts to the rim and layups last game. It’s opened up the offense.

 

[Pizzapitter]

Would luv Mama J's opine....minus us

 

[xr4ticlone]

I honestly think we’re still going to the final 4.

TN doesn’t scare me. UK beat them both times. They’re not a great O team.

Neither TN or Mich have faced a D like ours. MI apparently relies heavily on one guard to handle most of their dribbling. We can disrupt that.

I think Hyzee will give even AZ more fits than JJ did. That will be the dog fight.

I think Houston has the other side. Duke looks very beatable and I think Mi St / Ucon winner takes that bracket, but Houston can beat either of them baring major injury or an off nite/hot opponent.

It’s gonna be a B12 final. Houston vs ISU or Az

 

[Spanky]

I honestly think we’re still going to the final 4.

TN doesn’t scare me. UK beat them both times. They’re not a great O team.

Neither TN or Mich have faced a D like ours. MI apparently relies heavily on one guard to handle most of their dribbling. We can disrupt that.

I think Hyzee will give even AZ more fits than JJ did. That will be the dog fight.

I think Houston has the other side. Duke looks very beatable and I think Mi St / Ucon winner takes that bracket, but Houston can beat either of them baring major injury or an off nite/hot opponent.

It’s gonna be a B12 final. Houston vs ISU or Az

A girl can dream, can't she?

 

[madguy30]

View attachment 169556


Said it before…we’re actually a better team without JJ.

I don’t hate JJ.

But the reality is Nate is quicker on O and D. He doesn’t turn the ball over. His quickness to the hoop means there isn’t a double team waiting for him…where he launches the ball at the rim like it’s a hand grenade hoping for a bail out call where he hits 1 of 2 fts. Not that I’ve given it any thought.

On top of that he drags his defender out to the perimeter freeing up the lane. Which is why we had so many more cuts to the rim and layups last game. It’s opened up the offense.

I think the season stats showed that things overall were better per possession with JJ on the floor.

 

[clonedude]

View attachment 169556


Said it before…we’re actually a better team without JJ.

I don’t hate JJ.

But the reality is Nate is quicker on O and D. He doesn’t turn the ball over. His quickness to the hoop means there isn’t a double team waiting for him…where he launches the ball at the rim like it’s a hand grenade hoping for a bail out call where he hits 1 of 2 fts. Not that I’ve given it any thought.

On top of that he drags his defender out to the perimeter freeing up the lane. Which is why we had so many more cuts to the rim and layups last game. It’s opened up the offense.

I agree with you if I’m honest. I haven’t wanted to say it though.

We have WAY better ball movement, and player movement. The court kinda opens up. My main concern was going to be rebounding, but we held our own this last game.

And that is NOT a shot against JJ at all, he’s an all American level player, but basketball is a team sport and finding the best 5 players that mesh and chemistry that gives you the best chance to win.

 

[mj4cy]

IMHO: Our ceiling is highest with JJ on the floor. However, there are also times when he is on the floor and our other four players just kind of take a back seat and hope he can play some hero ball to get some buckets....thus the overall offense can be stagnant. Both things can be true.

Clearly when the ball is moving and its especially moving through JJ, we are at our best and that's our best chance to win.

 

[Cyclonepride]

Part of the reason we've been better is because the guys turned it up for the postseason.

Another part is that teams haven't had a chance to fully scout what we'd look like without Jefferson.

None of that supports the idea that we're better without him.

If he suddenly reappeared at 100%, our ceiling for this tournament would be national championship and our expectation would probably be Final Four at minimum.

As it stands, they can still do that, but the path is harder than it would have been.

 

[Letterkenny]

The average downtime for a mild low ankle sprain in the NBA is 1-2 weeks.

That's the NBA. If they wake up in the wrong side of the bed they'll sit for 2-3 games.

 

[Nor'MidWester]

Just me. I hate to say but we are doing beyond well w/o JJ.
His future NBA career is FAR more important than him playing college bb for "all-important" us.
Like so many of our players, no matter the sport, I gravitate towards these "kids" and their next level.
End all. We've been loaded with "great young men," bb and fb.
Their Next Level Success is far more important to me than a couple of more college wins.
110% sure, TJ would agree

We don't know how he feels. He was obviously extremely disappointed the moment it happened. I don't blame him if he had that mindset of course but I don't think that's the way he is. Is he can play I bet he plays.

 

[Letterkenny]

Part of the reason we've been better is because the guys turned it up for the postseason.

Another part is that teams haven't had a chance to fully scout what we'd look like without Jefferson.

None of that supports the idea that we're better without him.

If he suddenly reappeared at 100%, our ceiling for this tournament would be national championship and our expectation would probably be Final Four at minimum.

As it stands, they can still do that, but the path is harder than it would have been.

To go along with his. I think we played better in the Big 12 tournament than we have so far in the NCAA's. Arizona State is significantly better than Tennessee State and Texas Tech is a lot better than Kentucky, and we beat both of them by bigger margins. We also took the beat team in the country to the brink in Arizona.

 

[JM4CY]

IMHO: Our ceiling is highest with JJ on the floor. However, there are also times when he is on the floor and our other four players just kind of take a back seat and hope he can play some hero ball to get some buckets....thus the overall offense can be stagnant. Both things can be true.

Clearly when the ball is moving and its especially moving through JJ, we are at our best and that's our best chance to win.

JJ is an underrated passer.

 

[clonedude]

IMHO: Our ceiling is highest with JJ on the floor. However, there are also times when he is on the floor and our other four players just kind of take a back seat and hope he can play some hero ball to get some buckets....thus the overall offense can be stagnant. Both things can be true.

Clearly when the ball is moving and its especially moving through JJ, we are at our best and that's our best chance to win.

I agree with this completely.

 

[cycfan1]

Just me. I hate to say but we are doing beyond well w/o JJ.
His future NBA career is FAR more important than him playing college bb for "all-important" us.
Like so many of our players, no matter the sport, I gravitate towards these "kids" and their next level.
End all. We've been loaded with "great young men," bb and fb.
Their Next Level Success is far more important to me than a couple of more college wins.
110% sure, TJ would agree

Pre NIL I would have agreed with you.
But ISU and NBA are just employers now.
Why should we be expected to be thinking about his next job while he is on the payroll.

Not a JJeff specific comment... i just refuse to look at it from an amateur level anymore when its not.

 

[Tailg8er]

JJ is an underrated passer.

Also slightly better from 3 than Heise, so the idea that Heise helps space the floor more is a little off IMO.

I love both of them, but the ceiling is higher with JJeff in the game.

 

[intrepid27]

I agree with you if I’m honest. I haven’t wanted to say it though.

We have WAY better ball movement, and player movement. The court kinda opens up. My main concern was going to be rebounding, but we held our own this last game.

And that is NOT a shot against JJ at all, he’s an all American level player, but basketball is a team sport and finding the best 5 players that mesh and chemistry that gives you the best chance to win.

I'm not saying we don't need him but I've felt for two months our spacing is better when he is not on the floor. Seems like when JJ, Buchanan, and Milan are all on the floor they tend to all be in an 8 foot circle at the top of the key.

 

[Drew0311]

View attachment 169556


Said it before…we’re actually a better team without JJ.

I don’t hate JJ.

But the reality is Nate is quicker on O and D. He doesn’t turn the ball over. His quickness to the hoop means there isn’t a double team waiting for him…where he launches the ball at the rim like it’s a hand grenade hoping for a bail out call where he hits 1 of 2 fts. Not that I’ve given it any thought.

On top of that he drags his defender out to the perimeter freeing up the lane. Which is why we had so many more cuts to the rim and layups last game. It’s opened up the offense.

I don't think we are better but Jeff does turn the ball over way to many times on dumb turnovers. The offense does look a lot quicker and less prodding. Not sure if that is the word but it's the best word I could come up with.

I do think the teams we have played in the tourney have made us look better without him. However, I think when we play Michigan he is a guy we need for a bunch of reasons. One being size.