Bear Down Wildcats

Time for this guy to get his own thread.

Excited to get this guy to Tucson! Our frontcourt is going to look dramatically different this year, and he's a big part of CSM's plans.

Who is that point guard for Finland? Mini TJ!

If you've got some time to kill, watch greatness


Or if you just want some quick highlights

UAEebs86 wrote:Time for this guy to get his own thread.

Looks like someone better hit the gym, if that little guy can almost knock him off his feet (at the end of the video) with what amounts to the force of a tickle.

enfuego, are you seriously basing this on the celebration sequence?

Pretty sure Jeff Withey always fell down when his mom pushed him.

Finishing dunks with contact! can't wait to see this class play. Rawle, Lauri, Kobi & Smith (I count him as this class). Team those guys up with Trier and some role guys and we are gonna be fun to watch!

enfuego wrote:

UAEebs86 wrote:Time for this guy to get his own thread.

Looks like someone better hit the gym, if that little guy can almost knock him off his feet (at the end of the video) with what amounts to the force of a tickle.

Just like KU to take Dirk Novitzki and try and make him Karl Malone and ruin a great career

I told you guys before that I thought LM might be the best player on the team and that was when JJ was assumed to be in the mix.

Trier is probably the best player on this team. 2nd best? No idea.

enfuego wrote:

UAEebs86 wrote:Time for this guy to get his own thread.

Looks like someone better hit the gym, if that little guy can almost knock him off his feet (at the end of the video) with what amounts to the force of a tickle.

Looks like your smack talk should hit the gym. It just keeps getting weaker.

This is why I always thought it was funny that people imply Lauri won't start his freshman (only) year here.

enfuego wrote:

UAEebs86 wrote:Time for this guy to get his own thread.

Looks like someone better hit the gym, if that little guy can almost knock him off his feet (at the end of the video) with what amounts to the force of a tickle.

No Cliff Alexander, eh?

27 points 12 boards in a win against France.

enfuego wrote:

UAEebs86 wrote:Time for this guy to get his own thread.

Looks like someone better hit the gym, if that little guy can almost knock him off his feet (at the end of the video) with what amounts to the force of a tickle.

Breakin it down. Thanks, man.

Beermancats wrote:I told you guys before that I thought LM might be the best player on the team and that was when JJ was assumed to be in the mix.

You have a SLIGHT chance of being right now. Before, when JJ was assumed to be in the mix, you were just flat out wrong.

But god damn am I excited to see LM dominate the PAC next year.

gumby wrote:

enfuego wrote:

UAEebs86 wrote:Time for this guy to get his own thread.

Looks like someone better hit the gym, if that little guy can almost knock him off his feet (at the end of the video) with what amounts to the force of a tickle.

Breakin it down. Thanks, man.

What smack talk? That guard barely pushed him and he almost fell down. Also, that clip shows an over the back no-call. In college that would have been a foul. He looks like a good one though and his dad spent a year at KU, so ... you're welcome.

Still breakin it down. Don't ever stop.

enfuego wrote:

gumby wrote:

enfuego wrote:

UAEebs86 wrote:Time for this guy to get his own thread.

Looks like someone better hit the gym, if that little guy can almost knock him off his feet (at the end of the video) with what amounts to the force of a tickle.

Breakin it down. Thanks, man.

What smack talk? That guard barely pushed him and he almost fell down. Also, that clip shows an over the back no-call. In college that would have been a foul. He looks like a good one though and his dad spent a year at KU, so ... you're welcome.

Reffing YouTube highlights is potentially a new low. You're joining the ranks of such distinguished people as "the guy who complains LeBron never gets called for traveling" and "the guy who always talks about how the 2002 Lakers/Kings series was rigged."

Or the Kentucky fans who say the Wildcats would've wiped the floor with Arizona if only Derek Anderson had been healthy in '97.

Y'know, morons.

Having a hard time thinking of another player we've had who, as a freshman, had LM's advanced skill set.

Beachcat97 wrote:Having a hard time thinking of another player we've had who, as a freshman, had LM's advanced skill set.

Chase Budinger

Chicat wrote:

Beachcat97 wrote:Having a hard time thinking of another player we've had who, as a freshman, had LM's advanced skill set.

Chase Budinger

Bayless.

Heck, even Grant Jerrett had a pretty good skillset.

Spaceman Spiff wrote:

Chicat wrote:

Beachcat97 wrote:Having a hard time thinking of another player we've had who, as a freshman, had LM's advanced skill set.

Chase Budinger

Bayless.

Heck, even Grant Jerrett had a pretty good skillset.

I think Lauri should be better defensively than both.

Chicat wrote:

Spaceman Spiff wrote:

Chicat wrote:

Beachcat97 wrote:Having a hard time thinking of another player we've had who, as a freshman, had LM's advanced skill set.

Chase Budinger

Bayless.

Heck, even Grant Jerrett had a pretty good skillset.

I think Lauri should be better defensively than both.

I think he will be far better at hedge and recover than GJ. I do think LM has a high defensive ceiling bc he appears to be good at pick and roll D and have the length to impact the game as a rim protector.

Bayless...I just feel bad for him. He had such a chaotic situation, I'm not sure it's fair to judge his D. He was as refined an offensive freshman as we've ever had, though. GJ had a pretty refined skillset for a big guy frosh, he just couldn't hold position to save his life and was far too passive.

Bottom line, I really like Lauri.

Bayless' biggest problem on defense was trying to draw the foul on offense, not getting the call he was getting earlier in the season, then bitching to the ref about not getting the call. Meanwhile the rest of the Cats were playing 4 on 5 on the defensive end.

Loved Jerryd, but that was by far my biggest complaint about him.

Don't recall any other major defensive deficiencies.

Based on videos I have seen, Lauri looks like a total stud. Like a taller and way more athletic Rick "The Stick" Anderson.

Ford's Big Board 1.0: Who's on top in 2017 NBA draft rankings?

17. Lauri Markkanen
6-foot-11
Arizona
Freshman
Forward

Markkanen had a huge week at the FIBA Europe Under-20 Championship in late July. He averaged 25 PPG, 8.5 RPG and made 13 3s in the tournament -- a stat that really caught NBA scouts' attention.

Seven-footers who can shoot the ball, rebound and move well on both ends of the floor don't come along very often. Seen as a borderline first rounder before the summer, Markkanen has moved up to the lottery on the boards of several scouts.

Lottery. Boner.

I remember hearing that we need Ray to start over Lauri at the 4. Lauri is going to turn heads next year. I would not be shocked if he is our best player by year's end, even vs guys like Trier. The physicality aspect is the only question I have. The rest is a great package.

But will he be as good as Radenovich?

listening to interviews from guys like brad allis and jason scheer on 1290AM, they make it sound like he could be our best player and that he's the most likely person to be 1 and done on the team next year since outside of a huge disappointment he'll be a top 20 pick and potentially a lottery guy.

Kid is a monster

Main Event wrote:Kid is a monster

Lauri reminds me of Kyle Wiltjer if Kyle Wiltjer was bigger, stronger and 3x more athletic.

although right handed, he reminds me of a young Toni Kukoc with his ability to shoot, pass, and make mid range shots off the move jumping from one foot -- specifically off the glass.

the two handed flush was also a trademark of Kukoc as a young player -- eerily similar.

holy

97cats wrote:although right handed, he reminds me of a young Toni Kukoc with his ability to shoot, pass, and make mid range shots off the move jumping from one foot -- specifically off the glass.

the two handed flush was also a trademark of Kukoc as a young player -- eerily similar.

That's an interesting comparison. Seeing Kukoc play point forward in the triangle all those years, I didn't really think of it because I'd seen Lauri as more of a finisher than initiator, but that's interesting.

Bottom line, he's just pretty damn good.

Better than TJ Leaf.

97cats wrote:although right handed, he reminds me of a young Toni Kukoc with his ability to shoot, pass, and make mid range shots off the move jumping from one foot -- specifically off the glass.

the two handed flush was also a trademark of Kukoc as a young player -- eerily similar.

I like that comparison. I just see the awesome love child of Tim Duncan and Dirk Nowitski.

Pure Kevin McHale

Maybe he's like a taller, whiter, less funny, better shooting Dave Chappelle. Same sort of need to hit the weight room.

Longhorned wrote:Pure Kevin McHale

Did he ever attempt a 3?

Laurie's gonna get a few t's called on the rim next year. I'll take that.

gumby wrote:

Longhorned wrote:Pure Kevin McHale

Did he ever attempt a 3?

Of course impossible when McKale, errr McHale was in college

No way kid doesn't start at the 4. He's too good. Prob 2nd best player at worst behind Trier.

Ray may start, but it will be at the 3 if he does. He will obv get minutes at 4. Markannen will get minutes at 5 too if we go small.

Kobi
Trier
Smith (Rawle of Smith is still rusty)
LM
DR

This is prob starting lineup.

Pjc, Kadeem, Rawle, chance will all get plenty of run tho. I hated losing Ferg but rotation looks pretty clear. I think the chemistry of this tea, has potential to be GREAT.

I'm on record comparing absolutely every player to Kevin McHale.

Jefe wrote:holy

The kid moves very well for his size. Shoots well..this is going to be fun. Can't wait to see him running the floor.

Merkin wrote:

gumby wrote:

Longhorned wrote:Pure Kevin McHale

Did he ever attempt a 3?

Of course impossible when McKale, errr McHale was in college

OK, make it a 20-foot shot. Or an NBA three.