Where does SW rank among the other PGs in the Billy D era?

[gatormann]

I predicted greatness for Wilbekin early on. The main reason for that was his selflessness as a point guard. Scottie deferred his offense completely as a freshman and to a large extent as a sophomore. He has almost always showed a preference to get great shots for others and that is a neccessary prerequisite for a top point guard. Now, Scottie will not pass up opportunities to shoot when he can get a really good look but he does what a point guard ought to do. He looks for the best shot for the team each possession.

[themistocles]

Originally Posted by gatormann

I predicted greatness for Wilbekin early on. The main reason for that was his selflessness as a point guard. Scottie deferred his offense completely as a freshman and to a large extent as a sophomore. He has almost always showed a preference to get great shots for others and that is a neccessary prerequisite for a top point guard. Now, Scottie will not pass up opportunities to shoot when he can get a really good look but he does what a point guard ought to do. He looks for the best shot for the team each possession.

Yes.

[madgator]

Originally Posted by gatormann

I predicted greatness for Wilbekin early on. The main reason for that was his selflessness as a point guard. Scottie deferred his offense completely as a freshman and to a large extent as a sophomore. He has almost always showed a preference to get great shots for others and that is a neccessary prerequisite for a top point guard. Now, Scottie will not pass up opportunities to shoot when he can get a really good look but he does what a point guard ought to do. He looks for the best shot for the team each possession.

it was obvious when he was a freshman.....he should've played a larger role even then

[GatorRade]

Originally Posted by themistocles

And, where did the Gators play at the end of both Calathes seasons?????

NIT

You'll probably be interested to find out where the Gators ended their seasons with Neal Walk as their top player. Does that mean that Walk was a poor player?

[GatorRade]

Originally Posted by GboroGator

I was never a fan of Calathes. Just can't get over a 6'6 guy that can't dunk a basketball. Doubt he ever sniffs the NBA.

Just to be fair to Calathes: he did get drafted, so he already made the NBA.

[ufgator865]

Originally Posted by GatorRade

You'll probably be interested to find out where the Gators ended their seasons with Neal Walk as their top player. Does that mean that Walk was a poor player?

Not a valid comparison. Making the NCAA tournament back then was a major accomplishment. Failing to make the tournament in this day and age is a major set back for a program like Florida.

[GatorRade]

Originally Posted by ufgator865

Not a valid comparison. Making the NCAA tournament back then was a major accomplishment. Failing to make the tournament in this day and age is a major set back for a program like Florida.

Which makes my major point: comparing seasons is always unfair. Why blame our best player for the years that we didn't make it? Who did we have to help him out? We lost everyone from the year before (like UNC in 2010). What you need to do is to imagine putting Wilbekin on the 2008 team or Calathes on the 2013 team, and ask what would happen. Personally, I think it is totally unrealistic to predict that these two teams would trade records once you traded these players. In my view, Calathes is perhaps the only reason that we even made the NIT in those years.

[tommyuf21]

Originally Posted by GatorRade

Just to be fair to Calathes: he did get drafted, so he already made the NBA.

Second rounders have the same chance as undrafted free agents.

I would have liked to see Nick stick around another year and show some leadership to the group that he led into college. He might have improved his shortcomings and went on to the NBA, like his teammate CP.

Instead he ran away from a "mean" coach that was only trying to help him get better.

[tommyuf21]

Originally Posted by GatorRade

Which makes my major point: comparing seasons is always unfair. Why blame our best player for the years that we didn't make it? Who did we have to help him out? We lost everyone from the year before (like UNC in 2010). What you need to do is to imagine putting Wilbekin on the 2008 team or Calathes on the 2013 team, and ask what would happen. Personally, I think it is totally unrealistic to predict that these two teams would trade records once you traded these players. In my view, Calathes is perhaps the only reason that we even made the NIT in those years.

They were talented, but flawed teams that suffered from weak scheduling. Sadly, there's no guarantee that a better schedule would have led to more quality wins. However, feasting on bottom feeders in the non conference schedule gave them false confidence. The lack of leadership and the resistance to coaching were emblematic of those two years. When has Billy ever had to lock his team out of their own practice facility to make a point? I doubt that it ever happens again.

[regurgigator]

Originally Posted by tommyuf21

Second rounders have the same chance as undrafted free agents.

I would have liked to see Nick stick around another year and show some leadership to the group that he led into college. He might have improved his shortcomings and went on to the NBA, like his teammate CP.

Instead he ran away from a "mean" coach that was only trying to help him get better.

I'm curious as to how you know that was Calathes' reason for leaving. Fascinating insight if that's based on insider knowledge.

[fox]

Wilbekin is the best player UF has ever had because his hair looks like a gator's back.

[GothamGator]

Originally Posted by demosthenes

Nelson was better his sophomore year than Green was in any year. He was quite good his freshman year coming off the bench too. Of course everyone knows about his junior and senior seasons. Once the ball was taken out of his hands and he was injured he never got his confidence back. I think people just forget how good Nelson really was.

This is exactly correct. Nelson's sophomore year was probably the best single season a Gator point guard has ever had.

[GothamGator]

As for Taurean Green's defense, it's a little unfair to criticize him for allowing penetration since that was obviously our strategy on defense. Let them have a drive to the basket that Noah and Horford can clean up and take away everything else.

[MaceoP]

SW is the best pg we've had since taurean. Nick c, IMO, was all flash Some here were enamored with all the fancy stuff by nick and overlooked the many obvious shortcomings. I would take Scottie over nick anyday. One poster on this thread had said a while ago that nick was the best pg he'd ever seen I don't get the nick c love

[gatrfanzz]

Thank you gatorman for mentioning JW. The only one of a kind point guard in the BD era was Jason Williams. No one since could touch him. It's too bad he messed up. I would have liked to see him play one more year. Scottie is as close to him as any point we have had since.

[WESGATORS]

As good as Nelson's sophomore year was, Jason Williams had as many assists and steals in 2/3 the minutes played with significantly less surrounding talent. Team went 1-6 to finish the season without him shortly after FLORIDA gave Kentucky their 3rd of 4 losses in their national championship season. This is not pointed out to diminish Nelson but to prop up Williams.

Go GATORS!
,WESGATORS

[tommyuf21]

Originally Posted by regurgigator

I'm curious as to how you know that was Calathes' reason for leaving. Fascinating insight if that's based on insider knowledge.

Certainly, I don't "know" the reason. However, my opinion, based on everything that took place those two years is that he didn't wish to deal with the pressure of being the leader. The criticism of him by his head coach is on the record and really "kind" in my opinion. If you look at how his career played out here, especially during the end of the final year, it's not hard to believe that he wanted out of the program.

I will always feel that he ran away from UF and if he stayed and got mentally tough, he would have become a much better player and would be making a good living in the real league as opposed to being basically a substitute in Europe.

[demosthenes]

Originally Posted by WESGATORS

As good as Nelson's sophomore year was, Jason Williams had as many assists and steals in 2/3 the minutes played with significantly less surrounding talent. Team went 1-6 to finish the season without him shortly after FLORIDA gave Kentucky their 3rd of 4 losses in their national championship season. This is not pointed out to diminish Nelson but to prop up Williams.

Go GATORS!
,WESGATORS

That's one reason I have JW number one.

[InstiGATOR1]

One thing I think nobody saw is what solid athlete Wilbekin is. When he takes those pull ups in lane, he gets excellent lift.

[UFco2001]

I've always been surprised with how much people weight the JW 1998 UK game in their memories and how little they remember of 4 years of Justin Hamilton.