Great decison by Brown. Makes complete sense...

[Reality Man]

Jaylen Brown and his family made a smart and well thought out decision.


1. Brown is an open court player. The Pac-12 is a more wide open style of play unlike playing the Big Ten and getting hammered when you drive to the hoop. Brown chose a style of play that will enhance what he does well.

2. PT. Cal has plenty of playing time available on that roster for small forwards. Has enough talent with Rabb and others.

3. Brown isn't necessarily looking to win but to have a program that allows him to showcase his skills. He is very conscientious like all other high end talents of getting to the NBA.

4. Cuonzo Martin isn't running some sort of system like JB. He coached at Tennessee and from what I remember Tennessee ran a wide open fast paced offense. This fits Brown the same way Aubrey Dawkins fits the JB system or Payne fit MSU or Dekker fit Wiscy.

5. Martin was a very successful college player with some time in the pro's. Wasn't he a small forward?


I just love the decision. I would have made the same decision. Smart. Here is a quick question...do you think the smarter decision would come to a program with Irvin, Dawkins, LeVERT and get half the playing time?



Reality Man



Brown and his camp always struck me as very thoughtful and mature. Completely focused on getting to the NBA when the time is right. This was a great choice.

 

[Mroad]

It's hard to disagree with some of your points but I still think Beilein is one of the best in the business at developing players....his track record is very impressive. Beilein has an uncanny ability to improve outside shooting, almost unlike any college coach I know. Brown is a freak athlete but the one area where he needs the most improvement is outside shooting, particularly three point shooting. Beilein would have been the best coach to improve this aspect of his game. That being said, he will undoubtedly get more playing time at Cal because our roster is pretty stacked and Beilein is going to play a lot of players next year.

 

[Reality Man]

Sorry Michigan.


http://collegebasketballtalk.nbcspo...ky-north-carolina/?ocid=Yahoo&partner=ya5nbcs

 

[Reality Man]

Here is the problem Mroad. I respect your thoughts.


Brown or most of these guys are interested in showcasing their skills. They are on a limited timetable. 1 maybe 2 years at the most. They need to cash in because the NBA system will punish you for being a team player at the college level. Think about this honestly...the NBA is a one on one type player game. College is a team oriented game. Watch both styles of play. The NBA is about making spectacular plays and high end athleticism.

Not in every case but it's a different style of game. Just look at the differential in the shot clock. Try watching that NBA all star game...that is the mindset of the league.

These guys like Brown and his family are very very smart. They understand where the money is. Wasn't brown talking about the shoe companies as a variable in his decision? So here is my point.

Going forward...the high end guys (aka 'one and done') are looking for programs that are de factor NBA style college programs..Kentucky or others who will allow these players to flourish and showcase their skills as a stepping stone.

This isn't about JB but more about the JB system....or Izzo or Ryan for that matter. These guys run more college systems and not pro systems. Guys are who are more limited as players who need development will see the JB system as an attractive option. See Wagner...not ready for the NBA but needs development because of his limitations....chooses JB. JB has carved out a niche. Get good players...2nd tier players hopefully.




Reality Man

 

[Mroad]

RM, although I wanted Brown to sign with us I was a little worried how it might effect the team chemistry. Brown is certainly a one and done type athlete that would demand a lot of playing time. We have a lot of wing type players on this team that are expecting playing time this coming season. Taking Brown would have most certainly negatively impacted the playing time of some of these other wings that are pretty good in their own right. Another factor that I have not seen brought up is that freshman wings, even 5 star wings, typically take time to contribute at a high level in the college game. The one and done's that typically make the biggest impact are the big guys, like Towns and Anthony Davis at Kentucky and Okafur at Duke, or points guards like the kid at Duke this past year or Kyrie Irving. There are a couple exceptions but by and large the wings take more time to make an impact. Although we would never turn down a talent like Brown, there is a part of me that believes Brown going to Cal is beneficial to UM due to the makeup of our roster. It will help other players on the roster, such as Wagner, Robinson or Dawkins, develop better moving forward. He was going to take serious minutes from a couple of these players.

 

[rm83]

I agree with some of everyone's points but disagree with a few others:

. Can't necessarily say this was necessarily the best decision for Brown in terms of prep for the NBA because:

1. I don't know necessarily that Martin has a rep for player development, at least more than any other coach, and Jaylen has some flaws that he definitely needs to work on in terms of shooting and ballhandling in particular.
2. The BIG10 is a more physical conference and the NBA is also more physical. I know little about Martin's style of play, but even if it is more wide open and plays to Jaylen's strengths; at the next level his weaknesses will be exposed if he doesn't improve them.

. As for taking time from players on our current roster, that certainly would have been a possibility to a certain extent, though JB has so many interchangeable parts, I wasn't overly concerned. Especially since we don't yet know what Wagner and Robinson bring to the table. And I don't see Jaylen dominating the ball like some others do. He had to do a lot for his HS team, but has been fine playing with others on his level.

. Finally, I don't necessarily think this was some well thought out plan to allow him to showcase his skills and move to the NBA. More than likely this was simply a deal brokered by his mentor Sharif Abdur-Rahim, another former Wheeler graduate, Cal player, and NBA all-star.

I do wish him the best, and think we'll be fine with Caris and Walton back, as well as further development of guys like Dawkins, MAAR, Chatman, and Wilson. It's going to be a very interesting year if everyone stays healthy.

 

[Lake Tahoe Spartan]

If Jaylen Brown would have picked Michigan; I have a feeling Swanigan would have stayed with MSU too bad! Most likely both will end up at Cal now.