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Sell me on CJ

Started by gogamer, May 12, 2017, 01:12:48 pm

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gogamer

So I've seen and read so much here on JB about CJ Jones being the next coming of . . . but I just haven't seen it on both ends of the floor.  Sell me.  What am I missing?  I watched him get into a handful of games this past season.  In mop up duty of the cupcake noncon games he did exceptionally well shooting the 3 (56% 9-16), average in SEC games (33% 3-8), but he was always getting blown by or out of position on Defense.  We know that MA will not put a player on the floor for extended minutes who doesn't play defense first.

What will CJ bring to the table to get on the floor more in 2017-18?  Help me because we are going to need another shooter and I want to BELIEVE in CJ!

Wisco Pig

Here's what Jimmy Carter wrote about Jones on Whole Hog Sports yesterday:

C.J. JONES, G, SOPH, 6-5, 175
Stats: 2.4 ppg, 0.7 rpg, 47.2 FG, 50 3PT, 71.4 FT
Why he will start: He may have as much upside as anyone on the team thanks to his combination of size, shooting ability and athleticism. He can space the floor next to Barford and Macon while feasting on spot-up looks when they draw defensive attention. It isn't a stretch to expect a big sophomore jump from him. He'll likely play big minutes and has the scoring ability to average near or in double-figures. Arkansas needs him to help fill the perimeter shooting void left by Hannahs.
Why he won't start: Anderson values defense and that (along with a deep, veteran backcourt) is what kept Jones off the floor as a freshman. If he hasn't improved on that end, the staff may see him as more of a sixth-man type, someone who can provide offense off the bench.

http://www.wholehogsports.com/news/2017/may/11/projecting-arkansas-2017-18-basketball-rotation/

 

LRHog

He had a typical season for a first year... The reason people are excited is that MA has proven that he can develop players, especially on the defensive end.

His shot is one of the best many of us have seen in a long time. He squares his feet, elevates, and almost hovers in the air for a second at the peak of his jump when he takes his shot. He's very smooth. If he can develop on the defensive end, he'll average double digit scoring real quick.

gogamer

Quote from: LRHog on May 12, 2017, 01:23:26 pm
He had a typical season for a first year... The reason people are excited is that MA has proven that he can develop players, especially on the defensive end.

His shot is one of the best many of us have seen in a long time. He squares his feet, elevates, and almost hovers in the air for a second at the peak of his jump when he takes his shot. He's very smooth. If he can develop on the defensive end, he'll average double digit scoring real quick.

Good point here.  Hannahs was atrocious on D when he arrived.  He never got the speed on D but did get the IQ and positioning straightened out.

jry04

Quote from: gogamer on May 12, 2017, 01:12:48 pm
So I've seen and read so much here on JB about CJ Jones being the next coming of . . . but I just haven't seen it on both ends of the floor.  Sell me.  What am I missing?  I watched him get into a handful of games this past season.  In mop up duty of the cupcake noncon games he did exceptionally well shooting the 3 (56% 9-16), average in SEC games (33% 3-8), but he was always getting blown by or out of position on Defense.  We know that MA will not put a player on the floor for extended minutes who doesn't play defense first.

What will CJ bring to the table to get on the floor more in 2017-18?  Help me because we are going to need another shooter and I want to BELIEVE in CJ!
If you see him in practice or pregame warmups, his shot looks as good as anyone's on the team. He could consistently hit 15-20 threes in a row during shoot around from anywhere on the floor. He also made some acrobatic dunks in the layup line. Throw in the fact that for a while, when he did get in, he would typically hit his first shot of the game. He just never really had a chance to play extended minutes. I have no idea how he will turn out, but offensively he definitely looks like he has the tools to be good.

LRHog

Quote from: gogamer on May 12, 2017, 01:41:03 pm
Good point here.  Hannahs was atrocious on D when he arrived.  He never got the speed on D but did get the IQ and positioning straightened out.

Yeah. If theres one thing I cant complain about, its MA's ability to get the most out of his players within the time they spend in the program.

hawginbigd1

Defensively he was getting better and better in my opinion, and really made a conscious effort to be a cog, his last 6 or 7 appearances he was way less quick to try and get his but deferred to a better opportunity. You can't teach silky smooth 6'5" IMO but you can teach defense.

Note: later in the season he didn't ever get blown by, but he didn't help off his man either, so he has some learning to do.

The_Iceman

One weakness people haven't mentioned is his ball handling. He has shown zero ability to take a defender off he dribble.

His game right now is spot up 3s, pull up jumpers, and open floor finishes. But at 6'5" and with his lift on his shot, he can get a shot off just about any time he wants, which is great paired with attackers like Macon and Barford.

King Kong

Quote from: The_Iceman on May 12, 2017, 03:29:00 pm
One weakness people haven't mentioned is his ball handling. He has shown zero ability to take a defender off he dribble.

His game right now is spot up 3s, pull up jumpers, and open floor finishes. But at 6'5" and with his lift on his shot, he can get a shot off just about any time he wants, which is great paired with attackers like Macon and Barford.

His offense game to me is similar Soph. year Qualls at this point. Catch and shoot jumpers and Fastbreak dunks

Qualls really improved his ability to get to the basket in the Half court as a Jr

BannerMountainMan

I'm pretty sure the big reason everybody is so high on him is because he scored 20+ in a few games on the Spain trip which were almost all 3's, it's hit or miss for him to make a big jump, gonna have to hit most of shots to get consistent playing time
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Letsroll1200

If CJ Jones is able to knock down the 3 ball he is going to play a lot. Beard or Jones need to have a big year for this team to be highly competitive.

PonderinHog

Hope is a good thing.


CJ has a lot of potential.  Didn't get to see enough of him last year to be sure one way or the other, but if he will play defense, which I thought he improved on as the season progressed,  he will see the floor a lot.

RaisinHog

Right now he is a taller Anton bell .. hopefully he becomes a taller dusty Hannah's as a senior .. or at least that's what  I think ... Only difference is his celling for being able to play D is higher than both Anton and dusty because of his athleticism

 

Dominicanhog

he's our gunslinger, ready to fire.. instant points.. similar role to Dillard and A. Bell...stretch the court and get them off quick... will come off the bench for offense unless defense improves...

HogsonHicks

A 6'5" athlete, sophomore to be, has a great shot and big time vertical. There's a lot to like.

Yes, he's raw, but has Qualls-like hops and an Anthlon Bell-like shot.  Not a bad combo.

ErieHog

He is pretty thoroughly oversold on this board;  he does have some tools, and Mike has a good history of player development, but people expecting him to be a centerpiece next year are going to be disappointed.  He can be a functional part, hopefully, but not a centerpiece.   That's where you hope he is as a junior or senior, realistically.
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The_Iceman

Quote from: ErieHog on May 13, 2017, 02:06:40 pm
He is pretty thoroughly oversold on this board;  he does have some tools, and Mike has a good history of player development, but people expecting him to be a centerpiece next year are going to be disappointed.  He can be a functional part, hopefully, but not a centerpiece.   That's where you hope he is as a junior or senior, realistically.

No one has said he will be a centerpiece. But he can average between 6-10 ppg no problem if he develops the talent he already has.

FineAsSwine

Quote from: The_Iceman on May 13, 2017, 02:36:28 pm
No one has said he will be a centerpiece. But he can average between 6-10 ppg no problem if he develops the talent he already has.

This is a reasonable expectation.
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rzrbackramsfan

Quote from: ErieHog on May 13, 2017, 02:06:40 pm
He is pretty thoroughly oversold on this board;  he does have some tools, and Mike has a good history of player development, but people expecting him to be a centerpiece next year are going to be disappointed.  He can be a functional part, hopefully, but not a centerpiece.   That's where you hope he is as a junior or senior, realistically.

I'm actually gonna disagree with you and we'll just have to wait and see but I think if he plays 20 minutesa game he'll average 10-12 points.  In those 12 points I think we'll see him hit 2-3 threes a game, a pull up jumper and a fast break dunk.  You heard it here, I think he will average a fast break dunk a game.

Defensively, I think he'll average 1.5 steals and 1 block per game.

HogsonHicks

Quote from: ErieHog on May 13, 2017, 02:06:40 pm
He is pretty thoroughly oversold on this board;  he does have some tools, and Mike has a good history of player development, but people expecting him to be a centerpiece next year are going to be disappointed.  He can be a functional part, hopefully, but not a centerpiece.   That's where you hope he is as a junior or senior, realistically.

I doubt anyone on this board knows if he's been over or undersold. How could we with the guard depth we had last year and his limited playing time?

He has the talent and size to be a solid contributor next year, but I agree not a centerpiece. With Macon and Barford coming back, he won't need to me anything more.

WorfHog

I just like the fact that he didn't transfer like Babb and Whitt.

daprospecta

Quote from: WorfHog on May 13, 2017, 05:39:07 pm
I just like the fact that he didn't transfer like Babb and Whitt.
I doubt he would. He was going to Chattanogga which isn't a bad mid-major but he is on a relevant team now which he can be a part of the rise. I was shocked when Whitt left but it makes sense now. Being in NCAA tourneys and going toe to toe with powerhouses is what these guys live for.  Arkansas provides that at the moment and hopefully for years to come.

Hawg Red

May 13, 2017, 06:35:08 pm #22 Last Edit: May 15, 2017, 08:20:13 am by Hawg Red
He was a hell of a late period snag by Anderson and staff. He outgrew his intitial offers/destination his senior year. He would have played somewhere else in the SEC if he had been available in late April, but Coach pounced. Love the size for a 2 and he has legit hops and stroke. Not really sure what else he's good at but we know it's probably not defense (Anderson has publicly stated he needs work). I wonder if some of us aren't projecting a little too much based on the Spain trip and the spot production vs weaker OOC competition. But he's got a real opportunity in front of him and some tools to work with. The year watching and the participation he did get will help a lot. People expecting him to go from DNP CD to double digit scorer are probably going to be let down. He will get some good teeth cutting this year, though. Probably a 5-8 PPG guy and that will be good development. Junior and senior seasons are where we'll see him shine.

TheRazorback500

One thing CJ could consider is that he would seem to have a chance to claim a starting spot, along with Harris and/or Garland, on the 18-19 team. With another year's experience he could be a steadying force year after next until Sills and Joe can begin to contribute. I hope he stays.
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PonderinHog

Quote from: daprospecta on May 13, 2017, 06:00:09 pm
I doubt he would. He was going to Chattanogga which isn't a bad mid-major but he is on a relevant team now which he can be a part of the rise. I was shocked when Whitt left but it makes sense now. Being in NCAA tourneys and going toe to toe with powerhouses is what these guys live for.  Arkansas provides that at the moment and hopefully for years to come.
I think Whitt saw Macon and Barford coming and was worried about playing time over the next two years.

The_Iceman

Quote from: PonderinHog on May 13, 2017, 08:06:47 pm
I think Whitt saw Macon and Barford coming and was worried about playing time over the next two years.

If they came in and scrimmaged with the team and Whitt, this is likely.

The_Iceman

Quote from: daprospecta on May 13, 2017, 06:00:09 pm
I doubt he would. He was going to Chattanogga which isn't a bad mid-major but he is on a relevant team now which he can be a part of the rise. I was shocked when Whitt left but it makes sense now. Being in NCAA tourneys and going toe to toe with powerhouses is what these guys live for.  Arkansas provides that at the moment and hopefully for years to come.

He was starting to receive interest from some bigger schools near the end when Arkansas landed him.

The Hogfather


Big Nasty 34

Quote from: rzrbackramsfan on May 13, 2017, 04:04:09 pm
I'm actually gonna disagree with you and we'll just have to wait and see but I think if he plays 20 minutesa game he'll average 10-12 points.  In those 12 points I think we'll see him hit 2-3 threes a game, a pull up jumper and a fast break dunk.  You heard it here, I think he will average a fast break dunk a game.

Defensively, I think he'll average 1.5 steals and 1 block per game.
Quote from: The_Iceman on May 13, 2017, 02:36:28 pm
No one has said he will be a centerpiece. But he can average between 6-10 ppg no problem if he develops the talent he already has.

I think CJ definitely has potential, although I see him being Jekyll and Hyde at times. I predict he could very well average close to 10 ppg at home, but will really struggle on the road and have some games where he rarely plays.

My reasoning is we have much better movement on offense and are allowed to create more turnovers defensively at home, and that should free him up for some good looks for 3 and in transition. On the road, however, our offense usually becomes more one on one based and that is not conducive to CJ's game at this point. That's why Macon and Barford are so crucial to Road success.