The comparison to Wilkins was my thoughts as well.
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Thanks for the scouting report. Super helpful!
Any sense of how much SDSU’s offense impacted Saunders’ usage, rebounding, shot selection? I imagine that’s gotta play in a bit.
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I hope Bond transfers back in 2 years
Also Mike Scott but they all went in
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Not really sure. SDSU had Ledee who was an absolute beast inside (one of the very few college basketball players who I’d bet on against Jack Salt in an arm-wrestling contest) and SDSU was a terrible 3 point shooting team and there’s a decent argument Saunders was their best 3 point threat.
So its possible they pushed him to be more of perimeter player than he might otherwise be? His 33% from 3 wasn’t great, but it was the highest among players who attempted more than 50 and it was on decent volume. And he’s a solid perimeter defender. Against Yale they matched him up against 7’ Wolf, a good-passing stretch 5, and he also does a credible job guarding big 2s in space.
This is above my pay-grade, but if I had to guess, I think SDSU wasn’t entirely sure what to do with him and gave him a lot of conflicting signals. Like, in the MWC finals against NM, they took him out right as they were down late and trying to get back into it fouling and shooting 3s (a time when you’d think you’d want your best 3 point shooter on the floor). Then against UAB in the NCAA tournament, when Ledee was out Saunders put the ball on the floor a couple times reasonably effectively to create inside offense (going 1 of 2). They promptly sat him and he stayed on the perimeter the rest of the game.
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Is George Lynch a theoretical model for Saunders to develop into?
I realize he hasn’t had the mid-range game and Lynch played in prior era where that was valued more, but his body, style of play, UVA fit, and other elements just remind me of Lynch, even if he’s not at that level (yet).
I am going to continue to…suggest that the usage and presence of Ledee had a significant effect on his shot selection. I think he is going to be used in a much different way offensively by TB.
His upside is being underestimated, imo. I love Brian Dutcher…think he is a very underrated coach…but I think he will be a different player here.
We’ll see over time if I am right. I hope I am.
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I could see that but I’m also not sure Lynch would have been a very effective 3 point shooter.
Right - forgot to mention that part. Lynch-type with a 3-pt threat…
Man, @ElliottHoo and @wahoobelinda basically ran this thread. If you want a good read on the player we’re getting here, go back through their comments. Awesome job fam!
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Elijah Saunders already active on instagram. Follows the whole team and already commented on Bliss’ post from today and Lang’s announcement yesterday. Love to see it
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I believe @DavetheWave calls someone who does this an elbow dunker.
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This was precisely the reason I soured on Perry as the days ticked by. It was clear to me that he was not excited to be aa Hoo and – I get the talent – but he was looking for an out instead. Saunders is clearly fired up to be a Hoo and I really like that about him.
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Committed on the visit. Gotta love that!
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I can’t remember, did we thus get him to cancel his Clemson visit?
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I believe so.
Blake Griffin in the house!!
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believe Saunders knew he was coming to Virginia when he portaled… definite back channels… visited Washington for appearances, scheduled Clemson for appearances, committed to UVA on the spot on his visit… soft commit the day he portaled.
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Idk about back channels. He was not expected to enter the portal by SDSU. If there was back channeling going on, they wouldn’t have been quite as blindsided.
I think it comes down to he had an idea in mind of what he was looking for and what we offered aligned with that.
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He’s a big body. We should be so much stronger as a team next year.
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