Fwiw

[Phantom Warrior]

For the season, Duane is averaging 27.7 mpg, 11.8 ppg, and he's shooting 40% from the field, 31% on treys, and 76% from the line.

Nine years ago, as a frosh, Jerel averaged 27.5 mpg, 11.1 ppg, and shot 44% from the field, 28% on treys, and 75% from the line.

Food for thought.

[warriorfan4life]

Duane Wilson also does not throw the ball away almost 30% of the time when he uses a possession. Love the player that Jerel McNeal became, but I will contend that he played 10-15 minutes a night too many as a freshman out of necessity (and was fortunately surrounded by an excellent point guard and a number of good shooters). Think Duane Wilson also has a much better feel for the game at comparable points of their career.

Edit: In fairness, Jerel was a much better defender at this point of their careers, though it seemed like Jerel's defense regressed at the same rate his offense improved in college.

[Phantom Warrior]

If memory serves, Jerel had more turnovers than any other player in the Big East as a freshman, but an inordinate number of those were offensive fouls. I think he had at least one offensive foul call almost every game.

Jerel, however, was also an outstanding rebounder for a guard, especially a 6'2" guard. He averaged 4.5 rpg as a frosh.

I think he also led the Big East in steals. At the very least he was second with 2.1 spg.

Duane is quicker than Jerel was especially on offense, and he has better hops. But Jerel was physically stronger.

But the biggest difference, I think, may have been Jerel's - for lack of a better term - "Chicago toughness." He played with an edge. We've had some physically tough back courts over the years, but the combination of DJ and Jerel may have been the toughest.

By the way, another similarity: Jerel was ranked #57 on the final RSCI for the Class of '05; Duane was ranked #59 in the Class of '13.

Jerel ended up first-team all-Big East (and second-team A-A) as a senior. I can definitely envision Duane ending up a first-team all-Big East player as well.

[Mark Miller]

Good stuff Phantom.

[GOMU1104]

Man...9 years ago...sobering

[MU88]

McNeal was a horrible defender on ball defender. He had his share of steals because he gambled, but he couldn't keep a player in front of him. Great example of stats not telling the whole story.

[AlexJesswein]

Man...9 years ago...sobering

makes a certain "young" MU fan feel old

[The Reptile]

McNeal was a horrible defender on ball defender. He had his share of steals because he gambled, but he couldn't keep a player in front of him. Great example of stats not telling the whole story.


That didn't stop him from becoming BE defensive POY if I remember correctly.

[Phantom Warrior]

MU88,

Jerel was a solid on-ball defender as a freshman, but his on-ball defense went downhill after that. I could never figure out why. He was very good off the ball at jumping the passing lane.

He also had quite a few blocks for a guard, and his defensive rebounding was superb for a guard.

[Djgoldnboy]

If memory serves, Jerel had more turnovers than any other player in the Big East as a freshman, but an inordinate number of those were offensive fouls. I think he had at least one offensive foul call almost every game.

Jerel, however, was also an outstanding rebounder for a guard, especially a 6'2" guard. He averaged 4.5 rpg as a frosh.

I think he also led the Big East in steals. At the very least he was second with 2.1 spg.

Duane is quicker than Jerel was especially on offense, and he has better hops. But Jerel was physically stronger.

But the biggest difference, I think, may have been Jerel's - for lack of a better term - "Chicago toughness." He played with an edge. We've had some physically tough back courts over the years, but the combination of DJ and Jerel may have been the toughest.

By the way, another similarity: Jerel was ranked #57 on the final RSCI for the Class of '05; Duane was ranked #59 in the Class of '13.

Jerel ended up first-team all-Big East (and second-team A-A) as a senior. I can definitely envision Duane ending up a first-team all-Big East player as well.


I think he sealed up 10 of the offensive fouls in that one Cincinnati game alone, just kept driving at them and either got it swatted or was called for charging.

[Phantom Warrior]

Not to beat a dead horse, but the more I watch Duane, the more he reminds me of Jerel a freshman. The last five-six minutes of yesterday's game was a perfect example.

Duane missed a wide open, uncontested lay up. (Jerel had a lot of trouble finishing his freshman year.)

Duane makes a nice drive to the hoop and finds Taylor open for a slam, but charges and the basket is waved off. (Vintage freshman Jerel.)

Duane grabs a crucial defensive rebound with superb hustle.

Duane nails two crucial free throws.

Jerel eventually became much better at finishing his drives, and I suspect Duane will, too. As a senior Jerel did a much better job of avoiding those charging fouls as he learned to pull up and take the 10-15 footer. I suspect Duane will, too.

Jerel had a knack of grabbing crucial rebounds. I suspect Duane will become a more effective rebounder the next few years.

Jerel had a knack for making clutch plays down the stretch (except for the Nova game when he let Redding cut back door for an easy, game-winning hoop), like his steal at USF. I suspect Duane will come up clutch for us numerous times before he ends his MU career.

Bottom line: I was extremely bullish on Jerel after seeing him in an Old Spice Chicago-New York all-star game the summer after his senior year in high school, and I have been extremely bullish on Duane after watching him on t.v. play at Dominican. The more I see of Duane, the more bullish I become. I don't know if he'll become quite the player Jerel was as a senior (second team A-A), but I think he will be damn close.

[IrwinFletcher]

The thing you want to see in young guys is the ability to get to the rim. Duane has shown that. Learning to finish can take a bit more time as the player becomes more comforatable driving into the lane and gains some moxy on how to finish. I think Duane can and will do that which is only going to open up his game more down the road.

I think JJJ has shown he can get to the rim too and who can forget that finish a couple weeks back.

If you can add two guys who can get to the rim AND finish, that is going to open up this offense quite a bit.

[Nukem2]

[QUOTE=Phantom Warrior;92989
Bottom line: I was extremely bullish on Jerel after seeing him in an Old Spice Chicago-New York all-star game the summer after his senior year in high school, and I have been extremely bullish on Duane after watching him on t.v. play at Dominican. The more I see of Duane, the more bullish I become. I don't know if he'll become quite the player Jerel was as a senior (second team A-A), but I think he will be damn close.[/QUOTE]
Fred, that was the DVD that I passed on to you (as originally burned for me and others by the ever famous "Chicos Bail Bonds" who is now banished to Scoop and even gets banished there periodically). That was an impressive performance by Jerel. Showed a lot of energy in that all-star game.

[Phantom Warrior]

I think I still have that DVD somewhere. Jerel did things in that game that can't be coached. Kids either have some of those things, or they don't.

That might have been the best gift I got that spring, maybe that entire year. :D

[Djgoldnboy]

The thing you want to see in young guys is the ability to get to the rim. Duane has shown that. Learning to finish can take a bit more time as the player becomes more comforatable driving into the lane and gains some moxy on how to finish. I think Duane can and will do that which is only going to open up his game more down the road.

I think JJJ has shown he can get to the rim too and who can forget that finish a couple weeks back.

If you can add two guys who can get to the rim AND finish, that is going to open up this offense quite a bit.

Vander Blue is another example. Could always drive but it took time for him to learn how to finish at this level.

[MUMac]

Vander Blue is another example. Could always drive but it took time for him to learn how to finish at this level.

Yep. That is why I wanted him to continue to do it as a Frosh/Soph, as I saw the progression in McNeal and felt that Vander would have the same tract.