Elmarko Healthcheck
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I am curious about Elmarko. Patellar tendon tear and .300 fg% and underwhelming contribution across the board in 18 mpg season 1 with KU leaves room for skepticism, certainly.
But he was a mcd aa, 19th overall in class.
Can we rehash a few things?
How was his fg% in HS?
Has he been working on his shooting and handling?
Will Bill use him on ball or off? I am assuming off mostly, as with Diggy, leaving room for stud transfer PG to be ball dominant.
Is that correct? Do Elmarko and Diggy need to handle to find their rhythm?
Any insights appreciated as Elmarko seems like a certainty on the roster next year and could be either obstruction or valuable piece.
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I heard coach say he was going off one ft. He should be full strength by august, I think. He’s been working on all those other things. My son tore his about a yr before Elmarko, terrible injury, long recovery.
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Here’s what Bill said recently.
“Well, he’s not practicing by any stretch but he’s doing individuals and one-on-zero,” Bill Self said. “So, he’s not going to be in contact until the season’s over. But he’s making really good progress. He’ll be 100% unless he has a setback you would think by March or so.”
I’m cautiously optimistic. He had a serious knee injury so you wonder about full recovery, and then the mental side of it. He’s missed a year of skill development. I did see something published that he’s bulked up a bit and has taken to watching and learning from the coaches from their POV on the sidelines.
He’s an on-ball guy I think. I think he can exist with another ball handler if his outside shot/playmaking improves. He had shown good touch at the FT line so it’s a developing skill you hope for consistency. His midrange jumper was probably his best impact on offense. He showed glimpses of driving and finishing/ or creating opportunities for teammates but it was flashes. The size and athleticism are there to be good. Defensively, he probably has more room to grow there than anywhere else, not uncommon when playing here. The good thing is Peterson is coming and he’s the most dynamic combo guard we’ve signed. He’s going to make others look really good.
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Thanks guys.
Regarding DP @BeddieKU23, is he a good enough handler to press break? Elmarko has the size and athleticism agreed, and I think I recall some nice passes, and some questionable ones.
I dont trust Diggy on ball in pressure situations, at least recently. It would be nice to know that the rock will be taken care of next year.
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Bill was willing to keep him around and him returning seems to have at least played a part in scaring off Philon, so those are both points in the column that he was moving in the right direction this offseason. He may be missing a year of skill development, but I assume he has still been around the team learning how Self wants to play and gaining basketball knowledge.
I didn’t get to watch the team as much last year, but he reminded me a bit of Tyshawn when I did catch games (in some good ways and some bad lol).
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His biggest issue last year was his lack of confidence. Once in a while, we would see bursts of potential and athleticism. All we can do is wait and see. These types of injuries are so lethal. Many players never recover psychologically. Others improve because their survival instincts takeover.
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I think one part of this issue - - - won’t be an issue , a I truly don’t think diggy will be back. With El Marko being here and with what we got coming in , diggy won’t be back.
DP definitely can handle the ball in pressure, NBA people ay he si ready and drooling. Just a complete ball player, petty well has it all. drains three’s could be some better but , Hits mid range, can create , rebounds well , can dish the dimes- -he is a man. enjoy him for the year w got him.
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Yeah Peterson is dynamic with the ball. We definitely need another steady option there so I think it’s something you get from the portal to pair with Elmarko and Peterson.
Is there something out there about Diggy? How would he have another year?
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@BeddieKU23 Diggy will be able to use the JuCo waiver
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@FarmerJayhawk not going to matter if he does or not- - - he is not coming back
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@SlimShaddy54 way too early to say definitively one way or another but I’d say better than even money he’s back.
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@SlimShaddy54 diggy? He’s gonna be starting next year if hcbs is still here
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@kuballin10 there is no way in hell diggy starts here next year If he wants another year he needs to go where he is going to get quality minutes. Diggy’s minutes if he comes back here will be less then he had this year.
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@FarmerJayhawk no problem with your guess------and I just going to say he is not , your entitled to your opinion nothing wrong with that
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Thanks didn’t realize he had a juco stint. Interesting.
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@SlimShaddy54 I mean I get where you are coming from and typically would agree
However, when Self has an affinity toward a player and next year that player has his trust along with knowing the system versus a say SR transfer pg….it wouldn’t shock me to see Self start the lesser player
We will hear some fodder of - oh this new guy isn’t performing in practice. He’s not grasping the offense or defense ect
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@kuballin10 I just think El Marko who has now been in the system for a couple of years in the system will be the one who runs the Pg and then DP also will have some run although I think we see DP more at the two but for sure capable of the PG. DP is just a all around ready capable steady player
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I’d be happy if Diggy came back for another season. He plays with good energy and is a good third down back type of PG. A pitcher with a good change up if you will.
I’m not a 100% sure if we will be a better basketball team next year but we will without question be not only more athletic but more talented. Looking about current team I only see one guy with true NBA potential and that’s Flory. Hunt prob will get drafted mid second round but I bet he spends a lot of time in the G league. Not sure anyone else get their name called obviously hoping Flory is here next season. Not sure if the international rules will allow it. I find myself wondering how good this team could be if we had Furphy instead of Rylen or AJ.
Next season obviously Flory I think has the chance to be a lottery pick with Peterson. Passmore also is a guy that reminds me of a Wayne Selden. By the time he’s a junior he’ll get some serious NBA looks. People forget we only signed 2 HS recruits this past off season. We have 3 committed so far pending on who hits the portal I’d like us to at least get one more HS kid and only one portal guy.
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Next year we learn the real value of Juan. We may be more athletic and talented… but go through major growing pains.
My guess is we will become very frustrated by seeing the capabilities of Peterson but not have the mechanics of a Juan to exploit it. Then POOF he’s gone!
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I’m very optimistic about next year. Peterson is a star. Self just needs to get the right guys around to compliment.
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@BeddieKU23 said in Elmarko Healthcheck:
I’m very optimistic about next year. Peterson is a star. Self just needs to get the right guys around to compliment.
Will be interesting to see how we attack the portal. Should be more concerned about fit than the sexiest name. Hope Bill has learned something after Storr.
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@BShark said in Elmarko Healthcheck:
@BeddieKU23 said in Elmarko Healthcheck:
I’m very optimistic about next year. Peterson is a star. Self just needs to get the right guys around to compliment.
Will be interesting to see how we attack the portal. Should be more concerned about fit than the sexiest name. Hope Bill has learned something after Storr.
I see we are linked to the 4 man from Brown already. I mean I see Self needing a lot from the portal but it is utmost importance to get guys that fit what he wants, not trying to make guys what they are not.
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@BeddieKU23 I like the fit there. Rebounding, acceptable shooter etc… I’ll need to see if I can find any full games to see how he handles/dribbles.
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Is Storr definitely out next year? Seems like there is a road to redemption if he didnt salt the earth
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Based on history he hasn’t stayed anywhere more then a year. Can’t imagine he’s happy how it’s gone. Who knows…
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@BeddieKU23 ya there is a reason he hasn’t stayed at all these places-- -wished we knew why lol
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@approxinfinity Yes
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After today id probably transfer if I was Flory. KJ was great in the first half with 11 points and 4 rebounds. Second half 2 points and 1 rebound in almost exactly the same minutes. I’m fine with self riding the hot hand but KJ had zero business playing a ton in the second half. He needs to be Mitch Lightfoot 15 minutes a game
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Flory was horrible today, but he will improve.
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@BShark You need to view kj in the same light or way you critiqued flory today…
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@BShark gotta play to improve, giving him minutes early in the season would pay huge dividends this point.
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He has played, and hasn’t been all that good lately. I like him and look forward to him starting next year but right now he’s not the answer.
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@BShark I’m not sure there is an answer on this roster unfortunately
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@kjayhawks said in Elmarko Healthcheck:
@BShark gotta play to improve, giving him minutes early in the season would pay huge dividends this point.
Flory has played enough that teams have film on him and a good scouting report and know his strengthsamd weaknesses. He’s just not at a stage in his development where more game minutes isn’t going to equal more development. There’s a reason why the freshman wall or plateau exists and applies to the majority of freshmen.
He’s still very raw offensively and not strong enough to back down older players yet. Those are things that just take time and can’t be sped up. I do expect to see a huge jump with him next season after he goes through and offseason program where he can focus on adding strength.
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I agree he will make a huge jump sophomore year if he stays, but I dont think this team has much chance of competing without Flory on the floor, so I would throw as many minutes at him as possible regardless of consistency. I disagree that game minutes wont help him. it would certainly help the team. I think they would help Flory. Its clear that we can lose to anyone with him playing 15 minutes. What have we got to lose?
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@approxinfinity I agree the best way to get better at something is to do it. @Texas-Hawk-10 i don’t think is necessarily wrong either I would just love to see him play a little more. I’ll still stick with my guns the last two seasons: “we ain’t going out of the first weekend with KJ playing 30 plus minutes a game”. In a sense KJ is who he is and isnt any better statistically the last 2 years. He likely won’t get any better. Why not see if Flory can improve?
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@kjayhawks I would also like to see him play more, I just don’t see Flory making a jump this season due to physical limitations and needing an offseason in the weight room to bulk up. I’ve said before that I’d like to see all 3 of our posts playing between 25-30 mpg since we now know that Flory can handle a lot of minutes at the 4 next to Hunter.
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@Texas-Hawk-10 Yeah with a player like flory that’s just straight false
Plenty of freshman like embid, Wiggs, Josh j improve as the year went on
Flory wasn’t perfect when he was playing 30 mpg but his impact was very evident and statistically he was lightyears better than kj
It isn’t that teams figured him out because he has no post moves to figure out he rebounds, blocks/alters shots and dunks
What changed is his minutes. Give him double the minutes these past two games and he’d produce like before
Our defense was so stellar today I mean he just had to stay on the bench (even though he was such a clear defensive impact when playing against a top 10 team like Houston that when he went out everyone knew it was over)
You sound like a delusional Self follower analyzing the game with a 1980’s view. Let’s win 54-50!!!
Bill would rather kj continue to miss contested bunnies versus a wide open Mayo, d2, Griffin ect 3
Clearly it’s working like a charm these past 2 years - proof is in the pudding!
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Some positivity - DP is coming!!!
DP will need to apprentice under Elmarko/diggy for awhile—at least until conference starts.
You need to remember, there’s a big jump from h.s to college and Bill runs a very complex system.
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We have a chance to lose Flory as well the way it’s being handled.
Hopefully that isn’t what happens. This is a mess of a season.
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Update:
Jackson expects to be full go by May, his doctors tell him. Good article on 247 about his recovery, what he’s focused on and how he’s managed this year. Sounds like beloved Hawk Tyrel Reed has been a big part of his recovery.
