Wayne Selden Appreciation Thread.
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I thought it was time to show some love to a guy who’s game has trended up the last 4 games. Yes, the same player who had some costly turnovers last Saturday but its impossible to forget the improved shooting this guy is showing lately. 16 of 25 from 3 the last 4 games, his overall shooting % was hovering at 34% for a while and is now up to 37%.
I’ve been hard on the kid all year, I know I’m not alone in the criticism. Even a few weeks ago I’ve seen the posts asking why is he starting? We’ve expected more from Wayne, a lot of it has to do with the lofty expectations he came in with but also because he shows moments and stretches of brilliance. I just feel its time to give him some love because his outside shooting is looking more and more Greenesqe.
I’m perfectly okay with who he is and as long as he’s doing enough positives to stay in the lineup. He’s got plenty to improve on, that’s why a Junior season in a KU uniform would be the best thing for him. Another offseason to work on his handles, driving game, and leadership are things Self and company can help him become the player we all expect. Here’s to hoping his shot keeps falling the way its been lately and we can count on Wayne for baskets.
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@BeddieKU23 I have posted some mighty tuff love re Wayne recently. I do recognize and appreciate that his game appears to be on an uptick. If Frank Mason should lose a wheel, this squad will lean heavily on Wayne to take charge in the way of leadership and driving FORCE. I still shudder when he drives to shoot, but his occasional drive to pass seems to be on the road upward. Obviously, the potential exists for him yet to rise to the level of his early promise, in matriculation to Lawrence. I fully expect him to be around for a third and very spectacular season.
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@REHawk we all shudder when he drives to pass out of bounds! I think Coach would like him to drive and finish at the rim too, or pull up. Glad he’s got his 3 ball back!
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“but his occasional drive to pass seems to be on the road upward.”
In many ways, Wayne’s drives remind me of Wig’s drives. They look out of control because they are forced. Both of these guys are expected to drive. Neither really found success at it as a Jayhawk.
It is sort of the opposite effect of how Self used to expect our guys to only take the 3-shot at the very end of the shot clock after 34 seconds of trying to feed the post.
The way to get these guys to really cut loose on offense is to set them free! That doesn’t mean Self lets them do whatever they want. It just means setting an offense that has many many great possibilities to score, and then support the guys in playing to their strengths. No early hooks to the bench. Let them play through some stuff and support them.
Our strengths are:
Perimeter shooting
Midrange for some players
Drive and feed (and sometimes drive and score)
Post scoring in motion (Perry and Jamari)
Slam dunking (Cliff and some others)
We should easily be able to formulate enough offense around these strengths.
Enough of the traditional philosophies and teaching. It’s time these guys play to their strengths. It’s time these guys teach Self who they are. It’s time these guys establish an identity not so much as a “Bill Self team” but as a team of who they are.
These guys have some great chemistry potential. It is clear that they are personally very close and like family to each other.
We witnessed just a bit of what they can do midway through the second half last night. It wasn’t just the fact that they were nailing the long ball. They were able to break the will of TT’s defense. We were nailing the long ball because our guys were wide friggin’ open! Nothing looked forced. They had moments of pure flow!
We play in the right mode and maybe even Wayne can drive the ball sometimes and be effective!
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I’m finally to the point where I am happy again when teams decide to go zone against us. I remember we use to praise Bill Self’s teams for cutting up a zone. For the last few years that has been the opposite. Finally we have a team that understands what it means to MOVE the ball. They showed great quick passing. Even when Tech took away our favorite place to break the zone (the big at the free throw line) we were able to move it fast enough to get open looks. I think that has been a big contributing factor to our improved shooting. Guys taking open shots. Not so many pull ups with the shot clock running down. That and Greene.
The announcer made some comment last night about being head over heels (or something like that) for Greene and I have to agree. How do you not fall in love with that jumper!? He so rarely even touches the rim!
Wayne did grab a few rebounds last night and had a couple of nice passes that didn’t translate into assists because of fouls or lack of finishing. Yes his shooting is better but the whole game is coming around for him.
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Pic credit: http://instagram.com/jayhawks_inkd
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Wayne is coming off a knee injury and a remodeled shot on team without a center. It is tough sledding. Take away his hot Trey balling and no one would notice any improvement, but he is fighting through and should have a good season next year.
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I am most impressed with the timing of his 3s, he seems to make them at the most critical/opportune times.
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Wayne Selden is da Man. He is a Mickey-D version of Brady Morningstar, a glue-man doing what this team needs in a very unselfish manner. And by having such a workman like demeanor and attitude, didn’t he set the tone for all the other Mickey-D potential OAD-type egos we could have had? Cliff, Ellis, Oubre have all been more patient, it can be postulated, because BigWayne has been a model of work ethic, perseverance thru playing hurt, and not above doing the dirty-D work that he knew Selfball requires. He said as much when he first set foot on campus in the summer before his frosh season, and Wayne Selden has stayed true to his word.
I hope his game continues to improve to the point he goes legit lotto. That would be nice. Wayne Selden = solid Jayhawk!
