WAYNE IS OUR #3 - OH HAPPY DAY !
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Coach dropped a bomb, a beautiful bomb on us last night:
On Wayne Selden, Jr., playing with more confidence: "Wayne was our second handler the year before where now we are playing him as our third handler, so he doesn’t have to be on the ball or do some things he had to do before. If he was in with (Andrew) Wiggins or (Kelly) Oubre (Jr.) he doesn’t go to the offensive glass nine out of 10 times, he’s got to get back for balance. When he is in with Frank or Nic it adds something to his game because he can become the offensive rebounder. Things like that will help him moving forward."
Devonte, Frank, Wayne, Perry, Diallo. This is huge news…and great news…
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Would have loved to see the game, and am happy too, that Wayne is finally living up to his expectations! We will fair well in the WUG, and explode in the upcoming season. What a great “team” we will have!
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Interesting quote from Self. You just wonder how much he will really get to play the 3 with all the players back we are missing. It’s a great wrinkle right now as we are playing so shorthanded.
I’m sure he will get his chance as Mason & Graham are certain to play together this year. But you also have Perry who’s got to show some SF skills this year. Not speculating anything but if the best lineup Self finds is switching Selden & Perry at the 3 sometimes then Svi & Greene’s minutes will be limited some…??
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Selden at the three makes perfect sense. I would start Selden at the 3, and then Mason and Svi at the 1 & 2. Bring Graham in to spell Mason and Svi, and Greene in for Selden. We could also run Mason, Graham and Svi together.
Selden is a poor ball handler. I think Self has really wanted to get Selden away from those responsibilities. How long ago does the “Selden can play point guard” stuff seem now? It is nice to fantasize about a big point guard, but you have to be able to handle the ball. Self drops instructive hints from time to time – and his “big wing” comment as it related to Selden was a important one last season. Everyone I’m sure, including Selden, felt a path to the NBA was a ball handling role. That ain’t Wayne.
And I respectfully differ with @BeddieKU23 on this one. I wouldn’t let Ellis near the 3 spot. Like trying to fit Wayne into a ball handling role because of what folks might project him to be, trying to fit Ellis into the 3 spot would likely hold similar issues at the college level. I don’t see it as a fit. But we’ll see how that plays out.
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No mention of Jam Tray at the 3 what gives?!?!
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Selden did play the pt for awhile last pm.
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@HighEliteMajor I don’t see Svi starting ahead of Devonte. I could be wrong on it, but I think Devonte will be a starter from day 1, with Frank, Wayne, Perry and Diallo. It’s my opinion that Svi has more growing to do before he becomes a starter. I know you’re looking at the size mismatch at the 2, which would be a big advantage. Hopefully, Svi is ready for the big step forward, but my money is still on DG.
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Selden could play a lot of 3 if Svi’s handles are there which was supposed to be a strength coming into KU. Self could rotate Svi and Graham as the second ball handler and could use all 3 at the same time the way he occasionally had Robinson, Chalmers, and Collins on the floor at the same time.
Svi’s development is critical because if it’s as much as we hope, it will allow Self to almost always have to ball handlers on the floor and let Selden play his more natural role.
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I would hate to be HCBS right now. With the plethora of talent he has finally coming to fruition. A lot of hard decision will need to be made.
Just want to add one thing. If Svi steps up his game like most of us think is coming. There is no way you don’t start him.
Sadly I think the injuries of Devonte and Greene may have cost them shots at starting. On the Brightside being a selfish fan it’s pretty nice to know that a Devonte and Greene type player will be coming of the bench. Hell and there is still the Vic the big unknown.
Golly Gees Rock Chalk.
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@HighEliteMajor “Selden is a poor ball handler” but he might be a pretty good rebounder if allowed. That was the message from Coach Self that @KUSTEVE quoted.
Historically, the best Self teams at KU have gotten good rebounding from the 3 spot (see Rush). Selden at the 3 with good long range shooting and good rebounding would be very good to see. Also he can pass.
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I actually don’t want Ellis to mess around with playing the 3. I would rather play both PG’s together or switch Svi & Selden as you have suggested. I understand he’s not the ideal 4 in the NBA so showing some perimeter skills and perimeter defense would really help sell him to NBA teams but I think they all know who he is at this point. I think the only way his stock really changes is for him to be totally dominant all year. I’d rather Self not tinker with him too much and just let him play. He’s a smart player who knows what’s expected of him at this point.
If this move of Selden to the 3 really works out then I will be ecstatic. These type of games Wayne “Can Have” have always been proven to be inconsistent. If he’s able to give these games more often being in a more natural 3 position then KU has a chance to be the best team in the nation.
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@KUSTEVE Completely agree, that’s the starting lineup I was predicting too. But that was before the DG injury. It will all depend on how his healing progresses but prior to the injury I was pretty confident he would be starting alongside Mason.
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@RockkChalkk Graham will be fine by August. Greene will be fine by August. KU is gonna be in the mix for a deep run in March given the extra experience with the shorter shot clock and extra practices and games. Playing Selden at the 3 seems like a great fit for him. Maybe that takes the pressure off of Svi to have a break out season and he does it anyways? My guess is that one of our upperclassmen get the start at the 5 until Diallo can get adjusted to Self’s system but he may see starters minutes anyways. Can’t keep a guy like that off the floor for very long. Dudes a stud. Bragg is coming along nicely too. Mikelson, so far, is giving us good minutes too. He keeps that up and Self has to play him.
Deep, experienced, talented, more advanced prep of the rule changes than most everyone else will be. Gonna be a killer season.
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@Lulufulu Greene won’t be fine by August, but he should be ready when practice opens. His time line right now is tentatively to ready around Labor Day, but I would guess they may take it easy with Greene until he’s for sure 100%.
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I say… wherever Wayne can be productive, he should play that position!
I’ve always thought we needed to lock him into the 2, but if he feels like he can go at the 3… heck yes!
Go, Wayne!
Hard to say how good we can be this year if Wayne has a great year… we’ll be hard to stop!
