After a nerve-breaking moon State of Washington Second grade big man Mouhamed Gueye is back at Pullman — and Palouse is delighted. It’s not a slam dunk, but Gueye’s return was somewhat expected.After entering the transfer portal, he wasn’t really linked to any other program, mainly NBA draft To process. But that should not diminish the importance of his return — he must still be a special talent and a major contributor to the project to become an elite defense. His potential aggressive improvements are also appetizing.
Here’s a flashback to one of Cougs’ plays this year, in case people somehow forget how explosive and fun Gueye is.
Improving the attack and accessing some of the positive promises Gueye has joined as a new employee will be key to WSU’s NCAA tournament aspirations. I believe Gueye can shoot with a solid clip if he overcomes the problem of his self-confidence that seems to have plagued him last year.
But Gueye is not alone. He’s just one of the few puzzle pieces that boosts the mainstream view of WSU.
During the WSU off-season, there were three main themes: improved feel, increased shooting, and increased size. All of this is in the name of versatility and options that could be the star duo of Gueye and TJ Bamba. Having a versatile player who can dribble, pass, defend, shoot, and play in multiple positions has been clearly emphasized by Kyle Smith and his staff this offseason. With the introduction of big guards Justin Powell and Jave Malins, and the addition of high-feel mobile bigs like Adrame Diong and Mael Hamon Crespin, WSU’s off-season will address last year’s weaknesses. Built in the center.
Raising the mood is what WSU really wanted to do this offseason. Attacks last season were often stagnant and there were few quick leads. Many misunderstandings and missed shots have led to a difficult shot diet, but organizing offenses and increasing the number of players who can lead quickly can greatly help smooth offenses. I hope this kind of possession is even more unusual this season.
The more you feel, the easier the bucket will be. Such passes from our post were rare last season, but we expect Diongue to make these readings on a regular basis. Passes and increased decision making are now ubiquitous in the roster, and many players regularly make favorable readings.
Increasing the size is what everyone at Coug Center wanted this offseason. As much as we love and appreciate Michael Flowers and Tyrell Roberts, we can make reading easier, play effectively at the top of the zone, and make life with the little guards of the Pac-12 difficult. I was anxious for a size guard. The size makes it easier to work on both ends of the Pac-12.
The impact of lack of size on an attack was sometimes subtle, but it was always present. Here, the guards have to take tough shots due to the mix of lack of size and lack of easy passes. Increasing the size of the guard spot will make downhill easier and increase the number of passes.
It seems difficult to widen the interval. After all, WSU led the Pac-12 in 3 last season and they shot a decent percentage. However, many of these three have a difficult, non-dribble look, and one of the reasons we were able to win many was because the team was willing to allow many players on the roster to take those shots.
Last year’s roster had only three consistent shooters, Roberts, Flowers, and Jakimovsky, but Bamba was the only other player to guarantee closure. Replace non-shooters like Noah Williams with the threat of elite spot-ups — Malins, maybe? — It will be a long way. Growth from Gueye is also expected, and Bamba could lead to a powerful three-point attack, further expanding such play with extra space for the Bigs to work.
I expect crime to remain egalitarian, but it’s a little more effective. The main problems with our attacks last year were the lack of general sensation and the passage of rosters. WSU will have at least five people, as it will have one, and in some cases two, good position passers-by throughout the roster. Improved overall feel and playmaking will allow Smith to carry out more versatile attacks.
Last year, such a play was basically only effective between Michael Flowers and Andrey Kimovsky, but this season, with any combination of Maile Slice, Powell, Malins, and Jakimovsky, Trust that Diong can receive the pass and make a good decision.
The higher the feel level, the easier it is to do the little things. WSU had the big problem of putting the ball in the post last season if the team aggressively tried to steal the pass. WSU can now run a lineup with four seasoned playmakers to simplify these entry passes.
Spacing is a term often used without much explanation, but as the number of WSU shooters increases, more space is available in the lane for guards to go downhill and play. Last year, guys like Noah Williams and DJ Rodman remained completely open and unprotected as a threat.
I think Coog’s attack will make the chin play more frequent. Dionge is a great position passer and Gueye is a good player with the ball in his hand. Chin can set up these simple dribble handoff looks, but much more is opened up by having someone in Diong who can trust to find a backcutter with improved spacing.
Gueye, or perhaps Dionge, could have the right level of shooting for next season’s swing. This is a gorgeous action, spoiled by both the two large gaps and the lack of ability to turn the corners of Flowers. WSU has more athletic guards than flowers, especially for rice, but if Gueye can make the right space here, the action works beautifully. If so, such play opens up more and WSU can generate more consistent and easier buckets.
Assuming Crespin plays for a few minutes, WSU will most likely have two big on the court. That is, the horn can be a consistent feature of the attack. Last season looked solid most of the time, but it’s even more appealing when you imagine Rice going downhill with this play.
The improved feel and size will also make Spanish pick and roll one side of the attack. Last season the spacing was bad and the team was able to put a 2 on the ball to blow up the action and hit or missed. However, if you now replace the 5’11 Tyrell Roberts with a 6’6 Powell, the roll could contain nasty dunks from Gueye and Diongue.
These northern screenplays can look great in many different arrangements. The taller the player and the more shooters on the floor, the easier the pass. This play produces a lot of solid looks, which can be even more consistent with improved talent.
Overall, WSU expects to maintain its defenses and dramatically improve its attacks. If the final calculation of the off-season is the loss of Flowers, Roberts, Williams, Abogidi and the addition of Powell, Malins, Diong, Hammon Crespin, Rice, this is basically new after last season’s red shirt. It was added to. More sizes, more shots, and a better all-round feel. As these guys learn to play together and plunge into roles that many haven’t played yet, there may be some growing pain, but there are many benefits here.
As for what can happen at that last spot, it’s very aerial. WSU may add another transfer, but unless you’re an experienced PG, it’s difficult to add someone who is expected to play high-level minutes.They may seem to bring TreBlassingame — I Breakdown of previous recruitment — Or, keep Solomon Ominu in this class and take him slowly. In any case, the WSU will soon enhance summer practice, so the potential rotation player feels virtually set.
There’s a lot to cover and anticipate in the coming months leading up to the season. From possible rotation options to offensive and defensive previews, what to expect from a particular player, and NBA topics that are sure to surround this roster. There’s a lot to do before declaring this team a tournament rock, but I believe in Kyle Smith and what he’s building. There’s excitement here in Pullman, but the fun is just beginning.
