Malik Mack Commits

[JohnnyJones]

Apr 17, 2024 10:34:08 GMT -5 thedragon said:

Apr 17, 2024 10:29:23 GMT -5 professorhoya said:

I was fearing a hoyaboyaish thread title.
Malik Mack commits . . .
to Providence

Lumping me in with Boya is a low blow

We probably wont hear much from him today. He doesn't come around on "good news" days.

[pahoya21]

Apr 17, 2024 12:28:24 GMT -5 jwp91 said:

Apr 17, 2024 10:33:17 GMT -5 michaelgrahmstylie said:

Some Allen Iverson, there! Love what I see! Welcome, Mack!

Same size, same frame, and little bit of the same wiggle. He is not AI but there is enough to acknowledge.

He kicks his feet out on the jump shot like AI used to.  (Not that I'm saying he's as good as AI)

[kettlehill]

kudos to Cooley and staff, the kid looks like the real deal. Reminds a lot of Mark Sears.
Hope he sticks around for awhile.....

[MCIGuy]

Apr 17, 2024 12:28:24 GMT -5 jwp91 said:

Apr 17, 2024 10:33:17 GMT -5 michaelgrahmstylie said:

Some Allen Iverson, there! Love what I see! Welcome, Mack!

Same size, same frame, and little bit of the same wiggle. He is not AI but there is enough to acknowledge.

Felt the same way when I saw the build. Took me back to the fall of 1994. Obviously he doesn’t have Allen’s supernatural athleticism or even speed. But he has more than enough quickness and better court vision.

[Lethal_Interjection]

[jwp91]

Apr 17, 2024 14:16:39 GMT -5 MCIGuy said:

Apr 17, 2024 12:28:24 GMT -5 jwp91 said:

Same size, same frame, and little bit of the same wiggle. He is not AI but there is enough to acknowledge.

Felt the same way when I saw the build. Took me back to the fall of 1994. Obviously he doesn’t have Allen’s supernatural athleticism or even speed. But he has more than enough quickness and better court vision.

Those were the days. Brings up so many memories. I remember where I was the first time I watched him suit up as a Hoya.

[frankie5angels]

The tape looks good. If he sticks around, he could really blossom. Could be major.

[FHillsNYHoya]

Welcome Malik!!!

[bluegray79]

Yes, welcome, Malik! Glad you're here.

The highlights videos show Mack getting downhill and scoring and shooting 3's. Good to see, but we have had a few of those these past years. MM also led his team in assists. I know he's not advertised as a pass-first PG, but if he's pairing up with Epps, will each of them be able to resist going it alone and trying to score, esp. when defenses will be collapsing on them as they drive and we will have guys to kick it out to? I'd love to see video of MM dishing the ball and hitting guys behind the arc for open look 3's. That would seem to be how he and Epps would operate, right?

[blueandgray]

I think both are willing passers and have a huge desire to win. We are going to have one heck of a backcourt!!!

[thedragon]

Apr 18, 2024 10:49:07 GMT -5 blueandgray said:

I think both are willing passers and have a huge desire to win. We are going to have one heck of a backcourt!!!

Amen. Both were on teams where they were scoring options A, B, and C and saw blitzed Pick and rolls and the opposing teams best perimeter defender on a nightly basis.

I do have concerns defensively but I have no concerns about them meshing offensively. They both will make each other's lives way easier on that end.

[SFHoya99]

Apr 18, 2024 10:46:50 GMT -5 bluegray79 said:

Yes, welcome, Malik! Glad you're here.

The highlights videos show Mack getting downhill and scoring and shooting 3's. Good to see, but we have had a few of those these past years. MM also led his team in assists. I know he's not advertised as a pass-first PG, but if he's pairing up with Epps, will each of them be able to resist going it alone and trying to score, esp. when defenses will be collapsing on them as they drive and we will have guys to kick it out to? I'd love to see video of MM dishing the ball and hitting guys behind the arc for open look 3's. That would seem to be how he and Epps would operate, right?

While Epps and Mack are similar, this isn't the huge negative people seem to portray. For one, we're more protected against injury. For another, we don't have to go into an offensive cocoon when one is off the floor. And lastly, teams with one strong perimeter defender can't lock down both of them. Offense is about creating mismatches; it's much easier when the defense needs to guard more than one guy.

Yes, the backcourt will be small. Yes, it's two high usage players. But the team isn't stacked with other on-ball players, and I'm not worried about Cooley getting his bigs paint touches.

If the team gets a shot blocking center, the team has a real sort of Cooley feel ... but also something like the AI Sixers -- quasi-efficient small guardplay, athletic defenders, some talent here or there. If Sorber is really ready or Fielder makes his leap, I think that changes things.

[SFHoya99]

Apr 18, 2024 11:25:44 GMT -5 thedragon said:

Apr 18, 2024 10:49:07 GMT -5 blueandgray said:

I think both are willing passers and have a huge desire to win. We are going to have one heck of a backcourt!!!

Amen. Both were on teams where they were scoring options A, B, and C and saw blitzed Pick and rolls and the opposing teams best perimeter defender on a nightly basis.

I do have concerns defensively but I have no concerns about them meshing offensively. They both will make each other's lives way easier on that end.

I think we will be better even if Epps and Mack simply "trade off" possessions, but if they can actually learn how to complement each other, they could be very good. Neither is very far from being a positive in efficiency, really. For Epps, it's 3 point shooting, mainly, and maybe some better shots at the rim. For Mack, it's adjusting to the Big East -- and I think the big thing will be finishing at the rim.

So if instead of trading off, they are finding each other off the dribble for open threes, or a second dribble drive, that could be a big part of that improvement.

[blueeagle]

Shabazz Napier and Ryan Boatright say hi from a decade ago.

[dariantownesvanzandt]

Personally not too concerned with the backcourt height. Purdue, Houston, UNC, Gonzaga, Texas, and Texas Tech (and probably more) were all Top 25 teams this year with smaller backcourts than we plan to roll out next season.

Get talent across the lineup. Have position battles. Win games to attract new talent. Do it again.

Also - improved offense will improve the defense. I'm glad we're adding better defenders, but there's a lot of things that'll improve us on that end. To note: we haven't finished in the top 200 in Off Stl % (ie. how often we lose live ball turnovers) since 2015. 5 of those years we were outside the top 300. That's absurd - so many layups & easy buckets just given away.

[SFHoya99]

Apr 18, 2024 12:09:38 GMT -5 dariantownesvanzandt said:

Personally not too concerned with the backcourt height.

It's a luxury concern at the college level. In the NBA, it matters far more since the shooting is so much better off the dribble.

[FrazierFanatic]

I seem to recall complaints last season that Cooley never/rarely sat Epps for bad shots, forced passes, driving one-on-three, etc.

Now he can.

[Ranch Dressing]

I'm sympathetic to Epps' style of play last year. Who else was gonna put the damn ball in the basket?

Epps will be better next year with better talent around him.

Starting to get that tingly belief again. 2 more high-caliber signings (at least one talented big man) and we should be mid-pack next year in the Big East and far more competitive.

Let's get it going.

Oh, and also, wake me up in 1-2 months when our roster is closer to finalized. This new system is for the birds.

[blueandgray]

Mack and Epps will be better than McClung and Akinjo. If we need a defensive stopper ….mulberry will be our Jeremiah Rivers. The kid is a beast!

[FrazierFanatic]

Apr 18, 2024 13:58:18 GMT -5 blueandgray said:

Mack and Epps will be better than McClung and Akinjo. If we need a defensive stopper ….mulberry will be our Jeremiah Rivers. The kid is a beast!

So you are saying that MulREADY (sorry, couldn't resist) can defend but can't shoot worth a lick??!!