Using Elijah Millsap to keep players at UL

[CajunFreak]

_ You forgot a coach that actually could coach. _

#4

[Turbine]

You forgot a coach that actually could coach.

Don't forget, he can play the APR like a fiddle.
igeaux.mobi

[zephyr]

_ One of Millsaps' biggest issues was that he too often tried to force a play offensively. The guy was called for at least one charge every game.

It also didn't help that he took too many outside shots and sometimes refused to play within his role. He was better served as a No. 2 or 3 scorer who could get his points as a slasher and at the free throw line. His 40 percent shooting percentage backs that up. He seemed like a good kid, but he bickered with his teammates a lot and appeared to sometimes be a problem off the floor.

The guy was a talent but also a huge frustration to watch. He would have been a beast if he had stuck to rebounding, defending and being more of a slasher on offense instead of trying to be a shooter and the team's top offensive option.

igeaux.mobi _

I've tried to say it but never could this well... I didn't like Millsap and I'm pretty happy he's gone. He was no leader on or off the court and he also lead the team in TO's. As you put it, he was a very frustrating player to watch. He'd make a great play on the defensive end only to rush down the court and get a charge called. When you're not helping your team build chemistry and often at odds with other players and coaches, you're a distraction and I'm glad he's gone.


The Demarcus Cousins statement in there confused me as well. He was a commit that was going with coach Cal to Memphis but has now gone to Kentucky. Why were they speaking of him at UAB?

[Parrott]

He originally committed to UAB but decommitted when the school wouldn't give him an out clause if Mike Davis left.

That's when he switched to Memphis. Now he's following coach Cal to Kentucky.


igeaux.mobi

[Parrott]

Both sides were at fault with Elijah and that situation. But I know enough about what happened behind the scenes. Some of his teammates didn't like him and thought he was selfish. He specifically did what the coaches told him not to do offensively.

He would have been an all-conference player at this level if he focused on playing great defense, rebounding and slashing to the basket. Instead he ocassionally buckled down on d, did a solid job rebounding but played out of control offensively too often when he wasn't jacking up off-balanced and ill-timed shots.

Blame the coaches all you want, which we know you will, but the player had a big part in the problem.
igeaux.mobi

[MiamiCajun32]

_ Both sides were at fault with Elijah and that situation. But I know enough about what happened behind the scenes. Some of his teammates didn't like him and thought he was selfish. He specifically did what the coaches told him not to do offensively.

He would have been an all-conference player at this level if he focused on playing great defense, rebounding and slashing to the basket. Instead he ocassionally buckled down on d, did a solid job rebounding but played out of control offensively too often when he wasn't jacking up off-balanced and ill-timed shots.

Blame the coaches all you want, which we know you will, but the player had a big part in the problem.
igeaux.mobi _

If it is true that the guy is going to Kentucky to play, then compared to UL under Lee especially, I give him the win in the situation. Even if he were at UAB, a huge huge upgrade over Lee run Cajuns. Sad how far the program has fallen.

[wcd35]

_ If it is true that the guy is going to Kentucky to play, then compared to UL under Lee especially, I give him the win in the situation. Even if he were at UAB, a huge huge upgrade over Lee run Cajuns. Sad how far the program has fallen. _

Who's going to Kentucky. We talking about Millsap, right? He's not going to Kentucky.

[Cajunsmike]

_ If it is true that the guy is going to Kentucky to play, then compared to UL under Lee especially, I give him the win in the situation. Even if he were at UAB, a huge huge upgrade over Lee run Cajuns. Sad how far the program has fallen. _

Person going to Kentucky is not Milsap. I believe that is in reference to someone who originally committed to UAB. Milsap will be at UAB. He already transferred there and would only play one year if he tranferred again.

[Parrott]

I played and studied the game long enough to know what I'm talking about. Playing DI ball doesn't automatically make someone more qualified to do so.

What I gather from your post is that Millsap was selfish and had a bad attitude, but it's the coach's fault that he didnt listen and left the program? The player holds some responsibility. He was upset Gradnigo and Bureau took minutes from him. I don't believe he did what the coaches told him to do.

I'm not going to tell you you're wrong because it's your opinion. But it works both ways.

igeaux.mobi

[MiamiCajun32]

_ I played and studied the game long enough to know what I'm talking about. Playing DI ball doesn't automatically make someone more qualified to do so.

What I gather from your post is that Millsap was selfish and had a bad attitude, but it's the coach's fault that he didnt listen and left the program? The player holds some responsibility. He was upset Gradnigo and Bureau took minutes from him. I don't believe he did what the coaches told him to do.

I'm not going to tell you you're wrong because it's your opinion. But it works both ways.

igeaux.mobi _

Based on Lee's record, I would say that he is per se to blame on just about everything that has gone wrong. If Millsap is such a bad kid, why has he caught on elsewhere? Good coaches (even just mediocre ones, as Lee is far below just mediocre) figure out how to mold young freshmen into men and unify a team. Not every player that comes into a program as a 17 or 18 year old is going to have a high level of maturity and be a leader and team player just because you sign them and let them loose in the gym for practice and street ball during games (Lee's teams have no structure on offense).

how can you defend and give the benefit of the doubt to the worst coach in the history of the program? Open up some history books and maybe you will realize that Cajuns basketball was among the most winning in the country over a period of decades, up until Lee took control and the all was lost over night.

If a head coach can only generate 10 wins while running off talented players (because he can't lead young men very well) then can't always lay blame on the 18 year old. So what if Millsap had bad attitude (if that was the case) and had issues with some teammates and vice versa? That is the coach's job to work through. Crazy that a few players that did not like Millsap could help influence the head coach to run him off. The cajun program is really out of control, run by one of the worst, if not the worst, head basketball coaches in the country.