Anyone Else Wondering About Legion?

I was curious about how Alex Legion is doing. He now has 2 games behind him as an Illini for a total of 24 minutes, 6 points, 4 turnovers, a steal, 2 defensive rebounds, and 3 personal fouls ... if my quick math is correct.
Prior to his debut, Weber said, "Scoring-wise, offensively, he's probably our best player. As far as some of the other parts of the game, he's probably not in the top of those, whether it's defense or passing. But he can definitely make a difference. Now we've got to slowly get him involved, and he's got to prove it."

10 months ago StillCatwoman 20 comments 0 recs |

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not me

Steelers fan 1st! UK is my 2nd love.

by vinceuk1 on Dec 28, 2008 12:52 AM EST reply actions 0 recs

I Think Legion Will Adapt Just Fine For The Illini

He has lots of talent. Weber has a good team. It’ll take a while to blend the two together.

by FortyYearCatFan on Dec 28, 2008 8:54 AM EST reply actions 0 recs

I actually ...

… don’t think much about him. Legion is a skilled offensive player, but he has no intention of playing one whit more defense than he must to be able to stay in the game. He isn’t alone in that philosophy, but it wouldn’t work on a Gillispie-coached team.

I wish him well at Illinois. Hopefully, he’ll figure out how to make the best of his talent.

A Sea of Blue -- Kentucky Sports for the Discerning Fan

by Truzenzuzex on Dec 28, 2008 12:06 PM EST reply actions 0 recs

i was curious ...

to see if another team, another environment, would bring out qualities in him that never showed in the brief time he logged at Kentucky. But I tend to agree with Tru, it doesn’t appear that he will be playing to his full potential no matter where he goes. Still I wish him well. I think he was a young man caught between a rock and a hard place, also known as his coach and his mother.

by StillCatwoman on Dec 28, 2008 4:16 PM EST reply actions 0 recs

Legion and his Mom...

Sometimes a Mom just cannot let go of her son, especially, and let him grow and mature in a difficult situation. IMO Legion did not want to accept Gillispie’s coaching methods. Heck yes he is a tough and hard-nosed coach, but that’s what we wanted. I wish him well at Illinois.

I cannot remember where I read this story last season about Ramel and Joe They were sitting outside the Craft Center and deciding whether or not to go in to practice. Ramel said something and they went in. Ramel, I think, was the more free-spirited of the two and wasn’t afraid of anything coming from NYC. Joe may have transferred without his best friend pushing and providing encouragement.

And look what they did in conference play! I am so proud of them for hanging tough.

by kykat51 on Dec 28, 2008 4:52 PM EST reply actions 0 recs

Me, too!

CBC’s tough love approach does seem to work, and I so agree that Ramel and Joe are proof. We saw those two change from boys into men last year with a good coach behind them. And before someone squawks and accuses me of implying that Tubby wasn’t a good coach, let me say that is not my point at all here. I am only commenting on how very much Billy Clyde seems to be able to bring out in young men who are up for the challenge.

by StillCatwoman on Dec 28, 2008 8:00 PM EST reply actions 0 recs

Crawford And Bradley

They had good Junior years, too. Better as Seniors though.

Like Jeff Sheppard and Allen Edwards in 1998. Both had their best years as Wildcats as Seniors.

Or Scott Padgett, Wayne Turner, Nazr Mohammed. All much better as Juniors and Seniors than before.

by FortyYearCatFan on Dec 28, 2008 8:44 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

I knew you would have a comment Forty

And that is ok…but my point was that Crawford accepted Billy G’s coaching with the help of Ramel pushing him. It was an entirely different style than they had been used to under Tubby. That is all I am going to say as i saw the transformation right before my eyes and I heard Joe Crawford’s words re Coach G at the end of the season many times.

by kykat51 on Dec 28, 2008 9:09 PM EST reply actions 0 recs

Just Like Sheppard, Edwards, Padgett, Nazr, Turner (Et Al)

The new coach played a different style than the old coach.

I think Crawford and Bradley accomplished more (in part) because Morris was gone. He likely would have returned if not for the coaching change. His departure freed up more opportunities for UK guards to score.

by FortyYearCatFan on Dec 28, 2008 9:42 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

I would have loved to see Randolph Morris on last year's team...

Just so he could keep Jared Carter company at the end of the bench!

Of course its difficult, its a shortcut... if it was easy it'd just be "the way."

by chirop1 on Dec 29, 2008 9:56 AM EST up reply actions 0 recs

Morris As A Senior

Would have been good for 17-18 PPG. He improved greatly as junior. One more year in college might have earned him some A-A mention.

by FortyYearCatFan on Dec 29, 2008 11:54 AM EST up reply actions 0 recs

Work ethic

My point was more regarding a perceived lack of work ethic on Morris’ part. The Randolph Morris I saw for three years would never have earned playing time in the Gillispie system.

Now, if Morris had come back and kept an open mind to being coached… I think he could have really improved his game and he wouldn’t be riding the pine in Atlanta right now.

Of course its difficult, its a shortcut... if it was easy it'd just be "the way."

by chirop1 on Dec 29, 2008 1:35 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

He Averaged 16 PPG As Junior At UK

It’s nonsense to think he did that without hard work.

http://www.bigbluehistory.net/bb/statistics/Players/Morris_Randolph.html

by FortyYearCatFan on Dec 29, 2008 1:43 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

Clipped From His Wiki Page

“…As a sophomore, he averaged 13.3 points and 6 rebounds per game. In his junior season Morris made further progress, averaging 16.1 points, 7.8 rebounds and 2.1 blocks per game, earning first team All-SEC honors…”

by FortyYearCatFan on Dec 29, 2008 1:59 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

Sadly...

I always did feel like he did that without hard work. I felt even more convinced when I saw Patterson come in last year and work his tail off every trip down the court. Morris was one of the greatest wastes of talent I’ve ever seen. IMO

The man was on the same AAU team as Josh Howard and there was a very real debate as to which one was the better player!

Of course its difficult, its a shortcut... if it was easy it'd just be "the way."

by chirop1 on Dec 29, 2008 2:02 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

Bobby Perry Outplayed Both Head-2-Head In 2002-03 Season

(December 2002, Chick-Fil-A holiday tournament) Was he a better player?

Mooris got better as a sophomore and much better as a junior. He would likely have improved even more as a senior, perhaps 20 ppg (or close).

His mannerisms are not the same as his work ethic. You cannot have a season like he did in 2007 without working hard.

by FortyYearCatFan on Dec 29, 2008 3:40 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

I think Forty is more right than wrong.

Morris did work hard. He had a very laid-back demeanor which was deceiving.

Comparing Patterson to Morris is hard. Patterson is far more athletic and quicker. He also has really great footwork, and Morris’ footwork was always his weakness (probably still is). That’s why he picked up so many cheap fouls — he just was ponderous of foot and just couldn’t move them fast enough. He tried, but he would inevitably revert to reaching.

Morris also did not have anything like the stamina of Patterson. I don’t know if that was a conditioning thing, or just a genetic thing. He was a bigger man, and moving around that greater mass consumes a lot of energy.

Morris had a great touch, though, much like Patterson does. I think he would have been very tough in a senior year.

A Sea of Blue -- Kentucky Sports for the Discerning Fan

by Truzenzuzex on Dec 29, 2008 10:42 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

Morris AND Patterson

Would have been a powerful combination at 4 and 5 spots last season.

by FortyYearCatFan on Dec 30, 2008 10:37 AM EST up reply actions 0 recs

In short, NO

No offense to him, but he’s just any other basketball player in America, now. No point second guessing if it would have been better for us if he stayed around or not. I’m of the opinion of “good riddance” based on what I read, but he may be a good kid. Either way, don’t care. 8’)

by EEWildcat on Dec 28, 2008 9:26 PM EST reply actions 0 recs