Basketball 2021/2022 - Potential Improvements

[MustangPokeFan]

It appears that we'll have a completely new assistant coaching staff next year. I'm really surprised to see Scott Sutton get demoted.

https://okstate.com/news/2021/6/7/m...dates-including-additions-of-cason-blunt.aspx
Boynton Announces Staff Updates, Including Additions Of Cason, Blunt
Oklahoma State basketball coach Mike Boynton has announced updates to the Cowboy coaching staff, including the additions of David Cason and Larry Blunt as assistant coaches.

Scott Sutton will transition from assistant coach to the newly created position of Director of Basketball Administration, while Barry Hinson's staff analyst position will be restored.

Sounds like a promotion to me. I'll bet any amount of money he gets a raise with it. If you're Director of Basketball Administration it means you are over everyone with the exception of Boynton. Being in charge of Administration means "staffing". He may be in charge of the supervision and evaluation of all of Coach Boynton's support staff to take those time consuming but essential administrative duties off of Coach's plate so he can solely focus on coaching the players. It would make sense plus Scott has years of experience doing those duties. I would bet any amount of money this is a promotion and he got a raise.

 

[CocoCincinnati]

Only Scott can answer that... money may or may not be a little more but that's not everything. Maybe this is less travel and less stress...and maybe he's ready for that. On the other hand, if he still has dreams of being a head coach again someday, it would seem harder to do from an administration position than from an assistant position.

 

[Sutton4ever]

How can you guys be sure it's a demotion?

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It is when it comes to coaching. He, by rule, can't coach on the floor anymore. Maybe he wanted this. And it would be unusual to pay the administrative role more than the your coach/recruiter positions since that is kind of the most important part of winning.

Scott may be ready to take a step back and just serve more in an advisory role? We will find out in a year or two if Scott chooses to move on like Cooper did after a similar move.

 

[LS1 Z28]

How can you guys be sure it's a demotion?

Sounds like a promotion to me. I'll bet any amount of money he gets a raise with it. If you're Director of Basketball Administration it means you are over everyone with the exception of Boynton. Being in charge of Administration means "staffing". He may be in charge of the supervision and evaluation of all of Coach Boynton's support staff to take those time consuming but essential administrative duties off of Coach's plate so he can solely focus on coaching the players. It would make sense plus Scott has years of experience doing those duties. I would bet any amount of money this is a promotion and he got a raise.

The term "demotion" means to be given a lesser role. I've been around college athletics for a long time, and administrative/analyst positions are universally considered to be lesser roles than full time coaches, because they aren't allowed to recruit or coach during games.

It is possible that Scott asked for a lesser role. He could be at the point in life where he wants to take a step back and spend more time with family. Only time will tell. He probably won't stay if the change wasn't amicable.

 

[osucowboy80]

Or maybe Scott wants to pursue a role in administration as his next career step rather than coaching. Less time on the road, get away from the recruiting circus, etc.

If he wants to stay in coaching then this wouldn't seem to be a logical move. Seems to be working well for Sean. Who knows.

 

[crimsonhater]

Maybe he wants to continue to honor his dad whose name is on the historic maple wood court while taking a middle ground job he and Coach agreed mutually upon?

 

[Sutton4ever]

Wonder if any of these new guys are going to land our last piece to our team?

Our roster is pretty well set, especially if we play small, positionless basketball like last year. Take a flyer an undeveloped talented athlete?

Also of note, I checked website and they have 21-22 roster up minus the new signees. Bryce Williams is listed on the roster. There has never been an announcement on him....would be great to have him back for another year.

 

[LS1 Z28]

Coach Blunt helped to found the prep program that MAM played for in Canada. With his addition, I assume that we'll be recruiting Canada pretty hard. It would be nice to open up a pipeline to some of their elite prospects.

 

[CowboyFan15]

Coach Boynton made an appearance on The Basketball Podcast with Chris Oliver. It's a pretty good interview, if anyone is interested.

"The Basketball Podcast: EP166 with Mike Boynton on Being Adaptable - Basketball Immersion" https://basketballimmersion.com/the-basketball-podcast-ep166-with-mike-boynton/


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[Sutton4ever]

Also of note, I checked website and they have 21-22 roster up minus the new signees. Bryce Williams is listed on the roster. There has never been an announcement on him....would be great to have him back for another year.

Jacob Unruh actually tweeted about Bryce Williams a few days ago. He said that Williams is working out with the team but is still undecided for his return.

 

[CowboyFan15]

How do we feel about Avery Anderson's ability to be the primary ballhandler?

I have questions about his ability to run an offense as the lead guard.

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[PJ-OSU]

How do we feel about Avery Anderson's ability to be the primary ballhandler?

I have questions about his ability to run an offense as the lead guard.

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I think he will be just fine in that role in the upcoming year. A few reasons why I think so:
1. He took a big leap from the start of last year to the end of the year in this area of his game.
2. His NBA evaluation further stressed his need to improve in this area.
3. His natural progression will only continue to improve and the game will slow down that much more for him in that process.

I think with the general player development we have seen under Boynton and the NBA feedback, AA will take another step forward. Possibly a big one if he can also dial in the long range shooting. Like I mentioned when I started this thread, adding and developing a stop-and-pop mid/short range shot will only help him as the tape is out there in that he can and will drive hard to the bucket.

At the start of last year, I had those same questions regarding his production at PG. Now I am much less worried about it.

 

[CowboyFan15]

How do we feel about Avery Anderson's ability to be the primary ballhandler?

I have questions about his ability to run an offense as the lead guard.

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I think he will be just fine in that role in the upcoming year. A few reasons why I think so:
1. He took a big leap from the start of last year to the end of the year in this area of his game.
2. His NBA evaluation further stressed his need to improve in this area.
3. His natural progression will only continue to improve and the game will slow down that much more for him in hat process.

I think with the general player development we have seen under Boynton and the NBA feedback, AA will take another step forward. Possibly a big one if he can also dial in the long range shooting. Like I mentioned when I started this thread, adding and developing a stop-and-pop mid/short range shot will only help him as the tape is out there in that he can and will drive hard to the bucket.

At the start of last year, I had those same questions regarding his production at PG. Now I am much less worried about it.

I see him as more of a scoring guard than a lead guard, which is fine. He has great potential as a scoring guard. I just don't have great faith in his floor vision and overall passing ability.

That should continue to develop, as you said. I'm just a little concerned about the ceiling his creation abilities, or lack thereof, will place on the team's offense. To me, that'll be a key difference between a 4th or 5th place Big 12 finish and a top 3 finish.

As for his shot, I actually think his mid-range pull up game is really solid. He really started to trust that shot late in the season. It really won the WVU game in Morgantown, and kept the team afloat in the 1st half against Liberty.
He loves the hesitation, side-dribble pull up. It's clear he's spent a lot of time on that move.

Overall, though, I think his form needs tweaking. He has too much movement in his shot. It's a bit of a catapult. That puts a damper on his potential as a 3pt threat.

It will be fun to watch his progression next season.

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[Jalexjsmithj]

How do we feel about Avery Anderson's ability to be the primary ballhandler?

I have questions about his ability to run an offense as the lead guard.

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I think there is a very real case that Avery should start the year as favorite for Big 12 player of the year.

The other contenders would be:
Remy Martin KU (5th year transfer from ASU) and Mike Miles from TCU.


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[Sutton4ever]

I think it will be ballhandling by committee with AA, Ice and Thompson.

As for AA, he's more than physically capable. The turnovers and decision making would be the real concern. His role late in the year last year was just to get buckets. That seemed to suit him very well. Should his ballhandling responsibilities grow...sure. But I think Ice will be the primary ballhandler the lion's share of the time simply because Thompson, Walker, Williams and AA all bring value off the ball, where as Ice becomes more of a liability off the ball with his lack of shooting.

AA had a nice midrange game last year. His 3pt was good when he had good momentum towards the goal with good balance. As someone earlier stated, he has a little hitch at the top and that can limit his range a bit. I don't see AA's role at the next level as a PG. I see him as a scoring combo guard in the league. Someone who plays with that second unit that is out there to go get some baskets with the second group.

 

[CowboyFan15]

I think it will be ballhandling by committee with AA, Ice and Thompson.

As for AA, he's more than physically capable. The turnovers and decision making would be the real concern. His role late in the year last year was just to get buckets. That seemed to suit him very well. Should his ballhandling responsibilities grow...sure. But I think Ice will be the primary ballhandler the lion's share of the time simply because Thompson, Walker, Williams and AA all bring value off the ball, where as Ice becomes more of a liability off the ball with his lack of shooting.

AA had a nice midrange game last year. His 3pt was good when he had good momentum towards the goal with good balance. As someone earlier stated, he has a little hitch at the top and that can limit his range a bit. I don't see AA's role at the next level as a PG. I see him as a scoring combo guard in the league. Someone who plays with that second unit that is out there to go get some baskets with the second group.

Next level, AA's perfect scenario is to find a Jamal Crawford/Lou Williams bench gunner role.

I agree that Ice will have to handle lead guard responsibilities.

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[CowboyFan15]

Do you guys expect Anderson to be the leading scorer?

Where does everyone think Thompson falls in the scoring hierarchy?

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[Sutton4ever]

Do you guys expect Anderson to be the leading scorer?

Where does everyone think Thompson falls in the scoring hierarchy?

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I'm not sure. I think we will be very balanced with 7 guys in the 13ppg-9ppg range.

But I definitely think AA and B. Thompson will the two guys to create their own shots at the end of shot clocks and game clocks. Ice will facilitate.

The guys I am intrigued by are Walker and MAM. I think they can be really good. I mean 8 and 9pts per game as frosh is nothing to overlook. Shooting numbers almost always go up from frosh to soph years. B. Williams will give us similar to what he did last year. Those 6 guys will get plenty of minutes imo along with obviously Kalib. I think the 8th man in this will be Smith/and or Keylan. Everyone else will be eating the scraps. I just named 7 guys who are capable of being double digit scorers.