Christian Vital

[gohawks7470]

This would be an awesome pickup for us, exactly what we need. Impressive highlight tape
http://hawkeyenation.com/2016/hawkeyes-have-good-chance-with-nyc-pg-christian-vital

 

[unoHawkeye]

This would be an awesome pickup for us, exactly what we need. Impressive highlight tape
http://hawkeyenation.com/2016/hawkeyes-have-good-chance-with-nyc-pg-christian-vital

Seems like a great kid and a good player. We see him taking the ball up the court multiple times in the video, however I'm a little bit concerned that he's more of a shooting 2 than a 1. I wonder if Fran is recruiting him to fill the hole that Fleming left, or if he's recruiting Vital to play the 1

 

[2432Hawk]

Seems like a great kid and a good player. We see him taking the ball up the court multiple times in the video, however I'm a little bit concerned that he's more of a shooting 2 than a 1. I wonder if Fran is recruiting him to fill the hole that Fleming left, or if he's recruiting Vital to play the 1

Fran doesn't like to pigeonhole. He wants versitility....so combo guards he likes. Heck he likes it to have bigs with the skills to bring it up....Dom does that for us. So forget about PG or SG....he wants multiple skilled guys.

 

[TheHawkeyeDudeAbides]

Vital may become a decent D-1 player but he really won't be an impact player next year. Getting a 4 star combo guard (top 75) in next year class would impact the future of the team considerably. Better athletes, better program.

 

[Hawkeyestate81]

That article didn't really say anything to support the claim?

 

[RocknRollface]

Id be fine with or without him. Probably not going to be a big time player but could be solid.

Definitely more of shooting combo which is ok.

I agree Iowa is heading in the direction of interchangeable pieces at guard but with more size and athleticism than we've had in the past.

Williams and Moss are both guys who can get into the paint and make things happen even though neither is a true "point."

Vital looks like a guy who could fit in with that but more of a third guard that shoots first and can set up his drive off that.

 

[StormHawk42]

Yeah I'd be good with or without him. On one hand, you cannot have too many shooters. On the other, I'm not totally convinced he's really a PG, which is what we really need. At least there were no highlights of him breaking down guys off the dribble.

That said, the offer list is good, so he is a commodity worth having.

 

[icparkerhawk]

Are all the '16 eggs in the Vital basket at this point? Haven't heard about anyone else. All indications are Fran won't be getting back in with Moore (which I'm a little disappointed by but I'm sure there are reasons). Maybe just holding out for all late options?

 

[unoHawkeye]

Fran doesn't like to pigeonhole. He wants versitility....so combo guards he likes. Heck he likes it to have bigs with the skills to bring it up....Dom does that for us. So forget about PG or SG....he wants multiple skilled guys.

I absolutely understand this, but my question is he basically another Ellingson type player, where he's not necessarily quick enough to get into the paint and make things happen inside the arc.

I know what you're saying and get Fran's strategy, but Vital has been advertised as a shooter, and not once have I really seen him in his highlight videos break down a defense and get into the lane to score. He seems to have the court vision/shooting down, but I question his ability to take defenders off the dribble like Williams, Gesell, Clemmons, and, from what I hear, Moss have/had.

 

[Rustys Dad]

I give up on getting too excited about a recruit ... Meaning, after Dickerson, Hutton and Fleming all left after one season ... I have tamed the energy I exert toward basketball recruiting ... With all of the 1-and-dones, graduate transfers, kids leaving after one season ... I can completely understand why Hoiberg despised the recruiting aspect of college basketball ... It's insane.

 

[WAHawkeye]

I take comments about a high-school player's ability to play @ the next level based upon a 2-minute video with a grain of salt. The eye test against high level competition & their offer list is much more noteworthy. To the extent Vital has offers from UConn & Louisville, I'd certainly like to see him in a Hawkeye uniform.

 

[jasonrann]

Looks like a shooting guard and not terribly quick to be playing the #1. I hope I'm wrong if we get him. I would sure like to get a kid that is lightning fast that can take his man off the dribble at will.

 

[mazda1]

I realize it's slow and not much to talk about, but I didn't get the sense that he's excited about Iowa. He's interested and may take a look at us, but I don't have my hopes up just based on the comments in the piece.

I'm not sure he's a natural point guard, but he's another option for us and maybe a bit quicker then Williams. One thing video's never show is how the kid defends and that's likely what would determine if he saw the court or not.

 

[RocknRollface]

I take comments about a high-school player's ability to play @ the next level based upon a 2-minute video with a grain of salt. The eye test against high level competition & their offer list is much more noteworthy. To the extent Vital has offers from UConn & Louisville, I'd certainly like to see him in a Hawkeye uniform.

Solid point.

 

[rsigmundi]

Sure, he shoots with deadly accuracy, passes, gets to the rim, and rebounds, but can he play defense?

 

[mazda1]

We apparently saw different things on the tape. I didn't see a pure point who was dropping dimes, finishing over bigger guys at the rim, rebounding in traffic, etc. etc.

If he can' t defend, my guess is he wouldn't see the floor. With Mike and Sapp gone I am very concerned with our ability to defend the dribble drive. If you don't think defense matters then he'd play regardless. I don't see that being Fran's m/o tho.

 

[Auger]

Seems like a great kid and a good player. We see him taking the ball up the court multiple times in the video, however I'm a little bit concerned that he's more of a shooting 2 than a 1. I wonder if Fran is recruiting him to fill the hole that Fleming left, or if he's recruiting Vital to play the 1

I would rather have two combo guards with solid ball skills that are solid shooters then what we had with Gesell and Clemmons which was two combo guards with solid ball skills that couldnt shoot. I think between Williams, Moss and maybe Vital we would have three guys that can pass as points but are all guys with a higher upside in scoring which will be night and day difference between Gesell and Clemmons

 

[unoHawkeye]

I would rather have two combo guards with solid ball skills that are solid shooters then what we had with Gesell and Clemmons which was two combo guards with solid ball skills that couldnt shoot. I think between Williams, Moss and maybe Vital we would have three guys that can pass as points but are all guys with a higher upside in scoring which will be night and day difference between Gesell and Clemmons

I agree. My concern is primarily on the defensive end and being quick enough to stop penetration

 

[Ihawkhoops]

I would rather have two combo guards with solid ball skills that are solid shooters then what we had with Gesell and Clemmons which was two combo guards with solid ball skills that couldnt shoot. I think between Williams, Moss and maybe Vital we would have three guys that can pass as points but are all guys with a higher upside in scoring which will be night and day difference between Gesell and Clemmons

Agree. Thinking back to the tournament, Ryan D(however you spell his last name) for Nova was probably the closest I saw to a pure PG. With that being said, the kid showed he could knock down shots when needed. You could certainly throw Paige into this category as well. We paid the price last season for having two guys on the floor who commanded token defense at best. I am a fan of putting as many scoring threats on the floor as possible and figuring out the details later. As we have seen with WI, spreading the floor with good shooters is hard to defend.

 

[icparkerhawk]

I agree. My concern is primarily on the defensive end and being quick enough to stop penetration

I've never been terribly concerned with stopping penetration....

 

[gilligan19]

MG would have been better if he had a true SG instead of Clemmons playing next to him, this is what hurt him the most,

Jok played the SG in the 2014-15 season, this season stepped it up to play the SF position so that Jok could play the SG position, I feel even if Ellingson or Fleming had taken the SG spot the team would have been better than what is was,

Clemmons as the backup PG helped this team. my preferred lineup for the 15-16 season
PG MG backup AC
SG Jok backups Ellingson/Fleming
SF Uthoff backups UHL/Baer
PF Jones and was hoping Wagner would have been this years Basabe
C Woodbury backups by committee in a 3 forward lineup

nobody stepped up. lost Jones for the year, so Jok, Clemmons and Uthoff played out of position.

with these Fran now won't need to play players out of Position

PG's Williams/Bohannon
SG's Jok/Ellingson and Moss
SF Uhl/Baer and yes Pemsyl per Fran
PF Wagner/Cook
F/C Kriener

WILD CARD will be Jones as he can play the 3-4 and 5 in a 3 forward lineup. this will be determined on healthy his knee is this fall.

 

[icparkerhawk]

MG would have been better if he had a true SG instead of Clemmons playing next to him, this is what hurt him the most,

Jok played the SG in the 2014-15 season, this season stepped it up to play the SF position so that Jok could play the SG position, I feel even if Ellingson or Fleming had taken the SG spot the team would have been better than what is was,

Clemmons as the backup PG helped this team. my preferred lineup for the 15-16 season
PG MG backup AC
SG Jok backups Ellingson/Fleming
SF Uthoff backups UHL/Baer
PF Jones and was hoping Wagner would have been this years Basabe
C Woodbury backups by committee in a 3 forward lineup

nobody stepped up. lost Jones for the year, so Jok, Clemmons and Uthoff played out of position.

with these Fran now won't need to play players out of Position

PG's Williams/Bohannon
SG's Jok/Ellingson and Moss
SF Uhl/Baer and yes Pemsyl per Fran
PF Wagner/Cook
F/C Kriener

WILD CARD will be Jones as he can play the 3-4 and 5 in a 3 forward lineup. this will be determined on healthy his knee is this fall.

Why are you throwing Clemmons under the bus?

 

[RocknRollface]

Why are you throwing Clemmons under the bus?

Because he thinks he knows more than Fran and doesn't trust his judgment.

 

[MepoDawg#]

Not necessarily throwing Clemmons under the bus, but he is not a shooting guard. This did hurt Iowa as they really missed Jones. It isn't good when your shooters are two forwards and the guards aren't good shooters and your center misses bunnies every game. Woodbury will be missed for rebounding and defense but not for offense.

 

[HawkLogic]

Not necessarily throwing Clemmons under the bus, but he is not a shooting guard. This did hurt Iowa as they really missed Jones. It isn't good when your shooters are two forwards and the guards aren't good shooters and your center misses bunnies every game. Woodbury will be missed for rebounding and defense but not for offense.

Yeah, Woody/Gesell/Clemmons on their own would be valuable role players. Just too many guys to play at one time with little offensive ability.