Connor appreciation thread

[Franisdaman]

Yep, Tony led with 22 points and Kris had 19.

However, many on here didn't want Connor back this season. But where would we be without him?

When PMac needed to step aside, Connor was inserted into the starting line up. Iowa is 4-0 ever since.

And today? He played all 40 minutes.

2-2 (100%) from 2 point range
2-3 (67%) from 3
..............................
4-5 (80%) Overall shooting

2-2 (100%) FTs

12 points
2 Rebounds
4 assists
3 steals

Glue guy

 

[djwoody]

Absolutely plays a huge role on this team.

 

[WestCoastHawkI]

I don't think anyone was wrong being critical of him in prior seasons. I'm glad he put in the work on his shot and is having a successful year.

 

[paladinhawk]

And with the foul trouble Kris and Filip probably played about 30 minutes each.

 

[SnootHawk]

I am glad he is on our team. He is so steady.

 

[NevadaHawk]

Connor has been a steady influence on this team. His leadership has been essential during the current win streak.

 

[kceasthawk]

Connor has been a steady influence on this team. His leadership has been essential during the current win streak.

Yep. His maturity and basketball IQ really settles this team when the pressure is on. That along with having so many guys who can handle AND pass the ball make Iowa a tough team to pressure....

 

[Hendy hawk]

I don't think anyone was wrong being critical of him in prior seasons. I'm glad he put in the work on his shot and is having a successful year.

Maybe but, what most persons criticizing him did not know he was playing injured and in pain most of that time until surgery. Also most accused him of just being the coach's kid and was playing only because of that.
When he quit playing baseball and had surgery then focusing on basketball he has responded well.

 

[BVHawkeye]

He has always been a steady glue guy but is shooting better!

 

[BVHawkeye]

I promise you he will be a hell of a coach some day if he chooses that route.

 

[TheTruthTheWholeTruth]

Connor at 38% is leading the team in 3 point shooting(can’t count Dix yet since he’s had limited opportunities)

 

[ichawks]

I promise you he will be a hell of a coach some day if he chooses that route.

I was speaking with Fran in December about that very subject. He said, Connor is very much interested but more at the NBA level.

 

[Lefthandstan]

Connor is an essential part of our success. He has basketball IQ beyond what most play with on our team. Glad he came back and agree, we would be a different team without him, and not for the best!

 

[Rifler]

Regarding Connor's improved play this season,... I think it's primarily the result of him being healthy and not playing baseball...

 

[EZ2BJZ]

I don't think anyone was wrong being critical of him in prior seasons. I'm glad he put in the work on his shot and is having a successful year.

I agree with this too. I think it’s great he is just focusing on basketball now.

 

[EZ2BJZ]

Connor at 38% is leading the team in 3 point shooting(can’t count Dix yet since he’s had limited opportunities)

Who would have ever guessed that? Wasn’t he, like, below 20% last year?

 

[Titanhawk2]

Who would have ever guessed that? Wasn’t he, like, below 20% last year?

shot 34% last year, but started out 4 for 25

 

[perryhawk]

I don't think anyone was wrong being critical of him in prior seasons. I'm glad he put in the work on his shot and is having a successful year.

Being critical of his performance was often times being accompanied by comments about his not being worth the scholarship, that he was only playing because his dad was the coach, that if he couldn't shoot he didn't bring any value to the team, and that he should just graduate and leave or be done after last year. Those comments look pretty stupid now......and a lot of folks recognized them as that at the time they were said.

Obviously this type of criticism kind of gets to me.....I am certainly not a basketball expert, so I think that ANYONE should be able to see and recognize the value of certain players beyond just their ability to hit outside shots, or be big scorers.

It seems like the modern day norm (for many, not all) that it's just so much easier to trash someone for something. To just jump negative...and that is almost certain to be based on that person's frustration (at least as far as Iowa fans). They can't recognize another's attributes or potential because they are pissed/frustrated that the player didn't perform and their team lost. It becomes easy to attribute that to negative motives, like dad is only playing him because it's his kid....etc.

Last but not least, I wouldn't look for any of those negative people to say, "I admit it, I was wrong." What I would hope that they would do is look at this as a lesson....and learn that a person shouldn't let their emotions undermine some logical analysis.

 

[Bulldogs1974]

I'm very happy that his shooting has come this far.

 

[EZ2BJZ]

shot 34% last year, but started out 4 for 25

From 3?

 

[HawkLogic]

CMAC is the the most appreciated role player in history of Iowa program. Glad to see him having a good season.

Meanwhile, there have been few appreciation threads for Kris Murray. Kris is a lot better player and had an option to go pro last year, but came back to lead the team. Never a complaint despite sitting on bench for over 50% of his career behind the coach's two sons.

 

[bowlhawk]

Can't recall ever seeing a college player improve his 3 point shot so much in one year. That was the only time last year I had to turn my head away from the tv when he shot because it was painful to watch. Kudos to Connor for extending his range.

 

[ROCKY MOUNTAIN HAWK]

I don't think anyone was wrong being critical of him in prior seasons. I'm glad he put in the work on his shot and is having a successful year.

I agree with this completely. He’s deserved his fair share of criticism in the past.

But I also have to give him credit, he’s playing solid ball right now.

Right on down to little details like not turning it over, making his ft’s, mixing it up for rebounds.

Let alone he’s shooting better than ever (hitting critical 3’s too) & playing his usual solid defense.

 

[perryhawk]

Can't recall ever seeing a college player improve his 3 point shot so much in one year. That was the only time last year I had to turn my head away from the tv when he shot because it was painful to watch. Kudos to Connor for extending his range.

Don't you think that's because everyone knows Kris is really good? That it's so blatantly obvious that fans take it for granted?

I also think that fans tend to want to bitch about stuff more than they do praise......so, Kris doesn't provide anything for fans to bitch about and therefore doesn't get mentioned as much.

In this case the thread is about appreciating Connor, a guy who has gotten anything BUT appreciation in recent times.......Kris has pretty much been universally loved since he first showed what he can do.

 

[TheTruthTheWholeTruth]

CMAC is the the most appreciated role player in history of Iowa program. Glad to see him having a good season.

Meanwhile, there have been few appreciation threads for Kris Murray. Kris is a lot better player and had an option to go pro last year, but came back to lead the team. Never a complaint despite sitting on bench for over 50% of his career behind the coach's two sons.

You’ll get your appreciation when you win WPOTY.

 

[Franisdaman]

Regarding Connor's improved play this season,... I think it's primarily the result of him being healthy and not playing baseball...

yep. both Fran and Connor have mentioned that this was the first offseason that he was able to focus solely on basketball.

this past offseason he was fully healthy. not sure when the last offseason was when he was fully healthy and not in some kind of pain

 

[Buffalo43]

I'm very happy that his shooting has come this far.

He is also taking it to the rim with pretty good success knows how to back a defender down on the block wish PMAC would do more of that

 

[ChiPackHawk]

Yep, Tony led with 22 points and Kris had 19.

However, many on here didn't want Connor back this season. But where would we be without him?

When PMac needed to step aside, Connor was inserted into the starting line up. Iowa is 4-0 ever since.

And today? He played all 40 minutes.

2-2 (100%) from 2 point range
2-3 (67%) from 3
..............................
4-5 (80%) Overall shooting

2-2 (100%) FTs

12 points
2 Rebounds
4 assists
3 steals

Glue guy

I amazed nobody has bitched about him taking minutes away from someone?

 

[hawkifann]

I don't think anyone was wrong being critical of him in prior seasons. I'm glad he put in the work on his shot and is having a successful year.

Him developing that shot was massive. He’s been a great passer pretty much from day 1. He’s been a guy who will get physical on D. He’ll talk and bark and bring the toughness. He’s a good ball handler…but for too long, he couldn’t shoot to the point that Ds would openly sag off him to the detriment of the offense.

Now he still does the other things, but he’s also someone who will hit a 3 if the D leaves him. That’s opened up so much since he started hitting them last year. He’s not the best player and he’s not going to the NBA, but he’s a great glue guy that is really self-aware about what he can and can’t do. I’ll take one of those guys every year.

 

[WestCoastHawkI]

Him developing that shot was massive. He’s been a great passer pretty much from day 1. He’s been a guy who will get physical on D. He’ll talk and bark and bring the toughness. He’s a good ball handler…but for too long, he couldn’t shoot to the point that Ds would openly sag off him to the detriment of the offense.

Now he still does the other things, but he’s also someone who will hit a 3 if the D leaves him. That’s opened up so much since he started hitting them last year. He’s not the best player and he’s not going to the NBA, but he’s a great glue guy that is really self-aware about what he can and can’t do. I’ll take one of those guys every year.

When he was younger he used to drive the ball and bully his way to the rim. He stopped doing that for a couple of years, but the few times he's done it this year he's looked great.

 

[ISUBryceC]

I agree with WestCoastHawkI, I have no problem with people questioning his role in prior years. But this year he's giving you 7.8 PPG on 46% shooting overall and 38% from 3. It could be argued he should be shooting it a lot more. He's playing very well this season and deserves all of the minutes he's getting especially with Patrick out.

 

[hawkifann]

I agree with WestCoastHawkI, I have no problem with people questioning his role in prior years. But this year he's giving you 7.8 PPG on 46% shooting overall and 38% from 3. It could be argued he should be shooting it a lot more. He's playing very well this season and deserves all of the minutes he's getting especially with Patrick out.

One of my favorite things about Connor is that he generally knows his limitations. He’s taken a couple heat-check 3s here and there, but mostly, he won’t take it unless it’s a good shot.

 

[blhawk]

I don't see the need to start a new thread but I really appreciate that Kris came back when many in his shoes would have declared or transfered. It's depressing to think what this team would be this year if he did bail, he covers a lot of team warts all by himself

 

[ObeseMuffins]

I don't see the need to start a new thread but I really appreciate that Kris came back when many in his shoes would have declared or transfered. It's depressing to think what this team would be this year if he did bail, he covers a lot of team warts all by himself

Why think about that when you can just enjoy this season! Every year, there's always someone new who steps up.

 

[blhawk]

Why think about that when you can just enjoy this season! Every year, there's always someone new who steps up.

There's nothing enjoyable about watching poorly coached, low effort defensive basketball for the better part of 13 seasons but watching Kris hold this otherwise very average team together is pretty damn impressive. Can't deny that

 

[perryhawk]

There's nothing enjoyable about watching poorly coached, low effort defensive basketball for the better part of 13 seasons but watching Kris hold this otherwise very average team together is pretty damn impressive. Can't deny that

Poorly coached, low effort team…..that’s not Fran’s teams. This is just a ridiculous take or a troll.

 

[ChiPackHawk]

Poorly coached, low effort team…..that’s not Fran’s teams. This is just a ridiculous take or a troll.

That's all he does - pretty typical.

 

[Herklejerk]

One of my favorite things about Connor is that he generally knows his limitations. He’s taken a couple heat-check 3s here and there, but mostly, he won’t take it unless it’s a good shot.

My favorite thing about him is that he won't be soaking up a scholly next year.

 

[perryhawk]

My favorite thing about him is that he won't be soaking up a scholly next year.

I’m hoping he’s back on the bench as a grad assistant just for you…

 

[perryhawk]

Connor McCaffery has the highest offensive rating on the team, per KenPom. His mark is 33rd nationally, while Kris Murray is in second on the team and 71st nationally. Filip Rebraca is third on the team, while Payton Sandfort is fourth.