Would you rather have a senior Matt Gatens or Jr. Jok ?
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Probably Jok, I think he can be a first team all big ten type go to scorer. I always thought Gatens would have been a terrific third option on a really good team but he had to be thrust into the primary scoring option due to his supporting cast.
This is a tough question, but I'd have to go with Jok. Better shooter, better handles, better rebounder, quicker release, better near the basket, better defender. That said, Gatens was the primary scorer and he was pretty much surrounded by no one so d's could focus on him. We'll see what Jok does next year in a similar role (talent will be much better for Jok).
Talent does make a difference when you have it around you. Next year will be interesting
Give me Gatens last 8 games or so, he was incredible. But Jok has a shot at being All Big this year and All American next year. Truly a scorer at heart.
I've said it before....Gatens suffered from a lack of surrounding talent. He would have truly shined if he were the second option, rather than the first. And if he had a talent like Uthoff, he could have traded off leading the team in scoring like Pete currently does.
All of that said, I'd take Pete.
All of that said, I'd take Pete.
Impossible to hypothesize because the talent level is so incomparably better now. Matt spent four years with the opponent's best defender draped on him. Do that now and you get burned hard by a team of decent shooters.
Are we talking Gatens in his senior year pre-February or post-January?
Because Gatens' closure to his career is one of the hottest streaks I've ever seen.
But I'd still say Jok.
Because Gatens' closure to his career is one of the hottest streaks I've ever seen.
But I'd still say Jok.
I thought Gatens for sure. Im surprised so many see it the other way. He was unstoppable toward the end of his senior year.
Love Pete's jumper as it is a thing of beauty but I have to go with Gatens. His senior year he single handedly won several games for us. He made some ridiculous number of consecutive 3's that spanned over several games.
We have yet to know what Pete does his senior season but since the question was Jr. year Jok vs Sr. year Gatens I stand by Sr Gatens
We have yet to know what Pete does his senior season but since the question was Jr. year Jok vs Sr. year Gatens I stand by Sr Gatens
Gatens was a great Hawkeye and helped provide light at the end of the tunnel after the Lickliter years. I still remember driving back from the Big Ten Tournament his senior year and hearing that Iowa unexpectedly made the NIT and got to host a game. I was so happy for him and the team. Even if I'd rather have Jok I couldn't ever admit that and I love me some Peter Jok. Gatens never gave up when so many of his teammates did. He never complained. He was very appreciative of his opportunity and ALWAYS played his ass off.
Jok for me. He's just a better all around player. Quicker, longer, better handles, better defender, better driver, better finisher. Gatens may have been a better shooter and he was a better rebounder.
Are you feeling ok???
I took the question to mean you get a Jr Jok (meaning you also get him for next season) or you get Gatens on his final Sr season run to finish out this season.
In that scenario I take Jok. Hell right now I probably take Jok either way, kids is playing sooooo well. No disrespect to Mr. Gatens who was a great Hawkeye.
My initial reaction was Jok, but when I think about it , when Gatten was on that run at the end up his senior year he was actually probably even better than Uthoff.
The shots he was hitting were Reggie Miller esqu. Those were mostly catch and release in half a second shots and like others have said there was basically no one else that the defense had to worry about, which makes it so much harder.
Jok over the long haul is probably better but when Gatens was dialed in that year that was legitimately something special.
Theres another year left for Jok though and I wouldn't be surprised if he just gets ridiculous and averages 20+ a game.
The shots he was hitting were Reggie Miller esqu. Those were mostly catch and release in half a second shots and like others have said there was basically no one else that the defense had to worry about, which makes it so much harder.
Jok over the long haul is probably better but when Gatens was dialed in that year that was legitimately something special.
Theres another year left for Jok though and I wouldn't be surprised if he just gets ridiculous and averages 20+ a game.
Tough question. I would have to say Jok BUT I would be thrilled if Pete ever put in the effort Gatens did to get open. I have never seen a player work so hard running off screens to get open.
Gatens had an excellent senior season, but that stretch of games at the end of the season was truly a thing of beauty by Gatens. Like others have said, every team we faced designed the defense to take out Gatens and he still got it done. Uthoff is a huge plus for Jok, a luxury Gatens never had. Still, I'll call it a coin flip and would smile ear to ear to have either player.
Statistically almost identical careers % wise. Gatens with 3x as many steals.
3pt Gatens .367 to Joks .370. Gatens better FT % and 2 PT %
How good would Gatens have looked if he didn't have to be the best player on the floor for the Hawks?
If the opponent shut him down, they win the game easy. This year, if you try to shut down Jok.....there are several other players open to score.
Tough to even debate.
If the opponent shut him down, they win the game easy. This year, if you try to shut down Jok.....there are several other players open to score.
Tough to even debate.
Well clearly the answer is Jok considering he is giving it to us now instead of a few years ago, we all have extremely short memories.
Jok. No question. Not even close. Jok has so much more athleticism. As Fran says, he has developed into an elite player.
I will take Matt Gatens. One of the Top 10 scorers in Iowa history, always had great defenders covering him, and had very little help around him. That streak his senior season is unlike anything I've ever seen. I love PJ but I will take Matt.
Jok:
2013-14 Iowa Big Ten 27 255 38 95 .400 22 49 .449 16 46 .348 27 34 .794 5 20 25 19 9 3 13 18 119 7.43
2014-15 Iowa Big Ten 34 676 83 232 .358 47 127 .370 36 105 .343 37 41 .902 25 63 88 44 19 4 43 63 239 8.39
2015-16 Iowa Big Ten 20 513 105 240 .438 57 121 .471 48 119 .403 47 57 .825 15 51 66 30 29 1 20 48 305 8.66
Career Iowa 81 1444 226 567 .399 126 297 .424 100 270 .370 111 132 .841 45 134 179 93 57 8 76 129 663 8.16
Gatens:
2008-09 Iowa Big Ten 32 109 258 .422 57 129 .442 52 129 .403 75 83 .904 121 71 26 10 51 345 6.84
2009-10 Iowa Big Ten 32 1173 125 338 .370 67 161 .416 58 177 .328 84 101 .832 23 115 138 105 29 3 85 70 392 8.09
2010-11 Iowa Big Ten 29 972 118 299 .395 64 136 .471 54 163 .331 76 87 .874 9 62 71 53 38 3 42 44 366 8.79
2011-12 Iowa Big Ten 35 1212 173 369 .469 98 186 .527 75 183 .410 111 130 .854 35 90 125 69 48 6 38 66 532 6.53
Career Iowa 128 3357 525 1264 .415 286 612 .467 239 652 .367 346 401 .863 67 267 455 298 141 22 216 180 1635 7.5
Other than being a razor thin statistical edge to Gatens, It's not even close??????
2013-14 Iowa Big Ten 27 255 38 95 .400 22 49 .449 16 46 .348 27 34 .794 5 20 25 19 9 3 13 18 119 7.43
2014-15 Iowa Big Ten 34 676 83 232 .358 47 127 .370 36 105 .343 37 41 .902 25 63 88 44 19 4 43 63 239 8.39
2015-16 Iowa Big Ten 20 513 105 240 .438 57 121 .471 48 119 .403 47 57 .825 15 51 66 30 29 1 20 48 305 8.66
Career Iowa 81 1444 226 567 .399 126 297 .424 100 270 .370 111 132 .841 45 134 179 93 57 8 76 129 663 8.16
Gatens:
2008-09 Iowa Big Ten 32 109 258 .422 57 129 .442 52 129 .403 75 83 .904 121 71 26 10 51 345 6.84
2009-10 Iowa Big Ten 32 1173 125 338 .370 67 161 .416 58 177 .328 84 101 .832 23 115 138 105 29 3 85 70 392 8.09
2010-11 Iowa Big Ten 29 972 118 299 .395 64 136 .471 54 163 .331 76 87 .874 9 62 71 53 38 3 42 44 366 8.79
2011-12 Iowa Big Ten 35 1212 173 369 .469 98 186 .527 75 183 .410 111 130 .854 35 90 125 69 48 6 38 66 532 6.53
Career Iowa 128 3357 525 1264 .415 286 612 .467 239 652 .367 346 401 .863 67 267 455 298 141 22 216 180 1635 7.5
Other than being a razor thin statistical edge to Gatens, It's not even close??????
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I think that is the difference, I think Gatens would have thrived as a #2 and really wasn't able to create his own shot. Granted that stretch of games at the end of his Senior year was awesome, but other than the stretch he was just a good player (nothing wrong with that) the difference is that Jok can get his shot anytime, on any one, from any spot on the floor (for good or bad lol). He is also in top 5 in big ten this year in steals. Because Jok can thrive as a #1 option more consistently than Gatens I take Jok
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I would take Gatens if it was just his last 8-10 game stretch Gatens. He was unstoppable and made every play we needed him too, made the big shots when it counted and I think his defense was a tad better. Either way I would take either one. Jok has a chance to really be something special. I also agree with what other posters said, Gatens had a lack of talent around him, you put a Aaron White, Utoff, or even a senior Devyn Marble with him and he could have really been good. Every team keyed on him and tried to take him out of the gameplan. Either way he was a great hawkeye and thank him for his time here.
That's tough. Surrounded by the talent that Jok enjoys, how much better would Gatens have been?? Double teams would have been few. Gatens had better D. But Jok's D has improved. And the last shooting show by Jok vs Northwestern was amazing, Gatens did that regularly with little supporting staff.
I'd put it as a push at best for Jok, with a slight lead to Gatens right now.
Let's revisit these answers in mid-March. Can somebody set your "bump post" alarm...?
I'd put it as a push at best for Jok, with a slight lead to Gatens right now.
Let's revisit these answers in mid-March. Can somebody set your "bump post" alarm...?
Actually Gatens DID complain and we all owe him big time for it.
I do not think that matters and obvious that Jok has a better pro potential. Some players are great college players and sub par in the pro's, while others are good college players and thrive in the pros. A player like Alford (i know I know, I hate him too) was a terrific college player but an average pro. I would take Jok, as I said earlier, but nothing against Gatens because I am very grateful he was and always will be a Hawkeye
