re: predicting LSU's men basketball depth chart

4 of the starting 5 are pretty much locked in (TQ, Hornsby, Blakeney, Simmons). TQ is the lynchpin because he can run the point on offense and guard the 3 on defense (if necessary). Until Victor gets back, the 5 will be a game by game decision between Epps and Malone based on the matchup.

Sampson, Patterson and Gray will all get significant minutes off the bench. Sampson and Patterson can both knock down threes (I predict LSU leads the conf. in 3pt attempts this year) and like him or not, Gray still has a skillset that is very valuable. There isn't a guard in the SEC that can stay in front of him. He flourished in the uptempo games last season. With no great offensive post presence (Simmons will score inside, but he's not a back to the basket guy like Mickey or JOBIII) Gray may become even more valuable to this team.

One thing is for certain, if LSU can defend and rebound well enough the ball will be flying up the court on the offensive end.

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Epps has fully passed up Malone at this point, there's no reason to play Malone unless we are just struggling that badly against a big big guy.

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Yep agree totally, but as a coach and rightfully so you bring Epps off the bench. Everyone the whole forst half of the year will get caught up in Malone "starts" but he Epps will play way more total minutes. Who finishes, not who starts. CJJ is making the right call starting Malone and leaving the bench in very good shape.

I think South or anybody that follows like you can agree. When Victor is eligible he is starting regardless, so you start Malone knowing this and it keeps Aaron in the same mindset from the start to the finish. Contrary to popular belief it would be a much better transition for the team to go
Hornsby/Simmons/Malone
then
Hornsby/ Simmons/ Victor

I don't think it's a big deal for Epps to start the beginning of the year or not. I'd rather Epps tipping off. I don't quite understand the start Malone but only play him 2 minutes thing, but that's just me.

Sometimes you refer to players positions as 1 being pg 2 being sg 3 sf and so on. Just different basketball term for positions

get your sarcasm out of here bruh.

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Also blakenky will play 3 before Hornsby does imo

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Not a chance. Hornsby is actually a strong enough to guard someone bigger than him. He had the task of guarding Anthony-Towns a few times last year.

Blakeney and Sampson both will have some weight and strength to gain to push Hornsby out of that role.

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Yeah I know im just messing around. No college basketball coach ever uses the number system, besides lane assigments, its really shocking how long its taken a lot people to catch on that the NBA for about the past 6-8 years does not use positions either.

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Coast, this is a brotherhood. There is no need for such negative, negatiger posting in our congregation.

Brother SOS, what are your expectations for Victor? How he looked in practice last spring was really low key

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What?

He may have ended up guarding him after some switches, but I can't imagine we drew it up where Hornsby was guarding Anthony-Towns.

I think our success early will depend on solid minutes from Robinson. We will not be physical enough with either Malone or Epps down low. We would be doing Epps a disfavor putting him at the 5.

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You are wrong on all counts. When UK was able to trot out KAT, WCS and Johnson we he had to. Also Robinson will not contribute much this year, and our relative success early in the season will be on the usual for most teams with fresh faces and such large turnover in the major roles, cohesion and playing together, which I dont think will be a problem btw.

How much bigger do you think most teams are than Epps, Simmons, and Malone? Yeah we all have seen Darcy play, but he is still a 7 footer that has gotten a lot better and is not trying to do as much. Make fun of the guy, but he hustles and limits he fouling he will be a 5+ rebounder on the team.