[SFBearz]

Originally Posted by concordtom

Merry Christmas everyone!
The unwrapping insanity is pretty much over. Phew!

Every time we have this armchair QB discussion it ends up in with the same ending. The truth is, Larry Bird ain't walking thru that door. We aren't going to have the stud center or PF that this team needs. It's just not happening.

Now then, what we do have is really fantastic. Talk already this year is about Cobbs and Crabbe being the top guard combo in the Pac. Well, they are coming back next year, and just think how much better they will be. Add a seasoned Wallace, a healthy Kreklow, and a stud Bird to the mix. That's 5 exciting players. Who knows what some of the others can do: Mathews, Singer, Johnson. Then, you've got Kravish and Solo with some height, but not the thickness needed for the traditional post game.

What could Monty do with our 5 guards? Open it up. Run. Spread the floor. Trap, create havoc. Play free and unrestrained. It could be Monty's biggest coaching challenge in a long time. And most rewarding.

Time will tell, but I'm excited. Some of the best gifts, you have to wait a long time to open.

Wow, I wouldn't be nearly as certain about Crabbe being back. He will very likely declare and see what feedback he gets before/if deciding to return.

[gobears]

Originally Posted by SFBearz

Wow, I wouldn't be nearly as certain about Crabbe being back. He will very likely declare and see what feedback he gets before/if deciding to return.

2 players Cal have played so far this year have projected to get drafted in upcoming NBA draft, Bennett/UNLV and McDermott/Creighton..as Pac12 league begins, many more potential draft picks will have played and continued assessment how Crabbe ranks with those prospects... many of the drafted players each year are "work in process" with areas of deficiencies... what Crabbe brings is one of the best outside shots in the nation. Jared Cunningham stock moved up during Pac12 league... going from mid/ late 2nd round projections to where he ended up as late 1st round pick.

[R90]

If Crabbe wants to go pro after this year he can do it. He might not get drafted or make the cut with an NBA team, but there would be plenty of options for him to play professionally, somewhere.

He can still improve his game at Cal next year and improve his chances of making the NBA right out of college. It does seem like it's very tough for undrafted players to break into the NBA.

If Crabbe goes pro we'll still have a whole lot of depth at guard:

Sr. Cobbs
Sr. Powers
Jr. Kreklow
So. Wallace
So. Johnson
Fr. Bird
Fr. Mathews
Fr. Singer

If he stays, we'll have to consider playing small more to get all those guys their minutes. Kreklow, Crabbe, Johnson and Powers all can defend smaller post players if needed and step outside on offense to cause problems for their opposing defense with their shooting.

I think Bird can be better than Crabbe fairly quickly. Bird seems to be a more natural athlete, has a better handle and can create his own shot seemingly at will.

[Civil Bear]

Originally Posted by R90

If Crabbe wants to go pro after this year he can do it. He might not get drafted or make the cut with an NBA team, but there would be plenty of options for him to play professionally, somewhere.

He can still improve his game at Cal next year and improve his chances of making the NBA right out of college. It does seem like it's very tough for undrafted players to break into the NBA.

If Crabbe goes pro we'll still have a whole lot of depth at guard:

Sr. Cobbs
Sr. Powers
Jr. Kreklow
So. Wallace
So. Johnson
Fr. Bird
Fr. Mathews
Fr. Singer

Listing all these players and determining Cal will have depth at guard next year is kind of like listing all our bigs this year and saying we have depth in the post. Assuming you are counting the 3 spot as a guard position, only Cobbs, Kreklow, Wallace, and Bird are safe to list as players that will be able to contribute at a high level, as it is a bit of a stretch to list Powers and Johnson as guards and who knows if Mathews and Singer will be ready.

[gobears]

Originally Posted by south bender

Given Crabbe's recent seeming improvement in his beating his man off the dribble, it is plausible that the skills he has needed to add will continue to develop over the next half season.

It seems likely that he will want at minimum to test the waters at the end of this year. Depending on how much he grows, he may get some encouragement as low first or high second round. If so, I would guess he is gone.

Admittedly this is speculation and is colored by my admiration of Allen.

I see him as a young man just now beginning to catch up with his body and potential. So I expect to see a more developed player in three months from now.

We know for certain that Allen wants to play in the NBA. If it appears he has a good shot at doing so next year, he will take it.

here is Klay Thompson's Jr season stat summary at Wash St (a few years ago) along with Crabbe's stat line (mid season):

K Thompson’s Jr season stat summary:
35 mpg, 21.6 ppg, 5.2 rpg, 3.7 apg, 39.8% 3pt %, 43.6%, 83.8% ft %

A Crabbe’s Jr Season stat summary at mid season:
34 mpg, 20.9 ppg, 5.8 rpb, 2.3 apg, 38.3% 3pt %, 48.3%, 85.3% ft%


I agree, Thompson can get his J off quick (as well as off dribble)... but their stat lines look very similar... how well he does in league will skew if he moves up draft ladder to point he throws in his name...

[bearister]

Originally Posted by goldmountain

My comment about the quickness of AC's outside shots may be colored by the fact that I just went to a Warriors game and sat a few rows up from courtside. I was watching closely the shot attempts by Thompson and Curry. They were the focus of the defense and they still got their shots up without hesitation and quickly with accuracy. In my view, if AC received the same attention as those two got, he would have a great deal of trouble getting his shot off. But who knows? Maybe I'm overstating this point. However, against the better teams that we played like Creighton and Wisconsin, he had his troubles.

Saying all this, I love him to death. We will be better served if he stays and can team with our new recruits next year. With this recruiting class we will have some quality depth for the first time in years.

Your assessment is dead on. I love Allen and I am hopeful that he will play in the NBA and make an make mittens full of money--which he deserves because he seems like a class act. Klay Thompson should be his role model. Get as close to Klay's game as you can get and you will thrive, Allen. If Allen is heavily guarded tonight and goes off for 30 points then it will show how much I know.