Thanks for posting. Normally, I don't put much faith in mixtape videos, as they tend to show only a player's offensive plays, and only the good or successful ones, but this video does include some defensive sequences where Ragsdale did block some shots and a pass. He showed some quick reactions, and it showed him grabbing some rebounds. He apparently was on the school's volleyball team, so that might indicate his interest in learning to go after balls in the air. Basketball players as famous as Wilt Chamberlain have been outstanding volleyball players.
His coach said that their team "didn't have a single D1 player", but they were successful by having all 17 players playing together. He needs to get stronger, but it looks like he has a grasp of what to do to look like a basketball player. I don't know if he will sniff the court at Cal, but I think we can see some of what Fox liked in him.
There is barely any talent difference between a scholarship player and a pwo player at Cal. That is the state of this program.
Good luck to this kid! He had a chance to start as a pwo freshman.
There are pwo's and then there are pwo's. Some are better than others. Just based on the video, this kid looks more athletic, with a better looking shot, and better reflexes than some of our unremarkable walk-ons in the past, like Rafi Chalian or Garrett Galvin. Maybe better than walk-ons Brendan Glapion or Nick Hamilton. If he can eventually play as well as walk-ons Jeff Powers or Robert Thurman, that would be a pleasant surprise.
At least he's already playing what looks like his college position. Doesn't look like an undersized PF.
Our PWO program was robust under Ben. Have to give him credit for that. There were always 1-2 guys that wound up getting legit minutes because they were at minimum serviceable and at best, like Ryan Forehan-Kelly, really good. This hasn't happen in a long time.
So I watched him play in a game. It was both encouraging and explains why he is a PWO. He scored about 5 points while I was watching. He made some nice drives and showed enough athleticism to play at the Pac12 level. His team is very well coached, and he has strong fundamentals. However, he did not take one outside shot and he was like the fourth option on the team. So I think his skills are ahead of his performance for now. But he has time to get better and does not take a scholarship.
At least he's already playing what looks like his college position. Doesn't look like an undersized PF.
Our PWO program was robust under Ben. Have to give him credit for that. There were always 1-2 guys that wound up getting legit minutes because they were at minimum serviceable and at best, like Ryan Forehan-Kelly, really good. This hasn't happen in a long time.
Remember how much we complained about Braun back then? We didn't know how "pretty good" we had it.
At least he's already playing what looks like his college position. Doesn't look like an undersized PF.
Our PWO program was robust under Ben. Have to give him credit for that. There were always 1-2 guys that wound up getting legit minutes because they were at minimum serviceable and at best, like Ryan Forehan-Kelly, really good. This hasn't happen in a long time.
Remember how much we complained about Braun back then? We didn't know how "pretty good" we had it.
More than pretty good. Always upper half. Either NIT or NCAAs (albeit bad seed lol).
So I watched him play in a game. It was both encouraging and explains why he is a PWO. He scored about 5 points while I was watching. He made some nice drives and showed enough athleticism to play at the Pac12 level. His team is very well coached, and he has strong fundamentals. However, he did not take one outside shot and he was like the fourth option on the team. So I think his skills are ahead of his performance for now. But he has time to get better and does not take a scholarship.
thanks for posting this video. only way I should make any judgement of a recruit is to see an entire game. A 3 minute highlight video can be so misleading (as they say, everyone shoots 100% in a highlight video)
solid fundamental defender, but I didn't think he was a good help defender (didn't step forward, but rather hung back and therefore was ineffective as the post help defender)
solid passer (based on 2 really difficult great passes), but mostly just made the safe pass around the perimeter. The coach trusts him with inbounding the ball and says he always makes the right play.
poor rebounder considering he was one of the longer players on the court. badly misjudged two rebounds going his way, didn't block out well, or grab any tough rebounds. I didn't see the strength, tenacity nor instinct of a good rebounder.
seemed quick and athletic on the drive, but otherwise his handle was not up to guard standards. He will have a tough time scoring off the bounce in the Pac12.
didn't take a single shot, but shot 1-3 FTs, including a badly missed attempt off the front rim
offensively he deferred the entire game except the two drives to the basket. I don't even think he looked at the rim for a shot. Just made the safe pass or handoff, even when the ball ended up in his hands on a scramble play
considering he's a senior, this is surprising.
This team plays in a good California HS league, so that's a positive.
As a PTO, he's a good get for his fundamental defense, decision making, and length. Maybe he can hit an open 3.
However, I hope it's not one of those deals where he comes in as a PTO because there are no rides left, but is guaranteed a scholarship in the following season
At least he's already playing what looks like his college position. Doesn't look like an undersized PF.
Our PWO program was robust under Ben. Have to give him credit for that. There were always 1-2 guys that wound up getting legit minutes because they were at minimum serviceable and at best, like Ryan Forehan-Kelly, really good. This hasn't happen in a long time.
Remember how much we complained about Braun back then? We didn't know how "pretty good" we had it.
More than pretty good. Always upper half. Either NIT or NCAAs (albeit bad seed lol).
That is not entirely accurate. Braun was a good coach in his first few years who took us to the NIT or NCAAs almost every year. However, Braun mysteriously seemed to lose his touch. We came 9th in the Pac 10 in his last 2 years. As much as I liked Braun, it was not hard to conclude that the program was going in the wrong direction. Of course, the program has been in such bad shape the last four years that I can understand why you would look back with nostalgia.
Not a bad get as a walk-on. Will fit right in with a bunch of other teammates who can't shoot, so no jealousies.
He didn't shoot. That doesn't mean he can't shoot. Unfortunately we know that some of his teammates can't.
While HD's remarks are accurate, I think they miss the point a bit. He played inside in high school. In college he will play the 2. So he has to develop skills that were different from what was needed in high school. Because he is athletic, it makes sense that he is a walkon and can work on those skills. The odds are not in his favor, but there is no risk either. I don't think he is being promised a scholarship down the line, he is not there yet and scholarships are scarce right now.
Not a bad get as a walk-on. Will fit right in with a bunch of other teammates who can't shoot, so no jealousies.
He didn't shoot. That doesn't mean he can't shoot. Unfortunately we know that some of his teammates can't.
While HD's remarks are accurate, I think they miss the point a bit. He played inside in high school. In college he will play the 2. So he has to develop skills that were different from what was needed in high school. Because he is athletic, it makes sense that he is a walkon and can work on those skills. The odds are not in his favor, but there is no risk either. I don't think he is being promised a scholarship down the line, he is not there yet and scholarships are scarce right now.
Way to stay optimistic! I sure as heck hope he can shoot. Anyway, I'm rooting for Joshua Ragsdale to thrive as a Golden Bear!
Logan Alters was supposed to be our dead eye shooter. He has never gotten a chance. And he is a shooter.
One of the many criticisms of Fox at Georgia was that he didn't recruit shooters and when he had one, he didn't play him.
One of the keys to Monty's success was his early recognition of the value of the 3 point shot, recruiting players who are dead eye shooters even if little more, and then using off ball screens and/or inside out play to get them open looks.
Logan Alters was supposed to be our dead eye shooter. He has never gotten a chance. And he is a shooter.
One of the many criticisms of Fox at Georgia was that he didn't recruit shooters and when he had one, he didn't play him.
One of the keys to Monty's success was his early recognition of the value of the 3 point shot, recruiting players who are dead eye shooters even if little more, and then using off ball screens and/or inside out play to get them open looks.
Ah, there's the problem. The objective of Fox's offense isn't to get open looks for shooters, it's to burn the clock. Last year, I saw barely a handful of off-ball screens and not a single back-door even though defenders repeatedly overplayed Cal players. While Monty tried to recruit certain types of players, he always tailored the offense to optimize what he had.
One of the many criticisms of Fox at Georgia was that he didn't recruit shooters and when he had one, he didn't play him.
Maybe Fox should be coaching track & field. Or defense in football.
If only he had given more minutes to Ryan Betley.
The guy with the 6th best 3 pt % on the team at .327 (just behind Klonaras)? As you know, he lead the team in minutes played despite his poor shooting. Maybe if Fox set him up for more catch and shoot he'd have shot better, but you'll have to come up with a better example to refute my premise.
Cal PAC-12 Rank in 3 pt FGs made: 2019-20 #12 2020-21 #7 2021-22 #12
Not a bad get as a walk-on. Will fit right in with a bunch of other teammates who can't shoot, so no jealousies.
He didn't shoot. That doesn't mean he can't shoot. Unfortunately we know that some of his teammates can't.
While HD's remarks are accurate, I think they miss the point a bit. He played inside in high school. In college he will play the 2. So he has to develop skills that were different from what was needed in high school. Because he is athletic, it makes sense that he is a walkon and can work on those skills. The odds are not in his favor, but there is no risk either. I don't think he is being promised a scholarship down the line, he is not there yet and scholarships are scarce right now.
perhaps. I only watched this one game completely.
but in this video I saw him play 80-90% on the perimeter, in a 4-out offense
his only offensive scoring attempts were driving from the 3 point line, and one fast break where he scored a nice layup
I did not see him post up once, nor any passes sent his way while he was standing near the basket
One of the many criticisms of Fox at Georgia was that he didn't recruit shooters and when he had one, he didn't play him.
Maybe Fox should be coaching track & field. Or defense in football.
If only he had given more minutes to Ryan Betley.
The guy with the 6th best 3 pt % on the team at .327 (just behind Klonaras)? As you know, he lead the team in minutes played despite his poor shooting. Maybe if Fox set him up for more catch and shoot he'd have shot better, but you'll have to come up with a better example to refute my premise.
Cal PAC-12 Rank in 3 pt FGs made: 2019-20 #12 2020-21 #7 2021-22 #12
Who are the shooters this year?
Klonaras and his 1 made 3? Seriously? I guess you think he should have gotten more minutes because he was a better shooter.
Betley was a career 38.3% 3pt shooter coming into Cal. Fox and any other reasonable person would have considered him a pretty good shooter. Bradley and Anticevich ended up with better numbers from outside, but they also averaged more minutes per game, so your premise really doesn't fly. Who on the roster was potentially a better shooter than Betley that should have gotten his minutes? Possibly Celestine, but then Fox still gave the most minutes per game to 3 of his 4 best shooters.
One of the many criticisms of Fox at Georgia was that he didn't recruit shooters and when he had one, he didn't play him.
Maybe Fox should be coaching track & field. Or defense in football.
If only he had given more minutes to Ryan Betley.
The guy with the 6th best 3 pt % on the team at .327 (just behind Klonaras)? As you know, he lead the team in minutes played despite his poor shooting. Maybe if Fox set him up for more catch and shoot he'd have shot better, but you'll have to come up with a better example to refute my premise.
Cal PAC-12 Rank in 3 pt FGs made: 2019-20 #12 2020-21 #7 2021-22 #12
Who are the shooters this year?
Klonaras and his 1 made 3? Seriously? I guess you think he should have gotten more minutes because he was a better shooter.
Betley was a career 38.3% 3pt shooter coming into Cal. Fox and any other reasonable person would have considered him a pretty good shooter. Bradley and Anticevich ended up with better numbers from outside, but they also averaged more minutes per game, so your premise really doesn't fly. Who on the roster was potentially a better shooter than Betley that should have gotten his minutes? Possibly Celestine, but then Fox still gave the most minutes per game to 3 of his 4 best shooters.
I think Betley was a good shooter, who lost confidence
why did he lose confidence? I don't know, but it might have been because he was getting more attention by better/longer athletes. A contributing factor might have also been the Cal offense wasn't effective in getting him good shots.
He was the type of player that Monty could have done more with him
One of the many criticisms of Fox at Georgia was that he didn't recruit shooters and when he had one, he didn't play him.
Maybe Fox should be coaching track & field. Or defense in football.
If only he had given more minutes to Ryan Betley.
The guy with the 6th best 3 pt % on the team at .327 (just behind Klonaras)? As you know, he lead the team in minutes played despite his poor shooting. Maybe if Fox set him up for more catch and shoot he'd have shot better, but you'll have to come up with a better example to refute my premise.
Cal PAC-12 Rank in 3 pt FGs made: 2019-20 #12 2020-21 #7 2021-22 #12
Who are the shooters this year?
Klonaras and his 1 made 3? Seriously? I guess you think he should have gotten more minutes because he was a better shooter.
Betley was a career 38.3% 3pt shooter coming into Cal. Fox and any other reasonable person would have considered him a pretty good shooter. Bradley and Anticevich ended up with better numbers from outside, but they also averaged more minutes per game, so your premise really doesn't fly. Who on the roster was potentially a better shooter than Betley that should have gotten his minutes? Possibly Celestine, but then Fox still gave the most minutes per game to 3 of his 4 best shooters.
Well we did finish #7 in threes that year as opposed to #12 his other two years, so I'll give you that.
So throw out Klonaras, though he was .375 over his Cal career (3 of 8), I was not arguing for Klonaras.
I just don't think you can give a player the most minutes of anyone on the team throughout a long season based on what he did in the Ivy League, in a different system when he is not producing here against PAC-12 competition. Or, set him up for open looks with off the ball screens or inside out play with Kelly.
Celestine was absolutely outplaying him from early on and should have played a lot more.
Cal 2020-21 3P% (20 attempts minimum) 1. Celestine (.414) 2. Brown (.387) 3. Grant (.366) 4. Bradley (.364) 5. Betley (.327) 6. Foreman (.317) 7. Hyder (.227)
Cal 2020-21 3PA 1. Betley 159 2. Foreman 139 3. Bradley 110 4. Grant 82 5. Hyder 44 6. Brown 31 7. Celestine 29
So three of our worst shooters: Betley, Foreman and Hyder = 342 attempts And our three best: Bradley, Grant and Celestine = 221 attempts.
The three poor shooting transfers shot 55% more threes than our 3 best shooters.
It is a simple premise: get your best players on the court and get your best shooters shots by freeing them up with screens.
One of the many criticisms of Fox at Georgia was that he didn't recruit shooters and when he had one, he didn't play him.
Maybe Fox should be coaching track & field. Or defense in football.
If only he had given more minutes to Ryan Betley.
The guy with the 6th best 3 pt % on the team at .327 (just behind Klonaras)? As you know, he lead the team in minutes played despite his poor shooting. Maybe if Fox set him up for more catch and shoot he'd have shot better, but you'll have to come up with a better example to refute my premise.
Cal PAC-12 Rank in 3 pt FGs made: 2019-20 #12 2020-21 #7 2021-22 #12
Who are the shooters this year?
Klonaras and his 1 made 3? Seriously? I guess you think he should have gotten more minutes because he was a better shooter.
Betley was a career 38.3% 3pt shooter coming into Cal. Fox and any other reasonable person would have considered him a pretty good shooter. Bradley and Anticevich ended up with better numbers from outside, but they also averaged more minutes per game, so your premise really doesn't fly. Who on the roster was potentially a better shooter than Betley that should have gotten his minutes? Possibly Celestine, but then Fox still gave the most minutes per game to 3 of his 4 best shooters.
Well we did finish #7 in threes that year as opposed to #12 his other two years, so I'll give you that.
So throw out Klonaras, though he was .375 over his Cal career (3 of 8), I was not arguing for Klonaras.
I just don't think you can give a player the most minutes of anyone on the team throughout a long season based on what he did in the Ivy League, in a different system when he is not producing here against PAC-12 competition. Or, set him up for open looks with off the ball screens or inside out play with Kelly.
Celestine was absolutely outplaying him from early on and should have played a lot more.
Cal 2020-21 3P% (20 attempts minimum) 1. Celestine (.414) 2. Brown (.387) 3. Grant (.366) 4. Bradley (.364) 5. Betley (.327) 6. Foreman (.317) 7. Hyder (.227)
Cal 2020-21 3PA 1. Betley 159 2. Foreman 139 3. Bradley 110 4. Grant 82 5. Hyder 44 6. Brown 31 7. Celestine 29
So three of our worst shooters: Betley, Foreman and Hyder = 342 attempts And our three best: Bradley, Grant and Celestine = 221 attempts.
The three poor shooting transfers shot 55% more threes than our 3 best shooters.
It is a simple premise: get your best players on the court and get your best shooters shots by freeing them up with screens.
You leave out that your three best missed 18 games between them.
I have no issue with the premise that a coach should get his best players on the court, just the silly one that Fox doesn't play shooters when he has them.
One of the many criticisms of Fox at Georgia was that he didn't recruit shooters and when he had one, he didn't play him.
Maybe Fox should be coaching track & field. Or defense in football.
If only he had given more minutes to Ryan Betley.
The guy with the 6th best 3 pt % on the team at .327 (just behind Klonaras)? As you know, he lead the team in minutes played despite his poor shooting. Maybe if Fox set him up for more catch and shoot he'd have shot better, but you'll have to come up with a better example to refute my premise.
Cal PAC-12 Rank in 3 pt FGs made: 2019-20 #12 2020-21 #7 2021-22 #12
Who are the shooters this year?
Klonaras and his 1 made 3? Seriously? I guess you think he should have gotten more minutes because he was a better shooter.
Betley was a career 38.3% 3pt shooter coming into Cal. Fox and any other reasonable person would have considered him a pretty good shooter. Bradley and Anticevich ended up with better numbers from outside, but they also averaged more minutes per game, so your premise really doesn't fly. Who on the roster was potentially a better shooter than Betley that should have gotten his minutes? Possibly Celestine, but then Fox still gave the most minutes per game to 3 of his 4 best shooters.
Well we did finish #7 in threes that year as opposed to #12 his other two years, so I'll give you that.
So throw out Klonaras, though he was .375 over his Cal career (3 of 8), I was not arguing for Klonaras.
I just don't think you can give a player the most minutes of anyone on the team throughout a long season based on what he did in the Ivy League, in a different system when he is not producing here against PAC-12 competition. Or, set him up for open looks with off the ball screens or inside out play with Kelly.
Celestine was absolutely outplaying him from early on and should have played a lot more.
Cal 2020-21 3P% (20 attempts minimum) 1. Celestine (.414) 2. Brown (.387) 3. Grant (.366) 4. Bradley (.364) 5. Betley (.327) 6. Foreman (.317) 7. Hyder (.227)
Cal 2020-21 3PA 1. Betley 159 2. Foreman 139 3. Bradley 110 4. Grant 82 5. Hyder 44 6. Brown 31 7. Celestine 29
So three of our worst shooters: Betley, Foreman and Hyder = 342 attempts And our three best: Bradley, Grant and Celestine = 221 attempts.
The three poor shooting transfers shot 55% more threes than our 3 best shooters.
It is a simple premise: get your best players on the court and get your best shooters shots by freeing them up with screens.
You leave out that your three best missed 18 games between them.
I have no issue with the premise that a coach should get his best players on the court, just the silly one that Fox doesn't play shooters when he has them.
Here is my original quote:
"One of the many criticisms of Fox at Georgia was that he didn't recruit shooters and when he had one, he didn't play him.
One of the keys to Monty's success was his early recognition of the value of the 3 point shot, recruiting players who are dead eye shooters even if little more, and then using off ball screens and/or inside out play to get them open looks."
To which your refutation was Ryan Betley?
1st. My statement was about Fox's nine years at Georgia, I said nothing about Cal, though admittedly there was an implication about his time at Cal.
2nd. The statement is primarily about recruiting. I believe great shooters exhibit the skill early and need to be recruited. A one year grad transfer who was supposed to be able to shoot well but didn't at Cal and played anyway hardly counters all the other players that Fox has recruited. A couple of whom can shoot, but not primarily. Mostly Fox, for the last 12 years of coaching clearly looks for athletic players with length, even if relatively new to the game and low skill, to play tough man to man defense. His teams have always been near the bottom of the conference in 3 pt shots made and that has continued at Cal. His best shooters, Bradley and Grant, were inherited from Wyking Jones. However, he did recruit two freshmen that can shoot some: Celestine and Alajiki, I thought both should have played a lot more when healthy.
3rd I gave the example of Monty, whose even earlier Stanford teams often lead the conference in three point shooting and emphasized good shooting at Cal. His offense got open looks for 3 pt shooters, often lightly recruited shooting specialists. I said nothing about Fox, but admittedly the implication was Fox's offense does not get good open looks for 3 pt shooters.
Ryan Betley, an Ivy League grad transfer missing a bunch of forced threes for one season, does not refute the fact that under Fox we make the fewest threes in the conference and he is the one that assembled the team and coaches them.
