I looked up Cal basketball season records ( https://www.sports-reference.com/cbb/schools/california/ ). The worst team ever by winning percentage was the 1978-79 team that was 6-21 (.222). The worse team this century was 2017-2018 was 8-24 (.250). I don't see this team doing as well as either.
The biggest problem I see is that they lack basketball savvy. Other than the two points, Askew and Brown, the other players look like the picked up a basketball only recently. This is closely followed by the lack of scoring ability. LT and Askew should be the fourth and fifth scorers rather than the first and second scorers. LT was credited with 5 turnovers against Davis, but it seemed more like 7 or 8. He can score against smaller players, but he can not be the go to scorer with all his turnovers. The same goes for Askew, who knows all of Chris Paul's moves, but does them with less athleticism and with erratic touch. Askew does have excellent vision and knows how to feed the post, which is something. He is the right point guard on the wrong team.
The one bright spot is Newell, who looks to have somewhere between decent and good touch and can already dribble right or left, something Kuany and Alajiki will never be able to do. I think he is going to be good. Okafor has good quickness and shot blocking ability but nothing else. He is a couple years away. Clayton shot in the 30s against low competition, so I don't expect much there. The idea that the team has depth without a Pac12 average starter is so absurd.
I love the Rodney Brown addition. I can see a team of R. Brown, Askew, Newell, Okafor and maybe three new recruits/transfers being mediocre. Right now, mediocre is a dream.
The biggest problem I see is that they lack basketball savvy. Other than the two points, Askew and Brown, the other players look like the picked up a basketball only recently. This is closely followed by the lack of scoring ability. LT and Askew should be the fourth and fifth scorers rather than the first and second scorers. LT was credited with 5 turnovers against Davis, but it seemed more like 7 or 8. He can score against smaller players, but he can not be the go to scorer with all his turnovers. The same goes for Askew, who knows all of Chris Paul's moves, but does them with less athleticism and with erratic touch. Askew does have excellent vision and knows how to feed the post, which is something. He is the right point guard on the wrong team.
The one bright spot is Newell, who looks to have somewhere between decent and good touch and can already dribble right or left, something Kuany and Alajiki will never be able to do. I think he is going to be good. Okafor has good quickness and shot blocking ability but nothing else. He is a couple years away. Clayton shot in the 30s against low competition, so I don't expect much there. The idea that the team has depth without a Pac12 average starter is so absurd.
I love the Rodney Brown addition. I can see a team of R. Brown, Askew, Newell, Okafor and maybe three new recruits/transfers being mediocre. Right now, mediocre is a dream.
