Just thought this was justified, based on his play. He does so many things right. Though he's certainly gifted athletically, his basketball IQ really stands out for me.
Justin Mullins supplemental appreciation thread
- Thread starter Hkjb
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Yes, he seems to be a very smart player with some nascent offensive skills. Now that he’s a threat to shoot from outside (even if his percentage is still bad) defenses won’t necessarily leave him wide open like Illinois did. It’s still not a high-percentage shot, but if he has to be considered, that can only help the overall offense.
He looked completely lost last year. Credit to the kid for regaining his confidence and understanding his role. Also, the staff for not force feeding him last year and creating a set back. Hopefully, we see the same jump with KJ and Jello next season.
Yes, but keep in mind Mullins played his freshman year at Denver and so is a junior. The other two are further behind on the development curve but also have another whole year to get there. They are the future. Hopefully Mullins can team up with Martinelli and maybe a solid upperclassman transfer to form the core.
I'd like to see Mullins get more involved offensively through back cuts that can utilize his explosiveness. Of course, we want him to take advantage of those open looks from 3 so teams are forced to respect him--which should open up the floor to his back cuts. With Nicholson mostly working in the paint, I am not sure how feasible that is. But with Barnelli posting up and drawing double teams, I think those back cuts might become available.
In the post game interview, CCC praised him, noting that he has a big upside on offense.
I was really high on Mullins last year. You could see the potential, his athleticism, his ability to jump, his speed and quickness were all there. The problem was, the game hadn’t quite slowed down for him. He was still figuring out to pick his moments on offense and was having defensive lapses. But this year? You can see the growth. The defense is much cleaner, and you can feel his potential starting to click.
Mullins is very quick, probably the most athletic guy on our roster. His hands are fast, and he’s a real weapon on defense. Offensively, he’s become a pretty solid passer, and he’s got good vision on the court. You can tell he’s growing into that role. Outside of Barnhizer, he might be the best guy on the break at creating for others. He’s not just making the right passes, they’re on point and with pace. That’s fun to watch.
He’s still not comfortable with the three. If that starts falling? Watch out. That opens up so much more for his game. Right now, he doesn’t quite have the ball skills to use his speed and quickness to break down defenders in the half-court.
Getting more comfortable with the ball in his hands? That’s going to take work over the offseason. But the potential is there. Mullins has a really high ceiling. It’s going to be interesting to see how much of that ceiling he hits over the next couple of years. Developing a feel for the offense and defense well, that takes time. So don’t get discouraged by young guys not playing big minutes. Mullins is proof of that. He’s only going to get better, even post college wherever he ends up.
Mullins is very quick, probably the most athletic guy on our roster. His hands are fast, and he’s a real weapon on defense. Offensively, he’s become a pretty solid passer, and he’s got good vision on the court. You can tell he’s growing into that role. Outside of Barnhizer, he might be the best guy on the break at creating for others. He’s not just making the right passes, they’re on point and with pace. That’s fun to watch.
He’s still not comfortable with the three. If that starts falling? Watch out. That opens up so much more for his game. Right now, he doesn’t quite have the ball skills to use his speed and quickness to break down defenders in the half-court.
Getting more comfortable with the ball in his hands? That’s going to take work over the offseason. But the potential is there. Mullins has a really high ceiling. It’s going to be interesting to see how much of that ceiling he hits over the next couple of years. Developing a feel for the offense and defense well, that takes time. So don’t get discouraged by young guys not playing big minutes. Mullins is proof of that. He’s only going to get better, even post college wherever he ends up.
Yeah, I meant over this year and next. He’s also the type of player I envision getting noticeably better post college ball.
I thought that might have been what you meant....
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