I really love and enjoy watching his game as a role player and am looking forward to his future. Barnheiser and Martinelli could be a nasty big wing duo next year if Martinelli continues to develop at the same pace.
Nick Martinelli is Good
- Thread starter AdamOnFirst
- Start date
Why do you say he’s not the most talented? I’d argue he’s very talented and has a ton of athleticism. Kid has improved a ton and can make defenders in this conference look stupid quite often.
I actually like his talent as he develops. He’s isn’t an exceptional athelete by Big Ten standards but he has plenty of size and speed for big ten play, he’s got a big motor, and when he gets the ball in his hands he’s exceptionally smooth and in control. He’s got that quality where you can see the game slow down for him when he attacks the basket, finds a position he likes, and works his way to his left hand.
Scored with his right hand under the basket tonight. Robbie Hummel’s head exploded.
I love his ability to work inside. He’s getting to the point where you think he will score one on one in the paint every time he backs a guy down there. He’s becoming a matchup problem for a lot of guys.
I love his ability to work inside. He’s getting to the point where you think he will score one on one in the paint every time he backs a guy down there. He’s becoming a matchup problem for a lot of guys.
The left hand continues to surprise NU's opponents. I feel like if he gets anywhere near the basket, it's like 90% chance it'll go in, because by the time it leaves his hand, he's like three feet from the basket and not getting blocked.
I don’t think it surprises anybody, but I think he’s very smooth and has a lot of different moves that allow him to get to his left hand. He doesn’t just get to his spot and go to the left, he uses his feet and moves the ball around and maneuvers his defender until the look he wants is available.
We’ve talked about this before: it’s basketball, you don’t necessarily have to develop a million different moves to be good. If your left hand is great, you can develop a bunch of different ways to just get to the left hand. Martinelli is getting better and better at getting into a position in the lane that he likes and teams have had a hell of a time preventing him from finding a look with the left hand once he’s in position.
He was abusing his man on offense tonight, and looked pretty good doing it.
I couldn't process that right handed shot when it happened, how did the ball get all the way out there?
I couldn't process that right handed shot when it happened, how did the ball get all the way out there?
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If he can get a little quicker with his feet defensively dude is going to demand big min. He’s very active on the boards. Has excellent touch around the rim. Has great offensive footwork. His defensive footwork has improved drastically compared to last year. He no longer crosses his legs. High motor and has that instinct to where he seems to be in the right spot for boards and lose balls. He also plays a lot better within the offense compared to last year. Defense still isn’t his strong suit but he’s not near the liability he was last year.
That outside shot is looking better too!
Yeah the confidence to take and make the open 3 when he gets it is a big shift from last year that is huge for his role in the offense IMO. Not just a niche 1v1 scorer anymore.
The local Italian kid CC signed is another gamer in the mold of Martinelli and Barnhizer. If CC can keep getting these types of players while adding a couple key pieces each year in the portal, the program could really become something special. They have the arena and student body is finally getting engaged.
Love his game. Every team needs a Nick Martinelli. If he can develop a consistent 3 point shot—doesn’t need to be great, just create some gravity on the court—and a decent right-handed baby hook, he’s going to be a key player for the next couple of years.
I don’t find Nick smooth. I find him herky jerky. Some might say awkward looking in some of his moves. That’s what makes him so good and difficult to defend. Has a great motor and has always been unafraid out there. As mentioned, his defense can improve, but he makes up for it with an uncanny nose for the ball.
Does anybody else see similarities between Nick's repertoire and Chris Mullins (st. johns) from like 40 years ago?? When I watch Martinelli play that's what I see in his game
Collins made a comment to this exact point last night: he doesn’t know how Martinelli gets himself into some of these positions to score, but he just needs to keep doing it. Martinelli is all about spots and looks to execute his super efficient left hand, and he’s getting better and better at getting into spots in the floor to use it.
I was going to say the exact same thing. Not smooth even the words "herky jerky". He is more of a Tasmanian Devil. Very unpredictable.
As I was reading the post just before his from PPD, I was thinking exactly the same thing! Mullins wasn't smooth handling the ball, he was all arms and legs going all over the place. of course, our Nick doesn't have that shooting stroke that Mullins had.
Not at all. Chris Mullin was one of the purest shooters I’ve ever seen. He was my favorite player while growing up on Long Island. I’m a Martinelli fan…but I don’t see any similarities between the two.
I think a good comparison is, unfortunately, Coleman Hawkins (the basketball skills, not the whining). Not quite as big, but great around the rim, good in the open court as a big man, and the ability to shoot well enough from long range that you can’t leave him open. In two years he could be as good as Hawkins is now.
I don’t see the Mullin comparison at all, but Mullin was probably the best college shooter in the 1980s and a great pro, so the bar is high.
I don’t see the Mullin comparison at all, but Mullin was probably the best college shooter in the 1980s and a great pro, so the bar is high.
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Mullin was good enough to be on the original dream team.
Another Strong Islander! I few up in Huntington and went to Chaminade HS. Went to NU and never went back (other than to visit family).
Nick is unlike any player in the history of the game
I might be off base on this, but it seems to me that CC's recruiting is becoming similar to Wisconsin. Getting players that are very good HS players that are buying into a new era of NU Basketball. By the way, Julian Roper 1 point yesterday for TSISB. Just saying.
There were many of us who liked Martinelli last year - he showed what he could do and how valuable he would be. Wasn't really a question that he'd be good. So people can say he has improved defensively or with his footwork or whatever, but his offensive rebounding and knack for proficient scoring were fully evident last year. The stats didn't really support the criticism of his defense (in some corners).
He's just a talented player with a lot of (desirable) intangibles. Of course guys play better as sophomores. That comes with experience. It is almost a universal truth.
But to keep the record straight - Nick was a late bloomer in high school. His brother Dom was recruited to NU by Chris Collins as a preferred walk-on, but transferred out to St. Thomas (Minnesota) after a season. He is still with that team and plays occasionally.
Collins did not recruit the younger Nick Martinelli during high school. Nobody else did either. Nick signed with Elon, then exploded as a high school senior. When his Elon coach resigned in April 2022 to take a job with Duke, Martinelli de-committed and re-opened his recruiting. Because NU had a scholarship or two (and most Power 6 teams didn't) we were able to pick him up against a group of mid-majors. Fortunate, to say the least.
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He has clown feet on D but he tries really hard. Hopefully will improve
Just a false assessment.
Not sure why people want to run our players down this way.
Dumb.
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