Gabe Lazo Out

#501
#501
BBallNut said:
Shooters need to be ‘in rhythm’ to make three pointers. It’s impossible to get in rhythm when you are being run in and out of the game every two minutes. It’s twice as difficult when almost everything you are doing goes against how you have played the game your whole life.
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1. Tess and Sara and jewel and Samara (while running point, no less) were able to shoot in this system.

2. Who are the current great shooters who are being limited by the system?

3. Goes against everything you’ve done your whole life? That’s an exaggeration. What’s so jarringly different you can’t shoot? Just like double teaming on the press? The half court offense usually is a weave out top, that’s not different at all.
 
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#503
#503
Volstylexx said:
Ok. I’ll bite. Say… you’re correct that our absolutely loaded (on paper) freshman class turned out to be duds….

How do we spin transfers like Latham and Barker regressing? Barker was Big Ten Sixth Player of the Year (2025 and SEC All-Freshman Team (2023). Latham was ACC freshman of the year.

When everyone on the team doesn’t either (a) live up to their recruiting rankings and/or (b) regress from where they were, in an otherwise successful career, then hear me out…. It might NOT be the players fault.
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Barker averaged 14.3 pts, career high. Career high 73% FT. Best 3 pt % since rookie year.
Mia averaged 10.4 pts. Well within the range of what is expected of her ranking within the SEC.
Wolfenbarger had a lot of 0 point outings vs the SEC teams while playing for Mulky. Had a couple of inflated performances that gave her a 4.6 pt average. Didn't play very much this year.
Civil around 20 ranking averaged 6.4 points per game over 19 mins. As I stated on another post Jordan Lee #8 or 9 ranking for Texas averaged 5.8 pts over 20 mins a game her freshman year.
Prawl was low at 4.0 points over 15 mins. We will see with her next team how much that improves. Ayla McDowell #15 or so, avergaged 4.2 over 14 mins for SC.

Where is all the underperforming that you are referring to ?
 
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#504
#504
Volstylexx said:
Ok. I’ll bite. Say… you’re correct that our absolutely loaded (on paper) freshman class turned out to be duds….

How do we spin transfers like Latham and Barker regressing? Barker was Big Ten Sixth Player of the Year (2025 and SEC All-Freshman Team (2023). Latham was ACC freshman of the year.

When everyone on the team doesn’t either (a) live up to their recruiting rankings and/or (b) regress from where they were, in an otherwise successful career, then hear me out…. It might NOT be the players fault.
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How did Janiah regress? She averaged double the points, had the same fg% and shot much better from 3.Latham didn’t regress either. She just played more minutes at Syracuse. She didn’t exactly light the world on fire.
 
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#506
#506
BBallNut said:
Shooters need to be ‘in rhythm’ to make three pointers. It’s impossible to get in rhythm when you are being run in and out of the game every two minutes. It’s twice as difficult when almost everything you are doing goes against how you have played the game your whole life.
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Please go to ESPN stats for TN games last year and look at the stats. Look at game by game team stats vs SEC teams for Kim's 1st Team and Kellie's last team and identify where Kim's team was out of rhythm because of subbing.
Look at individual player stats for Jewel, Samara, Tess and Ruby and idenitfy where this subbing adversely impacted their shooting percentages relative to their previous teams.
 
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#507
#507
JL1231 said:
Please go to ESPN stats for TN games last year and look at the stats. Look at game by game team stats vs SEC teams for Kim's 1st Team and Kellie's last team and identify where Kim's team was out of rhythm because of subbing.
Look at individual player stats for Jewel, Samara, Tess and Ruby and idenitfy where this subbing adversely impacted their shooting percentages relative to their previous teams.
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👏🏻👏🏻yep. 3 of those players made 60+ 3s during the season. They can make excuses about it being the subbing that takes you out of “rhythm” but that’s a mental thing. You could argue fouling does that worse than the subbing, but it’s prob a weak argument too. Sports are mostly mental. If you let it bother you then it will. Become tough mentally & you’d be amazed at what you can play through if you are determined enough & care enough.
 
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#508
#508
StepCross said:
I literally didn’t say that. I said they’re young and need time.

You’re not arguing in good faith if you have to put words in my mouth.
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I never argue in good faith. 😜 But the argument wasn’t as much specific to you, as it was geared towards the barrage of posters suggesting both directly, and indirectly that this season‘s team wasn’t talented. I do find that to be a cheap excuse that deflects away from the fact that Kim seemed lost for much of the year.
 
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#509
#509
volbeast33 said:
How did Janiah regress? She averaged double the points, had the same fg% and shot much better from 3.Latham didn’t regress either. She just played more minutes at Syracuse. She didn’t exactly light the world on fire.
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Maybe their concussions kept them off the awards lists this year. (Blue font)
 
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#512
#512
JL1231 said:
Please go to ESPN stats for TN games last year and look at the stats. Look at game by game team stats vs SEC teams for Kim's 1st Team and Kellie's last team and identify where Kim's team was out of rhythm because of subbing.
Look at individual player stats for Jewel, Samara, Tess and Ruby and idenitfy where this subbing adversely impacted their shooting percentages relative to their previous teams.
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I think it’s better to look at career three point percentages prior and those show more of a mixed bag. Spencer and Ruby’s percentages were up above their career average. Jewel shot basically the same as her career average prior to Kim. Tess and Sara shot a worse percentage in their one season with Kim than their career average under Kellie. This year Cooper snd Barker shot better than their career percentage. Nya was right around hers. The subbing seemed to help some, kept some the same, and hurt others. Not sure you can claim it overall hurt or helped with the data we have.
 
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#513
#513
KnoxLikeUs said:
I’ll pass. Seeing mature age adults use catchphrases like “blow smoke” during dialogue is a sign not to waste a post.
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KLUTZ objects to metaphoric language when used by others.
It writes gooey prose like this:

“LSU got sent home…”
“…posters here don’t look beyond the surface”
“These people have issues and live in an alternate universe.”
“you have to come out of the woodworks (sic)”


Mr. Orwell would be appalled by the abundance of tired clichés (SWIDT)
and unimaginative metaphors. “ Staleness of imagery “ was Orwell's term for such dull, insipid writing.





 
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#514
#514
spojo13 said:
I think it’s better to look at career three point percentages prior and those show more of a mixed bag. Spencer and Ruby’s percentages were up above their career average. Jewel shot basically the same as her career average prior to Kim. Tess and Sara shot a worse percentage in their one season with Kim than their career average under Kellie. This year Cooper snd Barker shot better than their career percentage. Nya was right around hers. The subbing seemed to help some, kept some the same, and hurt others. Not sure you can claim it overall hurt or helped with the data we have.
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I think recent data ( 2 years ) is more accurate because it reflects the current environment better as long as the sample size is sufficient. So when we are comparing Kims first year to Kellie's last the SEC was more similar than going back two or three more years. Jewels first 2 years were in the ACC. Outside of the first year in the ACC it was her best pct in the SEC. I have simply been fighting against the perception that subbing was hurting the shooter because they can't get in rhythm. I wasn't advocating that it was a positive. Although that is something I may explore next year if things get back on track. Tess pct was up from the previous year accross the board, FG, FT, 3PT.
 
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#515
#515
StepCross said:
There are a lot of versions of talent.

-There is “talented in HS but can’t find their game at the college level.”

-there is “talented but young and developing.”

-there is “thought they were talented but looks like a missed evaluation.”

-there is “talented but limited.”

-there is “talented but what on earth is going on with that player.”

-and of course there’s “just good, period”

We had a mix of those. A LOT were young and might develop into something special still. Some were talented but limited. Some were confusing.

But (a) this year, at this stage of everyone’s development, it was not a loaded team. In the SEC—which *is* loaded—we often didn’t have the more talented player at any position at all. (At least not yet; it’s way too early to give up on the freshmen.) And (b) no matter how talented the individuals, the roster as a whole had gaps. Outside shooting in particular was just not there at all. And reliable bigs were hard to find most of the time.

This is not a defense of the coach. In the portal era, it’s absolutely possible to build a good team quickly, and that falls on the HC, and this year’s team was not well built.

Can she turn it around? I think we will know in a month, give or take.
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Cooper and Barker were the most talented players on the court in about half or more of the games they played in. Every year 700 people vote to select the McDonald's All Americans. TN started last season with seven McDonald's All Americans. Only UConn and South Carolina could match that.
Basketball is a team sport. Coaching makes a big difference. Good offensive and defensive sets put talented players in position to make high-percentage shots, grab rebounds, avoid fouling, etc. Good coaches know how to build player confidence, discipline, teamwork and harmony.
 
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#516
#516
1reVOLver said:
KLUTZ objects to metaphoric language when used by others.
It writes goey prose like this:

“LSU got sent home…”
“…posters here don’t look beyond the surface”
“These people have issues and live in an alternate universe.”
“you have to come out of the woodworks (sic)”


Mr. Orwell would be appalled by the abundance of tired clichés (SWIDT)
and unimaginative metaphors. “ Staleness of imagery “ was Orwell's term for such dull, insipid writing.
Click to expand...
Great post. As the French would say "Le Mordeur, Mordu." (The Biter, Bitten)
 
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#517
#517
VintageFan said:
Cooper and Barker were the most talented players on the court in about half or more of the games they played in.
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Yeah. The half we won.
VintageFan said:
Every year 700 people vote to select the McDonald's All Americans.
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Interesting. I would have guessed it was no more than 695.
VintageFan said:
TN started last season with seven McDonald's All Americans.
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3 were true freshmen. Expecting them to play like seniors is unrealistic.

2 more didn’t pan out at previous stops so it’s weird to count them in this argument.
VintageFan said:
Only UConn and South Carolina could match that.
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I’m not searching every team to check this, but you are at least missing Texas who also has 7.
VintageFan said:
Basketball is a team sport.
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And this team was not well put together.
VintageFan said:
Coaching makes a big difference. Good offensive and defensive sets put talented players in position to make high-percentage shots, grab rebounds, avoid fouling, etc.
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And I question whether this staff can do it.

But my objection was calling this roster the most talented in a decade. I don’t think it’s that.
 
#520
#520
Lazo heading to LSU makes a ton of sense and to be honest - I expected the announcement from the moment we heard of his departure. His larger-than-life personality - loud, animated, relatable - resonates with this generation of kids and recruits genuinely love him. He’s creative too, i.e. the Lambos lol. He brings energy, diversity, and a clear ability to connect with young players.

LSU’s culture is high-energy, bold, and fun under crazy (and competitive) Kim Mulkey and that fits him perfectly. Mulkey is a hall of fame coach and her national titles and outsized personality drive that LSU culture of toughness, swagger and relentless competitive fire. While it's not and never will be the Summitt, as a Mississippi native born in Baton rouge, I've been raised around Louisiana culture and sports since birth. LSU isn’t just any job - at this point in time, it’s one of the most high‑profile, high‑energy environments in women’s college basketball. Fans embrace that intensity. LSU game days are legitimately an event with big crowds, passionate support, and a vibe that’s very different from most places. I went to see them play SC on Valentine's Day and good lord. They need big personalities to power the engine - think Flau'jae, Angel Reese. Lazo will bring them. Good professional opportunity for him too bc LSU will have strong seasons as long as Mulkey's there, the $ to bring recruits, and Lazo will have expanded responsibilities.

None of this is a knock on what he did here at Tennessee; he built strong classes here. But in Baton Rouge, his personality and recruiting style will thrive, and I expect him to make an immediate impact.
 
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#521
#521
SummittSoul said:
Lazo heading to LSU makes a ton of sense and to be honest - I expected the announcement from the moment we heard of his departure. His larger-than-life personality - loud, animated, relatable - resonates with this generation of kids and recruits genuinely love him. He’s creative too, i.e. the Lambos lol. He brings energy, diversity, and a clear ability to connect with young players.

LSU’s culture is high-energy, bold, and fun under crazy (and competitive) Kim Mulkey and that fits him perfectly. Mulkey is a hall of fame coach and her national titles and outsized personality drive that LSU culture of toughness, swagger and relentless competitive fire. While it's not and never will be the Summitt, as a Mississippi native born in Baton rouge, I've been raised around Louisiana culture and sports since birth. LSU isn’t just any job - at this point in time, it’s one of the most high‑profile, high‑energy environments in women’s college basketball. Fans embrace that intensity. LSU game days are legitimately an event with big crowds, passionate support, and a vibe that’s very different from most places. I went to see them play SC on Valentine's Day and good lord. They need big personalities to power the engine - think Flau'jae, Angel Reese. Lazo will bring them. Good professional opportunity for him too bc LSU will have strong seasons as long as Mulkey's there, the $ to bring recruits, and Lazo will have expanded responsibilities.

None of this is a knock on what he did here at Tennessee; he built strong classes here. But in Baton Rouge, his personality and recruiting style will thrive, and I expect him to make an immediate impact.
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He fits there.
 
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