A lot of people have been disappointed in him since he arrived, but I have a different perspective. I think it took him until this season to really understand his role on the team and embrace it. Sure, his handles have been undeniably suspect throughout his career, but the expectations on Bruce's "first McD AA" were undoubtably waaaay too high. A lot of our fans expected him to score like C-Lo and carry our team offensively when that wasn't what he was asked to do. His role has expanded each year, and I believe that CBP has done an excellent job putting Scotty in a place that has given our team the best chance to win regardless of what his individual stats showed.
He has gone from averaging just over 9 pts per game as a freshman to a tad below 14pts per game as a sophomore to 17 pts per game heading into the Pitt game. That is a good progression with someone who came in extremely raw IMO. Sure, his talent was off the charts, but he was about as unpolished as he could have been. His shot had to be retooled, and his dribble drive had a lot of work that was needed as well. He has really come on this season and not only are his numbers good, but he is doing an excellent job of playing within his means. His floater is a thing of art, and his outside shot is so pretty when it drops in. His mid-range game is hands down the biggest area of improvement shown and he is taking it to the rim with authority. THIS IS WHY HE WAS A MCD AA, AND THIS IS WHAT MAKES CBP A GREAT COACH!!!
His defense has vastly improved as well. Scotty has gone from solely looking comfortable at shooting the 3 as a freshman to one of the most complete players to come through UT since AH. If he can maintain this level of play, we have a legitimate shot at facing the dookies in the NC game and having a 2-4 loss season.
Go Vols!!!
