Nice gambit by GymRat. And some civilized comment!
My two cents:
Basketball is a complicated game. It requires may disparate parts to mesh cohesively in order to be successful. It is the classic case of the sum of the parts not being greater than the whole. In retrospect, last year was a sum of the parts year. Lots of playing for oneself rather than with and for the whole. It is difficult to put in a formula that special set of circumstances that creates an environment where the assemblage of the various parts creates something special. And in today's "AAU/looking forward to the League" culture, that formula is even more elusive.
Some schools assemble an overwhelming aggregation of the highest level of talent such that they can overcome some of the "sum of the parts" deficiencies. Think Kentucky, Duke and a few others.
Other schools rely on the meshing of good kids with some but not the highest talent and skill. Wichita State comes to mind. The Shockers have older and mature kids. They may look to developing into NBA players but for so few of them it is not a foregone conclusion like so many of the Ky, Duke, KS etc. players. There is no BE team that has an aggregation of top talent such that they can just overcome individualistic play. Perhaps what made some of the Duke and KY teams so interesting is how they subjugated their egos for the good of the team.
For most schools, when the egos dominate, problems ensue.
I am not an insider. I don't know what the real story was at the Hall last year. The games that I saw early on were entertaining and it appeared that the players were playing for each other - the team. At the end of the season, the egos stepped up front and center. Hence the collapse.
As for talent, size qualifies. You cannot coach size. One of things that has always struck me is that the BE has always had size - not just tall kids but rather big kids - kids with broad shoulders and muscular frames. Last year's team had two of those kids - Delgado and Anthony. As they mature further, kids like Sonogo and Nzei should develop some of this size. The new kids are big. That's why weight lifting programs are so important. Don't downplay speed too. John Wooden always preferred speed and quickness to size. Of course if you can combine the two....
As for skill, every player has strengths and weaknesses. But will kids work on improving every day. Too many kids get complacent thinking that all they need do is wait the necessary time and the League will come calling. Remember that the generally accepted perception of bigs is that they develop later than the smaller guys. That's why many of the young kids end up in the D-league or on the pines in the NBA when the go pro. They need time to develop. they are often drafted on potential.
I lament kids' leaving early. It has taken some of the enjoyment out of college hoops. The turnover is rapid and the overall skill level and teamsmanship has diminished.
With that said, the Hall has some big kids. The younger ones seem to be developing. I am not at practice but the reports here indicate as much. The quickness level seems to have increased. Now these kids need to develop the discipline to execute, to pay attention to the little things and to play for the team rather than the self. Much of this is part of each kid's personality. He either is inclined to supress his ego for the greater good or he puts himself over the team. How many of us remember not wanting to play with a kid because he was a ball hog! He may have been the best player by far, but we rarely won because he wasn't playing for the team. But ultimately the beauty of college basketball is taking good and selfless kids with talent and having them come together as a real team.
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I think of the recent UCLA teams who had so much talent but were clearly out for themselves. Contrast that with Wichita State who has some talent but plays for each other and with a disciplined focus.
Judging from what I saw in the early part of last year, I am optimistic. I think some of the ego issues are gone (and I was a fan of Sina). The Hall is closer to what I would call BE size. There is skill. And I am optimistic that this group will play for each other. It may be an evolving process. Many of the key players are still young.
From my partially informed perspective, I have a feeling that this will be an entertaining group to follow. And no, I don't wear rose colored glasses.
