Today's Report Card: Jamal Cain

I think Jamal should have played more--difficult to grade him based on minimal PT. He could have taken some minutes from starters who may have been fresher at the end of the season--though perhaps minimally so.

I'm really lost as to why Jamal Cain never played. Yes, he struggled at times. Not like others on the court did not as well. He was a guy that help win games in 2017-18, then not to ever get off the bench is weird.

The way I see it Wojo had a double standard this year. Early in the year any time Jamal made a mistake, he was immediately pulled and often did not see the court again that half. No one else on the team was treated with that instant-hook-and-sit approach.

Jamal's play became more tentative. He played scared, afraid to make a mistake because he knew if he screwed up, he'd be back on the bench. He played like he was walking on those proverbial egg shells, and you can't play basketball like that.

In short, I think Wojo ruined Jamal's confidence.

The Jamal we saw his freshman year had a few issues, particularly turnovers. He had a tendency to pick up his pivot foot before taking a dribble, resulting in a traveling call. He also struggled at times on defense, like most freshmen to, both on the ball and with off-ball rotations.

Yet in the non-con portion of the season he had a grand total of 9 turnovers in 156 minutes. That comes to 1 turnover per 17.3 minutes, yet he was already in Wojo's doghouse after the Kansas game (3 turnovers in 15 minutes). Those were his only turnovers in our first five games in which he played 15,15, 15,16, and 18 minutes. That's 1 turnover per 26.3 minutes.

But he wasn't shooting well - 8 of 24 overall in those first five games (33.3%) including 4 of 15 treys (26.7%). However, he also averaged 5.0 rpg in those first five games. That's 1 rebound per 3.2 minutes, which is damn good for anyone, let alone a 6'6" forward.

Yet, the next 6 games he never played more than 9 minutes, and played 1 minute, 2 minutes, and 2 minutes in one three-games stretch.

Then, in our last two non-con games he played 18 minutes against Buffalo and goes 3 of 3 from the field and grabs 5 rebounds (with only 1 turnover) and then plays 27 minutes in our last non-con game in which he was scoreless (0 of 6 from the field) but grabbed 8 rebounds (again only 1 turnover).

That was pretty much it for Jamal for the rest of the season. He didn't even get off the bench in five games and played 5 or fewer minutes in eight other games.

I give Jamal an awful lot of credit. Despite hardly playing he never seemed to pout when he was on the bench. He was cheering for his teammates every game.

I would not blame Jamal if he transfers. In fact, I will be somewhat surprised if he doesn't transfer.

I should give him an "Incomplete," but I have to assess his play based on how he performed, and the final three fourths of the year he played scared. He gets a D+ for this year after getting a solid B his freshman year.

Incomplete for me. Didn't play enough to judge.

Turned it over too much and at crucial times. He and Bailey were in a year long battle for minutes.......both had chances when the other struggled but ultimately Bailey won the spot because he could be counted on to almost never turn it over.

With the turnover issues we had throughout the roster we just couldn't afford to have a guy come in as a role player and give the ball away.

If we had more guards Jamal might have been able to play more....but we were so short of ball handlers that when Markus, Sam or Sacar went out we needed somebody else who could handle it at least a little bit.

Bailey turned it over 6% of his possessions........Jamal......32%.

Bailey's offensive rating even with his poor shooting was 103........Cain's was 80.

There should be a grade option lower than a D

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Markedman

Bailey turned it over 6% of his possessions........Jamal......32%.

Bailey's offensive rating even with his poor shooting was 103........Cain's was 80.

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Obviously numbers don't lie, but when guys plays as little as Jamal did this year, every time they check into a game there is a bit of a panic mode. Sometimes they even freeze as they are too afraid to make a mistake and be relegated back to the bench - which causes more mistakes.

When a guy plays as little as Jamal did this year, I don't take too much stock in the numbers as the mental aspect has a direct impact.

Hey may transfer, but in watching those Greg and Jamal episodes they do, especially the one they did with Wojo, he at least appears to be happy/have a good vibe with Wojo, who knows though.