Derrick Wilson's Shooting

[Nukem2]

After watching Derrick clang that last second short jumper yesterday and awaiting the senior program, I was wondering if there is anything that can be done to help Derrick's shooting. Does a whole lot of good things, but his shooting is just abysmal. He was 39.6% from the floor ( including 0-5 from 3 point land ) in BE play this season while shooting 37.0% (20-53) from the FT line. And, the vast majority of his FG attempts were no-footers.

As a PG, it may not be important that he score a lot. But he really needs to improve his %'s. Really hard to watch him on the FT line or having the ball late in the shot clock while no one is guarding him.

Perhaps the coaches need to help him work on his shot or have him go to a shooting specialist. Just shooting 500 shots a day won't help him if his form is poor. Actually, his form does not look all that bad. but, he probably needs to release the ball more fluidly. My brother made the comment yesterday, while we were waiting for the senior program, that his overall form looks very similar to MU great Butch Lee. But, Butch would release the ball with one hand with a smooth follow through. Perhaps Derrick is keeping his left hand too much on the ball?

[CaribouJim]

I agree that his form is not bad, he squares himself up. From my seats I thought it was going in and I don't fault him for shooting it - he had no choice.

My advice would be to shoot it when open - I think lack of confidence is a big factor. If I were him I would also take it to the rim more - take advantage of his strength and he has decent hops and quickness. Start making some of those and the pressure to make the jumpers lessens.

Now that I think of it, his form does kind of resemble Butch's although Butch was more accurate obviously - especially from the line.

[Phantom Warrior]

Nukem,

I honestly don't think anything will help Derrick improve his shooting at this point. It's not that he is a mediocre shooter trying to become a decent shooter. He is, as you stated, an abysmal shooter. There are just some guys who can't shoot. Period.

George Sugar Frazier was one. Artie Green was another. Marcus West was a third. Between us, we can probably list 20-25 MU players that could not shoot outside of five feet.

Whatever the reason(s), I think we're stuck with Derrick being the same level shooter next year he was this year.

Now, there were some MU guys whose shot improved from freshman to senior year. Cordell Henry comes to mind. So does Tony Smith. Tony Miller would probably qualify as well. But those guys improved a little each year. That has not been the case, just as it was not the case with Sugar, Artie, and Marcus. In short, I don't think there's much hope.

[ziggysfryboy]

Put Murf on him.

[MUMac]

I agree that his form is not bad, he squares himself up. From my seats I thought it was going in and I don't fault him for shooting it - he had no choice.

My advice would be to shoot it when open - I think lack of confidence is a big factor. If I were him I would also take it to the rim more - take advantage of his strength and he has decent hops and quickness. Start making some of those and the pressure to make the jumpers lessens.

Now that I think of it, his form does kind of resemble Butch's although Butch was more accurate obviously - especially from the line.

He is not good taking it to the rim. First off, his fundamentals are awful. Coming from the left, he almost always uses his right hand to shoot. He does not protect the ball or is able to clear space to get the shot. How many times was it swatted away? Junior had a knack for getting the shot off.

As for his outside shot, I don't see it as confidence. He is often way off target. Look at his FT shooting, he is not just off, but way off. Barely hitting rim right or left. Is it his vision?

I would think he has been in a gym shooting thousands of shots a day and working on a move, or moves, to get opportunities. A floater in the lane might be something that works for him, ala Cordell Henry. A shooting coach may help, but I don't hold a lot of hope for him to improve much.

[CaribouJim]

Jerel was a bricklayer and gradually got to be more than serviceable and Tyrone Corbin was horrifically bad and ended up turning things around.

In any event, if he is going to be getting minutes anywhere in the vicinity of this year, investing in a shooting specialist is worth a try IMO or next year will be a series of bad flashbacks.

[ChitownAl]

I think that the assumption so many imply that the MU coaching staff isn't working with Derrick Wilson is untrue. I know two years ago at roughly this time, I sat in the PNX stadium in the open NCAA practices and watched Buzz himself spending quite a bit of time working out DeWil with repetitive jump shot drills, 15 footers to behind the 3 line, wing and corner, both sides. And Derrick was hitting. I'm sure post-season, improving his shooting has been a part of his plan, and will be again.

So, as inexplicable as it may be, especially on FTs, I don't think that it is a lack of coaching or practice. I think that it is in his head, and he has gotten worse since frosh year as his confidence declined. He also may not have the jump shot green light, except in bailout situations which doesn't help confidence, nor eFG%. I wouldn't be surprised that if any poster here or MU Intramural hot shot wanted to play him in HORSE, that Derrick would kick butt. Yet he struggles in top competition with a mental condition.

So, unless you want to believe that Derrick will never improve [unacceptable human development attitude IMHO], what to do? Maybe Derrick's situation is like some people with a need for psychological therapy. They don't improve until they find the therapist that they click with (rewatched excellent film Good Will Hunting with underachievement theme recently. Maybe Derrick/staff need to reach beyond in-house resources... the Buck's Shooting Doc written-up in the Milw JS this week?, there is a famed FT Coach?, pro golfers have Dr. Bob Rotella as a "Shrink" to help them go beyond their physical talents and skills (and I submit that some things from short putting drills could help Derrick with FTs). Someone who knows both shooting form and the mental side. Phantom mentions Cordell Henry, who had a poor fundamental form when I saw him play for Whitney Young HS - I mentioned it in conversation with Deane that Summer, and he told me I was right and that was the first thing they were working on. So I believe that it can be done.

SO, my only advice other than getting outside help for Derrick is to watch individual film real good, like hitters in BB and golfers, and find the flaws. Derrick started to hit FTs a few game back when he put a bit more arch on shot - I suggest that he go back to more arch for FTs and jumpers, because his arch has been flatter again. On FTs, flex the knees a bit. Got a few other thoughts about hands and follow-through, but I haven't watched him that close and whoTF am I? Get a positive attitude and routine Derrick. C'mon - you can do it. MU needs you to. I, for one, am pulling for you.

[MUMac]

I was not assuming that the coaching staff was not working with Derrick. In fact, I firmly believed the opposite. Crean worked with DJ, as well. That staff chose to go to a shooting coach in the offseason to help DJ. That is what I suspect is under consideration for Derrick. With DJ, his form needed fixing. Derrick's form looks fine, maybe a little tweaking, but nothing major.

It may be psychological. It may be that he just does not have the depth perception to be a good shooter. Who knows. He is not good right now.

[warriorfan4life]

Derrick's form is fine, but his release is inconsistent. That is also true of Deonte Burton, but not nearly to the extent of Derrick.

[Alan Bykowski, "brewcity77"]

Mental seems to be most likely to me as well. Junior was another that seemed to improve with repetition. He wasn't much more accurate than Derrick as a junior. Derrick doesn't have to be a good shooter, but below average would be nice. His finishing at the rim has improved. If he could just hit a 10-12 footer with some reliability and maybe hit even 20% from deep it would help him immensely on the offensive end.