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The Slide Of O'Connell

H

hart2chesson

Devils Illustrated Hall of Famer
Oct 13, 2012
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Saw these numbers on line, and I know we've discussed the regression of Alex at length. These are fairly alarming drops shooting wise, not what you'd expect in the young man's junior year.

Please fire away with your thoughts, I just wasnt aware the production had dropped to this point.



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Looking at those stats, what’s weird is that his FG%, 3PT FG% and FT% have decreased from season to season for the most part but his PPG has actually increased from season to season.
 
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I remember Alex's freshman season getting annoyed with K not giving him much of a chance. With the 2 bigs being our best players, all we needed to do was surround them with shooters, we already could run out Grayson and Trent JR. Specifically the Syracuse Sweet 16 game that we almost lost, thought K's leash for Duval was way too long and I remember everytime Alex came in he hit a shot or made a play. Plus we played zone, Alex being a defensive liability at the time was masked.

With all that said...to be blunt, he's been a massive disapointment after his freshman year.
 
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I have always been a fan of Alex. I keep thinking that the switch will come on for him. He has had spurts of good play, but lately his spurts of bad play is out weighing the good by a wide margin. I am not giving up hope, but damn, he needs to settle what ever it is that is bothering him. We could really use the good Alex!!!!
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He's not a confident player right now. It's hard for him to get it going if he starts off badly, but if he's able to make a play or two early that's when he's most likely to contribute. I think it's mostly mental at this point. If he could somehow get hot and have a few games of shooting the ball well then I still think he can turn it around...needs some confidence.

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I remember freshman year being so hyped about him because every time he came in he was a spark. Would come in and knock down his open shots. Now every time i see him coming in i get annoyed. Really has been a big disappointment.
 
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I’m one of the many that would like to see him get on track. He might be the second most athletic guy on the team. Like others have said, it seems to be confidence. I also think he presses. Everyone that watches him get beat defensively knows that the next dead ball he’s going back to the pine. The really sad part is Alex seems to know it too.
 
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Mac9192 said:
I’m one of the many that would like to see him get on track. He might be the second most athletic guy on the team. Like others have said, it seems to be confidence. I also think he presses. Everyone that watches him get beat defensively knows that the next dead ball he’s going back to the pine. The really sad part is Alex seems to know it too.
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You're spot on about Alex being quite athletic, Mac. In the last game, or was it at Clemson, when he drove the lane hard and went up...I thought he was probably going to get blocked, but he threw down a huge dunk. He's got all the tools to be an excellent player. Hopefully he can put it together before he leaves Duke.

Liftee said:
He seems like a good kid. He needs our support, for his own good and the good of the team. I may yell at him through my TV set but I really want him to succeed.
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I love Alex, Liftee. He's been through a lot of ups and downs (mostly downs), and yet still hangs in there. No doubt in my mind he's a great kid. I wish him the very best in life.

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It’s not just the missed shots that drives me nuts. It’s the stupid turnovers. I really think the game moves WAY too fast for him at times. Once or twice a game it seems like he’ll throw a ball away or dribble it off his knee.
 
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I want Alex to succeed so much. He comes in tonight and has a care less turnover right away. Maybe we can have such a big lead tonight that he gets a lot of minutes but he's got to respond in a contributing way. OFC
 
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Has anyone notice a change in his 3 point shot mechanics? His freshmen and sophomore years I would always be surprised at how high he would jump while shooting but they always looked great. I haven’t noticed it as much lately but he may just be rushing.
 
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Remember Alex Murphy? Remember the stories we’d hear about him in practices? Guys said he was almost unstoppable. It just never translated to games.

That’s this Alex, too. Some of the practice tales we’ve heard on AOC are almost legendary. Both Marvin and Wendell called him a future All-American. That’s pretty high praise from two pretty talented individuals.

When Grayson graduated two years ago I confidently predicted Alex would be Duke’s next 1,000 point scorer. I was wrong.
 
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My brother in law roots for the cheats. He said he would chip in a paycheck to get AOC to enter the transfer portal
 
may be wrong, but his confidence seems more when he is the main guy in the lineup however that sounds and when less pressure is evident?????
 
Hallelujah!!!! Its like Alex read my post and used it for motivation! I know it was "garbage time," but Alex went off!!! Love it!!!:D

OFC
 
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BlueDaveil said:
Has anyone notice a change in his 3 point shot mechanics? His freshmen and sophomore years I would always be surprised at how high he would jump while shooting but they always looked great. I haven’t noticed it as much lately but he may just be rushing.
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His mechanics have changed without question.
 
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Knew he'd be on a short leash. Knew he'd go off when the game wasn't in doubt. I wish I knew that he'd overcome his nervousness and become the player we all know is inside him. We can only hope.
 
dukiejay said:
Both Marvin and Wendell called him a future All-American.

When Grayson graduated two years ago I confidently predicted Alex would be Duke’s next 1,000 point scorer. I was wrong.
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You are not wrong yet. Neither are Marvin and Wendell. I expect nothing less than the most impressive improvement leap between junior and senior seasons that we've ever witnessed in NCAA history.

Naismith, Wooden, Robertson, West. These are the awards Alex will be bringing home next season.
 
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Feel like AOC does better when he is starting. He just seems so lost at times out there. Not saying he deserves to start but I would like to see K start him a couple of games to get him going. Everyone seems to be playing pretty well and consistent except AOC. Good end to the game last night! Hopefully that will carry over and give him confidence!!
 
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I understand if this sounds a bit overly crass, but I think AOC just isn't that good. At least in terms of what we're used to at Duke (and in his defense that's an insanely high bar). We've had a lot of players that - again, in terms of Duke standards - aren't that good but they often find ways to make themselves/their roles beneficial. Sometimes it's because they have size and length (Javin immediately comes to mind) or maybe they develop a tenacious defensive game (maybe someone like Tyler Thornton).

AOC just doesn't have much to offer right now. I feel bad even typing that sentence, but the majority of his minutes on the court he's a liability on both ends of the ball. He needs to find his niche; his one area he excels at because right now he isn't even "good in his role" because.. Well.. He doesn't really have one right now. He needs some identity. It doesn't have to be a 3pt marksman or a lock down defender; it just needs to be something.
 
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...I will say, although he hasn’t been great for us this year, Alex is the exact type of player that if he played for like an A-10 school and we played his team, he would score 30 points on us.
 
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Buzzooka Joe said:
...I will say, although he hasn’t been great for us this year, Alex is the exact type of player that if he played for like an A-10 school and we played his team, he would score 30 points on us.
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Kind of like the outside bomber from Vermont who went wild in Cameron years ago, and they nearly upset us.... OFC
 
rob5894 said:
Feel like AOC does better when he is starting. He just seems so lost at times out there. Not saying he deserves to start but I would like to see K start him a couple of games to get him going. Everyone seems to be playing pretty well and consistent except AOC. Good end to the game last night! Hopefully that will carry over and give him confidence!!
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If Alex is that mentally weak then Duke is the wrong place for him. It’s not grade school anymore....you play at this level if you can play at this level.
 
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hart2chesson said:
Kind of like the outside bomber from Vermont who went wild in Cameron years ago, and they nearly upset us.... OFC
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I remember that game. He was great, we were awful. We also got some very fortuitous calls down the stretch in our favor.

Reminds me of Rhode Island at home back in like 2008/2009....same deal.
 
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dukiejay said:
I remember that game. He was great, we were awful. We also got some very fortuitous calls down the stretch in our favor.

Reminds me of Rhode Island at home back in like 2008/2009....same deal.
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Exactly!

OFC
 
Mpm277 said:
I understand if this sounds a bit overly crass, but I think AOC just isn't that good. At least in terms of what we're used to at Duke (and in his defense that's an insanely high bar). We've had a lot of players that - again, in terms of Duke standards - aren't that good but they often find ways to make themselves/their roles beneficial. Sometimes it's because they have size and length (Javin immediately comes to mind) or maybe they develop a tenacious defensive game (maybe someone like Tyler Thornton).

AOC just doesn't have much to offer right now. I feel bad even typing that sentence, but the majority of his minutes on the court he's a liability on both ends of the ball. He needs to find his niche; his one area he excels at because right now he isn't even "good in his role" because.. Well.. He doesn't really have one right now. He needs some identity. It doesn't have to be a 3pt marksman or a lock down defender; it just needs to be something.
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I couldn’t disagree more with the opinion that he isn’t that good. I think it’s all confidence with him. That's another problem, but he is gifted offensively.
If he was put in a position where K had to play him for 25 minutes a game for multiple games, I think he would average 10 points & 3-4 rebounds.
He seems to struggle playing for K. Not saying it's K's fault. K is demanding, and maybe he isn't fit for K. There's still time, but he's a junior, not a freshman. Alex plays looking over his shoulder, which is not the way to play. Only he can figure that part out.
 
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AOC has talent for sure. Just lacks confidence and the ability to play big under pressure. I think that's partly why he excels more when we are ahead and the game is in hand. Really, he, Baker, Javin, and Jack are all better when there is no pressure. It's the pressure to perform under duress that seems to get to these guys. Moments get too big for them.

I think they need to somehow develop a stronger mental toughness, to be able to be relaxed shooters when the game is on the line. You almost have to not care. But you can see these guys hesitate to pull the trigger when they are open - unless they are wide open.
 
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Again, I'm a big AOC fan. Wish like anything that he would succeed. But he looks like a freshman out there and he's a junior. That's what bothers me and probably Coach K.
 
Mac9192 said:
I couldn’t disagree more with the opinion that he isn’t that good. I think it’s all confidence with him. That's another problem, but he is gifted offensively.
If he was put in a position where K had to play him for 25 minutes a game for multiple games, I think he would average 10 points & 3-4 rebounds.
He seems to struggle playing for K. Not saying it's K's fault. K is demanding, and maybe he isn't fit for K. There's still time, but he's a junior, not a freshman. Alex plays looking over his shoulder, which is not the way to play. Only he can figure that part out.
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Confidence is no doubt a part of it. But, as at least a few people have mentioned in this thread, mechanics are a part of it too. I don't have time to search for video proof, but his shot mechanics now are dramatically different than his shot freshman year.

Alex is a good athlete, but I don't think there's much dispute that his best way to contribute to this team is making threes and spreading the defense. As a frosh, he shot nearly 50% from 3. As a junior, he's about a good three point shooter as Trevon Duval was. I hope he either regains his prior form or finds a comfort level with his current form. But until he gets his shot right, he's basically a poor man's Joey Baker on this team. And that's not a good place to be. I know K likes upperclassmen, but when Wendell comes back I won't be surprised if Alex gets a few DNP - coaches decision.

Hope he turns it around. Love his enthusiasm.
 
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Mac9192 said:
I couldn’t disagree more with the opinion that he isn’t that good. I think it’s all confidence with him. That's another problem, but he is gifted offensively.
If he was put in a position where K had to play him for 25 minutes a game for multiple games, I think he would average 10 points & 3-4 rebounds.
He seems to struggle playing for K. Not saying it's K's fault. K is demanding, and maybe he isn't fit for K. There's still time, but he's a junior, not a freshman. Alex plays looking over his shoulder, which is not the way to play. Only he can figure that part out.
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AOC reminds me of that kid that probably absolutely destroys anyone in any pickup game, but put him in an environment like playing for Duke (which, again, is asking a ton out of any player) and he's, well, you've seen him.

I also want to make it clear that I'm rooting for him. I want him to figure it out just as much as anybody, but like some have said... He's not a freshman anymore.
 
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Mpm277 said:
AOC reminds me of that kid that probably absolutely destroys anyone in any pickup game, but put him in an environment like playing for Duke (which, again, is asking a ton out of any player) and he's, well, you've seen him.

I also want to make it clear that I'm rooting for him. I want him to figure it out just as much as anybody, but like some have said... He's not a freshman anymore.
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Some guys are just really good practice players. That sounds strange to say, but it’s true. It’s not about opportunities with Alex anymore....he’s had them and he’s close to playing his way out of them.
 
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dukiejay said:
Some guys are just really good practice players. That sounds strange to say, but it’s true. It’s not about opportunities with Alex anymore....he’s had them and he’s close to playing his way out of them.
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I concur.
 
AOC stepped up big time in Sweet 16 vs VT last season. He will come around in a big spot.
 
AOC stepped up big time in Sweet 16 vs VT last season. He will come around in a big spot.
 
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