TheFameProtector
- Champaign
I can't see Black defending centers. Offense is not our largest problem but Black did not impress me defensively. It seemed to me that Kipper was much better defensively. Not nearly as high on Black's flexibility as some. He is a great rebounder but Not a defensive stopper.[/QUOT
I think Black made strides this season on understanding what he can get away with (with officials) on the court. But, with new emphasis on freedom of motion and contact under the basket, it becomes more difficult for undersized inside players to defend.
One-on-one defense, I agree with you, I don't see Black guarding other 5s and I don't see him as a last line of defense. And he doesn't have the skills to play the 4, either. That said, he does have a decent wingspan, which might be helpful if he can figure out positioning and how to move his feet better. And he is near elite in terms of defensive rebounding, which I would expect to hold true even when giving up a few inches to an opposing 5.
Assuming we whiff on every other 5 option out there that might offer a true upgrade, my hope is that pressure D on the wings will help to mitigate some of Black's (and Finke's, for that matter) deficiencies, or at least give less opportunities for their exposure. This is the optimist in me looking/hoping for a bright side, but the reality is that Black won't be able to do much against a huge height difference (say when we play a true, quality 7-footer) regardless of any gains he might make.
It'll be a bumpy ride, but hey, that's been par for the course for the past few years anyways.