Note: To look back on summer workouts and ahead to fall practice, GoldandBlack.com is taking a player-by-play look at the Purdue basketball team's 10 scholarship players this week. We're going in alphabetical order. Up: A.J. Hammons
Well, this one's easy.
What does Purdue need from A.J. Hammons this season? Pretty much everything.
Production: Hammons has to, has to, has to carry Purdue offensively. I don't mean "carry" as in score all the points but rather to be that centerpiece that brings it all together for Purdue. This is a roster seemingly well constructed now to complement Hammons. Its value will be inextricably links to his play, if that makes sense.
Offensive production isn't just scoring for Hammons. The turnovers have to be reduced. The movement of the ball out of the post has to improve. One of the best ways to get Kendall Stephens, Dakota Mathias, etc., shots is to keep the ball moving and keep defenses moving.
Consistency: Hammons has to be Purdue's centerpiece, but also its pillar. He doesn't have to be awesome every time out, but it would really help Purdue for him to never be bad. He knows it.
Defense: He's going to lead the Big Ten in shot-blocking and be one of the most influential rim-protectors in the game, but he has to be more alert all across the board and improve in containing penetration on the perimeter, an Achilles' heel of his the past two seasons. Zone might help, but we'll see how much Purdue really does that.
Just be on the floor: It looked during the non-conference season like incessant foul trouble was going to ruin Hammons' season altogether. It was a constant concern for Purdue all year and will be until it's not. Zone might help, but we'll see how much Purdue really does that.
Officiating uneven-ness had something to do with Hammons' issues but you can't blame the refs. Alertness matters and too often Hammons found himself out of position and vulnerable to bad recovery-type fouls.
Leadership: Hammons is never going to be that charismatic, captain-type personality, we don't think, but if he does all the right things as Purdue's best player, that can go a long way.
There's a lot of areas where Hammons needs to improve to maximize his potential, which he's not yet come close to doing By detailing those things, we run the risk of making him sound like a total stiff who's done nothing. That couldn't be further from the truth.
Like Painter always says, you expect more from players you know are capable of more, and it's a compliment to Hammons that so much is expected of him. He has the potential to be dominant.
Is this the season he becomes so? Don't know.
But this summer, he looks to be in great shape relative to past seasons and he seems keenly self-aware. He talks constantly about consistency and seems to have focused this summer on conditioning and effort.
Hammons is going to be good this season. It's just a matter of how good.
Well, this one's easy.
What does Purdue need from A.J. Hammons this season? Pretty much everything.
Production: Hammons has to, has to, has to carry Purdue offensively. I don't mean "carry" as in score all the points but rather to be that centerpiece that brings it all together for Purdue. This is a roster seemingly well constructed now to complement Hammons. Its value will be inextricably links to his play, if that makes sense.
Offensive production isn't just scoring for Hammons. The turnovers have to be reduced. The movement of the ball out of the post has to improve. One of the best ways to get Kendall Stephens, Dakota Mathias, etc., shots is to keep the ball moving and keep defenses moving.
Consistency: Hammons has to be Purdue's centerpiece, but also its pillar. He doesn't have to be awesome every time out, but it would really help Purdue for him to never be bad. He knows it.
Defense: He's going to lead the Big Ten in shot-blocking and be one of the most influential rim-protectors in the game, but he has to be more alert all across the board and improve in containing penetration on the perimeter, an Achilles' heel of his the past two seasons. Zone might help, but we'll see how much Purdue really does that.
Just be on the floor: It looked during the non-conference season like incessant foul trouble was going to ruin Hammons' season altogether. It was a constant concern for Purdue all year and will be until it's not. Zone might help, but we'll see how much Purdue really does that.
Officiating uneven-ness had something to do with Hammons' issues but you can't blame the refs. Alertness matters and too often Hammons found himself out of position and vulnerable to bad recovery-type fouls.
Leadership: Hammons is never going to be that charismatic, captain-type personality, we don't think, but if he does all the right things as Purdue's best player, that can go a long way.
There's a lot of areas where Hammons needs to improve to maximize his potential, which he's not yet come close to doing By detailing those things, we run the risk of making him sound like a total stiff who's done nothing. That couldn't be further from the truth.
Like Painter always says, you expect more from players you know are capable of more, and it's a compliment to Hammons that so much is expected of him. He has the potential to be dominant.
Is this the season he becomes so? Don't know.
But this summer, he looks to be in great shape relative to past seasons and he seems keenly self-aware. He talks constantly about consistency and seems to have focused this summer on conditioning and effort.
Hammons is going to be good this season. It's just a matter of how good.
