CougarCorner

I've seen a picture and a video surface over the last few days that indicate Jabari is at BYU right now. Anyone know why? I'm not against it, but seems like a strange place for a pro player to hang out during the offseason.

Also, It looks like Gavin Baxter can jump? (Hes the one that finishes in the video below. Jabari sets a screen, gets an ugly pass from N. Emery and then passes to Baxter. Both Baxter and Childs seem like great fits for BYU. Although Baxter is a mission first guy and will be back in '18.

EXHIBIT B GAVIN BAXTER. Why haven't I heard of this guy?

Gavin Baxter reminds me of Josh Sharp. At 6'7", he could dominate the paint in HS with good leaping ability. Sharp never really learned to play the wings against similarly sized competition at the next level. If Baxter can make that transition, he'll be very good for us. If not, he'll be Josh Sharp for us.

snoscythe wrote:Gavin Baxter reminds me of Josh Sharp. At 6'7", he could dominate the paint in HS with good leaping ability. Sharp never really learned to play the wings against similarly sized competition at the next level. If Baxter can make that transition, he'll be very good for us. If not, he'll be Josh Sharp for us.

Good comparison actually. Sounds like Baxter has put a lot of time into his 3 point game. Which is good and bad. I'd rather have him add some weight and learn to pound in the paint, become someone similar to D. Sabonis.

Better late than never for Jabari I guess?

Sure wish he'd decided to spend a season at BYU before going to the NBA rather than come by for a few pickup games afterwards.

hawkwing wrote:Better late than never for Jabari I guess?

Sure wish he'd decided to spend a season at BYU before going to the NBA rather than come by for a few pickup games afterwards.

Is he doing some classes? I still don't know why he's hanging out at BYU.

BroncoBot wrote:

hawkwing wrote:Better late than never for Jabari I guess?

Sure wish he'd decided to spend a season at BYU before going to the NBA rather than come by for a few pickup games afterwards.

Is he doing some classes? I still don't know why he's hanging out at BYU.

for the LDS girls?

snoscythe wrote:Gavin Baxter reminds me of Josh Sharp. At 6'7", he could dominate the paint in HS with good leaping ability. Sharp never really learned to play the wings against similarly sized competition at the next level. If Baxter can make that transition, he'll be very good for us. If not, he'll be Josh Sharp for us.

the recruiting services seem to see a difference between Sharp, who was barely on their radar

http://espn.go.com/college-sports/baske ... josh-sharp

and Baxter:
http://espn.go.com/college-sports/baske ... vin-baxter

I'm not an expert at judging HS talent, but whatever the real differences may be, those who are supposedly experts have rated them much differently.

BlueK wrote:

snoscythe wrote:Gavin Baxter reminds me of Josh Sharp. At 6'7", he could dominate the paint in HS with good leaping ability. Sharp never really learned to play the wings against similarly sized competition at the next level. If Baxter can make that transition, he'll be very good for us. If not, he'll be Josh Sharp for us.

the recruiting services seem to see a difference between Sharp, who was barely on their radar

http://espn.go.com/college-sports/baske ... josh-sharp

and Baxter:
http://espn.go.com/college-sports/baske ... vin-baxter

I'm not an expert at judging HS talent, but whatever the real differences may be, those who are supposedly experts have rated them much differently.

You are aware that ESPN didn't even have a scouting service beyond their top-100 in 2008, right? I'm not surprised to find him unscouted--Gavin Baxter isn't top-100 either. I also doubt the services that did do scouting back then ever looked hard at Sharp since he committed to Utah so early, either.

For the sake of comparison, though:

Sharp was 1st team all-state (5A) out of Lone Peak, averaging 13.5 ppg and 6.3 rpg his senior year.

Baxter was also 1st team all-state (4A) out of Timpview, averaging 17 and 7 his senior year.

Baxter's numbers are slightly better, but I would argue that his competition was weaker and Baxter didn't have to share the ball as much as Sharp did at Lone Peak.

Not saying that Baxter is equal to, worse than, or worse than Sharp. Just that having watched both play HS ball in Utah Valley, their game is very similar, and Baxter will have to overcome the same obstacles that Sharp could never get over.

I truly hope Baxter does a better job adjusting than Sharp--I was just pointing out the transition ahead of him, and pointing to a guy that couldn't do it as well as we all hoped.

Baxter and Sharp don't even belong in the same conversation. Baxter (just like Kyle Collinsworth) was limited in terms of scoring, because he played on a team that had guys that were so much below his level it slowed him down (excluding Davies, which limited Kyle some too since Brandon took up the middle in high school)... but Kyle wanted to run and his team couldn't... Baxter is made to run and his team couldn't (plus he essentially played power forward center when he should have been playing the 3 on a great high school team) not because he couldn't drop 20+ a game... Josh Sharp couldn't hit the broad side of a barn if it wasn't a cherry picking dump or garbage put back... Baxter can handle the ball, can finish, and can shoot.

Baxter is more Travis Hansen than Josh Sharp.. the only comparison with Sharp that anyone could make is that he's skinny right now... that will change

Baxter is an athletic freak with solid perimeter defense skills, a decent jump shot, can hit free throws, and can handle the ball... (what about that other than he's skinny sounds like Josh Sharp?)...

We'd be better off next year if Baxter were on the team, because we need another 3

To top it off, I would bet he has darn near a 7 foot wingspan... all he needs it 15 pounds and he'll be a fantastic 3 and he'll be the closest thing to Vince Carter that we've seen at BYU