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ScriptOhio
Everybody is somebody else's weirdo.
FILM STUDY: KEITA BATES-DIOP'S OFFENSIVE SKILLSET IS CARRYING HIS TEAM TO THE NCAA TOURNAMENT, AND HIS FUTURE TO THE NBA
He was easy to overlook in the class of 2014.
Facing pressure to once again bring in blue-chip recruits to compete on a national scale, Thad Matta's last successful haul of recruits was headlined by the signings of D'Angelo Russell, a star point guard from Louisville with offers from all the blue-blood programs, and Ohio's best player, Ja'Sean Tate, a five-star small forward from just outside Columbus whose father had donned the scarlet and gray back in the 1990s. As Russell makes his way through his third season and Tate finishes up his final year on campus, though, it's the play of a third recruit from that class that is making waves throughout the Big Ten.
Nestled between Peoria and Champaign off I-74, roughly two-and-a-half hours south of Chicago sits the small town of Normal, Illinois, known primarily as the home of Illinois State University and as a settling ground for many of the thousands of State Farm Insurance employees that work at the company's headquarters in nearby Bloomington. Bates-Diop won three straight Corn-Belt Conference championships while at University School there, earning first-team all-state honors each time and eventually making his way to the upper echelon of his state's recruiting lists.
But despite earning five-star status from ESPN and offers from in-state programs like DePaul, the University of Illinois, and Northwestern along with a number of other Big Ten schools such as Indiana, Purdue, and Michigan, the 6'7" forward was overlooked nationally when compared to other top players from the Land of Lincoln. Bigger names like Jahlil Okafor, Cliff Alexander, and Tyler Ulis would all earn more attention due to their location in and around Chicago, eventually choosing to play at Duke, Kansas, and Kentucky respectively.
Once he arrived in Columbus, Bates-Diop showed some of his blue-chip credentials right away, shooting 46% from three in just under 10 minutes-per-game as a freshman. After Russell's departure following that season, however, things didn't go as planned over the next two years for anyone within the program, Bates-Diop included.
Last winter, a stress fracture in his left leg limited him to only nine games and earned him a redshirt season. But as Chris Holtmann took over the struggling program this fall, one of the few bright spots was the prospect of getting another two full years out of the lanky wing who by this point had added enough muscle to play either forward spot without losing any quickness.
19 games into the 2017/18 season, it doesn't appear as though Holtmann should continue to plan for the fourth-year junior to suit up for a fifth in Columbus, as Bates-Diop has emerged as a star in his new coach's system and has helped lead Ohio State to a 15-4 record with a 6-0 start in conference play. As Buckeye fans are aware, Bates-Diop and company aren't just beating teams, they're dominating them, outscoring opponents by an average of over 17 points-per-game in Big Ten play.
Anyone that's watched this team play can see that they've found their identity and rhythm offensively, with an offensive rating of 112.8 (good for 44th out of 351 Division-1 programs nationally) which is markedly improved from last season's mark of 105.6 (142nd nationally). Much of this improvement can be attributed to the back-to-the-basket post games of Tate and freshman center Kaleb Wesson, as well as the deadly outside shooting of starting guards Kam Williams and C.J. Jackson, both of whom have improved their three-point-shooting percentages by more than 10 points this winter and are hitting over 42% from deep.
But the key that unlocks all of their games is Bates-Diop, who, with a systematic shooting motion that looks the same way every time, creates spacing for his teammates. To get him going early in games, Holtmann likes to isolate the forward on the wing, allowing him to face-up and get good mid-range looks at the basket.
Though his long wing-span and high release make his jumper very difficult to defend, opponents are forced to give him space as they're scared he'll use his size and athleticism to slide right past and attack the rim with an even higher-percentage shot.
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NBA teams are constantly on the lookout for such players, the kind that can fill up the stat-sheet without needing the ball all the time and are the perfect complement to generational stars like LeBron James or James Harden. Now listed at 230 lbs, Bates-Diop should have the size to slide between either forward spot in the current pro game and still find ways to score, just as he does for the Buckeyes.
But while there will be plenty of time to analyze how his game translates to the next level between April and June, Buckeye fans should be sure to enjoy his talents from now until March. Players like him don't come around (or stick around) very often.
Entire article: https://www.elevenwarriors.com/ohio...rying-his-team-to-the-ncaa-tournament-and-his
He was easy to overlook in the class of 2014.
Facing pressure to once again bring in blue-chip recruits to compete on a national scale, Thad Matta's last successful haul of recruits was headlined by the signings of D'Angelo Russell, a star point guard from Louisville with offers from all the blue-blood programs, and Ohio's best player, Ja'Sean Tate, a five-star small forward from just outside Columbus whose father had donned the scarlet and gray back in the 1990s. As Russell makes his way through his third season and Tate finishes up his final year on campus, though, it's the play of a third recruit from that class that is making waves throughout the Big Ten.
Nestled between Peoria and Champaign off I-74, roughly two-and-a-half hours south of Chicago sits the small town of Normal, Illinois, known primarily as the home of Illinois State University and as a settling ground for many of the thousands of State Farm Insurance employees that work at the company's headquarters in nearby Bloomington. Bates-Diop won three straight Corn-Belt Conference championships while at University School there, earning first-team all-state honors each time and eventually making his way to the upper echelon of his state's recruiting lists.
But despite earning five-star status from ESPN and offers from in-state programs like DePaul, the University of Illinois, and Northwestern along with a number of other Big Ten schools such as Indiana, Purdue, and Michigan, the 6'7" forward was overlooked nationally when compared to other top players from the Land of Lincoln. Bigger names like Jahlil Okafor, Cliff Alexander, and Tyler Ulis would all earn more attention due to their location in and around Chicago, eventually choosing to play at Duke, Kansas, and Kentucky respectively.
Once he arrived in Columbus, Bates-Diop showed some of his blue-chip credentials right away, shooting 46% from three in just under 10 minutes-per-game as a freshman. After Russell's departure following that season, however, things didn't go as planned over the next two years for anyone within the program, Bates-Diop included.
Last winter, a stress fracture in his left leg limited him to only nine games and earned him a redshirt season. But as Chris Holtmann took over the struggling program this fall, one of the few bright spots was the prospect of getting another two full years out of the lanky wing who by this point had added enough muscle to play either forward spot without losing any quickness.
19 games into the 2017/18 season, it doesn't appear as though Holtmann should continue to plan for the fourth-year junior to suit up for a fifth in Columbus, as Bates-Diop has emerged as a star in his new coach's system and has helped lead Ohio State to a 15-4 record with a 6-0 start in conference play. As Buckeye fans are aware, Bates-Diop and company aren't just beating teams, they're dominating them, outscoring opponents by an average of over 17 points-per-game in Big Ten play.
Anyone that's watched this team play can see that they've found their identity and rhythm offensively, with an offensive rating of 112.8 (good for 44th out of 351 Division-1 programs nationally) which is markedly improved from last season's mark of 105.6 (142nd nationally). Much of this improvement can be attributed to the back-to-the-basket post games of Tate and freshman center Kaleb Wesson, as well as the deadly outside shooting of starting guards Kam Williams and C.J. Jackson, both of whom have improved their three-point-shooting percentages by more than 10 points this winter and are hitting over 42% from deep.
But the key that unlocks all of their games is Bates-Diop, who, with a systematic shooting motion that looks the same way every time, creates spacing for his teammates. To get him going early in games, Holtmann likes to isolate the forward on the wing, allowing him to face-up and get good mid-range looks at the basket.
Though his long wing-span and high release make his jumper very difficult to defend, opponents are forced to give him space as they're scared he'll use his size and athleticism to slide right past and attack the rim with an even higher-percentage shot.
.
.
continued
.
.
NBA teams are constantly on the lookout for such players, the kind that can fill up the stat-sheet without needing the ball all the time and are the perfect complement to generational stars like LeBron James or James Harden. Now listed at 230 lbs, Bates-Diop should have the size to slide between either forward spot in the current pro game and still find ways to score, just as he does for the Buckeyes.
But while there will be plenty of time to analyze how his game translates to the next level between April and June, Buckeye fans should be sure to enjoy his talents from now until March. Players like him don't come around (or stick around) very often.
Entire article: https://www.elevenwarriors.com/ohio...rying-his-team-to-the-ncaa-tournament-and-his
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I was taking to a Co worker and decided today that he's the best all around player at Ohio State since Jim Jackson. I loved Evan but I think KBDs skill set is even better and Conley's shooting wasn't as good. He could get near 30 every game if he really wanted to but he does everything well on this t team
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OhioState001
Tressel Loyalist
When I remember watching Evan Turner his dominance was so eye popping. KBD is more of a quiet killer. Evan would take the ball and get to the hoop and score despite the whole opposing team knowing he was going to do it. KBD is more of a catch and shoot player.
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DZ83CK
Not Banned
ET was the hub of the wheel, he did literally everything for the team - including a lot of ballhandling, passing & driving in the halfcourt which KBD doesn't do nearly as much of. KBD is a much better perimeter shooter than ET & also more of a shotblocker. ET also almost single-handedly brought the program back from being an NIT team to a #2 seed in the NCAA. Keita is a great player, but ET was NPOY.
If you look at OSU players from the last 10 years, in terms of best individual seasons, I would go ET 2010 clear #1, then the next group would include ET 2009, Sully 2011 & 2012, & DT 2013 - that is my top group. I would put KBD 2018 and then D-Russ 2015 next after that group. They were all outstanding, 1st team all-B1G seasons.
If you look at OSU players from the last 10 years, in terms of best individual seasons, I would go ET 2010 clear #1, then the next group would include ET 2009, Sully 2011 & 2012, & DT 2013 - that is my top group. I would put KBD 2018 and then D-Russ 2015 next after that group. They were all outstanding, 1st team all-B1G seasons.
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I can certainly see that argument as well, ET was my boy. I think it is a really close call...ET may have a longer track record of production as of right now and he definitely carried the team. But I think KBD has a wider skill set. It is a fun theoretical debate but in the end, they are both outstanding in their own right.
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LitlBuck
Kevin Warren is an ass
High praise from Coach Ho1tmann
ROSEMONT, Ill. – For the first time since Dec. 30, Keita Bates-Diop failed to score 20 or more points, yet when the dust settled at Allstate Arena on Wednesday night, Ohio State was still undefeated in conference play.
Bates-Diop scored just 10 points in Ohio State’s 71-65 win over Northwestern on Wednesday night, but that didn’t stop his head coach from giving the star playing a rousing endorsement after the game.
After Chris Holtmann was asked about what had made Bates-Diop so successful to this point in the season, the first-year Buckeye head coach got as animated as he has all season, praising his star player, going as far as calling him one of the best players in the country.
"Tonight may not have been his best night offensively, but he will learn from it. You cannot expect a kid to be shooting and playing at the level that he has played," Holtmann said. "No one in the country that I have seen has went through the kind of stretch that he has had in terms of efficiency, offensively. If they have, I don't follow college basketball maybe enough.
"I hope we have a full appreciation for how good he has been in this stretch. I think he is an elite player and I think he is one of the best players in the country."
While Holtmann has repeatedly said that he doesn’t put much stock into rankings or polls, he did comment on Bates-Diops absence from the John Wooden Award midseason watch list, an award given to the most outstanding player in Division I college basketball.
more at https://www.elevenwarriors.com/ohio...iop-is-one-of-the-best-players-in-the-country
ROSEMONT, Ill. – For the first time since Dec. 30, Keita Bates-Diop failed to score 20 or more points, yet when the dust settled at Allstate Arena on Wednesday night, Ohio State was still undefeated in conference play.
Bates-Diop scored just 10 points in Ohio State’s 71-65 win over Northwestern on Wednesday night, but that didn’t stop his head coach from giving the star playing a rousing endorsement after the game.
After Chris Holtmann was asked about what had made Bates-Diop so successful to this point in the season, the first-year Buckeye head coach got as animated as he has all season, praising his star player, going as far as calling him one of the best players in the country.
"Tonight may not have been his best night offensively, but he will learn from it. You cannot expect a kid to be shooting and playing at the level that he has played," Holtmann said. "No one in the country that I have seen has went through the kind of stretch that he has had in terms of efficiency, offensively. If they have, I don't follow college basketball maybe enough.
"I hope we have a full appreciation for how good he has been in this stretch. I think he is an elite player and I think he is one of the best players in the country."
While Holtmann has repeatedly said that he doesn’t put much stock into rankings or polls, he did comment on Bates-Diops absence from the John Wooden Award midseason watch list, an award given to the most outstanding player in Division I college basketball.
more at https://www.elevenwarriors.com/ohio...iop-is-one-of-the-best-players-in-the-country
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ScriptOhio
Everybody is somebody else's weirdo.
THIRTEEN FOOTBALL AND MEN'S BASKETBALL PLAYERS AMONG 49 OHIO STATE ATHLETES GRADUATING SUNDAY
OHIO STATE STUDENT-ATHLETE GRADUATES | AUTUMN 2017
STUDENT....................... DEGREE
KEITA BATES-DIOP....... Economics
Entire article: https://www.elevenwarriors.com/the-...mong-49-ohio-state-athletes-graduating-sunday
I missed that one.....
OHIO STATE STUDENT-ATHLETE GRADUATES | AUTUMN 2017
STUDENT....................... DEGREE
KEITA BATES-DIOP....... Economics
Entire article: https://www.elevenwarriors.com/the-...mong-49-ohio-state-athletes-graduating-sunday
I missed that one.....
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Sickest thing about last night is I actually thought he was having a bad game, maybe 10-12 points. They said 20pts I almost fell out. He can get a quiet 20 points in a game now while other guys are doing work also. That's a sign of a great team.
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MARVYMARV14
Hall of Fame
Yea he really turned it up a notch about halfway through the 2nd half, everytime nebraska took the lead or got it close, you could just see it in Diop's eyes he was not going to let Ohio State get beat, which can only mean one thing, in NBA 2k slang.... Keita Bates-Diop is about to earn that Alpha badge.
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