Double-0 is contributing to Duck Sports News in ‘08.
Throughout the Men’s Pac-10 Basketball Season, DSN visitors will have the chance to ask former Duck A.D. Smith questions about Duck basketball.
Click here to start asking AD a question. Or you can leave a question right here in the comments section.
A.D. Smith began his playing career at Churchill High School in Eugene and led the Lancers to their first state championship in 1995. He went on to be a Pac-10 All-Conference player for the Ducks, leading them to the NIT Final Four and NCAA Tournament appearance during his college career.
Smith then went on to play professionally for 6 years in Europe including winning a national championship for BF Copenhagen.
Tags: A.D. Smith, Basketball, oregon
kmilk Says:
January 5th, 2008 at 6:12 pm
AD,
Who on this years hoops squad will be the one to really step up and be a vocal leader? I see 4 guys who are more action oriented, which is good, but you need that guy who will lead verbally and then back it up. Marty, Malik, Bryce, and Porter all seem like reserved personalities. Last year you had Brooks who kind of led them. Who is, or could be that guy this year?
admin Says:
January 5th, 2008 at 6:14 pm
kmilk -
Way to get it started.
Thanks,
JJ
duckman411 Says:
January 7th, 2008 at 4:56 pm
AD,
Do you think Dorsanvil is another one of UO’s “project” big men or do you think he has the potential to be somewhat of a force down there?
Duckdude Says:
January 8th, 2008 at 8:45 am
AD,
It seems to me, that Ernie’s teams require that one of the five on the floor be a leader, i.e. the “glue” that holds the team together.
Brooks did it last year, and Taylor(early) and Malik(later) did it in the Az. game. In fact, YOU did it for your Duck team, more so as a senior(but, wasn’t Jerry Green your coach?). What do you think? Without that able leader to get this team through the “doldrum” periods, they’re not gonna go anywhere? Agree? Disagree? Somewhere in between?
Dan Hershberger Says:
January 13th, 2008 at 3:47 pm
AD,
It is half time of the Stanford game and I am trying and have been trying to figure out for the last two years, why Schaffer does not get any playing time. It is impossible for me to believe that Platt is a better choice. He would be my last choice.
As much as I like Kent as a person and as a coach, I feel he has messed up a lot of players heads, by the way he coaches. He either gives up on them or messes with their head enough that they loose all confidence. Some of these kids have had pro potential and I think Schaffer is one of them.
Anyway, you played for him. Maybe you have some thoughts. I know it is hard to work all these kids into the rotation, but over the last couple of years it seems like the coach has given up on him. I have never been to one of their practices and being an ex-coach, I could understand if the problem was there. Based on what I have seen of Schaffer, I would say his career has been wasted.
kmilk Says:
January 15th, 2008 at 3:58 pm
I was just talking about that at work today with a customer. The conversation was mainly focused on the fact that Ernie seems to struggle with player development. It seems like certain guys have had to develop on their own when they could have been doing the same thing earlier. I think Aaron Brooks is one example. I think Malik would be better under another coach. You can go through the list of guys and Schafer is just one more guy who seems like a potential big guy for the Ducks but he doesn’t fit Kent’s mold.
I know for fact that Kent messes with guys heads. I have talked with a couple of former players about this very issue. If you weren’t in his good graces he had or has a tendency to put you into situations where you would struggle.
For example: not playing you for a whole half, and then putting you into the game with no time left. You aren’t stretched or ready, and you are used to playing a lot more. Then you get a poor pass thrown to you and you miss handle it just as the buzzer goes off. Then in the locker room he blasts you and doesn’t say anything to the chosen few. When the media asks why you aren’t playing as much he tells them you are injured, even though you aren’t.
If your not one of “his” guys then you have a tough time. I think Chamberlin Oguchi fell into this catagory…??
Just one guys opinion. I’m not a Kent fan and would vote for a change…so maybe that makes me biased. I do enjoy the recruits he brings in.
Dan H Says:
January 17th, 2008 at 2:44 pm
kmilk,
We are really on the same page. All the players you mentioned and many more. Their are many things I like about Kent as a coach, but that is the most disturbing one to me.
I had this discussion with a friend of mine a couple of years ago and how I can not name one player that Kent has really improved as a player. (Maybe the Brooks kid, but I think that had to do with some summer allstar coaching) I am talking about remarkable improvement. They gain experience, get stronger and have a better understanding of the game, but I am talking about skill level. If you played as much basketball as these kids play year round you have to get better. I do not see their skill level improve like it should with 4 or 5 years of top notch coaching. Most of these guys come in with pretty good fundamentals and that will get them through, but have they improved in that area when they leave? Guys like the Luke’s, Freddie, Marty and AD, were all well schooled way before they got here. I could go on and on, but it could be worse. We could have Jay John or Steve Belko. It just bothers me to see such a waste of talent year after year. Champ and Schafer are the last two that come to mind, both with pro potential and I doubt that either will get much of shot. I would of loved to of worked with his rejects. It reminds me of his old coach- Dick Harter and what he did to Greg Graham. Really got into his head and he never fullfilled his potential and hardly ever played. Maybe that is where Kent learned how to mess up someones head.