Pac-12 All Access: Miller’s wake-up call, importance of Alkins and Ayton
The No. 11 ranked Arizona Basketball team has had their ups and downs this season, but it seems Head Coach Sean Miller is feeling more grateful about his team.
Arizona Basketball Head Coach Sean Miller, versatile guard Rawle Alkins, and big man Dusan Ristic star in a deeply insightful Pac-12 mini-documentary about the state of the team. Both Wildcats do an excellent job explaining what the team went through and how they are coming out on the other end.
The Pac-12 network, which Jon Wilner reported will eliminate several positions and cut costs, produced this mini-documentary. This content is something they cannot cut, it is so well produced. The Pac-12 Network also produced an All-Access version for ASU and mentioned Guard U; we will not be reporting on that silly motto they came up with.
This mini-doc shows you what his practices look like in McKale with Miller. His intensity does not waver in practice, and he still loses his voice. He praises his players a lot, telling them when they do something right and constructively advises them when they can do something better. He wants to close the gap defensively.
Alkins provides the voiceover and explains how the team felt after the Battle for Atlantis, “The world was ending.” But that Miller was focused on getting better for the long haul. Ristic adds his insight telling the viewers that the team felt horrible after Miller mentioned that he feels the team doesn’t play for him.
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Miller is convinced he has never had more talent than he does on this 2017-18 basketball team. Miller says that Rawle is, “A really fun guy to coach because his style of play is everything you want really as a coach in that it is team centered. What makes him such a special player isn’t one thing, it’s the fact that he can almost check the box in every category in the game.” Miller feels Alkins is one of those guys who brightens the gym and that he may coacrossoss as a tough guy that comes from nothing.
“I want to be known as an all-around player because I don’t want to be a one-dimensional player because what are you going to do when that one thing is not working” explained Alkins. He likes to pride himself on being good at everything and doesn’t have a primary position. His teammate, Ristic, says Rawle is, “A winning player – he always wants to win.”
After discussing Alkins and the Bahamas, the three move on to bragging on Dre. Miller thinks that Dre could take a quarter off the top of the backboard.
“Deandre is, I mean I would almost call him a once in a generation, once in a lifetime player,” explained Miller who feels he has exceeded all expectations. Ristic says he hasn’t seen anyone like Ayton before, the combination of skill and athleticism. Alkins thinks he is “Very unique,” that he’s a beast and hard to stop him when he’s in the paint. Alkins feels, “The best is yet to come from him.”
Two questions Wildcats cannot shake these days are how they felt losing three games early in the season and sweating. Deandre Ayton was asked the same questions from Scott Van Pelt (SVP) on ESPN. Dre thinks Miller is a “Very smart coach” and that his coach sweats more than he does during a game, and he may be right. Van Pelt mentioned Mo Bamba (Texas) and Marvin Bagley Jr. (Duke) and asked Dre if he keeps up with them. Ayton feels it would mean a lot to go first in the 2018 NBA Draft, but first, he wants to win a lot of games for Arizona. It’s great that he is staying in the moment and not looking too far ahead.
Here is the full mini-documentary.
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Think it is safe to say that the state of the team is right where it needs to be right now going into a week of Colorado and Utah rematches. They are feeling confident, but not comfortable. They have chemistry, but now they seem to have won over their coach. Miller set the tone this season, and the expectations have not changed; final four and championship. Let’s all help the team by cheering them on, being the sixth man, wherever they play. The Bay Cats did an excellent job. Now it’s up to the rest of us to keep the support up to their level or higher.