I think the obvious answer is yes. However, to what degree? Everyone keeps saying how talented we are, and this and that, but what about on the defensive end. Looking at our "talented" players individually, I don't see many strengths defensively. Everyone knows the problems Sid has defensively. Hood is a freshman and needs more strength/experience to become a better defender, which I think he eventually will, but right now I think he's average. Moultrie has the athleticism to be better defensively, but I notice that often times he allows his man to get way too good of position, and he really should be a better shot blocker than he is. Maybe it's due to him focusing on rebounding more or wanting to stay out of foul trouble? Bost is a decent defender, but we've all seen him have trouble with quick guards, and he does a poor job fighting through screens. Bryant is a decent defender but nothing special. Steele is not a great defender, but he seems to be progressing from where he was earlier in the year.
All in all, we have a lot of mediocre to below average parts defensively. I really don't think there is one individual player on our team that I would call a great defender, and it shows as the "sum of all parts" has been underwhelming to say the least. But with all this talk about "talent", what about on the defensive end? I know that part of being good defensively is about desire and effort, but athleticism also plays a big part and we are not an athletic team overall. I think sometimes people get blinded by our skill at the offensive end and overlook this point.
ETA: I'm not saying we aren't talented - I think we are. Just wanting to hear some people's thoughts about where defense plays into the equation.
All in all, we have a lot of mediocre to below average parts defensively. I really don't think there is one individual player on our team that I would call a great defender, and it shows as the "sum of all parts" has been underwhelming to say the least. But with all this talk about "talent", what about on the defensive end? I know that part of being good defensively is about desire and effort, but athleticism also plays a big part and we are not an athletic team overall. I think sometimes people get blinded by our skill at the offensive end and overlook this point.
ETA: I'm not saying we aren't talented - I think we are. Just wanting to hear some people's thoughts about where defense plays into the equation.