Is Lou the best big man since Vitaly?

[wsutommygun]

FWIW, the WSU media guides listed Vitaly playing as a sophomore and junior. Didn't remember it but, apparently he went 2 years at Kiev State but, they didn't have collegiate sports. Guess if he came back it would have been using eligibility in 5 years even though it would have only been his 3rd season.

Anyway, at a quick glance his best game was at Fairleigh Dickinson 29 and 16. He once scored 33 versus UIC. Big D is right about V's numbers.

[dauber]

I never said Big Lou was better than Vitaly. I still stand by my original statement that Vitaly never had a game with those type of stats. Not just points and rebound, but steals, block, free throws, and he did not foul out. Let's not tamp down the enthusiasm which has been sorely lacking at WSU for years. Just maybe we can get some fans in the seats to cheer on the best big man we have had in years.

[wsutommygun]

Dauber, you make a point. Don't have a problem even if you did feel Lou was better, not sure you can quantify it any more than saying all we need to do is win when it is obvious that many people have disagreed with what winning has meant.

I really like Lou and am amazed at some of things he is doing now. Don't know if one player can get people to come but, it will be fun to see.

[ohiopirate]

Jan 5, 2018 22:03:29 GMT -5 twizman said:

Don't forget that big man who transfered to WSU from Duquesne (even though I forgot about him and can't remember his name)

Since no one else said it...Ronnie Thomas.

As Mark Adams said on the telecast Friday night when the other announcer joked something about HL coaches hoping Big Lou was a one and done player and got out of the league... He has a chance to play in the league but its going to take 4 years. Vitaly left early and was a lottery pick.
Lou has a chance to be really special and by all accounts he is a hard worker that really holds himself to a high standard. He's going to be great.

[eyappo]

One problem with the comparisons between V and Big Lou is there games are different. Just because V was the biggest body on the floor it didn’t make him the center. V got points from everywhere, the blocks, jumpers inside and outside the arch. He could also drive and he was good from the line. Lou is a true center. 99.9% of his points are coming from the blocks and the line. Lou’s game will develope over his career but and he will probably add some arrows to the quiver.
You also have to remember V showed up here with a more polished game. The teams he plated on in Europe were almost if not simi pro.
Who is better. Who cares. V had a great career and we won a lot of games and we had a lot of fun watching him. Lou is just getting started, if he stays away from injuries we will win a bunch of games and have a blast watching him play.
One area where I think Lou is better is on defense. I spent a lot of years coaching soccer. I always told my player that 90% of good defense was just being in the way. With the big bodies V Lou have they already have an advantage. I think Lou moves better and uses his bony better on defense than V did. Not a shot at V like I said earlier they have different games. Lou does this without fouling. V had a tendency to pick up cheap fouls. My memory isn’t what it used to be, does anyone remember if V ever made an all defensive team?

[gerb]

Quick reminder: he's doing this after tearing his ACL and not playing an organized game - let alone against this level of competition - for two years.

Methinks this kid has a pretty high ceiling.

[wsuraider09]

Ronnie Thomas is a hard pass. The dude took too many 3s and didn't drive nearly enough. He had soft hands too.

[SportsFan]

I think Love has the POTENTIAL to be the best big man in school history. I think his improvement from the beginning of the year, as well has how much he can still improve, is impressive.

His defensive positioning has greatly improved. He seems to know where to go with the ball when being double teamed, he just needs to be a step faster. His FT shooting seems to be getting better and better as he gets comfortable.

He seems like an insanely hard worker. I am excited for his future. He could be a key piece going forward. It's easier to recruit guards when they have a legit, proven big man on the roster.

[fortwayneraider]

When I first saw Love play early this year, I was afraid he was too fat and slow. He kinda reminded me of that obese player from UW Milwaukee a few years back. But lately Lou seems to have better stamina, and he is an absolute thrill to watch. If he gets covered man to man he is almost $ to get the bucket. But he also has gotten much better at getting the ball out to his perimeter guys. But my favorite part of his game is his ability to steal balls without reaching in. It was on full display against Oakland. I have been attending Raider games since 1989 at the age of 6, and Vitaly was a pleasure to watch.
But I don't remember him stealing like Love does.

As a whole, this team looks like a great fit together.

Our size with Loudon and Parker seems to give teams fits.

A win tonight against NKU would put us in the driver's seat. It would also make Lance McCallister at 700 WLW sad, which would be funny.

[raiderfan14]

The answer to this is simple: Yes he is the best big man since V. This isn't a discussion is he as good as Vitaly. That's for a later discussion but he is the first Raider I've seen that we can even fathom this topic.

[hhgreen]

I concur with that statement. Nobody has played the 5 spot as well since V.

[valhollins]

No. Israel Sheinfeld was better. During the 1999-2000 season, Izzy averaged 17.7 pts and 7.7 rebs. Lou is currently averaging 10 pts and 9 rebs. 

Lou definitely has the potential to be the best since V, and will almost certainly be better than Izzy soon. But, at this point, I still think he has some development to do. 

[hhgreen]

Izzy could shoot the ball pretty good at distance as well. Wasn’t Izzy a couple years older than the rest of the players when he came here? I don’t think Izz’s presence in the middle on defense was as good as Love’s.

[raiderfan14]

Don't quote me on this but I believe he had at least served his two years in Israel before his college started. So I would say he was not 18 when he came here.

[wsutommygun]

According to one of my old media guides, Izzy spent 3 years in the Army and was 22 by the time he played his first season here.