5 reasons why Washington Basketball guard David Crisp will thrive

The toughest part of transitioning the “before” Washington Basketball team to the “after” is the uncertainty of players who will thrive in the Coach Hopkins scheme. David Crisp is one such player, and here are five reasons why

Washington Basketball star guard David Crisp may feel as though he has huge shoes to fill this season. You see, the departure of teammate Markelle Fultz to the NBA Philadelphia 76ers may seem to some that Crisp must fill that void.  So David, if you read this, ignore all of that.  You only have  your own shoes to fill this season.

And I believe you are on a journey to much better things.

Energy makes everything happen. But left on its own, it dissipates because it does not focus. It has so much more potential when harnessed correctly.  Last season felt a liitle bit like “raw energy”. There is a ton of talent on this team. But there were mental lapses at times, and less defense than I so desperately wanted.

I don’t see that happening this season, and it starts with David Crisp. But saying it is cheap and easy. Here are five solid reasons why David Crisp will thrive this season. Let’s look at the first reason:

Reason I – Defense will feed into offense

There is a phenomenon is the game of basketball which I find curiously intriguing. In basketball, a player can kickstart their offense by playing well on defense.  You have seen a player or two in your day, struggling on their shots, suddenly turn things around with a good steal or rebound.

That is a common theme in basketball, and happens in both college and in the pros. The only challenge so far to that is upgrading Crisp’s defense.

New 2-3 means new results

While the Washington Basketball team played a version of the 2-3 defense in the past, it was not hammered home on the players. Roles were confusing, as player would be out of position frequently.

That will not be the case for Coach Hopkins. His 2-3 is taught by the textbook, and as such, we discussed the defensive strategy at length before in this article. Hopkins loves guards, and he knows he has a good one in David Crisp.

Reason II – Crisp will take “smarter shots”

I did not come up with this on my own. Rather, it was mentioned by Coach Hopkins in a recent interview.  In fact, here is an extract from that article:

"“He (Coach Hopkins) believes that Crisp can be a 40 percent shooter from the three-point line.”"

So what does that mean? Open up the flood gates and just start flinging the basketball from the perimeter? Actually, it means the opposite. What Coach Hopkins suggests is to govern when Crisp takes the shot.  If he makes the same number of shots, but shoots less, he improves his accuracy.

Pace, Space, Pass

There are times in each game where the pace quickens. Sometimes players get into a rhythm. Sometimes players get out of rhythm.  Getting better accuracy is a must if the Washington Basketball team hopes to win more games this season.

So what does Crisp do with the ball if he doesn’t take the perimeter shot? Penetrate to the basket for a two-pointer, or collapse the defense towards him and pass out to an open shooter. Coach Hopkins will emphasize ball movement from his players. That means that Crisp will distribute the ball more.

Reason III – Offense will be schemed, not individualized

This may not read like much of an impact, but it is huge to a college player. Why do some programs simply “work” year in and year out in college? While some say recruiting better talent, it is only a small component of the true answer.

The better answer is better coaching. More disciplined schemes. And finally, better communication to the players as to what their role is on each play.   So how will that work for the Washington Huskies this year?  Well to be honest, it will have good times and bad times.

This is all new to the team.  Before, the team relied on the talents of individuals to create shot opportunities. Now, those opportunities will be somewhat scripted.

David Crisp is a very spontaneous player. He takes so much to heart, plays with so much passion. Each missed shot sucks a little wind out of him. Raw energy.

Now, place that raw energy into a system where he knows what he does in each moment. Now, he no longer needs to translate his passion into cool collective thinking. He can play by instinct and go with what he sees with limited options.

It won’t happen in game one. But eventually, the new system will seem very routine. When that happens, look out. David Crisp will score almost at will.

Reason IV – Crisp knows he leads by example

Even if David Crisp misses every shot he takes this year, he can still be proud. He stayed. In a time when it’s so much easier to discard, pull up stakes and relocate, he stayed. That says more about his character than any words can say.

And by staying, he has earned my respect. Respect for the rest of his days. Old-fashioned respect, which the young man has earned from each fan. And that is not lip service. That is my commitment to him.

In return, I will expect him to live up to the promise made when he announced he would stay. “Unfinished business” says a lot. Now, it will be up to him to lead his teammates in the process of the new system. He must soothe veteran teammates, while simultaneously making all of the new players feel right at home and included.

David Crisp is one of the leaders of this team. And you know from how he plays that he takes his responsibilities very seriously.

Reason V – Crisp is very competitive

The final reason that David Crisp will thrive under Coach Hopkins is that they harmonize that competitive edge.  Crisp is incredibly competitive.  And the very fact that he chose to remain with UW proves that fact.

It’s a matter of personal pride, of school pride, and of team pride for these young men right now. You can bet that articles, social media comments, and even last year’s stats will surface this season as Coach Hopkins tries to deliver the message to the players “never again”.

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Crisp will own that. He stepped up a year ago in Markelle Fultz’s absence and worked hard to run the offense, despite his skillset pointing towards a shooting guard role. Now he will step up once again.  This is a hard climb for each player on this team. But few will take the climb as well as David Crisp.

He is, and always will be a Washington Husky. And that means, he will deliver.