Question: Has anyone seen Jalen Adams?
Jalen Adams playing time is beyond puzzling. What’s his future on this team and will he ever get time this season under Schmidt?
Before the season started there were high hopes surrounding a few of the Bonnies’ new players this season. Maybe no one had more buzz surrounding him then redshirt sophomore guard Jalen Adams. We heard about the vertical leap. The monster dunks. Stuff we haven’t seen from a guard in the RC in a long, long time.
Adams was touted as the most athletic player Schmidt has even brought to Olean. A potential game-breaking type of guard who could, coupled with the other Jaylen Adams, provide the Bonnies with a backcourt duo of the same last name fans could have only dreamed of.
Heck, even after the Bonnies season opener it looked like this may be the case. Jalen scored 11 points off the bench in big moments, made a pair of three pointers and was the SBU’s most effective sub. Even I was thinking this team was going to have a young guard tandem to build around for the next four seasons.
From there it has been like a vanishing act for Jalen.
Adams hasn’t even played in the Bonnies last four games.
He’s averaged 7.6 minutes in the other games scoring a grand total of 12 points and failing to score in three of those other five games in which he’s appeared. Essentially, Adams has been relegated to full-fledged benchwarmer status. I don’t even wonder where he is anymore, as I just assume he’s not going to see the floor.
What is most concerning is that Mark Schmidt continues to sit Adams on the bench while getting almost nothing from the rest of his bench. It’s not as if Adams is sitting behind a slew of players who are out contributing him. He’s sitting behind players he’s likely more talented than and could out produce. This is not to say Schmidt is making a mistake; I trust his ability to decide who plays and who doesn’t. What troubles me is that this team is screaming for an impact sub and Adams isn’t even getting a shot.
Why not throw the kid out there Tuesday night for 15 minutes and see how he does? Better Tuesday than against UMass this weekend.
The Bonnies’ bench woes have been well documented on here before. Their depth will be further tested in league play. This team needs to figure out whose a contributor and whose not and right now, it looks like Jalen Adams’ minutes from here on out may be few and far between.
From what I’ve been told Adams isn’t playing because he’s failing to grasp team concepts and Schmidt doesn’t trust his basketball I.Q. We’ve seen this before from freshman…remember Hillary Haley and Matt Morgan. Both freshman bolted after their first season due to frustrations in playing time due to a failure to figure out the ins and outs of Schmidt’s playbook. It’s nothing new.
Adams was a moderately touted player out of high school and it wouldn’t totally shock me to see him transfer of the Coaches’ Decision DNP situation continues. That’s not to say I’ve heard he’s leaving or think he is, that’s just me saying it wouldn’t stun me giving his playing time and supposed talent level.
Most troubling of all is the fact that Adams already sat out a full season and he’s apparently still “not getting it”. Consider that Jay Adams has only been here since the summer, is running the entire offense and is the team’s third most important player right now…give or take.
So, here’s to hoping either Adams picks up the team schemes really quickly by some divine intervention OR, Schmidt decides to finally just put the kid out there and see what happens (which I doubt).
Lord knows this team needs someone to produce off the pine and giving the sophomore some actually playing time would probably increase his confidence and willingness to grow as a player within this program over the next three seasons.
