Dear Old U.Va.

Wahoo in review - Sylven Landesberg

Wednesday, May 06 2009 by Ben

Each week we'll be taking a look at one player on the Virginia basketball roster: how they did, where they were good, and where they were bad.  Today's featured player is... Sylven Landesberg.

One of my wife's favorite parts about watching a Virginia home game is when Sylven Landesberg scores. 

"SSSSYYYYYYLLLL-VENNN LANNNNDES-BERRRRG!" comes over the PA system.  My wife will often echo it moments later.

I just don't have the heart to tell her that she'll probably only be hearing it one more year.

You heard me: Landesberg will probably not be in C'ville for the 2011 season.  He'll be playing with the big boys in the NBA.

I don't have any inside information or anything like that - it's just a hunch, based upon how outstanding his freshman year was.  The biggest improvement in a college player's career comes between freshman and sophomore years.  If Landesberg improves as expected, he deserves to step up to the next level.

That's a tough pill to swallow for many a Virginia fan. However, being a college basketball fan is a lot like being a parent (I suspect); you want them to stay kids forever, but at some point they need to grow up and move on.  If a player like Landesberg improves as he should, there won't be much left for him to accomplish at the collegiate level.  Add in the risk of injury and you just can't blame the kid for leaving.

So, enjoy him while you can. And boy, is there ever a lot to like about his game.

I could quote stats all day telling you how good he is.  Instead, I'd like to focus on just one aspect that makes me gush: body control.

Landesberg represents a very rare species at this level of basketball: he's not that athletic, but amazingly effective player.  What Landesberg lacks in athleticism, he makes up for it in effortless grace.  He attacks the basket with determination, yet artfully drops shots in the paint.  His offensive game is a beauty to behold.

The control allows Landesberg to absorb contact, keep his shoulders square, and routinely finish the old-fashioned three point play.

Other guys in the ACC finish just as well (Hansbrough and Lawson come to mind). Yet Landesberg is unique in that he doesn't initiate the contact and shove it back in the defender's face.  He merely takes the hit and adjusts his shot accordingly.  This skill, one that served him so well as freshman, will make him invaluable as his career progresses.  Many guys who attempt to "muscle through" contact often end up hurt and broken, the result of too many collisions.

Of course, in spite of all the praise I've heaped on the young man, there's always room for improvement.  The number one goal for him is to add bulk.  I know I just spent the last couple of paragraphs talking about how smooth his game is and how muscling through wasn't a part of it, however, in his current state he won't last over the course of the season.

You could see his turnover rate tick up in the latter part of the ACC season; partly because defenses were keying on him, partly because he just looked tired.

My coach in high school used to give us "keys to the game."  It would always have a #1 priority and a number #1A priority.  This has never made sense to me, but let's say that Landesberg's #1A priority is his jumper.  It's solid enough to keep defenders at bay at this level (31% from three).  However, imagine the weapon he'd be if he could make 40%.  He'd be un-guardable!

The final aspect to consider is how Tony Bennett plans on using him.  With apologies to Chris Lowery and Derrick Low, Bennett hasn't coached (as a head coach) a player of Landesberg's caliber.  How he will take advantage of Landesberg's talent is a major question in the upcoming year.

Landesberg, despite earning ACC rookie of the year honors, still remains unknown nationally.  Given Virginia's crummy season, it's not surprising.  Expect that to change next year, you can't keep a guy this good out of the national spotlight for long.

Past Wahoos in Review

Calvin Baker

Solomon Tat

Jamil Tucker

Jeff Jones