#2 Deuce Bello
Redshirt Junior, Guard
6'4" 198 lbs
Greensboro, North Carolina
Westchester Country Day, Baylor
Sam Snelling -
I'm not really sure what to expect from Bello this year. He was a very highly ranked player coming out of high school, he's explosive athletically, he's not the greatest shooter but he's better than often given credit for. In two years at Baylor he was never able to quite put it all together, and despite his defensive impact, didn't see the floor much for Scott Drew's club. Hence his move to Missouri and a coach that abandoned him before he'd even played a minute in uniform. So it'll be interesting to see what Kim Anderson can get out of Bello. On one side, he's not tied to Bello in the least. Yet at the same time if he can coax out the talent, Bello can be a big impact guy.
I wouldn't expect a whole lot here to be honest. Bello is a superb athlete in a way that there aren't many out there like him. Superb athletes don't always make the best basketball players, and he'll need to find that transition from being the best athlete on the floor to being a basketball player. If that light bulb goes on for him, the sky is the limit. More likely I think he's a guy who can start early, before giving way to younger guys who have the chance to develop at a more rapid pace.
HHKB Chris -
He's long, long in a way that would make Jay Bilas just lose it on draft night. And with that length comes the ability to be the perimeter defender we haven't had in quite some time at Mizzou. Hopefully he's willing to take on the role of the stopper that we heard all about while Frank H was here, and that he can be that guy.
With that length, we get highlight real dunks and big blow the roof off the gym moments that can really get a crowd going. So if Bello is out there defending, getting hands on the ball that lead to break outs down the floor, sign me up!
And let us never forget one of Bello's funnier moments...
CBonerfied -
The idea of a defensive stopper on the perimeter is music to my ears after the Frank Haith era, and by all accounts, Deuce can be that guy. The thing I fear is that between his Baylor experience, his high reputation out of HS, and the inexperience of this team, Deuce may be leaned on too heavily on the offensive end. My hope is that even on a team where we're not sure where the scoring will come from, he shouldn't need to score too much--if he can bring JT Tiller or Zaire Taylor-like qualities into this rotation, that's a huge win. We need Deuce to play within himself on offense and lock down the opponent's best wing game in and game out. I expect around 20 minutes per game, 5-7 points per, and our top ball thief and perimeter rebounder.
Wooderson -
deuce bello - eel becloud, collude bee, lube el coed, bee cell duo