Dennis Nett | dnett@syracuse.com
Syracuse, N.Y. -- Marek Dolezaj, a slender 6-foot-9 forward from Slovakia, had the type of season that's typical for most freshmen. He had his ups and downs. He struggled on offense, especially with his jump shot, but he showed a knack for the game with aggressive rebounding and instinctive passing.
He didn't start for the first 20 games of the season, but he was ready when starting forward Matthew Moyer suffered a severe ankle injury. Dolezaj stepped into the starting lineup and remained there for the last 17 games of the season.
Dolezaj became a vital part of Syracuse's late-season run. He played at least 30 minutes in 17 of SU's last 18 games.
2017-18 statistics
Dolezaj finished the season with averages of 5.8 points and 4.8 rebounds per game.
But those numbers don't accurately portray the multi-faceted freshman's complete game.
He also had 57 assists, which ranked third on the team behind only starting guards Frank Howard and Tyus Battle. And Dolezaj's 28 blocked shots were also third on the team behind starting center Paschal Chukwu and starting forward Oshae Brissett. In fact, Dolezaj had just one fewer blocks than Brissett, who played over 400 minutes more than Dolezaj.
Whether he was scoring, rebounding, blocking a shot or assisting on a play, Dolezaj always seemed to be contributing.
Dennis Nett | dnett@syracuse.com
Marek Dolezaj compares to -- C.J. Fair
Dolezaj's freshman statistics closely mirror those of former Syracuse forward C.J. Fair.
While Dolezaj averaged 5.8 points and 4.8 rebounds, Fair averaged 6.4 points and 3.8 rebounds as a freshman in the 2010-11 season.
While Dolezaj had 28 blocks, Fair 25 blocks as a freshman.
Dolezaj made 79 of his 147 field-goal attempts for a 53.7 shooting percentage. Fair went 82-for-151 from the field (54.3 percent).
Dolezaj only took nine 3-point shots and made just two. Fair was 1-for-3 from beyond the line.
And while the numbers are similar, some things aren't. Dolezaj is two inches taller than Fair and is the far superior passer. Dolezaj had 57 assists as a freshman, while Fair had just 13.
Dennis Nett | dnett@syracuse.com
Best game from 2017-18 season
Dolezaj had two of his best performances late in the season.
In SU's win over Wake Forest in the ACC Tournament, Dolezaj scored a season-high 20 points. He made six of his seven field-goal attempts and also went 8-for-10 at the free-throw line. He added four rebounds, two blocks, an assist and a steal.
But in terms of time and place, it's hard to go against a big game in an NCAA Tournament win.
Dolezaj scored 17 points in Syracuse's win over TCU in the first round of the NCAA tournament. He went 8-for-13 from the field, including a rare 3-point shot.
Worst game from 2017-18 season
Like most of his teammates, Dolezaj struggled in Syracuse's loss at Virginia in January.
The young forward played 13 minutes, but hardly accomplished anything.
He didn't score. In fact, he didn't take a shot. He didn't go to the foul line. He didn't get a rebound or block a shot or get a steal.
The only number on his stat line in the box score that wasn't a zero were his two fouls. It was a rare night for a player who usually contributed in a variety of ways.
Dennis Nett | dnett@syracuse.com
Strengths
There is so much to like about Dolezaj's game. He has an innate feel for the game. He is usually in the right spot, be it for a rebound or on defense.
An overlooked strength, however, is Dolezaj's athleticism. He is arguably the most athletic player on the SU roster.
He showed off that athleticism with blocks like the one shown.
Weaknesses
There are two main areas that Dolezaj needs to work on.
The first is he needs to get stronger. He was listed at 6-9 and 180 pounds in last year's media guide. That's pretty thin. He got pushed around at times by bigger, stronger opponents.
The other facet of his game that needs to improve is Dolezaj's jump shot. He seemed to lack confidence in it last season. If he improves on his jumper, he could become a key weapon in the high post and on the baseline.
Eventually, he could extend his range to the 3-point line.
Remember the comparison to Fair? Dolezaj went 54-for-76 (71.1 percent) at the free-throw line last season. As a freshman, Fair was 39-for-64 (60.9 percent).
Dolezaj's shooting motion is there. He just needs consistency and confidence.
Dennis Nett | dnett@syracuse.com
Summer workouts
Syracuse assistant Adrian Autry works with the team's forwards. This is what Autry had to say about Dolezaj, who is spending the first part of the summer at his parents' home in Slovakia before returning to Syracuse for the second session of summer school.
"I know he's over there working out. For me, once he gets here, we'll start him back up.
"The biggest thing for him is getting stronger and continuing to build on his shooting and extending his range. We will work on his range and then try to extend it.''
Next season: The floor
After an encouraging end to his freshman season, it will be interesting what role he fills on next year's team.
Elijah Hughes joins the rotation this year and the 6-foot-6, 215-pound transfer from East Carolina is expected to see a lot of time at the small forward position.
How much will that impact Dolezaj's playing time?
If Hughes plays a lot, Dolezaj's numbers might remain the same as last season.
Dennis Nett | dnett@syracuse.com
Next season: The ceiling
Even if Dolezaj's playing time dips a bit, his ceiling will be determined by other measurements.
Does Dolezaj come back stronger in the fall? How does his jump shot look? Is he playing with more confidence and aggressiveness. Is he attacking the rim?
Looking not just at the 2018-19 season, but looking ahead a year or two, Dolezaj's ceiling is limitless.
More player forecasts
- Tyus Battle
- Paschal Chukwu
- Frank Howard
- Bourama Sidibe
- Oshae Brissett
- Howard Washington
- Elijah Hughes
- Freshmen Jalen Carey, Buddy Boeheim, Robert Braswell
Ad Choices