Kings possible draft picks game

[randymoss1881]

He's played on the Aussies national team since he was 16 years old. Recently he was on their U18 team. He also played in the Nike summit challenge, and a couple of other all star games. Zach La Vine was mentioned above, and I've been very impressed with him, and he's working his way into and possibly up the first round, but to say he's a better athlete than Exum is just nonsense.. Exum is a terrific athlete, but he's also extremely skilled. And that's not to take anything away from La Vine, who is also a very good athlete. Exum is also a terrific defender. Just ask Smart. By the way, the player that's impressed me the most so far on UCLA is Jordan Adams.

Bottom line is that this isn't a contest between this player or that player in my mind. I don't have to downgrade one player to upgrade another. The way I look at it, is the more the merrier. Zach La Vine has been compared by some scouts to Westbrook. Now that ought to tantalize you a bit. Remember though, that Exum has been compared to Penny Hardaway.

He doesn't attack a lot because Adams and Anderson usually have the ball in there hands he just needs to attack a little more down the road to show he has it. I just think if he continued to play this way and attacks more I would take him over Exum. Exum has a quicker 1st step but LaVine looks more explosive. Imagine putting his superb jump shot with Mclemores that would be 2 potential great shooters next to Cousins who is getting better and better at passing. We would have our own splash brothers.

I'd compare him to Stephon Curry with Curry having a better shot but LaVine being an elite athlete.

 

[Gilles]

LaVine is clearly a SG, so pairing him with Mclemore is not a good idea, unless LaVine is able to play point adequately at least.

 

[The_Jamal]

After watching the top guys a few times... I'm even more confused as who I would take with the top pick. #1 overall is a blessing and a curse this year. Just so much freaking talent and so many different holes you can plug with various guys.

Embiid:
To me, he looks like Andre Drummond pro version with offensive skill. He doesn't get a ton of looks or minutes, but he's extremely fluid in the post with a variety of moves on the block. A lot of guys who get to basketball late tend to be extremely raw, especially offensively. Embiid has a ways to go, but his offensive post move look as good as most C's we've seen the past few season. We haven't seen much of it yet this season, but scouts say he also has the ability to hit a 15 foot jumper as well. Defensively, he's a beast. Looks ready to step into an NBA defense now and be an anchor. He rotates well on screens and obviously plays the "goalie" role at a really high level. 9pts 7rpg 2.3bpg on 70% shooting in 17 MPG? The guy is just oozing with potential, especially next to Cousins

Randle:

One of the most polished college post players I've ever seen. Heck, forget College, there's only a handful of NBA guys with a better assortment of post moves or footwork than i've seen with Randle. He's a 6'9 250 pound tank and he knows how to use his body. He's extremely physical in the low post and there's simply no match for his physicality at the college level right now. The Michigan State game made me a believer as he probably had close to 7 or 8 post plays where you just went "wow" and were amazed at the power and skill level he displayed. He's a tenacious rebounder in the mold of ZBO where he uses his body and physicality to get rebounds as opposed to relying on superior athleticism. He's a very good athlete for sure, but it almost always takes a back-seat to how physical he plays all the time. Something not to be overlooked is he's averaging close to 10 FTA's so far. That's absolutely outstanding and can be a real weapon in the NBA. The ability to get opposing bigs in foul trouble is a huge asset.

Parker:

Parker is another guy who is simply astounding with his level of skill at such a young age. He can score anywhere on the floor, he lethal mid-range and 3pt shot, he has a better post game than almost any big coming out of school the last few years. He's not the athlete that Wiggins is, but I wouldn't say his athleticism would be a hindrance in any way. He's just so fluid in how he plays, that it just looks like he's not very athletic. Very similar to how Paul Pierce operates on the floor. He's a very good rebounder too and actively looks to be a contributor in that area. As far as finding a #2 option, I don't think we could craft a better fit than Parker. His game is extremely conducive to playing off a guy like Cousins and the excellence of his shot will allow him to score without necessarily dominating the ball.

 

[Glenn]

After watching the top guys a few times... I'm even more confused as who I would take with the top pick. #1 overall is a blessing and a curse this year. Just so much freaking talent and so many different holes you can plug with various guys.

Embiid:
To me, he looks like Andre Drummond pro version with offensive skill. He doesn't get a ton of looks or minutes, but he's extremely fluid in the post with a variety of moves on the block. A lot of guys who get to basketball late tend to be extremely raw, especially offensively. Embiid has a ways to go, but his offensive post move look as good as most C's we've seen the past few season. We haven't seen much of it yet this season, but scouts say he also has the ability to hit a 15 foot jumper as well. Defensively, he's a beast. Looks ready to step into an NBA defense now and be an anchor. He rotates well on screens and obviously plays the "goalie" role at a really high level. 9pts 7rpg 2.3bpg on 70% shooting in 17 MPG? The guy is just oozing with potential, especially next to Cousins

Randle:

One of the most polished college post players I've ever seen. Heck, forget College, there's only a handful of NBA guys with a better assortment of post moves or footwork than i've seen with Randle. He's a 6'9 250 pound tank and he knows how to use his body. He's extremely physical in the low post and there's simply no match for his physicality at the college level right now. The Michigan State game made me a believer as he probably had close to 7 or 8 post plays where you just went "wow" and were amazed at the power and skill level he displayed. He's a tenacious rebounder in the mold of ZBO where he uses his body and physicality to get rebounds as opposed to relying on superior athleticism. He's a very good athlete for sure, but it almost always takes a back-seat to how physical he plays all the time. Something not to be overlooked is he's averaging close to 10 FTA's so far. That's absolutely outstanding and can be a real weapon in the NBA. The ability to get opposing bigs in foul trouble is a huge asset.

Parker:

Parker is another guy who is simply astounding with his level of skill at such a young age. He can score anywhere on the floor, he lethal mid-range and 3pt shot, he has a better post game than almost any big coming out of school the last few years. He's not the athlete that Wiggins is, but I wouldn't say his athleticism would be a hindrance in any way. He's just so fluid in how he plays, that it just looks like he's not very athletic. Very similar to how Paul Pierce operates on the floor. He's a very good rebounder too and actively looks to be a contributor in that area. As far as finding a #2 option, I don't think we could craft a better fit than Parker. His game is extremely conducive to playing off a guy like Cousins and the excellence of his shot will allow him to score without necessarily dominating the ball.

And there are more. I think this is a draft where you can pick for need if you have a very high pick. No one knows who will end up being the best pick of the class and the fit with the team may have as much to do with any player's future as anything. We are presently on schedule for a 20 win season with the tougher part of our schedule in the future as we have only been on the road (if you count GS, Staples, and Portland as the road) for 5 games. I know that the dreaded "T" word is not supposed to be discussed but we are so bad that I am not sure you can tell if this is a deliberate tank or major suckage. In any case, I'd like to have the #1 pick whether it be by bad record or lucky ping pong ball bounce and pick who I want. I suspect even a #6 pick would give us an incredible player. That's all been said before and for some reason people don't seem to understand that all the screw ups of the Maloofian era could be corrected in a major way with one pick.

There will be a whole season in front of the team to help make the decision.

 

[bajaden]

I've watched Kansas play 5 times now, and although some have been disappointed with Wiggins to some extent, I'm still very high on him. You can just see the talent dripping off of him. Probably the best athlete in a class loaded with great athlete's. He's picking and choosing when and how to score right now, but you can see that if he asserted himself more, and that's hard to do sometimes in Self's system, he could be putting up bigger numbers. Where he is excelling is on the defensive side of the ball. I can't remember a player that blocked that many shots on the perimeter. His explosive leaping ability and long arms make it difficult for perimeter shooters to get their shot off. I tend to agree with scouts that believe Wiggins will be the best player to come out of this draft 3 years down the road.

Not more that I can add about Embiid. He's a defensive force near the basket, and his offense, while still a little raw and mechanical at times, has been a pleasant surprise. I've also been surprised how well he runs the floor in transition. Many times he's the first one back on defense. Not often you can say that about a big man.

 

[randymoss1881]

LaVine is clearly a SG, so pairing him with Mclemore is not a good idea, unless LaVine is able to play point adequately at least.

I don't know if we can say as fact that LaVine is a SG. They have Anderson who is there PG so they couldn't start him there as a freshman. Scouts are gonna have to determine in practices if he is a Curry type PG, he was recruited as a PG and played that position in high school so it's not like he is going from SG to PG.

The other two PG's smart and exum both have the same questions on there point guard skills and if they are combo guards. I would rather take a chance on a lights out shooter over exum and smart considering all 3 prospects arnt true PG

 

[Dime Dropper]

In a recent Q&A with PDA, he says something that would indicate they're keeping a close eye on defensive bigs such as Embiid:

Although we've been losing, the fact that the games are close is very encouraging. I feel like we're missing a defensive 7' big man.

A: Pete D’Alessandro:
League rules preclude me from talking about players in the Draft. What I can say is we're in the early stages of rebuilding this team and some of your points about our needs are well taken and being evaluated.

http://www.nba.com/kings/news/pete-dalessandro-live-qa-recap

Embiid would be very difficult to pass on. The thought of him and Cuz up front is tantalising - legitimate 7' defensive anchors who are also a plus offensively are very uncommon, the draft is pretty much the only chance we have of getting that type of player. I really love Parker and Randle, but it's hard to ignore what Embiid can bring. If the draft were tomorrow I'd probably even take him ahead of Wiggins...

 

[Glenn]

In a recent Q&A with PDA, he says something that would indicate they're keeping a close eye on defensive bigs such as Embiid:



http://www.nba.com/kings/news/pete-dalessandro-live-qa-recap

Embiid would be very difficult to pass on. The thought of him and Cuz up front is tantalising - legitimate 7' defensive anchors who are also a plus offensively are very uncommon, the draft is pretty much the only chance we have of getting that type of player. I really love Parker and Randle, but it's hard to ignore what Embiid can bring. If the draft were tomorrow I'd probably even take him ahead of Wiggins...

A curiosity, at least to me, is that the top three picks are at positions that we may have covered and that is Randle (post player), Wiggins (sg?), and Parker (sf). Embiid begins to loom large as does Exum/Smart as they are three players that fill a need. When push comes to shove, take the taller of the choices. Embiid is a different type of post player than Randle.

 

[Dime Dropper]

Personally I think every position is a position of need bar center (or PF if you draft a center to put next to Cuz). After that I'd just take BPA, which is where opinions come into play.

 

[Capt. Factorial]

In a recent Q&A with PDA, he says something that would indicate they're keeping a close eye on defensive bigs such as Embiid:

Although we've been losing, the fact that the games are close is very encouraging. I feel like we're missing a defensive 7' big man.

A: Pete D’Alessandro:
League rules preclude me from talking about players in the Draft. What I can say is we're in the early stages of rebuilding this team and some of your points about our needs are well taken and being evaluated.

http://www.nba.com/kings/news/pete-dalessandro-live-qa-recap

Embiid would be very difficult to pass on. The thought of him and Cuz up front is tantalising - legitimate 7' defensive anchors who are also a plus offensively are very uncommon, the draft is pretty much the only chance we have of getting that type of player. I really love Parker and Randle, but it's hard to ignore what Embiid can bring. If the draft were tomorrow I'd probably even take him ahead of Wiggins...

Note that this is a bit of a Freudian slip on PDA's part. The question says: we need a 7' defensive big man. The answer says: Can't talk about the draft. But, of course, there are multiple ways of getting a 7' defensive big man, including trades and free agent signings. PDA immediately starts thinking about the draft.

 

[bajaden]

A curiosity, at least to me, is that the top three picks are at positions that we may have covered and that is Randle (post player), Wiggins (sg?), and Parker (sf). Embiid begins to loom large as does Exum/Smart as they are three players that fill a need. When push comes to shove, take the taller of the choices. Embiid is a different type of post player than Randle.

Wiggins is a 6'8" SF, as is Parker. I'd hardly say that we have the SF position covered. Williams is still a total unknown at this point. both Wiggins and Randle have all star, and maybe superstar written all over them. I love the idea of Embiid, but there is no way in hell that I take him over Parker or Wiggins. Both Parker and Wiggins are as close to a sure thing as you can get, and Embiid isn't. I'll tell you right now, any GM that takes Embiid and passes on Wiggins or Parker, better have a big pair on him, because if either turns out to be the next Kobe or Jordan, and Embiid is just a very good defensive player, his job is over. Now if my choice was between Parker, Wiggins, and Anthony Davis, then that would be a hard choice. But at the moment, Embiid is a long long way from being Anthony Davis.

 

[bajaden]

I wouldn't count Willie Cauley-Stein out of our picture. He's having a very nice year. He blocked 9 shots against Providence, and his offense is vastly improved over his freshman year.

 

[Glenn]

To be clear, I would pick Randle, Parker, or Wiggins over Embiid. Heck, it might even be that Embiid stays in college for more seasoning. My point is that we have more of a need for a rim protector and pg that a sf, sg, or center. I have seen Wiggins described as a sg so some people think that's his position.

Given that the three above mentioned guys are spectacular does not mean that we won't fill a major need lower in the draft. I don't know where Cauley-Stein will be drafted but the one mock draft I saw had him listed as #12. As much as I think he would benefit this team, the same reason as I mentioned Embiid, there are at this moment many players who are listed as being better than he.

From what I know now, I would be happy with a team with Cousins, Embiid, Williams, McLemore and someone else. Or insert the names Exum and Smart where you see the name Embiid. If our team comes out of this as a team that can make the playoffs I will be thrilled and I suspect that's what will happen barring a major screwup like happened last year with the #1 pick.

I know you are not advocating this at all but a major screwup would be having the #1 pick and picking Cauley-Stein. That's what I think of picking Bennett last year. In fact, now that I ponder this a second, Cauley-Stein may very well end up being a better NBA player than Bennett.

 

[Gilles]

Wiggins is a 6'8" SF, as is Parker. I'd hardly say that we have the SF position covered. Williams is still a total unknown at this point. both Wiggins and Randle have all star, and maybe superstar written all over them. I love the idea of Embiid, but there is no way in hell that I take him over Parker or Wiggins. Both Parker and Wiggins are as close to a sure thing as you can get, and Embiid isn't. I'll tell you right now, any GM that takes Embiid and passes on Wiggins or Parker, better have a big pair on him, because if either turns out to be the next Kobe or Jordan, and Embiid is just a very good defensive player, his job is over. Now if my choice was between Parker, Wiggins, and Anthony Davis, then that would be a hard choice. But at the moment, Embiid is a long long way from being Anthony Davis.

Well, Embiid has better body than Davis right now.
As far as Wiggins or Parker being Jordan/Bryant, Wiggins just doesn't have the handles to weave in traffic or any semblance of mid-range game and Parker lacks athleticism. I wouldn't bet against Parker to challenge for RS scoring champion one day but he's never going to be a two-way player. Wiggins might be but he's farther back offensively and is not an impact defender at the moment.

I wouldn't count Willie Cauley-Stein out of our picture. He's having a very nice year. He blocked 9 shots against Providence, and his offense is vastly improved over his freshman year.

I wouldn't say Cauley-Stein vastly improved this summer. It's more of a result of Kentucky vastly improving playmaking, and WCS showing he's an excellent defensive anchor/garbage scorer, at least at college level. If Kings somehow fall to #8-9 he just might be the best left on the board though.

 

[Dime Dropper]

Well, Embiid has better body than Davis right now.
As far as Wiggins or Parker being Jordan/Bryant, Wiggins just doesn't have the handles to weave in traffic or any semblance of mid-range game and Parker lacks athleticism. I wouldn't bet against Parker to challenge for RS scoring champion one day but he's never going to be a two-way player. Wiggins might be but he's farther back offensively and is not an impact defender at the moment.

He really doesn't, at all. He's not in the freak category but he'll easily be one of the more athletic SFs in the NBA. The problem is people see that his body is soft and assume he's not athletic, but he routinely outsprints guards and he can really get off the ground.

 

[Chubbs]

.

Wiggins is a 6'8" SF, as is Parker. I'd hardly say that we have the SF position covered. Williams is still a total unknown at this point. both Wiggins and Randle have all star, and maybe superstar written all over them. I love the idea of Embiid, but there is no way in hell that I take him over Parker or Wiggins. Both Parker and Wiggins are as close to a sure thing as you can get, and Embiid isn't. I'll tell you right now, any GM that takes Embiid and passes on Wiggins or Parker, better have a big pair on him, because if either turns out to be the next Kobe or Jordan, and Embiid is just a very good defensive player, his job is over. Now if my choice was between Parker, Wiggins, and Anthony Davis, then that would be a hard choice. But at the moment, Embiid is a long long way from being Anthony Davis.

Don't you take Davis? That's a tough one. Really tough one. Could you really go that wrong? Having seen Davis explode this season makes me lean toward Davis. But after their collegiate careers, what would you do?

 

[Gilles]

He really doesn't, at all. He's not in the freak category but he'll easily be one of the more athletic SFs in the NBA. The problem is people see that his body is soft and assume he's not athletic, but he routinely outsprints guards and he can really get off the ground.

I quoted a post that speculated whether Parker or Wiggins can get on Kobe's level. You better have freak athleticism along with excellent skills for that. BTW two elite NBA level athletes (Wiggins for a short stretch and especially Aaron Gordon) defended Parker very effectively.

 

[randymoss1881]

Embiid will be the best player from this draft I promise you that. He's been playing for 3 years and already has the same moves D12 has now. Wait till he gets coached up he will be a very good offensive player with elite defense.

 

[bajaden]

Well, Embiid has better body than Davis right now.
As far as Wiggins or Parker being Jordan/Bryant, Wiggins just doesn't have the handles to weave in traffic or any semblance of mid-range game and Parker lacks athleticism. I wouldn't bet against Parker to challenge for RS scoring champion one day but he's never going to be a two-way player. Wiggins might be but he's farther back offensively and is not an impact defender at the moment.
I wouldn't say Cauley-Stein vastly improved this summer. It's more of a result of Kentucky vastly improving playmaking, and WCS showing he's an excellent defensive anchor/garbage scorer, at least at college level. If Kings somehow fall to #8-9 he just might be the best left on the board though.

This Parker isn't athletic nonsense has to stop. Parker is a very good athlete. He's just not a freak athlete like Wiggins is, but I'd put Parker's athleticism up against just about any SF currently playing in the NBA. As for all star or superstar status, I believe I said in the future, which means a few years down the road. Except for perhaps Parker, all of these guys have some holes in their games, at least offensively. I'm talking about finished products, not who they are as a player right this minute.

As for Cauley-Stein, I beg to differ. He's developed a nice little post game, but more than that, he knows how to play offense within the team concept, something some, like Thabeet have never figured out. Because I happen to like Cauley-Stein, doesn't mean I don't like Embiid. If I had to choose between the two of them, I'd choose Embiid, on long range potential alone. But at this given moment in time, Cauley-Stein is the better player, simply because he understands the game of basketball better.

One word I've learned not to use, is the word NEVER! I don't have a crystal ball, and neither do you. To say a player will never be able to do something, especially when that player is only 18 or 19 years old, is ridiculous. Its the rare 18 year old player that excells on defense. These kids grow up trying to score the ball. That's their mindset. That's what they work on day after day. Most only learn to play defense when they get to college, and even then, in some cases, their coach doesn't ask them to play great defense because he doesn't want them in foul trouble. Jimmer anyone? Actually one of the things I really like about Wiggins, is that he's that rare exception. He's plays great defense.

 

[bajaden]

Embiid will be the best player from this draft I promise you that. He's been playing for 3 years and already has the same moves D12 has now. Wait till he gets coached up he will be a very good offensive player with elite defense.

To say that he has the same moves as D12, isn't really saying very much. That's intended as more of a knock on Howard than it is Embiid.

 

[bajaden]

I quoted a post that speculated whether Parker or Wiggins can get on Kobe's level. You better have freak athleticism along with excellent skills for that. BTW two elite NBA level athletes (Wiggins for a short stretch and especially Aaron Gordon) defended Parker very effectively.

I'm curious, did you see Kobe play his first two years in the NBA? He didn't even start his first year. You think he was just born with the skill level he has now? He didn't just pop out of the womb with a basketball in his hands. That's not to say that either Wiggins or Parker will ever reach his stature. They just happen to be a couple of players that appear to have what it takes to get there. The rest is up to them. How great an athlete do you think Durant is? Not better than McLemore apparently. That was McLemore that blew by Durant after stealing the ball, like he was standing still. But Durant wasn't standing still. He was running, and he was running ahead of McLemore without a ball in his hands, while McLemore was dribbling the ball. Obviously Durant is a lousy athlete and he'll never amount to anything.

By the way, in the Nike Summit challenge, where its the USA against the world, Parker guarded Wiggins at times and made life very difficult for him. It plays both ways mi amigo. I'm not saying that Parker is going to be Battier, but he's more than capable of defending the position.

 

[Glenn]

I just discovered that Kansas was on TV. I have just seen Embiid get beaten twice.

 

[randymoss1881]

I just discovered that Kansas was on TV. I have just seen Embiid get beaten twice.

He has 4 fouls and ncaa is giving out fouls like candy this year. He had a quick 10 before the foul trouble

To say that he has the same moves as D12, isn't really saying very much. That's intended as more of a knock on Howard than it is Embiid.

Your right, but I mean he has good moves for someone who picked up the game late. He like to face up do a jab step and beat his man. If he doesn't beat his man he does a spin and puts a hook shot that's an elite move and a counter for a 7ft guy. He also has a hook shot and a good jumper he should be a 16-10 guy in the nba.

 

[Glenn]

Embiid fouled out with no points scored in the 2nd half. I guess I get to see him at his worst and shouldn't let that bother me. Orrrrr, think more of Cauley-Stein as a shot blocker where what you see is what you get.

This is going to be interesting. A couple years ago TRob was thought to be spectacular and although I only saw him twice in college, I wasn't impressed. Not saying I know more than the rest of the world but just the same I trust what I see. I'll watch more of Kansas to see what everyone else is seeing.

Ultimately, I will be influenced by my desire to have a proven product and not potential. That's my bias. This is not a draft where I want to misfire even if it means missing out on a guy who 5 years from now may be dominating the league. Embiid has potential.

Next up is to watch Aaron Gordon who people are high on. A tweener PF at 6'8" with average speed, no outside shooting ability and a miserable 50% ft percentage. Sure he can develop these but refer back to my bias that I want someone who has proven what he can do. We'll see how these guys with question marks evolve over the season.

 

[bajaden]

Embiid fouled out with no points scored in the 2nd half. I guess I get to see him at his worst and shouldn't let that bother me. Orrrrr, think more of Cauley-Stein as a shot blocker where what you see is what you get.

This is going to be interesting. A couple years ago TRob was thought to be spectacular and although I only saw him twice in college, I wasn't impressed. Not saying I know more than the rest of the world but just the same I trust what I see. I'll watch more of Kansas to see what everyone else is seeing.

Ultimately, I will be influenced by my desire to have a proven product and not potential. That's my bias. This is not a draft where I want to misfire even if it means missing out on a guy who 5 years from now may be dominating the league. Embiid has potential.

Next up is to watch Aaron Gordon who people are high on. A tweener PF at 6'8" with average speed, no outside shooting ability and a miserable 50% ft percentage. Sure he can develop these but refer back to my bias that I want someone who has proven what he can do. We'll see how these guys with question marks evolve over the season.

Your pretty much right on with Gordon, except with the average speed. Gordon is a terrific athlete. Probably the main thing he has going for him. He plays with high energy. He does have an outside shot, but is very streaky with it. He's been called by scouts a smaller version of Blake Griffin. Problem is that Griffin is 6'10", and Gordon is 6'8"/6'9", depending on who you listen to. With Gordon your betting on his development. I'm just not sure what positon he plays.

By the way, you need to see the first half of the Kansas game. Embiid was terrific in that half. Not sure what happened in the second half, but he just sort of disappeared. I thought Wiggins had a very nice game.

 

[Gilles]

I'm curious, did you see Kobe play his first two years in the NBA? He didn't even start his first year. You think he was just born with the skill level he has now? He didn't just pop out of the womb with a basketball in his hands. That's not to say that either Wiggins or Parker will ever reach his stature. They just happen to be a couple of players that appear to have what it takes to get there. The rest is up to them. How great an athlete do you think Durant is? Not better than McLemore apparently. That was McLemore that blew by Durant after stealing the ball, like he was standing still. But Durant wasn't standing still. He was running, and he was running ahead of McLemore without a ball in his hands, while McLemore was dribbling the ball. Obviously Durant is a lousy athlete and he'll never amount to anything.
By the way, in the Nike Summit challenge, where its the USA against the world, Parker guarded Wiggins at times and made life very difficult for him. It plays both ways mi amigo. I'm not saying that Parker is going to be Battier, but he's more than capable of defending the position.

Athleticism is not measured by straight line foot speed only. In fact it's among the least important for halfcourt game that decides the outcome of POs. Durant's main strength is ridiculous length for a player of his mobility. His standing reach is 9'2". Good luck challenging shots released at that height.
Kobe was prone to throw some ill-advised long off-balance 2-pointers, but his skill level was very high the moment he stepped on NBA floor. As was his athleticism.
Aaron Gordon measured with 8'10.5" standing reach last spring so he's actually longer than Blake measured at Draft Combine (Griffin was 20 y.o. then, Gordon wasn't even 18y.o. last spring). Weight and strength might be an issue, but the main problem is Blake was far more skilled though I don't really remember Griffin playing as a freshman.

 

[bajaden]

Athleticism is not measured by straight line foot speed only. In fact it's among the least important for halfcourt game that decides the outcome of POs. Durant's main strength is ridiculous length for a player of his mobility. His standing reach is 9'2". Good luck challenging shots released at that height.
Kobe was prone to throw some ill-advised long off-balance 2-pointers, but his skill level was very high the moment he stepped on NBA floor. As was his athleticism.
Aaron Gordon measured with 8'10.5" standing reach last spring so he's actually longer than Blake measured at Draft Combine (Griffin was 20 y.o. then, Gordon wasn't even 18y.o. last spring). Weight and strength might be an issue, but the main problem is Blake was far more skilled though I don't really remember Griffin playing as a freshman.

Yeah, I've been trying to jog my memory about Griffin's freshman year. All I can remember is that the universal appraisal of Blake was similar to Gordon's. I think Gordon may actually be a little more skilled than Griffin was at the same age. Griffin had literally no face up game at all, something he's still trying to refine. Gordon on the other hand has a decent outside shot. Griffin was very raw in the post, as is Gordon, and he relied on his athleticism to do most of his scoring. I would say that, and its not just my opinion, but the opinion of quite a few scouts, that Gordon may be the second best athlete in this class after Wiggins, and a better athlete than Griffin.

He's not as overly skilled as some ahead of him in the draft, and he's not putting up wow numbers, except maybe his rebounding, but he has a lot of potential, and is a team oriented player. As Gordon gets stronger, and refines his game, he could end up being one of the best players to come out of this draft. The Arizona/Michigan game should be a real test for Arizona.

By the way, you do know I was joking about Durant, don't you? Also, Gordon has amazing body control in the open court, and when driving to the basket, along with having some serious hops.

 

[Glenn]

North Carolina vs Kentucky.

 

[Kingster]

Yeah, I've been trying to jog my memory about Griffin's freshman year. All I can remember is that the universal appraisal of Blake was similar to Gordon's. I think Gordon may actually be a little more skilled than Griffin was at the same age. Griffin had literally no face up game at all, something he's still trying to refine. Gordon on the other hand has a decent outside shot. Griffin was very raw in the post, as is Gordon, and he relied on his athleticism to do most of his scoring. I would say that, and its not just my opinion, but the opinion of quite a few scouts, that Gordon may be the second best athlete in this class after Wiggins, and a better athlete than Griffin.

He's not as overly skilled as some ahead of him in the draft, and he's not putting up wow numbers, except maybe his rebounding, but he has a lot of potential, and is a team oriented player. As Gordon gets stronger, and refines his game, he could end up being one of the best players to come out of this draft. The Arizona/Michigan game should be a real test for Arizona.

By the way, you do know I was joking about Durant, don't you? Also, Gordon has amazing body control in the open court, and when driving to the basket, along with having some serious hops.

I haven't watched a lot of Gordon, but my initial impression is that he's more of a fluid athlete than Griffin, who is more of the explosive type. Gordon has more of a smoothness to his game than Griffin.

 

[bajaden]

I haven't watched a lot of Gordon, but my initial impression is that he's more of a fluid athlete than Griffin, who is more of the explosive type. Gordon has more of a smoothness to his game than Griffin.

He has amazing body control and seldom appears to be off balance regardless of traffic. He's a little quicker than Griffin, and has the ability to defend on the perimeter, and still get back to defend the basket. Not that Griffin is slow, but in college, you seldom saw Griffin away from the basket. On the other hand, I suspect that Griffin is a little taller than Gordon. We'll eventually find out at the combine.