Jason Thompson
- Thread starter Tarindel
- Start date
Yes.
Do not mind the pick -- hey, a big big? -- but taking him at #12 again shows our lack of cleverness around draft day. You can probably get him some picks later -- its the classic time to find a trading partner a few picks later, pick for them at #12, have them pick Thompson for you, and throw in a little candy for you doing them the favor.
From an earlier thread:
Then there is the new dark horse, Jason Thompson, suddenly coming into the lime light until an injury in late May cut down his workouts.
Jason Thompson: Who?? Well well, where would we be without a dark horse flying under the radar two weeks before the draft? and from a small school at that, Rider University, in New Jersey mid-way between Philly and New York. DX ranks him 3rd at C among all Seniors (yes, a 4-year guy!) and 12th overall among the Bigs. 6-11 and 250, in 34 min/gm he averaged 12 rebs, 20 pts, 2.7 asts AND 2.7 blocks but only 58% FT
Then there is the new dark horse, Jason Thompson, suddenly coming into the lime light until an injury in late May cut down his workouts.
Jason Thompson: Who?? Well well, where would we be without a dark horse flying under the radar two weeks before the draft? and from a small school at that, Rider University, in New Jersey mid-way between Philly and New York. DX ranks him 3rd at C among all Seniors (yes, a 4-year guy!) and 12th overall among the Bigs. 6-11 and 250, in 34 min/gm he averaged 12 rebs, 20 pts, 2.7 asts AND 2.7 blocks but only 58% FT
I don't know- he is someone who has been all over the board, and could have gone anywhere from 12-25. So if he is your guy (and it seems like GP likes him), why risk that he won't be there at 17.
I am excited. He is certainly not an inferior prospect to Arthur, Randolph, HIbbert, etc... No one that is left is unflawed, so you find the guy you want and take him
Both were rated pretty highly. People have this myth built up that Kevin was some kind of sleeper, but he really wasn't. Or rather he was, but he was a "sleeper" that everybody talked about snagging in the 20s somewhere. A well known sleeper if you will.
I think the only real thing with this pick is the draft position. And I am aware of Golden State's reputed interest. But other than that its a reach for the #12. Which I think is what any ESPN grade would be about. Picked at #26 people would think this guy is a cool sleeper too.
I think the only real thing with this pick is the draft position. And I am aware of Golden State's reputed interest. But other than that its a reach for the #12. Which I think is what any ESPN grade would be about. Picked at #26 people would think this guy is a cool sleeper too.
I actually like this pick more then Arthur or Hibbert.
Randolph could be huge or a huge bust. So dont really mind passing on him.
This guy is a good rebounder and shotblocker. So thats a plus. Other then the stats I dont know anything about him though. But unlike the Douby pick he isnt really redundant! In Petrie I trust (well, at least in the majority of his draft picks).
Randolph could be huge or a huge bust. So dont really mind passing on him.
This guy is a good rebounder and shotblocker. So thats a plus. Other then the stats I dont know anything about him though. But unlike the Douby pick he isnt really redundant! In Petrie I trust (well, at least in the majority of his draft picks).
The NBA is filled with legit stars who got drafted "too early" and supreme duds who "should have gone earlier."
You cannot conclusively tell me that we picked him too early. To suggest so is ridiculous. Let's talk in 3 years. I am sure that you were concerned about the WHEN a few years back when we took KMart.
Jason Thompson?
Hmmmm. Skilled big man. Not an athlete. Are we looking to have the most unathletic team in basketball? Is this Petrie's logically extreme conclusion? I don't see how in the world this guy is going to complement Hawes. It was an incredibly safe pick. But don't you want to take a chance on athleticism? I wish Petrie would have found his Gerald Wallace self instead.
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Hmmmm. Skilled big man. Not an athlete. Are we looking to have the most unathletic team in basketball? Is this Petrie's logically extreme conclusion? I don't see how in the world this guy is going to complement Hawes. It was an incredibly safe pick. But don't you want to take a chance on athleticism? I wish Petrie would have found his Gerald Wallace self instead.
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The knock was he played for a small school. Put him on any big D1 school and if he averaged those stats we would be looking at him in the top 10 easy.
He rebounds the ball, has GREAT hands, shoots well, and is a good FT shooter (except this year for some reason)
EDIT: Another negative is that he's 22 years old already.. But he does bring us an NBA ready talent.
He rebounds the ball, has GREAT hands, shoots well, and is a good FT shooter (except this year for some reason)
EDIT: Another negative is that he's 22 years old already.. But he does bring us an NBA ready talent.
Um, no. That would be the point of any concern -- Kevin was a #26. A popular #26 -- well known sleeper. So there was no "when" there. You are happy to have the sleeper even if he never develops. There is no opportunity cost.
Like this pick better than Hibbert or Arthur, just on theoretical size/potential. Not unhappy to have him without necessarily being sold on him being the best guy remaining on the board. In a perfect world, he's the young PF, Hawes is the young C. Of course Thompson is not that young, whihc is typically Petrie again, but they all had warts.
Like this pick better than Hibbert or Arthur, just on theoretical size/potential. Not unhappy to have him without necessarily being sold on him being the best guy remaining on the board. In a perfect world, he's the young PF, Hawes is the young C. Of course Thompson is not that young, whihc is typically Petrie again, but they all had warts.
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Getting To Know: Jason Thompson
January 31, 2008
Jason Thompson is a prospect who, until recently, has played in relative obscurity for the Rider Broncos in the MAAC Conference. This season, however, he has had the opportunity to showcase his abilities in nationally televised games against the likes of Kansas State, North Carolina State, Penn State, and Rutgers. Now, following an away victory we attended against Marist, Thompson’s Rider Broncos are sitting on top of the MAAC standings alongside rival Siena, and seem poised for a big finish.
Rider Sports Information
Offensively, Jason Thompson is a versatile prospect. Possessing the inside-outside game that scouts like to see from a 6’11 big men, Thompson’s problem has always been putting it all together. Tonight did nothing to dispel this notion, as he had a typical statistical night, but showed the positives and negative aspects of his game to an audience of scouts that included Cavaliers GM Danny Ferry and scouts from the Cavaliers and Kings. Going up against Marist’s smallish frontcourt, Thompson rarely used his superior size, quickness, and athleticism to his advantage. While he had a couple of nice possessions in which he faced the basket and attacked the rim, he had trouble maintaining his position in the low post and was visibly frustrated by his lack of touches as the game wore on. In fact, he did not successfully score with his back to the basket until he literally muscled a Marist big man from the perimeter for an easy basket with 8 minutes remaining in the second half! His low post game, in particular suffered because he was unable to find his touch around the basket, which has been a question throughout the season. He did have a nice defensive game, proving himself to be a good shot blocker with his combination of timing, patience, and athleticism. He did a good job of not biting on the Marist post players’ ball and head fakes, and really using his size and length to his advantage on the low block. At times, though, his concentration on the defensive end seemed to wane, and he let some undersized and fairly unskilled big men have their way with him around the basket.
However, Thompson again showed a range of tantalizing flashes that allow him to dominate at this level, even if he has a lot more work to do on his game. He often releases his shot after the peak of his jump for example. Focus is a key, as well. Thompson can afford to coast if things are not going his way at this level, but at the next level, he must be willing to fight during the entire game on both ends of the floor. Consistency is also important. Right now, it seems that Thompson is still learning his role and how to incorporate his set of skills into a cohesive and consistent offensive game. While he didn’t always do enough to convince everyone differently in past analysis, Thompson’s abilities and potential are undeniable and his efforts against high-major big men this year, including Kansas State’s Michael Beasley and North Carolina State’s J.J. Hickson have showed the draft pundits that he can compete with NBA level size and athleticism. But, if last night’s game is any indication, Thompson will have to continue to make his case at the pre-draft camps and team workouts if the high draft expectations that follow him around are going to come to fruition.
Following his 20 point (8/17 field goals, 4/6 free throws), 9 rebound (4 offensive), 4 assist, and 4 block performance, we had a chance to catch up with the Thompson and ask him about his improvements, the implications of an NBA prospect playing for a mid-major school, and the surprising emergence of his brother Ryan into a prospect:
January 31, 2008
Jason Thompson is a prospect who, until recently, has played in relative obscurity for the Rider Broncos in the MAAC Conference. This season, however, he has had the opportunity to showcase his abilities in nationally televised games against the likes of Kansas State, North Carolina State, Penn State, and Rutgers. Now, following an away victory we attended against Marist, Thompson’s Rider Broncos are sitting on top of the MAAC standings alongside rival Siena, and seem poised for a big finish.
Offensively, Jason Thompson is a versatile prospect. Possessing the inside-outside game that scouts like to see from a 6’11 big men, Thompson’s problem has always been putting it all together. Tonight did nothing to dispel this notion, as he had a typical statistical night, but showed the positives and negative aspects of his game to an audience of scouts that included Cavaliers GM Danny Ferry and scouts from the Cavaliers and Kings. Going up against Marist’s smallish frontcourt, Thompson rarely used his superior size, quickness, and athleticism to his advantage. While he had a couple of nice possessions in which he faced the basket and attacked the rim, he had trouble maintaining his position in the low post and was visibly frustrated by his lack of touches as the game wore on. In fact, he did not successfully score with his back to the basket until he literally muscled a Marist big man from the perimeter for an easy basket with 8 minutes remaining in the second half! His low post game, in particular suffered because he was unable to find his touch around the basket, which has been a question throughout the season. He did have a nice defensive game, proving himself to be a good shot blocker with his combination of timing, patience, and athleticism. He did a good job of not biting on the Marist post players’ ball and head fakes, and really using his size and length to his advantage on the low block. At times, though, his concentration on the defensive end seemed to wane, and he let some undersized and fairly unskilled big men have their way with him around the basket.
However, Thompson again showed a range of tantalizing flashes that allow him to dominate at this level, even if he has a lot more work to do on his game. He often releases his shot after the peak of his jump for example. Focus is a key, as well. Thompson can afford to coast if things are not going his way at this level, but at the next level, he must be willing to fight during the entire game on both ends of the floor. Consistency is also important. Right now, it seems that Thompson is still learning his role and how to incorporate his set of skills into a cohesive and consistent offensive game. While he didn’t always do enough to convince everyone differently in past analysis, Thompson’s abilities and potential are undeniable and his efforts against high-major big men this year, including Kansas State’s Michael Beasley and North Carolina State’s J.J. Hickson have showed the draft pundits that he can compete with NBA level size and athleticism. But, if last night’s game is any indication, Thompson will have to continue to make his case at the pre-draft camps and team workouts if the high draft expectations that follow him around are going to come to fruition.
Following his 20 point (8/17 field goals, 4/6 free throws), 9 rebound (4 offensive), 4 assist, and 4 block performance, we had a chance to catch up with the Thompson and ask him about his improvements, the implications of an NBA prospect playing for a mid-major school, and the surprising emergence of his brother Ryan into a prospect:
I like this pick. I heard some really good things about Thompson and I think Petrie has snagged another gem. People have been wanting Petrie to show some guts, to do the unexpected, to reach out, etc. He does it and some still aren't happy? At least we didn't get a tweener guard or another SF ...
Well said. If we just followed what the "experts" said to do, we would have Arthur or Randolph. I like the creativity here. Geoff found a guy he liked, and experts be damned he was taking him (sort of like Peja). Let the next few years be the judge on Thompson.
Petrie found a guy he obviously likes. Why pass on him because of the "experts." Why trade down to 16 "to get a little candy" when you might get your candy and some stiff you didn't want...