Jason Thompson
- Thread starter Tarindel
- Start date
This is an interesting post from another fourm by a Rider fan. Thought ya'all might be interested..
Jason Thompson from a Rider Fan
by Beagle12 on Jun 28, 2008 6:24 AM PDT
(A great look at JT from a Rider fan. -- TZ)
I read some of the draft night blog and while Jason is not from the ACC or Big East and not a glitzy Jay Bilass favorite, I think you will be very pleased with JT. While he was an under the radar skinny forward recruit as a high school junior he was always skilled. He signed with Rider before his senior year and led his highschool team to the state championship and a 28-0 record. As a freshmen JT helped lead Rider toe the MAAC championship game and was a starting player. Soph year he grew another inch and gained weight, he was relied on more to help lead a young team 5 seniors graduated from the year before, it was a very difficult year with no real point guard the team finished last. Jr year another inch in groth and he started to mature physically 20-10 and a 500 record. Sr year 20-12 and another maac title game. two starters were knocked out in the first game of the tourney Rider won the game in the semi finals JT put the team on his back and led Rider to the finals. In his four year career at Rider I saw JT play about 70 times and watched numerous practices each year. JT a quality respectful young man. Each year of his career he has improved he runs the floor very well, can handle the ball, when other teams pressed Rider JT would often break the press and bring the ball up the floor. He works very hard and wants to do what is required for his team to win. He would rather score 10 points and help the team win then score 40 in a loss.
Jason is a work in progress he has some skills that few big men have. He does have some weakness also, he needs to improve his leg and core strength, he needs to work on his lower body flexibility and I would like to see him attack the rim and dunk more but that is a pet peeve because I can't dunk. Many of the scouts that I talked to this year all felt when he gets the lower body stronger he will be a very good player in the league and have a long career.
I am worried that the fans may want him to be a star this year and if he struggles adjusting to the NBA the fans may turn on him. If you meet him or get the chance to talk with him he will win you over, he just plain 'gets it'
As a friend of his and a fan I hope he has a long career and returns the Kings to the playoffs and wins a title. I know JT does not have the luster of Randolf, Lopez or others but when the shine wears off of the other picks and JT does what he can do I hope he will be added to another of the good draft picks that GP has made. I look forward to being a east coast Kings fan and following JT starting July 11 in Vegas.
Jason Thompson from a Rider Fan
(A great look at JT from a Rider fan. -- TZ)
I read some of the draft night blog and while Jason is not from the ACC or Big East and not a glitzy Jay Bilass favorite, I think you will be very pleased with JT. While he was an under the radar skinny forward recruit as a high school junior he was always skilled. He signed with Rider before his senior year and led his highschool team to the state championship and a 28-0 record. As a freshmen JT helped lead Rider toe the MAAC championship game and was a starting player. Soph year he grew another inch and gained weight, he was relied on more to help lead a young team 5 seniors graduated from the year before, it was a very difficult year with no real point guard the team finished last. Jr year another inch in groth and he started to mature physically 20-10 and a 500 record. Sr year 20-12 and another maac title game. two starters were knocked out in the first game of the tourney Rider won the game in the semi finals JT put the team on his back and led Rider to the finals. In his four year career at Rider I saw JT play about 70 times and watched numerous practices each year. JT a quality respectful young man. Each year of his career he has improved he runs the floor very well, can handle the ball, when other teams pressed Rider JT would often break the press and bring the ball up the floor. He works very hard and wants to do what is required for his team to win. He would rather score 10 points and help the team win then score 40 in a loss.
Jason is a work in progress he has some skills that few big men have. He does have some weakness also, he needs to improve his leg and core strength, he needs to work on his lower body flexibility and I would like to see him attack the rim and dunk more but that is a pet peeve because I can't dunk. Many of the scouts that I talked to this year all felt when he gets the lower body stronger he will be a very good player in the league and have a long career.
I am worried that the fans may want him to be a star this year and if he struggles adjusting to the NBA the fans may turn on him. If you meet him or get the chance to talk with him he will win you over, he just plain 'gets it'
As a friend of his and a fan I hope he has a long career and returns the Kings to the playoffs and wins a title. I know JT does not have the luster of Randolf, Lopez or others but when the shine wears off of the other picks and JT does what he can do I hope he will be added to another of the good draft picks that GP has made. I look forward to being a east coast Kings fan and following JT starting July 11 in Vegas.
Well his stats make him stand out, but utlimately I think he was a first round prospect because of his skills. I think it's commonplace stats at smaller schools don't mean as much. Personally, I don't even give that much credence to college stats anyways. I don't get what your problem is here with what I said.
Look -- Adonal Foyle put up huge numbers at Colgate (24.4pts 13.1rebs 6.4blks(!) as a senior). Michael Olowakandi put up huge numebrs at UoP (22.2pts 11.2reb 2.9blk as a junior). You just can't trust big men putting up big numbers at smaller schools. Maybe they are good enough to put them up anywhere. But maybe they just aren't being challenged. You certainly can't count on 20-12 from a small school as any sort of guarantee of anything. There will be no 6'7" groundbound centers in the NBA. The kid has real size himself -- that's a good first step. Next one will be seeing how he reacts when everyone he faces has the same size.
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This is true, no doubt. But the difference is that Foyle and Olowakandi used their size and athleticism to dominate. They weren't exactly known as highly skilled prospects. Thompson used skills as much as his size and athleticism to dominate. If you watch highlight videos of him, there are plenty where he dribbles past guys who are 4-5 inches shorter than him, passing like a guard, shooting, etc.
Skill-based dominance has a lot better chance of translating than athleticism based dominance.
Skill-based dominance has a lot better chance of translating than athleticism based dominance.
The Collins boys put up 14.8pts 7.5reb 1.3blk and 12.8pts 6.7reb 0.6blk respectively as seniors. They couldn't even produce in college.
If you get a big at a major school putting up 20-12 that is pretty spectacular, and then the only question really remaining is is he big enough for it to translate. At a small school there is just that additional question -- who'd he face night to night?
Put another way, if Thompson is 6'8", goes to Rider, and puts up 20-12 this is potentially a disastrously bad pick. The numbers would NOT translate. Fortunately he's full-sized, so now we'll just have to wait and see.
ive been in and out of this conversation/argument about level of competition and it looks like its going now where. everyone has their opinion and has stated it with valid reasons. i dont see a point in trying to change their minds. im not saying stop the conversations all together...that would make this a very boring thread, but accept that they are entitled to the opinion, as long as there is some reasoning behind it. personally i think great stats in a mid level conference doesnt always translate but of course there are exceptions to the rule. but the ability to get those stats is a start. then i read thompson did well against other potential drafts at the workouts...that made me feel a little better knowing he can hang with some draft picks. hopefully he does well in the summerleague and so on. if he continues to show that he can hang with the competition, we have drafted ourselves an exception to the rule.
Thanks Brick I understand what your saying. He has tools you just wish he would have stiffer competition to make sure he is able to utilize those tools with us. but you recognize the talent reguardless and are in a wait and see mode. I respect that alot.
What I don't respect is the ones that are writing him off as a bust BECAUSE of the competition level. Thats not fair to him.
I on the other hand and being optimistic (maybe by fault) in think he will tranlsate well with us IN SPITE of the competition level.
I guess it all depends on how you look at your glass huh. myself VF, Cruzdude and several others will be eternal optimist about everything were others look at the other side. You however are suprising me staying on the fence until you see. But guess what by you staying on the fence makes me optimistic LOL.
What I don't respect is the ones that are writing him off as a bust BECAUSE of the competition level. Thats not fair to him.
I on the other hand and being optimistic (maybe by fault) in think he will tranlsate well with us IN SPITE of the competition level.
I guess it all depends on how you look at your glass huh. myself VF, Cruzdude and several others will be eternal optimist about everything were others look at the other side. You however are suprising me staying on the fence until you see. But guess what by you staying on the fence makes me optimistic LOL.
strength can easily be gained over the summer and during the course of the season.. he doesnt have to be shaq like in girth to rebound.. its about positioning and being smart with it... he can either just tap it to another team mate for all i care as long as WE GET THE BALL...
i dont care if he gets 5 rebounds per game as long as he is active there and like preventing the other team from the rebound... tipping it to an open team mate and stuff.. you know
i dont care if he gets 5 rebounds per game as long as he is active there and like preventing the other team from the rebound... tipping it to an open team mate and stuff.. you know
I think all that Entity was trying to do was point out that it was your opinion. You made a blanket statement as if it were fact. In truth, most, if not all posts on this fourm are someone's opinion, and I'm fine with that. Don't take offense, when someone points it out.
As for Thompson, I've stated that I like the pick and could point out a lot of reasons why. But the truth is, we all just have to wait and see. I'll remain optimistic until given reasons not to be. And then of course, I'll deny that I ever wanted him as my pick.
As for Thompson, I've stated that I like the pick and could point out a lot of reasons why. But the truth is, we all just have to wait and see. I'll remain optimistic until given reasons not to be. And then of course, I'll deny that I ever wanted him as my pick.
I would like to point out that, I as one of the biggest supporters of the drafting of Jason Thompson, was also a huge fan of Olowakandi, and was disappointed when we couldn't draft him. So take my opinion for what its worth.
And I in return would like to point out that while I think there is much more risk here than people are acknowledging, I am not actually anti this pick. I like my front liners full size, and he is. And I know that Geoff was attracted by the Webber idea of a big man who grew up playing as a guard as so has guard skills to go with the size. It could work -- if we got the right read on him from those workouts he could be a good one, if likely not a great one. But his college stats just aren't much of a clue because of where he played. Malik Rose was dominating that same league when I was in college (Drexel University sits directly adjacent to Penn) -- put up 20.2pts 13.2rebs as a senior and I think was dubbed the "Shaq of the MAAC". And he was just a roleplayer in the NBA.
The key hope and difference for me is the legit size Thompson has.
You saw Rose's stats though when he was starting in place of Duncan right?
This was a few years back (and most definitely when he was in his prime) but he was putting up more than 10 boards a game starting if I remember correctly. He is a beast, and if he was 4 inches taller I think his career would have been something different then it was as a roleplayer. So let's hope this height thing is the difference
This was a few years back (and most definitely when he was in his prime) but he was putting up more than 10 boards a game starting if I remember correctly. He is a beast, and if he was 4 inches taller I think his career would have been something different then it was as a roleplayer. So let's hope this height thing is the difference
They're were a lot of people on this fourm that wanted Geoff to take a risk in this draft. Except they meant on a De Andre Jordan or a JaValle McGee. Well, he took a risk, just not the one that people wanted, and I think it made them uncomfortable. As far as the stats go. The only way they factor in is in the sense that if he had put up 8 pts, 4 rebounds and 1 blk a game, we wouldn't even be having this conservation. Other than that, their probably a moot point. The truth is, that if you want to be drafted into the NBA from a small school, you should and better dominate. Doesn't mean you'll be great, but it does mean you'll probably be noticed.
we know thompson has the tools to become a good player, but so did a lot of other busts in the draft. but besides hard work and dedication, what else could be done to help our pick get better? i hear a lot about kareem mentoring bynum, and i think ewing was an assistant coach too. would having a big man coaching our young bigs make a difference?