Prospect watch 2011
- Thread starter asakkings
- Start date
On DX he say he has a 7'1+ wingspan, but the problem with wingspan (and I think it's becoming very overrated) is that it doesn't necessarily mean they have long arms, and it also doesn't mean their reach will be good. Look at Shelden Williams, 6'8.5 w/ shoes, 7'4.25 wingspan, and an 8'8 standing reach. That's a pathetic standing reach for his height and wingspan, and it probably has to do with wide shoulders and/or long neck/head. That's why standing reach is a much better measurement, and how long you can reach comes into play far more than how wide you can reach.
In all likelihood, Motiejunas will spend his career as a poor defender and subpar rebounder. Height is not the only thing that goes into defensive ability: there's reach, strength, lateral quickness, explosiveness, balance, fundamentals, IQ, etc. Motiejunas lacks in many of those areas.
The perfect scenario rarely happens, especially on draft night. No point in writing off players in hopes that the perfect player will appear, you have to do your best to project NBA success. The more narrow your scope gets, the less likely you're going to come out with something good.
The perfect scenario rarely happens, especially on draft night. No point in writing off players in hopes that the perfect player will appear, you have to do your best to project NBA success. The more narrow your scope gets, the less likely you're going to come out with something good.
Still have a couple of games to watch from today, but thought I'd give my thoughts on the first three.
Ohio St vs. Illinios
Illinois – McCamey (PG) Not a good game for McCamey. Could not find his shot and didn’t really do much dribble-drive into the lane to make things happen. Illinois actually had their best run of the game during the end of the 1st half when McCamey picked up his 2nd foul and went out the of the game.
Had one good play on the night with a great steal and then dish for the jam, but other than a couple of nice passes, just didn’t show much.
Richard (SG/SF) really was the player of the game for Illinois. Shot it well, rebounded, played good defense, and had great energy and ended up with 18 points and 10 boards.
Ohio St – Sullinger (PF) Had a very solid game. Had a fantastic statline (27 pts, 16 rbs), but just played with-in himself and didn’t really do anything spectacular. It was one of those games where you know he’s having a good game, but it was a quiet sort of game.
You’d expect that with a statline like that, that he’d have dominated through-out, but it didn’t seem like that while watching. This is probably due to his lack of explosiveness, and his reliance on playing good fundamental basketball. I don't think this is a bad thing at all, but I do wish that I'd see some 'Wow' from him, but I just don't think that is part of his game.
I think he’s going to be a good player in the NBA. I worry about his lack of height and hops and how he’ll handle going against NBA size and length, but he’s so good using his lower body that I’m fairly certain he’ll do well. The biggest issue for me as far as a potential candidate for the Kings is I don’t think he’s a good fit next to Cousins due to potential defensive liabilities and duplicative post-oriented offense.
Moorehead St vs. E. Kentucky
Moorehead St – Faried (PF) Color me impressed. So Faried did not have a good offensive game and only ended with 4 points, but I couldn’t care less.
He ended the game with 21 rebounds, and unlike Sullinger who had 16 boards, Faried just went after everything and looked more impressive on that end.
He was double and triple teamed every time he touched the ball in the post. He did a fairly good job passing out of the double and triple teams, but also forced a few shots.
He has an incredible motor, is relentless on the boards, and has fantastic quickness and hops. I just want to see how he measures out as far as his height and length, but I was very, very impressed with his game.
I don’t think he’ll ever be a star due to potential limitation on the offensive end, but I don’t think that matters as he looks as if he could be a game-changing defensive/rebounding role-player in the NBA.
Baylor vs. Tx Tech
Baylor – Jones III (SF/PF) One of the better games I’ve seen from Jones. Just really under control. Wasn’t making mistakes by trying to do to much. Much like Sullinger, in that he had a terrific stat-line, but it was done in a fairly quiet manner, just went with the flow of the game to a tune of 24 pts on 10 of 12 shooting along with 8 boards. He really showed his length and athleticism and just had a smooth game.
Now Baylor basically got all of Tx Tech's big men into foul trouble early in the game, so Jones didn't really have to go up against much power and length. That does diminish this game somewhat in my mind. So though it was a good game from him, considering who he was matched up against, I don't think it was as good as the stats suggest.
At this point I still don't have any idea who I'd take with a #1 if we had the opportunity. I didn't catch any of Irving's games before he got injured so I can't make any comments on him. Still probably lean between one of the Jones' brothers for what I've seen personally, though if we pay top dollar for a veteran SF (Granger/Wallace) then that would change things.
I will say this: I think there is an absolute ton of talent which will be available in the middle of the draft, talent which could help the Kings. Players like D. Williams, C. Singleton, J. Hamilton, K. Faried, J. Taylor, & B. Knight could all be good fits, so it will be interesting to see how their draft stock plays out through the rest of the year, and if we can pick up another 1st rounder for Landry or other assets.
I'll toss some more thoughts out there once I watch the Texas/Kansas, Kentucky/S. Carolina, and Boston College/Florida St. games
The nice thing about watching college basketball is that I don't care at all who wins or loses, I just watch the players, and so don't have the agony of seeing a painful loss.
Ohio St vs. Illinios
Illinois – McCamey (PG) Not a good game for McCamey. Could not find his shot and didn’t really do much dribble-drive into the lane to make things happen. Illinois actually had their best run of the game during the end of the 1st half when McCamey picked up his 2nd foul and went out the of the game.
Had one good play on the night with a great steal and then dish for the jam, but other than a couple of nice passes, just didn’t show much.
Richard (SG/SF) really was the player of the game for Illinois. Shot it well, rebounded, played good defense, and had great energy and ended up with 18 points and 10 boards.
Ohio St – Sullinger (PF) Had a very solid game. Had a fantastic statline (27 pts, 16 rbs), but just played with-in himself and didn’t really do anything spectacular. It was one of those games where you know he’s having a good game, but it was a quiet sort of game.
You’d expect that with a statline like that, that he’d have dominated through-out, but it didn’t seem like that while watching. This is probably due to his lack of explosiveness, and his reliance on playing good fundamental basketball. I don't think this is a bad thing at all, but I do wish that I'd see some 'Wow' from him, but I just don't think that is part of his game.
I think he’s going to be a good player in the NBA. I worry about his lack of height and hops and how he’ll handle going against NBA size and length, but he’s so good using his lower body that I’m fairly certain he’ll do well. The biggest issue for me as far as a potential candidate for the Kings is I don’t think he’s a good fit next to Cousins due to potential defensive liabilities and duplicative post-oriented offense.
Moorehead St vs. E. Kentucky
Moorehead St – Faried (PF) Color me impressed. So Faried did not have a good offensive game and only ended with 4 points, but I couldn’t care less.
He ended the game with 21 rebounds, and unlike Sullinger who had 16 boards, Faried just went after everything and looked more impressive on that end.
He was double and triple teamed every time he touched the ball in the post. He did a fairly good job passing out of the double and triple teams, but also forced a few shots.
He has an incredible motor, is relentless on the boards, and has fantastic quickness and hops. I just want to see how he measures out as far as his height and length, but I was very, very impressed with his game.
I don’t think he’ll ever be a star due to potential limitation on the offensive end, but I don’t think that matters as he looks as if he could be a game-changing defensive/rebounding role-player in the NBA.
Baylor vs. Tx Tech
Baylor – Jones III (SF/PF) One of the better games I’ve seen from Jones. Just really under control. Wasn’t making mistakes by trying to do to much. Much like Sullinger, in that he had a terrific stat-line, but it was done in a fairly quiet manner, just went with the flow of the game to a tune of 24 pts on 10 of 12 shooting along with 8 boards. He really showed his length and athleticism and just had a smooth game.
Now Baylor basically got all of Tx Tech's big men into foul trouble early in the game, so Jones didn't really have to go up against much power and length. That does diminish this game somewhat in my mind. So though it was a good game from him, considering who he was matched up against, I don't think it was as good as the stats suggest.
At this point I still don't have any idea who I'd take with a #1 if we had the opportunity. I didn't catch any of Irving's games before he got injured so I can't make any comments on him. Still probably lean between one of the Jones' brothers for what I've seen personally, though if we pay top dollar for a veteran SF (Granger/Wallace) then that would change things.
I will say this: I think there is an absolute ton of talent which will be available in the middle of the draft, talent which could help the Kings. Players like D. Williams, C. Singleton, J. Hamilton, K. Faried, J. Taylor, & B. Knight could all be good fits, so it will be interesting to see how their draft stock plays out through the rest of the year, and if we can pick up another 1st rounder for Landry or other assets.
I'll toss some more thoughts out there once I watch the Texas/Kansas, Kentucky/S. Carolina, and Boston College/Florida St. games
The nice thing about watching college basketball is that I don't care at all who wins or loses, I just watch the players, and so don't have the agony of seeing a painful loss.
Sometimes I think I'm the kiss of death. I ask you to watch McCamey and he has probably his worse game of the year. I mean the dude is shooting over 50% from beyond the arc for the season, and he couldn't spit into the ocean in this game. Oh well, it happens. I also watched the Moorehead St. game. They're not on often, so when they are, I have to catch them. I just love Faried. Some have compared his game to Dennis Rodman, and I see the comparision as to the rebounding and the size, but I think Faried is a much better athlete, and as you said, he never runs out of gas. Did you notice that on some occasions when his coach took him out for a blow, he didn't sit down but walked up and down in front of his bench waiting to get back into the game.
By the way, speaking of stamina, I don't think Sullinger sat during the entire game. I don't ever remember him coming out of the game. I spent a lot time watching Sullinger when he jumped for a rebound, and I think he has better hops than I originally thought. Don't get me wrong, he's no Blake Griffin. But I think he'll surprise at the combine.
By the way, speaking of stamina, I don't think Sullinger sat during the entire game. I don't ever remember him coming out of the game. I spent a lot time watching Sullinger when he jumped for a rebound, and I think he has better hops than I originally thought. Don't get me wrong, he's no Blake Griffin. But I think he'll surprise at the combine.
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Yesterday I decided to tune in and watch Jared Sullinger for the first time this year. I must say, I am very impressed by this guy. He can play and his rebounding will translate in the pros. He has a nice form on his jumpshot too. I don't see why he couldn't be an option for the Kings depending on where the Kings draft and what is available. No position is set in stone other than SG & C.
Motiejunas is just someone that is intriguing because of his size, passing, high skill level and long shooting range. From what I've seen and read, he is actually highly skilled for someone his size and runs well. He does have trouble defending at this point, but how many young player doesn't? It's too early to assume someone will be a career poor defender before he plays a min of pro ball. Our very own DMC is a poor defender also at this point, but he is improving and has the size and athleticism to be better.
Sure reach, wingspan etc matters... thats a given. Sullinger's wingspan is 6'11.5", thats .25" wider than Tyreke's. He may still be a good player, but I would look else where for bigger and better first before going back to JS.
If you reread what I wrote, I did not write off JS. If he proves to be the bpa then we pick him. But why not look for a bigger PF that has the same offensive/defensive ability first is what I'm saying. I'm bigger on Kanter than Motiejunas. Too bad Kanter isn't cleared to play.
Sure reach, wingspan etc matters... thats a given. Sullinger's wingspan is 6'11.5", thats .25" wider than Tyreke's. He may still be a good player, but I would look else where for bigger and better first before going back to JS.
If you reread what I wrote, I did not write off JS. If he proves to be the bpa then we pick him. But why not look for a bigger PF that has the same offensive/defensive ability first is what I'm saying. I'm bigger on Kanter than Motiejunas. Too bad Kanter isn't cleared to play.
Ewww...Euro bigs.
I know its the lazy way out to stereotype/label players....But he seems to have the typical softie big skillset, with the typical softie big weakness(s).
Sure, it would be cool to find the next Dirk, but I'd rather let other teams take that risk on the Euro bigman.
Color me intrigued about Faried though. Seems like a bencher. But an impact bencher!! Only 6'8 215lbs and listed at PF/C, I can only imagine how rough his offensive game is. But the dude is averaging over 13 boards, to go along with 2 steals and 2 blocks a game! I can see this guy coming in off the bench behind JT and really changing up our game on the defensive side of the court.
Could he be worth that mid/late first we hopefully get for Landry?
I know its the lazy way out to stereotype/label players....But he seems to have the typical softie big skillset, with the typical softie big weakness(s).
Sure, it would be cool to find the next Dirk, but I'd rather let other teams take that risk on the Euro bigman.
Color me intrigued about Faried though. Seems like a bencher. But an impact bencher!! Only 6'8 215lbs and listed at PF/C, I can only imagine how rough his offensive game is. But the dude is averaging over 13 boards, to go along with 2 steals and 2 blocks a game! I can see this guy coming in off the bench behind JT and really changing up our game on the defensive side of the court.
Could he be worth that mid/late first we hopefully get for Landry?
I've nothing against either Motiejunas or Kanter. I was really hoping that Kanter would be allowed to play for Kentucky, but no, the NCAA in their eternal wisdom, said maybe next year guys. Sorry NCAA, I think he'll be playing in the pro's next year. Anyway, I only comment on players that I can actually watch. I've seen Sulliinger play 7 times so far, and I've see the other two guys zero times. So anything I would say about either of them would be just echoing someone else's opinion. That doesn't make the other opinion wrong, its just not my opinion, and thats what I try to do on this fourm.
Right now, at this given minute, if I had to choose with the first pick in the draft, it would be between Kyle Irving and Terrence Jones. I only saw Irving play 3 times, and I've seen Jones play, I believe 8 times. Both guys impact the game. So does Sullinger, but I just happen to like both Irving and T. Jones better. But thats now, and that could change by draft time.
On another note. Yes its possible for some players to have inflated stats depending on their situation. But when you play for a major school in a major conference and your team is ranked number one in the country, and your the guy thats carrying that team on his back. When there are no other major stars on that team, except for maybe William Buford, and thats debatable, then your earning every point and rebound your getting. This isn't Sheldon Williams where he was made to look good by the system he played in and the other good players around him. This guy is doing it all on his own, night after night. He played all 40 minutes of the last game, so despite his suggested weight of 270, which I don't believe, he appears to have plenty of stamina.
Right now, at this given minute, if I had to choose with the first pick in the draft, it would be between Kyle Irving and Terrence Jones. I only saw Irving play 3 times, and I've seen Jones play, I believe 8 times. Both guys impact the game. So does Sullinger, but I just happen to like both Irving and T. Jones better. But thats now, and that could change by draft time.
On another note. Yes its possible for some players to have inflated stats depending on their situation. But when you play for a major school in a major conference and your team is ranked number one in the country, and your the guy thats carrying that team on his back. When there are no other major stars on that team, except for maybe William Buford, and thats debatable, then your earning every point and rebound your getting. This isn't Sheldon Williams where he was made to look good by the system he played in and the other good players around him. This guy is doing it all on his own, night after night. He played all 40 minutes of the last game, so despite his suggested weight of 270, which I don't believe, he appears to have plenty of stamina.
Though this doesn't exactly address what I said. You're telling me that sometimes good players have bad numbers in college. That's not exactly the same thing as saying some mediocre players have good numbers in college.
Tell you what. Find me a player who, as a freshman in the Big-10, averaged at least 17 points and 10 rebounds but then didn't work out in the NBA because of lack of skill (i.e. not due to injury). Find me that player and I will concede the point.
Tell you what. Find me a player who, as a freshman in the Big-10, averaged at least 17 points and 10 rebounds but then didn't work out in the NBA because of lack of skill (i.e. not due to injury). Find me that player and I will concede the point.
I think you are missing my point. I'm saying you can't just base things on stats, good or bad. You may not mean it that way but you only listed stats in your response.
I'm not saying Sullinger is just a mediocre player. I agree he is a good player from what I saw. At the same time, I'm saying I didn't see a Blake Griffin type out there that has you sold on the spot. I would still prefer to look further first before zeroing in on him.
If you google Sullinger's wingspan, you will find anything from 6'11.5" to 7'1.5" as you listed. I'm not sure why he would measure wider at a high school all star game than at a tourney on a later date. I would assume its somewhere in the middle at 7'1/2" to be fair. Not bad, but not enough to make up for the 3 to 4 inches in height against some tall PFs that also has impressive reach and wingspan. I've seen multiple sources that lists his height as 6'8" so these things vary.
Regarding the stats, it goes both ways. He is the only star so the D can concentrate on him and he has less help. At the same time he gets more touches and opportunities.
Again, I'm not counting Sullinger out. I think some of you are getting the wrong idea. I do like his game. But he is not a Lebron or Blake level prospect. I'm hoping for a KG/Pau instead of a Boozer. Not that I would complain if we got a Boozer. Just want us to be able to dominate. I'm sure you know what I mean already.
Regarding the stats, it goes both ways. He is the only star so the D can concentrate on him and he has less help. At the same time he gets more touches and opportunities.
Again, I'm not counting Sullinger out. I think some of you are getting the wrong idea. I do like his game. But he is not a Lebron or Blake level prospect. I'm hoping for a KG/Pau instead of a Boozer. Not that I would complain if we got a Boozer. Just want us to be able to dominate. I'm sure you know what I mean already.
Don't worry about McCamey, I'll make sure to catch him a few more times before making a decision. Question though, do you consider McCamey a potential 2nd round pick?
Because if I had to pick a PG somewhere in the middle of the 1st round I'd go with B. Knight at this point.
As far as Faried goes...I was just really impressed. I'd love to catch another game or two from Moorehead St., because he was just fun to watch. He went after those rebounds as if it were his lifeblood, and he's so explosive and relentless, it was just really impressive.
As to Sullinger, I think I recall the announcers mentioning towards the end of the game that he hadn't seen any relief, so it's possible he played the entire game.
Sullinger is hard for me because we have Cousins and I really, really, really want a defensive-oriented big-man next to him. In theory that could be Whiteside, if we develop him properly and he pans out.
I guess I'd rather see Tyson Chandler rather than Al Jefferson out there next to Cousins when discussing best fit for the Kings team.
Not that I wouldn't take Al Jefferson, if the other choice is Hilton Armstrong, but Cousins is going to end up being a decent-to-good post defender and a great post offensive player, so I hope we land a strong weak-side defensive-oriented big-man next to him.
Because if I had to pick a PG somewhere in the middle of the 1st round I'd go with B. Knight at this point.
As far as Faried goes...I was just really impressed. I'd love to catch another game or two from Moorehead St., because he was just fun to watch. He went after those rebounds as if it were his lifeblood, and he's so explosive and relentless, it was just really impressive.
As to Sullinger, I think I recall the announcers mentioning towards the end of the game that he hadn't seen any relief, so it's possible he played the entire game.
Sullinger is hard for me because we have Cousins and I really, really, really want a defensive-oriented big-man next to him. In theory that could be Whiteside, if we develop him properly and he pans out.
I guess I'd rather see Tyson Chandler rather than Al Jefferson out there next to Cousins when discussing best fit for the Kings team.
Not that I wouldn't take Al Jefferson, if the other choice is Hilton Armstrong, but Cousins is going to end up being a decent-to-good post defender and a great post offensive player, so I hope we land a strong weak-side defensive-oriented big-man next to him.
Here are some of my observations for the other games which took place this weekend.
Texas vs Kansas (1/22/11)
Texas - Jordan Hamilton (SG/SF)
A very strange game for Hamilton. He’s the leader scorer for Texas and typically does his damage with a good jump-shot and the ability to post up smaller players. He didn’t hit any 3pt shots and really didn’t take advantage of being defended by a much smaller guard.
With that said, he was still aggressive and went to the line 7 times making all of them. And as he’s consistently demonstrated, he’s a very good rebounder, leading his team today with 9. He was hit with a technical foul as he was beginning to gain momentum due to a taunt thrown at a Kansas player after an And-1 opportunity. That really hurt his team, as they had just broken past the Kansas lead, so incidents like that are not what you want to see from this young player.
So not a sizzling performance from Hamilton, but a good one none-the-less. I had expected to see him do more damage on the offensive end, especially being guarded by a smaller guard for the majority of the game.
He's really big for the SG position, and if I could squint hard enough and convince myself that he could play SG full-time next to Tyreke, then he'd actually be one of my primary players I'd want to pick up if we drop out of the top 3-5.
Texas – Tristan Thompson (PF)
Played a very, very good defensive game today. Didn’t rebound as well as he should have, but played great defense against Morris, and had 5 blocks while protecting the rim. Two of those blocks were sure baskets that could have been momentum swings in Kansas favor, so they were big. Made good post moves and was active in the paint and was steady on the offensive end.
I like Thompson, but not really for the Kings as I don’t think he’d crack our rotation.
Kansas – Josh Selby (Combo Guard)
Had an absolutely horrible game. Was 2 of 9 for 4 points and had no impact on the game what-so-ever. Was hit with a technical foul which hurt his team, and just wasn’t in it at all. Definitely an outing he’s going to want to forget quickly.
Kentucky vs. S. Carolina (1/22/11)
Kentucky – Terrance Jones (SF/PF)
Had a pretty good game. All of his points came from dunks and free throws, so he was very aggressive in the paint. Didn’t shoot a very good percentage, but he was very active.
Got blocked when he went up for a slam on one possession, and the next time down, went strong again and jammed it home.
He had a marvelous cross-over and drive into the lane for a thunderous one-handed dunk which really highlighted his athleticism.
On defense he used his hands to good effect on defense getting a good number of deflections and steals. He was having to defend a bigger man, and he had some good moments and some bad moments. He’s such a strong and athletic kid, it was interesting seeing him get outmuscled somewhat in the paint.
I really want to like him, but I can’t convince myself that he’s a SF. He’s really hesitant to shoot it from the outside and his release is fairly slow. He’s really powerful and has very good athleticism, but most of his damage is done in the paint which is more of the PF’s game, and I think he’ll be undersized if he’s forced to play the PF position. So I'll keep watching him, and hoping that I see enough to convince me he can play that 3 spot.
At this point in time, I love his intensity and power, but I give the edge to Perry Jones III, because I think Perry will have an easier time developing a SFs game in the NBA.
Kentucky – Brandon Knight (PG)
Had a very good scoring game and really went after the rebounds. Ended up with 23 points and 7 boards.
Was really pressured by S. Carolina while bringing up the ball and coughed it up a few times due to the full-court press. To his defense his teammates weren’t doing much of anything to help relieve the pressure, but he was looking to beat the press off the dribble, and there were a few times he’d have been better served to pass the ball up court.
I don’t think there is any question that he’s the least ‘starlike’ of the guards that Calipari has had to work with over the last 4 years, but with-out question he’s the best shooter of the bunch. He’s just a great 3pt shooter, especially when his feet are set. He isn’t like Kemba Walker where he’s going to dribble around and then hit a 3pt off the dribble while having a hand in his face, but he is definitely a deep threat.
His defense was very good once again. I’m not particularly fond of bringing in a point guard to play next to Tyreke, but if we were going to do that, then someone like Knight would be what I’d be looking for. He has good size, has a good outside shot, and is a very good defender. I don’t think he’s a top 10 pick though, so unless the Kings get another pick, I don’t see him being in our range.
Florida St vs. Boston College (1/22/11)[/
Florida St – Chris Singleton (SF)
Singleton had a very sub-par offensive game against Boston College. He’s almost a pure defensive player and showed his very quick feet, fast close-outs and defensive rotations, and very active hands in this game, but if he’s going to make an impact on the NBA level he’s got to have a consistent outside shot. He missed all four of his 3pt attempts, and all of them were wide-open with his feet set. So they were good shots, but just didn’t fall.
He sometimes tries to force the offense, and you’d think with this size and athleticism he’d have a decent offensive game, but he really doesn’t have a good feel for the offensive side of the ball.
I like Singleton a lot, and if he can learn how to consistently hit the open shot I think he’ll be a good player in the NBA, but tonight, he didn’t hit his shot.
Of course, he’s the leader of their defense and they held B.C. to 51 points on 35% shooting, so you can’t complain too much about his offense, when it’s their defense that got them the victory.
Texas vs Kansas (1/22/11)
Texas - Jordan Hamilton (SG/SF)
A very strange game for Hamilton. He’s the leader scorer for Texas and typically does his damage with a good jump-shot and the ability to post up smaller players. He didn’t hit any 3pt shots and really didn’t take advantage of being defended by a much smaller guard.
With that said, he was still aggressive and went to the line 7 times making all of them. And as he’s consistently demonstrated, he’s a very good rebounder, leading his team today with 9. He was hit with a technical foul as he was beginning to gain momentum due to a taunt thrown at a Kansas player after an And-1 opportunity. That really hurt his team, as they had just broken past the Kansas lead, so incidents like that are not what you want to see from this young player.
So not a sizzling performance from Hamilton, but a good one none-the-less. I had expected to see him do more damage on the offensive end, especially being guarded by a smaller guard for the majority of the game.
He's really big for the SG position, and if I could squint hard enough and convince myself that he could play SG full-time next to Tyreke, then he'd actually be one of my primary players I'd want to pick up if we drop out of the top 3-5.
Texas – Tristan Thompson (PF)
Played a very, very good defensive game today. Didn’t rebound as well as he should have, but played great defense against Morris, and had 5 blocks while protecting the rim. Two of those blocks were sure baskets that could have been momentum swings in Kansas favor, so they were big. Made good post moves and was active in the paint and was steady on the offensive end.
I like Thompson, but not really for the Kings as I don’t think he’d crack our rotation.
Kansas – Josh Selby (Combo Guard)
Had an absolutely horrible game. Was 2 of 9 for 4 points and had no impact on the game what-so-ever. Was hit with a technical foul which hurt his team, and just wasn’t in it at all. Definitely an outing he’s going to want to forget quickly.
Kentucky vs. S. Carolina (1/22/11)
Kentucky – Terrance Jones (SF/PF)
Had a pretty good game. All of his points came from dunks and free throws, so he was very aggressive in the paint. Didn’t shoot a very good percentage, but he was very active.
Got blocked when he went up for a slam on one possession, and the next time down, went strong again and jammed it home.
He had a marvelous cross-over and drive into the lane for a thunderous one-handed dunk which really highlighted his athleticism.
On defense he used his hands to good effect on defense getting a good number of deflections and steals. He was having to defend a bigger man, and he had some good moments and some bad moments. He’s such a strong and athletic kid, it was interesting seeing him get outmuscled somewhat in the paint.
I really want to like him, but I can’t convince myself that he’s a SF. He’s really hesitant to shoot it from the outside and his release is fairly slow. He’s really powerful and has very good athleticism, but most of his damage is done in the paint which is more of the PF’s game, and I think he’ll be undersized if he’s forced to play the PF position. So I'll keep watching him, and hoping that I see enough to convince me he can play that 3 spot.
At this point in time, I love his intensity and power, but I give the edge to Perry Jones III, because I think Perry will have an easier time developing a SFs game in the NBA.
Kentucky – Brandon Knight (PG)
Had a very good scoring game and really went after the rebounds. Ended up with 23 points and 7 boards.
Was really pressured by S. Carolina while bringing up the ball and coughed it up a few times due to the full-court press. To his defense his teammates weren’t doing much of anything to help relieve the pressure, but he was looking to beat the press off the dribble, and there were a few times he’d have been better served to pass the ball up court.
I don’t think there is any question that he’s the least ‘starlike’ of the guards that Calipari has had to work with over the last 4 years, but with-out question he’s the best shooter of the bunch. He’s just a great 3pt shooter, especially when his feet are set. He isn’t like Kemba Walker where he’s going to dribble around and then hit a 3pt off the dribble while having a hand in his face, but he is definitely a deep threat.
His defense was very good once again. I’m not particularly fond of bringing in a point guard to play next to Tyreke, but if we were going to do that, then someone like Knight would be what I’d be looking for. He has good size, has a good outside shot, and is a very good defender. I don’t think he’s a top 10 pick though, so unless the Kings get another pick, I don’t see him being in our range.
Florida St vs. Boston College (1/22/11)[/
Florida St – Chris Singleton (SF)
Singleton had a very sub-par offensive game against Boston College. He’s almost a pure defensive player and showed his very quick feet, fast close-outs and defensive rotations, and very active hands in this game, but if he’s going to make an impact on the NBA level he’s got to have a consistent outside shot. He missed all four of his 3pt attempts, and all of them were wide-open with his feet set. So they were good shots, but just didn’t fall.
He sometimes tries to force the offense, and you’d think with this size and athleticism he’d have a decent offensive game, but he really doesn’t have a good feel for the offensive side of the ball.
I like Singleton a lot, and if he can learn how to consistently hit the open shot I think he’ll be a good player in the NBA, but tonight, he didn’t hit his shot.
Of course, he’s the leader of their defense and they held B.C. to 51 points on 35% shooting, so you can’t complain too much about his offense, when it’s their defense that got them the victory.
Spot on. I knew he had the Calipari connection and had forgotten that JC had changed schools so recently. But yes, same questions with the same college coach would still be interesting. Do you think it would help or hurt his recruiting if he told HS prospects, "Sign with me and I can pretty much guarentee we can have you in a Kings uniform in 2 years."
I wish it had been Selby so I'd have had something good to say about him. I missed the first part of the game because the previous game went over, but a few minutes in Hamilton was being guarded by Brady Morningstar (6'4). Morningstar also guarded Hamilton in the 2nd half as well, and Hamilton had a mismatch which he should of taken advantage of, as I've seen him beat up smaller players in the post before.
Baylor vs. Kansas State (1/24/11)
Baylor – Perry Jones III
Ugly, ugly, ugly, ugly game. Reminds me why I’m not typically a big fan of college basketball. The score was 18 to 25 at the end of the 1st half.
Not a good game for Jones. He picked up two quick fouls in the 1st 4 minutes of the game and had to sit out. Because they were getting killed, they brought him back with 12 minutes remaining and he was able to avoid picking up his 3rd foul, but he wasn’t very aggressive or active around the basket due to not wanting to pick up his 3rd foul. I think he ended the 1st half with 2 or 3 points.
One of problem with Jones today was that for the majority of the game they tried to post him on the offensive end. He’s got great size and length, but he’s got nowhere the strength of a Sullinger or a Terrance Jones, and he was being guarded by Curtis Kelly who is about 20 pounds heavier and looks to be a good deal stronger.
He also almost never got the ball on the offensive end through-out the entire game. He only had 5 shot attempts, making 3 of them, and he should be getting a lot more touches on the offensive end. He did a good job on the boards ending up with 8.
He did have a great pick-n-roll for a one-handed slam, as well as a nifty little basket, where he reversed it under the basket to avoid the shot-blocker. He also had a travel when he should have pulled up for the 10 ft jumper, as well as an offensive foul when he tried to do too much while driving from the perimeter.
So all-in-all not an impressive outing for him today. His lack of strength made clearing out space under the basket a real problem for him today.
Baylor – Perry Jones III
Ugly, ugly, ugly, ugly game. Reminds me why I’m not typically a big fan of college basketball. The score was 18 to 25 at the end of the 1st half.
Not a good game for Jones. He picked up two quick fouls in the 1st 4 minutes of the game and had to sit out. Because they were getting killed, they brought him back with 12 minutes remaining and he was able to avoid picking up his 3rd foul, but he wasn’t very aggressive or active around the basket due to not wanting to pick up his 3rd foul. I think he ended the 1st half with 2 or 3 points.
One of problem with Jones today was that for the majority of the game they tried to post him on the offensive end. He’s got great size and length, but he’s got nowhere the strength of a Sullinger or a Terrance Jones, and he was being guarded by Curtis Kelly who is about 20 pounds heavier and looks to be a good deal stronger.
He also almost never got the ball on the offensive end through-out the entire game. He only had 5 shot attempts, making 3 of them, and he should be getting a lot more touches on the offensive end. He did a good job on the boards ending up with 8.
He did have a great pick-n-roll for a one-handed slam, as well as a nifty little basket, where he reversed it under the basket to avoid the shot-blocker. He also had a travel when he should have pulled up for the 10 ft jumper, as well as an offensive foul when he tried to do too much while driving from the perimeter.
So all-in-all not an impressive outing for him today. His lack of strength made clearing out space under the basket a real problem for him today.
I watched all the same games. Right now I take Terrence over Perry. Terrence is more consistent, stronger, just as good an athlete, handles the ball just as well, if not better. Passes the ball just as good if not better. And right now, Terrence is a better defender, rebounder and offensive player. I've watched Terrence guard quick SF's and on occasion, SG's and do a very good job. I've watched Perry get taken off the dribble by quick PF's and severly beaten off the dribble by SF's. Derrick Williams of Arizona would take Perry to the cleaners right now. Terrence has an NBA body, and Perry looks like he needs to add around 25 pounds of muscle. He gets pushed around under the basket by just about everyone. Terrence goes and gets rebounds, and Perry is a rebounder of convenience. Meaning when the ball bounces his way. Put Perry and Kenneth Faried under the basket together, and I would bet my house that Faried at 6'8" to Perry's 6'11" would come down with 18 out of the 20 rebounds.
Perry Jones may, or probably will, end up being a very good player in the NBA. But he scares me to death drafting him in the top five, and I don't think he's ready for the big time yet. Whereas I think Terrence, who definitely has some holes in his game, will be able to play consistent minutes sooner.
This could all change by the time of the draft of course. I agree by the way that it was a strange game for Hamilton. But he's been consistent all year, so he's entitled to one bad game, which wasn't really all that bad. Just less than what you expect from him. He certainly handles the ball well enough to play SG and is a good passer. Obviously he's a very good scorer and outside shooter. His main problem is driving into traffic and forcing things. He doesn't do it that often, but it does need correcting. The question is, is he quick enough to guard NBA SG's. Hard to say. Let me put it this way. I think he's a better athlete than Cisco, and we've had him play SG at times. So I'm leaning toward yes. But his best position may be at SF. I guess we'll see.
Perry Jones may, or probably will, end up being a very good player in the NBA. But he scares me to death drafting him in the top five, and I don't think he's ready for the big time yet. Whereas I think Terrence, who definitely has some holes in his game, will be able to play consistent minutes sooner.
This could all change by the time of the draft of course. I agree by the way that it was a strange game for Hamilton. But he's been consistent all year, so he's entitled to one bad game, which wasn't really all that bad. Just less than what you expect from him. He certainly handles the ball well enough to play SG and is a good passer. Obviously he's a very good scorer and outside shooter. His main problem is driving into traffic and forcing things. He doesn't do it that often, but it does need correcting. The question is, is he quick enough to guard NBA SG's. Hard to say. Let me put it this way. I think he's a better athlete than Cisco, and we've had him play SG at times. So I'm leaning toward yes. But his best position may be at SF. I guess we'll see.
I agree, but Corliss was 6'5.5" without shoes. And he was switched to SF upon entering the NBA, so he never got the chance to play his natural college position of PF/C, where he would have been under or near the basket.
Sullinger on the other hand is listed at 6'9", and is simplly bigger than Corliss, so I don't see it as a good comparison. To be honest, Corliss wasn't that great a rebounder in college, averaging just over 7 boards a game.
Sullinger on the other hand is listed at 6'9", and is simplly bigger than Corliss, so I don't see it as a good comparison. To be honest, Corliss wasn't that great a rebounder in college, averaging just over 7 boards a game.