Kyrie Irving had his cast removed friday and is now in a walking boot. There's a possibility that he might return before the end of the season, although the coaching staff expressed doubts. Would be great if he did, which would certainly allow him to participate in the combine and team workouts. He only played in 8 games this year, of which I only saw three. It would be nice to get a few more looks at him before the draft.
Prospect watch 2011
- Thread starter asakkings
- Start date
It's frustrating as I didn't get to see any of his games. So just like European players I can't talk with any confidence on him, his game, or his fit with the Kings.
I would love to see him play, even if he's rusty, to get some sense of what he can do on the court, how he comports himself, and what kind of competitor he is.
I don't like Kemba Walker in the back-court next to Tyreke, if I had to choose a small guard I'd rather go with Jimmer Fredette or Brandon Knight, and neither of them are what I'd consider pure point guards.
So when people say they'd take Irving #1 for the Kings, I'd like to see what they see to move him above players like Williams and the Jones'.
I would love to see him play, even if he's rusty, to get some sense of what he can do on the court, how he comports himself, and what kind of competitor he is.
I don't like Kemba Walker in the back-court next to Tyreke, if I had to choose a small guard I'd rather go with Jimmer Fredette or Brandon Knight, and neither of them are what I'd consider pure point guards.
So when people say they'd take Irving #1 for the Kings, I'd like to see what they see to move him above players like Williams and the Jones'.
Went back and re-watched the Baylor/Texas A&M game. Mostly to focus in on Perry Jones defense. At the moment, he's not a very good defender. At least around the basket. His reaction time is very slow, as though he's thinking about what he's doing instead of just doing. He has guys 2 to 3 inches shorter than him making layups and dunking with him mostly being a spectator. Out away from the basket he's a little better, but its hard to get an honest read because of the 2/3 zone that Baylor plays. Almost anytime he's defending on the ball, he gets help from somewhere. So you seldom get a chance to see what his one on one defensive skills are.
Rebounding is almost and afterthought to him, and I suspect that defense is as well. You can almost see his body language change when Baylor goes on offense. Don't get me wrong. He does get back on defense. On paper he does all the things he's suspossed to do, except actually play good man to man defense when he has the opportunity. I don't think he likes to bang under the basket, and with his slight build I can understand that. I just wish I could see more effort from him. He is young, and his potential for the future is enormus. There are some little red flags, but he has improved since the beginning of the year. Hopefully his growth will continue..
Rebounding is almost and afterthought to him, and I suspect that defense is as well. You can almost see his body language change when Baylor goes on offense. Don't get me wrong. He does get back on defense. On paper he does all the things he's suspossed to do, except actually play good man to man defense when he has the opportunity. I don't think he likes to bang under the basket, and with his slight build I can understand that. I just wish I could see more effort from him. He is young, and his potential for the future is enormus. There are some little red flags, but he has improved since the beginning of the year. Hopefully his growth will continue..
Has there been any Enes Kanter updates lately? I saw him play in .. what was it.. the Nike Hoops summit I think almost a year ago. He looked fantastic. He's kind of my dark horse pick this year. I just havent been overly impressed with what I have seen from the top guys aside from Irving, and that was a very small sample.
I simply dont trust Perry Jones. I need to check out Williams and Sullinger more, but I have a hard time getting excited about smallish PF's. And Im still holding out hope Harrison Barnes starts to show us something. We could really use a small forward.
I simply dont trust Perry Jones. I need to check out Williams and Sullinger more, but I have a hard time getting excited about smallish PF's. And Im still holding out hope Harrison Barnes starts to show us something. We could really use a small forward.
I saw Kanter play in the same game, and he was clearly the best player on the floor in that game. I wouldn't call Sullinger small. He's listed at 275 pounds. Now his height is another thing altogether. But my question isn't so much about his height, considering how many undersized PF's there already are in the league, but how well he'll be able to defend at the next level. He's currently playing center for Ohio St., and there is no way he'll be able to play center in the NBA on a regular basis. At his current weight and quickness, he'll have a very hard time guarding guys like Milsap etc. at the PF position, where he'll have to play in the NBA. I don't think scoring or rebounding will be that big a problem for him. But unless he looses some weight, his quickness will be an issue at the next level.
As for Williams, I see him as what your looking for. A SF. He's playing PF or some semblence of a post player for Arizona, but he's a very good athlete with excellent quickness and leaping ability. Add in that he has a very good jumpshot to go along with his post game, and I don't see a problem with him switching to SF in the NBA. He would also be one of the strongest SF's in the NBA with the obvious advantage of being able to post up just about any other SF in the NBA. He has some weaknesses like ballhandling that would have to improve at the next level. But he's already a decent passer. I still have him at number 2 and just might move him up to number 1 on my board if he continues to play at his current level. The kid has loads of potential, and is already very good. Thats a good combination.
I almost forgot to add in, that although he doesn't average more than one 3 pt shot per game, he leads all of college in 3 pt percentage. Take that Fredette..
As for Williams, I see him as what your looking for. A SF. He's playing PF or some semblence of a post player for Arizona, but he's a very good athlete with excellent quickness and leaping ability. Add in that he has a very good jumpshot to go along with his post game, and I don't see a problem with him switching to SF in the NBA. He would also be one of the strongest SF's in the NBA with the obvious advantage of being able to post up just about any other SF in the NBA. He has some weaknesses like ballhandling that would have to improve at the next level. But he's already a decent passer. I still have him at number 2 and just might move him up to number 1 on my board if he continues to play at his current level. The kid has loads of potential, and is already very good. Thats a good combination.
I almost forgot to add in, that although he doesn't average more than one 3 pt shot per game, he leads all of college in 3 pt percentage. Take that Fredette..
Yea, Williams is interesting as a SF, as a PF I'm not so sure. I havent paid enough attention to him to really decide for myself if he can play SF in the NBA, but I trust your judgment. Quickness would be the biggest issue, but if he has it then he is a player to look out for.
Another concern is the shot. If Williams becomes our guy, he needs to be able to shoot the three. Absoultely needs to. This team lacks shooting, but more importantly it lacks shooters that can do other things. Cisco is a one trick pony on offense, and so is Casspi. They can shoot the 3, but you dont even have to guard them for anything else because they wont do anything else. It seems like Williams can do the 'other' things like work in the post, which is great, but he needs the shot too.
The reason I didnt think he had the ability to play small forward in the first place is because Draft Express lists him as a PF, and they are usually VERY lenient when it comes to positions. Most guys over there are listed with two just to keep themselves covered. I also noticed the three point shooting which makes absoutely no sense to someone like me who hasnt seen him play. How can a guy shoot 70% from 3, and shoot only 1.5 a game. Crazy stat anomaly there. Whatever the case may be, I look forward to watching him play one of these days. I wonder if Arizona has any games on ESPN3.
Another concern is the shot. If Williams becomes our guy, he needs to be able to shoot the three. Absoultely needs to. This team lacks shooting, but more importantly it lacks shooters that can do other things. Cisco is a one trick pony on offense, and so is Casspi. They can shoot the 3, but you dont even have to guard them for anything else because they wont do anything else. It seems like Williams can do the 'other' things like work in the post, which is great, but he needs the shot too.
The reason I didnt think he had the ability to play small forward in the first place is because Draft Express lists him as a PF, and they are usually VERY lenient when it comes to positions. Most guys over there are listed with two just to keep themselves covered. I also noticed the three point shooting which makes absoutely no sense to someone like me who hasnt seen him play. How can a guy shoot 70% from 3, and shoot only 1.5 a game. Crazy stat anomaly there. Whatever the case may be, I look forward to watching him play one of these days. I wonder if Arizona has any games on ESPN3.
Keep checking the schedule -- I've seen Arizona on ESPN3 quite a bit actually. Since I got clued into Derrick Williams I watch them every chance I can now. He's a fun player to watch. February 19th is the next ESPN3 game I saw on the schedule.
I think Derrick Williams is still being listed as a PF on most of the draft sites, and he's played PF or C for most of his college career, but I also think he could easily play SF. The way I've seen him play this year, mixing in three point set shots with dribble drives and post moves, I'd even say that's a more natural position for him.
I think Derrick Williams is still being listed as a PF on most of the draft sites, and he's played PF or C for most of his college career, but I also think he could easily play SF. The way I've seen him play this year, mixing in three point set shots with dribble drives and post moves, I'd even say that's a more natural position for him.
I'm starting to look at some high end 2012 prospects--and I really think many of these prospects even belong in the lottery of this year's draft. Call me crazy, but Khris Middleton, a 6'7" swingman from Texas A&M, is one of these guys. I have him slated #9-12 in this weak draft, and considering the lack of pure scoring swingmen in the upper crust (it's mostly tweeners or scoring PFs) someone might reach for someone like him or Alec Burks. But Middleton can slash, shoot well, and has latent dimensions to his game. Seems like a firm lottery pick to me if he keeps this up.
I'm extremely high on Ray MacCallum, a 6'1" freshman out of Detroit, as well. Yes, he plays for a very weak conference and isn't proven as a shooter at all, but for a freshman, to be maintaining relatively low turnover rates while passing the ball quite well and getting to the line at will, it shows some things that can really translate well to the league. I even have him in the mid-lotto right now. Considering shooting's the easiest thing to develop, he's really one to look out for, but even if he's an average shooter when all's said and done, he'll still find ways to fill in the blanks with passing and slashing. A real sleeper in this draft.
John Jenkins out of Vanderbilt is another guy I might be unnaturally high on. Everyone's focused on Jeff Taylor, and while he isn't bad at all he's a role player in this league (projected #35-40 in my mock). Jenkins is extremely one-dimensional and a 6'4" SG, which might really limit his value, but the guy can really shoot, score and even create off the dribble. Has really improved his slashing ability, and that makes him really valuable. If he continues on this track, despite his other limitations, I still think he's a late lotto type candidate because he can be such a reliable scorer, and he's only a sophomore. 90% free throw shooter. I personally think the scoring will translate, and he's arguably better than JJ Redick was in his sophomore year. Another real sleeper out there.
Finally, Reggie Bullock out of UNC's only a freshman, and while his shooting touch is to the streaky/poor side right now, he's knows how to score and rebounds quite well. Can handle the ball and make things happen. He probably needs another year in college especially since he's playing below 15 mpg, but I can see him as a scoring/rebounding small forward type hybrid in the NBA, but he'll need to bulk up for that. I see some lottery potential, but it's really based on him developing his shooting touch and perhaps some passing ability down the line. But some real natural talent.
I'm extremely high on Ray MacCallum, a 6'1" freshman out of Detroit, as well. Yes, he plays for a very weak conference and isn't proven as a shooter at all, but for a freshman, to be maintaining relatively low turnover rates while passing the ball quite well and getting to the line at will, it shows some things that can really translate well to the league. I even have him in the mid-lotto right now. Considering shooting's the easiest thing to develop, he's really one to look out for, but even if he's an average shooter when all's said and done, he'll still find ways to fill in the blanks with passing and slashing. A real sleeper in this draft.
John Jenkins out of Vanderbilt is another guy I might be unnaturally high on. Everyone's focused on Jeff Taylor, and while he isn't bad at all he's a role player in this league (projected #35-40 in my mock). Jenkins is extremely one-dimensional and a 6'4" SG, which might really limit his value, but the guy can really shoot, score and even create off the dribble. Has really improved his slashing ability, and that makes him really valuable. If he continues on this track, despite his other limitations, I still think he's a late lotto type candidate because he can be such a reliable scorer, and he's only a sophomore. 90% free throw shooter. I personally think the scoring will translate, and he's arguably better than JJ Redick was in his sophomore year. Another real sleeper out there.
Finally, Reggie Bullock out of UNC's only a freshman, and while his shooting touch is to the streaky/poor side right now, he's knows how to score and rebounds quite well. Can handle the ball and make things happen. He probably needs another year in college especially since he's playing below 15 mpg, but I can see him as a scoring/rebounding small forward type hybrid in the NBA, but he'll need to bulk up for that. I see some lottery potential, but it's really based on him developing his shooting touch and perhaps some passing ability down the line. But some real natural talent.
I like Kris Middleton, but I'd have to put Josh Hamiltion ahead of him. Especially after the Texas/Texas A&M game. Hamilton completely shut down Middleton. Middleton was 0 for 9 in that game. However Hamilton had a very nice offensive game with Middleton guarding him. I believe he had 17 pts in that game. This is not to denigrate Middleton in any way. Just to give you my pecking order.
Reggie Bullock is an interestiing prospect. Your right about needing another year. When you look at the difference between Hamilton's freshman and sophmore years, its dramatic.
Going to disagree with you a little bit on Jenkins. I like Taylor a lot more. I think Taylor is a better athlete, although I may be splitting hairs there, but Taylor is definitely the better defender. If I'm looking for a JJ Redick type player that could be in the lottery, then I'm going with Jimmer Fredette. There is no better shooter in college basketball today. The only advantage Jenkins would have over Fredette is athleticism, and in this case I'm not sure it would make much of a difference. So I really doubt that Jenkins will even get a sniff of the lottery. But lower down in the draft, he just might be a real sleeper. I should probably add that I'm looking at both Jenkins and Taylor as SG's. Although Taylor is capable of playing some SF as well.
I will admit that I've only seen MacCallum play one time, and I wasn't watching the game to see him. I was watching the game to see Mississippi St. I do remember him from the game however and he played well. He didn't particularly stand out, but as I said, I wasn't keyed in on him. I have looked at his stats though and his shooting does leave something to be desired. He's a player that should stay in school another year.
Reggie Bullock is an interestiing prospect. Your right about needing another year. When you look at the difference between Hamilton's freshman and sophmore years, its dramatic.
Going to disagree with you a little bit on Jenkins. I like Taylor a lot more. I think Taylor is a better athlete, although I may be splitting hairs there, but Taylor is definitely the better defender. If I'm looking for a JJ Redick type player that could be in the lottery, then I'm going with Jimmer Fredette. There is no better shooter in college basketball today. The only advantage Jenkins would have over Fredette is athleticism, and in this case I'm not sure it would make much of a difference. So I really doubt that Jenkins will even get a sniff of the lottery. But lower down in the draft, he just might be a real sleeper. I should probably add that I'm looking at both Jenkins and Taylor as SG's. Although Taylor is capable of playing some SF as well.
I will admit that I've only seen MacCallum play one time, and I wasn't watching the game to see him. I was watching the game to see Mississippi St. I do remember him from the game however and he played well. He didn't particularly stand out, but as I said, I wasn't keyed in on him. I have looked at his stats though and his shooting does leave something to be desired. He's a player that should stay in school another year.
I watched the UCON/St. Johns game. Walker continued his trip back to reality with his shooting. He had 15 points but shot 4 of 16 from the field. He did have 7 assists and only one turnover though. I don't know if fatigue is setting in or its just the calm before the storm, but his shooting has been in the tank for the last 6 or 7 games. However he's continued to be fairly accurate from beyond the arc.
D.J. Kennedy had a very nice game for St. Johns. The 6'5" senior SG had 20 pts in a winning effort on 7 of 12 shooting. He also had 11 rebounds and 5 assists. If Kennedy could play like that every night he'd be higher on my list. Unfortunately he's been very inconsistent throughout the year. He'll give 20 pts one night and 5 the next, and so on. He definitely talented and someone to have on your radar.
As I mentioned in another thread, Jimmer Fredette had 25 pts on wednsday night against Air Force in a winning effort. It was a strange game because the ref's were allowing Air Force to just mug Fredette, and at least 3 or 4 of his turnovers should have been fouls. Still, he was 8 of 16 from the field and 5 of 8 from beyond the arc. He also managed 5 assists and 3 steals.
As I haven't mentioned Kenneth Faried lately. He had 18 pts on 5 of 8 shooting last night to go along with 13 rebounds, 3 steals, and 1 Blocked shot. I think Faried is capable of guarding any position from 1 to 5. He's a special athlete, and after trying to think of who he reminds me the most of, the closest I can come is a very young Ben Wallace. Faried is listed at 6'8" and lets remember, Wallace is probably no taller than 6'7". But when young, he was a terrific athlete. Thus the comparison.
D.J. Kennedy had a very nice game for St. Johns. The 6'5" senior SG had 20 pts in a winning effort on 7 of 12 shooting. He also had 11 rebounds and 5 assists. If Kennedy could play like that every night he'd be higher on my list. Unfortunately he's been very inconsistent throughout the year. He'll give 20 pts one night and 5 the next, and so on. He definitely talented and someone to have on your radar.
As I mentioned in another thread, Jimmer Fredette had 25 pts on wednsday night against Air Force in a winning effort. It was a strange game because the ref's were allowing Air Force to just mug Fredette, and at least 3 or 4 of his turnovers should have been fouls. Still, he was 8 of 16 from the field and 5 of 8 from beyond the arc. He also managed 5 assists and 3 steals.
As I haven't mentioned Kenneth Faried lately. He had 18 pts on 5 of 8 shooting last night to go along with 13 rebounds, 3 steals, and 1 Blocked shot. I think Faried is capable of guarding any position from 1 to 5. He's a special athlete, and after trying to think of who he reminds me the most of, the closest I can come is a very young Ben Wallace. Faried is listed at 6'8" and lets remember, Wallace is probably no taller than 6'7". But when young, he was a terrific athlete. Thus the comparison.
He has been compared to Rodman by a few of the scouts. And I can see why with his ability to rebound. But beyond that, he's a more physcial player than Rodman was, and a overall better athlete. Not a knock on Rodman's athleticism, but Faried is a freak athlete in the Gerald Wallace mode. A lot of people probably don't remember Wallace when he came into the league, but he wasn't bristling with as many muscles as he was later in his career, and like Faried, he could jump out of the building. Anyway, I was talking more about appearence and style of play than I was results.
For those interested here are the games I think are significant being played today with the channel and time:
Ohio St./Wisconsin: For those asking about Jared Sullinger, here's your chance to see him. ESPN at 11 am
Baylor/Texas: My matchup of the day. Perry Jones of Baylor and Jordan Hamilton of Texas. ESPN at 1 pm
Kentucky/Vanderbilt: Chance to see both Jeffery Taylor of Vanderbilt and Terrence Jones of Kentucky. CBS at 10 Am
Utah/BYU: Chance to see Jimmer Fredette. MTM channel 616 direct TV at 3 pm
For those that get ESPN3:
Iowa St./Kansas: Kansas is loaded with potential draft picks. Both the Morris twins and Josh Selby. ESPN3 at 1 pm
North Carolina/Clemson: Chance to see Harrison Barnes, who has been playing well of late. ESPN3 at 10 am
Lastly a team to watch as a dark horse in the tournament and with one of my favorite players to watch.
St. Marys/San Francisco: Mickey McConnell the point guard for St. Marys is a joy to watch. Don't know if he's athletic enough to play in the NBA, but the guy is good pt guard who can really shoot the ball. Channel 699 direct tv at 7:30 pm.
Ohio St./Wisconsin: For those asking about Jared Sullinger, here's your chance to see him. ESPN at 11 am
Baylor/Texas: My matchup of the day. Perry Jones of Baylor and Jordan Hamilton of Texas. ESPN at 1 pm
Kentucky/Vanderbilt: Chance to see both Jeffery Taylor of Vanderbilt and Terrence Jones of Kentucky. CBS at 10 Am
Utah/BYU: Chance to see Jimmer Fredette. MTM channel 616 direct TV at 3 pm
For those that get ESPN3:
Iowa St./Kansas: Kansas is loaded with potential draft picks. Both the Morris twins and Josh Selby. ESPN3 at 1 pm
North Carolina/Clemson: Chance to see Harrison Barnes, who has been playing well of late. ESPN3 at 10 am
Lastly a team to watch as a dark horse in the tournament and with one of my favorite players to watch.
St. Marys/San Francisco: Mickey McConnell the point guard for St. Marys is a joy to watch. Don't know if he's athletic enough to play in the NBA, but the guy is good pt guard who can really shoot the ball. Channel 699 direct tv at 7:30 pm.
I agree that Rodman is unique. But I can understand the comparison. Faried has led college in rebounding for the last two years and has had several 20 rebound games already this year. And trust me, he's unique in his own right. If your looking for a player that can come into a game that can rebound and defend, he's your guy. He doesn't have much in the way of an offensive game except garbage putbacks, but he'll get you 10 pts a game with just that.
This is one of the reasons its hard to get a good read on North Carolina players. I'll throw Duke into that mix as well. Both schools are very good at hiding the weaknesses of players, and at the same time hiding untapped potential as well. Sheldon Williams is an example of a guy that looked good in college, but was below average for his position in the NBA. Both schools are more about the sum of their parts than they are individual play. Derrick Favors spent a year at Georgia Tech last year, and didn't improve his game much from highschool. He was a victim of poor guard play, and a system that was mostly perimiter driven.
If I coached North Carolina, I'd be feeding Barnes the ball over and over again, and let the rest of the team play off of him. But then I'm selfish and I want to see what the kid can do.
If I coached North Carolina, I'd be feeding Barnes the ball over and over again, and let the rest of the team play off of him. But then I'm selfish and I want to see what the kid can do.
I only saw the first half of the North Carolina game and unfortunately Barnes spent most of it on the bench. After that I switched over to Ohio State and saw them lose their first game of the season. I thought Sullinger was too passive in the first half -- he wasn't fighting very hard for rebounds and he wasn't calling for the ball in the post either. In the second half he asserted himself more. I missed a good chunk of the game when Wisconsin apparently took over and built a lead, but I did come back to see the finish. Sullinger had a huge offensive board and made both free throws to cut the lead to 2 with a minute left but Wisconsin answered with another three. He pulled down another huge board off an intentionally missed free throw and quickly ran out to the three point line and drained it with three seconds left in the game, but it was too late.
When I left to get lunch Ohio State was up 10 so I can't say who's to blame for Ohio State's first loss. Looking at the stats, Wisconsin shot 51% overall and 50% from three. That's a tough team to beat. Ohio State had a two point lead at the half but it could have been bigger if Sullinger had imposed himself more early on. I think he had 10 and 7 at halftime while mostly letting his teammates run the plays on offense. Like I said before, he's an excellent team player. He rotates smartly on defense, sets good screens for his teammates, follows through on whatever offensive set his team calls. But I think Ohio State pulls this one out if he gets more touches. Oh and he also played all 40 minutes again.
When I left to get lunch Ohio State was up 10 so I can't say who's to blame for Ohio State's first loss. Looking at the stats, Wisconsin shot 51% overall and 50% from three. That's a tough team to beat. Ohio State had a two point lead at the half but it could have been bigger if Sullinger had imposed himself more early on. I think he had 10 and 7 at halftime while mostly letting his teammates run the plays on offense. Like I said before, he's an excellent team player. He rotates smartly on defense, sets good screens for his teammates, follows through on whatever offensive set his team calls. But I think Ohio State pulls this one out if he gets more touches. Oh and he also played all 40 minutes again.
Wisconsin simply outplayed them in the second half. Jordan Taylor got hotter than a pistol and just couldn't miss. Ohio St. had good shots, but missed them. There were three shots in a row if I remember correctly that were in the basket and rattled out. I believe that Ohio St. was up by as much as 14 pts in the second half, and then let down a little. The momentem changed and they had a battle on their hands from there out. I was really worried about this game for Ohio St. They've had a hard time winning in Wisconsin, and Wisconsin is a very good team. Especially on defense.
I thought Sullinger played his normal game. Ohio St. has a lot of weapons and usually they spread the scoring around fairly equally. Sullinger ended up with 19 pts and 12 boards. And he was 7 of 12 from the floor.
I thought Sullinger played his normal game. Ohio St. has a lot of weapons and usually they spread the scoring around fairly equally. Sullinger ended up with 19 pts and 12 boards. And he was 7 of 12 from the floor.
Watched the Texas/Baylor game. Great game from an intertainment point of view. Baylor went down early in the game and I think they trailed by as many as 19 pts. But they refused to go away. Or should I say Lacedarius Dunn refused to go away. Dunn had 4 pts at the half and ended up with 26 pts for the game. Corey Joseph actually did a very good job of guarding him, but Dunn was just unconcious. He was hitting fade away three's with Joseph's hand in his face. Then because Joseph was right up on him, he started going around Joseph and going to the basket, where he finished a couple of times with 3 enemy jerseys around him. Baylor came all the way back to tie the game, but Texas is a very good defensive team, and they tightened the screws and managed to pull away for the win. Perry Jones had a couple of nice moments in the game. But it was nothing to write home about. I thought he fairly worthless in the first half, and spent a large part of it on the bench.
P. Jones ended up with 13 pts and 6 rebounds with one blocked shot. He did pull down an important rebound when the game was still there for the taking. And made nice floater off an offensive rebound. But other than that, it was a disappointment for me. If he had just half the determination that Dunn has he would be unstoppable.
Jordan Hamilton and Tristan Thompson both had nice games for Texas. Hamilton's outside shot was off, but he played very good defense, grabbed boards and went to his mid-range game, as well as taking it to the basket. He's a smart athletic player. His major weakness is driving into traffic and trying to pass out of it. But overall, I reall like his game. Tristan Thompson the 6'8" PF with long arms is just very active around the basket. He blocks shots and has some nice post moves. He's still raw, and should probably stay in college another year, but I doubt he will.
Hamiliton had 17 pts on 7 of 14 shooting to go along with 8 rebounds and 1 blocked shot. Thompson also had 17 pts on 5 of 9 shooting to go with 13 boards, 2 steals, and 3 blocked shots
The other Jones boy that plays for Kentucky, Terrence had one of his best games of the year. He had 25 pts on 9 of 14 shooting. 9 rebounds, 2 steals, and 3 blocked shots. I'm sorry. If I have to pick between Terrence and Perry based on performance, I have to go with Terrence. The guy may make mistakes and his 3 pt shot needs a lot of work, but he always finds a way to impact the game. Perry just disappears at times. Yes, I know he needs to have an outside shot to play SF. But if I remember correctly LeBron couldn't shoot a lick from the outside his first two years in the league. Michael Jordan shot 20% from beyond the arc is first two years in the league. So I'm willing to overlook his one weakness simply because he busts his butt everytime he's on the floor.
I want to give kudo's to John Jenkins of Vanderbilt today. He had a great game, and is probably the reason Vanderbilt won. He had 32 pts on 11 of 17 shooting, and was 6 of 10 from beyond the arc. Jenkins is a 6'4" shooting guard. His running mate Jeffery Taylor had a miserable offensive day. Taylor isn't a great offensive player to begin with. His strength is defense, and he may be one of the top 5 defensive players in college. Unfortunately he needs to bring more offense to the table than the 4 pts he threw in today.
In closing I want to mention a player that I've only seen play a handful of times over his four years of college. But he's turned into a pretty darned good pg. Today he had a career day scoring 41 pts on 11 of 22 shooting and 5 of 10 from beyond the arc. The 6'2" PG also pulled down 20 rebounds and had 9 assists to go with only 2 turnovers. You can also add 3 steals to the stat sheet. His name is Norris Cole. He's one of those guys that I'm sure you'll hear about somewhere down the road and wonder where he came from. Well he comes from Cleveland St. and Horizon conference. And I wouldn't count him out of playing in the NBA at some point.
P. Jones ended up with 13 pts and 6 rebounds with one blocked shot. He did pull down an important rebound when the game was still there for the taking. And made nice floater off an offensive rebound. But other than that, it was a disappointment for me. If he had just half the determination that Dunn has he would be unstoppable.
Jordan Hamilton and Tristan Thompson both had nice games for Texas. Hamilton's outside shot was off, but he played very good defense, grabbed boards and went to his mid-range game, as well as taking it to the basket. He's a smart athletic player. His major weakness is driving into traffic and trying to pass out of it. But overall, I reall like his game. Tristan Thompson the 6'8" PF with long arms is just very active around the basket. He blocks shots and has some nice post moves. He's still raw, and should probably stay in college another year, but I doubt he will.
Hamiliton had 17 pts on 7 of 14 shooting to go along with 8 rebounds and 1 blocked shot. Thompson also had 17 pts on 5 of 9 shooting to go with 13 boards, 2 steals, and 3 blocked shots
The other Jones boy that plays for Kentucky, Terrence had one of his best games of the year. He had 25 pts on 9 of 14 shooting. 9 rebounds, 2 steals, and 3 blocked shots. I'm sorry. If I have to pick between Terrence and Perry based on performance, I have to go with Terrence. The guy may make mistakes and his 3 pt shot needs a lot of work, but he always finds a way to impact the game. Perry just disappears at times. Yes, I know he needs to have an outside shot to play SF. But if I remember correctly LeBron couldn't shoot a lick from the outside his first two years in the league. Michael Jordan shot 20% from beyond the arc is first two years in the league. So I'm willing to overlook his one weakness simply because he busts his butt everytime he's on the floor.
I want to give kudo's to John Jenkins of Vanderbilt today. He had a great game, and is probably the reason Vanderbilt won. He had 32 pts on 11 of 17 shooting, and was 6 of 10 from beyond the arc. Jenkins is a 6'4" shooting guard. His running mate Jeffery Taylor had a miserable offensive day. Taylor isn't a great offensive player to begin with. His strength is defense, and he may be one of the top 5 defensive players in college. Unfortunately he needs to bring more offense to the table than the 4 pts he threw in today.
In closing I want to mention a player that I've only seen play a handful of times over his four years of college. But he's turned into a pretty darned good pg. Today he had a career day scoring 41 pts on 11 of 22 shooting and 5 of 10 from beyond the arc. The 6'2" PG also pulled down 20 rebounds and had 9 assists to go with only 2 turnovers. You can also add 3 steals to the stat sheet. His name is Norris Cole. He's one of those guys that I'm sure you'll hear about somewhere down the road and wonder where he came from. Well he comes from Cleveland St. and Horizon conference. And I wouldn't count him out of playing in the NBA at some point.
I didn't see the game but apparantly Chris Singleton broke his foot in the game today. He's probably the best SF defender in College right now and projected to be drafted somewhere in the 12-18 range.
He's not a natural scorer, but he's been working on his shooting so as not to be a liability there.
I think he's going to be a solid player in the NBA.
Florida St is a great defensive team, but they are going to have a lot of problems now.
He's not a natural scorer, but he's been working on his shooting so as not to be a liability there.
I think he's going to be a solid player in the NBA.
Florida St is a great defensive team, but they are going to have a lot of problems now.
I'm a huge Fredette fan. I'm not particularly a fan of having a small guard play next to Tyreke. However, if we are going to go with that sort of line-up then Fredette would be one of 3 players from the upcoming draft that I would be fine with seeing that. (Irving & Knight the other two)
Personally, I'd rather see Fredette next to Tyreke than Beno. Beno could come off the bench and lead the 2nd unit. Fredette would really open things up, because you can't give him a millimeter of space.
And if we went with a Fredette at the SG, then I'd rather have a Gerald Wallace type player as a veteran SF than a Granger, as a Evans/Cousins/Fredette line-up would give you all the scoring you'd need.
Personally, I'd rather see Fredette next to Tyreke than Beno. Beno could come off the bench and lead the 2nd unit. Fredette would really open things up, because you can't give him a millimeter of space.
And if we went with a Fredette at the SG, then I'd rather have a Gerald Wallace type player as a veteran SF than a Granger, as a Evans/Cousins/Fredette line-up would give you all the scoring you'd need.
I think if 2 of your top 3 guards are Jimmer and Beno your in trouble. We simply cannot stop point guards. Westbrook killed us tonight. Tony Parker always hurts us .. we need some kind of speed and defense at that spot.
Im starting to come around on Jimmer, but If we draft him I think you have to look at moving beno. And at this point, with our record, the only way Im drafting him is if we trade down into the 10-20 range or somehow get another pick. We have bigger needs that I think we can solve with this draft if our pick stays as high as it would be right now.
Im starting to come around on Jimmer, but If we draft him I think you have to look at moving beno. And at this point, with our record, the only way Im drafting him is if we trade down into the 10-20 range or somehow get another pick. We have bigger needs that I think we can solve with this draft if our pick stays as high as it would be right now.
This is why I prefer the big guard next to Tyreke.
The Thunder today started Sefolosha defending Tyreke which matched up Beno on Westbrook.
Evans didn't do a spectacular job on Westbrook, but he didn't get killed either. The problem is that Beno could not take advantage of Westbrook the other way.
I don't mind if a quicker guard does some damage against us, provided that we can pound that quicker/smaller guard into the dirt on the other end of the floor, and as long as we play a smaller guard next to Tyreke we won't be able to do that.
So let the teams bring out their T.J. Fords, Collisons, Currys, Parkers, and give them the quickness advantage. But you've got to force them to either guard Tyreke, or another mismatch from the SG position the other way.
I like Fredette a lot, and if I had to choose between him and Beno as a starter next to Tyreke, then I'd choose Fredette.
But personally I'd rather go with a Taylor or Hamilton next to Tyreke and grind the little guards down.
The Thunder today started Sefolosha defending Tyreke which matched up Beno on Westbrook.
Evans didn't do a spectacular job on Westbrook, but he didn't get killed either. The problem is that Beno could not take advantage of Westbrook the other way.
I don't mind if a quicker guard does some damage against us, provided that we can pound that quicker/smaller guard into the dirt on the other end of the floor, and as long as we play a smaller guard next to Tyreke we won't be able to do that.
So let the teams bring out their T.J. Fords, Collisons, Currys, Parkers, and give them the quickness advantage. But you've got to force them to either guard Tyreke, or another mismatch from the SG position the other way.
I like Fredette a lot, and if I had to choose between him and Beno as a starter next to Tyreke, then I'd choose Fredette.
But personally I'd rather go with a Taylor or Hamilton next to Tyreke and grind the little guards down.