wco81 wrote:I look at all the underhanded layups and hooks he makes and wonder if that's really sustainable.
Curry has sustained it because he's a great ball handler able to attack closeouts and can finish well with either hand.
Haven't seen that yet from Podz.
More likely instead of getting all the way to the rim, he's going to have to develop some runners and tear drops to diversify his shotmaking.
Otherwise if he can't remain a threat to attack closeouts and finish in the paint at a high percentage, he will lose a lot of effectiveness.
A player like Maxey has leveled up a lot because he has insane quickness and athleticism but that has led to him getting more space to hit 3s and he's hit them at a high level.
Podz can certainly beat big men off the dribble if he's able to get switched around the FT line and he can beat them downhill.
He's got to show that he can go either left or right and finish either way. He's also got to finish with some contact, like jump into defenders under the basket and take away the shot block or get defenders on his hip and stop to draw fouls.
Otherwise he might just be a good role player but nothing much more.
I was skeptical of Bronny but he's a bigger, stronger, more explosive athlete than Podz and Lebron has had him work on his shot so I can see teams drafting him higher than the 20s as some speculated. Of course he has to get above his health concerns.
Floaters were basically his go-to move at Santa Clara. As were all these unique finishes over and under players at the hoop. The floaters were way off in pre-season because he was adjusting to larger players, but he's got the finesse to get those back in his game as well.
So to me its not only sustainable, but will get even better finishing inside. No, he's not Maxey or Kyrie or Steph or Fox... you get the idea... but he's also not a Fred VanVleet or Dellavedova who hovers around 40% FG because they can't score inside at all.
