The Official Jaylen Clark Thread

[minimus]

Jaylen Clark's two-way contract with the Minnesota Timberwolves is for two seasons, a league source told @spotrac.

I did not know that two-way can be for two years. Might be really underrated decision moving forward

[minimus]

Clark doesn't have even NCAA level ball handling or shooting skills for a guard, but has all the intangible glue guy stuff.
Looked like a poor man's Wendell Moore Jr to me.
George getting drafted that high, to me, looks all athleticism/projection at this point.
Checked his stats last year, .376 FG% and .338 3PT%. Brutal.

I read Flagler signed with the Thunder as an UDFA, but don't see him on the summer league roster.
Seems to have quickness and NBA shooting range, good % in college.

I really struggle to find any comparision. He looks like old time defensive guards Tony Allen, André Roberson. He does not have much skills except of NBA level hustle, strength and effort. Even athletically he is not elite. If he can add game awareness and spotup 3pt shot, he will be 8-9 man in rotation.

[twolves31]

If you got some time to kill, this was probably his biggest game of the season. On offense, going for 23/10 on just 12 shots. Defensively, shutting down Keyonte George (note: the guy the Jazz drafted with our pick). George finished with 4 points on 2-10 FG with 4 turnovers.

Watch on YouTube

Thanks I sat down and watched this. Some takeaways:

All 10 of Clark's made FG's came in the paint. Mostly on backdoor cherry picking, one transition dunk.
Nothing that is going to translate to the next level where guys are longer and stronger on the interior.
Two brutally awful 3 point attempts.
Did the dirty work area things well, made smart plays. High IQ as advertised.
Was basically useless in the 2nd half standing in the corner on offense as Baylor was able to totally ignore him.

George looked bad, but he mostly was getting in his own way missing long jumpers.
Clark guarded him a bit, but they switched off a lot.
Flagler and Cryer did the bulk of the ballhandling for Baylor (and honestly are much better offensive players than George at this point).

Baylor ran a very pro-style perimeter based 4 out offense.
UCLA very old school, mostly high pick and roll 2 man game and post ups for Jacquez (Heat 1st rounder) who I was also less than impressed with. Clark got the bulk of his points in the 1st half while Jacquez was sitting with foul trouble.

Take away:
Clark doesn't have even NCAA level ball handling or shooting skills for a guard, but has all the intangible glue guy stuff.
Looked like a poor man's Wendell Moore Jr to me.
George getting drafted that high, to me, looks all athleticism/projection at this point.
Checked his stats last year, .376 FG% and .338 3PT%. Brutal.

I read Flagler signed with the Thunder as an UDFA, but don't see him on the summer league roster.
Seems to have quickness and NBA shooting range, good % in college.

Maybe a poor man Wendell Moore with almost double the steals...1.4 vs 2.6 Both Clarke and Wendell are going to have to develop a few go to offensive shots/moves.

[Mattya]

Either people are overeating moored defense or underrating Clark’s.

[BlacJacMac]

He's going to absolutely need to develop some kind of offense.

Look at Okogie. Yeah, he was a fun story for Phoenix last year - but that was fueled by a couple months of outlier 3pt shooting on very limited attempts. And then he turned back into Josh Okogie.

Denver totally played him off the floor in the Playoffs. You'd think they'd want to put him on Murray like we did with NAW, but he let Denver play 5 on 4 defense when he was in there.

[shangrila]

He's going to absolutely need to develop some kind of offense.

Look at Okogie. Yeah, he was a fun story for Phoenix last year - but that was fueled by a couple months of outlier 3pt shooting on very limited attempts. And then he turned back into Josh Okogie.

Denver totally played him off the floor in the Playoffs. You'd think they'd want to put him on Murray like we did with NAW, but he let Denver play 5 on 4 defense when he was in there.

That's the insane thing about Okogie. With an average 3pt shot he's one of the most valuable role players in the entire NBA. But he just can't do it, I've never understood why.

As for Clark, he reminds me of Malcolm Lee a little and I honestly expect a similar career trajectory.

[Klomp]

The comp I was actually thinking is a better human version of Dillon Brooks

[younggunsmn]

Clark doesn't have even NCAA level ball handling or shooting skills for a guard, but has all the intangible glue guy stuff.
Looked like a poor man's Wendell Moore Jr to me.
George getting drafted that high, to me, looks all athleticism/projection at this point.
Checked his stats last year, .376 FG% and .338 3PT%. Brutal.

I read Flagler signed with the Thunder as an UDFA, but don't see him on the summer league roster.
Seems to have quickness and NBA shooting range, good % in college.

I really struggle to find any comparision. He looks like old time defensive guards Tony Allen, André Roberson. He does not have much skills except of NBA level hustle, strength and effort. Even athletically he is not elite. If he can add game awareness and spotup 3pt shot, he will be 8-9 man in rotation.

Yeah there is a big gap between having high effort and IQ, and having those things plus elite length and athleticism like Jaden MsDaniels. Would profile like Trenton Hassell, but you can't play that physical anymore.
With the 2 year 2 way contract, he has time to work on his offensive skills.

[minimus]

Clark doesn't have even NCAA level ball handling or shooting skills for a guard, but has all the intangible glue guy stuff.
Looked like a poor man's Wendell Moore Jr to me.
George getting drafted that high, to me, looks all athleticism/projection at this point.
Checked his stats last year, .376 FG% and .338 3PT%. Brutal.

I read Flagler signed with the Thunder as an UDFA, but don't see him on the summer league roster.
Seems to have quickness and NBA shooting range, good % in college.

I really struggle to find any comparision. He looks like old time defensive guards Tony Allen, André Roberson. He does not have much skills except of NBA level hustle, strength and effort. Even athletically he is not elite. If he can add game awareness and spotup 3pt shot, he will be 8-9 man in rotation.

Yeah there is a big gap between having high effort and IQ, and having those things plus elite length and athleticism like Jaden MsDaniels. Would profile like Trenton Hassell, but you can't play that physical anymore.
With the 2 year 2 way contract, he has time to work on his offensive skills.

Dear Lord, Trenton Hassel... Good old days..

[wolves_89]

He's going to absolutely need to develop some kind of offense.

Look at Okogie. Yeah, he was a fun story for Phoenix last year - but that was fueled by a couple months of outlier 3pt shooting on very limited attempts. And then he turned back into Josh Okogie.

Denver totally played him off the floor in the Playoffs. You'd think they'd want to put him on Murray like we did with NAW, but he let Denver play 5 on 4 defense when he was in there.

That's the insane thing about Okogie. With an average 3pt shot he's one of the most valuable role players in the entire NBA. But he just can't do it, I've never understood why.

As for Clark, he reminds me of Malcolm Lee a little and I honestly expect a similar career trajectory.

When Okogie was with the Wolves I always believed the difference between him being an MLE level player and a 1-year vet minimum player was going to be his ability to consistently hit wide open 3s at a 35% rate. Okogie is the case that clearly shows that even elite level defense isn't enough when the opposing team doesn't have to guard you on the other end.

[Klomp]

Defense wasn’t always his top priority. Like most young players, Clark fancied the offensive highlight. His attitude changed when he joined a stacked club team featuring eventual NBA first-round draft picks Evan Mobley and Onyeka Okongwu, among other older and more decorated players. Clark’s father, Cornelius, warned him that he’d never get to play if he didn’t follow one rule.

“You play defense,” his father told him, “you’re going to force your way onto the floor.”

Clark kept that mindset while starring at Etiwanda High under the guidance of coach Dave Kleckner, who had previously molded another future Bruin into a lockdown defender. Remember Darren Collison? The undersized point guard had also faced questions about being a UCLA-caliber player before going on to play in three Final Fours and spend a decade in the NBA.

Kleckner gave those questioning Clark’s ability at the next level the same spiel he had delivered about Collison.

“People asked, ‘Is he good enough?’ ” Kleckner recalled. “And I was like, ‘Yeah! You guys, this kid, he wants it so bad, any obstacle that he comes across, he’s going to meet it head-on and he wants it so bad he’s going to do whatever it takes to get it.’ ”

https://www.latimes.com/sports/ucla/story/2023-02-09/jaylen-clark-feature

[Klomp]

247Sports national recruiting analyst Josh Gershon projected Clark to be a Power Five starter with elite defensive upside in his evaluation of him in May.

And despite only being listed at 200 pounds, Gershon wrote that the 6-foot-5 wing is built like a linebacker and plays with the physicality of one on the court.

https://dailybruin.com/2020/02/05/mens-basketball-gets-1st-california-recruit-in-4-star-shooting-guard-jaylen-clark

Read on Twitter

[minimus]

Read on Twitter

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[minimus]

Watch on YouTube

I hope that Jaylen Clark will fully recover and improve his three point shot. If he becomes rotational player we will be so dangerous.

[minimus]

One month later, I am still waiting for positive news from Clark. I really want this kid to succeed as true 3&D material

[gandlogo]

One month later, I am still waiting for positive news from Clark. I really want this kid to succeed as true 3&D material

Even when healthy, Clark has never been much of a shooter - so I don’t think he’ll ever bring the 3. But his D is ferocious, so he may have to carve out a role as a D&D guy. Hopefully, he gets significant playing time in Iowa later this season and Wolves fans get a glimpse at his potential.

[minimus]

One month later, I am still waiting for positive news from Clark. I really want this kid to succeed as true 3&D material

Even when healthy, Clark has never been much of a shooter - so I don’t think he’ll ever bring the 3. But his D is ferocious, so he may have to carve out a role as a D&D guy. Hopefully, he gets significant playing time in Iowa later this season and Wolves fans get a glimpse at his potential.

He said that he never really worked on his shot. True or not, I will be more than happy if he can hit at least with league average accuracy open threes. In this case his defense and hustle will give him a chance to be in rotation

[KGdaBom]

One month later, I am still waiting for positive news from Clark. I really want this kid to succeed as true 3&D material

Even when healthy, Clark has never been much of a shooter - so I don’t think he’ll ever bring the 3. But his D is ferocious, so he may have to carve out a role as a D&D guy. Hopefully, he gets significant playing time in Iowa later this season and Wolves fans get a glimpse at his potential.

He's a Dungeons and Dragons Nerd?

[Guest84]

Watch on YouTube

Does anyone think he can be a key player in the Wolves rotation? I must confess, I haven't watched many college games over the years so take this with a grain of salt. His highlight package shows great instincts but I saw no real ball handling, shooting, or playmaking skills in the video.

Has anyone watched any of his games to provide a better assessment of his talent/potential?

[BlacJacMac]

Only if he massively improves his offense.

He can't shoot, play-make or really handle. He's a significantly worse offensive player than Okoge was in college.