Can James McAdoo play small forward in the NBA?

[fredericklove]

He's reminding me so much of Shawn Marion but I'm not sure if he has the lateral quickness to guard SF. What do you think? Is he just a tweener or a capable SF in the next level?

[ManualRam]

he's got very few ball skills and no range. i don't think his lateral quickness is that great either, especially for a SF.
he's off to a good start but if you watch him play almost all his points are garbage points and little pop up jumpers from like 8 feet away.

[TheGoodDoctor]

I have watched a little bit of him...I don't have exact comparison but he is a tweener and if I had to say what he may become maybe like Beasley although MB was arguebly more skilled than McAdoo.

[ManualRam]

I have watched a little bit of him...I don't have exact comparison but he is a tweener and if I had to say what he may become maybe like Beasley although MB was arguebly more skilled than McAdoo.

if he's a tweener what SF skills does he have? he looks like a slightly undersized PF to me.

[mattg]

I never got the intrigue for McAdoo. He's an undersized 4 through and through and has zero SF skills. I can't think of a possible reason you'd draft him over a guy like Deshaun Thomas or Alex Poythress.

[Fischella]

Why is he undesized at 6'9 with 7'1 wingspan?

He's just fine, he isnt a tweener, he's a PF, athletic, quick, good feel for the game, rebounds the ball well, active on the defensive end.

If he work on his shoot, he could be an All Star, I can see him having a career like Jamison.

[boogie-reke]

I like his activity level.

That with his athletic ability will translate everywhere - the rest is up to him to develop his offensive game.

[jman3134]

he's got very few ball skills and no range. i don't think his lateral quickness is that great either, especially for a SF.
he's off to a good start but if you watch him play almost all his points are garbage points and little pop up jumpers from like 8 feet away.

Disagree with his lack of ball skills in the post. He is pretty crafty on the block and has some quick faceup moves. Laterally, he is good, not great for an NBA PF. I don't think it'll be a weakness though.

It's not always garbage points off of offensive rebounds, even though he has looked good at that this year. I like what he is showing wtih regard to his motor and his improved ability to score on post ups in the halfcourt. Let's see what he does in marquee matchups though.

[ManualRam]

he's got very few ball skills and no range. i don't think his lateral quickness is that great either, especially for a SF.
he's off to a good start but if you watch him play almost all his points are garbage points and little pop up jumpers from like 8 feet away.

Disagree with his lack of ball skills in the post. He is pretty crafty on the block and has some quick faceup moves. Laterally, he is good, not great for an NBA PF. I don't think it'll be a weakness though.

It's not always garbage points off of offensive rebounds, even though he has looked good at that this year. I like what he is showing wtih regard to his motor and his improved ability to score on post ups in the halfcourt. Let's see what he does in marquee matchups though.

when i refer to ball skills i refer to shooting, passing and handling. he can put the ball on the deck 1 time from like 15 feet away as his first step is pretty good, but i don't see nearly enough skill to play out on the perimeter.

moving laterally, his stance is too upright to currently guard NBA SFs.

as for his post ups, what exactly does he do down there? he's good at moving in space, showing patience and making himself available for quick finishes, whether it's a quick pop up jumper, turn around jumper, o-board putback or catch and finish near the hoop, but i don't see much in terms of back to the basket work. like, i don't see him being a guy who a team can just throw the ball down to in the post and just expect him to go to work. maybe if he polishes the mid-range jumper he'll be able to face up. he has nice touch from short distance, otherwise his shot looks stiff.

[jman3134]

Well, he's not even close to an NBA small forward, so I'm taking that off the table from the start. I wasn't really addressing the topic with my comments. Clearly he doesn't have the ball skills to play small forward. No range, he doesn't typically create off the dribble from the three point line. And, his passing is subpar so far, although he has made some smart decisions kicking the ball out at times. However, he is highly capable with his dribble from 15 ft in as you expressed. For someone at the power forward spot, I think he has a serviceable enough handle.

When I read "ball skills" I was thinking all basketball skills (footwork etc.), but you are right. My mistake.

His footwork has been better in the post. Nothing super complex, but he does a nice job of shielding his body and is very quick when he wants to be. He has seen a lot of back to the basket possessions so far this year, which is why I bring that up. I personally think that his footwork has improved, and he is making strong moves to the rim whenever he can. I can't really provide too much substance here other than to say that he appears more fluid making his moves. It's not like he goes to a drop step and pivot every possesssion. (and I don't see a clear go-to move and counter) You are right about him being better facing up though. Right now he is relying on superior strength and athleticism on the block, so we will have to see if this trend continues into ACC play. I'm just relaying my initial impression.

[teamjosh04]

McAdoo definitely is a power forward without question. He has a great feel for the game, moves well laterally on both sides of the ball, and finds the holes in the defense. He has a good frame for putting on muscle mass and does a good job keeping the defender on his back when posting up. He also has solid footwork around the hoop.

Yes, most of his offense right now comes on short 10 foot jumpers and cuts going to the rim. Last game against Long Beach State though, he was aggressive heading to the rim on some quick two dribble moves. He has a great first step and great touch at the hoop. Combine that with his feel and movement without the ball and he can create some scoring for himself. Really, he is one of the few UNC players that can create some offense. He's easily their number one option. Bullock cant create, Paige cant drive through traffic, Strickland cant shoot, and Hubert is garbage.

I think he can develop a post game and a reliable jumper in time. He isn't going to be a dominant force in the NBA, but looks like a top 10 pick for sure, maybe top 5.