Bradley Beal

[montestewart]

Only 4 players in NBA history have shot worse than Bradley Beal while averaging at least 5 3PA's per 36 minutes.

What's hysterical is that three of the four guys ahead of him are former Wizards.

Code: Select all

Player            - Year -  3P% - 3PA
Deshawn Stevenson - 2008 - .271 - 5.2
Jannero Pargo     - 2009 - .275 - 6.0
AJ Price          - 2010 - .275 - 6.7
Antoine Walker    - 2006 - .275 - 6.0
Bradley Beal      - 2012 - .276 - 5.1

If Beal misses his next 3-pointer, he will move up to 2nd on the list of all-time worst 3-point shooters.

WTF. Ted must have hired dyslexic Jonah Hill to be our moneyball guy.

EG wanted to go after Antoine Walker too, but Pollin said, "I don't know Ted, isn't he a gambler?"

[hands11]

How is Beal so terrible at shooting the 3 ball.

I mean 0-16 over 5 games
.184 for Dec.

That's not just an off night.

He may end up being a good guard and he may even develop a shot one day, but it isn't today and its not likely to be next year either. How often does a broken shot get fixed in a year? I mean Jason Kidd didn't used to hit the 3 ball but now he does. How many years did that take.

Right now my biggest problem with Beal is he seems like the kind of kid that is to in his head and playing with no fire or swag. He is thinking to much. You even see it when he scores. He gets all smiley. I complained about this same things with Nick Young. Beal is always talking about how he wants to have fun out there. Meanwhile, other pros are out there with knives in their eyes. They want to school you. They play with an edge. They want to step on your throat. Its a war out there. You can smile when the game is over. While the game is on, I want a game face and a warrior attitude. Players can do this in different ways. Look at Harden. He doesn't look angry, instead he is just stone faced with a single minded determinism. Westbrook is more energetic and cooky. Durrant is expressionless. They are different but both have a game face that says I'm going to school you. Not surprisingly they all have that and all game from the same team.

For right now, it looks like one of the things that I liked most about Beal pre draft is actually holding him back. He is just to nice a kid. Compare his attitude to Dion Waiters. Waiters has much more of an edge to him.

Here is what is somewhat concerning. I don't see enough of that edge in Kevin S either. Ves doesn't seem to have enough of it either. Martin also seems soft. To me, that goes to coaching. Specially when you are talking about younger players. I see that edge inside Kevin, Ves and Beal, but that fire doesn't seem to be getting stoked into a blaze.

Randy need to do whatever he needs to do to explain to these players how to approach the game. I would straight up tell Beal, I don't want to see you smiling out there. You wanta have fun, go to Kings Dominican. We are professional basketball players trying to win games. Its a war out there. Its us against them and they want to embarrass you individually and they want to embarrass us collectively. This is a battle of will and confidence. That is how you approach the game. They are trying to punk you. You can smile when the game is over if we win but while the game is going on, I need warriors. It you want to be all smiley out there, we will get you some pom poms and a skirt and you can join the cheerleaders. They are the ones smiling during the games. The rest of us are out there in a battle of wills trying to win games. So make a choice or I'm going to choose for you.

There are so many examples of this. Look at D Howard. All the talent in the world, but it's his approach that holds him back. He is a punk. Put Kendrick Perkins attitude with Howards body and you would have an stone cold beast. Shaq was that. Warrior on the court. Smiling off the court. You can be a nice person and have fun, but there is a time and place for everything.

[pancakes3]

There's got to be something in the water. Between Wall's comically bad 3ball and Beal's woes, it suggests something systemic and contagious.

[AFM]

Heabust Heabust.

[hands11]

I don't know if he is a bust or not but I do know someone needs to give him a serious talking to because as of right now, he doesn't have the right mind set to be a productive NBA player. I said it before, Nene has Kevin as a project to turn into monster player ( Kevin need a swift foot up his soft fat ass ). Beal should be Crawfords project. Beal could learn a lot from how Crawford approaches the game.

As for Randy and Flip before him, he is babying Beal to much and it starts with starting him over Crawford who has earned it by doing the heavy lifting. Until Randy stops giving players starting spots they haven't earned, the problem will remain. They did the same thing with Wall. Fine, they are high draft picks. We get it. But once you get them, its your job to develop them. You don't dump the world on a kids shoulders and expect them to hold it up. Not if you have vet starters at that position on the team. If it was me, I would never start a rookie the first game. No matter how good that are, I would make them wait at least 10 games min. It a huge leap from college to the NBA. Give kid a chance to adjust.

Wall should have never been made team captain right out of the gate. They should have made Kirk the starting PG and had no team captain to start the year. The team had no clear person able to be the captain with all the change that were going on and Gil still lingering around. You could have transitioned into Wall starting and being Captain as he earned it on the court, in the locker room and Gil had left. That was a terrible situation they put Wall in. How awkward was that.

Now they are doing the same crap with Beal. Crawford should be starting. He has earned it. Honestly, until Beal starts producing such that he is one of the top 3 performers in a game, I don't even want to see him being one of the main interviewed players. Go interview Nene, Crawford, Webster and Okafor and Wall when he returns. Beal is a future piece that has a lot of work ahead of him. Stop treating him like he has done something. He is a rookie on a team with vets. Start treating him like the rookie that he is. Hey rook, go get me Gatorade. If I was Crawford I would be pissed. But Crawford is saying nothing and just doing what he can control. I give him big props for that. But he deserves better.

And before anyone brings it up. RG3 is totally different. He is a once in a blue moon type of player and personality. Beal is no RG3. Unless someone can find a way to bring out the beast in this kid ( I have seen some flashes of it ) then its anyones guess if he is a bust or not. I have never seen a player with Beals game persona be more then average. Jarvis. Nick. McGee

Nick didn't fail to work out here because of talent and size, he failed because of his mind. Same with McGee. That's were scouting and coaching come in. First you have to identify who has the right mental make up, then for those that need some help getting there, you have to have the right coaches to get them there. Phil was a master at working the minds of players. Half this game is physical. The other half is mental.

[nate33]

I don't have a problem with Beal's mentality overall. He's a smart player, a hard worker, he tries to operate within the offense, he plays defense, he moves the ball, and he rebounds. I like everything about his game except for the fact that he is shooting 26% from 3-point range. If he was hitting 38% from 3-point range, I'd be completely happy with his production. He would be averaging 16 points, 4.3 boards and 3.0 assists with a TS% of .511. That's not great, but it's pretty good for a 19 year old rookie who has yet to learn all the tricks.

Unfortunately, because of his awful 3-point shooting, his TS% is an atrocious .458. Only 3 rookie wing players in modern history (since 79) have posted a lower TS% while averaging at least 14 shots a game and 20 minutes a game. (Ironically, one of them is Jordan Crawford. The others are Mahmoud Abdul Rauf and Rex Chapman.)

[Chocolate City Jordanaire]

The Wizards would have been much better off with John Jenkins drafted later and given time to produce. Beal would have been better off drafted by a team with less expectations and a wiser way of developing players.

http://sports.yahoo.com/nba/players/505 ... gpqh6kvLYF

Jenkins has been asked to do nothing much, and he just had his first double scoring game. In SEC play, Jenkins was a scorer/shooter with shooting accuracy numbers far better than Beal's. Right now in the NBA, Jenkins is shooting over 50% FG and over 40% 3PT. That's Steve Nash-left-open shooting.

Jenkins was a player I posted about at least a year before this past draft, because I first noticed his play last season. He, Festus Ezeli, and Jeffrey Taylor managed to defeat Kentucky's great NCAA title team because they were good in their own right. For all the people complaining about Beal (especially nate) I ask why was Beal drafted 3rd and rated highly by a lot of scouts while Jenkins went 23rd?

I think it is because BEAL is the better prospect. I did not say he's the better NBA player right now. Jenkins at 21 years old has a more refined skill. He has been very fortunate to go to the Hawks. Beal would be in heaven as a member of the Hawks. He would have been brought along slowly. Lou Williams and DeShawn Stevenson would have been his mentors. He wouldn't have been thrown into the lion's den as a lamb. Wittman and Beal don't have a lot of help from their GM. Wizards fans are irate with the GM but they tend to call players knuckleheads. And then those players go elsewhere with better organizations.

Beal never could shoot the three or from the field like Jenkins and I doubt he ever will. Beal is more athletic, a better defender, a better rebounder, and as good a passer at two years younger. Beal dominated his age group and played in international play with guys still in college. (Doug McDermott and Tony Mitchell are two guys I'm saying RIGHT NOW the Wizards should try to get picks to draft--they played with Beal in international play).

Beal is not meeting expectations that are too high and he's starting but would benefit from coming off the bench. Regardless, he's benefitting by playing through mistakes. He is only 19 and will get a lot better.

[Chocolate City Jordanaire]

I don't have a problem with Beal's mentality overall. He's a smart player, a hard worker, he tries to operate within the offense, he plays defense, he moves the ball, and he rebounds. I like everything about his game except for the fact that he is shooting 26% from 3-point range. If he was hitting 38% from 3-point range, I'd be completely happy with his production. He would be averaging 16 points, 4.3 boards and 3.0 assists with a TS% of .511. That's not great, but it's pretty good for a 19 year old rookie who has yet to learn all the tricks.

I am glad to read this. I had not done so before my last post. Yeah, nate, he's a lousy Ray Allen clone. Dude can't shoot it well. Perhaps Beal can become a Jason Kidd from deep. Kidd was a horrendous shooter for many seasons, but in time he became a very effective three point shooter.

I think Beal will be hitting the three if not this season, within a couple of seasons. He's too good not to.

[DCZards]

I don't have a problem with Beal's mentality overall. He's a smart player, a hard worker, he tries to operate within the offense, he plays defense, he moves the ball, and he rebounds. I like everything about his game except for the fact that he is shooting 26% from 3-point range. If he was hitting 38% from 3-point range, I'd be completely happy with his production. He would be averaging 16 points, 4.3 boards and 3.0 assists with a TS% of .511. That's not great, but it's pretty good for a 19 year old rookie who has yet to learn all the tricks.

I agree. Beal has done everything well, especially for a 19 year old rookie, except shoot the ball. Unfortunately, his shooting is what the Zards need most and it's the aspect of his game that was most highly touted prior to the draft. As others have said, the rook has been asked to do far too much to help this team win and play far too many
minutes.

I fully expect Beal's shooting to improve significantly. He also needs to work on his ballhandling and ability to take defenders off the dribble. But I'm willing to be patient with the kid because I believe he has the mental makeup. self confidence and maturity to overcome this rough rookie season and, hopefully, live up to his #3 position in the draft.

[hands11]

I don't have a problem with Beal's mentality overall. He's a smart player, a hard worker, he tries to operate within the offense, he plays defense, he moves the ball, and he rebounds. I like everything about his game except for the fact that he is shooting 26% from 3-point range. If he was hitting 38% from 3-point range, I'd be completely happy with his production. He would be averaging 16 points, 4.3 boards and 3.0 assists with a TS% of .511. That's not great, but it's pretty good for a 19 year old rookie who has yet to learn all the tricks.

Unfortunately, because of his awful 3-point shooting, his TS% is an atrocious .458. Only 3 rookie wing players in modern history (since 79) have posted a lower TS% while averaging at least 14 shots a game and 20 minutes a game. (Ironically, one of them is Jordan Crawford. The others are Mahmoud Abdul Rauf and Rex Chapman.)

Yes, He's a smart player, a hard worker, he tries to operate within the offense, he plays defense, he moves the ball, and he rebounds.

And he is a really nice kid.

None of that was the focus on my post. Nick and McGee posted some good numbers as well. How did they work out ?

Beal has tools. He is a nice kid. I wanted them to draft him. What he needs is groomed mentally to be a Type A warrior baller. Wizards don't seem to know how to do this with players. OKC does.

Hell, even a player like LeBron who had monster skills took a long time before he turned the corner mentally. You see it all the time. Even with very talented players. LeBron took like 8 years to get there. Pipen needed groomed into a beast. He was soft a tissue paper mentally his first playoff series but he turned into a warrior in large part because of MJ. Pipen was luck to be in playoff games early on so he learned at the very bigging on his career. Both those players are top top talents and it even applies to them. You also see lots of top talent fail because they can't get their minds right. Only thing stopping Cousins from being an AS is the 6 inches between his ears.

One thing I think makes a huge difference for how players develop is getting playoff experience early in their careers. That's where they get exposed to what the game is really all about and they get to experience first hand the level of mental focus and pure will power that it takes to succeed. This is another reason I say the Wizards need to win now with Wall and Nene and legit support pieces like Okafor and Trevor A. Its because that is what their younger players need to experience now so we can see if they steep up and become legit NBA ballers and who is going to shrink. Wall and Beal both need to be in the playoff now. Not 5 years from now.

Its not always the case though. Some player have it coming in. MJ always had it. Duncan always had it. Its part of what made CCJ fall in love with Faried. He has it. I'm not saying you need to thump your chest like a KG, but you have to have a curtain level of warrior mentality to perform at the top level in this league. Beal doesn't have that mentality right now. He is to Jarvisish. That worries me. But like I said, I have seen flashes of it in him both in college and in the NBA. Its coaches and teammates jobs to bring that out more and sharpen that edge.

I see signs of this softens in several areas right now. One is how often he mentions how he has to be having fun on the court to perform better. That total BS loser talk. Another is how I see him act out on the court after he makes a play. His game face tells what his mental approach is.

That is what I was pointing out.

Yeah, I know. Its ridiculous and you totally disagree. How shocking.

[hands11]

I don't have a problem with Beal's mentality overall. He's a smart player, a hard worker, he tries to operate within the offense, he plays defense, he moves the ball, and he rebounds. I like everything about his game except for the fact that he is shooting 26% from 3-point range. If he was hitting 38% from 3-point range, I'd be completely happy with his production. He would be averaging 16 points, 4.3 boards and 3.0 assists with a TS% of .511. That's not great, but it's pretty good for a 19 year old rookie who has yet to learn all the tricks.

I agree. Beal has done everything well, especially for a 19 year old rookie, except shoot the ball. Unfortunately, his shooting is what the Zards need most and it's the aspect of his game that was most highly touted prior to the draft. As others have said, the rook has been asked to do far too much to help this team win and play far too many
minutes.

I fully expect Beal's shooting to improve significantly. He also needs to work on his ballhandling and ability to take defenders off the dribble. But I'm willing to be patient with the kid because I believe he has the mental makeup. self confidence and maturity to overcome this rough rookie season and, hopefully, live up to his #3 position in the draft.

No doubt he will get better. It just a matter of how quickly it will happen and what they do to help him get there. I don't agree with how they are handling him and haven't for a while. They should have never started him. Should have let him get established off the bench. Crawford was always a better option.

[noworriesinmd]

Just a thought, I think Beal might have got it last night.
I was watching the Chicago game and I was really impressed with a play.

Beal made a stupid move and the ball got stripped. Chicago runs back and Beal gets back on D.
The Announcers talk about how Beal needs to learn that NBA players are fast and that you always have to protect the ball. They followed that he'll learn that NBA players are fast.

5 seconds later Beal strips the ball back with speed I have not seen in almost 30 games. Every home game I htink to myself how slow he moves. Last night after that play, Beal started to constantly move....but when he stripped the ball and went for the layup you could hear him yell "AND 1!"

I've been hard on the kid, but I think he might be putting it together and his percentages will improve.

[nate33]

Yeah, I know. Its ridiculous and you totally disagree. How shocking.

Relax, hands. I never said your take was ridiculous. I disagree, but it's no big deal. I don't think Beal needs to fundamentally change his mental approach to the game. I just think he needs to make more 3's. Once he does, everything else will get easier.

[AFM]

Hands, what about TMac? That dude looked like he was falling asleep on the court.

[DCZards]

Beal's mental approach is just fine. Yes, there are things he needs to work on, like shooting and ball handling, but Beal's facial expressions and what he says about wanting to have fun when he plays are the last thing I'd worry about.

If you really want to see Beal's "warrior" mentality I'd look at how hard he works on D and his rebounding.

[Chocolate City Jordanaire]

Bradley Beal is a 19-year old, old school baller. If he had a shot he would have old man game.

[hands11]

Yeah, I know. Its ridiculous and you totally disagree. How shocking.

Relax, hands. I never said your take was ridiculous. I disagree, but it's no big deal. I don't think Beal needs to fundamentally change his mental approach to the game. I just think he needs to make more 3's. Once he does, everything else will get easier.

Do you see what I'm pointing out though ? I'm not saying he won't get there. Eventually i even noticed a difference with Nick. But with Nick it took like 4 years. I don't want to wait that long for someone to get this message through to Beal.

What about he and Walls needing to get in the playoffs early in their careers. Thats kind of a big deal because that dictates a different priority for rebuilding. I personally believe early experience in the playoff for a play helps a lot. Its not going to challenge all players, but the talented ones, I think it makes a big difference.

Wall is going to be going into year 4 next year. They have to make the playoffs. And that would greatly benefit Beal getting there in year 2. Thats another reason I say win now with Wall, Crawford, Trevor A, Nene and Okafor and add the pieces you are missing. They have to add an experience pure shooter for sure. The team can also D. They are 6th in rebounding. Thats a nice place to build from. When Wall returns they will be very able to fast break. They could use another long post scorer and that draft is full of those.

This is no 4-24 team. That are much better then this when they finally get healthy. But they still do have a few holes. But nothing they can't fill. They should definitely build to get Wall and Beal into the playoff next year.

[hands11]

Hands, what about TMac? That dude looked like he was falling asleep on the court.

So whats your question ?

KD, Duncan and Harden are expressionless. KG beats his chest. Kobe has a look that will cut right through you. The one exception I can think of is Magic. In his case, he used his over friendlyness to disarm you and Magic was special. He was so charismatic. But he also was a stone cold killer and he got pumped up. He only smiled after he was kicking your butt.

Personally, I wouldn't include TMac in that top group but he was really good. But sleepy was the way TMAC looked. He wasn't laughing. He wasn't having a Tea Party with anyone.

Hopefully Beal learns and grows up.

I heard Phil comment on Waiters before the Cleveland games. He tries to intimidate you and commented on how part of the game is getting the mental advantage. MJ, KG, Kobe. They are that kind of player. Duncan, Harden, KD. They are stone cold killers. They mental advantage is showing you no expression but just schooling you to break you will.

Both approaches work. But if you want to do it the KD way, you better be damn good. Personally, I think players like MJ, KG, and Kobe have the advantage. They have skill and they mess with your mind.

But neither is showing any sign on having fun and jolly. They aren't making any friends out there.

Right now, Beal acts like he just joined the country club. Understandable. He is young. But it needs fixed.

[hands11]

Bradley Beal is a 19-year old, old school baller. If he had a shot he would have old man game.

Good news and bad news.

He is way ahead of where I expected regarding finishing on a fast break. He always gets the foul and he usually finishes. He is doing really well there.

He is what I hoped for defensively. Solid.

The bad.

His handles are less then I thought they would be.

His offense via shooting is way behind.

His game face is lacking.

The easiest and the first thing I expect to change is his game face. Thats on Randy, Crawford and Wall to help him with.

[CntOutSmrtCrazy]

Count me in the group that will be laughing my ass off when Beal becomes a stud. I'm not saying he'll be a superstar, but I think he can be a multiple-time All-Star on a good to very good team. Yes his shooting his been disappointing, but come-the-freak-on, he's played half his rookie campaign without Nene, all of it without Wall, and all of it with a injury depleted roster (Ariza, Price, Booker, along with Nene and Wall). Not making excuses, but this kid is doing a lot of good yet many of you (the constant doom-and-gloom crowd) want to trade him (and don't act like this is is a revelation, many of you were calling for it 4 games into the season) for every mistake he makes.