NBA players who ended being completely different than their original profiles predicted they would be

[UcanUwill]

Any examples?

IMO, Isaiah Hartenstein is that. If we go way back, if you remember, IH was often called - next DIrk. He was German center shooting 3s and scoring a lot of points in youth competitions. That was hoe he put himself on NBA radar in the first place. I think it is clear to say that he is not that player in the NBA, he is defensive specialist who moved away from shooting long jumpers at all. By the time he moved to Žalgiris, I watched most of his games there, and by then, one thing I really loved about his game was defensive awareness, he simply knew where to be on the court defensively. Not to pat myself on the back, but he was one of those very rare Euros, who was basically buried at the end of the bench, but I still liked as NBA prospect. He definitely panned out, even tho it took time.

Another one, maybe not as good example as Hartenstein, but another center from my country that I have watched all the time prior to his NBA days, was my own Jonas Valančiūnas. He kind off is what he supposed to be, but also not, IMO. Valančiūnas was far more of defensive prospect that Hartenstein even, but in the NBA now, it is complete opposite, Hart is defense anchor where Jonas is defensive liability most of the time. Young pre draft JV was this - he was very very energetic, constant screen setter, somewhat promising shot blocker and just absolutely dominant pick and roll finisher. He was often compared to Anthony Davis, his length was exiting. TO think of it now, it is laughable almost. Current Jonas is slow, post hub, he is not known for running pick rolls that much, or blocking shots. He always had elite touch and finishing from the post, even when super young, and I thought once he adds weight and strength, it will be over, because he only struggled with getting great post position, when there, he was basically a bucket. But what I did not anticipate, was how much slower and less active he would become with added mileage and weight. He definitely change his identity completely. He never had significant injuries, but when you comparing him before draft to now, it feels like he did have his achilles torn or smth.

[KembaWalker]

Brook Lopez was projecting to be your typical 2000s lumbering post big with mediocre defense but he totally changed and adapted his game. Greg Monroe should have taken notes

[UcanUwill]

Brook Lopez was projecting to be your typical 2000s lumbering post big with mediocre defense but he totally changed and adapted his game. Greg Monroe should have taken notes

Yes, I once made a thread about players who reinvented their game the most through out their careers, and Brook Lopez was the guy I mentioned. Came into a league as non shooting post player with bad rebounding, then became a floor spacer, then literally 10 years into NBA career decided to become elite shot blocker... Like, how does that even happen? I have said this before, but Brook Lopez is underrated Basketball genius, whatever his team needed him to do, he just made it part oh his game. Probably overrated shooter, being called ''Splash mountain'' and all, but he can shoot, and you would have thought he will ever shoot 3s, back in 2009.

[JDR720]

Cody Zeller was supposed to be like LaMarcus Aldridge (according to then Bobcats GM Rich Rho) and he turned out to be a defensive minded hustle/tough C.

Which is also the opposite of what he was in college, a post scoring offensive C.

[rosenthall]

Malcolm Brogdown was a four year senior noted for his defensive hustle and but was picked in the second round due to limited perceived upside.

However, when he came into the NBA he's always been an offensive first pick and roll guy who doesn't defend very well. Complete opposite of what he was supposed to be. Even weirder when you consider he was a 23 year old rookie.

[Wagonband]

Really recent example has to be Luka. He was never perceived as being a scorer, but more of a pass first facilitator. I would've never said he would be a 30ppg, or 34!ppg scorer type player

[Gusto1903]

Deshawn Stevenson was profiled to be the next Michael Jordan. That never panned out

[Johnny Bball]

Gasol, before Lopez.

JV just had bad timing. And it took a long time for Raptors and everyone else to see that was all. Would have/could have been a top 20 player in the 2000 decade. But I think he turned out exactly how he was projected to, it was the subsequent changes everyone expected to match the changing game that wasn't realistic.

[UcanUwill]

Cody Zeller was supposed to be like LaMarcus Aldridge (according to then Bobcats GM Rich Rho) and he turned out to be a defensive minded hustle/tough C.

Which is also the opposite of what he was in college, a post scoring offensive C.

NBA is so good, you really need to be dominant offensive player just so you would have a shot to become defensive specialist there sometimes, it really feels that way. We like to look at some guys and assume they have no skill, but in reality, all these guys are amazing.

Dario Saric is good example of player who is not exactly is who he started. Sorry for just bringing Euros, but thats my thing... People could maybe assume Saric is basically just a big who runs back a fourth and just hits a wide open 3, but he was one of the most dominant youth players ever. In U16, he was basically MAgic Johnson, a 6'10 point guard with insane playmaking skills, then he transitioned to Power forward and was dominant post scorer while insane passer still. Funny thing, his only weakness was shooting, but he really needed all those dominant skills to just make NBA, and then needed to develop a 3 point shot so he would get minutes. Now we think, Yeah, Saric he is a shooter and not much else, while in reality he was so dominant in all other areas compared to his piers, and that is why he is making millions playing basketball...

Kevon Looney probably the funniest example of this. I think everyone by now is aware of his highschool mixtape that calls him next Kevin Durant. And yes, we are talking about that Kevon Looney...

[Joshyjess]

Al Horford. Who would have ever thought he'd become a great 3 point shooter.

[UcanUwill]

Al Horford. Who would have ever thought he'd become a great 3 point shooter.

SImilar to Ibaka. At first, Ibaka became very very good mid range shooter, and that always was kind off strange, but then naturally he became a 3 point shooter.

P.S. Ibaka just had a game saving block in Germany few days ago, he still some of it.

[dhsilv2]

I mean...do we need to go further than Leonard? Questionable shot coming out and is now a knock down shooter all over the court and a go to first option scorer.

[Karate Diop]

Brook Lopez was projecting to be your typical 2000s lumbering post big with mediocre defense but he totally changed and adapted his game. Greg Monroe should have taken notes

Yes, I once made a thread about players who reinvented their game the most through out their careers, and Brook Lopez was the guy I mentioned. Came into a league as non shooting post player with bad rebounding, then became a floor spacer, then literally 10 years into NBA career decided to become elite shot blocker... Like, how does that even happen? I have said this before, but Brook Lopez is underrated Basketball genius, whatever his team needed him to do, he just made it part oh his game. Probably overrated shooter, being called ''Splash mountain'' and all, but he can shoot, and you would have thought he will ever shoot 3s, back in 2009.

He was always a fantastic around the basket defender... The amount of shots he deterred even on **** Nets teams was superb

People just wanted to equate subpar rebounding with being soft and therefore bad defensively, even though Nets fans had be regularly saying otherwise as they actually watched the games...

[og15]

Brook Lopez was projecting to be your typical 2000s lumbering post big with mediocre defense but he totally changed and adapted his game. Greg Monroe should have taken notes

Yes, I once made a thread about players who reinvented their game the most through out their careers, and Brook Lopez was the guy I mentioned. Came into a league as non shooting post player with bad rebounding, then became a floor spacer, then literally 10 years into NBA career decided to become elite shot blocker... Like, how does that even happen? I have said this before, but Brook Lopez is underrated Basketball genius, whatever his team needed him to do, he just made it part oh his game. Probably overrated shooter, being called ''Splash mountain'' and all, but he can shoot, and you would have thought he will ever shoot 3s, back in 2009.

I wouldn't call him non shooting, just not shooting 3's, he did take long mid-range since his first season in the league. Year 1 according to the stats he shot 43% outside 16 feet, his whole time with the Nets it was 39%, and he was like an 80% FT shooter.

Robin was more of the one we could call a non shooter.

I also do remember that he wasn't necessarily a bad impact rebounder, just more of one of those box out and let others get the rebound if he doesn't have to get it types.

[UcanUwill]

I mean...do we need to go further than Leonard? Questionable shot coming out and is now a knock down shooter all over the court and a go to first option scorer.

I remember, at least in the past, there was this belief that big hands make it harder to be a shooter. And I never understood that. Granted, I do not have big hands, I have very small hands in fact, but I also grew up watching Sabonis play, and his touch was incredible and his big hands only seemed like an advantage there. So, maybe it makes it harder to be a good shooter if you have big hands, and I just do not know that, but it always seemed bogus to me. To me, it is far easier to shoot small ball than big ball, but I dont know... There were people projecting that Kawhi will never be a shooter primarily because oh his hand size. but nowadays, this kind off went away when projecting skills, at least it seems to me. Can't really think of recent prospects who get blasted because their hands are too big...

[og15]

I mean...do we need to go further than Leonard? Questionable shot coming out and is now a knock down shooter all over the court and a go to first option scorer.

I remember, at least in the past, there was this belief that big hands make it harder to be a shooter. And I never understood that. Granted, I do not have big hands, I have very small hands in fact, but I also grew up watching Sabonis play, and his touch was incredible and his big hands only seemed like an advantage there. So, maybe it makes it harder to be a good shooter if you have big hands, and I just do not know that, but it always seemed bogus to me. To me, it is far easier to shoot small ball than big ball, but I dont know... There were people projecting that Kawhi will never be a shooter primarily because oh his hand size. but nowadays, this kind off went away when projecting skills, at least it seems to me. Can't really think of recent prospects who get blasted because their hands are too big...

This was the Shaq excuse, it's not a real thing, especially when people would be saying, "it's like shooting a tennis ball", I don't think people were actually thinking of how small a tennis ball is compared to a basketball and how large someone's hands would need to be for it to be like that.

It would be different if Shaq was bricking and a terrible shooter with good form.

[Rendei]

Approximately 0 people predicted that Giannis would wind up bodying everybody when he came into the league. He was skinny stick man.

[Hornet Mania]

Kemba Walker.

Coming into the league after his magical UCONN run he was viewed as a lightning-quick player with a lethal first step and all the leadership and intangibles a franchise could ever want. He was also an abysmal shooter, and that wasn't ever expected to change.

As a rook Kemba shot .305 from 3pt range and had an eFG% of .411. He was one of the worst rookie shooters to get significant playing time in NBA history as a starter on the worst team in NBA history.

By his 5th season (2015-2016) he was playing like a lesser version of Damian Lillard. 37% from 3pt range and his eFG% had risen to .499. In the next few seasons his percentages hovered right around there, a bit lower or a bit higher, on double the 3pt attempts compared to his rookie season. By 2018-2019 he had tripled his 3pt attempts in comparison to his rookie season on very respectable percentages for a volume scorer.

I never ever expected that out of him. Kemba worked his ass off and totally reinvented his game to become an All-NBA player. He's the reason I don't totally write off prospects like Scoot and the Thompson twins. If a kid works hard, and his shot isn't totally broken, things can turn around.

[NO-KG-AI]

Andrew Bogut was supposed to be a high post, passing hub, mediocre defender. Ended up a DPOY/screener/hustle guy lol

[UcanUwill]

Brook Lopez was projecting to be your typical 2000s lumbering post big with mediocre defense but he totally changed and adapted his game. Greg Monroe should have taken notes

Yes, I once made a thread about players who reinvented their game the most through out their careers, and Brook Lopez was the guy I mentioned. Came into a league as non shooting post player with bad rebounding, then became a floor spacer, then literally 10 years into NBA career decided to become elite shot blocker... Like, how does that even happen? I have said this before, but Brook Lopez is underrated Basketball genius, whatever his team needed him to do, he just made it part oh his game. Probably overrated shooter, being called ''Splash mountain'' and all, but he can shoot, and you would have thought he will ever shoot 3s, back in 2009.

I wouldn't call him non shooting, just not shooting 3's, he did take long mid-range since his first season in the league. Year 1 according to the stats he shot 43% outside 16 feet, his whole time with the Nets it was 39%, and he was like an 80% FT shooter.

Robin was more of the one we could call a non shooter.

I also do remember that he wasn't necessarily a bad impact rebounder, just more of one of those box out and let others get the rebound if he doesn't have to get it types.

True true, non shooter is going overboard, I agree, but he did reinvent his game significantly still. Probably hard to really be non shooter and develop a 3 point shot later on, there are players who did that, but those are rare. My countryman, Ilgauskas, was another guy who developed a 3 at the end, and maybe to some that was surprising, but if you knew his game, he really always was a shooter. He probably was best CAVS shooter for years honestly, he was 7'3 guy taking technical free throws for them, and his one real move was fadeaway jumpshot.