t_smith979 wrote:Whos the best players out of Noel, Embiid, Okafor and Towns?
All the best centers from the recent drafts
if anthony davis isn't a C then neither is noel. noel's a freaking twig. davis has more bulk with a better frame and he still gets regularly bodied by stronger bigs . just look at what kanter did to him the other night. as an overall prospect i wouldn't put noel in the same tier as the other 3.
b/t embiid and okafor, it's close. embiid is mostly projection. joel has the athleticism over jah, but jah has the higher starting point, stronger base and better instincts. both could eventually be post hubs that an offense could be built around, but there's just so much uncertainty surrounding joel. okafor might not have as high of a ceiling but i think he has a greater likelihood of coming close to his bc i just think he has a better innate feel that he's developed since he was a kid. since he first started making waves locally around here, he was lauded for his advanced feel and maturity in his game for his age. he never drifted out to the perimeter trying to be a small forward or face up perimeter big. he didnt run away from the crowded paint and double, triple teams. his post game has been groomed since the infant stages of his development. it's ingrained in his system. i think he'll be a step ahead for a while. while other young bigs are working on developing a counter, he'll already master that and be onto 2nd and 3rd counters.
i'd put towns 3rd on the list. he's got great tools in terms of length. he's a smart kid. plays with good energy. his post game has been less than impressive though, even at this stage i think Cs that big and talented should at least have a decent baby hook. i mean, they could absolutely dominate at the HS level with that shot alone because there just aren't that many kids at that level who can deny 7' 240 lb+ Cs position. towns looks unconformable with the hook, even fading on the shot instead of taking advantage of his length. his body has weird proportions too. he's top heavy with a naturally weak lower body and big old boats for feet. his footwork looks clunky at times. i also worry about knee problems for bigs with his dimensions. he might not be knock kneed like bynum, but to me they have similar body types otherwise. i do like his potential as a pinch post type big who can play around the FT line extended/elbow areas because of his perimeter passing ability and jump shot potential.