#45 - Jordan Nwora (Forward, Louisville)

[Matches Malone]

Love this time of the year, when all our 2nd rounders are the next Ginobili/Draymond/Millsap

If Miami gets to find Duncan Robinson and Kendrick Nunn off the scrap heap, it’s only fair Nwora and Merrill become solid rotation pieces

[Pachinko_]

Unexpectedly he also has a tight handle, low and close to his body.
Nice.

[tedbrogen]

Unexpectedly he also has a tight handle, low and close to his body.
Nice.

Yeah, I don't think offense is why he slipped. It's definitely that teams fear he can't stay with NBA wings defensively and is a little too small to be a small ball four. Tons of teams still look at players with the "you are what you can guard" mentality (and the concern is that means Nwora is nothing), which isn't necessarily awful, but it does ignore that specialists exist and can make huge impacts on the game (see: Robinson, Duncan & Korver, Kyle).

[Pachinko_]

Unexpectedly he also has a tight handle, low and close to his body.
Nice.

Yeah, I don't think offense is why he slipped. It's definitely that teams fear he can't stay with NBA wings defensively and is a little too small to be a small ball four. Tons of teams still look at players with the "you are what you can guard" mentality (and the concern is that means Nwora is nothing), which isn't necessarily awful, but it does ignore that specialists exist and can make huge impacts on the game (see: Robinson, Duncan & Korver, Kyle).

Probably why Middleton slipped too back when he was drafted.
But if Mids can be a decent defender Nwora can too, there's really not much to separate them physically. If anything Nwora looks stronger to me

[tedbrogen]

Nwora does have 1/2" of wingspan and 15 pounds on Draft Day Midds. Midds currently plays at 10 pounds heavier than current Nwora.

Nwora definitely struggled when Louisville decided they didn't want to run an offense against good teams and made Nwora try to create for himself. Midds was far ahead of Nwora in college as far as being able to create for himself from my understanding. Nwora conversely seems far more comfortable off-ball and running around screens than Midds has ever been.

[Pachinko_]

Yeah that's what we want anyway. Because if Nwora expects to take the ball from Krhis/Giannis/Jrue's hands and create for himself he'd be waiting for a looooooooong time LOL

[DrWood]

Unexpectedly he also has a tight handle, low and close to his body.
Nice.

Yeah, I don't think offense is why he slipped. It's definitely that teams fear he can't stay with NBA wings defensively and is a little too small to be a small ball four. Tons of teams still look at players with the "you are what you can guard" mentality (and the concern is that means Nwora is nothing), which isn't necessarily awful, but it does ignore that specialists exist and can make huge impacts on the game (see: Robinson, Duncan & Korver, Kyle).

Probably why Middleton slipped too back when he was drafted.
But if Mids can be a decent defender Nwora can too, there's really not much to separate them physically. If anything Nwora looks stronger to me

Middleton wasn't a good shooter in college. Plus he had a knee injury.

[Chad34]

34 straight corner threes starting at the 1:17 mark

Watch on YouTube

[SupremeHustle]

34 straight corner threes starting at the 1:17 mark

Watch on YouTube

His shot release gives me hope.

[Pachinko_]

I have all the faith in the world in the NBA scouts to get things ass backwards and leave solid rotation players in the 2nd round.

[ChubsHarrison]

It’s easier to coach up someone defensively than it is to teach someone to become a better shooter.

[Pachinko_]

It’s easier to coach up someone defensively than it is to teach someone to become a better shooter.

Jabari Parker says hello

[GBBucks]

It’s easier to coach up someone defensively than it is to teach someone to become a better shooter.

Jabari Parker says hello

Haha, you can't teach effort or desire.

I would know, I hated playing defense. Just let me chuck from deep. I was an OG 4 point shot player starting back in 5th grade.

[VooDoo7]

His release is quite low. But it's also pretty fast, which will help.

[Ron Swanson]

Don't think the low release really matters when he's 6'7 and gets good enough elevation anyways. Main thing for me with projecting NBA shooters is how consistent they are with their mechanics, regardless of the aesthetics. So he certainly passes the eye test there. Makes it look pretty effortless.

[ShootingtheJ]

Jared Dudley 2.0

It bothers me that Nwora isn't a better passer, but he sure is a lot like Dudley. The shooting, wingspan, inconsistent conditioning, frame.

[emunney]

It’s easier to coach up someone defensively than it is to teach someone to become a better shooter.

Bad defenders rarely become good defenders but they usually become better defenders if they can last long enough. Same with shooters.

[skones]

It’s easier to coach up someone defensively than it is to teach someone to become a better shooter.

Bad defenders rarely become good defenders but they usually become better defenders if they can last long enough. Same with shooters.

Yeah, I don't agree with the premise. We've seen a lot of guys come into the league as relatively poor shooters who then become passable to plus after a lot of focus. Middleton for example, was a career 32% shooter from distance at A&M and now he's one of the best in the NBA.

Defense is an effort and IQ thing and largely a desire, know this needs to happen too if you want to win games. You can't coach up spatial awareness, you either see the floor or you don't. You have to visualize what's happening behind you once guys leave your field of vision and it can't be taught. I can't tell you how many guys I play soccer with, that have been playing their whole lives, that just don't see defensive rotations despite having a ton of skill. Basketball is largely the same thing. You A) Have to want to make the play and B) know where you need to go.

In the 90s, where defenses were man up, it was a lot easier to teach (stay in front of your guy), but a lot harder to do given the innate physicality involved. In a league that's pace and space, know where shooters are, and close out on them, guys that would once be eaten alive for lack of footspeed, can be very serviceable. I think he fits in that category where Nwora can be targeted man up, but that's not a position we have to put him in. What can be coached there, is that he plays too high in his defensive stance, to the point where it looks lazy despite his putting in the effort to move his feet. If he does that, he'll be a step faster on closeouts where he sometimes got lost at Louisville. That'll ultimately be the key for him on that end of the floor as it pertains to "passable."

[ChubsHarrison]

I disagree.

[Pachinko_]

We assume that players know what they have to do on D and then all it takes is effort and willingness to do it.
I think that's wrong, many don't know what they have to do and where to be, and small decisions and details matter a lot. And to learn them you basically need the whole team present and working for you so you can learn defense, so that makes it hard to even practice it. You can't just rock up alone to a gym with a trainer and practice where you need to be when the other team does X Y or Z. It doesnt work. That's why good D takes forever to learn and it's crucial that you learn the fundamentals from a young age with good coaches, otherwise you basically have no hope. You end up being Jabari for the rest of your career.