Pre-Draft Thread / Workout Updates

[Klomp]

Exactly. He is athletic

In combine testing, sure. But like Love (who also tested out great), it doesn't show on the court.

You're right, Love was just a combine freak who's been a bust in the NBA.

as heck and can play either position.

I don't buy this at all. He's significantly better at PF at both ends. He struggles badly against bulkier and longer players..

So does Love, but you don't seem to have any problem playing him at C.

[AQuintus]

You're right, Love was just a combine freak who's been a bust in the NBA.

Yes. Love is a dominant athlete on the court. You can often see him leaping far above the rim and dunking on guys as his 35 inch vertical (same as Dwight and Amare) would suggest.


Despite his elite athletic testing, Love is a below average athlete who puts up incredible numbers due to his bbiq and skill level.

So does Love, but you don't seem to have any problem playing him at C.

The difference is that Love is already on the team. We wouldn't need to use any additional assets to play him at PF/C. Zeller, on the other hand, would cost the 9th pick in the draft.

[Klomp]

Why does he have to be an elite athlete on the court? Why does that matter?

[Twolf16]

http://www.bourbonstreetshots.com/2013/ ... well-pope/
Good article highlighting differences between McCollum and Kaldwell-Pope.

[NikolaPekovic]

I feel like the wizards should be interested in Dwill. They need a good pick and pop big.

[AQuintus]

Why does he have to be an elite athlete on the court? Why does that matter?

He doesn't.

I was disputing this point:

Exactly. He is athletic as heck and can play either position.

[NikolaPekovic]

I'm still on the shabazz train at 9.

I have a feeling Len is going to be gone before 9.

[[RCG]]

Why does he have to be an elite athlete on the court? Why does that matter?

He doesn't.

I was disputing this point:

Exactly. He is athletic as heck and can play either position.

Zeller didn't participate in workouts, but his tests were among the best at the combine. Zeller checked in at 7 feet (with shoes) and 230 pounds, with a body fat of 4.5 percent. He finished first in the modified lane agility drill (2.69 seconds) and the standing vertical leap (34.5 inches) and was sixth in the three-quarter-court sprint (3.15), faster than any power forward or center. Even his wingspan -- considered one of the biggest knocks against him -- measured better than expected, at 6-10¾ after earlier reports of 6-8.

Read More: http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/nba/ne ... z2VlaGAaB5

Zeller set the record for standing vert. for a player over 6'9" - and jumped higher than Oladipo, who has been labeled as one of the better athletes in the draft. Which way do you want it, neither are athletic or both are?

[AQuintus]

Zeller set the record for standing vert. for a player over 6'9" - and jumped higher than Oladipo, who has been labeled as one of the better athletes in the draft. Which way do you want it, neither are athletic or both are?

Who cares? This isn't the National Combine Association. That athleticism doesn't show up on the basketball court and that's what matters.

Oladipo's athleticism DOES show up on the court. If you would have asked me (or anyone, really) how athletic either of those guys was before the combine, the overwhelming opinion would have been that Oladipo is an elite athlete and Zeller is slightly above average at best. Those tests - under highly structured conditions, while fully rested, and with no defenders around - DON'T change that. Just like Love's numbers (vert comparable to Amare and Dwight, sprint comparable with Chris Paul) don't make him a freak on the court.

Also, this:

and jumped higher than Oladipo, who has been labeled as one of the better athletes in the draft.

should make you extremely skeptical of those numbers if you've ever seen either jump in-game.

[Howard Cosell]

Both are very athletic.

Zeller runs the court like a Gazelle. Oladipo has quickness and speed. Victor finished better at the rim than anybody else in the Big Ten last year...and that includes Burke.


I want Oladipo, but if I can't have him.....and if I can't have KCP with the 9th pick because we decide to go BIG with the 9th pick and take either Len or Zeller, we better take a big defensive SG with the 26th pick or I will explode. We need Rubio to defend the other teams PG next year for at least most of the game. No more shrimps on the other teams 2-guard.

I won't be able to take it, I just won't.

[PG24]

Zeller set the record for standing vert. for a player over 6'9" - and jumped higher than Oladipo, who has been labeled as one of the better athletes in the draft. Which way do you want it, neither are athletic or both are?

Who cares? This isn't the National Combine Association. That athleticism doesn't show up on the basketball court and that's what matters.

Oladipo's athleticism DOES show up on the court. If you would have asked me (or anyone, really) how athletic either of those guys was before the combine, the overwhelming opinion would have been that Oladipo is an elite athlete and Zeller is slightly above average at best. Those tests - under highly structured conditions, while fully rested, and with no defenders around - DON'T change that. Just like Love's numbers (vert comparable to Amare and Dwight, sprint comparable with Chris Paul) don't make him a freak on the court.

Also, this:

and jumped higher than Oladipo, who has been labeled as one of the better athletes in the draft.

should make you extremely skeptical of those numbers if you've ever seen either jump in-game.

Um, have you watched Zeller play on a basketball court? He is extremely mobile and athletic for a big man. Long, he is not. I'm not a fan of his as a complement to Love/Pek, due to various reasons, but athleticism he does have - plenty of it.

[Grits n Gravy]

Absolutely amazing that Miles Plumlee was a scrub at Duke but after a good showing at the combine he gets into the first round. Not saying anything about Zeller but the combine testing is extremely misleading. My boy Kirk Penney tested as one of the best athletes in the 2003 NBA combine and anyone who sees him play knows he doesn't show or use basically any athleticism actually in game.

[[RCG]]

Jeez Aquintus, all I said was that Zeller was very athletic. I provided evidence to back it up. What is your deal?

[[RCG]]

Here are a few clips to show his feet are stuck in cement:
[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BNAkN_jObOI[/youtube]

If he drops to #9 I think he should be an option. Get all flustered if you want.

[[RCG]]

I'm still on the shabazz train at 9.

I have a feeling Len is going to be gone before 9.

Len likely will. You may have some leg room on that train

[AQuintus]

Here are a few clips to show his feet are stuck in cement:
[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BNAkN_jObOI[/youtube]

If he drops to #9 I think he should be an option. Get all flustered if you want.

Now show me a clip where he jumps 40 inches into the air. There's a couple of dunks in there where he barely gets the ball above the rim. He looks like a finesse PF - a Lamarcus Aldridge or Chris Bosh - not a C, and therefore not a fit. And like Aldridge and Bosh, he has very good agility and short area quickness for his size and is a very capable floor runner, I won't deny that.

And as far "what my deal" is, I just find it annoying how every year at this point in the draft process guys measure out way more athletic at the combine than they appear to be on tape. And every year fans see those combine numbers and start overrating guys who will, inevitably, prove that there tape is the correct measure of their athleticism in the NBA.

[[RCG]]

Wasn't Zeller touted as a potential #1 pick coming into this year? And he looks to get up a bit at :46.

[NikolaPekovic]

I'm still on the shabazz train at 9.

I have a feeling Len is going to be gone before 9.

Len likely will. You may have some leg room on that train

xD Well i think if we can get him to focus on defense first and spot up shooting then I think we could devolop him into a nice player,

[Devilzsidewalk]

Screw Cody Zeller, just go sign Josh McRoberts if you want a 6'11 hustle PF/C with semi-decent athleticism and skills.

[PG24]

Again, where in the tape does Zeller show to have "slightly above average at best" athleticism?

Spoiler:

Spoiler:

If only he had longer arms!