The Cyclone - The Isaiah Whitehead Thread

[Paradise]

[tweet]https://twitter.com/chadfordinsider/status/746184545393872896[/tweet]

[kamaze]

Just beat by seconds haha

[youtube]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2HF3I4YS1-g[/youtube]

I'm excited we got him and LeVert for Brooklyn's backcourt.

[MrDollarBills]

he's inefficient from the field. not suped at all.

[Prokorov]

happy to have a young rookie point gaurd as a backup/3rd string instead of sloan or larkin.

fits the atkinson mold of a humble hard worker. he has a long way to go but 2md/3rd string point gaurd is achieveable he can carve out minutes.

[Prokorov]

he's inefficient from the field. not suped at all.

its the 55th pick + cash. how suped did you expect to be

he also was asked to do it all at seton hall. he was a super energy guy. i think he can make a career in the league as a backup PG. he isnt going to be some starter. i dont think anyone expects that either. plus local kid, humble and hard working. easy to root for.

[MrDollarBills]

he's inefficient from the field. not suped at all.

its the 55th pick + cash. how suped did you expect to be

he also was asked to do it all at seton hall. he was a super energy guy. i think he can make a career in the league as a backup PG. he isnt going to be some starter. i dont think anyone expects that either. plus local kid, humble and hard working. easy to root for.

im just down about this team right now. you'll have to excuse me i don't mean to be a prick.

hard to be excited about any of these picks. I loved RHJ's pick and C-Mac I was hesitant but the more i saw he grew on me.

These kids we took tonight are legit F tiers. not expecting anything from either.

[Paradise]

he's inefficient from the field. not suped at all.

its the 55th pick + cash. how suped did you expect to be

he also was asked to do it all at seton hall. he was a super energy guy. i think he can make a career in the league as a backup PG. he isnt going to be some starter. i dont think anyone expects that either. plus local kid, humble and hard working. easy to root for.

im just down about this team right now. you'll have to excuse me i don't mean to be a prick.

hard to be excited about any of these picks. I loved RHJ's pick and C-Mac I was hesitant but the more i saw he grew on me.

These kids we took tonight are legit F tiers. not expecting anything from either.

Lol Says who? LeVert is the same story as McCullough. Lottery talent and only projected to go later due to an injury.

Whitehead has consistently been projected to go in the 1st round. He slipped and so did Henry Ellenson, Demetrius Jackson, Labesserie. Whitehead and LeVert are good selections and we have two talented two-way potential guards being coached by the man who developed Dennis Schroder who was selected 17 and had turned him into a potential long term starter for Atlanta.

There's nothing to be upset about. You are witnessing a rebuild. This is how it's done.

[Prokorov]

he's inefficient from the field. not suped at all.

its the 55th pick + cash. how suped did you expect to be

he also was asked to do it all at seton hall. he was a super energy guy. i think he can make a career in the league as a backup PG. he isnt going to be some starter. i dont think anyone expects that either. plus local kid, humble and hard working. easy to root for.

im just down about this team right now. you'll have to excuse me i don't mean to be a prick.

hard to be excited about any of these picks. I loved RHJ's pick and C-Mac I was hesitant but the more i saw he grew on me.

These kids we took tonight are legit F tiers. not expecting anything from either.

1) it doesnt make sense for you to defend CMC the other day telling people he hasnt even played yet, and then to trash levert because he dropped in the draft because of injuries. its basically the same thing... only with levert we actually saw we he could do pre injury unlike cmc who didnt see much court time. both were lotto without the injuries.

2) you can really expect much better then F tier from the 55th pick. if thats your expectation then its a bit off

id just ask you try and judge levert on merit and not hate him just because you didnt like the thad trade. my guy tells me if we traded jack for #22 and took levert your reaction would be much different

[NyCeEvO]

Welcome Isaiah Whitehead! I don't like how inefficient he is but I hope he can prove me wrong.

[Prokorov]

Welcome Isaiah Whitehead! I don't like how inefficient he is but I hope he can prove me wrong.

he hit big shot after big shot after big shot...He pretty much dismantled the national champs in the big east tournament all by himself. he was the entire offense for them, dont look to much into the efficiency, most college scorers arent super elite when it comes to TS% since there are so many less FT trips for gaurds due to the 2-3 zone. only the really elite guys kill it there.

i can see whitehead being kilpatrick with defense. a microwave who you often hate when his bad looks and forces arent going in but often gives you the offense you need of the bench.

[Paradise]

Whitehead against the national champs.

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=isuF7yvyCko&sns=em[/youtube]

[NyCeEvO]

I like his attitude. I wonder how he'll mesh with Lopez.

[NyCeEvO]

[tweet]https://twitter.com/BrooklynNets/status/746212617841061889[/tweet]

[tweet]https://twitter.com/APOOCH/status/746203962454376448[/tweet]
[tweet]https://twitter.com/APOOCH/status/746190725973348356[/tweet]
[tweet]https://twitter.com/APOOCH/status/746190419986264070[/tweet]
[tweet]https://twitter.com/BrooklynNets/status/746215747899162624[/tweet]

[Dr Positivity]

I'm one of the biggest supporters of Whitehead, he rated top 5 in my draft model. I think this could be a huge steal for you guys. My take on some strengths and weaknesses:

- Whitehead is the king of taking shots in this class. He is 2nd highest FGA/40 taker behind Felder in the class I think, highest FGA/40 in the Big East quite handily. Visually you can see it in his game where he's that guard who pulls up for his own jumpers all the time, etc. which have caused some to brand his style of play as a classic chucker. Look for him to possibly light it up in summer league since he's made for that style.

- He hit 36% from 3 on an elite 8.1 3PA/40 and fairly solid 76 FT%. 3pt shooting projections use 3PA and FT% as important ways to predict shooting. In analytical systems projecting shooting, he rates as around a top 10-15 3pt shooter in the class and predicts as around 37% 3pt shooter in the NBA. The elite volume is helpful to his projection.

What the combination of his high field goal taking rate and 3 point shooting means, is he could be a guard who creates his own 3 point attempts off the dribble regularly. With the success of Curry, Lillard, Kyrie, being a self-creating, high volume 3 point shooter off the dribble is an increasingly powerful offensive weapon.

- While he is turnover prone and just a ultra high volume possession user in general, Whitehead had a great assist rate (6.3/40) and showed flashes of great passing skill. This looks to be something he has potential in at the next level and gives him a chance to play PG. He has a longer than average wingspan for a SG (6'8.75, average is about 6'8) and frame (210 pounds, average is about 200) giving him defensive tools at the 2 and would be elite defensive size at the 1, and he was a freakishly good shotblocker for a SG (1.8 blk/40) although a more average ball thief (1.5/40). Between his wingspan, frame and high steal and block combined I look for him to have plus upside on defense. I don't consider the turnovers to be that big a weakness. 4.2 TOV/40 is far from an unheard of number for a future NBA success and this is one of the highest volume FGA takers in the class who averages over 6 assists, so turning it over at that rate is not that unexpected. Dunn for example also is at 4.2 TOV/40. Turnovers also aren't the biggest indicator of good or bad in the NBA.

Whitehead's slashing is considered a weakness. Although he drove and got to the line well (7.1 FTA/40, although on a high volume of shots) he is one of the worst finishers at the basket in college at like 45%. This more than chucking is the main reason why he was so inefficient. He is known as a decent but unspectacular athlete. Whitehead ends up with the scary stat of 39% from 2pt when very few players have had under 40% 2pt and succeeded and .51 TS% with not much better a track record. However I don't see a prospect's whole profile being thrown out just because he struggles to finish plays at the basket, which is something players can improve at in the NBA. Even without a great slashing game, I still think he would have a chance to be a Jamal Crawford type on offense. At best he could be a high volume scorer (anchored by self-created 3s) who defends and passes. That would be an all-star talent. In the modern game teams want 3 point shooting, defense and passing and Whitehead imo has talent in all three of those categories in addition to the ability to create his own shot in spades

[Net Sentence]

Brooklyn trades for the number "42" pick to get the local kid.

God I hate the dumb PR stunts this team does. It's so corny.

[Keith Van Horn]

Brooklyn trades for the number "42" pick to get the local kid.

God I hate the dumb PR stunts this team does. It's so corny.

to be fair we don't have a point guard and the pick makes sense. I agree there was pr involved, but it also was a basketball decision. He won't be our starter but he's got some good physical talent to be a combo backup.

we just need to make sure we sign Rondo or Conley... or make a trade for Rubio.

[Paradise]

Brooklyn trades for the number "42" pick to get the local kid.

God I hate the dumb PR stunts this team does. It's so corny.

I didn't hear any complaints when King drafted McCullough. A local kid at 29. Your consistent agenda against Marks is getting old and tired. Everyone involved with the draft has praised the selection but let's keep ignoring that, eh? I haven't seen any better options sitting at 42 either.

[Rockice_24]

Got to agree with Dr. Positivity here. Guy has great potential on defense and a developed offensive game. He should be a PG here and learn behind a veteran at first but at #42 he has the ability to be a solid starting PG if developed correctly. If he sticks as a backup only that's fine but I think he has starting qualities.

Marks just landed two well rounded prospects who can play on both ends of the floor. No more well he can't shoot or he needs to be hidden on defense type guys.

[MrDollarBills]

its the 55th pick + cash. how suped did you expect to be

he also was asked to do it all at seton hall. he was a super energy guy. i think he can make a career in the league as a backup PG. he isnt going to be some starter. i dont think anyone expects that either. plus local kid, humble and hard working. easy to root for.

im just down about this team right now. you'll have to excuse me i don't mean to be a prick.

hard to be excited about any of these picks. I loved RHJ's pick and C-Mac I was hesitant but the more i saw he grew on me.

These kids we took tonight are legit F tiers. not expecting anything from either.

1) it doesnt make sense for you to defend CMC the other day telling people he hasnt even played yet, and then to trash levert because he dropped in the draft because of injuries. its basically the same thing... only with levert we actually saw we he could do pre injury unlike cmc who didnt see much court time. both were lotto without the injuries.

2) you can really expect much better then F tier from the 55th pick. if thats your expectation then its a bit off

id just ask you try and judge levert on merit and not hate him just because you didnt like the thad trade. my guy tells me if we traded jack for #22 and took levert your reaction would be much different

yeah i wouldn't have said a word if it was jack.

either way i'm over it and i look forward to seeing this guy play for us. that 36% 3PT number raised my hopes a bit.

[shakendfries]

Brooklyn trades for the number "42" pick to get the local kid.

God I hate the dumb PR stunts this team does. It's so corny.

Could work out in the long run, there are some top flight HS prospects coming from NY.

New York Has Five Top 50 Players in 2017 ESPN 100

For all the talk about the decline of New York City basketball, the Class of 2017 might just prove otherwise.

In the latest 2017 ESPN 100, New York and the surrounding area has five players ranked in the Top 50.

Mohamed Bamba, the 7-footer from Harlem who plays for the Westtown (Pa.) School and the PSA Cardinals, is No. 3. He holds offers from a Who's Who of schools, including Duke, Kentucky and Harvard.

Nick Richards, the 6-11 Queens native who plays for St. Patrick's (N.J.) and Expressions Elite, ranks No. 8. He is being recruited at the highest levels, including by Kentucky and Syracuse.

Hamidou Diallo, the 6-6 wing guard from Queens who plays for Putnam Science Academy (CT) and the NY Rens, chimes in at No. 12. Diallo holds offers from Kentucky, Duke, Syracuse and UConn, among others.

Meantime, Jordan Tucker, the 6-7 wing from Riverdale, N.Y., who plays for Archbishop Stepinac and the Rens, ranks at No. 35, while Yonkers, N.Y., native Brandon Randolph of the Westtown School and the PSA Cardinals, ranks No. 43.

Tucker recently told me Syracuse is working the hardest for him, but is considering St. John's, Maryland and Villanova, among others. Randolph's recruitment has blown up and he holds offers from Indiana, Maryland, North Carolina, Arizona, Oregon, Villanova, Notre Dame and Syracuse, among others

Deng Gak, the 6-11 power forward from Blair (N.J.) Academy and the PSA Cardinals, is the highest-ranked player from New Jersey on the list at No. 80. Meantime, Philadelphia-based point guard Quade Green of Neumann-Goretti and the PSA Cardinals is ranked No. 22, giving that AAU outfit four Top 100 players.

The PSA Cardinals and NY Rens -- both of which will compete in next month's Peach Jam -- have two players each on this list.

"At some point the rest of the country will take some time and look up," PSA Cardinals director Terrance "Munch" Williams said. "When they do, they will realize that New York City basketball is in a great space. Until then, please allow these young men to chase their destiny."

NY Rens coach Andy Borman broke down the top three players on the list.

"I think Bamba is a pure winner," he said. "He does it all and on top of that he's a competitor.

"Nick Richards is a player that is really starting to come into his own. His offensive game is progressing really well and he can single-handedly win a game on the defensive side of the ball.

"Hamidou is the best guard in the country. I couldn't say enough good things about what it's like to coach him. He is an athletic freak, but what separates him is his desire to be truly great. Hamidou is a workhorse in the gym and is at it all day long."

My fingers are crossed for Marks to approach one of these top flight recruits about potentially going straight to the pros and playing for the LI Nets if they're polished enough to compete at a pro level like Emmanuel Mudiay