Countdown to NBA Draft: Prospect Talk

djphan · Post #4781 » by **djphan** » Thu Mar 19, 2015 9:08 pm

Vcu is a stellar team... Gonna be hard for Russell to break loose...

2010 · Post #4782 » by **2010** » Thu Mar 19, 2015 9:10 pm

TrueWarrior wrote:
2010 wrote:I'm officially hitching my wagon to D'Angelo Russell. This kid is the real deal. He just has things you can't teach. And he's only going to get better as he gets stronger and develops his body and works on his quickness. Him and Melo is a deadly combination. And what I like is he's not just a scorer. He makes others better! That's the element most needed in a franchise player. Not sure Okafor or Towns are going to make everyone else better. Russell is the star of this draft. Everyone's falling for the BIG over small philosphy again. Man, I just hope we land the 3rd pick. I do not want pick #1 or 2. Those are forced picks which make you almost HAVE to take one of the bigs. I don't like Okafor's defense or awareness. And although Towns has many skills I think he has some bust potential (just my gut feeling). Russell is the guy I'm seeing who can change this franchise's fortunes.

D'Angelo Russell
Danny Green
Carmelo Anthony
Draymond Green
Roy Hibbert

Okafor and Towns both make players better too. Theyre great passers for big men. I mean Amundson, Jason Smith, and Cole are averaging over 2.5 asts/per36 for us so I can only imagine what they would in this system.

Otherwise I do like Russell a lot. Ive wavered between who I like more between him and Jah for that second spot behind Towns. On one hand Jah's post game is mystical and we could really use a guy to get easy buckets, but we all know about the defensive concerns. I prefer my center to be a great defender. They erase mistakes inside. Its like playing football with no safeties if your center doesnt protect the paint well. Not saying a contender couldnt be built around Jah, but unless he improves a lot on D or we pickup an Ibaka it's going to be tough.

So thats why at times Ive favored Russell over Jah. Hes not some great defender either but you can get away with that more from a guard than a center. I only worry about all the jumpshots Melo and Russell would be taking, as Russ settles way too much for me (like Melo has been) when he should be attacking. Hes not that explosive and I dont think I have even seen him dunk, so I dont know if he'll be able to get to the rim and finish well in the pros. What gives me hope is his team just sucks so with more spacing in the NBA he should be okay, and his handles are yo yo. Vision and passing is top shelf though no doubt about that. That will easily translate.

I only started watching Russell's last 8 games in full, and he's only shot over 47% once. Half his shots have been threes and hes been missing many of em. Shot selection has been questionable. I guess I havent seen him at his best but I dont see the wetness of Curry or the slashing of Harden. Theres no arguing with what hes done but Id still take Towns and Jah over him right now.

Btw heres a good article on Russ that Herring just put out:
http://www.wsj.com/articles/is-dangelo- ... 1426725553

D'Angelo is my pick. It's etched in stone for me. If we are lucky enough to land pick #3 or trade down for him if we get pick 1/2 we should be thanking the man/woman upstairs!

NYKnicksTAPE · Post #4783 » by **NYKnicksTAPE** » Thu Mar 19, 2015 9:12 pm

Russell looks a lot quicker than usual

Marty McFly · Post #4784 » by **Marty McFly** » Thu Mar 19, 2015 9:17 pm

Looked like he got hacked.

ibraheim718 · Post #4785 » by **ibraheim718** » Thu Mar 19, 2015 9:20 pm

Russell just doesn't have elite level strength or quickness I just don't see on what planet someone would have him over Okafor.. honestly.

NYKnicksTAPE · Post #4786 » by **NYKnicksTAPE** » Thu Mar 19, 2015 9:20 pm

I think Ohio State loses this...I really wanted to see Russell vs Stanley Johnson, but Russell's teammates just suck

Fat · Post #4787 » by **Fat** » Thu Mar 19, 2015 9:22 pm

NYKnicksTAPE wrote:I think Ohio State loses this...I really wanted to see Russell vs Stanley Johnson, but Russell's teammates just suck

i wouldnt count em out yet

NYKnicksTAPE · Post #4788 » by **NYKnicksTAPE** » Thu Mar 19, 2015 9:22 pm

ibraheim718 wrote:Russell just doesn't have elite level strength or quickness I just don't see on what planet someone would have him over Okafor.. honestly.

He can improve on that

NYKnicksTAPE · Post #4789 » by **NYKnicksTAPE** » Thu Mar 19, 2015 9:23 pm

Nyk_Fatboy wrote:
NYKnicksTAPE wrote:I think Ohio State loses this...I really wanted to see Russell vs Stanley Johnson, but Russell's teammates just suck

i wouldnt count em out yet

It doesn't look good at all. VCU is getting much easier looks

ibraheim718 · Post #4790 » by **ibraheim718** » Thu Mar 19, 2015 9:30 pm

NYKnicksTAPE wrote:
ibraheim718 wrote:Russell just doesn't have elite level strength or quickness I just don't see on what planet someone would have him over Okafor.. honestly.

He can improve on that

Yeah he can.

Marty McFly · Post #4791 » by **Marty McFly** » Thu Mar 19, 2015 9:31 pm

Finally.

ibraheim718 · Post #4792 » by **ibraheim718** » Thu Mar 19, 2015 9:32 pm

NYKnicksTAPE wrote:
Nyk_Fatboy wrote:
NYKnicksTAPE wrote:I think Ohio State loses this...I really wanted to see Russell vs Stanley Johnson, but Russell's teammates just suck

i wouldnt count em out yet

It doesn't look good at all. VCU is getting much easier looks

Shaka has so many strong tenacious defensive horses.

Marty McFly · Post #4793 » by **Marty McFly** » Thu Mar 19, 2015 9:32 pm

Money

Tron Carter · Post #4794 » by **Tron Carter** » Thu Mar 19, 2015 9:36 pm

russell heating up.

NYKnicksTAPE · Post #4795 » by **NYKnicksTAPE** » Thu Mar 19, 2015 9:36 pm

Every night I dream of watching Russell in a Knicks jersey. Please Lord, let it happen

Marty McFly · Post #4796 » by **Marty McFly** » Thu Mar 19, 2015 9:39 pm

They need to keep going to russ.

ibraheim718 · Post #4797 » by **ibraheim718** » Thu Mar 19, 2015 9:43 pm

Good move by Matta going to a zone.

F N 11 · Post #4798 » by **F N 11** » Thu Mar 19, 2015 9:50 pm

D Russ take over son!

Post #4799 » by **Manhattan Project** » Thu Mar 19, 2015 9:52 pm

Just saw the highlights of how SMU lost, holy crap.

TrueWarrior · Post #4800 » by **TrueWarrior** » Thu Mar 19, 2015 9:57 pm

ibraheim718 wrote:Russell just doesn't have elite level strength or quickness I just don't see on what planet someone would have him over Okafor.. honestly.

Yea Im leaning this way too. Russell can shoot and pass but he looks pretty meh as an athlete. People throwing out that hes still hurt but I dont buy it. I have real doubts about him being a star in the NBA if hes having trouble creating and getting to the cup/line in college and Ill keep saying it. He can get hot and make some shots but he just doesnt scream out to me that he will translate as well as some think. He needs to go off in the 2nd here. You know Jah will get buckets in the pros. I have no doubts with him.