Magic Select Andrew Nicholson with 19th Pick

[Neon1]

If FA goes by and Ryno AND Baby are still Magic men........How do you feel about this draft then?

[SloNick Russia]

Kid has 7-3 wingspan and some solid shot blocking ability - BBD, Bass, Ryno are all either undersized or not enough athletic, when Nicholson bulks up he can become a very decent defender for his position, especially if his basketball IQ and work ethic are as high as advertised.

All we need now is to get an older canadian to run the show for us next season

[NEM]

If FA goes by and Ryno AND Baby are still Magic men........How do you feel about this draft then?

in that case, i'd be upset. however, i think ryan is a goner, and if he isn't then baby is. i think we turn ryan into something that we need. maybe hennigan doesnt want to pay anderson what he will command because he wants to shed salary off next summer's books.

either way the more i see and hear about nicholson, the more i think we made the right pick. we chose BPA, and not based on need. i understand there were players there that filled a need (wroten, teague, pj3), but IMO we went with BPA, and i cant blame him for doing that. i also like the fact that there were people who had him the their top 10, it makes me feel like hennigan knows what he is doing

[j_n]

I never heard of him before the draft but at 19th getting anything more than a journeyman would be a bonus.

[Skin]

You won't believe this, but a friend of mine who is a long time college referee/official for the SEC was sold on Nicholson at the end the basketball season. He told me about him and his team is the Sixers. He was with me last night when the Sixers picked and he is just hoping and hoping Nicholson fall to them. When they passed him up, I thought he was the most miserable man I have ever seen. What made it worse is they chose a SF when he is one of those delusional Sixers fans that thinks they ware keeping Iguodala long term.

Anyway, from the start of the draft until the time the Sixers picked he was calling off stats he knew about Nicholson. Said he was just as good as any big man in the draft and went as far as to say that Nicholson is going to surprise some people that did not have him ranked high because he has the best post moves in the draft and with his height he is the most NBA ready player. He was pointing out how this kid did not play basketball hardly at all until college and was going to St. Bonaventure for Physics. He was talking about how you can see the guy thinking while he is on the floor and as an official you can see he was by far an away smarter on the floor than any of his opponents. So I trying to dog him out was saying how he came from a small school and how he should be smarter than most, etc, etc. Then he started telling me he was the next Tim Duncan (best Senior to come out of the draft in a long time in his words since Tim Duncan).

I started saying that with his height he should have had big stats in a small school regardless. His come back was that he was the sole focus of every school's defense in trying to stop him. He was not on a stacked team like Kentucky where every player had to be guarded. He was going on and on about the double and triple teams Nicholsonson would see and how he would deal with them. How he would get hacked and pulled at and then he turned a corner near mid season where he used his footwork, size and instincts to get the ball up to the rim quicker and knew what to do against his opponents BEFORE he caught the ball.

So I am actually laughing at him when the Sixers went small saying that Nicholson would be nothing in the league. That no one knew him before the draft and no one will know him after. You can imagine my surprise when the Magic chose him.

Now my buddy starts talking about how smart Hennigan is for taking him. Saying how we would be looking like the smartest team in a couple years for taking him. It did not sell me until I got home and started reading up on this guy. How some of the experts that know the game had him ranked in the top 10 in the draft and some ranked his skills among the best of the big men. I think due to his age he was not looked at as having a high ceiling. However, taking in to consideration that he was a baseball player until a Junior in High School speaks to the fact he may have a higher ceiling than most players who have been playing their entire life. For players that have been playing their entire life they do not make the strides that a player make who have never played. When you are older and can make those huge leaps because of hard work and can see the huge leaps, those players end up working harder than most because they did not grow up feeling they were entitled.

Anyway, I thought I would pass it along. I do not want to give out the name of my buddy, but he is very knowledgeable and has most of the time been dead on correct about NBA potential. For example, in 2007 he was telling me Durant would be better than LeBron James when their careers were done and that Portland made a major mistake. He also told me back when Corey Brewer was drafted that he would not be more than a flash in the pan in the NBA that he was a beneficiary of the twin towers of Horford and Noah. He had Horford and Noah ranked in the top 5 in that draft. However, he spent a couple years officiating the Gators so he has a real good knowledge of the SEC.

BTW he thinks Davis is going to be good, but he thinks he will take some time to refine himself to the NBA, that his body has a long way to go. His thoughts on Davis is that because Kentucky was so stacked with talent that you could not double on Davis and because of the lack of big men in college that Davis could score without much defense around him. But there is a reason he did not have big offensive stats, because he does not have an offensive game. He thinks he is going to develop along the lings of Dwight Howard and will have to work very hard to become an offensive force in the NBA. Defensively he thinks he will be just like Howard and change a ton of shots. He said Howard was a much better prospect than Davis. So I guess in a couple years I am hoping he is right on the money with Nicholson.

It was still pretty funny when his team passed on his guy then my team got him. my friend is in total love with Hennigan. He also really liked our second round pick. But we did not talk much about him as he had this man crush on Nicholson.

That's a neat story. Thanks for sharing!

[sonny_1313]

I like what I've seen from the videos. You never know though. You rarely get a star at #19. It seems like a solid pick.

[OrlandO]

This is what DX said about Anderson's post game coming out of Cal

When Anderson catches the ball in post, he is a little less reliable. He has good footwork, a soft touch, and good intelligence on the offensive end, but he too often finds himself trapped under the basket or turns into a double or triple team. While he is a very good passer out of the paint and has shown very nice awareness in the high post and on the perimeter, he frequently finds himself out of position on the low blocks and then is pressured into a bad shot or decision. This is a trend against big defenders such as Luke Nevill of Utah and Kevin Love of UCLA. While he does a very nice job of establishing position and posting up, once the ball gets into his hands, the results are not always as good.

This is what DX said about Nicholson:

Offensively, Nicholson relies heavily on a very refined post game that's tough to defend at this level, particularly when paired with the improving perimeter game he showed last year. With good footwork, counter moves, and an ability to finish with either hand, Nicholson has plenty of moves in the low post. According to Synergy Sports Technology, Nicholson is shooting 54% in post-up situations, while doing a solid job of drawing contact and getting to the line.

Also note that DX has Nicholson as one of the most effecient scorers (top 5 overall) among this draft's big man crop, including being in the top 5 in efficiency in post ups, jumpers, and isolation.

I don't think that DX is the end all be all of player evaluation, I just think it demonstrates that if Ryan is going to ask for a decent salary and if Nicholson could be better at PF then the Magic can use Ryan as an asset to improve the PG or SF position and improve the PF position at the same time.

That is exactly what Ryno still does. Either forces up a terrible shot or gets stuck under the basket where two defenders can easily block his predictable shot. So, it's good to see their analysis of Nicholson's post is way more favorable.

[doct3r dr3]

Great story TheMagicOne, thanks for that.

To add:

- A Celtics fan buddy of mine who's really good at fantasy basketball/predicting players really wanted Nicholson to fall to the Cs at #21/22.

- My cousin, a HEAT fan, desperately wanted Nicholson. He once said he'd trade Chris Bosh to the Celtics for the #21 and #22 to make sure they would get him. He was also really high on Bismack Biyombo last summer, so you can take that for what it's worth.

[The Effect]

I don't think Nicholson and Anderson's game is identical at all. Nicholson has much more variety in his offense, both in the post and in limited penetration.

Nicholson is LIGHT YEARS ahead of Anderson with his post game. This guy just has a real knack for getting to the rim in creative ways down low.

You do realize he was playing against the likes of Fordham and University of Charlotte right?

[NickAndersonsBack25]

Take a look where Ed Weiland (the guy who predicted Linsanity) had Nicholson on his big board: Link

Hmmm. He's a decent analyst.

2011 draft analysis: http://hoopsanalyst.com/blog/?p=674#more-674

Look at his rankings for the 2010 draft: http://hoopsanalyst.com/blog/?p=533#more-533. Not bad.

http://hoopsanalyst.com/blog/?p=536

2009 analysis http://hoopsanalyst.com/blog/?m=200906 and http://hoopsanalyst.com/blog/?p=92

[The1llness]

Take a look where Ed Weiland (the guy who predicted Linsanity) had Nicholson on his big board: Link

Hmmm. He's a decent analyst.

2011 draft analysis: http://hoopsanalyst.com/blog/?p=674#more-674

Look at his rankings for the 2010 draft: http://hoopsanalyst.com/blog/?p=533#more-533. Not bad.

http://hoopsanalyst.com/blog/?p=536

2009 analysis http://hoopsanalyst.com/blog/?m=200906 and http://hoopsanalyst.com/blog/?p=92

Look what he says about the Magic in his 2011 draft analysis:

F: Orlando Magic: Justin Harper, Original pick was dealt to Phoenix in the Jason Richardson trade: I doubt the pick was a big deal or even would have become a big deal had Orlando used it or not. And Harper is a nice get early in round 2. I’m flunking Orlando so I can launch into a rant. I just want to say that I can’t believe how this team has squandered the good fortune that has come their way since their inception. They won consecutive draft lotteries in the early 90s, which included once-in-a-decade talent Shaquille O’Neal. In the free agency summer of ’00 they scored a huge coup by bringing in Grant Hill and Tracy McGrady. They won the ’04 lottery where they drafted the best center of this generation, Dwight Howard. I know there were some injuries and other little dramas going on, but this organization has been setup for a dynasty on three separate occasions in the past two decades and hasn’t been able to close the deal. That’s what this “F” is about.

[drsd]

Lets not go overboard calling Nicholson better than Anderson. He could be, but Ryan has been productive in the NBA, Nicholson is a question mark.

Anderson is a proven starter-level quality at the PF slot. Nicholson is a rookie that just got a multimillionaire deal as a guarantee life event.

[NickAndersonsBack25]

Take a look where Ed Weiland (the guy who predicted Linsanity) had Nicholson on his big board: Link

Hmmm. He's a decent analyst.

2011 draft analysis: http://hoopsanalyst.com/blog/?p=674#more-674

Look at his rankings for the 2010 draft: http://hoopsanalyst.com/blog/?p=533#more-533. Not bad.

http://hoopsanalyst.com/blog/?p=536

2009 analysis http://hoopsanalyst.com/blog/?m=200906 and http://hoopsanalyst.com/blog/?p=92

Look what he says about the Magic in his 2011 draft analysis:

F: Orlando Magic: Justin Harper, Original pick was dealt to Phoenix in the Jason Richardson trade: I doubt the pick was a big deal or even would have become a big deal had Orlando used it or not. And Harper is a nice get early in round 2. I’m flunking Orlando so I can launch into a rant. I just want to say that I can’t believe how this team has squandered the good fortune that has come their way since their inception. They won consecutive draft lotteries in the early 90s, which included once-in-a-decade talent Shaquille O’Neal. In the free agency summer of ’00 they scored a huge coup by bringing in Grant Hill and Tracy McGrady. They won the ’04 lottery where they drafted the best center of this generation, Dwight Howard. I know there were some injuries and other little dramas going on, but this organization has been setup for a dynasty on three separate occasions in the past two decades and hasn’t been able to close the deal. That’s what this “F” is about.

Yeah, can't argue it.

2010 Grade: C: Orlando Magic: Daniel Orton: Smart pick up. Orton’s value was down after a tough pre-draft run. He’s talented enough that bringing him in for a 2-year look at the cost of a late first round draft pick is a pretty smart move considering the potential payoff.

2009 - C: Orlando Magic: The pick was dealt for Rafer Alston, who was eventually shipped out in the Vince Carter trade. I don’t know if this was how they planned things, but this deal worked out perfectly for the Magic. Alston is a fun-to-watch, but ordinary player who shoots too often and too poorly. But he played the game of his life that helped win game 4 and save the series upset of Cleveland. Now they’ve shipped him off in the Carter trade, because no one really wants a mad bomber as their PG. Nice use of the pick and the player by the Magic.


2008 - D: Orlando Magic: This grading system of mine can be cruel at times. The fact that this is a curve can get some team a D when they really don’t deserve such. That’s the case here. The Magic went out and tried to address a need with Courtney Lee. I felt there were better options out there, specifically Mark Tyndale and Chris Douglas-Roberts. But Lee isn’t a bad pick and I seem to be a lonely voice in my championing of Tyndale. I just don’t see where he improves the team much though. Orlando is sort of in the same boat as Washington. They’re probably not as good as their record suggested last year and need to make a bold move to keep up with the swell of good teams the East could very well see in 2009. They didn’t make that move in the draft and could pay the price for their complacency.


-- I too wanted CDR in 2008, but C-Lee was a far better pick!

[Skin]

I don't think Nicholson and Anderson's game is identical at all. Nicholson has much more variety in his offense, both in the post and in limited penetration.

Nicholson is LIGHT YEARS ahead of Anderson with his post game. This guy just has a real knack for getting to the rim in creative ways down low.

You do realize he was playing against the likes of Fordham and University of Charlotte right?

...and Dwight Howard's competition was High Schoolers when he entered the draft. Your point is irrelevant. Anybody with 2 eyes knows that Anderson's post game is shoddyand what he loves to do is hang out at the 3 point line. The 4 out, 1 in system doesn't work!

[OrlandO]

Andrew Nicholson @nicholaf44

Woke up a Magic this morning! NOW LET'S GET TO WORK!

[Truth24]

Ryan Anderson was very skilled and good in the post at Cali, but become more of a shooter in the league. I know Nicholson does have some nice moves in the post from up and under to his regular post hooks. The thing is its hard to project him having a good post game in the NBA because everyone is bigger then his previous competition. I do think he will be able to do some things in the post but his success will come off of his face up game and coming off of pick and rolls.

[Pamplona]

Let's calm down guys.

I am not sure about Nicholson but it will all be determined based on how well he does on the court.

Rob Hennigan deserves a chance.

Absolutely.

[Skin]

"We've played Kansas with the Morris twins (Markief and Marcus). We've seen Keith Benson from Oakland. I would say, if you asked who has been the most offensively gifted. I would say Andrew Nicholson."-Ohio coach Jon Groce, 12/18/10

"Obviously, (Andrew) Nicholson is the most skilled player in our conference."-Xavier coach Chris Mack, 1/19/11

"You let me me take two guys off St. Bonaventure ... No. 44 and somebody else ... and see what happens. Forty-four should be an NBA draft pick. It will be interesting to see if, in fact, he is. But he's incredibly talented." -Saint Louis coach Rick Majerus, 2/16/11

"He's gotten better. He's worked to get better each and every year. He can shoot, take you off the dribble. He did some things I didn't see him do the last time we played against him."-Rhode Island coach Jim Baron, 3/5/11

"I would think that NBA guys would be all over him. The thing about him that makes him unique is that he has a great touch. He's able to score over people. But not only that, he's got great range." -Charlotte coach Alan Major, 1/8/11

"You're not going to shut a player like that out. I mean, he's averaging a double-double right now for a reason."-St. John's coach Steve Lavin 12/7/10

"(Andrew) Nicholson proved why he is one of the top players in the Atlantic 10. He scored 24 points despite the fact we double-teamed him every time he touched the ball on the block."-La Salle coach Dr. John Giannini, 2/12/11

"He's a wonderful player. He's very, very efficient. There's not a lot of rush to him. We always wanted to get a good double team on him, whether it was on the dribble or on the catch. There were a lot of good players on the floor today and Nicholson was the best player in the game."-Saint Joseph's coach Phil Martelli, 2/26/11

"He's Tim Duncan in terms of scoring on the block, but he also has added the 15- to 17-foot shot to his repertoire." -Georgia Tech and former Dayton coach Brian Gregory, 2/2/11

"They go to Nicholson a lot and they take advantage of his skills. He's got a good jump shot, good post moves and hits his free throws. He's a very good player."-former All-America F Ryan Rossiter, Siena

"[He] played the best game I've seen by a local big man in 22 years of watching Division I college basketball in this area." -Buffalo News senior sports columnist Jerry Sullivan (following a 74-68 win over Rhode Island in which Nicholson scored 30 points)

"He can hit you with an array of things, he can hit jump shots, he scores over both shoulders. I love his competitiveness. He has a lot of respect for this game. He's a terrific talent and player."-Ohio coach Jon Groce, 12/18/10

"I'm telling you, it's like he was raised at big man camp. His footwork is just astounding, and that's how he gets those shots ... It's really special what he can do with the ball in his hands."-La Salle coach Dr. John Giannini

"Nicholson is fast, strong and efficient as a scorer and a defensive rebounder regardless of the opponent. He is also a very underrated passer and shot-blocker. He knows how to use his body to protect the ball and has a very high basketball IQ. His long wing span and great bounce allow him to play above the rim."-Unnamed opposing coach, ESPN.com

"When he sees the Flyer uniform, he gets ecstatic ... his mouth started to drool he was so excited to see us.” Dayton coach Archie Miller (1/11/12, following Nicholson's 30-point, 13-rebound six-block effort)

"Andrew is multitalented. He can score around the rim. He makes the 15-foot jump shot. There's such a calmness to him that it's hard to speed him up and get him out of sorts. He's seen every defense thrown at him. And he doesn't get rattled. He gets what he wants."-Charlotte coach Alan Major (10/13/11)

"If you don't double-team him, he's going for 25 and 15 [points and rebounds]. I've seen a lot of good big guys, and he's an NBA player. He's probably the most valuable player to a team in our league because of what he means to that team and that program."--UMass coach Derek Kellogg (10/13/11)

"He has phenomenal hands. He killed us with his passing. He's accustomed to a double-team. He can play the 4 or the 5. He's a pro. He's long and athletic." -Saint Louis coach Rick Majerus (10/13/11)

"He's very good, but some of the other guys were pretty good too. What happens is once you start naming names, you're going to leave somebody out. I look at some of the guys that went through there: Harry Moore was phenomenal, Tim Winn, Caswell Cyrus, Peter Van Paasen. They were some great players, but he's terrific. There's no question he's up there."-Rhode Island, and former St. Bonaventure coach, Jim Baron (10/13/11)

"Nicholson's a pro. I hope that he gets the experience of getting invited if there's going to be a draft next year, if that league ever comes back. I think that he has the potential to get his name called. He's multitalented, humble. It's not a lot of guys that can be all-league and all-defensive. I think that in our league, he's almost an impossible matchup. If you don't decide right now that you're going to double-team him and double-team him in a variety of ways, then you're just asking him to hang 35 on you...I've talked to the NBA people. They're still doing their homework, asking about league and guys and I have no question telling them he's a must-see."--Saint Joseph's coach Phil Martelli (10/13/11)

"I saw that number 44, Henry Aaron I used to think 44, now I think Nicholson when I see 44. Obviously a first-round draft pick, probably a lotto pick... the most talented player in the league and a phenomenal personality and very unselfish. Last year he beat us with his passing skills. He has every imaginable skill you would want."-Saint Louis coach Rick Majerus (10/13/11)

"I think he doesn't have many weaknesses. I wouldn't pick out one thing, just continuing to refine his game, continuing to help his team win and more. But I don't think there's one thing I would put on him. I think he's definitely a guy who's going to have some opportunities in the NBA." -Richmond coach Chris Mooney (10/13/11)

"I think he's as skilled as any post player in the country. He really knows how to play in the post, but if you put that big, burly 6-10, 6-11 cat that can't move his feet real well, he'll go out on the perimeter and play like a deft four-man. He's a consummate mismatch no matter who St. Bonaventure winds up against." -Xavier coach Chris Mack (10/13/11)

"If you see him getting pushed down the stairs today I'll tell you right now I'll be the one that did it. The best way to guard him is to see him on the bench) -Charlotte coach Alan Major (10/13/11)

"Any time you get 35 in a college game you're a bad boy. So it really doesn't matter how much information I have on him, how much film I've watched or how little film, I just understand how good our conference is and a guy like him obviously to be able to come to the UD arena and get 35 speaks for itself. From what I've learned on very short notice he's not only a terrific player in our league but I think he could play anywhere in the country." -Dayton coach Archie Miller (10/13/11)

http://www.andrewnicholson44.com/quotables/index

[Nyce_1]

Good quotes but I wonder how his defense and passing are.

[Optimus_Steel]

Wow this kid is really talented. He is like swiss army knive with multiple skills. Has a terrific post up game and he has a soft touch. Impressive for a 19th pick, he should have gone higher.