Who do you want us to take at #1?

[YosemiteSam]

Who was #3? Ivey?

Yes - he and Holmgren were in Tier 2, below the top 2 guys

[purpleswordfish]

For me, you take Chet Holmgren and don't even think about it.

[VFX]

look at the teams remaining, no real "elite" center there. This is a wings league now. as has been mentioned before, ive seen Orlando with a center as their best player. Gobert's team didnt advance. Philly didnt advance. Denver is out. KAT is out.

Smith not a traditional wing, but more than Chet.

I can understand that & see the appeal & i'm happy with Jabari too but i just think Chet's gonna be a better player in case that Jabari doesnt learn to drive (which is one of the hardest things to learn).
I can make the same argument and say. Look its a dribble penetration game. Check the conference finals. You see Tatum, Brown, Butler, Doncic, Steph, Poole & not a oversized Klay or Rashard Lewis leading those teams.

Chet is just the much better basketball player at this point in time. What advantages does Jabari have? He is a better shooter. That's pretty much the whole of it. What does Chet do well? Pretty much everything.

I really don't care what other teams look like. I'm not taking a lesser player because some other team doesn't have a great 7-footer on their roster.

Chet is the guy you want. He isn't a guy trying to look like he is the guy you want.

Every year people try to talk themselves into guys that look like what you think a great basketball player should look like. Who are the legends? Larry Bird. Charles Barkley. Bill Walton. What matters isn't what you look like. What matters is whether or not you can play basketball.

I thought the difference between Paolo/Jabari and Chet was that the former two were more "ready-made" prospects that would help in the now, while Chet is more of a guy that possibly surpasses them 3-4 years from now with a higher ceiling. I don't know if the other guys are lesser in that aspect.

You don't find it the slightest bit relevant that all the true championship contenders have a plethora of dynamic two-way wings and guys that initiate offense at the point of attack?

I get it. Chet is good at basketball. He is also none of those things mentioned. None of the projected top 3 guys are those things as we understand them to be. Do you believe Chet breaks all limitations with his body type as a "big" or do you think hes going to be utilized differently than what any of us expect?

[basketballRob]

Some edited thoughts from Hollinger - he actually has Holmgren in a tier below Jabari and Banchero. Also, he hates this whole draft basically - what a year for us to win the lottery

1. Jabari Smith Jr. | 6-10 freshman |PF | Auburn

Smith is an unusual player for a top overall pick because he didn’t always dominate games athletically. He had unusually low rates of rebounds, blocks and steals for a prospect of this caliber and shot just 43.9 percent on 2s in SEC games.

So what’s the case for Smith? Let’s start with his jumper, which is just smooth as butter. Smith might have the best shooting form of any prospect I’ve evaluated since Michael Porter Jr. launching perfect parabolas toward the rim and having the footwork to get into this stroke during live play. At a legit 6-10, Smith can rise over anybody and launch, providing something of an offensive cheat code that should set up the rest of his game as he develops.

Meanwhile, his athletic gifts are also pretty significant. Smith can slide his feet like a guard, plus his length allows him to play a half step farther off dribblers and cut off any driving angles. He also rarely gets faked off his feet, a bugaboo for a lot of bigs who otherwise can hold up on switches. Quick, hard changes of direction occasionally leave him a step behind, but he also has the “catch-up” ability to get back in the play and block shots from behind.

Finally, there’s the age issue. With a May 2003 birthdate, Smith is six months younger than Banchero and a full year younger than Holmgren. He’s physically young too, as he’s still pretty clearly growing into his body. In a draft without a surefire future All-Star, he seems the one most likely to earn that honor.

2. Paolo Banchero | 6-10 freshman | PF | Duke

Prospect-wise, Banchero isn’t perfect. He’s not an elite athlete or a great defender, his arms are a bit short for a big, and his shooting stroke could stand to be more consistent (33.8 percent from 3 and 72.9 percent from the line). He’s a bit on the older side for a one-and-done, and his rates of steals and blocks are pretty sad for a lottery prospect.

Banchero is also an attacking, off-the-dribble shot creator at 6-10, and he’s not some shot-hunting pig either. He averaged an eye-opening 6.3 assists per 100 possessions last season, often acting as a de facto point guard for a Duke team that didn’t have a true lead guard. It’s pretty easy to envision a world in which he’s his team’s best or second-best offensive option. Defensively, Banchero’s lack of length gives him issues contesting shots and protecting the rim, which might limit his utility as a small-ball five. Otherwise, I thought his tape was pretty good.

Overall, he’s a fairly safe bet as a high-production four, one with plus offense and who can get to the point of being solid defensively.

4. Chet Holmgren | 7-1 freshman | C | Gonzaga

A lot of the concerns about Holmgren have to deal with his frame. At 7-1 and just 195 pounds, will he be more prone to injuries? Will he hold up to the pounding of a routine NBA game multiplied by 82? The visual is hard to ignore — he looks like somebody might break him in half. The real thing to wonder about with Holmgren is whether drafting a 7-1 center in the top five makes any sense unless he’s basically guaranteed to play in the All-Star game. Holmgren definitely has some huge positives — few bigs have shown as much juice off the dribble at a young age, his 3-point shot is already reliable enough to be a passable long-range floor spacer (39.0 percent from 3 as a freshman), and he finishes everything around the basket (73.7 percent on 2s). Holmgren also controls the paint like few others, with an absurd 12.6 percent block rate and 28.7 percent Defensive Rebound Rate.

Three issues prevent him from ranking higher. First, the skinny body really limits his ability to have any kind of post game, offensively he’s trending toward Myles Turner. Second, nobody talks about this, but Holmgren is a year older than most freshmen, with a May 2002 birthdate. For comparison, the next player on my board, Bennedict Mathurin, has played two years at Arizona but is a month younger than Holmgren. Lastly, the defensive tape is perhaps not quite as awesome as the stats might make you believe, particularly in switch situations. The Synergy stats say he performed well against isolations, but several of those plays featured missed bunnies at the rim, and the sample is small enough that it matters. Holmgren typically gave up a driving lane to one side and then relied on his length to contest at the summit, but often didn’t get there in time.

Because of that, this is probably the best slot for Holmgren. I’m not a huge fan of drafting centers, as you can tell, but the risk-reward equation turns more positive after the first three names are off the board.

Hollinger: My top 20 players for the 2022 NBA Draft

I like the Michael Porter Jr comparison that Hollinger makes. A player that plays on offense like MPJ and defense like AG is a perennial allstar.

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[penny_nz]

Watched alot of of vids this morning talking about the top prospects, and I have to admit what Chet brings is VERY intriguing. I also love the comments about his work ethic and having a mean streak.

I know there's some relationship with Suggs? What's the deal there, prior teammates? That's very interesting when thinking about wanting to stay with the franchise long term.

I obviously fear for his longevity with the frame, but definitely interesting. He could be unbelievable, but I'm a little burned by potential/ projects "we just need to wait for him to fill out" etc.

BUT, when they talk about a big who can put it on the ground and handle it, lets not forget we still have Franz! Let's not sleep on what he can become.

We need our Klay Thompson / elite shooter, so still leaning to Jabari.

[Black and Blue]

Good post.

I would hope with any of these picks that they would project to be WAY more than what they are currently on paper. Jabari has to prove he is more than a spot up guy from 3 at the next level. Chet has to show that his physical limitations wont prohibit the reasons why he is a top pick in this draft. Paolo has to show more effort on the defensive end and become more willing to rebound on the other side of the court. Maybe this is an energy issue, considering he has severe cramping concerns, due to overactive sweat glands. A lot of people haven't addressed that with him.

We can all find things about the prospects we do or don't like. At the end of the day what matters is how this roster looks on the court together. While all of these guys are bigs they all have vastly different play styles. A team with each of them looks completely different altogether. That usually wouldn't necessarily be the case, but as a #1 pick it absolutely will matter. If it didn't the selection isn't truly deserving of such a high pick.

It's kind of a blessing and a curse Orlando is the #1 pick in this draft. Sure, you always want the highest pick possible. I just don't know if this FO is capable of making the right pick with every single option on the board. Then again, It's not like they could go wrong with Chet, Jabari, or Paolo because none of them are truly consensus #1 and all have been widely speculated to be capable of being the top pick.

Smith is also my preference as of right now, but I really wouldn't care if they took Chet. Why? Because there is no dynamic offense initiating wing that we can compare to anyone in the playoffs currently. Maybe Wagner is that guy. Hopefully. The Jokic example is a weird one to use with this draft since this FO will undoubtedly choose between the aforementioned players and not a dark horse with the #1 pick. Maybe they move some other assets (TRoss/Fultz/combo of 2nds) to reach up to get Agbaji, Eason, Dieng, or Wendell Moore. Any of those guys would be a great addition with Chet/Paolo/or Jabari. If they did make that move I think it would be considered a home-run draft similar to last season.

New York is probably the most likely team to trade out or down & Thibs loves vets.

Great! I don't know how pricey #11 would be though. That's a fairly high pick for merely TRoss.

My Jokic reference was only used as an example of how unpredictable player development can be in the time following the draft (since he was drafted super late in that draft...during a Taco Bell commercial). It aligns with your comment about these players all ultimately needing to wind up better than they are now on paper.

Everything I've heard from New York is they will likely keep the 11 pick or trade UP if the price isn't steep for the player they want (likely Ivey). While Thibs loves vets, their front office messed up a year ago and filled the team with high priced veterans they need to now jettison. In addition to this hell they find themselves in, they also have a gaping hole at point guard and another coming at center if they don't resign Mitchell Robinson, so a lot of mocks have them filling one of those spots with pick 11.

I am very interested with what the Magic do with those two 2nd rounders. IMO that would be a perfect spot to find a Bamba replacement as some quality centers have been available in that range in past drafts.

[tiderulz]

Watched alot of of vids this morning talking about the top prospects, and I have to admit what Chet brings is VERY intriguing. I also love the comments about his work ethic and having a mean streak.

I know there's some relationship with Suggs? What's the deal there, prior teammates? That's very interesting when thinking about wanting to stay with the franchise long term.

I obviously fear for his longevity with the frame, but definitely interesting. He could be unbelievable, but I'm a little burned by potential/ projects "we just need to wait for him to fill out" etc.

BUT, when they talk about a big who can put it on the ground and handle it, lets not forget we still have Franz! Let's not sleep on what he can become.

We need our Klay Thompson / elite shooter, so still leaning to Jabari.

they played together in High School and AAU (won 3 state titles together, friends since middle school) then both went to Gonzaga, though they werent there at the same time obviously.

[Black and Blue]

Some edited thoughts from Hollinger - he actually has Holmgren in a tier below Jabari and Banchero. Also, he hates this whole draft basically - what a year for us to win the lottery

1. Jabari Smith Jr. | 6-10 freshman |PF | Auburn

Smith is an unusual player for a top overall pick because he didn’t always dominate games athletically. He had unusually low rates of rebounds, blocks and steals for a prospect of this caliber and shot just 43.9 percent on 2s in SEC games.

So what’s the case for Smith? Let’s start with his jumper, which is just smooth as butter. Smith might have the best shooting form of any prospect I’ve evaluated since Michael Porter Jr. launching perfect parabolas toward the rim and having the footwork to get into this stroke during live play. At a legit 6-10, Smith can rise over anybody and launch, providing something of an offensive cheat code that should set up the rest of his game as he develops.

Meanwhile, his athletic gifts are also pretty significant. Smith can slide his feet like a guard, plus his length allows him to play a half step farther off dribblers and cut off any driving angles. He also rarely gets faked off his feet, a bugaboo for a lot of bigs who otherwise can hold up on switches. Quick, hard changes of direction occasionally leave him a step behind, but he also has the “catch-up” ability to get back in the play and block shots from behind.

Finally, there’s the age issue. With a May 2003 birthdate, Smith is six months younger than Banchero and a full year younger than Holmgren. He’s physically young too, as he’s still pretty clearly growing into his body. In a draft without a surefire future All-Star, he seems the one most likely to earn that honor.

2. Paolo Banchero | 6-10 freshman | PF | Duke

Prospect-wise, Banchero isn’t perfect. He’s not an elite athlete or a great defender, his arms are a bit short for a big, and his shooting stroke could stand to be more consistent (33.8 percent from 3 and 72.9 percent from the line). He’s a bit on the older side for a one-and-done, and his rates of steals and blocks are pretty sad for a lottery prospect.

Banchero is also an attacking, off-the-dribble shot creator at 6-10, and he’s not some shot-hunting pig either. He averaged an eye-opening 6.3 assists per 100 possessions last season, often acting as a de facto point guard for a Duke team that didn’t have a true lead guard. It’s pretty easy to envision a world in which he’s his team’s best or second-best offensive option. Defensively, Banchero’s lack of length gives him issues contesting shots and protecting the rim, which might limit his utility as a small-ball five. Otherwise, I thought his tape was pretty good.

Overall, he’s a fairly safe bet as a high-production four, one with plus offense and who can get to the point of being solid defensively.

4. Chet Holmgren | 7-1 freshman | C | Gonzaga

A lot of the concerns about Holmgren have to deal with his frame. At 7-1 and just 195 pounds, will he be more prone to injuries? Will he hold up to the pounding of a routine NBA game multiplied by 82? The visual is hard to ignore — he looks like somebody might break him in half. The real thing to wonder about with Holmgren is whether drafting a 7-1 center in the top five makes any sense unless he’s basically guaranteed to play in the All-Star game. Holmgren definitely has some huge positives — few bigs have shown as much juice off the dribble at a young age, his 3-point shot is already reliable enough to be a passable long-range floor spacer (39.0 percent from 3 as a freshman), and he finishes everything around the basket (73.7 percent on 2s). Holmgren also controls the paint like few others, with an absurd 12.6 percent block rate and 28.7 percent Defensive Rebound Rate.

Three issues prevent him from ranking higher. First, the skinny body really limits his ability to have any kind of post game, offensively he’s trending toward Myles Turner. Second, nobody talks about this, but Holmgren is a year older than most freshmen, with a May 2002 birthdate. For comparison, the next player on my board, Bennedict Mathurin, has played two years at Arizona but is a month younger than Holmgren. Lastly, the defensive tape is perhaps not quite as awesome as the stats might make you believe, particularly in switch situations. The Synergy stats say he performed well against isolations, but several of those plays featured missed bunnies at the rim, and the sample is small enough that it matters. Holmgren typically gave up a driving lane to one side and then relied on his length to contest at the summit, but often didn’t get there in time.

Because of that, this is probably the best slot for Holmgren. I’m not a huge fan of drafting centers, as you can tell, but the risk-reward equation turns more positive after the first three names are off the board.

Hollinger: My top 20 players for the 2022 NBA Draft

Thank you for posting this! I agree with everything Hollinger says here. It's a draft of "Who has the least amount of things wrong with them", but some of those drafts have produced real talent in the past. At least it won't be boring!

[ibraheim718]

Read on Twitter

Schmitz is spot on. Chet has that dawg in him. You pair him with Franz and Jalen who are also both uber-competitors and you don't look back. Focus on the future.. and count on their work ethics to develop the necessary skills.

Also, stop looking at Chet like he's a 5.. he's not a 5 he's a wing. On D he'll gravitate towards protecting the bucket naturally but with finesse. He's already at his age a shot blocking savant and not from brute force but from impeccable timing.

He's best comp on offense is a taller KD. You take BPA with #1 and that's Holmgren.

[penny_nz]

Watched alot of of vids this morning talking about the top prospects, and I have to admit what Chet brings is VERY intriguing. I also love the comments about his work ethic and having a mean streak.

I know there's some relationship with Suggs? What's the deal there, prior teammates? That's very interesting when thinking about wanting to stay with the franchise long term.

I obviously fear for his longevity with the frame, but definitely interesting. He could be unbelievable, but I'm a little burned by potential/ projects "we just need to wait for him to fill out" etc.

BUT, when they talk about a big who can put it on the ground and handle it, lets not forget we still have Franz! Let's not sleep on what he can become.

We need our Klay Thompson / elite shooter, so still leaning to Jabari.

they played together in High School and AAU (won 3 state titles together, friends since middle school) then both went to Gonzaga, though they werent there at the same time obviously.

Much appreciated! Wow that's ALOT of history and hard to ignore, you always hear about building around a front court / back court star duo ... that kind of chemistry and HOPEFULLY wanting to stay together with the Magic is hard to ignore. If the FO believes in Suggs (I still do), that absolutely should be a factor.

Food for thought...

[drsd]

Chet and find a way to draft Sharpe as well

If the Magic gain the #2 and #12, who do you take at #12?


..

Williams or Kessler unless someone drops

#12 is a stretch for either. But Ross+32+35 might get a contender's late first to name one of these future backup Cs.


..

[tiderulz]

Watched alot of of vids this morning talking about the top prospects, and I have to admit what Chet brings is VERY intriguing. I also love the comments about his work ethic and having a mean streak.

I know there's some relationship with Suggs? What's the deal there, prior teammates? That's very interesting when thinking about wanting to stay with the franchise long term.

I obviously fear for his longevity with the frame, but definitely interesting. He could be unbelievable, but I'm a little burned by potential/ projects "we just need to wait for him to fill out" etc.

BUT, when they talk about a big who can put it on the ground and handle it, lets not forget we still have Franz! Let's not sleep on what he can become.

We need our Klay Thompson / elite shooter, so still leaning to Jabari.

they played together in High School and AAU (won 3 state titles together, friends since middle school) then both went to Gonzaga, though they werent there at the same time obviously.

Much appreciated! Wow that's ALOT of history and hard to ignore, you always hear about building around a front court / back court star duo ... that kind of chemistry and HOPEFULLY wanting to stay together with the Magic is hard to ignore. If the FO believes in Suggs (I still do), that absolutely should be a factor.

Food for thought...

chemistry to me falls 2nd to talent. you can build chemistry, you cant build talent.

[Sprewell4Three]

Take the most unique prospect and thats holmgren. Chet has a mean steak , he’s not a soft dude . You already have a pg that played with him in high school.


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[tiderulz]

Take the most unique prospect and thats holmgren. Chet has a mean steak , he’s not a soft dude . You already have a pg that played with him in high school.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

no offense meant at all, but taking "unique" talent? no. you take the most talented or with highest ceiling, not just some unique player. a chihuahua has a mean streak too, it doesnt matter much against bigger dogs.

[YosemiteSam]

OOOOOh, this board is going to get UGLY as we go through this process. I had no idea there were so many Chet truthers out there. I will be so dispirited if we take him - I can't stand the look of him and think he screams "BUST". But it is clear many on here don't feel the same way.

All this talk of a mean streak amuses me though - he looks like a slight breeze will topple him. If any player in the last decade looks less "mean" than Holmgren I can't picture it...

Also I could care less who Suggs is comfortable with when it comes to selecting the freaking #1 pick - make 35%+ of your threes and you can influence the franchise....

[Bergmaniac]

Anyone have an info on objective measures of Chet's strength? There is so much talk about him looking weak because he's too skinny, but looks can be deceiving. Was he getting outmuscled easily in college?

[basketballRob]

Chuma probably knows Jabari well. They're both from Georgia and went to Auburn. I follow them both on Instagram and they both like each other's posts.

Sent from my SM-G950U using RealGM mobile app

[Def Swami]

look at the teams remaining, no real "elite" center there. This is a wings league now. as has been mentioned before, ive seen Orlando with a center as their best player. Gobert's team didnt advance. Philly didnt advance. Denver is out. KAT is out.

Smith not a traditional wing, but more than Chet.

I can understand that & see the appeal & i'm happy with Jabari too but i just think Chet's gonna be a better player in case that Jabari doesnt learn to drive (which is one of the hardest things to learn).
I can make the same argument and say. Look its a dribble penetration game. Check the conference finals. You see Tatum, Brown, Butler, Doncic, Steph, Poole & not a oversized Klay or Rashard Lewis leading those teams.

Chet is just the much better basketball player at this point in time. What advantages does Jabari have? He is a better shooter. That's pretty much the whole of it. What does Chet do well? Pretty much everything.

I really don't care what other teams look like. I'm not taking a lesser player because some other team doesn't have a great 7-footer on their roster.

Chet is the guy you want. He isn't a guy trying to look like he is the guy you want.

Every year people try to talk themselves into guys that look like what you think a great basketball player should look like. Who are the legends? Larry Bird. Charles Barkley. Bill Walton. What matters isn't what you look like. What matters is whether or not you can play basketball.

I've been trying to figure out why a good chunk of people have dismissed Holmgren. Sometimes I feel like I watched a different college basketball season.

Other than shooting, which he holds his own in, he does everything else as good or better than Smith. He's a more complete offensive player. He's a better finisher around the rim. He's a better ball handler and passer. He's a better rim protector. He was more efficient (higher than TS% and eFG%). His advanced stats are better across the board (PER, WS, BPM, net rating). I think Holmgren's weight is a concern, but after that, he's a probably the most complete player among him, Smith, and Banchero. I actually think he's going to contribute right away in a way that Evan Mobley was able to last year.

Maybe this is it though. Perhaps it's some implicit bias that doesn't fit the vision for what we perceive as an all-NBA or MVP player. And that's usually the case until you get these guys who break the mold. You can add Jokic to your list of examples. It's a skill based league and I don't think body types are as important as they used to be in an antiquated NBA where big men had to bang with one another in the post for 48 minutes. Holmgren is really good at basketball. I think this entire conversation is about his weight or lack thereof, and if you're not going to draft him #1, it's because of that and that only. And that's a fair reason to not take him.

Personally, I always default to who is better at playing basketball and then think about their physical aspects after that.

[Xatticus]

I can understand that & see the appeal & i'm happy with Jabari too but i just think Chet's gonna be a better player in case that Jabari doesnt learn to drive (which is one of the hardest things to learn).
I can make the same argument and say. Look its a dribble penetration game. Check the conference finals. You see Tatum, Brown, Butler, Doncic, Steph, Poole & not a oversized Klay or Rashard Lewis leading those teams.

Chet is just the much better basketball player at this point in time. What advantages does Jabari have? He is a better shooter. That's pretty much the whole of it. What does Chet do well? Pretty much everything.

I really don't care what other teams look like. I'm not taking a lesser player because some other team doesn't have a great 7-footer on their roster.

Chet is the guy you want. He isn't a guy trying to look like he is the guy you want.

Every year people try to talk themselves into guys that look like what you think a great basketball player should look like. Who are the legends? Larry Bird. Charles Barkley. Bill Walton. What matters isn't what you look like. What matters is whether or not you can play basketball.

I thought the difference between Paolo/Jabari and Chet was that the former two were more "ready-made" prospects that would help in the now, while Chet is more of a guy that possibly surpasses them 3-4 years from now with a higher ceiling. I don't know if the other guys are lesser in that aspect.

You don't find it the slightest bit relevant that all the true championship contenders have a plethora of dynamic two-way wings and guys that initiate offense at the point of attack?

I get it. Chet is good at basketball. He is also none of those things mentioned. None of the projected top 3 guys are those things as we understand them to be. Do you believe Chet breaks all limitations with his body type as a "big" or do you think hes going to be utilized differently than what any of us expect?

The only concern with Chet is the body. He is a much better basketball player than the other two. Banchero has an iso game. That's it. Jabari is a long-range specialist that should be able to defend down a position or two. Chet also has a higher basketball IQ than either of the other two. He is good at pretty much everything.

I wouldn't set any limitations on how Chet will be used. I just know that as he builds strength, it will accentuate the skill base he already has. He knows how to set screens. He can initiate from the high post and he can play the high/low game with another big as he frequently did with Timme. He can already shoot. He is a good ball mover. He knows when to attack and when not to. He is much better on both ends than most people around here seem to think he is. He is just a very good basketball player. His path to stardom is much more straightforward than for the other two. They need to add significant skills. Chet just has to get stronger.

I'm old enough to have seen that there is no magic formula to winning championships. People have believed that there is a magic formula and that formula has changed from era to era. It's all about who the best players are at any given time. I also believe you are mischaracterizing the nature of the best teams at this point. It's absolutely important to have good wing defenders, but where the offense comes from is irrelevant. It's the quality that matters. I do believe it is a significant hindrance to play bad defensive bigs, but it is a hindrance to ever have to rely on bad defensive players in the playoffs. Playing good defensive bigs is not a problem. Gobert isn't why Utah has failed. Embiid isn't why Philly has failed. Giannis isn't why Milwaukee has failed. There are plenty of wing-driven teams that are sitting at home right now as well. GS has been the most dominant franchise over the last decade and they don't fit the narrative. I just don't buy the premise.

[IllMagic04]

I can understand that & see the appeal & i'm happy with Jabari too but i just think Chet's gonna be a better player in case that Jabari doesnt learn to drive (which is one of the hardest things to learn).
I can make the same argument and say. Look its a dribble penetration game. Check the conference finals. You see Tatum, Brown, Butler, Doncic, Steph, Poole & not a oversized Klay or Rashard Lewis leading those teams.

Chet is just the much better basketball player at this point in time. What advantages does Jabari have? He is a better shooter. That's pretty much the whole of it. What does Chet do well? Pretty much everything.

I really don't care what other teams look like. I'm not taking a lesser player because some other team doesn't have a great 7-footer on their roster.

Chet is the guy you want. He isn't a guy trying to look like he is the guy you want.

Every year people try to talk themselves into guys that look like what you think a great basketball player should look like. Who are the legends? Larry Bird. Charles Barkley. Bill Walton. What matters isn't what you look like. What matters is whether or not you can play basketball.

I've been trying to figure out why a good chunk of people have dismissed Holmgren. Sometimes I feel like I watched a different college basketball season.

Other than shooting, which he holds his own in, he does everything else as good or better than Smith. He's a more complete offensive player. He's a better finisher around the rim. He's a better ball handler and passer. He's a better rim protector. He was more efficient (higher than TS% and eFG%). His advanced stats are better across the board (PER, WS, BPM, net rating). I think Holmgren's weight is a concern, but after that, he's a probably the most complete player among him, Smith, and Banchero. I actually think he's going to contribute right away in a way that Evan Mobley was able to last year.

Maybe this is it though. Perhaps it's some implicit bias that doesn't fit the vision for what we perceive as an all-NBA or MVP player. And that's usually the case until you get these guys who break the mold. You can add Jokic to your list of examples. It's a skill based league and I don't think body types are as important as they used to be in an antiquated NBA where big men had to bang with one another in the post for 48 minutes. Holmgren is really good at basketball. I think this entire conversation is about his weight or lack thereof, and if you're not going to draft him #1, it's because of that and that only. And that's a fair reason to not take him.

Personally, I always default to who is better at playing basketball and then think about their physical aspects after that.

Chet is a better passer I guess but I didn't see much impressive about his passing. A couple bright spots but nothing great. I personally fell the same about his handles. It was cool but its not like we saw him facing up and breaking guys down with his dribble. As a switchable defender I think Jabari is better. I don't think Chet is bad there but Jabari moves much better out on the perimeter. Chets length off sets some of that but Jabari is long too. As a shot creator I have concerns with both of them but with Jabari I at least saw him able to face up and shot over guys. I didn't see that with Chet. Not saying he doens;t have the ability but I didn't see it much. Jabari wins there. Scoring around the rim is a clear win for Chet as well. The body concerns for Chet are legitimate. I def think its overblown a tad but its something you have to consider. What position is he going to play? If he's consistently playing the 4 guarding stretch 4's his rim protection ability starts become void. In order to truly get the most out of his skill he has to play the 5. Besides the banging next to nba 5's on the glass can his body withstand nba guards fighting through the screens he sets? Are you not gonna have him setting alot of screens cause that will limit the pick and pop actions. I dont have those concerns with Jabari. He will be able to run some deadly pick and pop actions day 1 in the NBA. There's a lot to consider here. Jabaris body looks fine now and projects to fill out just fine. I personally think Chet will fill out too but its more of a question mark. Jabari wins there. I don't think Chet is clearly better then Jabari.