76ciology wrote:MGB8 wrote:Kolkmania wrote:What is encouraging? Ingram is a very nice prospect but the comparison with Durant is just way off in my opinion. Don't let the comparable bodies and media fool you. Durant has a higher and quicker release, better acceleration, better athleticism, better rebounder and shot around 82% at the line. Ingram could be a great two way player, but I really doubt he'll ever be a volume scorer in the NBA.
Team Simmons.
Simmons is no more explosive than Ingram. Both are more smooth, long striders. Disagree about Ingram's first step, too - that big stride really helps. Here's an article comparing Ingram and Durant at their age:
http://www.draftexpress.com/article/How-Brandon-Ingram-Compares-With-Kevin-Durant-At-The-Same-Age-5418/. Yeah, Durant was the better prospect... But Ingram isn't that far removed - especially since he just seems a little behind in terms of his development coming into the NCAA than Durant was.
Meanwhile, there's nothing in Simmons game that says to me "guaranteed franchise player" any more than Ingram. Both are a notch below. Simmons is not KAT. He's not Lebron. He's not Durant. He's not even Melo as a prospect.
I agree.
Both guys can score on the break. But Ingram is just a much better threat on the halfcourt setting. If you watch him play, coach K is comfortable in putting him in ball handling duties on offense.
For instance this video against oregon, you can see how skilled he is on a halfcourt setting with the ball.
[youtube]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2lf2RtW-usA[/youtube]
It's really tough to defend him because of the handcheck rule in the NBA. You will need to stay close at him because he is a good shooter and he can easily shoot over you with his 9'2" standing reach. But then if you stay close at him, he can easily get to the rim with his long strides where he has good crossovers and spin moves as counters.
I don't concede that long term Ingram will be a bigger threat in the half court than Simmons, but today you are probably right.
However, here is the big difference. Embiid is going to be our go to guy in the half court regardless of whether we take Simmons or Ingram, and Simmons is a far superior play maker and facilitator to Ingram. If we keep Okafor, then he too will be a big weapon in the half court, and a better half court threat than Ingram or Simmons.
Also when you say that both guys can score on the break that is true in the sense of the ability to get out and run, receive the ball and finish, but Simmons is far superior in terms of going coast to coast than Ingram will be. Simmons is an elite rebounder and will start the break a lot more than Ingram will. Plus he is a craftier ball handler.
The best player that I have ever seen going coast to coast was Charles Barkley, and Simmons could be like him.
I think that you get too caught up in the shooting ability difference between Simmons and Ingram. Obviously Ingram is far superior in that regard, but Simmons is going to have the ball in his hands much more than Ingram will. I know that Simmons will have to be a shooting threat to reach his ceiling, but he isn't going to have the catch and shoot role that Ingram will have. He can get away with a lesser shot.
