CrankyTodd wrote:9'6.5 in the pre-draft measurements. He has the best standing reach in the entire pre-draft measurement database, which seems to go back over a decade, other than Pavel Podkolzine. I assume Yao has a better standing reach, but he's not in the database. I think at full extension on a jump he probably reaches as high as a young Shaq (9'3 reach and 36" vert vs 9'6.5 and 32.5), and probably better than anyone else, although Dwight Howard would be close.
Like I said, just teach him the Shaq low post spin move, and he'll be putting down alley oops like crazy.
What I been jabbering about since the day after the draft (when I got over the Bill Walker firesale). Here for instance. Essentially only Dwight Howard and the Baby Shaq had a higher jump + standing reach in 10 years of available measurements. Long and athletic like nobody's bidness. Does that translate into production? Well most often the superbig guys are genetic freaks, often attaining size via disease (acromegaly, pituitary tumors, etc. like the aforementioned P.Pod for instance) But this kid was raised by pro athletes and was naturally big, has a better chance to integrate the skill. Still should take a while, true bigs develop more slowly. But he's making a case for himself.
Funny last night how he failed to throw down the alley oops mostly because he somehow jumped TOO HIGH... That just does not happen. And as for offensive rebounds, like I've said he acts as a funnel above the net, when he's not, you know, goaltending. He'll be good pretty quick. A nice start.
