Kevin Seraphin

[TheBigThree]

Wow, Seraphin looks in seriously good shape. His leaping ability is really evident in those videos.

Very promising.

[fishercob]

I find Kevin's performances encouraging, and he certainly seems to play with a presence in the limited highlights we've seen. Having not watched a lot of European basketball, I'm curious about one thing. That Seraphin's defense seems good isn't surprising. I am a bit surprised however that Kevin looks like a better scorer than rebounder in these games. Does his lack of rebounding prowess in these games have anything with the style of play, or is it an extension of the mediocre defensive rebounding Kevin displayed in the NBA last year?

I don't know the answer to this. My main concern about Seraphin is his defensive rebounding. He needs to be a well above-average rebounder to have value as an NBA big. Must.

[7-Day Dray]

I find Kevin's performances encouraging, and he certainly seems to play with a presence in the limited highlights we've seen. Having not watched a lot of European basketball, I'm curious about one thing. That Seraphin's defense seems good isn't surprising. I am a bit surprised however that Kevin looks like a better scorer than rebounder in these games. Does his lack of rebounding prowess in these games have anything with the style of play, or is it an extension of the mediocre defensive rebounding Kevin displayed in the NBA last year?

Kevin's fatness affected him last season. You can see in these highlights that he's getting much more lift. That might've been a factor in his poor defensive rebounding.

[le crapaud]

I've seen all Kevin's games with Caja Laboral and France and he's always been a factor with playing time. His offensive awareness is pretty rare for a big guy that young and his teammates never hesitate to rely on him if needed. He doesn't have a lot of moves but he secures his ball so well that nobody can really stop him in the post.

I'd like to see where he is at with his 12ft jumper but apparently he's not that confident in this area yet. With team France he tried without hesitation and made them all. Anyway, his integration seems perfect because Heurtel (also french and young) is there. They get along very well and try to play together in pick & roll situations, which is good for Kevin and for France in the future.

Kevin's defense is ok, he can manage his fouls now without lowing down his intensity. As far for his rebounding, I don't really know what to say. It's true that it's a little disappointing but in his last game I noticed him helping a lot on guard penetrations, switching positions. It wasn't an easy matchup with Sevilla center who tends to shoot threes. So, Kevin was never really in good position to get rebounds, he was too far from the rim most of the time. It's a problem he has to fix because his team was murdered on the boards.

I'd say that he knows he has to be better in rebounding department because he talks a lot with teammates on the court, he is trying to figure it out. Anyway, he is showing his value in the tougher league in Europe and that's already a good thing. In France we're excited about him because we don't have that much big man who can play that good on both ends of the floor (Noah showed nothing offensively in euro competition and Turiaf...well it's Turiaf).

Next Kevin's game is tomorrow, we'll see if he can keep his level. It depends on the presence of Dorsey or not.

[TGW]

He looks much, much better than he did at this point last season.

Maybe the injury really did affect him more than we originally thought.

Oh, and thanks for the info, Frogman.

[Dat2U]

I take overseas performances with a grain of salt but the lack of rebounding is disturbing. If he's not rebounding against non-NBA competition then he's not likely to rebound at a sufficient level against NBA'ers.

Kevin showed absolutely no offensive awareness or defensive awareness for that matter last year. He was basically a complete self-check so if his improvements in that area translate to the NBA level then it will be a big step in the right direction.

Personally, I still have major doubts that he's anything more than the typical foreign project backup center who end up back overseas in a few years.

[theboomking]

I take overseas performances with a grain of salt but the lack of rebounding is disturbing. If he's not rebounding against non-NBA competition then he's not likely to rebound at a sufficient level against NBA'ers.

Kevin showed absolutely no offensive awareness or defensive awareness for that matter last year. He was basically a complete self-check so if his improvements in that area translate to the NBA level then it will be a big step in the right direction.

Personally, I still have major doubts that he's anything more than the typical foreign project backup center who end up back overseas in a few years.

I agree about the lack of rebounding and offense last year. I really disagree about the defense. Even as a rookie foeign player, Kevin was very good at both man and team defense. Saunders commented on multiple occasions that Seraphin was our best help defender. His Kevin's achilles heal however was obviously his foul rate, which has to be improved.

I can actually see Kevin winding up in several years as an upgrade over McGee at center, in a Kendrick Perkins-like role. Kevin has a better body for man defense, is already a better team defender, and doesn't seem to have the same personality flaws that are holding back McGee.

[Ruzious]

I've seen all Kevin's games with Caja Laboral and France and he's always been a factor with playing time. His offensive awareness is pretty rare for a big guy that young and his teammates never hesitate to rely on him if needed. He doesn't have a lot of moves but he secures his ball so well that nobody can really stop him in the post.

What does that mean - that he's tremendously aware that he's a less than mediocre offensive player?

[closg00]

Ruz, don't forget we have French board-members now, sometimes things aren't going to translate. But you already know that

[veji1]

What he means is that Seraphin has gotten really quite good, for his age, at putting himself in the right situation offensively (low block) and using his skills (physical presence, capacity to back down opponents, quite nifty littel hook around 6/8 fts) to be efficient.

This has been quite visible during the Euro and since then in Vittoria. Doesn't mean he is the full offensive package, or that he doesn't still have big weaknesses in terms of rebounding mainly, but he has made great strides offensively, not necessarily by acquiring new skills, but by being more aware of where he should be and recognizing what to do. This is what he means by offensive awareness.

Regarding the fact that this is done overseas and is therefore hard to analize, allow me a couple of points. The euro and the Liga ACB are 2 of the 3 (the other one being the Euroligue) best competitions in the wolrd aside from the NBA. These competitions can't be compared to the french league or the NCAA for example, they are far ahead of those. There are differences of course between euro play an the NBA : In Europe players tend to be physically less gifted, which allows Seraphin to use his raw presence more easily than in the NBA, but the game tends to be more tactically fluid, with lots of ball movement and a widely spread offensive load. This last point is the result of less overwhelming talent that could take over the game, of the rules that limit the expression of dominant offensive playyers by being far stricter than in the NBA in terms of (traveling, shoving of the defender, offensive fouls, etc...) and a general focus on ball movement rather than on player movement.

All in all, while Seraphin is far from being a finished product, he has shown real progress in some important areas of the game (offensive capability, general understanding of the game in match situation) and limited to none in others (rebounding). His evolution is still very positive over the last 6 months, which for a player his age and barring some sort of miraculous revelation, is really the best scenario the Wizards or the french national team could expect.

Just my two cents.

[Illuminaire]

My concern is also with his rebounding. He just doesn't grab a high percentage of boards on either side of the court. It just seems like, he doesn't have a feel or sense for that part of the game. He doesn't anticipate the bounce or get into the right position.

Given that rebounding is a primary need for the Wiz, we really need him to focus on improving in that area.

[Ruzious]

What he means is that Seraphin has gotten really quite good, for his age, at putting himself in the right situation offensively (low block) and using his skills (physical presence, capacity to back down opponents, quite nifty littel hook around 6/8 fts) to be efficient.

This has been quite visible during the Euro and since then in Vittoria. Doesn't mean he is the full offensive package, or that he doesn't still have big weaknesses in terms of rebounding mainly, but he has made great strides offensively, not necessarily by acquiring new skills, but by being more aware of where he should be and recognizing what to do. This is what he means by offensive awareness.

Regarding the fact that this is done overseas and is therefore hard to analize, allow me a couple of points. The euro and the Liga ACB are 2 of the 3 (the other one being the Euroligue) best competitions in the wolrd aside from the NBA. These competitions can't be compared to the french league or the NCAA for example, they are far ahead of those. There are differences of course between euro play an the NBA : In Europe players tend to be physically less gifted, which allows Seraphin to use his raw presence more easily than in the NBA, but the game tends to be more tactically fluid, with lots of ball movement and a widely spread offensive load. This last point is the result of less overwhelming talent that could take over the game, of the rules that limit the expression of dominant offensive playyers by being far stricter than in the NBA in terms of (traveling, shoving of the defender, offensive fouls, etc...) and a general focus on ball movement rather than on player movement.

All in all, while Seraphin is far from being a finished product, he has shown real progress in some important areas of the game (offensive capability, general understanding of the game in match situation) and limited to none in others (rebounding). His evolution is still very positive over the last 6 months, which for a player his age and barring some sort of miraculous revelation, is really the best scenario the Wizards or the french national team could expect.

Just my two cents.

Thanks for the translation. I'll have to agree with Dat's view about taking his overseas improvements with a grain of salt - until I see the improvements in the NBA. Granted, he was young and inexperienced and out of shape and didn't play a lot and adapting to a new country, but he was absolutely terrible in the NBA last season. The one thing he did do well was hit the offensive boards, but his defensive rebounding was pathetic.

[Chocolate City Jordanaire]

I take overseas performances with a grain of salt but the lack of rebounding is disturbing. If he's not rebounding against non-NBA competition then he's not likely to rebound at a sufficient level against NBA'ers.

Kevin showed absolutely no offensive awareness or defensive awareness for that matter last year. He was basically a complete self-check so if his improvements in that area translate to the NBA level then it will be a big step in the right direction.

Personally, I still have major doubts that he's anything more than the typical foreign project backup center who end up back overseas in a few years.

You were dead on when you said the same thing about Pecherov, Dat.

[Chocolate City Jordanaire]

I take overseas performances with a grain of salt but the lack of rebounding is disturbing. If he's not rebounding against non-NBA competition then he's not likely to rebound at a sufficient level against NBA'ers.

Kevin showed absolutely no offensive awareness or defensive awareness for that matter last year. He was basically a complete self-check so if his improvements in that area translate to the NBA level then it will be a big step in the right direction.

Personally, I still have major doubts that he's anything more than the typical foreign project backup center who end up back overseas in a few years.

I agree about the lack of rebounding and offense last year. I really disagree about the defense. Even as a rookie foeign player, Kevin was very good at both man and team defense. Saunders commented on multiple occasions that Seraphin was our best help defender. His Kevin's achilles heal however was obviously his foul rate, which has to be improved.

I can actually see Kevin winding up in several years as an upgrade over McGee at center, in a Kendrick Perkins-like role. Kevin has a better body for man defense, is already a better team defender, and doesn't seem to have the same personality flaws that are holding back McGee.

I agree with theboomking that Kevin was a pretty strong defender. He could hold position better at C than any Wizard. His problem as a rookie IMO defensively was his prodigious foul rate. That might have been because he was slow to recognize exactly what to do. Dat, I believe your point about his defensive awareness is true as well.

IMO Kevin is a good defender just because of his physicality. He doesn't even know how to play defense per se, but he doesn't back down and he's a also a shot blocker. His body and quickness make up for a multitude of errors. He lacks height, however. McGee can easily shoot right over him. But nobody is going to go right through Seraphin and back him down easily.

I've said this a bunch, but I think Seraphin is ideally suited to play alongside McGee. Kevin can cover post up bigs, including Cs and PFs, who McGee can't check. I bet he can even cover quick step Cs like Al Horford better than Javale. Heck, he's better defensively than Javale. OTOH, Javale is so long and so terrific coming from the weak side to block shots; and he's also so long and tall and fast that he can score a bunch in transition.

IMO playing McGee at PF/C and Seraphin at C/PF in tandem would work. One hits the offensive boards and the other the defensive boards. Both are physical freaks. But the key for them to work is they've got to score in transition and off garbage buckets. Seraphin scoring off of hooks and Javale taking an occasional 10 footer in between dunks would be the way to use them.

I can see Seraphin as a Kendrick Perkins/Big Baby Davis type player. Anybody who can remember Ben Coleman, that's who Kevin reminds me of. Him crossed a bit with Jahidi White.

[veji1]

Thanks for the translation. I'll have to agree with Dat's view about taking his overseas improvements with a grain of salt - until I see the improvements in the NBA. Granted, he was young and inexperienced and out of shape and didn't play a lot and adapting to a new country, but he was absolutely terrible in the NBA last season. The one thing he did do well was hit the offensive boards, but his defensive rebounding was pathetic.

Sure, as long he hasn't shown the progress in an NBA setting, it isn't worth a thing as far as the Wizards are concerned. It is nevertheless positive. To compare it to another french prospect now turned overpayed scrub, Johan Petro, this never happened with him, he didn't work on improving his game and just never made any strides. At least here Seraphin is showing maturity, learning and acquiring confidence in the French national team, then signing for a very good spanish team, with a history of good structured interior play ( they had Scola and Splitter, none of which have half his physical tools) to learn how to improve his game. This work ethic, which maybe wasn't there last year (but then again can you blame the kid while playing for such a descobonbulated and dysfunctional team as last year Wizards), is a major positive, whatever the end result.

He could be lounging on a beach, doing a bit of cardio and pick up games, like lots of the other players. Instead he signed into a structured experienced team. that attitude can only raise (reasonable) hopes.

[hands11]

Best thing he did by my eyes was set bone crushing picks.

The worst thing he did was get there a second late so he got called for a lot of moving picks.

If being health has gotten him quicker so that doesnt happen, then onto the next thing.

[fishercob]

I take overseas performances with a grain of salt but the lack of rebounding is disturbing. If he's not rebounding against non-NBA competition then he's not likely to rebound at a sufficient level against NBA'ers.

Kevin showed absolutely no offensive awareness or defensive awareness for that matter last year. He was basically a complete self-check so if his improvements in that area translate to the NBA level then it will be a big step in the right direction.

Personally, I still have major doubts that he's anything more than the typical foreign project backup center who end up back overseas in a few years.

I agree about the lack of rebounding and offense last year. I really disagree about the defense. Even as a rookie foeign player, Kevin was very good at both man and team defense. Saunders commented on multiple occasions that Seraphin was our best help defender. His Kevin's achilles heal however was obviously his foul rate, which has to be improved.

I can actually see Kevin winding up in several years as an upgrade over McGee at center, in a Kendrick Perkins-like role. Kevin has a better body for man defense, is already a better team defender, and doesn't seem to have the same personality flaws that are holding back McGee.

I agree with theboomking that Kevin was a pretty strong defender. He could hold position better at C than any Wizard. His problem as a rookie IMO defensively was his prodigious foul rate. That might have been because he was slow to recognize exactly what to do. Dat, I believe your point about his defensive awareness is true as well.

IMO Kevin is a good defender just because of his physicality. He doesn't even know how to play defense per se, but he doesn't back down and he's a also a shot blocker. His body and quickness make up for a multitude of errors. He lacks height, however. McGee can easily shoot right over him. But nobody is going to go right through Seraphin and back him down easily.

I've said this a bunch, but I think Seraphin is ideally suited to play alongside McGee. Kevin can cover post up bigs, including Cs and PFs, who McGee can't check. I bet he can even cover quick step Cs like Al Horford better than Javale. Heck, he's better defensively than Javale. OTOH, Javale is so long and so terrific coming from the weak side to block shots; and he's also so long and tall and fast that he can score a bunch in transition.

IMO playing McGee at PF/C and Seraphin at C/PF in tandem would work. One hits the offensive boards and the other the defensive boards. Both are physical freaks. But the key for them to work is they've got to score in transition and off garbage buckets. Seraphin scoring off of hooks and Javale taking an occasional 10 footer in between dunks would be the way to use them.

I can see Seraphin as a Kendrick Perkins/Big Baby Davis type player. Anybody who can remember Ben Coleman, that's who Kevin reminds me of. Him crossed a bit with Jahidi White.

CCJ, the foul rate doesn't especially concern me -- if only because we were having the same discussion on Blatche three years ago. The fact that Seraphin seems to be an enthusiastic worker and learner tells me he'll improve it in due time.

If McGee and Seraphin both continue to improve their skills, they may work well on the court together in stretches. It will depend on matchups and if one of them can hit a 15-footer, I'd imagine.

[ommmmmm7wytj]

What is incomprehensible in "offensive awareness"?! Is it the french accent the problem? ^^

And with my own parisien accent, I realy don't understand what is so important in rebounding. He is a small C and he has other concerns. Some players are focus on the rebound because this is their main aptitude. You can grab rebounds and you can have a pathetic defensive awareness (sorry for my french accent). If Kevin does'nt grap the rebound, other players in the team could grab it. It's not necessarily the C job. It's a team concern.

Kevin shows since this summer he can defend, he has some good moves. And according to the last intw I've read from him, he'll work on other moves and shots. You don't care the main thing and you're focus to... the rebounding. Do you prefer have Joel Anthony or a complete player with a real skills improvement (sorry for my accent)?

Kevin plays on one of the best teams in spain. Best league out of USA. Vitoria coult beat easely the wiz. So talking about "nba level" it's a nonsense. The wizards, it's the low nba level; Vitoria is the high european level. Kevin is not hurry to come back in Washington. He will probably increase his skills in this team than in the wizards. You should be happy, cause he will return on the wizards sooner or later with this experience.

[theboomking]

I didn't know if I had seen these highlight from Cholet before, and figured some others hadn't.
[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yxxUkGYbKjU[/youtube]

Check out the dunk at the 57 second mark.
[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=760yhlAYsTA&feature=related[/youtube]

Everyone has probably seen this one, but it is still a lot more bounce than we saw out of Kevin last year. [youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l49LJ6uYLLY&feature=related[/youtube]

I don't expect big things from Kevin in his next season with the Wizards, but I am anxious to watch his development.

[doclinkin]

What is incomprehensible in "offensive awareness"?! Is it the french accent the problem? ^^

And with my own parisien accent, I realy don't understand what is so important in rebounding. He is a small C and he has other concerns. Some players are focus on the rebound because this is their main aptitude. You can grab rebounds and you can have a pathetic defensive awareness (sorry for my french accent). If Kevin does'nt grap the rebound, other players in the team could grab it. It's not necessarily the C job. It's a team concern.

Kevin shows since this summer he can defend, he has some good moves. And according to the last intw I've read from him, he'll work on other moves and shots. You don't care the main thing and you're focus to... the rebounding. Do you prefer have Joel Anthony or a complete player with a real skills improvement (sorry for my accent)?

Kevin plays on one of the best teams in spain. Best league out of USA. Vitoria coult beat easely the wiz. So talking about "nba level" it's a nonsense. The wizards, it's the low nba level; Vitoria is the high european level. Kevin is not hurry to come back in Washington. He will probably increase his skills in this team than in the wizards. You should be happy, cause he will return on the wizards sooner or later with this experience.

Focus on rebounding is as follows:

This is a weakness for this team, where we need it to be a strength. The personnel on this squad will succeed best when they can use their superior speed to score in transition. That's our best positive mismatch: great speed and players who can finish at the end of a break. But you can only win as a transition offense team if you can first: stop the opponent from scoring, then second: control the rebound.

We now have a few players who can force difficult shots, but nobody strong in rebounding (except maybe Trevor Booker). Players like Nick Young, Javale, Dray Blatche, are all long enough to bother their opponent into missing a shot, but none are especially tough enough to battle on the low post to steal contested rebounds. The hope was that a powerhouse frontcourt warrior like Kevin would reinforce the team in a key area where we are weak. Otherwise he's redundant (except that he actually sets solid picks, and looks like he'll play some help defense).

But defensive rebounds are a strong measure of on-court intelligence. Savvy. You where to be, when, and how to get position to prevent your opponent from taking the ball. I'm not startled that KSera has no real feel for it, considering how limited his experience is. Playing in Europe ought to give him a better sense of this, since drilling fundamentals is the one area where Euroball far surpasses the NBA. We have better athletes and talent, they have better technique and habits.