Z-Rex: The Cody Zeller Thread

[Tupik]

We are going to have to out-tank the Celtics, Sixers, Magic, Bucks, Pelicans, Suns, Jazz, Blazers, and Kings, and potentially the Mavs, Pistons, and Hawks.

This is what scares me the most. I think our team, with the last two years being pretty horrible, has more pressure to win games and it would be very hard for us to tank because of that. However that might just be because I'm a fan of this team so I don't feel like tanking either. We're bad enough to get a top 3 pick, but some of these teams are completely depleated...

This is going to be a weird season.

[BeesWax]

McLemore didn't work on his game or stay in shape after the tourney ended, leading to poor results at the combine and workouts. Its more like passion isn't there, a la Martell Webster.

He sure had a pretty good freshman season for a kid playing without passion. Combines are meaningless. It's like NFL scouts drafting a guy just because he ran a good 40 time. It doesn't determine anything about your career or how much you want something.

If an NFL draftee showed up to the combine and team workouts out of shape and winded, there would be severe red flags, regardless of his talent, and he would slip in the draft.

McLemore apparently did just that. He didn't fall to 7 because teams reached for need over talent. Charlotte would have selected BPA regardless, especially since we don't have a starting shooting guard at the moment

There is no way we went BPA and ended up with Zeller.

[TheKingofSting]

Zeller is not the first guy to get booed when he was drafted.

I think it was more the FO getting boo'd than Zeller.

[BeesWax]

Zeller is not the first guy to get booed when he was drafted.

I think it was more the FO getting boo'd than Zeller.

I think it is one in the same. Whenever a draft pick is booed they are booing to front office for the selection and the player for being the guy picked. Not the players fault but the fans don't want the guy so they boo.

[RichBoy923]

Zeller is not the first guy to get booed when he was drafted.

I think it was more the FO getting boo'd than Zeller.

I think it is one in the same. Whenever a draft pick is booed they are booing to front office for the selection and the player for being the guy picked. Not the players fault but the fans don't want the guy so they boo.

Yeah but our FO has a reputation of making bad picks so when we draft someone that is a little unexpected they get questioned. If another team with a good track record makes that selection, I doubt it gets the same reaction.

[BeesWax]

I think it was more the FO getting boo'd than Zeller.

I think it is one in the same. Whenever a draft pick is booed they are booing to front office for the selection and the player for being the guy picked. Not the players fault but the fans don't want the guy so they boo.

Yeah but our FO has a reputation of making bad picks so when we draft someone that is a little unexpected they get questioned. If another team with a good track record makes that selection, I doubt it gets the same reaction.

I don't know every team makes picks that get booed good or bad front office. I agree that our history hurts us too but when the perceived value was as low as this you expect booing like you go.

[amcoolio]

He sure had a pretty good freshman season for a kid playing without passion. Combines are meaningless. It's like NFL scouts drafting a guy just because he ran a good 40 time. It doesn't determine anything about your career or how much you want something.

If an NFL draftee showed up to the combine and team workouts out of shape and winded, there would be severe red flags, regardless of his talent, and he would slip in the draft.

McLemore apparently did just that. He didn't fall to 7 because teams reached for need over talent. Charlotte would have selected BPA regardless, especially since we don't have a starting shooting guard at the moment

There is no way we went BPA and ended up with Zeller.

According to your perception, probably. But out of Len, Noel, McLemore, and Zeller, all four would have started and filled a need, Rich Cho selected Zeller, which means he thought Zeller was the BPA. Are you saying you have a better eye/done more homework on all the prospects than Cho-net and his $100,000 dollar system?

[KembaWalker]

bpa on realgm means whatever draftexpress said or the guy whos youtube video they liked the most. thus when thigns go differently than the appear they should have based on draftexpress and youtube highlights it blows their mind and means every team is dumb

there is no reason to be surprised that bennett went 1 and no reason to be surprised zeller went 4

[Stun704]

The next Kevin McHale

[TheKingofSting]

bpa on realgm means whatever draftexpress said or the guy whos youtube video they liked the most. thus when thigns go differently than the appear they should have based on draftexpress and youtube highlights it blows their mind and means every team is dumb

there is no reason to be surprised that bennett went 1 and no reason to be surprised zeller went 4

Or on SportsCenter Top 10 all of the time, He runs like a Deer and gets easy baskets by outrunning people, he also had 35.5 inches in the standing vertical jump. That is the highest among anyone who participated in athletic drills this year and was the best among players standing over 6'9" in a decade. I am coming around on the pick, just impatiently waiting on Summer League now.

[Liver_Pooty]

Makes me happy to see you guys coming around on the pick. I had to leave the draft chat because people (cough. Jdm3, cough) were about to kill themselves.

[BeesWax]

Makes me happy to see you guys coming around on the pick. I had to leave the draft chat because people (cough. Jdm3, cough) were about to kill themselves.

I was not about to kill myself. I was and still am very disappointed in the pick.

[KembaWalker]

Makes me happy to see you guys coming around on the pick. I had to leave the draft chat because people (cough. Jdm3, cough) were about to kill themselves.

I was not about to kill myself. I was and still am very disappointed in the pick.

we all knew you would be. it happens every year to people who get overly attached to kids before the draft. see Royce White

[BeesWax]

Makes me happy to see you guys coming around on the pick. I had to leave the draft chat because people (cough. Jdm3, cough) were about to kill themselves.

I was not about to kill myself. I was and still am very disappointed in the pick.

we all knew you would be. it happens every year to people who get overly attached to kids before the draft. see Royce White

I was not attached to anyone to much. Oladipo was gone before we picked. I just wanted the BPA and do not feel that we went that route.

[TheKingofSting]

Makes me happy to see you guys coming around on the pick. I had to leave the draft chat because people (cough. Jdm3, cough) were about to kill themselves.

I never hated it but I told my friend during the pre draft coverage the other night that I didn't mind Zeller at all but I just wanted to trade down to get him if at all possible and hey maybe PHX wanted him (I think I read he had a great workout there). Then I realized if we paired Noel with Biz that points in the post would have been scarce, yes they would have been awesome defensively but you still have to score to win.

Makes me happy to see you guys coming around on the pick. I had to leave the draft chat because people (cough. Jdm3, cough) were about to kill themselves.

I was not about to kill myself. I was and still am very disappointed in the pick.

The thing about it is it is water under the bridge now and nothing any of us or anyone can do about it so we may as well get behind it.

[HornetJail]

I can't wait till the summer league, so that we can see what Rich Cho saw in Zeller. I think he'll dominate in the summer league.

[Liver_Pooty]

I can't wait till the summer league, so that we can see what Rich Cho saw in Zeller. I think he'll dominate in the summer league.

Zeller will be fine. I'm more intrigued with Biyombo. Last year he averaged about 6 and 3 if that. Was so disappointing.

[Snidely FC]

General manager Rich Cho was in Bloomington constantly over the winter, checking out various aspects of Zeller’s makeup.

“Charlotte did a great job of spending extra time’’ in the scouting process, Crean said. “Rich Cho would come in for a couple of days each time.’’

Zeller said it was hard not to notice as the season wore on how much Cho was around the Indiana program. “It’s a big investment for any NBA team,’’ Zeller said of the fourth pick. “They’re going back to your childhood and everywhere else (to investigate your makeup).

Cho didn't pick Zeller based on a workout or combine, or reports he read, ranks or mock drafts. It's clear he spent days and months watching Zeller at practices In Person until Zeller practically felt stalked. Cho knew what he wanted. He knew what he was seeing.

[Marvel]

http://sports.yahoo.com/blogs/nba-ball-dont-lie/grading-2013-nba-draft-team-team-210947379.html

I'm coming around on Zeller. i wanted Len, Bennett. Noel if he was available, which he was, so i was surprised when Cho went with Zeller. But from what i've seen of him and read about him he looks like a very good prospect and he could be the frontcourt big we've always wanted in time.

He got a nickname yet?

[TheKingofSting]

General manager Rich Cho was in Bloomington constantly over the winter, checking out various aspects of Zeller’s makeup.

“Charlotte did a great job of spending extra time’’ in the scouting process, Crean said. “Rich Cho would come in for a couple of days each time.’’

Zeller said it was hard not to notice as the season wore on how much Cho was around the Indiana program. “It’s a big investment for any NBA team,’’ Zeller said of the fourth pick. “They’re going back to your childhood and everywhere else (to investigate your makeup).

Cho didn't pick Zeller based on a workout or combine, or reports he read, ranks or mock drafts. It's clear he spent days and months watching Zeller at practices In Person until Zeller practically felt stalked. Cho knew what he wanted. He knew what he was seeing.

I don't know how many watched the post draft presser but Cho even said don't take mock drafts as the gospel. It makes me feel good that someone other than Bilas (Jalen Rose) liked the pick and the simple fact that Simmons didn't take time to bash it speaks volumes.