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DaddyCool19 wrote:The Canadian looks huge. Is he any good? 15/14 with 2,3 blocks in under 24 minutes sounds good.

Depends how rule changes affect small ball. He’s less of a liability in lower levels, but the open space of the nba is going to be a serious barrier. Zach is a good player though. He will be in college a while, so we will see how he develops

So, he averaged 5.7 BLK/G for a whopping 7 games (after they went back and gave him credit for 7 more BLKs). Most of the BLKs were against guys a foot shorter and one or two may have been goaltending (hard to tell from angle in the video).

Regardless, between 1985 and 2006-07, five players (and seven more came close) averaged more BLKs/G for a full season (at least 28 games) at the NCAA Division I level. I'm not sure how a "prospect" is being defined, here, but I consider every of of those 5 seasons more impressive than Yama's accomplishment. In all cases, the sample size was 4 - 5x as much, in most cases, against better competition.

And that doesn't even include Manute Bol, who in his one season of college ball (at Division II Bridgeport) averaged over 7 blocks a game for 31 games.

Unfortunately, the NCAA did not keep track of BLKs back when Wilt, Russell, Kareem, Artis Gilmore, Walton, Mark Eaton, etc. played.

DaddyCool19 wrote:Was Eaton a prospect though? Wasn't he working as a mechanic after school?

He played to seasons at UCLA, but the NCAA did not track BLKs back then. Given that he only averaged 1.8ppg, I'm guessing his shot blocking ability/potential had a lot to do with him getting drafted by an NBA team.

clyde21 wrote:

taikibansei wrote:Yeah, this guy (Mark Eaton) averaged 5.6 blocks per game for an entire NBA season, playing all 82 games. (Not to disparage the prospect mentioned in the OP--seems like a great prospect--just questioning the hyperbole in the accompanying tweet.)

HomoSapien wrote:

what Eaton did in the NBA is irrelevant, tho, this is about how these guys were viewed entering the NBA...maybe he was viewed as an elite shot blocking prospect I have no idea, but his numbers in the NBA are irrelevant.

also what hyperbole in the tweet? the tweet was stating facts -- no one has ever blocked as many shots in an international tournament as Yama just did.

Yeah Mark Eaton was never a prospect. He came on super late and barely played in college. Apparently he had a cute mentorship moment with Wilt and completely changed his game around to become a shot-blocking specialist.

Speaking of Wilt, I'd say he's the best shot-blocking prospect of all-time.

I'm floored by the photo of him standing next to Zach Edey, I know photos can be deceiving and aren't a great way to assess height, but they look like they're standing right next to each other and Vic's at least 2 inches taller at both shoulder and head level! Never seen Edey listed under 7'4" and never had reason until now to doubt that. He's always looked downright Boban-y in these tournaments.

jamaalstar21 wrote:

clyde21 wrote:

taikibansei wrote:Yeah, this guy (Mark Eaton) averaged 5.6 blocks per game for an entire NBA season, playing all 82 games. (Not to disparage the prospect mentioned in the OP--seems like a great prospect--just questioning the hyperbole in the accompanying tweet.)

what Eaton did in the NBA is irrelevant, tho, this is about how these guys were viewed entering the NBA...maybe he was viewed as an elite shot blocking prospect I have no idea, but his numbers in the NBA are irrelevant.

also what hyperbole in the tweet? the tweet was stating facts -- no one has ever blocked as many shots in an international tournament as Yama just did.

Yeah Mark Eaton was never a prospect. He came on super late and barely played in college. Apparently he had a cute mentorship moment with Wilt and completely changed his game around to become a shot-blocking specialist.

Speaking of Wilt, I'd say he's the best shot-blocking prospect of all-time.

I'm floored by the photo of him standing next to Zach Edey, I know photos can be deceiving and aren't a great way to assess height, but they look like they're standing right next to each other and Vic's at least 2 inches taller at both shoulder and head level! Never seen Edey listed under 7'4" and never had reason until now to doubt that. He's always looked downright Boban-y in these tournaments.

yea, it's freaky...if Edey is a legit 7-3 then judging by that photo Yama is closer to 7-5...which is pretty insane given how mobile he is at that size.

both of these guys make Chet look short, and he's 7-0.

and all those guys make Jaden Ivey, who's 6-4, look like a little person.

Hopefully he can stay healthy. History has not been kind injury-wise to players that tall.

taikibansei wrote:Completely off-topic--apologies to the OP--but I just realized that Mark Eaton died this past May in a bicycle accident. I'm a bit stunned--I remember reading that he'd been in an accident, but didn't know it had been fatal.

https://www.sltrib.com/sports/jazz/2021/05/29/utah-jazz-great-mark/

This article provides details about the accident and Mark's life. He seems to have been a really great guy!

Jesus I hadn't heard the guys name in forever. Sad that he passed. RIP

He might be even better than Mo Bamba.

Shawn Bradley averaged 6.5 blocks per 36 mins in 34 games at 18 years old (5.2 bpg).

Despite sitting out 2 years to do LDS mission he was still selected 2nd overall in the 1993 draft.

Is Chet Holmgren actually a legit 7-0 or does he just have no neck? He looks way smaller than those other guys on the floor.

It could be his narrow frame/high shoulders is making him look taller than he actually is and people think he's 7-0 like they think KD and DeAndre Jordan are even though they are both 6-9 and some change according to the Nets training camp measurements.

GregOden wrote:Is Chet Holmgren actually a legit 7-0 or does he just have no neck? He looks way smaller than those other guys on the floor.

It could be his narrow frame/high shoulders is making him look taller than he actually is and people think he's 7-0 like they think KD and DeAndre Jordan are even though they are both 6-9 and some change according to the Nets training camp measurements.

Chet is as legit of a 7 footer as you can get...those guys are really just that tall

Winsome Gerbil wrote:

dam so apparently he's not

taikibansei wrote:Yeah, this guy (Mark Eaton) averaged 5.6 blocks per game for an entire NBA season, playing all 82 games. (Not to disparage the prospect mentioned in the OP--seems like a great prospect--just questioning the hyperbole in the accompanying tweet.)

HomoSapien wrote:

Who quotes results when discussing a prospect? That's just weird...

Sometimes people over deliver, that's awesome, but it doesn't retroactively change them as a prospect.

BNM wrote:

DaddyCool19 wrote:Was Eaton a prospect though? Wasn't he working as a mechanic after school?

He played to seasons at UCLA, but the NCAA did not track BLKs back then. Given that he only averaged 1.8ppg, I'm guessing his shot blocking ability/potential had a lot to do with him getting drafted by an NBA team.

Draft: Phoenix Suns, 5th round (19th pick, 107th overall), 1979 NBA Draft, and Utah Jazz, 4th round (3rd pick, 72nd overall), 1982 NBA Draft

Guessing him being tall did it...

Duncan and AD comes to mind in terms of pre draft. And in terms of not going back to Wilt and Russell where I mean....different world. And oddly by many now Noel before that injury was well on his way to looking like a better shot blocker than AD.

If that clip is anything to go off he looks slow, uncoordinated and he’s blocking guys that look like they’re 6ft tall

I don’t see him getting decent minutes in the NBA, so…no

Victor Wembayana isn't just a shot blocker. He's highly skilled on offense. Barring injury, he's a no. 1 pick.

Shawn Bradley.

Don't know why, just felt someone should say him.[gfycat][/gfycat]

DaddyCool19 wrote:The Canadian looks huge. Is he any good? 15/14 with 2,3 blocks in under 24 minutes sounds good.

He's not your tipical stiff behemoth but not NBA material IMO.