Dat2U wrote:doclinkin wrote:
Fair to knock him on skill or feel for the game. He's brand new to it. Just recognize he was playing a very different game at Duke than his role as the focal point of the office for the Uganda City Oilers in BAL. Active feet, bouncy, busy defense, fluid ball skills. This is him at 17 yrs old checking up against 30 yr olds and grown professionals. Check his first possession of the game as a baseline turnaround jumpshot:
--video redacted--
My rant on the scouting of his game is that his groundbound defense and simplified offense are evidence of how well he takes to coaching.
My concern is it's a skill/feel based sport.
One of the biggest reasons guys end up being overdrafted and possibly busting is lack of skill/feel.
Can that be improved upon? Absolutely, but it's not guaranteed and it doesn't come easily. It takes years and years of drilling for it to 'click' for certain guys. For some, it only barely improves or doesn't improve at all.
Lots of guys are coachable & fast learners when there are millions at stake (so it's really wild to see guys that aren't). But many don't carry that same work ethic or passion to improve once they are living the life of their dreams. The growth one has to hope Maluach has is rare and requires a special individual who is dedicated to their craft beyond the fame & success that comes with it. Certainly, Maluach may be cut from a different cloth but it takes and wildy positive outlook to assume such a case.
In essence, the thing we don't have access to is probably the deciding factor in all of this. What does the detailed background check say? What do coaches say off the record about him? What do his peers say about him? It could potentially sell me on a guy like Malauch and could also bury him in my eyes.
Generally you and I are in accord on the things we look for. I too rate 'feel' highly. A place where I think I grade on a curve and give extra credit is accounting for youth. If a young player shows upside they will generally top out at a higher level. In some cases this enhances their assessment. I have Fears ranked higher than others given his youth and advanced feel at that age. In other cases it gives extra credit. Depending on position, etc. Bigs in particular learn slower.
Khaman is a special case. He's among the youngest players in this draft. Has far less experience in the game than most. But if you look at his Africa footage you see a totally different player. More instinctive, more active, more willing to star. At Duke he was a last-option on every possession. Playing next to a star. He was asked to play a different role. He was hesitant. He was assimilating, subverting his game to defer to the golden boy, asked to play with less aggression on both ends.
As for background you read quotes from his NBA Academy coaches who are effusive about his character, work ethic, upside. Those who say he is far more advanced than Embiid was at the same age. I look at the remarkable change in his Africa game vs his Duke game, and see 2 entirely different players. That is coaching. You see him scoring over Embiid and Unibrow in the Olympics at age 17, and realize the kid had first touched a basketball 2 years before that game. Same deal with the kid you see in the Africa footage above.
I personally don't think he lasts to #6. I think GMs are keeping hush about their interest. The mocks are way off. I expect him to be gone at 3 or 4. Pushing Tre or Knoeppel down to us. (I think Fears is ahead of Tre). At that point personally I think the Wiz are looking at Sorber, whose measurements absolutely boosted him up the draft ladder. Or even Queen, who has trimmed up and probably is tuning up his 3pt shot for workouts.
I actually think the endorsement of Bub will carry some weight in the front office on behalf of the DDQ train. As an additional background and character check from someone who has known him his whole basketball life. I personally have had qualms because any time I'd research a Big who played against the Terps I'd see Queen loafing on defense in the highlights. But maybe under coach BK he plays with more motivation on that end. Maybe he takes it as a personal challenge. I know he could play good defense if he were active and motivated. My read is that he has often not really taken it all that seriously. Conserves his energy on that side of the ball. Does not play with force and activity, which are the only ways he is going to become a good defender at the next level. Easygoing and fun-loving are not my favorite defensive qualities. A reason that Bigs often bust is they lack a level of Give a Shxt and effort on the defensive side of the ball. Or in weight and conditioning and taking care of their bodies. Hopefully that changes in the case of Queen. I don't especially like seeing him suddenly get serious on conditioning in the months before the draft. When that has been the knock on him since he was 18 years old. 2 years ago.
Whereas if you watch Maluach, especially in his Africa footage, force and activity are in his game. When he is hesitant or out of place it reads as inexperience. When I compare him and Queen, I forecast the Maluach of 2 years from now, since Queen is that much older than him. And in my vision that's a better more effective defender. Certainly more than the Queen you can find in footage of Montverde of 2 years ago, where again he was lackadaisical on defense. At center I rate defense higher than any other skill set. Even if Queen does have remarkable feel and touch and wiggle on the offensive side of the ball.
