Ban Howard Mass: The new draft thread

[Devilzsidewalk]

even if Thabeet ends up a good player, I think its safe to say its going to take years of patience as he learns the game and you're gonna have to put up with a lot of inconsistency and frustration in waiting for him to develop. You don't just jump in and start blocking shots and becoming a lock down defender. Ben Wallace and Ratliff took several years and I expect the same from Thabeet assuming he ever gets there.

I actually like him, but I don't seem him as a day 1 starter at all. Wolves will need a veteran still.

[Jonathan Watters]

I am concerned with his ability to defend the 5. I am sure he can defend the 4, but what about the big guys that we would rather not have Al defend. Can Lopez be physical with a Dally/Haywood/diop/yao/

From what he is showing in Pac-10 play this year, I think he can. He's got your prototype NBA Center frame. He's more nimble than your average 7-footer, and has every bit of the bulk. He really does bother some very talented big men in the Pac-10. I mean, I can't even count the number of times Lopez blocked/completely altered what should have been a Kevin Love gimmee. He stays on his feet, and has an absolutely phenomenal feel for how to play physical and alter shots without picking up fouls.

The thing I am concerned with is that at the beginning of the year he was understood as a finese 4 with a decent defensive ability. Now he is understood as a strong 5 prospect hybrid of Brad Daughtry and PJ Brown. I have no issue with a 7ft dominate roll player, as long as he can play goalie.

I don't know who thought of him as a finesse 4, but I never did. He was always a 5 to me.

I will put it this way - of all the big men in this draft capable of developing into competent defenders, Lopez fairly clearly has the best combination of upside and likelihood of achieving it.

[Worm Guts]

even if Thabeet ends up a good player, I think its safe to say its going to take years of patience as he learns the game and you're gonna have to put up with a lot of inconsistency and frustration in waiting for him to develop. You don't just jump in and start blocking shots and becoming a lock down defender. Ben Wallace and Ratliff took several years and I expect the same from Thabeet assuming he ever gets there.

I actually like him, but I don't seem him as a day 1 starter at all. Wolves will need a veteran still.

I don't necessarily agree with that. Both Mark Eaton and Manute Bol blocked more than 3 shot per game as rookies. I really expect that Thabeet will be a big time shot blocker immediately.

[deeney0]

-= original quote snipped =-



I don't necessarily agree with that. Both Mark Eaton and Manute Bol blocked more than 3 shot per game as rookies. I really expect that Thabeet will be a big time shot blocker immediately.

I'd insert your usual caveat there, IF he can stay on the court without being a serious offensive liability.

[revprodeji]

DIdnt Mark Eaton and Bol play before the illegal defense rules?

[Worm Guts]

DIdnt Mark Eaton and Bol play before the illegal defense rules?

Before defensive 3 seconds, yes. Before illegal defense, no.

[revprodeji]

ok, one of my concerns is that Thabeast cannot just stand under the hoop. My other concerns are his frame and his hands. He is a risk/reward guy. Anyone know about his desire, BBIQ, etc?

[Worm Guts]

ok, one of my concerns is that Thabeast cannot just stand under the hoop. My other concerns are his frame and his hands. He is a risk/reward guy. Anyone know about his desire, BBIQ, etc?

Most great shot blocking big men play that way in college. I don't see it as a concern.

[the_bruce]

ok, one of my concerns is that Thabeast cannot just stand under the hoop. My other concerns are his frame and his hands. He is a risk/reward guy. Anyone know about his desire, BBIQ, etc?

He has high upside. I've seen him a bit and his hands don't seem bad imo, but I havent seen him much. To me he has seemed lackadasical, lost at times, and doesn't seem to put out tons of effort. Plus he's so big he will surely run into classic big man joint problems.

I'd still take him before hibbert. I'm pretty meh about the center prospects this year. Especially, since so many project bigs have been taken in the lotto in recent years and floundered so badly.

[revprodeji]

I like the big men this year. Lopez-Hibbert, even Love and Thabeast. I wish we had 2 early picks to do something with it.

[horaceworthy]

Yeah, that's the thing. There are a few nice bigs out there this year, but not at the very tippy-top of the draft.

The 2nd round is somewhat interesting. Right now DX has Jawai, Pekovic, Omer Asik, Dorsey, Jason Thompson and John Riek going from #'s30-35. All those guys are intriguing to me. After them, the only big they have in the 2nd round that I like is DJ White, but I don't know how great a fit he'd be next to Al. I haven't informed myself much, if at all, on the other foreign bigs they have in the draft.

[the_bruce]

I was actually just strolling through some of the foriegn bigs for this years draft, and uh this guy I've never heard of...

http://www.nbadraft.net/admincp/profile ... ibaka.html
http://www.draftexpress.com/profile/Serge-Ibaka-1302/

What scary is in the nbadraft write up in claims that his vert is higher than anybody in last years draft. Which if accurate certainly puts him in the 40+ club. That's absurd for a guy that big.

[CB4MiamiHeat]

ok, one of my concerns is that Thabeast cannot just stand under the hoop. My other concerns are his frame and his hands. He is a risk/reward guy. Anyone know about his desire, BBIQ, etc?

yea but guys like Camby, Kaman, Mutombo probably did the same thing and they never averaged as many blocks as Thabeet.

The shotblocking is gonna translate to the NBA, no doubt in mind. Its the rest of his game thats a question mark.

[Jonathan Watters]

One of the reasons I like Lopez so much is that his impact in terms of team success is profound and blatantly obvious to anybody who is watching the game from more than just an indvidual scouting level.

And I guess one also has to like the impact Thabeet brings to the table at UConn.

UConn defends the 2-Pt shot better than any team at any level of college basketball, right now at 39.6%. And let me tell you, it isn't 6'5 Jeff Adrien above the rim intimidating opponents.

If you go Kenpom.com and look back at the historical leaders in this statistic, it is always a high-major and it is always NBA-caliber players comprising the major parts of that team's interior defense.

In 2004 was Connecticut and Emeka Okafor.

In 2005 was Cincy with Jason Maxiell

In 2006 was Kansas with Julian Wright, Sasha Kaun, and CJ Giles.

In 2007 and 2008 you've got UConn and Hasheem Thabeet.

Something to think about...

[Krapinsky]

I like the big men this year. Lopez-Hibbert, even Love and Thabeast. I wish we had 2 early picks to do something with it.

Rev- (or anyone else)

Name one player who was Hibbert's size (ht +wt) or bigger and was not plagued by injuries his entire career.

Just wondering b/c most seem to have injuries from the waist down, i.e. Smits, Z, Yao, others...

I know in college he's been fine, but (1) they've kept his minutes down, and (2) college d/n compare to an 82 game season.

[TheFranchise21]

Rev- (or anyone else)

Name one player who was Hibbert's size (ht +wt) or bigger and was not plagued by injuries his entire career.

Just wondering b/c most seem to have injuries from the waist down, i.e. Smits, Z, Yao, others...

I know in college he's been fine, but (1) they've kept his minutes down, and (2) college d/n compare to an 82 game season.

Very good point, although I'm too lazy to think of any names.

Actually, Mutombo comes to mind. He's 7'2 but not Hibbert's weight.

[horaceworthy]

I was actually just strolling through some of the foriegn bigs for this years draft, and uh this guy I've never heard of...

http://www.nbadraft.net/admincp/profile ... ibaka.html
http://www.draftexpress.com/profile/Serge-Ibaka-1302/

What scary is in the nbadraft write up in claims that his vert is higher than anybody in last years draft. Which if accurate certainly puts him in the 40+ club. That's absurd for a guy that big.

He's been a bit of a Youtube legend for awhile now. He's one of those freaky-deeky athletic types, and he's shown some range on his jump shot, too. I don't think he'd last till our 2nd rounders. He's one of those guys that could really impress in individual workouts.

[the_bruce]

-= original quote snipped =-



He's been a bit of a Youtube legend for awhile now. He's one of those freaky-deeky athletic types, and he's shown some range on his jump shot, too. I don't think he'd last till our 2nd rounders. He's one of those guys that could really impress in individual workouts.

Hmm thanks for the tip I checked him out a bit.

I doubt the kid would last past the lottery in all honesty. If yer talking about a 6'10 kid who has a 42+ inch vert and has a semblance of shooting touch. everyones gotta check out this video at 2:15 absurd.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4-6opHOfJJE

[horaceworthy]

No problemo. Ibaka and Randolph were the two guys I was really interested in when we thought that Miami might turn it around enough that we'd get a pick in the 15-18 range. It's quite possible those two won't last that long in the draft, but that's pretty immaterial, since we're definitely not getting that pick.

[Klomp]

Wittman's philosophy is to go need unless no one is worth taking, then go BPA. Something like that.