Will Meyers Leonard be an all-star?

[Geaux_Hawks]

Just fall to the Hawks please!!

[Ruzious]

He has the size, athleticism, and raw skills to be an all-star. I don't think he has the intangibles. He's more likely to be out of the NBA in 5 years than be an all-star, imo.

[DarkoNeedsAfro]

Doubtful.

I've pointed out before the stats of myers against the top Big 10 teams this year and most do not indicate a guy who will dominate against the big men of the NBA. His numbers were very underwhelming in a conference that he stood above in terms of height and athletic ability. So if he has that advantage and doesn't put up stellar rebounding numbers then what was the reason?

And you would think someone who was so dominant would at least be the team MVP on a mediocre non-tournament team...but the team voted Tracy Abrams MVP. So at least Myers had the respect of the locker room.

[Johnlac1]

Doubtful.

I've pointed out before the stats of myers against the top Big 10 teams this year and most do not indicate a guy who will dominate against the big men of the NBA. His numbers were very underwhelming in a conference that he stood above in terms of height and athletic ability. So if he has that advantage and doesn't put up stellar rebounding numbers then what was the reason?

And you would think someone who was so dominant would at least be the team MVP on a mediocre non-tournament team...but the team voted Tracy Abrams MVP. So at least Myers had the respect of the locker room.

I didn't see Leonard play his freshman year, so I'll have to take the word of the people who saw him play that he made a lot of progress from freshman to sophomore. Of course, the million dollar question is: will he continue to make progress and for how long? I don't see him contributing much for a year or two at least in the pros. It would have been better for him to have played at least another college year to get a good determination. I think he's certainly got a bigger upside than someone like Tyler Zeller. Zeller is a better player right now, and, unlike Leonard, could possibly contribute to some club next year. But I doubt Zeller will ever be more than a middling pro. It would be reasonable to assume that Leonard can still make good progress. With his athletic ability and youth, he could still make giant strides. We shall see.

[Superiorblogman]

Once again Meyers Leonard is the most overblown prospect on this board. No-one is asking will Festus Ezeli be a all-star and his junior season was superior to Meyers sophomore year. I have Meyers high on my teams draft board because we need a Center bad, but even if he fools me and is as good as say Dalembert, or Tyson Chandler, he still is not a all-star because neither of those two have made a all-star game. Truthfully, I think his floor is Robyn Lopez and his ceiling is like Dalembert. The guy may be even worse than Robyn Lopez though and be out the league after two contracts.

[Dr Positivity]

Ezeli put up 22 pts, 10 rebs, 4.4 blks .62 TS% per 40 his junior year. Calling out a player for not outperforming that means nothing.

[Superiorblogman]

Ezeli put up 22 pts, 10 rebs, 4.4 blks .62 TS% per 40 his junior year. Calling out a player for not outperforming that means nothing.

It means a lot honestly. Obviously shows you people are stuck on another great white hype that is showing every reason why he might be a big ole flop. Like I stated no-one is asking will Ezeli be a all-star.

[ManualRam]

Ezeli put up 22 pts, 10 rebs, 4.4 blks .62 TS% per 40 his junior year. Calling out a player for not outperforming that means nothing.

It means a lot honestly. Obviously shows you people are stuck on another great white hype that is showing every reason why he might be a big ole flop. Like I stated no-one is asking will Ezeli be a all-star.

ezeli's a raw senior with stone hands, a limited offensive arsenal, who cant defend without fouling and will be a below average athlete for the C position at the next level. he projects as nothing but a back up.
and leonard isnt showing every reason why he might be a big ole flop.
he's got prototype size and athleticism with a solid foundation of skill, a solid understanding of the game and the work ethic to improve physically and skill-wise.

[Geaux_Hawks]

Ezeli put up 22 pts, 10 rebs, 4.4 blks .62 TS% per 40 his junior year. Calling out a player for not outperforming that means nothing.

It means a lot honestly. Obviously shows you people are stuck on another great white hype that is showing every reason why he might be a big ole flop. Like I stated no-one is asking will Ezeli be a all-star.

Forget about the raw stats for a minute and look at the physical tools, the skill set, awareness, and upside that Leonard has. Ezeli is no where near that talented and also played against a small SEC. Switch Leonard with Ezeli and you would probably be arguing for Leonard to be a top 2 pick.

[ManualRam]

Ezeli put up 22 pts, 10 rebs, 4.4 blks .62 TS% per 40 his junior year. Calling out a player for not outperforming that means nothing.

It means a lot honestly. Obviously shows you people are stuck on another great white hype that is showing every reason why he might be a big ole flop. Like I stated no-one is asking will Ezeli be a all-star.

Forget about the raw stats for a minute and look at the physical tools, the skill set, awareness, and upside that Leonard has. Ezeli is no where near that talented and also played against a small SEC. Switch Leonard with Ezeli and you would probably be arguing for Leonard to be a top 2 pick.

imagine the space leonard wouldve had to operate if he had jenkins, taylor and tinsley spreading the floor as opposed to trying to post up on the one of the worst 3pt shooting teams in the nation (313th in the nation).

[Geaux_Hawks]

I only fathom what he could have done with just Jenkins alone.

[Superiorblogman]

Ezeli put up 22 pts, 10 rebs, 4.4 blks .62 TS% per 40 his junior year. Calling out a player for not outperforming that means nothing.

It means a lot honestly. Obviously shows you people are stuck on another great white hype that is showing every reason why he might be a big ole flop. Like I stated no-one is asking will Ezeli be a all-star.

ezeli's a raw senior with stone hands, a limited offensive arsenal, who cant defend without fouling and will be a below average athlete for the C position at the next level. he projects as nothing but a back up.
and leonard isnt showing every reason why he might be a big ole flop.
he's got prototype size and athleticism with a solid foundation of skill, a solid understanding of the game and the work ethic to improve physically and skill-wise.

Once again someone that can't read or comprehend trying to reach in order to make a pointless point. As I stated, Ezeli's junior year showed much more promise than Leonard and no-one is asking will he be a all-star and no he does not have bad hands or anything of that ignorant nature that you assert.

[ManualRam]

It means a lot honestly. Obviously shows you people are stuck on another great white hype that is showing every reason why he might be a big ole flop. Like I stated no-one is asking will Ezeli be a all-star.

ezeli's a raw senior with stone hands, a limited offensive arsenal, who cant defend without fouling and will be a below average athlete for the C position at the next level. he projects as nothing but a back up.
and leonard isnt showing every reason why he might be a big ole flop.
he's got prototype size and athleticism with a solid foundation of skill, a solid understanding of the game and the work ethic to improve physically and skill-wise.

Once again someone that can't read or comprehend trying to reach in order to make a pointless point. As I stated, Ezeli's junior year showed much more promise than Leonard and no-one is asking will he be a all-star and no he does not have bad hands or anything of that ignorant nature that you assert.

and im saying no he didnt.

and yes he does have bad hands which is why he's a TO machine (well, bad hands and being a poor passer out of the post). nobody's asking why ezeli cant be an all-star because they see him for what he is: a raw, senior C who's a below average athlete at the next level.

you're the type of poster who really makes no valid points and cant make good arguments after you've exhausted the 1 or 2 that you have, so you have to resort to bombast. you're not fooling anyone, inferior argument man.

[re49gb_2gho32fp]

Fairly good input from the beatwriter who covered his college team (audio)

http://www.oregonlive.com/sports/oregon ... n_351.html

Among other things, Says repeatedly Leonard is more skilled than given credit for. blames guard play considerably.

Says he was top 6-7 talent in draft and some scouts share that view.

[Chalk1]

Watched almost ever game of Leonard's at Illinois and in the FIBA U19 games.

The Illinois team was terribly dysfunctional last season. Bruse Weber ended up getting fired. Many people, me included, hated the fact that Leonard was horribly under-utilized. Some games he just barely ever got the ball. Also, the guards on the team were just pitiful at passing, and/or just didn't care to get Leonard the ball. Brandon Paul and Leonard apparently were in fighting to see who the top dog on the team was. I and others think Paul was something of a ball hog.

There were Big Ten games where Leonard was far and away the best player on the court, with a sizable height advantage over the opponents big men and he would get 4,5 touches THE WHOLE GAME. It was an absolute travesty.

On the right college team with the right coach and the right guards he would have played more as a freshman and easily could have boosted his soph. scoring average by 4-5 points.

The kid, for a seven footer, can do it all. The sky's the limit.

[ManualRam]

Watched almost ever game of Leonard's at Illinois and in the FIBA U19 games.

The Illinois team was terribly dysfunctional last season. Bruse Weber ended up getting fired. Many people, me included, hated the fact that Leonard was horribly under-utilized. Some games he just barely ever got the ball. Also, the guards on the team were just pitiful at passing, and/or just didn't care to get Leonard the ball. Brandon Paul and Leonard apparently were in fighting to see who the top dog on the team was. I and others think Paul was something of a ball hog.

There were Big Ten games where Leonard was far and away the best player on the court, with a sizable height advantage over the opponents big men and he would get 4,5 touches THE WHOLE GAME. It was an absolute travesty.

On the right college team with the right coach and the right guards he would have played more as a freshman and easily could have boosted his soph. scoring average by 4-5 points.

The kid, for a seven footer, can do it all. The sky's the limit.

that game paul had vs the buckeyes was the worst thing that couldve happened to paul and the illini.
kid was gassed in the head after that.
i wish he wouldve "tested the draft process." that kid is an idiot.

[re49gb_2gho32fp]

Just to put it out

After Leonard's draft workout with blazers, the local beatwriter was told Zeller outplayed him (Chad ford retweeted this). Now this was prior to the combine.

In an article i read yesterday by the local tv station (csnnw), it's reporter was told privately by buchanan or Olshey a week ago (can't remember) that it was the other way around - Leonard dominated.
At least that was the content of the article.

nice smokescreen if true, i think it was one of the very first draft workouts alltogether in the nba.

[need4detroit]

He has a lot of potential. I think he'll at least be a top 10 center given his size and athletecism and skill level.

[Big Jaffa]

A lot of potential indeed, here's hoping Portland manages his development well, at least the new GM seems to have some sort of plan for developing the young players in mind.

[ManualRam]

good place to learn and develop, but then they're going after hibbert too?