Most important Predraft Measurements for NBA bigs?

[RexBoyWonder]

Was wondering about the importance of Wingspan compared to Standing Reach, which one is more relevant to the game of a NBA big? also do they impact different areas of the game? if yes how so?

Also, how important (or unimportant) are the Lane Agility tests for big guys?

Does No Step Vert and Max Vert really make a difference in a player's game? again, which one is more relevant?

That's a really intersting subject that i think could allow us to understand what exactly makes some players great behond the somewhat amorphic "size" and "talent" defenitions.

Appreciate your input.

[RexBoyWonder]

Bumping this topic with 2 guys in mind -

Antony Davis is a shot blocking machine right now, averaging 4 blocks per game. how does he do it with a modest 9"0 Standing Reach?

HUGE wingspan of 7"5.5 suggests that wingspan is more important for a shot blocker.

Thinking about the great shot blockers in the game, pretty much all of them had at least 7"4 wingspan. can you think of an exception to the rule?

Another guy with interesting Measurements is Julius Randle, im having trouble thinking of a beast post up player, a real paint animal some people are projecting him to be with a 6"11 wingspan, and a very short 8"9.5 standing reach. Do you think those numbers will play a big part in his NBA career? I would really worried if I had to pick him with a top 3 pick hoping he could get anything done in a NBA paint.

[RSCD3_]

What zach randolph's measurements, I dont think he's a big wingspan guy but he uses his power to create space and grab rebounds, and keep in mind Randle is substantially more athletic than z bo

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[Dr Positivity]

Wingspan but honestly, every measurement is varying degrees of overblown in terms of importance

[Ruzious]

Standing reach is much more important for a big than wingspan. Your vertical reach is what you use to bother shooters and to shoot over defenders. Wingspan is horizontal. It's more useful on the perimeter to deflect passes.

[TucsonClip]

Standing reach is much more important for a big than wingspan. Your vertical reach is what you use to bother shooters and to shoot over defenders. Wingspan is horizontal. It's more useful on the perimeter to deflect passes.

This. Wingspan is important for bigs, but standing reach is more valuable. It allows bigs to defend the rim, alter shots 1v1 and shoot over their defenders.

Wingspan is very important for perimeter players because of the side to side movements on defense.

[EddieJonesFan]

Standing reach, duh. Bigs need to defend laterally as well, but defending vertically is far more relevant to the jobs of bigs, and reach is far more directly relevant to rebounding, shot blocking, and scoring inside than wingspan is. If I had to judge a player with only one measurement, I'd choose standing reach. I hate how people ignore it so much.

[Notanoob]

Standing reach for shot blocking/rebounding.

Wingspan for steals/ball handling.

Long arms are always good though. Height has a lot less to do with things than people realize. You don't rebound with the top of your head, you rebound with your hands. This is how comparatively shorter guys succeed as bigs.

Of course, your wingspan and standing reach should be very closely related, unless you've got a particularly skinny or wide torso.

[Okada]

Random underrated measurement - hand size. I only say that because that turned out to be relevant for Tristan Thompson. He's 6 '9 with a 7 '1 wingspan, 35' vertical, and a stand reach of 9 '0.5, but his hands are pretty small and it has given him troubles offensively.

[Ruzious]

Random underrated measurement - hand size. I only say that because that turned out to be relevant for Tristan Thompson. He's 6 '9 with a 7 '1 wingspan, 35' vertical, and a stand reach of 9 '0.5, but his hands are pretty small and it has given him troubles offensively.

Good call. That was one of the limiting factors with Kwame Brown.

[NO-KG-AI]

I wouldn't use Davis as an example, because like Drummond, the wingspan/standing reach discrepancy seemed very odd compared to most years, like it was measured differently. I'd take their low standing reach with a grain of salt, particularly given how they have been awesome shot blockers.

Also, don't always discount wingspan for bigs in terms of blocking shots, because a lot of times, guys will shield the ball away from their body and the defender, and the shot blocker has to reach more across and out than up.

[doordoor123]

Another underrated measurement is width for a center. Wider centers clog the paint. It's harder to get around a wide center when they're in the paint. I'm guessing that's why Hibbert gained a bunch of weight over summer. However, most players coming from college are long rather than wide. An athletic wide guy is hard to find. Someone like Shaq, Yao Ming or Greg Oden.

[jman3134]

Aside from physical attributes that are measured at predraft camps, a combination of agility ball drills and a strength tests devoted to testing lower body strength are important indicators of success in the NBA. Either you have the lower body strength to pin your man in the post, or you don't. If you have a weak lower body, it is incredibly difficult to establish position. This is also important on defense.

If you are not going to be a back to the basket post player, then agility with the ball is incredibly important.

[SBM]

Any measurement can be too alarming. You simply need to measure out respectably across the board

[miltk]

love had a max vert of 35", so that one means zilch
i'll say standing reach because it simple makes sense to measure height reach, and includes a player's shoulder height.
and the agility drill for small moves.

do they have a measure for brains?

[miltk]

Another guy with interesting Measurements is Julius Randle, im having trouble thinking of a beast post up player, a real paint animal some people are projecting him to be with a 6"11 wingspan, and a very short 8"9.5 standing reach. Do you think those numbers will play a big part in his NBA career? I would really worried if I had to pick him with a top 3 pick hoping he could get anything done in a NBA paint.

11/5 versus unc. i wouldn't pick randell in my top5. i'd like to see him play zona.
i'd pick chris walker over him, and walker hasn't played a game yet.

[RexBoyWonder]

What zach randolph's measurements, I dont think he's a big wingspan guy but he uses his power to create space and grab rebounds, and keep in mind Randle is substantially more athletic than z bo

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pretty sure Zach has a 7"4 wingspan, and about 20 pounds bigger then Randle. I really don't see Randle manhandling guys in the paint like Zach does, he's just not long enough to get shots off over NBA big men.

[RexBoyWonder]

Standing reach, duh. Bigs need to defend laterally as well, but defending vertically is far more relevant to the jobs of bigs, and reach is far more directly relevant to rebounding, shot blocking, and scoring inside than wingspan is. If I had to judge a player with only one measurement, I'd choose standing reach. I hate how people ignore it so much.

It makes sense in theory but Antony Davis is a living proof that's not always the case, Best shotblocker in the NBA with a 9"0 standing reach and a 7"5.5 wingspan. Andre Drummond shows the same point, huge wingspan big being super effective despite below average standing reach. The idea that they were measured differently just for that 1 draft seems odd.

[brackdan70]

wide hips is under- rated.

[northernlight]

Basketball I.Q.