With the ease of following college basketball, I've found myself gravitated to names like Towns, Turner, WCS and more recently... Bobby Portis. It's easy to see the reason behind the rise of the De'Angelo Russell hype machine. Even Stanley Johnson and Winston Justice have heated up recently. It's easy to talk about these players on the forum because they are familiar.
I'm not sure about the rest of you but, for me, Porzingis was larely a name that I was disinterested in. Another hot Euro prospect with incredible length and shooting touch. Been there, heard that. Is he just the next overhyped name lead by the Euro bias of many popular draftniks out there?
A little while ago I made a thread in the NBA Draft forum about who the Magic should take and Porzingis' name kept popping up. So I had to try to figure out what others saw in him... I didn't want to just take the word of other RealGm posters (although that's not a knock, as we have a great community out there), but I wanted to see what experts had to say about him. So I did some googling, watched some more Youtube clips and I dunno if I'm just being a sucker for highlights and clippings, but I have to admit I'm sitting here believing he should be our #1 target.
General reports that are commonly said in other big men prospects (not my thoughts, it's what I've seen said - mostly paraphrased, but some of it verbatim):
Jahlil Okafor
Offense: Big, powerful body with huge hands, palms the ball easily which allows him to control rebounds in traffic ... Polished, skilled back to the basket scorer with a variety of moves ... Smooth for his size, solid rebounder, very good IQ, plays to his strengths, knows his limitations and doesn't try to do things that he can't do ... NBA body and strength, quick feet for a player with such a big frame ... Has great moves and counters, the footwork of an NBA vet, soft touch around basket ... Heady passer out of double teams ... Understands how to establish position and knows how to use his body, never rushes his move and plays with great pace and patience ... savvy beyond his years for a young post player, rebounds his area ...
Defense: Not a great athlete, rebounder, or shot blocker ... Lack of athleticism and ability to be a game changer on the defensive end limits his upside ... Has trouble moving his feet in pick and roll situations ... Not a great shooter and doesn't offer much in terms of pick and pop situations ... Doesn't rebound out of his area ... Doesn't impact the game defensively ... Has problems finishing over length due to the fact that he's not an explosive athlete ... Conditioning has been an issue, though he has shown solid dedication to improving his body ... Lack of athleticism will hurt him at the NBA level ... Close to being a finished product, lacks great upside. Purely a Center.
Fit with the Magic: If the Magic get the #1 overall pick, they should not feel pressured into making Okafor the pick. Vucevic already excels at the strengths that Okafor has and then some. Unlike Vucevic, Okafor does not possess a midrange shot. Everything he does well is in the post. With similar weaknesses in defense, Okafor doesn't offer the Magic an upgrade.
Karl Towns
Offense: Towns has the long arms and soft touch to excel with any shot around the key. He has his basic up and under moves along with the occasional spin and his go to strength is the touch on his hook shot. He needs to get stronger, add more toughness and add more to his low post repertoire. Questions exist about him having a natural body type for the block. Post play, foot work and confidence on the block needs a lot of work. Projects to be a decent shooter with range, but not yet a consistent threat. Huge feet seem to weigh him down some and challenge his ability to make quick moves from a standstill position. Has shown a tendency to get in foul trouble.
Defense: Average NBA athlete both as a vertical leaper and moving laterally. He doesn't have much emphasis or power to his game and when he blocks shots it's not like an explosion of athleticism. Shows better speed than quickness. Would not consider him a rim protector when it comes to blocking those more sudden and quick opportunities. He's active around the rim, but when it comes to latching onto a body and going to war it's not all there. While there's the promise he shows as a rebounder and shotblocker, you have to ask who he is going to guard and battle inside with in the NBA. A quicker power forward will use his first step, a bulkier will just bully him. Top heavy. Despite showing a huge set of arms and shoulders, his lower body strength needs work, as he gets knocked off balance and pushed around at times. Balance can improve.
Fit with the Magic: Towns is a tweener PF/C. It would make a lot of sense for the Magic to draft him as he would be an immediate upgrade to our current situation and he has a lot of potential to improve, however, there are some limitations to his game. Many think his best position in the NBA will be Center. He doesn't possess the quickness to guard athletic PFs and critics have knocked his toughness in the post. While he's a capable shot blocker, he's not a rim protector. He has the makings of a shooter, but he's not yet there. We would be foolish to expect him to create space as evidenced by his 0.3 3PA per game at a .250 clip.
Myles Turner
Offense: Turner's appeal begins with his shooting and future as a stretch 4, but as is always the case with big guys who shoot, there's a concern for him drifting out of the key a little bit too much. However, he has a high basketball IQ and that makes him more dangerous with that shot and touch around the basket combo. He has already figured out how to read double-teams and pass effectively out of them, which is a great trait for a big man. Playing him at the PF position has given him huge mismatches at Texas and he's able to both back in the smaller defender or shoot over him.
Defense: Lack of good to great athleticism. He doesn't really explode with the ball and occasionally doesn't get a quick jump on a rebound or rim protection assignment. There's a large misconception for a chunk of fans when it comes to being a shot blocker and being a rim protector. Turner is definitely a good shot blocker right now, but he's not there yet as a rim protector. His concerns as a rim protector go along with his athleticism. He really struggles with guys his height that have that extra wingspan and vertical as the game against Kentucky showed. That game was really a primetime showing for scouts that he may never develop fully there. He wasn't getting high enough off the ground against the Kentucky bigs and that forced him to overcompensate and foul. Verticality isn't all that great if you can't get that high off of the ground and that is sometimes the case for Turner when he can't get his best jump off. Needs to add some bulk, but there is concern about the way Turner moves/runs and how durable his knees would be over time. Lacks fluidity, can run the court, but his athleticism isn't something that jumps out. He has had some difficulties with his hips related to growth. His legs appear to be extremely stiff to the point where it appears he runs with a slight limp. Time will tell whether this is a temporary thing or he will always be a player lacking fluidity. His stats are unreliable as his averages have been poor to mediocre versus top teams and skyrockets against small schools who can't match up to his size. He still does a lot of things right on defense though and there are absolutely positives in this part of his game. With a reported 9'1.5" standing reach, he has the length to contest shots 1 on 1 at the NBA level, and while his current weight isn't conducive to pushing around NBA big men, 240 pounds is considerably larger than many young forwards have had coming into the league.
Fit with the Magic: Turner would also be an upgrade for the Magic and is a more capable PF than Towns because of his legitimate shooting range. Turner has excellent size for the position but like Towns, he is limited athletically. He's also an adept shot blocker, but not considered a true rim protector which the Magic seek. He's a highly intelligent player which should speak to his upside, but you gotta wonder why his numbers significantly drop against top competition.
Willie Cauley-Stein
Offense: Kindly put, a work in progress. He needs to shoot better and develop some low post moves. Improved FT shooter. In his three college seasons, he has gone from shooting 37% at the line as a freshman to now shooting 64% as a junior. Other than dunks, he has developed a soft touch on his hook shot and turned it into a legitimate weapon when crossing into the lane from the left block. While he has always been a willing passer, he now makes plays by passing adeptly out of the low post to find open shooters from multiple angles. His greatest challenge at the next level is developing in the high post where he is limited beyond setting a capable screen. With an increase in reliance on bigs being effective in the high post at the NBA level, his weakness in that area harm him far more than his improvement in the low post. He struggles when players close his space despite his size. Expends a lot of energy using his length to go around players--often finishing with moves that take him away from the rim--rather than using his lower body to move toward the basket
Defense: Cauley-Stein is already a high level interior NBA defender with great shot blocking ability. A long 7 footer with great speed and footwork, Cauley-Stein has all the tools to be a dominant defender in this league. True rim protector.
Fit with the Magic: WCS is everything the Magic need out of a defender. He's an enabler. His presence has an effect like Joakim Noah. He improves the whole team defense. Guards can funnel defenders his way. He can block shots from other big men. He has the quickness to keep up with guarding every position on the floor. He can defend the strongside or he can come to the rescue across the lane to block shots against the weakside. He's an excellent rebounder and he's improved his FTs to the point where he can stay in games. But what he offers offensively limits what the Magic could do offensively. He won't create space, he doesn't have a high post game outside of setting screens. That said he's not someone who clogs the paint and would get in Vucevic's way to operate down low. Rather he's a nice clean up guy. I'd be happy with his addition, but is he the best option out there?
And that brings me to.....
Kristaps Porzingis
Offense: As a legit 7 footer he has perfect height for the role, combined with long arms and big hands. Porzingis is extremely athletic for a player his size. He runs the floor well, is very mobile, and plays above the rim with ease. Fluid enough to play even as a small forward, showing amazing body control, with coordination and ball handling skills that exemplify his tremendous athleticism. His ball handling skills are a rarity for a man of his stature. Porzignis excels in transition situations, where he can use his speed, fluidity and athleticism to outrun defenders ... During the past season he has improved his off the ball game, exploiting cuts and backdoors to get the rim. He’s a solid shooter, with range also from three point, showing a remarkable confidence and variety of solutions: step-back, pull-up jumper, catch and shoot are all part of his repertoire. But because he is skinny and lanky, he losses balance after contact and the consequent preference to settle for the mid-range jumper instead of attacking the rim and drawing fouls. Most of his points in the painted area come from offensive rebounds and put backs, and his game is based solely facing the basket. Porzingis projects as a stretch big at the NBA level. While he flashed outside shot making ability a season ago, he’s now a consistent threat from beyond the arc. Porzingis fully extends himself on catch-and-shoot opportunities, elevating off the ground with ease and exhibiting textbook mechanics. His release is noticeably quicker and he’s become more willing to pull trigger, taking 63 three-point attempts in 573 minutes and hitting them at a 42.3 percent clip. Porzingis has soft hands that make him an excellent target for lobs when accounting for his quickness, length and ability to play above the rim. He has good touch around the basket with either hand, and can hit turnaround and fadeaway jumpers from the post impressively.
Defense: His length, mobility, athleticism and terrific motor make him a special player on the defensive end of the floor. With Porzingis on the floor, Cajasol’s team defensive efficiency rating is much, much improved, going from 104.7 to 99.8 (first 12 ACB games). He is really effective as a weak side defender, with his quickness and athleticism he can cover a lot of space in a few steps to alter or block shots. He is able to cover a lot of ground in a couple of steps to use his length and timing in order to block or bother shots at the rim (5 blocks a game or 1 block every 6 minutes at the U18 championship, 2.3 blocks per 40 minutes in the ACB). He is also always willing to sacrifice his body in order to force a charge. Furthermore his lateral mobility makes him a solid P&R defender, a key skill for a big man, especially at NBA level. His footwork also allows him to switch onto the guards forcing them to take difficult shots. He is able to hedge and then recover extremely quickly, using his long arms to shut angle of passes. He also has the athleticism to switch onto the smaller guard, stay with him and force him into a contested jumper. His length and aggressiveness could make him the pillar of a very good zone defender as he is able to rotate and disrupt passing lanes with efficiency (2,5 steals per 40 minutes in the ACB). His lack of strength affects his ability to guard traditional centers, with a tendency to be rag dolled during the battles below the rim.
Fit with the Magic: Ideally speaking, I don't think there is a better fit for the Magic's specific needs in this draft. With any of the other big men rated high in the lottery outside of Turner, none of them have the shooting capability that Porzingis offers. You end up worrying about a line up that doesn't feature enough shooters.
While he isn't going to bang in the post effectively at this stage, we don't really need that. Vucevic already operates in that space. What Porzingis can offer is excellent clean up scores using his quickness and length in addition to easy alley oops. He's a true above the rim player. He also offers capability at the high post to pull up for jumpers or pick up the ball and attack the rim off the dribble.
Defensively, he is a true rim protector. He has the quickness to get in position fast and the length to either block or alter shots. He has the feet to keep up with athletic PFs and length to wall up looks at the basket. As he adds weight which he has already started to show market improvement in, his capabilities will continue increase. WCS is the only one who can match Porzingis in this department, but he's already a college Junior.
Currently, he is knocked on his rebounding rates. But that isn't really a weakness for the Magic as Vucevic and Harris are above average rebounders at their positions. I also wonder if part of the reason is because he's asked to run down the court rather than to sit back and rebound. With a team that wants to run and be fast, Porzingis fits the Magic's style of play better than the other big men because of his quickness and athleticism.
For all the strengths he brings and his weaknesses which are mitigated by the current construct of the Magic roster, combined with his amazing upside, I believe "Zinger" is the best fit for our beloved Magic. The Magic need to continue to tank because as the draft approaches, I fully believe Porzingis will challenge Okafor for the #1 overall pick depending on the team that possesses the pick.
Reading through our NBA Draft thread, most of the talk is surrounding Towns and Russell as the most coveted names. But I think a lot of people were like me... ignoring the thing that was called Porzingerljaserlasdfas. Let's start the bandwagon together!
[youtube]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=09v9HBG9KbI[/youtube]
Full game highlights for you guys! Don't say all you have are highlights to judge him.
Published on Oct 22, 2014 -EuroCup 14/15: Baloncesto Sevilla v Proximus Spirou Charleroi
10 PTS, 4/6 FG, 0/2 3PT, 2/4 FT, 5 REB, 2 AST, 1 STL, 0 TO, 3 BLK
[youtube]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KzStR8mj96E[/youtube]
Published on Oct 29, 2014 - EuroCup 14/15: Virtus Roma v Baloncesto Sevilla
18 PTS, 4/8 FG, 3/4 3PT, 1/2 FT, 7 REB, 4 AST, 4 STL, 0 TO, 2 BLK
[youtube]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vYO4J7sWYuc[/youtube]
Published on Nov 5, 2014 - EuroCup 14/15: SLUC Nancy v Baloncesto Sevilla
10 PTS, 3/7 FG, 0/2 3PT, 4/4 FT, 8 REB, 0 AST, 0 STL, 0 TO, 2 BLK
[youtube]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JqN75PmVWa8[/youtube]
Published on Nov 12, 2014 - EuroCup 14/15: Baloncesto Sevilla v CEZ Nymburk
11 PTS, 2/6 FG, 2/3 3PT, 1/2 FT, 6 REB, 0 AST, 0 STL, 4 TO, 1 BLK
[youtube]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RILtwUlWq3U[/youtube]
Published on Nov 19, 2014 - EuroCup 14/15: Baloncesto Sevilla v EWE Baskets Oldenburg
12 PTS, 3/3 FG, 2/2 3PT, 0 FT, 2 REB, 0 AST, 1 STL, 2 TO, 1 BLK
[youtube]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iWgtK8BQlS0[/youtube]
Published on Nov 26, 2014 - EuroCup 14/15: Proximus Spirou Charleroi v Baloncesto Sevilla
7 PTS, 3/6 FG, 0 3PT, 1/2 FT, 5 REB, 0 AST, 1 STL, 2 TO, 1 BLK
[youtube]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lmXKUSsDkeg[/youtube]
Published on Dec 3, 2014 - EuroCup 14/15: Baloncesto Sevilla v Virtus Roma
18 PTS, 5/7 FG, 2/3 3PT, 2/2 FT, 1 REB, 2 AST, 1 STL, 1 TO, 2 BLK
[youtube]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H94KzEsX9WI[/youtube]
Published on Dec 10, 2014 - EuroCup 14/15: Baloncesto Sevilla v SLUC Nancy
9 PTS, 2/2 FG, 1/3 3PT, 2/2 FT, 3 REB, 0 AST, 1 STL, 3 TO, 0 BLK
[youtube]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JVwFZllwehg[/youtube]
Published on Dec 16, 2014 - EuroCup 14/15: CEZ Nymburk v Baloncesto Sevilla
5 PTS, 1/2 FG, 1/3 3PT, 0 FT, 2 REB, 0 AST, 1 STL, 0 TO, 1 BLK
[youtube]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ki588laJO7s[/youtube]
Published on Jan 8, 2015 - EuroCup 14/15: Baloncesto Sevilla v Telenet Oostende
14 PTS, 4/6 FG, 1/2 3PT, 3/4 FT, 3 REB, 0 AST, 0 STL, 2 TO, 1 BLK
[youtube]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7eqnV7mwYWE[/youtube]
Published on Jan 14, 2015 - EuroCup 14/15: PGE Turow Zgorzelec v Baloncesto Sevilla
8 PTS, 2/3 FG, 0/3 3PT, 4/6 FT, 8 REB, 1 AST, 2 STL, 1 TO, 3 BLK
[youtube]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Is4NpOgC5z0[/youtube]
Published on Jan 22, 2015 - EuroCup 14/15: Lietuvos Rytas v Baloncesto Sevilla
18 PTS, 4/8 FG, 2/3 3PT, 4/5 FT, 4 REB, 1 AST, 0 STL, 4 TO, 0 BLK
[youtube]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_eOkKKv9Iac[/youtube]
Published on Jan 29, 2015 - EuroCup 14/15: Baloncesto Sevilla v Lietuvos Rytas
16 PTS, 7/10 FG, 0/2 3PT, 2/2 FT, 2 REB, 0 AST, 1 STL, 0 TO, 1 BLK
[youtube]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=icsqsJGQ_ng[/youtube]
Published on Feb 4, 2015 - EuroCup 14/15: Telenet Oostende v Baloncesto Sevilla
9 PTS, 4/7 FG, 0/1 3PT, 1/2 FT, 5 REB, 1 AST, 0 STL, 2 TO, 0 BLK
[youtube]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BwuByrZ0tdc[/youtube]
Published on Feb 11, 2015 - EuroCup 14/15: Baloncesto Sevilla v PGE Turow Zgorzelec
19 PTS, 4/5 FG, 3/4 3PT, 2/4 FT, 3 REB, 1 AST, 2 STL, 5 TO, 1 BLK
[youtube]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Jg_79tQ3P10[/youtube]
