tsherkin wrote:freewhitemoon wrote:I've followd Simmons since he was at Montverde (am a aussie) and I can tell you those numbers are very wrong. He does not have a 9 foot reach and all the college scouts know this. Those numbers are from a private LSU combine designed to boost his stock and that of his teammates. His wingspan was measured at 6'11 at 2 previous occasions, just a couple months prior and his standing reach at 8'7. At this same LSU combine they claimed he had a max vertical of 41.5 inches. that would put his max reach at shaq/dwight territory. they also claim 40 inch verticals for half the LSU team and the 3 fastest 3/4 sprints in the history of college basketball. So unless you believe that he jumps higher than drose and runs the floor faster than john wall, I'd take those numbers with a grain of salt.
We'll see at the Combine, no doubt. Meantime, the standing reach that's circulating around the internet at the moment is, as I said, 9'0.5 inches. With 3'5.5" of vert, we're talking 12'6 of reach, yes. I think the vertical is probably overstated, but I don't think the reach is, because they're basically reporting mildly above-average reach. 41.5 inches of vert would be over 8 inches above the average rating for a PF, and there is no PF in the DX history with a 12'6 max vert reach aside from Simmons. 12'5.5", but not 12'6. Shaq's was 12'5.
So I'm fully willing to believe that the vertical is off. That said, Simmons is a reported 6'9 in shoes, with a wingspan of 7'0.25". That's, +3.25", and fully believable. It might even be a bit off of the mark, a shade short, fine. Like I said, average wingspan is 7'1.5" and standing reach 9'0.4" for that height without shoes. Those measurements are believable, much more so than the vertical.
If we're believing that he's going to be treated as a SF, then while he has an average-ish profile (but slightly above-average reach) for a PF, he's looking in fine shape for a SF, based on measurements which are pretty reasonable.
I mean we can split hairs and battle out the semantics, I suppose, but in my mind, it really depends on where he's played in the NBA. He doesn't project as a post guy, he projects as a face-up guy, so his measurements versus PFs are basically irrelevant. He'll be able to contest in the post, and he'll be able to contest on the perimeter. He won't likely burn up the BLK/g category, especially if he's a SF, but if he is a perimeter-oriented forward on offense, then he's going to have a significant length advantage when he's moving towards the rim with a head full of steam, regardless of position. That's sort of the point.
There is a good chance he misses the combine like many other top prospects in past years (towns, wiggins, jabari, okafor etc). He is guaranteed a top 2 pick in this draft so there is no point in testing. As I've said, scouts know that 9 foot measurement is incorrect. he was measured just 8'7 a couple months prior. It's not a coincidence that one of the biggest knocks against him was length and he suddenly emerges with a near elite standing reach after getting measured privately by his LSU staff. His 41.5 inch vertical, fastest 3/4 time in history of the combine were all at the same event. The latter are obviously wrong which calls into question the rest of his measurements.
if he really had a 9 foot reach, there'd be absolutely zero questions about his length. he'd be big enough not just for power forward but small ball 5 as well. Yet every scouting report on him has that as one of his weaknesses. Scouts arent stupid, they've overlooked physical measurements at all the other camps/nike summits he's attended.
