I was fortunate to get tickets to see the Georgia-Arkansas game last night, and even better, they were in the 4th row at the foul line, so had a really good chance to see Bobby Portis up close. He was my pre-season pick to watch for the Wiz pick this season, so I wanted to see if he passed the eye test in person.
The short answer: Maybe. Or perhaps Yes-and-No. Or even Yes, but....
He looked incredibly smooth on offense. His jumper was so silky. (He'd be a perfect fit for the Wiz, because he took a bunch of long 2s.
On the other hand, he made them - and the college long 2 is more of a mid-range jumper in the NBA. But I digress...)
He had a few other good basketball plays, passed well out of the post (on the few occasions he went into the post, or got an offensive rebound), and made a couple other plays simply by being tall. One was a block where his length surprised a jump shooter on the perimeter, and another where he pulled down a rebound and immediately found an open teammate for a 3.
All in all, a very polished offensive player. And he was being harassed all night by the UGA fans, but it never seemed to get to him. I know Rashard Lewis is not a very popular player around here, but he kind of reminded me a bit of Shart - not quite as automatic from 3 (although he did look good making the one he did take), but a bit more length and all-around game.
On the downside, he seemed very weak/skinny. Not much in rebounding (was stuck on one board for much of the game, got several in the last minute to end with 5). Didn't see any rim protection from him. Couldn't hold his position very well on either end of the floor. Was mostly matched up against smaller players, and UGA's big man - not much of an NBA prospect - had about the same impact on the game, but they never switched Portis onto him.
So if we were to add him to the team, I would see a very good offensive player, a legitimate Stretch 4 candidate, just not a 2-way player. For next year, playing alongside Gortat and Nene could be a good fit, leaving whichever of those two is on the court with Portis to be the primary interior defender, while Portis can provide offense and great spacing for Wall to work with.
Funny thing is, I came into the game wanting to like him and was even more impressed with his offense than I expected to be, and yet am slightly less enthusiastic about him as a prospect than I was going in. Still, I'd be glad to get him in the 20s, and I guess if he was all that he wouldn't be available that late. Would be a good addition, a good piece to the puzzle, but really just that - a supporting piece. I wouldn't complain about that.
"A society that puts equality - in the sense of equality of outcome - ahead of freedom will end up with neither equality nor freedom. The use of force to achieve equality will destroy freedom" Milton Friedman, Free to Choose
