Batum is going to be my favorite Blazer

Even though his 3's against the wolves were off, he still had 12 points, 1 block shot, 6 rebounds, 4-4 at the FT line, and 3 assists.

 

19 and he's reportedly the hardest worker on the team(per Rice). The sky is the limit with this guy. I think Rudy is progressing great too, by the way. Both these guys are going to be nearly unrecognizeable in 2-3 years, imho. They both have good handles or the potential to have good handles, and once they start dribble driving its going its really going to open up both their games.

I like Batum's D, but I'm not sure he has the lateral quickness to eventually equal Pippen. What I like most is his ability to finish on the break. He makes the impossible possible on the break much the way Kersey and Drexler used to. Not sure we have another player like that? He doesnt always exhibit it enough, but he's shown glimpses.

Yeah, he's our small forward of the future. 19? It's not quite unprecedented, but its exclusive company.

 

We're a better team with Batum out on the floor than Travis despite the fact that Batum doesn't get the stats that TO occasionally gets. It boggles me that Travis gets more minutes, because obviously our defense needs more work than offense. But whatever, I'm probably just an idiot fan.

 

One thing I wish Batum would do is be more aggressive. I think he should put it on the floor more because he's such a strong finisher. He seems pretty content at just hoisting up those 3-pointers from the corner.

 

Welcome the Blazers offensive scheme where 90% of the time the person playing SF camps in the corner. That's his role as SF in this system.

 

small quibble, he turned 20 in February.

this link from the 2007 Nike Hoops Summit is the only real measurement on the internet for NB that I'm aware of.

6'7.75 w/shoes
7'0.75 wingspan
8'8.75 standing reach

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So not really freakish.

Comparisons:

Josh Howard = 6'7" w/ 7'2" wingspan

Tayshaun Prince and Pippen were both significantly longer. Augmon, probably, too.

 

I'd rather be good then freakish

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He's already been my hidden superpower.
32 min, 7-8 FGM-A, 3-3 FGM-A, 4-4 FGM-A, 4 def rebounds, 2 assists, 1 steal, 2 blocks, 1 turnover, yielding 20pts.
He was a monster vs the Nets. This young 20 year old is improving so much this season. He's my new Rookie favorite.

 

I would like Batum to work on not traveling =).

Seriously, though he gets at least 1 travel call a game it seems. Other than that, consistency in his jumper would be optimal. There's been numerous times when a comes off a screen and pulls up for the mid-range jumper and I've never seen it go in.

What I like about his game is how good of a finisher he is. He's so fluid(like water) when running the fast break. He either dunks it with ease or turns the guy's hips and finishes with a Gervin-esque finger roll. He's also fearless.

 

Smaller quibble, he turned 20 on December 14, 2008

I wonder if he's grown since then. He would have only been 18 at the time. I know I grew over an inch in height after high school.

BNM

 

BTW, my youngest is a great judge of talent (future NBA scout). Batum has been her favorite players since the first time she saw him play in the pre-season game against Utah where he more than held his own against Andrei Kirilenko. The best play of the game was when Kirilenko, realizing he had a rookie guarding him, posted up on the low box, spun baseline and had his shot swatted into the 12th row by Batum.

BNM

 

Thanks, but the play I was thinking of was a DIFFERENT block on Kirilenko. Batum had three blocks in that game. The one I was think of was on the right baseline.

BNM

 

If Batum got a more consistent jump shot, he would be a starter in the NBA even if he didn't get any better in anything else.

So yeah, I think he will be the starting sf of the team in the future. I do envision Batum and Martell splitting time at the spot next year, though.

 

I have to let everyone know my wife was a Batum fan first. She has been pissed that everytime we go to a game the Blazers Fanshop never has his jersey. Yet they have Raef, Shavlik and Ike.

 

Actually, you can get a jersey for any player in red, black or white made to order at the games. I don't recall the exact location off the top of my head, but I think it's in the A15 - A16 area. You can walk up before the game and place your order. The jerseys are usually ready by half time - unless they are really busy.

That's how I got my daughter's black 88 Batum jersey back in November - she's worn it to every game since.

BNM

 

le fantome!

 

in the immortal words of Manute Bol... my bad

How does he look to you compared to other Blazers (and NBA players) that we know the heights of from their pre-drafts? Roy came in at 6'5.25 barefoot, Martell 6'6, Travis 6'7.5, Channing 6'9.5, LA 6'10. Subtracting the standard 1.5" from his 6'7.75 measurement would place him at 6'6.25.

the most likely scenario is that what he measured in 2007 is still accurate because the vast majority of guys have done all their growing by 18. Since players usually go with the shoes on measurement for their public listing, and NB's is 6'8, heres guessing he is what he measured in 2007.

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