Hidden Gem

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<b>Jarvis Varnado</b></td></tr>
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• 6'9"
• Junior
• Forward/Center
• Mississippi State Univeristy

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<a href="http://www.mstateathletics.com/ViewArticle.dbml?SPSID=90867&SPID=10994&DB_OEM_ID=16800&ATCLID=944351&Q_SEASON=2008">Mississippi State Profile</a>

<a href="http://www.draftexpress.com/profile/Jarvis-Varnado-1189/">Draft Express Profile</a>


I am not sure he declares this year or next, but if we do not want to trade up for DeJaun Blair, he could be the next best thing. Watching him play, you can see the excellent timing he has on his shot blocks. We all know Joel will not be here forever, so this could be some nice insurance, even though he is more of a power forward. He is really in the Theo Ratliff/Samuel Dalembert mode. Who better to mentor him for a few years then Greg Oden & Joel Przybilla?

 

Don't we already have a 6'9 player from Mississippi?

 

I was thinking the same thing, he reminded me of the Rattler. To be honest though, I never liked Theo as a player.

 

Is it too much to ask or were you, like me, a fan of his talents as a sous chef?

 

Not after watching him get bullied around today.

 

Reminded me of Ratliff as well.

 

Brockman ate him alive today lol

Varnado is possibly a lottery pick next year, so unless Blazers are going to suck next year, I doubt he's a "hidden gem"

 

I was thinking he seems a lot like Stromile Swift

 

Kids a string bean. He would get used and abused in the NBA.

 

I saw Sanders play, and I thought he looked pretty interesting.
He's not listed on nbadraft.net
http://sports.espn.go.com/ncb/player/profile?playerId=36534

 

I agree with this. Big difference in the NBA.

 

No I wasn't a fan of how after he got an lucrative extension that he came down with a mysterious ailment every time the team was struggling, which was most of the time.

 

I saw Varnardo in person yesterday and he gets thrown around like a rag doll in the post. If he can develop an outside shot he will be decent. I love his abilities as an "Outlaw PF" but his offense needs to expand. Defensively he is a force. I think the Ratliff comparisons are good. Watching him yesterday I told a couple people he looked like an undersized Dalembert.


As far as Hidden Gems are concerned, this Woodside guy from NDSU looks like Steve Nash!

 

Well, he sure could block a ton of shots and .....


Nothing else really. The saddest part of it all is that he WAS one of the best players on that team. That says a lot more about the team then it does about Ratliff