My issue is with his drive. Had he cared, he would have lost that weight in college. This article is why I like Jeremy Lamb though
I think this is key, the more I go on in life. A great person requires drive. Although Bayless had quite the motor, didn't he?
Ouch...So by age 25 Zeller will be a middle of the road starting center..... Yeah at #11, I would pass...mid\late 1st...maybe POR doesn't need middle of the road tlaent they need elite talent to pair with LA...They need to use #6 & #11 to try and get a player with that potential upside not settle for PROJECTED (not guaranteed) "safe" picks... That is how you end up with Nolan Smith as your 3rd string SG...
If you don't have the drive within yourself to play with 100% effort for the love of the game, let alone your teammates, coaches, personal pride, etc. then how are you ever supposed to be competitive enough to be a star in the NBA? Its one thing when a prospect is dominating while not giving 100% (bored with competition or just content to coast on talent) but Perry Jones didn't do anything above average. 14/7 is solid for a freshman but he didn't make any marked improvements in his sophomore year. I have a hard time believing that he just recently found out that he plays soft and lazy. His coaches must have been on him, he must have consulted with some NBA people during the pre-draft process last year. Yet his sophomore season showed few signs of improvement. His physical package suggests an unlimited ceiling, but I think one's mentality may provide limits themselves. Does this guy love the game? Does this guy like to compete? Is he flat out soft or staunchly averse to physical play? How is a guy like that going to will a team to victory? I agree that hes such a great talent that he could be a fine role player, but I question those who think he can ever be anything remotely close to Durant. And as for Hawes vs. Zeller, Hawes was leaps and bounds better than Zeller as a prospect. Hawes had the better frame, better post game, jump shot, and passing ability and he came out as a freshman. I don't see any of Zeller's moves on the low block translating in the NBA and hes too weak to battle with NBA C's. Won't be a good defensive player. I don't like much about him as far as his NBA prospects go.
I'm coming around to the combination of Nate's brutal treatment of any guard in his system, and Bayless's Lilliputian arms.
Aldridge averaged 15/9 his sophmore year and many said he was soft as well...A lot of people have questioned his toughness and drive and here at 26 he has DEVELOPED into an all star caliber player....and a lot of that has to do with increased competitiveness and toughness that you label Jones is incapable of overcoming. Pretty much all those negatives you just listed for Jones could have and HAVE BEEN said regarding Aldridge. I reitirate there is seemingly no red flags that would prevent him from increasing his competitiveness\toughness just like LA has....and the KEY point is that he has the skillset that if he gets it he has the potential to be VERY good. Also, Perry Jones played on a pretty talented team, more talented than the team LA played on....and certainly freshman Qunicy Miller (10pts\5 boards) took away some looks from Jones his sophmore year that should not be overlooked. I just think there is a lot of nit picking about what he can't do and not enough focus on what he CAN do. Yeah motivation\drive is a concern, but as I stated before, if he overcomes that then he is an all star caliber player IMO, and if not or if partially he still IMO would be a key rotation player like Batum is....With that kind of floor and potential ceiling why would you pass on a player like that? If you were smart you wouldn't... and POR desperately needs top tier talent to pair with LA....He is the perfect type of player to roll the dice on....
Speaking of PER -- this is scary: Nolan Smith (Duke): 25.7 PER | 6.4 WS | 56 TS% Lillard's advanced-stats are off the charts -- look at another small school prospect: Kenneth Faried (Morehead State): 34.7 PER | 10.9 WS | 62 TS%
Blaze01, I would point out that I don't think LMA ever completely blew off defense the way Jones did. He also displayed improvement from freshman to sophomore year. Players can be on the softer side and still do fine, but when they show a consistently blatant lack of effort its troubling. I always thought LMA should have been the #1 pick in that draft because the basis of his inside-out scoring game was apparent and it was NBA quality. He got punked by Big Baby in the tourney but it wasn't for lack of effort. IMO Jones looks like he doesn't want to be in the post so his response is to just let guys score on him. I think he fancies himself a 3. Which he will be in the NBA. But I can't get over the fact that he won't do what he needs to for his team to win. Plenty of NBA 3's played the 4 in college, and I imagine many preferred to be on the wing, but I can't remember any of them looking so pathetic in there. Does that take away from his talent? Most would probably say no. But I think his lack of toughness and competitiveness greatly lower the odds of his ever becoming anything really special.
Lillard: 33.8 PER | 12.0 WS/48 | 64 TS% Steph Curry: 36.4 PER | 11.5 WS/48 | 60 TS% I think Curry is a good comparision for him. My concern with Lillard is his jump between Freshman/Sophmore years wasn't that large. He was hurt most of his Junior year (so I will not compare the stats), then he has a HUGE jump for his Senior year. I like to see increase, but with such a significant jump - it seems like a 1-hit wonder.... http://www.draftexpress.com/profile/Damian-Lillard-6152/stats/ http://www.draftexpress.com/profile/Stephen-Curry-1170/stats/
After watching Isaiah Thomas take off I'm not overlooking any PG Depending how the draft falls I'd have no problem with Lillard at 11
DraftExpress' latest mock as of an hour ago......... http://www.draftexpress.com/nba-mock-draft/2012/
This is what I've been afraid of: Beal in the top-3 I'd hate to have to choose between Robinson over Drummond.
