I like "The Catapult" - very fitting. When I'm watching the game: Al-Farouq Aminu Then he gets possesion of the ball: Ah Fook 'ereweGo!
Really good players and really poor players have nicknames. IMHO Aminu doesn't fit either description (really good/poor player). He doesn't have a nickname. We're simply saying his birth name in English.
True. But you get that my post was intended as a joke, right? Aminu scares the crap out of me when he starts over-dribbling in the paint.
I don't think his value as a small-ball 4 is solely predicated on his shooting. He's not a great ball-handler, and playing him at PF mean he has to handle the ball less. Currently, his the 5th ball handler in the lineup behind McLillard, Harkless, and Plumlee. Playing him at SF means more of him handling the ball, which is a no-no. The scheme change has also made him a lot more effective as a PF. He's one of the best hedge-man I've ever seen. He's so quick to double or hedge and that combined with his length wreaks havoc on the other team. If he was at SF, he'd be guarding someone who doesn't normally set picks, and you'd be having guys like Davis or Vonleh try to hedge. Aminu at PF is vital to our new aggressive defensive scheme. He's also able to blow by his defender more easily at PF. Against SFs, he's not quick enough. So not only would he be missing shots, but he wouldn't be able to get to the rim. Against PFs, he has a chance.
