Notice At #46, the Portland Trail Blazers select...CJ Elleby?

Discussion in 'Portland Trail Blazers' started by TBpup, Nov 18, 2020.

  1. Hoopguru

    Hoopguru Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    Sep 16, 2014
    Messages:
    19,592
    Likes Received:
    16,198
    Trophy Points:
    113
    Elleby is another second round surprise. The kid is a baller and full of confidence and it wouldnt surprise me if he beats out Simons for minutes eventually.
     
    Last edited: Nov 23, 2020
    AldoTrapani likes this.
  2. Scalma

    Scalma Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    May 18, 2014
    Messages:
    23,631
    Likes Received:
    34,978
    Trophy Points:
    113
    it’d be hilarious if Ellebe ended up being a better “point guard” than Simons. Would Olshey fire his analytics department for showing him up? Jokes aside, Ellebe’s assist percentage as a freshman, when he was used more as a facilitator, was twice anything Simons has put up so far in the nba. Turnovers seemed to be an issue, but idk, he seems to have a better feel for the game than Simons, who's trending towards more of a McCollum aka pure scorer. TIME WILL TELL
     
  3. Scalma

    Scalma Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    May 18, 2014
    Messages:
    23,631
    Likes Received:
    34,978
    Trophy Points:
    113
    https://www.swxrightnow.com/stories/2020/nov/17/fearless-quality-should-help-cj-elleby-succeed-in-/

    Kyle Smith, who as an assistant at Saint Mary’s coached current San Antonio Spurs veteran Patty Mills, has no doubt Elleby can thrive in the NBA.

    The WSU coach questioned if Elleby “might be a bad fit” for his Nerd Ball system after initial practices last season.

    However, those concerns disappeared following a preseason scrimmage against Eastern Washington when Smith began to understand what makes Elleby special.

    “I didn’t know until we played somebody else, then I was like, ‘OK, I get it,’ ” Smith said. “He gets excited like no one to compete on game night. It’s a joy for him. I don’t know if that’s his process or what, but I told all the NBA guys that’s what makes him special.

    “Patty Mills had that same quality, but he’s maybe not as talented as CJ. But Patty has NBA speed and NBA belief. He thought he belonged out there, and CJ is the same way. He is not scared. He’s going to play fearless. That’s an incredible quality that you can’t teach.”
     
    Hoopguru, GoBlazersGo and PHXBlazer1 like this.
  4. Hoopguru

    Hoopguru Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    Sep 16, 2014
    Messages:
    19,592
    Likes Received:
    16,198
    Trophy Points:
    113
    Second round sleeper!
    Ive watched him play, he’s wiry confident and a good defender. Going to make it tough on Simon.
     
  5. Scalma

    Scalma Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    May 18, 2014
    Messages:
    23,631
    Likes Received:
    34,978
    Trophy Points:
    113
    https://www.oregonlive.com/blazers/...ily-of-seattle-basketball-legends-to-nba.html

    Former Washington State coach Ernie Kent said he believed Elleby had NBA potential while recruiting him out of Seattle, which has produced a plethora of NBA talent over the years, including two first-round picks last week. Elleby, Kent said, played well against that level of talent while growing up and in high school.

    And he did so with a grit that stood out. Diving on the floor. Going after rebounds against taller players. Fighting for every inch to get an edge. He also learned concepts quickly.

    “He just competes so hard and he has a really high basketball IQ,” Kent said. “He’s like a sponge that way.”

    Elleby averaged 14.7 points and 7.1 rebounds as a freshman while shooting 41.4% on three-point attempts. He played well enough to garner some interest from scouts prior to the 2019 NBA draft. But Elleby instead decided to return to WSU to work on his game under new WSU coach Kyle Smith.


    Elleby said some NBA teams told him to tighten up the mechanics of his shooting form. As a freshman, he brought the ball up over his head and then bent his form? backward before releasing the ball like a catapult. He adjusted the form to bring the ball up more in front of his forehead, which quickened his release.


    Elleby’s role on the team increased as a sophomore, bumping his shot attempts up from 12 per game the prior season to 15.6. Consequently, his scoring average jumped to 18.4, fourth in the Pac-12. However, Elleby’s shooting percentages dipped from 43.6% from the field as a freshman to 39.6% as a sophomore and from 41.4% on threes to 33.9%.


    Adjusting to the collegiate three-point line being moved from 20 feet, 9 inches to the international distance of 22-1 ¾ was a factor, along with defenses focusing more on Elleby as he became the team’s leading scorer.


    “He was getting the other team’s best defender every night,” Smith said.


    Then factor in the new shooting form, and it’s no wonder that his shooting percentages dipped. However, the new stroke was taking hold. His free throw shooting percentage jumped from 66.1% as a freshman to 82.3%. Gradually, his shooting touch came around.


    Through the first 14 games of last season, Elleby shot 27.8% on three-point attempts (25 of 90). Over the final 18 games, he shot 38.3% (49 of 128).


    The hard work paid off. Smith said Elleby’s work ethic and high character wouldn’t allow him to not improve.


    “He is really dedicated, almost obsessive,” Smith said. “He will get in the gym. You don’t have to worry about him. He is a gym rat.”
     
  6. Hoopguru

    Hoopguru Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    Sep 16, 2014
    Messages:
    19,592
    Likes Received:
    16,198
    Trophy Points:
    113
    Going to be some interesting competition with Simons against two second picks.
     
  7. Scalma

    Scalma Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    May 18, 2014
    Messages:
    23,631
    Likes Received:
    34,978
    Trophy Points:
    113
    FBD223B3-64A0-49E2-8909-2F50DC0D6771.jpeg
     
    illmatic99 likes this.
  8. UKRAINEFAN

    UKRAINEFAN Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    Sep 30, 2008
    Messages:
    13,539
    Likes Received:
    10,874
    Trophy Points:
    113
    Occupation:
    un-retired
    Location:
    Autonomous Republic of Crimea, Ukraine
    I really like how his 3 pt. % went way up in his last 18 games. First time I read that.
     
    PtldPlatypus likes this.
  9. UKRAINEFAN

    UKRAINEFAN Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    Sep 30, 2008
    Messages:
    13,539
    Likes Received:
    10,874
    Trophy Points:
    113
    Occupation:
    un-retired
    Location:
    Autonomous Republic of Crimea, Ukraine
    If you're talking about Trent; it seems like he has already lost that competition, and it's not close.
     
  10. Fez Hammersticks

    Fez Hammersticks スーパーバッド Zero Cool

    Joined:
    Sep 23, 2008
    Messages:
    28,882
    Likes Received:
    9,531
    Trophy Points:
    113
    Occupation:
    Phone Psychic
    Location:
    The Deep State, US and A.
    Cut and paste plays Miami uses specifically for Duncan Robinson.

    This is how you develop Elleby IMO.
     
  11. SharpesTriumph

    SharpesTriumph Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    May 4, 2018
    Messages:
    6,909
    Likes Received:
    6,780
    Trophy Points:
    113
    I wonder if Neil is high on him as he was other second rounders.... or if he was added mostly for his low salary, as only a second round pick signing could keep us below the luxury tax.
     
  12. Wizard Mentor

    Wizard Mentor Wizard Mentor

    Joined:
    Oct 22, 2008
    Messages:
    13,835
    Likes Received:
    13,631
    Trophy Points:
    113
    Occupation:
    Master of Xen Foro
    Location:
    La Grande, OR
    Neil didn't "go get" Elleby. He let him fall to 46 - if he wasn't there, he'd be talking up whoever we took.
     
  13. Scalma

    Scalma Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    May 18, 2014
    Messages:
    23,631
    Likes Received:
    34,978
    Trophy Points:
    113
    this logic is always funny to me, as if his only choices were Elleby or nobody. So pretty much the only players GMs are allowed to talk up are the ones they trade for?
     
  14. Wizard Mentor

    Wizard Mentor Wizard Mentor

    Joined:
    Oct 22, 2008
    Messages:
    13,835
    Likes Received:
    13,631
    Trophy Points:
    113
    Occupation:
    Master of Xen Foro
    Location:
    La Grande, OR
    idk what you're talking about. What I said is 100% accurate.

    I wasn't saying that it's only appropriate to talk up who you took. In fact, it would be inappropriate to do anything else.

    Neil didn't trade anything to make sure the prospect he wanted "was there", like he's done with some players in the past. So, we don't really know how much Neil really likes cj2.
     
  15. Scalma

    Scalma Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    May 18, 2014
    Messages:
    23,631
    Likes Received:
    34,978
    Trophy Points:
    113
    Yes we do. He drafted him.
     
    AmirIcon and Hoopguru like this.
  16. Hoopguru

    Hoopguru Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    Sep 16, 2014
    Messages:
    19,592
    Likes Received:
    16,198
    Trophy Points:
    113
    He was on his board at 46 so he took him. And Im sure he did his homework on the pick.
     
    Scalma likes this.
  17. Rastapopoulos

    Rastapopoulos Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    Oct 30, 2008
    Messages:
    37,387
    Likes Received:
    21,980
    Trophy Points:
    113
    Occupation:
    Ballin'
    Elleby's hair reminds me of Phil Lynott

    [​IMG]

    Carmelo lost his hand in there:
    upload_2020-12-12_11-37-33.png
     
    GoBlazersGo and B-Roy like this.
  18. Orion Bailey

    Orion Bailey Forum Troll

    Joined:
    Jan 27, 2015
    Messages:
    26,285
    Likes Received:
    21,506
    Trophy Points:
    113
    He looked big out there. Looked lost on d a bit on a couple plays, but i liked his effort and full court pressure. i like his height and length.
    does he have any offense?
     
  19. tlongII

    tlongII Legendary Poster

    Joined:
    Sep 15, 2008
    Messages:
    16,455
    Likes Received:
    10,935
    Trophy Points:
    113
    Occupation:
    Systems Analyst
    Location:
    Beaverton, Oregon
    His stroke needs improvement. He has decent size though.
     
  20. RR7

    RR7 Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    Oct 17, 2008
    Messages:
    17,596
    Likes Received:
    11,213
    Trophy Points:
    113
    One thing I liked from CJ is when a shot went up on defense, he turned and found the guy he was defending immediately. It's a good way to not have your man sneak around you for an offensive rebound. Something Rolo was good at, and why he never got huge board #s, but his teams were always good rebounding teams. And something Whiteside was awful at.
     
    GoBlazersGo, riverman, B-Roy and 4 others like this.

Share This Page