There's a lot to like about Thomas, but we had him and many others in for a workout, and apparently Simons demonstrated a higher upside.
2 - Gary Trent Jr. Duke Birthday: 1/18/99 NBA Position: Shooting Guard Class: Freshman Ht: 6-5 Wt: 205 Hometown: St. Paul, MN High School: Prolific Prep Team Site Profile Statistics NBA Comparison: Buddy Hield Strengths: Strong 6’6, 215-pound body frame for an NBA 2-guard … Tough and physical swingman … Fundamentally sound player … Known for being a high level shooter, especially from beyond the arc … Compact and consistent jumper … Sweet shooting touch … Can shoot the three off screens or pull-up in mid-range spots … Impressive scoring instincts/shot-maker … Clutch player who wants the ball in his hands at the end of games ... Can finish through contact … Makes good use of floaters and improvised runners in the lane … Knows his strengths and plays with great technique … Not afraid of taking big shots in big situations … Can get hot from three by both spotting up and off the dribble … Has very good range on his jumper … Decent scorer off the dribble … Can score off the move and from all three levels … Excellent free throw shooter … A successful scorer in the open floor … A good scorer on straight line drives … Adequate playmaker … Uses his size to gain post position and to clear space for rebounding … Good rebounder … Plays with poise ... Exhibits solid decision making and passing ability … Can drive the ball effectively with either hand … Aggressive player and will crash the glass on both ends … When he’s locked in defensively and competing, he can move his feet and stay in front of his man … Strong enough to switch onto bigger players … Aggressive in playing the passing lanes … Has good instincts for coming up with steals … Built a reputation for being a high character kid and a leader ... Bloodlines and growing up around the game give him a leg up on competition ... Weaknesses: Average run/jump athlete … Lacks explosiveness … Does not possess quick feet or lateral quickness… Plays mostly below the rim … Does not have an ideal combination of size, length, and leaping ability, which can make it hard for him to fight for rebounds or make plays at the rim at the next level … Can be a streaky shooter … Spotty shot selection at times … An inefficient scorer from inside the arc … Lacks an elite first step off the dribble … He’s not overly creative or explosive with the ball in his hands … Would rather bulldoze his way through opponents on his way to the basket … Lacking great speed, he relies heavily on his strength … Does not create for his teammates as much as you’d like to see … Can be categorized as a reluctant (or even bad) passer, often becoming too focused on scoring on offense … Decent, but not elite, ball-handler … Does not project as a great perimeter defender at the next level … Lacks fluidity in his movements for a wing player ... Gives inconsistent effort on the defensive end of the floor … May struggle to guard quicker and more athletic players in one-on-one situations …Will need to show that he can consistently excel on defense … Prone to gamble for steals … Overall: Gary Trent Jr. is a potential first round pick in this year’s draft ... He has a strong frame and great confidence as a shooter ... Theoretically, he could fill the role of a 3&D at the next level ... But he’ll have to buy into that role first, as he’s shown to primarily place his focus on just trying to be a scorer ...
He wasn't here on the same day Thomas was, but yes, I'm sure Simons was very impressive. Where is JQ and those blinds when you need him?
He has a Space Shuttle tattooed on his shin, that makes me question a lot about him, kinda like the Suit Shorts I saw tonight.
I really hate being the voice of optimism, and I was not big on Trent (and seldom am on Duke players in general), but let me throw this out there. A lot of people, myself included, would have really liked to have drafted Mikal Bridges. So look at Trent's game a bit. There are some similarities, and Trent is more than 2 years younger ... he has time to still develop to bridge whatever gap there is between them, no pun intended. I would wonder how Bridges compared to Trent when they were college freshmen. Seem like players who possess similar skills but we didn't have to trade up 14 spots in the first round to get the latter. OK, we now return you to your regularly-scheduled cynicism.
Many of the mock drafts had Trent being a mid-to-late first round pick. That he lasted to the 37thpick will stick with him. “Chip on my shoulder? It’s more than that,’’ Trent said. “Going in the second round … I believe I was a first rounder. I’m going to have to come in and work and prove I belong, prove I can stay in this league and prove that I’m better than a second round pick. I’m up for that challenge.’’ Trent’s father played for the Blazers from 1995-1998, a coincidence not lost on the younger Trent. “It’s crazy. That can’t be nothing but God’s work,’’ Trent said. “To put me in the same place that my dad played – it’s a surreal feeling. It’s unexplainable. Crazy to think about.’’
I think our scouts do a good job of assessing intangibles beyond basketball skills which has been mentioned...more goes into a pick than stats
I didn't really mind Crabbe when he himself was a poor man's Allen Crabbe on a cheap rookie contract. Once we matched that ridiculous offer sheet and he stopped improving, he had to go. BNM
