Who's the D'Angelo Russell of 2016? The guy no one saw shooting up the boards because of an impressive freshman season.
Even Russell didn't know he was Russell until mid-last season.
Yeah, I totally get that, but Russell was a top 20 ranked incoming freshman, so it wasn't quite that outrageous.
I guess I'm saying, is there any guy in the top 25 incoming class that no one is really paying attention to as a top 5 prospect? E.g., Dwayne Bacon who mocks have going in the early-mid 20s and is rated the 14th best freshman. Note: I don't actually think it's going to be Bacon, just using him as an example.
Joined: 10 Apr 2001 Posts: 65135 Location: Orange County, CA
Posted: Sun Nov 08, 2015 10:19 pm Post subject:
AC Green's V-Card wrote:
Mike@LG wrote:
AC Green's V-Card wrote:
Who's the D'Angelo Russell of 2016? The guy no one saw shooting up the boards because of an impressive freshman season.
Even Russell didn't know he was Russell until mid-last season.
Yeah, I totally get that, but Russell was a top 20 ranked incoming freshman, so it wasn't quite that outrageous.
I guess I'm saying, is there any guy in the top 25 incoming class that no one is really paying attention to as a top 5 prospect? E.g., Dwayne Bacon who mocks have going in the early-mid 20s and is rated the 14th best freshman. Note: I don't actually think it's going to be Bacon, just using him as an example.
I think it's somewhat outrageous.
Top 20 guys don't usually leave their freshman year.
Top 25 incoming? Most of those guys have been watched since HS or earlier.
What I'm saying is, ranking is one thing, but there's a huge element of unpredictability for rate of improvement.
I mean, Nik Stauskas worked his way to the #8 pick. Generally, deadly NCAA shooters are late 1st rounders, 2nd round guys, or flat out undrafted.
No one could account for the fact that he had a dribble drive game by his sophomore year and developed core strength to explode to the hoop within 2 years. Ridiculous. _________________ Resident Car Nut.
My god, can we please get this kid in purple and gold?
Ya there's no way he's not gunna be the #1 pick. and not because his game will translate the best - he's just guna look that good against college opponents. He's this years Jahlil, but there's no KAT to dethrone him - someone who looks almost as good but their game translates way better. There isn't that guy in this class.
Skal is going to be his competition I think, he'll have a big imprint on games, he's pretty refined - but he doesn't have length so you can't just say his game translates better --- KAT's clearly did.
first time watching dragan bender highlights, gotta say his team defense and motor are exceptional. his court awareness and positioning are off the charts for his age imo, and he runs the floor HARD. offense is a WIP.
Who's the D'Angelo Russell of 2016? The guy no one saw shooting up the boards because of an impressive freshman season.
Even Russell didn't know he was Russell until mid-last season.
Not really. Russell started picking up steam after the closed scrimmage between Ohio State and WVU.
My point is, neither Thad Motta nor Russell knew he would get that good that quickly.
It's tougher to scout guys that are more cerebral than athletic.
They knew in early November.
Quote:
@WojYahooNBA: Scouts gushing over OSU's freshman D'Angelo Russell. Had 33 points in scrimmage at WVU. "Vision and delivery of passes impressive" one says.
Joined: 10 Apr 2001 Posts: 65135 Location: Orange County, CA
Posted: Mon Nov 09, 2015 5:59 pm Post subject:
Quote:
Matta knew what had been a two-year plan with Russell would instead be one.
The Buckeyes certainly thought Russell would be a two-year player when he arrived on campus, and Matta revealed Thursday that had been the plan of the Russell family.
"They told us a two-year commitment," Matta said said Thursday, before explaining how quickly it became clear that wouldn't make sense
Joined: 10 Apr 2001 Posts: 65135 Location: Orange County, CA
Posted: Mon Nov 09, 2015 6:03 pm Post subject:
Quote:
Rivals.com ranked him as the 18th-best recruit in the class of 2014, but he was never mentioned in the same breath as other elite recruits.
Even Russell's father, Antonio, is shocked by his son's rapid ascension, telling Bleacher Report on Tuesday that he expected D'Angelo to be a "two- or three-year guy" at Ohio State.
"I thought the same thing," D'Angelo said. "Early in the season, I'd always tell Coach [Thad] Matta, 'I'm going to be here a while. You've got me.'
"But then all these good things started happening. I started hitting shots and making all of these crazy passes. It got a lot of people's attention, and I started playing with more and more swagger. The NBA thing came up. I couldn't say no."
people talk a lot about Skal. But imo not enough people know about Damian Jones, so here's something for you
And this will be his 3rd year in college, thus his body is a bit more ready.
The other side of that is, he'll be a 3 year college guy, but he'll only be 20, and on draft night he'll still be 20.
I think he's as strong a center prospect as there is in the upcoming draft. I don't know if I'd take him top 3 due to the fact it takes so long for centers to come around. But he is a talent worth talking about that isn't getting enough attention imo. He's very similar to Deandre Jordan, and has the potential to be better offensively.
All about how he's molded and utilized. But he's definitely the type. And a top 6 talent. Perhaps top 3-5 if he has a better season this year as well.
For the record, he was also a teammate of Julius Randle
This was before Jones became and grew into the physical specimen he is now 3 years later. This was him at 17. Him and Julius.
Mike@LG wrote:
AC Green's V-Card wrote:
Simmons highlights from the scrimmage:
My god, can we please get this kid in purple and gold?
Ridiculous ambidextriousness.
Zero perimeter J displayed.
may not be worth much but here's him and Corey Sanders going on on one for fun
Not much to say, but he seemed to be hitting those threes on him with little effort. I know it's different in games though.
But if you think about it.
If our lineup was
Russell
Clarkson
Simmons
Randle
Whiteside
Then pretty much Russell and Clarkson would be our relegated perimeter shooters. Simmons would essentially be used in spot up if he's shooting threes or driving to the basket to set up Russell for wide open threes, or Randle for cuts, or Whiteside for oops, or Clarkson on cuts.
Though I'd figure if Kobe came back(he won't, barring us landing Durant), that Clarkson may be moved as the bench 1 in favor of him. Depends really.
So it can work, just need the proper coach to make it work.
Just about how we moved the ball around, Russell would still be handling it most of the time I'd figure, him and Simmons and occasionally Randle.
IF we had a proper offense we could be getting wide open opportunities all night.
IF... is my main part of that.
Though a great argument could be made that Jaylen Brown fits better. But if the Lakers wound up with the 1st pick, and worked out Jaylen and Simmons.. they'll go with the guy with the most talent. And if they figure Simmons talent is that much higher than Brown's and his shot can/will be fixed, they'll go with that I'd figure.
there will be lots to look at over the course of the CBB season. I expect Simmons will put up gaudy numbers on that LSU team. Really excited to keep watching these prospects with an eye on that top 3 pick
One consideration is the new 30 second play clock. The pace is going to quicken and thus more possessions/opportunities for stats. Going to have to measure players on pace-adjusted play and Per 40 numbers to contrast them against previous prospects.
Joined: 10 Apr 2001 Posts: 65135 Location: Orange County, CA
Posted: Wed Nov 11, 2015 8:14 am Post subject:
Thing is, we don't know how good of an anchor he may be. He's actually the "ideal" of new wave ball, where 5 guys can push and pass.
It helps that he's a good rebounder. He slimmed down from 260, but I wouldn't be surprised if he muscled back up to that weight. Good athlete with some footspeed, but not the most explosive vertical. _________________ Resident Car Nut.
Thing is, we don't know how good of an anchor he may be. He's actually the "ideal" of new wave ball, where 5 guys can push and pass.
It helps that he's a good rebounder. He slimmed down from 260, but I wouldn't be surprised if he muscled back up to that weight. Good athlete with some footspeed, but not the most explosive vertical.
Joined: 10 Apr 2001 Posts: 65135 Location: Orange County, CA
Posted: Wed Nov 11, 2015 9:59 am Post subject:
AC Green's V-Card wrote:
Mike@LG wrote:
Thing is, we don't know how good of an anchor he may be. He's actually the "ideal" of new wave ball, where 5 guys can push and pass.
It helps that he's a good rebounder. He slimmed down from 260, but I wouldn't be surprised if he muscled back up to that weight. Good athlete with some footspeed, but not the most explosive vertical.
Mike, what's your NBA comp for this kid?
It's just game 1. Couldn't really think of anything that came to mind. People want to say Marc Gasol or Kevin Love, but, both of those guys were dominant post players out of Euro League/HS prior to the NBA, where they became high post/3pt. oriented.
Actually, now that I thought about it... something along the lines of.. Georges Niang and Royce White. White had the hands and the measurables. Both guys were PF/Cs with triple threat skills. _________________ Resident Car Nut.
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