Simple solution...TheOriginalOriginal wrote: Walker has borderline Elfrid hair.
Tie it back during games.
Simple solution...TheOriginalOriginal wrote: Walker has borderline Elfrid hair.
That's our good friend Shai Gilgeous-Alexander.Superbone wrote:That Kentucky 22 player looks scared!
Deandre Ayton
ESPN:
StrengthsImprovement areas
- Incredibly gifted physical specimen in terms of size, length, frame and mobility.
- Exceptionally skilled for a player his size. Can dribble, pass and shoot. Inside-out threat.
- Terrific rebounder (career 15.2 per 40 minutes).
The Ringer:
- Often a step slow defensively. Instincts/awareness leave a lot to be desired at times. Didn't affect the game (0.7 steals, 2.3 blocks per 40) as much as you'd expect at college level. Can he anchor a defense?
- Work ethic is average according to those who have worked with him
- Fancies himself as more of a power forward than a center. Would rather pop than roll. Will he be willing to do the dirty work/little things?
PLUSESMINUSES
- Has wide shoulders and a thick frame with room to add even more muscle.
- Bouncy athlete vertically, but also very fluid and agile. He has light feet like a dancer, and runs the floor like a T-800 android.
- Excellent finisher around the rim using either hand. Knows how to use angles and footwork to create space on the post.
- Effective shooter due to soft touch and good mechanics; his range projects to the NBA 3-point line.
- Better ball handler attacking from the perimeter than he was able to show at Arizona.
- Underrated passer who makes accurate outlets and kickouts to shooters and cutters. Stays under control when facing pressure or doubles.
- Good rebounder due to his sheer athletic advantage.
- Potentially a super-switchable defender with the length and power to defend true bigs and the lateral quickness to contain wings and guards.
- Does a good job of altering shots without fouling by keeping his hands straight up and not reaching.
- Gets caught in no-man’s-land too often on defense; are his instincts poor, or does he just need more coaching?
- Sometimes just flat-out misses on help defense against dribble penetration.
- Intensity wanes, which has been a knock since he was young; is that because of fatigue, focus, or his mind-set?
- Low block and steal rates are notable considering his elite measurables and theoretical defensive potential.
- Occasionally drifts on the perimeter.
- His hands have improved since high school, but he still occasionally fumbles passes.
ESPN: http://www.espn.com/nba/insider/story/_ ... weaknessesLuka Doncic
ESPN:
StrengthsImprovement areas
- Electric transition player who rebounds and pushes with a purpose. Powerful athlete once he can get momentum going. Creative open-floor playmaker.
- Ball-screen savant who picks apart defenses with his elite vision, timing and creativity (7.3 assists per 40). Punishes defenders for going under screens with deep pull-ups.
- Smart off-ball defender who shows good activity when his offense is going (8.4 rebounds and 1.7 steals per 40). Elite instincts on both ends.
The Ringer:
- Struggles with aggressive ball pressure. Lacks a degree of wiggle in shot-creation situations. Needs another creator next to him.
- Questions about his defensive upside. Can he hold up against NBA wings?
- Prone to occasional emotional outbursts. Doesn't always handle adversity well.
PLUSESMINUSES
- Transcendent passer: Throws Manu-style overhead whips, accurate cross-court dimes, and no-looks that’ll make highlight reels.
- Puts perfect velocity and touch on passes, plus has the height to pass over the defense.
- Surgically navigates pick-and-rolls, snaking to the middle, keeping defenders on his back, and picking defenses apart as a passer.
- Advanced ball handler for his age with an excellent feel for using crossovers, hesitations, and different speeds.
- Draws a ton of fouls; knows how to use his thick, strong frame to create and absorb contact.
- Feathery touch on floaters and layups. His outstanding free throw percentage suggests he can develop into a knockdown shooter.
- Flashes Harden-like upside on jumpers off the dribble; he can stop abruptly, smoothly step back, and launch.
- Advanced at using fakes to shake defenses loose when running through screens or cutting.
- Skilled post player; he uses his excellent footwork to work into turnaround jumpers, up-and-unders, drop steps, and hook shots.
- Excellent rebounder for his position, and he quickly turns boards into transition offense.
- Competitive, physical defender who hustles, closes out hard, and battles on switches.
- Displays a special level of maturity: He’s excelled in the world’s second-best league and come up clutch in tense moments.
- Struggles to contain quicker, more explosive players due to average agility and lateral quickness.
- Pick-and-roll defense must improve in terms of positioning and fighting over screens.
- Doesn’t create a ton of separation when turning the corner on drives due to lack of elite burst. Ends up settling for contested midrange pull-ups.
- Jumper needs some slight adjustments: He occasionally misses left or right. Could stand to speed up his release.
- Rarely uses his left hand to finish around the rim, which is important to develop for a player who lacks explosiveness inside.
Welcome, Democritus!Democritus wrote:I think the more people read about Doncic and watch some actual games of him the more will they lean towards him. It's that simple IMO..
Thanks man, it is nice to be here. I have followed the board and its wise members..since..lets see..I think it was the year when we drafted Amare..o gosh 16 years ago.. Time flies indeed and changes everything but its great and meaningful to have constant things like a passion for something..Superbone wrote:Welcome, Democritus!Democritus wrote:I think the more people read about Doncic and watch some actual games of him the more will they lean towards him. It's that simple IMO..
Ahaha..O_Gardino wrote:16 years lurking!
I'm expecting one long post with your thoughts on all the things we've discussed since then.
Welcome, Democritus!Democritus wrote:I think the more people read about Doncic and watch some actual games of him the more will they lean towards him. It's that simple IMO..
You just don't understand the game. He is facing better defenders than anybody in the NCAA. His team won the championship, and he was finals MVP.AmareIsGod wrote:Everyone is clamouring for Doncic. The same guy that couldn't get past his European defender in the championship and finished 3 for 8 with 3 assists and 4 rebounds. Pretty ho hum numbers. On a #1 pick? Is this board going mad?
Thanks, man. I guess I overvalue the decision-making aspect of any given player rather than athleticism. That is why I was fascinated by Kidd, Nash etc. I really think Doncic can lead us to the promised land and Booker will conquer that land.In2ition wrote:Welcome, Democritus!Democritus wrote:I think the more people read about Doncic and watch some actual games of him the more will they lean towards him. It's that simple IMO..
I've watched quite a bit of Doncic including all the Eurocup games last year, and I think he's great, love him. That being said, I would take Ayton #1 ahead of him.
I love players like that too. Unfortunately, not very many have won a title without a dominate big with them. Seems that Doncic and Ayton are friends along with having the same agent. If they are determined to play with each other, perhaps there may be a way to make it happen and I think Phx is the only team to be able to make it happen.Democritus wrote:Thanks, man. I guess I overvalue the decision-making aspect of any given player rather than athleticism. That is why I was fascinated by Kidd, Nash etc. I really think Doncic can lead us to the promised land and Booker will conquer that land.In2ition wrote:Welcome, Democritus!Democritus wrote:I think the more people read about Doncic and watch some actual games of him the more will they lean towards him. It's that simple IMO..
I've watched quite a bit of Doncic including all the Eurocup games last year, and I think he's great, love him. That being said, I would take Ayton #1 ahead of him.
pickle, it's interesting that you bold the weaknesses of Ayton but don't bold a single weakness of Doncic. There's a bit of bias on the boards it feels like where people are heavily vested in Doncic as the perfect fit and next star and Ayton just a useless big.pickle wrote:Below are the scouting reports from ESPN and The Ringer, and I've formed most of my opinion based on reading rather than watching (I did catch Youtube highlights but honestly those are not that informative IMHO).
Deandre Ayton
ESPN:
StrengthsImprovement areas
- Incredibly gifted physical specimen in terms of size, length, frame and mobility.
- Exceptionally skilled for a player his size. Can dribble, pass and shoot. Inside-out threat.
- Terrific rebounder (career 15.2 per 40 minutes).
The Ringer:
- Often a step slow defensively. Instincts/awareness leave a lot to be desired at times. Didn't affect the game (0.7 steals, 2.3 blocks per 40) as much as you'd expect at college level. Can he anchor a defense?
- Work ethic is average according to those who have worked with him
- Fancies himself as more of a power forward than a center. Would rather pop than roll. Will he be willing to do the dirty work/little things?
PLUSESMINUSES
- Has wide shoulders and a thick frame with room to add even more muscle.
- Bouncy athlete vertically, but also very fluid and agile. He has light feet like a dancer, and runs the floor like a T-800 android.
- Excellent finisher around the rim using either hand. Knows how to use angles and footwork to create space on the post.
- Effective shooter due to soft touch and good mechanics; his range projects to the NBA 3-point line.
- Better ball handler attacking from the perimeter than he was able to show at Arizona.
- Underrated passer who makes accurate outlets and kickouts to shooters and cutters. Stays under control when facing pressure or doubles.
- Good rebounder due to his sheer athletic advantage.
- Potentially a super-switchable defender with the length and power to defend true bigs and the lateral quickness to contain wings and guards.
- Does a good job of altering shots without fouling by keeping his hands straight up and not reaching.
- Gets caught in no-man’s-land too often on defense; are his instincts poor, or does he just need more coaching?
- Sometimes just flat-out misses on help defense against dribble penetration.
- Intensity wanes, which has been a knock since he was young; is that because of fatigue, focus, or his mind-set?
- Low block and steal rates are notable considering his elite measurables and theoretical defensive potential.
- Occasionally drifts on the perimeter.
- His hands have improved since high school, but he still occasionally fumbles passes.
ESPN: http://www.espn.com/nba/insider/story/_ ... weaknessesLuka Doncic
ESPN:
StrengthsImprovement areas
- Electric transition player who rebounds and pushes with a purpose. Powerful athlete once he can get momentum going. Creative open-floor playmaker.
- Ball-screen savant who picks apart defenses with his elite vision, timing and creativity (7.3 assists per 40). Punishes defenders for going under screens with deep pull-ups.
- Smart off-ball defender who shows good activity when his offense is going (8.4 rebounds and 1.7 steals per 40). Elite instincts on both ends.
The Ringer:
- Struggles with aggressive ball pressure. Lacks a degree of wiggle in shot-creation situations. Needs another creator next to him.
- Questions about his defensive upside. Can he hold up against NBA wings?
- Prone to occasional emotional outbursts. Doesn't always handle adversity well.
PLUSESMINUSES
- Transcendent passer: Throws Manu-style overhead whips, accurate cross-court dimes, and no-looks that’ll make highlight reels.
- Puts perfect velocity and touch on passes, plus has the height to pass over the defense.
- Surgically navigates pick-and-rolls, snaking to the middle, keeping defenders on his back, and picking defenses apart as a passer.
- Advanced ball handler for his age with an excellent feel for using crossovers, hesitations, and different speeds.
- Draws a ton of fouls; knows how to use his thick, strong frame to create and absorb contact.
- Feathery touch on floaters and layups. His outstanding free throw percentage suggests he can develop into a knockdown shooter.
- Flashes Harden-like upside on jumpers off the dribble; he can stop abruptly, smoothly step back, and launch.
- Advanced at using fakes to shake defenses loose when running through screens or cutting.
- Skilled post player; he uses his excellent footwork to work into turnaround jumpers, up-and-unders, drop steps, and hook shots.
- Excellent rebounder for his position, and he quickly turns boards into transition offense.
- Competitive, physical defender who hustles, closes out hard, and battles on switches.
- Displays a special level of maturity: He’s excelled in the world’s second-best league and come up clutch in tense moments.
- Struggles to contain quicker, more explosive players due to average agility and lateral quickness.
- Pick-and-roll defense must improve in terms of positioning and fighting over screens.
- Doesn’t create a ton of separation when turning the corner on drives due to lack of elite burst. Ends up settling for contested midrange pull-ups.
- Jumper needs some slight adjustments: He occasionally misses left or right. Could stand to speed up his release.
- Rarely uses his left hand to finish around the rim, which is important to develop for a player who lacks explosiveness inside.
The Ringer: https://nbadraft.theringer.com/
I've highlighted a few things on Ayton that really bother me about him. Again, referring back to my previous longish post, I'm afraid a guy who isn't 100% tuned in mentally is not a good fit for this franchise at the current time. I'd be much more comfortable with Doncic who hopefully is a little bit more impervious to negative organizational influences thanks to already having success at a high level and knowing how to win, despite not being an overwhelming physical specimen.
THIS. You can't say that about Luka and not about Ayton two times over. How many of the final 4 teams in Euro League would beat their final four opponent in NCAA?O_Gardino wrote:He is facing better defenders than anybody in the NCAA. His team won the championship, and he was finals MVP.AmareIsGod wrote:Everyone is clamouring for Doncic. The same guy that couldn't get past his European defender in the championship and finished 3 for 8 with 3 assists and 4 rebounds. Pretty ho hum numbers. On a #1 pick? Is this board going mad?
Ready to apply that same line of reasoning to Ayton, who had a bad game and was eliminated in the first round? Against a small ball team on which more than half the players will never go pro in any league.