Dude, you're just arguing for the sake of arguing and it's because you don't know anything about my views (why would you). That's fine, but you're acting like you do. It's actually absurd - and probably hilarious to many on this board - that you're advising MATHLOOM to be more optimistic about our young players. If there's anyone on this board who's willing to go out on a limb, I'm one of em. What you should be thinking about is: what does it mean when the poster who's most optimistic about our players tells you you've gone way too far? I'm the way too far guy. You've put yourself in a territory that's way beyond reasonable. That's fine. You wanna go out on a limb? Be my guest. But don't get defensive if it's called beyond extreme because it is. Accept what it is. If that's what we're doing, I pat you on the back and wish you luck. I hope you're right that Cam is right now a 30ppg scorer on good efficiency. At least you've now acknowledged that it's on 25 shots, but that's not a special rookie. The top few scoring rookies like a Banchero could score 30 on 25 but the team would be losing because of that player. There would be very low assists, poor defense and 5+ TO's in Cam's case. No one is saying Cam can't become huge. What I'm saying is you hadn't seen any evidence so no matter what ends up happening you just took a guess. It's not evidence based. There's no really analysis. There's no credit for getting those right. That's a coin flip. A non basketball fan is as likely to get that right as you. Just take it easy on Cam and on yourself, a person who sets the bar too high can destroy their own experience. He's doing amazingly well within his role on the team. Enjoy the climb.
Patrick Williams is listed at 6'7" 215, Cam is listed at 6'7" and 230. I'm not seeing that in that video. Williams has to be 245-250. Either that or Cam got lighter.
His positioning on Offense and Defense is night and day compared to his first minutes. You can tell he put in the work, and now he's being rewarded. Great stuff.
They do look about the same size. Williams' listed weight is probably his rookie year's weight when he was 19 years old. If that's true. Cam's body maturity is 3 years ahead of Pat's.
I was thinking Patrick looks way bigger, but maybe it's just me. Anyway, nice to see pretty good D from Cam.
Who is arguing to be arguing? You said you were also confident Cam would be an excellent player, which sounds like you agree. current production provides proof it is possible 22 - 25 is less than or equal to 25. Cam's current efficiency 1.41 per attempt would take 21.1 shots for 30 by the way. If a 19 year old rookie scores 30 pts with the same efficiency as prime All-Star Kobe who got 8+ freethrows a game, he is indeed special. 25 or less shots to get 30 pts is above the league average of 1.19 pts per shot attempt, so he would be 25 shot attempts a game at above the league average efficiency while being a top scorer in the league. He averages 30pts and 3.0 stl and 2.9 turnovers per 48, projecting him to possibly keep that rate is overly optimistic, but you can project he would get double the turnovers and his defense would suck?
Can someone please remove the veil off of this guy's potential problems and tell what the heck was supposed to be wrong with him. During todays Game Theory Pod they said the problem is about his knees but somehow will become an issue 6 to 10 years down the road. They were talking about him possibly having a 7 year NBA career (and still a prospect that deserved top 3 pick despite the fact cuz he is so good) plus alleged mental issues. This is pure speculation, but 19+ 6to7 is about around the age that some of the genetic mental issues start to surface especially for males. Them talking about "not smiling" "mental worries" and Sam visibly wanting to avoid mentioning his "knees" and waiving it off while the other guy let it slip, makes this almost a freaking mystery book. Anyone?
It’s a groupthink league. People started saying he was a malcontent who doesn’t like basketball, so he got slotted into the “just wants to get paid” archetype. Once some people pass, no one wants to take the risk - everyone wants “character guys”‘and for some people, that equals bubbly, upbeat personalities … which is an absurd, but common, belief. I have 5000 employees and hire people all the time. My experience is the same as every good academic study - resume and references are 10x more valuable than the “read” you can get in an interview. But most people disagree. The knees are just a justification. Even if true, every GM knows very few rookies are with their drafting team 7 years later.
I think if it was something from a physical, it would have been mentioned. There's no way a guy drops 15 spots due to multiple teams not liking his physical and Woj or some media doesn't even allude to it. I saw something that said he didn't perform well at some of his interviews/scrimmages, and that Cam was supposedly sick. I think it is likely he tanked some of the scrimmages and interviews with teams he didn't want to draft him. The Rockets had met with him at the Combine and he trained at UH... Probably something like he came in hungover/intoxicated or with 0 energy or effort. I think there is no way he worked out for anyone seriously and his talent wasn't obvious.It is much easier to be scared away by red flags with such a young guy too
CW can create space to shoot the 3 off the dribble, eg he did against Drummond. He should practice that until it becomes an automatic shot for him. His catch and shoot 3 is his biggest strength. The kid has quite a ways to go, which is very understandable. I like his energy and his willingness to play defense. @BaselineFade
I'm not going to say I was super high on Cam, but I was really hoping the Rockets would trade up for him once he got past 8. Size, athletism, and shooting combination usially have good NBA careers.
The "tunnel vision" and the workout thing, but there was also a microfracture rumor floating around. Regardless, we have a 19 yr old Manchild, with an absolute floor of an elite 6th man instant offense guy, but more likely a perennial All Star, and perhaps....a superstar
I think groupthink is a good word. A lot of times when a guy starts sliding, he gets out of the range of teams he shared medicals with and teams are too chickenshit to pull the trigger on a guy that they don't have medicals. With rumors that he has something that would shorten his career, he got shafted. Vecenie was saying in a podcast the other day that teams were worried he'd have problems in the 8-10 year range from the draft.
I dont know man, I am worried about this kid. My gut (which is actually your subconscious gathering data, filtering it with your own life experience and biases as a person) tells me to brace for impact. I hope my gut is as stupid as the scouts who made him fall to 20. Lets go Cam, I will make every believer around me pray for your health.
From what I was hearing and reading at the time, it started with character issues. He was supposedly selfish and immature, which aren't really the most uncommon traits in an 18 year old. That's probably what dropped him from the top 10 and at that point I think a lot of the picking teams didn't even anticipate the possiblity of drafting him there so they didn't prep for it and just took their guys. For example, i think Pods, Jaquez, and Hood-Schifino were close to locks where they were picked regardless of someone falling.
