We have categories guys. Fast. Harden. Ehhh....Lin too. Bounce. T.jones Strength. Greg smith Explosive. Harden
I'd say athletic is a mix of good speed, strength, explosiveness, and hops. Nobody is really an athletic freak on this team. Harden is fairly athletic with a very high vertical but he isn't that fast or explosive. Lin's vertical seems average at best.
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Lin is really athletic though. He's up there in terms of speed and he's a lot stronger than he looks. It really just depends on how you define athleticism. Some base it off of strength or quickness while others use explosiveness as a factor. There's no set definition. I agree that overall T Jones is probably the one I'd choose with Harden being a close second. He's a lot more athletic than he says he is.
All this did was make me realize how unathletic this team is given its youth. We could really use an extremely explosive PF. Wish there was some way Chris Bosh would leave the Heat, he'd be perfect for this team.
This is a joke right? People honestly don't know that it is Harden?!?!?!?!? Harden 32' no step vert; 37' max vertical. Jones is athletic, but not in the same conversation as Harden! Jones 29' no step; 34' max. It looks like Jones is more athletic because he has a 7'3 wingspan, so can 'reach' the rim for dunks more than our other fleet of PFs. For comparison: Patterson 29' | 34' Morris 29' | 33' Douglas 28' | 33' Smith 29' | 36' White N/A (assuming would've been poor). Lin N/A (probably not terrible, but not Harden-esque!)
For further comparison. Westbrook No step vert: 30 Max vert: 36.5 Dwyane Wade No step vert: 31.5 Max vert: 35
Lin is pretty Athletic. He tested pretty high in those athletic categories before the draft; I think it was said he even beat Wall in some categories.. Coaches say he is the fastest player on the team. I seriously wouldn't be surprised if Patrick Patty Cake Patterson is that most athletic Rocket, but because he is a waste of a body standing at the 3 point line, we don't see it.
Cole Aldrich? <iframe width="560" height="315" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/SH3S9-PYwOY" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>
Wow. Really? James Haren 3/4 court sprint = 3.13s Chris Paul 3.22s Derrick Rose 3.05s Westbrook 3.08s Wall 3.14s I think Harden is well and truly in the conversation here as exceptionally fast and explosive. His score of 11.1 on the lane agility trumps the superquick Rose (11.69) Just baffled that people's prejudice against Harden makes them try and refute cold hard facts.... [[Our real hero of the 3/4 sprint is Toney Douglas with a 3.03 = quickest in the 09 draft class, and second quickest time I could find (Nate Robinson is that champ with 2.96s]]
Yes, the point CLEARLY needs to be reinforced that Harden is amongst the most athletic players in the entire NBA. Just because he has his sneaky 'long 2 step layup' drill thing, which means he doesn't dunk it all the time, does NOT mean he isn't an athletic specimen.
Actually, I think Lin tested for really high lateral quickness pre-injury; I remember seeing it in that espn 'science of sports' video. But I'd agree with you on the Morey's 'flying under the radar' team re: athleticism, though I think Smith or Jones gets perhaps the closest.
Either way, it's extraordinarily unlikely he can match Douglas in those categories (speed/ lateral quickness). Douglas is an 'all time freak' in those areas.
Moneyball no need height or athleticism. Those variables no important to $ballers. Why u expect professional athletes be atheltic
