Michael Kidd-Gilchrist

[AirBud#10]

If he ends up with the Cavs, they could be pretty good a few years down the road.

[roslolian]

Originally Posted by acshen bust. shooting form is broken. he juts out one foot and takes off balance (if you draw a line from his feet to his head its not perpendicular to the ground). very poor habit that is difficult to fix. ceiling is wilson chandler.

I hope the other teams think like you and pass on this kid.

The fact is, shooting form, no matter how broken, is just about the easiest thing to fix in Bball. At the end of the day that's just muscle memory, and muscle memory can always be re-written with enough repetition. In fact, there are known examples of this, like with Hayes minimizing his awful FT hitch and Klow developing a 3 pt shot. In fact, Michael Redd started out with a broken jumpshot, and slowly developed into one of the better shooters in the NBA (arguably the best shooter in Milwaukee Buck history).

All you really need is work ethic and enough BB IQ. MKG has those in spades, and his attitude is really amazing for a 19 year old. I think he's Kobe without all the ego stuff, and IMHO if he falls to number 4 or 5 DMorey should package whoever is needed to grab him (outside of Dragic and DMo).

[roslolian]

Originally Posted by A_3PO MKG won't be a superstar but he will end up better than Shane Battier. He will work hard to improve on the offensive end but will never be an elite scorer. Battier was too lazy to develop anything more than a 3-point set shot and a hook shot from close in. MKG strikes me as the kind of guy who won't be satisfied with only impacting the defensive end of the floor.

Well considering Battier is already the epitome of role player an upgraded Battier is gonna be a superstar. In fact, Battier could have been a star himself if he was more driven and aggressive, as you said he was already an elite Defender and had a set shot going in, if he had worked on his handles and demanded the ball more Battier would have been seen as a max or a near max player.

[haoafu]

MKG shots 75% from the free throw line with almost 5 attempts per game, and is reported to shot 85% jumpers in the recent workouts:

"Kidd-Gilchrist roared through a workout in Cleveland on Friday. The toughness and intensity were all there. So was that hitchy jump shot. But on Friday at least it was going in. Kidd-Gilchrist shot about 85 percent from the field in the shooting drills." (see link from post by redhotrox on first page).

[Asian Sensation]

Originally Posted by jopatmc Fair enough. My questionmark about a guy like MKG is even though he is only 18, most true superstars are already offensively ready at 18, at least their skillset is there. Think back to Kobe, Lebron, Melo, Durant. Their shooting touch and offensive prowess was already developed. Now look at a guy like Bradley Beal. His offensive prowess is already developed. Not saying Beal is going to be a superstar. He's got some size issues. But I have no trouble seeing that Beal should be a substantial rotation player in his rookie season and most likely will be in the top 5 ROY voting unless he suffers a serious injury or is traded to some team that staples him to the bench for whatever stupid reason. When I look at MKG, right now, I see Shane Battier. Guy works hard. He's got defensive skill. He's smart, great bball iq, great teammate, other guys want him on the team. MKG is a perimeter player. To be a superstar perimeter player in the NBA, you gotta have serious offensive skills. You gotta be able to shoot it from anywhere out to 30 feet at a high percentage, you gotta be able to dribble drive and finish, and you gotta be able to post up. Now, an 18-year old may not be proficient in posting up because of their lack of strength, but they should be able to do the other two things at a highly proficient level. I don't see that in MKG and I have a difficult time seeing him develop it now that he is going to be playing against Kobe and Lebron and Melo and Durant night after night. So, let's say best case scenario, he does develop into all that in the next 3 years and by the time he's 22-23 he's a legit superstar. He's in the same group as all the rest of those guys. Is he gonna be better than Lebron, Durant, Melo, ...........or, dare I say, Harden when he is 23 and they are 27-31??? Even best case scenario, the odds are good that he will just be competing against the best. I just don't see it. I see a guy that is going to have a long, good NBA career. I see a Shane Battier. That's a very, very good player. But his jumper needs some serious work and I mean some serious work. He shot 25% from 3 in college. That's gonna be a lot of his 2-point shots in the pros. If he's knocking down 20 footers at 25% in the pros, look out. That's a recipe for a defensive specialist and bench warmer if he doesn't get his shot fixed. It should have already been addressed. I think it will be several years just to turn MKG into a mediocre shooter, not a great shooter. And we're not even talking about creating off the dribble, finding teammates, and knowing when to shoot and when to pass, etc. We're not even talking about doing all the offensive things that a superstar does. We're talking about learning how to shoot the NBA 3-ball at a respectible 38%. I just don't see superstardom in MKG.

I don't understand how you can be this critical of an 18 year old MKG when you have the following to say about our very own Marcus Morris:

Originally Posted by jopatmc is the only player on this roster capable of pulling a Carmelo Anthony/Paul Pierce/Kobe Bryant shooting and scoring barage over the best defenders in the NBA in a high-pressure playoff atmosphere. If we trade hiim, it had better be because we are acquiring that type of scoring talent from somewhere else. If we do not trade him, he has to play significant minutes next season. You have to have those type guys to win anything.

[jopatmc]

Originally Posted by Asian Sensation I don't understand how you can be this critical of an 18 year old MKG when you have the following to say about our very own Marcus Morris:

I don't undertstand how you can't see the difference in their games.

[jopatmc]

Originally Posted by haoafu "He has the ability to go inside the paint and back down smaller wing players in post situations, showing great strength overpowering opponents and having no problems finishing through contact.

Andre Iguodala, Lebron James, Kevin Durant, Melo, Danny Granger, Gerald Wallace, Paul Pierce, Kawhi Leonard, Ron Artest, Rudy Gay, Luol Deng, Caron Butler, Danillo Galinari, Wilson Chandler, Gordon Heyward, Josh Howard, Chandler Parsons, Grant Hill, Nicolas Batum, TWill, Amini

1. Which of these guys is he going to be able to take into the paint, back down, overpower and finish through contact???

2. Which is these guys is he bigger than?

Originally Posted by haoafu He has nice touch around the basket and even a jump-hook he likes to utilize at times with his back to the basket situations...

So do these guys: Andre Iguodala, Lebron James, Kevin Durant, Melo, Danny Granger, Gerald Wallace, Paul Pierce, Kawhi Leonard, Ron Artest, Rudy Gay, Luol Deng, Caron Butler, Danillo Galinari, Wilson Chandler, Gordon Heyward, Josh Howard, Chandler Parsons, Grant Hill, Nicolas Batum, TWill, Al-Farouq Aminu

Originally Posted by haoafu From DraftExpress.com http://www.draftexpress.com#ixzz1wqRkTnUx http://www.draftexpress.com " He can defend both wing positions very well. On offense, he's already posting up smaller opponents and finishing strong, and he's got quick&long first step to drive by bigger players. He's not a good shooter yet, but is a good scorer as he draws fouls and shoots a respectable 75% from the foul line. We all see how Lowry, Kawi Leonard developed their shooting with great work ethic. Another first round prospect - 23 years old Jeff Taylor improved his three point shooting a lot since his 22% freshman year. I don't think it's that hard for MKG who is so much younger and worked hard, if not harder than most other players. I don't think battier has MKG's tenacity, strength and speed even in his prime. The fact that MKG is a scoring threat on a loaded championship team even without a nice jump shot really shows what a unique player he is. I'd be happy to see him competing against Lebron, Durant in a few years.

You're gonna take him #2 and claim he's a superstar in waiting only to be happy if he can compete against those guys in a few years??

Parsons is already competing against those guys. You don't expect a player to be a superstar and then be happy if he can compete against the other superstars.

Originally Posted by haoafu Of course nothing is certain and it's always hard to predict one and done prospects as confirmed by Hollinger's draft rater. My assessment is based on his phiscal attributes, college performance on both ends, his reported outstanding work ethic and passion for the game... all as 18 years old player.

What is missing in your assessment is skills. And skills are extremely important and can't always be learned. If so, the NBA would have a 50% immediate turnover in every team's rosters because there's a ton of guys in d-league, overseas, or who are no longer pursuing a career that were more dedicated and worked harder than half the guys in the league right now that are guaranteed millionaires.

[jopatmc]

Originally Posted by redhotrox I wouldn't draft MKG at #2 like it's being projected he might go...but I agree that he has the drive and passion for the game to be a lot better than Battier...Battier even admitted in an interview recently that he’s not even a true fan of basketball...He’d spend his offseasons doing yoga instead of improving on his basketball skills because he just didn't care that much. In contrast you have MKG… quote: He's anxious to get back to doing what he loves -- playing basketball. Like most top prospects, he's being held out of five-on-five pickup games to keep him injury free during the process. It's the longest basketball drought he's ever experienced and it's driving him crazy. "I miss it," he says. "I just love to play. Basketball is my life. The training is good and I feel like it's helping me. But I'm itching to play a game." Here's the rest of that Insider piece on MKG today if anyone wants to read it...

Here's the part of the ESPN piece that stands out to me:

While Kidd-Gilchrist is an elite player, he's not the type of guy who carries a team on his shoulders by himself.

That means he's not a superstar.

[JD88]

As a UK fan, MKG is one of the best players to play under Cal (which if you look back is quite an impressive list.)

For anybody claiming MKG is a bust, I know right there you didnt watch one UK game. Anyone with two eyes (regardless if they work or not) can see he is the hardest working kid Ive ever seen. He fights for every rebound, every lose ball, shoots something like 80% in transition, and would lay down in traffic for any of his teammates.

Theres a reason he will be top 3 in the draft this year.

[JD88]

Keep in mind hes playing along side Anthony Davis (#1 pick) and Terrence Jones (Lottery Pick).

He grabbed 8 rebounds a game.

Against UL (in-state rivals and #4 team in the country) - 24 pts, 19 reb, 8-13 shooting
Against KU (National runner up, 2 combined games) - 23 points, 15 rebs
Against UNC (#5 in the country) - 17 pts, 11 rebs

The only games where he didnt go crazy and grab double digit rebounds was when Davis or Jones were grabbing them first. I would take MKG in a heart beat, and so would everyone else.

You can have Drummond, who is a waste of potential because hes too lazy to exercise OR work on his game. I will take this kid, who wants nothig more then to win a title.

Yes he may not be Lebron, but he has every ability to hit 24ppg/9rpg in 4 years.

[Asian Sensation]

Originally Posted by jopatmc I don't undertstand how you can't see the difference in their games.

I see the difference alright.

MKG is quick, athletic, a lock-down defender, works hard and has a passion for the game. Sure his jumper is far from pretty but he finds a way to get the job done and I have no doubt he will continue to improve in that department.

Marcus Morris is not only slow physically but (seems that way mentally). He's a classic tweener that's not big enough to play PF and he's too slow for SF. He showed very little improvement over the course of the season and when he was given the opportunity on the court he did little to nothing with it. The fact that he couldn't even beat out Chase and Parsons (2nd rounders) for minutes shows how lazy he is/was and the lack of effort he put in during the summer time and behind the scenes in practice and drills. Yes, I'm talking about practice.

I don't mean to make this an MKG vs MM thread but if you're going to hype up Morris to something which he is NOT "capable of pulling a Carmelo Anthony/Paul Pierce/Kobe Bryant shooting and scoring barage over the best defenders in the NBA in a high-pressure playoff atmosphere."

I have no problem with you thinking MKG won't see superstardom cause not many players do but to imply that Morris will and then say that MKG won't is ridiculous. I hope you're wrong for the sake of Morris and Rockets fans alike but I doubt it.

[Puedlfor]

While Kidd-Gilchrist is an elite player, he's not the type of guy who carries a team on his shoulders by himself.

The problem with that quote from ESPN, is that it's wrong. He carried that team in several games(notably the game against Louisville), as well as being an off-court leader as an 18yr old.

His poor shooting is a concern - but he's not just a volume scorer. He rebounds, attacks the basket off the dribble and can defend three positions on the floor.

Even if he never gets his shooting worked out he could still carve out a career in the Iguodala-mold.

And if he can straighten out his shooting, he's going to be a monster.

[acshen]

Hilarious. Everyone buys into the hype. The kid averaged 12 points a game. Rebounding is EASIER in the NCAA, believe it or not.

Carmelo freshman year: 22 & 10
Durant freshman year: 26 & 11
Caron Butler freshman: 15.3 & 7.5
Danny Granger freshman: 11 & 7
Rudy Gay freshman: 12 & 5
Paul Pierce freshman: 20 & 7
Andre Iguodala freshman: 6 & 5

He will be an Andre Iguodala/Rudy Gay hybrid... at best. Not a superstar.

[DdotConrad503]

I remember some guy name Dwayne Wade couldn't shoot coming out of college. Wonder how that guy turned out

[acshen]

Originally Posted by DdotConrad503 I remember some guy name Dwayne Wade couldn't shoot coming out of college. Wonder how that guy turned out

http://statsheet.com/mcb/players/pla...te/dwyane-wade

17 ppg on 48.7% FG and 6.6 rpg freshman year

[Outlier]

Kawhi Leonard is/will be a better player than MKG.

[acshen]

Originally Posted by roslolian I hope the other teams think like you and pass on this kid. The fact is, shooting form, no matter how broken, is just about the easiest thing to fix in Bball. At the end of the day that's just muscle memory, and muscle memory can always be re-written with enough repetition. In fact, there are known examples of this, like with Hayes minimizing his awful FT hitch and Klow developing a 3 pt shot. In fact, Michael Redd started out with a broken jumpshot, and slowly developed into one of the better shooters in the NBA (arguably the best shooter in Milwaukee Buck history). All you really need is work ethic and enough BB IQ. MKG has those in spades, and his attitude is really amazing for a 19 year old. I think he's Kobe without all the ego stuff, and IMHO if he falls to number 4 or 5 DMorey should package whoever is needed to grab him (outside of Dragic and DMo).

For every example of a person fixing their shot form, there's a few hundred that didn't. See: T-Mac, the Matrix, Shaq, Marcus Camby, pretty much 95% of all centers ever, Rashard Lewis, etc. The temptation to get by on raw athleticism is too great. You are forced/expected to produce from DAY ONE in the NBA and it is in the coaches best interest for them to continue using their poor mechanics because that's what is going to go in. Over time it is incorporated and just becomes what they do. You don't fix a broken shot by playing more games.

[JD88]

He averaged 12 a game on the most dominate team in recent history. WITH 6 POTENTIAL FIRST ROUND PICKS.

You forgot that part.

[Canadiandude]

Originally Posted by JD88 As a UK fan, MKG is one of the best players to play under Cal (which if you look back is quite an impressive list.) For anybody claiming MKG is a bust, I know right there you didnt watch one UK game. Anyone with two eyes (regardless if they work or not) can see he is the hardest working kid Ive ever seen. He fights for every rebound, every lose ball, shoots something like 80% in transition, and would lay down in traffic for any of his teammates. Theres a reason he will be top 3 in the draft this year.

This description reminds me of a young Ron Artest.

[JD88]

UK (Go Cats) had 6 guys average between 9 and 14 ppg. 9.4 was on the low end (Teague, first rounder) to 14.3 on the high end (Davis, #1 pick).

They played team ball. Tell me how Davis' 14 and 10 compare to other great big guys. Dont bother, I will tell you.

Shaq - 21 and 14
Duncan - 17 and 12
Brooke Lopez - 19 and 8
Kevin Love - 18 and 11

That means, Davis is going to suck. Good strategy there, Chief.