Considering MDA's attitude towards posting up, Onuaku's lack of a post up game isn't really a weakness. He looks like a potential backup center. Nothing wrong with that.
I'm old, and watched Rick Barry live. That granny FT was automatic. Literally 90%. Hope it can become so for Onuaku. He has an opportunity to become a trendmaker here!
The guy hits 60%, no one is going to hack him. I don't care if he wears a skirt and a wig, bends over and shoots the ball from between his legs as long as he hits 60%. Think about how much he's taunted for shooting this way, and how little of a f*** he gives about it. That shows mental maturity, confidence. Perfect skills to defend the PNR. Works hard for garbage points. Passes well. Sets a mean pick. This is everything you wanted from Dwight Howard. This guy is the Anti-Howard. Love this pick. I mean just considering the poll is at 50-50, that's amazingly positive. That means 50% of the board is cool with it, and 50% are for a multitude of other players and then there are the people who are only Rocket fans to bash Morey.
Have you seen him play? <iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/wcr6MkmZE_M" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>
Yes, while he's strong, even undersized NBA centers hold their ground better than the guys he overpowered in college. I don't see what he does working in the NBA post as his post up game is totally based on the threat of him trying to overpower a guy.
The bad thing is we didn't have a first round pick, so based on Clutchfans GARM psychology people will hold this guy to lottery standards instead of a 2nd round pick.
Rick Barry was a shooter, and probably could hit his FTs blindfolded, on one foot, shooting any style. He was a big proponent of underhanded FT shooting, saying anyone would make a higher % that style. He did work with a teammate (George Johnson, a 6-11 center), and his FT shooting improved to the low to mid 70's. But I don't know if that is a big enough sample to prove the approach one way or the other. IMO a solid approach to shooting (stance, balance, motion, release point, release, follow through, repeated often via practice and in games) would seem better to be the same approach for FGs and FTs. But whatever works.
Its natural. In fact, Morey and organization contribute to this by touting the draftee, saying he was a player they would have picked in the first round. regardless of round or spot in the round, he is the team's first pick. One we chose over a number of other possible draftees. Morey should be held accountable, even if he is only a second rounder. btw, SAN always picks at the end of round one, and somehow manage to add players that contribute. Murray is a player that might contribute this coming season.
I thought the Rockets' philosophy was "efficiency". Threes. Points in the paint. Free throws. This guy isn't a wing player that knocks down shots, isn't an explosive big that's great in the paint, and can't shoot free throws to save his life. Wasted pick.
Personally, I like the pick. In reading through pre-draft profiles of guys expected to be available in the Rockets' draft range, he was a guy who stood out as having the skills to stick in the NBA as a quality role player. Anyone expecting a star at this point in the draft is delusional. FYI (re: the "undersized C" issue), here are DraftExpress's average measurables for centers drafted in the FIRST round (sample size = 72 players): Average height (w/o shoes): 6'10.27" Average weight: 248 Average Wingspan: 7'3.3" Average Standing Reach: 9'2.1" (Keep in mind, this sampling includes a lot of huge, plodding players who probably would be too slow to play in today's NBA, as well as a lot of older guys who have had more time to grow.) Meanwhile, here are 19-year-old Chinanu Onuaku's measurables: Height (w/o shoes): 6'9" Height (w/shoes): 6'10" Weight: 245 Wingspan: 7'2.75" Standing Reach: 9'0.5" Looks to me like Onuaku is currently an average (or slightly below-average) sized center. AND HE'S STILL ONLY 19 YEARS OLD! Dude has time to grow. And even if he doesn't, he more than adequately sized to play in D'Antoni's system . . . whenever he's ready.
First round picks are different from lottery picks wtf. Morey should only be held accountable if he passed on someone better, because that's his job. Its not his fault if by pick 38th only trash is left. Fact is, Morey's picks have consistently outperformed their draft spots which is why Morey is an above average drafter (he also missed badly on Kawhi, Draymond Green and Batum which pulls his ranking down). Guys like Parsons, C-bud, Chuck Hayes, Patterson etc. **** even Capela has performed better than expected at the spot they were drafted at.
Watching film on him he kind of reminds me a little bit of Moses Malone, extremely physical around the basket with very long arms. He's going to be 20 years old in November and he's already very physically built. I like this pick a lot.
USA Today: http://www.usatoday.com/story/sports/nba/draft/2016/06/23/nba-draft-live-tracker-ben-simmons-brandon-ingram/86303580/
