[ESPN] Rookie Watch: Which veterans should the rookie class study?

I don't know adding 3 pts to scola's skill would help or exactly what we needed of him.

It certainly be nice to have a 3s pter at PF, but given Scola's age and timing, I doubt he would develop into a consistent 3pt shooter.

I think Scola should study Dirk's style without the 3s threat being consistent.

I am hoping Novak could be that 3pt shooter at PF who we needed to pair up with Yao in some matches.

Landry is a beast inside the painted area. I would like to see him creat some of his shots, better ball handling and defense.

Brooks should study CP3, he is not much taller, but he is effective. one thing brooks need to put some muscle and meat on himself. he's too weak and skinny.

 

Landry Should study T-Mac! Landry with ballhandling skills, great court vision, great passing, and a killer fadeaway, along with what he already can do, would be unstoppable!

 

landry can study karl malone or charles barkley - great all-aound pfs

scola should study nash on offense - unathletic but very skilled scorer, passer, and playmaker
and najara on defense - unathletic but solid defender

 

I think Thorpe tries to get the players he trains with to become better by learning from others players that are not similar to them. I think the point of the exercise is to get them to add some of these traits to their game without completely emulating the other players game. For instance...

Scola would be a complete beast if he could shoot the 3 (which Murphy is good at) and force opposing bigs to follow him there so Yao would the paint to himself.

Landry would also be better if he learned how to score from the triple-threat position (which Pierce is great at) and take PF's off the dribble.

Sure he could learn triple threat from Duncan but if he becomes only as good as him at it he still isn't great. If he learns it from a star perimeter player he would be better at it than Duncan. You get better by learning from people who are different from you not imitating those who are similar.

 

Pretty terrible stuff by Thorpe.

IMO:
Scola's main concern should be rebounding. Until March, he only got double digit boards once a month. He's high IQ, skilled, agile, but not especially rugged or determined on the glass. Too many nights he ends up with 6 or fewer (6 games in Feb, 4 games in March), though he's getting a lot better at that since Yao went out.
A player he should model his game after? Duncan, I'd say. He's got the offensive ability to do the same things, though not at the same level. Defensively, I'd be happy if he can simply hold his own, which he can.

Landry - the guy's already close to being perfect with what he brings to the table. He just needs to stay high-energy and keep tabs on the knee. I guess he could improve the jumper/range some, but if he could add minor ball handling to where he could slash to the hole, he'd be all-star caliber. His game honestly reminds me of Sixer Barkley.

Brooks: Love his quickness, but he's got to develop court vision and a sense of delivering the ball in half court sets. Too many PG fundamentals are completely lacking with him. Given his size, he either needs to be high octane scorer or a strong facilitator to justify a rotation spot. Dunno who to model his game after. Calvin Murphy? Tiny Archibald? He's got a long ways to go - better kill himself this summer.

Evan

 

I think Scola just need to work on how to get the refs to respect him, he is called on an avergae 1 bs foul per game and 1 questinable call, i don´t get how he cannot even touch a prime player without being whistled??

will this change next year?

Against Boston and PHX this was awfull.

 

It'll get better. Rookies don't get calls, Scola is learning quickly what he can't get away with, and he won't make half the stupid mistakes that get him into early foul trouble next season.

Evan

 

Actually, Nash is ridiculously athletic. He could probably play any sport, professionally, he wants to. He's just not an explosive athlete.

 

I think he's ridiculously skilled, talented, and smart athlete.. being ridiculously athletic for me is if you can run faster, jump higher, do physical stuff a lot better than others..

 

I think Landry being able to shoot 3's would be interesting. His brother can. Maybe he could spend time at the 3 spot in a big lineup and that would allow spacing.

 

Body control is also athleticism. He has that in abundance. He has ridiculous loads of endurance as well. Also, he DOES do physical stuff better than others. Hand-eye coordination is superb. Foot-eye coordination as well (watch him juggle a soccer ball). Vision is awesome (of course). Those are all aspects of athleticism. We tend to overrate jumping ability and underrate control.

 

I think the Landry to Pierce comparison is pretty weak. Two entirely different players.

 

Its not a comparison. He's saying thats who Landry should study to expand his game.

 

Right. But in order for me to say so-and-so needs to be more like so-and-so there has to at least be similarities in their games, strengths and physical abilities. Landry may be a powerful, physical beast-like player just like Pierce but Pierce actually possesses the kind of quickness, range and perimeter skills needed to be a dominant wing player. As impressive as Landry has been, I just don't see that ever happening with him. He's better off playing right where he is.