Hey guys, long time Rockets fan who grew up in Houston but I also went to Arizona and saw every one of Jordan's games so I think I can give a little perspective on the type of player he is. A lot of people don't know this but Jordan didn't start playing basketball until he was in his teens so he is still developing and learning the game. After high school, he was still so raw that no big programs wanted him so he went to the Patterson school which is one of those prep schools players go to get more experience. He did okay there but nothing special. Arizona and a few schools showed interest but he was by no means a heavily recruited player. Coaches saw his size and could tell he had athletic ability and thought it was chance worth taking. His first year at Arizona, he looked absolutely lost but continued to progress until he was one of the top big men in the nation. Last season he went up against Cole Aldrich of Kansas (who many are projecting as a top 5 pick this year) and absolutely destroyed him. His shot improved immensely at Arizona and he was able to consistently hit the 10-12 foot jumper. His greatest strength is probably his play around the rim. He's an excellent jumper with decent hands who finishes strong. Working with a PG like Brooks is going to really play to his strengths as Brooks' ability to get to the rim should allow Hill to get plenty of dishes for dunks. When Jordan gets those, his confidence is strong and he becomes something really special. He has a bad habit of making foolish fouls but has the potential to be an excellent shot blocker. He just needs more playing time to get used to the speed of the NBA. At this point, he's nowhere near Landry's level offensively and probably a year or two away from contributing offensively on a consistent basis. However, he's very athletic and with the right coaching should be an upgrade defensively and on the boards by next season. D'Antoni absolutely hates playing rookies so you shouldn't be quick to judge his lack of PT on the Knicks. If Hill can learn the Rockets' defensive philosophy, he could contribute sooner than later and see significant time. He runs the floor very well for a big man and will thrive in the Rockets up tempo system once he becomes adjusted.
Yes Taj is better developed right now offensively, but he is not a better rebounder and devensive player. Let's give him some time to develop his game a little bit. Knicks are not known to be a franchise good at developing players. And as you know, better players can be found late in the draft. He was drafted high based on physical tools and his potential. Hopefully we reap the benefits of that potential.
smooth looking jumper seems like his mechanics are sound. I always thought the little hitch landry had at the top of his shot was strange not that it really mattered since its not about how it looks its about it going in
The main thing is this kid will have Sikma, Scola, and even Andersen to teach him a thing or two about post moves. As far as the mental/defensive side of things, Chuck and Shane will have that covered for him in practices. Morey IS a genius but I just think we have some real quality players and staff to develop talent.
Not a PR guy for Jordan. Just a die hard Arizona fan who is stoked that two of my boys are playing for the Rockets. And Taj Gibson three years older than Jordan (he was a 21 year old freshman at USC) so his upside is significantly less. While Gibson is solid, he reached his ceiling a while ago. In their head to head battles, Jordan more than held his own or out played him the last four times they played against each other in college.
Thats what I've been saying. 1-on-1 there was no ONE who could effectively stand against Hill defensively. I remember he did own Cole Aldrich's ass at Arizona too. So how do you feel about the reunion man?
I found this article on Draft Express and it reflects what I've seen of Hill. Blogging Through the NCAA Tournament (Day Four) March 22, 2009 Jordan Hill had another productive game that did a good job highlighting his strengths as a prospect, as well as his shortcomings. One on hand he displayed his excellent athleticism with a number of terrific finishes off pick and roll plays and in transition, running the floor extremely well and exploding off the ground in impressive fashion. He also knocked down a 20 foot jump-shot, the most range we’ve seen him show thus far, and converted on a decent looking turnaround jumper in the post. On the other hand, Hill’s poor skill-level was very much evident in this game, as he looked very raw and mechanical trying to post up Cleveland State’s undersized defenders in the post, being stripped on one possession and also throwing up some ugly looking bricks. You would have expected him to dominate this game considering the huge advantage he holds in terms of size/athleticism against the 6-5 and 6-6 big men he went up against, but he really wasn’t able to consistently take advantage of his natural gifts. Defensively, Hill has potential but clearly is lacking in the fundamentals department, having a hard time rotating over effectively to guard the paint and picking up some questionable fouls. His basketball IQ is clearly nothing to write home about, and unless he’s able to significantly improve his skill-level over the next few years (not out of the question considering how far he’s come), he looks a lot more likely to develop into a solid energy guy/role-player rather than the game-changing presence you might expect from a potential top-5 pick. With that in mind, the fact that his rebounding rate has fallen significantly recently, going from over averaging over 12 boards per contest in the first 20 games, to just 9.3 rebounds in last 12 games, is not a great sign.
Yao also know a few things about post moves and he could always visit Dream if he thinks he is worthy. Think he should look to Scola though.
I defended Chase Budinger back when he was traded here during the draft when everyone here either didn't know he was or bashed him. I expected Chase to make an impact as a rookie when a lot of people initially thought he was just another Novak (*cough* DD *cough*) So believe when I say that you guys will love Jordan Hill too. He has much better footwork than you guys think and you guys will love his hustle and athleticism. With a point guard like Lowry, expect him to get some connections on fast breaks and on pick and roll situations. Chase can also play the PnR with him very well too if need be. Chase did a lot of PnR action with Hill back in Arizona . Hill can hit some some of those pick and pop too. Also expect Jordan to improve before your eyes too if he gets the chance to play. I agreed with BandAidMan that he will definitely get more playing time. If Hill shows some toughness and show he can defend well enough, I won't be surprised if Hill starts over Scola eventually.
Can't believe people are looking at this and judging him negatively. I mean, first, it's just 1 workout video. 2nd, he's had 6 months of some of the very best training in the world (any NBA team)!! Don't you think he'd have learned a few things since the workout?
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There used to be a guy on youtube dubbed "coniel" who would post ALL of the highlights of the Arizona wins, including those during Hill's sophomore/junior year. But unfortunately he has closed his account for some reason so that's a shame. I was going to post some of the highlights on here to prove it to the doubters on here.
