Chet with 15/9/4. If the Rockets think KPJ can continue to develop then Chet's the guy. If they don't and they're looking for a PG then Paolo is the guy.
When he's outside, he moves like KD, faster than you can expect from a player with similar height. He's also got some range. Inside, I can see his post-up similar to Yao. His defense is also like Yao. He's paper thin but he can stick with the player on offense.
I think he has, yes. He is playing better athletes in college than he played in high school and he has shown no difficulty switching and guarding perimeter players at all. The ability to successfully do that for an interior player is huge and it was a concern some had. As far as actual play this year, no I don't think Banchero has been far more impactful this season. Most of the advanced statistics favor Holmgren at this point. The way they go about making their impact is just different. Banchero is the better scorer so far while Holgrem is better at other areas of the game. Both are top 5 college players as new freshmen, which is impressive..... FWIW I think Banchero is more polished and consistent than Chet, but not more impactful so far.... which is a win for Holmgren because he is a lot more raw.
Even in the game where Banchero "bodied" Chet, he still ended up with 18 points on 8-13 shooting with 3 blocks. When you average 6 BPG per 36, you're going to get dunked on. It comes with the playstyle, ask Hakeem.
Chet has had a better impact on the game. That is part of why it's a tough decision and I'm leaning towards him even though there are question marks about his body and Banchero and Smith have deeper offensive skillsets. Even against Banchero, Chet quietly reached near his averages despite the foul trouble. He's the type that can quietly get 20 pts 10 rebs, four blocks and fill in all the little things consistently without you even running plays for him, that's valuable. Green should become our lead scorer so Chet complements him better as a defensive anchor. If he puts on significant weight while retaining quickness; he can post up offensively and will become a two way nightmare, but that's the big if.
I think what he has done against Kentucky and Gonzaga has been more impactful, Chet has been a role player so far but we can agree to disagree. I agree he is much more polished but Chet is just not only raw he is also very thin which makes me question his overall impact at the next level but I also realize Pablo is very physically developed so he might not be able to do what he is doing at the next level. Will be interesting to see how it looks come playoff march madness. I question both being true franchise players because of size and athletic ability questions of Chet and Pablo.
Chet is a nice player but he is not a KD or Giannis. I remembered KD at Texas when he was bringing the ball down, shooting the jumper or passing to the open man. The guy was almost 7 feet tall moving like he was a GUARD. This is not Chet's game. Chet can bring the ball down but he usually at the BLOCK, but he can be effective shooting 3s. Pablo is 6'10 and 250 POUNDS......let me say this again....Pablo is 6'10 and 250 POUNDS. I have watch 4 games of this guy and he cannot be stopped, well the only thing can stop him is LEG CRAMPS. If someone guarding him on the outside and they are a CENTER he is BLOW PAST them, if he have someone pinned at the BLOCK close to the basket who can stop him? Most Centers are 230 or 235 pounds IN THE NBA? This guy is 250 POUNDS and move like a GUARD. LOOK!!!!! Giannis is 6'11 and 242 pounds. Pablo is 6'10 and 250 POUNDS of BABY FAT. Give him a year or two he cannot be STOPPED. This guy is a ALPHA TYPE Player! You could clearly see he took over the DUKE/GONZALA game in the first half with 20 points. I like Chet's game he is tough, not passive in the paint, has handles, and a very good 3 point shooters but PABLO is on a whole another level. The problem with Pablo is NO VERTICAL and he does not play defense. His comparison is Camelo Anthony(ON STEROIDS). First I thought he remind me of Grant Hill, but Grant was smaller and quicker AND Grant could play defense-ACC DEFENSE PLAYER OF THE YEAR. Pablo does not play defense he just like to score.....he is CARMELO ANTHONY(ON STEROIDS) but he can win CHAMPIONSHIPS/
Banchero's game is already NBA ready. I think Chet has mega bust potential. That frame scares me, There is no way he will be able to do anything in the paint in the NBA. He will be relegated to perimeter shooting and ISO ball dribble moves. So basically it's Durant or bust...Pass.
The Durant comparisons with Chet are so off-base. He's done nothing besides be 7 feet and 180 pounds to warrant that comparison. He has skills, but for the hype he's garnered the past two years I've been relatively unimpressed with his game. He doesn't have a quick first step and he isn't a player you can throw the ball to and have them create their own offense. Paolo has impressed me a lot more. He's got good handles, an NBA-ready body and great shooting mechanics. Admittedly I haven't watched a lot of Chet or Paolo, so I hope I eat crow on this one.
A Bigger, more skilled Melo is KAT, who weighs in at 6'11" 248. KAT is a very nice player, better than Melo IMO, but like Melo, won't win you a title as your best player, he needs a defensive force alongside him in the paint to not have the worst defense in the NBA. Paolo doesn't have Giannis' athleticism, and his wingspan doesn't compare. I'd be more than happy if we draft KAT in this draft, he's an offensive juggernaut and a staple on All-NBA teams. Its the defense that concerns me. A bad defensive guard can be covered up with good wings and bigs on that end (see: 2017-18 Rockets). A bad defensive big is an achilles heel. Chet doesn't have the explosiveness of KD, nor the shooting prowess. Durant is a once-in-a-generation player overshadowed because LeBron James exists. Frankly, I don't see any player of that caliber in this draft, but this team should be in the business of winning titles. Winning titles isn't about getting a top 15 player or two and losing in the first and second round every year. Its not even about getting a top 5 player and hoping for the best, as we saw with Harden's clockwork playoff failures. Its about getting a top 3 player and bulldozing though the league. When I look at a draft from the perspective of a tanking team, I want a guy with the best chance of being the best player on earth one day. Right now, the guy with the biggest MVP (and bust) potential is Chet. At his best, he's a less athletic Kevin Durant with much better defensive instincts. At his worst, he's a rich mans Zhou Qi who will hang around in the league for a decade off his "potential". The Record for (by NBA standards) unathletic but hyper-skilled lotto picks is mixed. You have massive busts like Jahlil Okafor and Dragan Bender who just weren't athletic enough to survive in the NBA. You also have guys like Doncic and Trae Young who most people had as the highest-risk prospects turning out to be the best players from their draft.
It's a tough decision and if people are being honest, difficult to pick who will pan out as a star. GMs getting paid millions have difficulty with it each year. I'm enjoying watching these guys when I have downtime, Paolo is playing Ohio State on ESPN right now. Just Started
I agree with you that neither is a guaranteed franchise player like Shaq or Magic were. Banchero is the safer pick. I am pretty comfortable he is going to be at least a 10 year starter and I think he will have a career similar to Elton Brand. That is to say an all star but likely not a superstar. Chet is appealing because his ceiling is so extremely high. If he pans out and gets close to his upside, he will be a first ballot Hall of Famer… BUT he has injury risks, strength concerns and needs to improve at a number of skills. He is also lucky he is playing in 2021 and not 1991 because his frame is likely playable now but not then. Both have strong mental mindsets and are competitors. Banchero has a quiet confidence and Chet is just a dawg… he doesn’t realize he is 195 pounds and looks like Jamie Lee Curtis’ intersexual twin.
First Chet isn’t 180 lbs, he is 195 lbs with a 7’5” wingspan. Chet does have a quick first step for a post player, he doesn’t for a scoring guard. He does do something’s very well offensively though that will allow his to score. For example he hasn’t missed a shot this SEASON from within 3 feet and has shown an ability to finish extremely well. He also scores well off pass off 3’s and off screens. Having said that, he isn’t the scorer than Banchero is. Chet is someone that is very efficient and contributes in a lot of ways. He can defend on the perimeter and in the post, he has excellent instincts and is a very good team defender. He also has a high motor. That combo is very rare.
