Yeah, Garuba's going to be in the NBA a long time. He's not a miss. All four of the rooks will be substantially better next season.
As well as Sengun has played this season, I do feel that Garuba has less to work on to become a reliable 30 minute starter on a successful team. His defensive ceiling is really high and he is at least attempting to shoot 3s already, which is really all you need as a big man in today's league to start on most teams.
They mentioned in the broadcast that the training staff are rebuilding his mechanics from scratch. Rebuilding your shot from scratch mid season is a nightmare. Fracturing your off hand mid season is not ideal either. Considering he never shot 3’s it’s really good that he’s shooting 27% from 3 and 70% from the FT line. I know you see him gaining confidence throwing decisive passes, even some one handed lasers. He’s going to be a good passer too, it’s obvious to some of us.
[ Weird bc I've been told by posters in this thread that since he's used to playing Champions League knockout stage matches in the greatest non NBA league in the world he wouldn't require a gut renovation. Good bones tho
This is what I love about the NBA today, there's a million stats out there now, you can really make everyone GOAT if you put in the time to cherry pick
I blame Daryl Morey. He would tweet some weird stats that sounded impressive about the player. And then after thinking about it you're kind of like, "Wait, what?"
Thanks, I realize he was being sarcastic, The sample size is way too small to crown Fernando, but was it too small to pursue him this offseason?
Not really. the truth is everyone does good things and you can find those things in the stats. Whether those stats are a big or small chunk of the overall winning equation is where people screw up. That’s when we see the truth getting warped.
Garuba showing some of that switchable defender hype we heard about before and after the draft! Out there trying to lock up on everybody. Love to see it!
Garuba defensive instincts and technique is so advanced. Already an excellent short roll passer too. Needs to work on the corner 3 and he's gold.
We saw quite a few flashes of this during SL where he was making quick hockey assists and acting as a transition passer. What I really like about is how aggressive he is on D. I don't necessarily mean that he is out there gambling on steals, slapping at the ball, or bodying people up either. Instead, it's like he is constantly attacking the ball handler with hand feints to force them to keep the ball away constantly and stay on their heels. It's almost like he's out there going "You think you are a good ball handler? Let's put that up for testing!" It reminds me of a boxer testing out his opponent with quick jabs and feints; not really trying to land anything, just looking at reactions.
Exactly. This guy is a diamond in the rough. He gets a consistent 3 Ball and he will be very valuable
Hoops Hype: What's your goal for next season? Garuba: I want to be in the team’s rotation. I want to make sure the coach wants me to play every game. The franchise wants to help me develop my game, they know I can contribute to the team, especially with my defense. I know the team will add more talent with draft picks, so this summer is probably the most important one of my life. It’ll likely determine my future in the NBA and I’m very excited to face this challenge. Hoops Hype: Analytics made you look good on the defensive end as expected: deflections, block percentage... Garuba: Yes, that’s the area of my game that showed the most, but I don’t think I was at 100 percent. I can do much more and I want to prove that I can become one if not the best defensive players in the league. That’s why I’m going to work hard this summer in Houston to take a huge step forward in that direction. I want to also improve on the offensive end so I can help my teammates with a better outside shot. Hoops Hype: Tell us the player you like to study his game the most. Garuba: I like to watch Draymond Green a lot. There are tons of clips of him on my iPad. I learn a lot from him – how he plays defense, constantly setting picks… his offensive game, too. Also, the way he communicates with his teammates all the time, and his leadership on the court. He makes everything easier for the Warriors. Hoops Hype: Speaking of those games, your best one was against the Rookie of the Year Scottie Barnes. Garuba: I don’t remember a lot from that game, but it was definitely great to battle against him.
