As good if not better ball handler, already as a rookie, then all these dudes. What do they have in common? Amare Gobert Drummond Ben Wallace Dikembe Daugherty Laimbeer Ilgauskas Duckworth Hibbert Vucevic
All of those players are back-to-the-basket players on offense. Jabari is a face-up player. I think that's a meaningful difference when it comes to discussing the importance of ball handling.
A 19 yr old 6'10 sniper, with an evolving (obviously HE'S JUST 19) offensive repertoire and oh yeah, great defense..? I'll take it.
Agreed, but wasn't about the type of player. Just responding to the question to name any multi yr all stars that did not have good handles.
You are very mistaken about Horry. He was very much a straight line slasher when he first entered the league. I know because I watched him first hand in several of those games and remember thinking that guys is AWESOME (if you don't force him to do anything extra with the ball) - he did most of his damage back then as an off ball slasher cutting WITHOUT the ball and hitting the offensive boards and of course he had some 3pt ability early in his career but not nearly as reliable as he would become later in his career. Your argument is literally made up.
In other words, the only players that can succeed at a high level without ball handling are centers and post up players? Agreed.
Funny. The best players in the CURRENT NBA came in during the 2000's. LOL. Lebron, Durant, & Steph. On Smith, give the kid time. He'll improve. He's wet behind the ear rookie. There was a guy the Rockets drafted in 1984 that couldn't dribble, struggled with free throws (at times) and had no face-up drive game to speak of when he started. He got pretty good though.
It's pretty pointless in arguing about Player X's handle when he was a rookie. There is no objective data to prove one way or another. Basically an argument from subjective memories. I supposed someone can find some highlight clips. But highlight clips are highlights. You can find impressive plays of any player. In fact, I am pretty sure you can find impressive dribble plays by Jabari Smith Jr. if you spend enough time to look.
And both are 6'10 and have vastly superior handles, what's your point? Holmgren is going to mature with age and Banchero is an average shooter at worst and an average defender none of those things are comparable to Smith's dribble issues.
Akeem could dribble and his game was masterful in the post they will be asked to do totally different things. He was pretty good and got better terrible example.
This conversation is silly. Focus what the guy is elite at, not what he isn't. We have multiple guys that can create off the dribble. It isn't needed from JSJ.
That's the thing you can't and some of us watched the players we have compared him to in college and the pros and don't have to go by clips.
For some reason people think as a 3rd pick he should have the complete package now but if he had everything then he'd be the number one pick, although not even the #1 pick has everything. there is nothing to show that Jabari wont develop a competent dribble package. Right now it is more basic but thats all he has needed. Anything more is gravy
So HALF the game of basketball is less important than a skill his team isn't asking him to use yet? Also, average is being optimistic... Banchero was AVERAGE on his team in scoring efficiency at 5th....
