https://bbs.clutchfans.net/threads/man-we-got-unlucky-with-jabari-smith.316433/ Work got in the way of replying sooner to the nonsense of "no one even hated on Jabari" but there are entire threads about it. This is one of them. Yes, there are people who say garbage post, but all summer league, it was the same nonsense spouted over and over, especially in game threads. It's silly to pretend like that never happened just because you can say, "Oh, well why don't you spend a few hours compiling all those posts." Anyone who was even remotely on CF, Reddit, or Twitter during SL knows people in this fanbase were ******** on Jabari. The people who did it should definitely be mocked because these are teenagers we're discussing and calling people a bust or saying they suck is truly stupid.
I think a lot of the Jabari hates are from Banchero fans. It's kind of like last year when the Mobley mob came out to diss Green. I guess it's just human nature to trash someone in order to prop up the guy you like, even though there's no rational reason for it. Why can't both guys be great? And this year's hate is even weirder. Last year, we had a choice between the two players so you could argue if the pick was a mistake. This year at #3 we didn't even have a chance to pick the other guy.
Banchero and Smith are two fundamentally different players. If being able to create for oneself and others is the primary way to judge a player, Paolo is the clear choice. If one values other things (e.g., scoring efficiency, scoring rate even if not at rim, defense) such that it is possible to be a better player despite not being good at driving to the rim to create, Jabari is about as good a prospect as there is. It makes sense to some degree that people that like one are going to be down on the other. If Paolo plays like he did in March, he's going to be a very good NBA player. Even without a fancy creation game, I think odds are great that Jabari is a good player because his defense and shot are that great.
In the same sentiment SOME of the Jabari Smith "lovers" enjoyed every minute of trashing Jalen Green and would it be curious if they were also Mobley Mobbers? I find it funny to see them feign outrage. Jabari Smith was an afterthought and most of the vitriol resided with the Chet and Banchero camps against each other and even more to clutch pearls over accounts with less than 500 posts trying to be edgy is just cringe.
They are indeed very different players. Each has his own strengths and weaknesses. Play making, shooting, and defense are all valuable skills for winning. It seems to me arguing which skill is more important is almost like arguing which woman is hotter. I actually hope that all these young players will turn out to be franchise level players and create some interesting rivalry down the road.
The situation this off season before the draft was that everybody thought Orlando would pick Jabari. So this board was focused on hyping up Paolo, which is fine. A bit of homerism is what sports fandom is about. What's puzzling is that even after the draft, people still try to put down our guy and prop up the guy on the other team.
Who's "putting down our guys and propping up others" in this instance? I can definitely point you towards notable contributors here in this same discussion who did what you describe last year with Jalen. Except that I dont care to continue to sow division but the search function still works last time I checked.
9 people liked OPs post and 71 people liked the "Garbage post" that followed. That says a lot. The loud Smith haters posting the same thing over and over don't even deserve the recognition or even acknowledgment I'm giving to them in this reply.
Why have a message board if not to discuss? On wanting players to succeed elsewhere, screw that. I like Chet's game in college, but I hope he returns to full health and doesn't help the Thunder (being good when they tank, sucking when they try to win). Paolo, I don't care about because he's in the Eastern Conference. Sochan and Daniels, if they ever learn to shoot, they are going to be annoying pissants. Probably will be even if they can't shoot. Keegan Murray, he's the exception. He's a King so not much of a threat long term unless something changes dramatically for them. I think people made too much about his age and defense. He's unlikely to be the best player on a team, but he scored from everywhere and more efficiently than most.
That's the part that bothers me to no end. I'm totally cool with people who fell in love with Paolo or Chet and are interested in seeing their career pan out. If they feel Jabari wasn't as good a prospect, that's 100% okay. But now, he's a Rocket. I can't understand grown men getting giddy to go on CF, Reddit, Twitter, etc. every time KPJ, Jalen, Jabari, whoever on our team (especially young players) has a bad game so they can talk down on the "stans" who want them to succeed on our team. I just can't imagine being that person. I don't get people who hate Bron, Steph, etc (I don't care for them myself), but at least those guys aren't kids.
If people were down on Jabari before we got him or when the shock of him being there was still kind of fresh, i can understand. But just like with Jalen Green last year, to me, its weird when you're a fan of a team and you appear to be outwardly enjoying/rooting for a guy to fail for the sake of "being right".
So saying he will not be a star is writing him off? So you already know he will be a star when he has yet to play a regular season game? Most 1st round picks don't ever rise to star level players, so it's more than likely he will not ever be a Star level player. Also, what do you consider a "star"?
Durant can get those shots because he is a threat to drive, Smith will not get those shots when teams start game planning for him. The actual question is can he develop a Tari type dribble, let alone a Durant type dribble. He is not in the Kawhi/Durant/Paul George/Demar Derozan mold because all of those guys have much more developed handles and can finish at the rim much better. Durant and George have guard level handles.
At the same time what will constitute "star" with such a unique player? Will Jabari average 10 rebounds per game on top of 20 points per game? I think I ran into a stat where Julius Randle and Larry Bird shared the 20/10 with good 3 point shooting somewhere. Is Randle a star? Will people be let down if Jabari has career averages of 18/8 with 40% 3 pt shooting if it leads to multiple championships? At this stage Jabari is a play finisher and not a play creator so will he ever have assist numbers that help him reach "star" status? Does he need them? So much ambiguity in this discussion.
