I'll enjoy it a LOT more if he starts playing a LOT better. That said, his rookie struggles is a large part of why the Rockets still have a shot at Wemby, so I do appreciate that aspect of it.
I do think it's a little much to expect superstar territory from Jabari at this stage. He's still very much a WIP. But I love the flashes he's shown and you can see why he was in the convo for #1 pick. I'm not totally sold on him as a top offensive option yet. There is shot creation potential any time you can knock 'em down and shoot over most players, but I need to see more. Fadeaways, midrange jumpers, stuff like that is real inefficient by nature, so you need to be really elite to be a go-to guy with that as your main shot creation ability. Either that, or he'll need to add more skill at driving and/or playing in the post. Could happen, but it's a little tough to project right now. As he is now, I still think the best comps for him are 3-and-D wings, except bigger and better at rebounding. That in and of itself is incredibly valuable and would put him among the best roleplayers in the league even if all he does is do the same stuff he's been doing, just more consistent and efficient. And sometimes those guys do expand their games and end up evolving into stars.
Jabari will probably never be someone who can be an offense unto himself or carry an offense all by his lonesome like how Luka or Harden can / could, but he offers something arguably far more valuable; the ability to playoff ANY superstar in the league. He is a stretch big with a pure shot who can defend well. You don't have to worry about building an offense around someone like Bari. You don't even have to worry much about who to match with Bari as your superstar. Like seriously, I feel like some people don't realize just how valuable that is.
For this season I think he could have been better but there is no worse situation than the one he's in. On a competitive team, he gets 20 minutes per game, fewer shot attempts (better percentages) and slowly gets better. Wouldn't have looked so bad and as we know almost the entire roster shot below expectations this season. There was something systemically wrong which shaved 2-3% off our players' 3PT% imo. He's a modern PF/C who didn't know he's a big so he never put on enough muscle. There's nothing he needs right now more than offseason training to fill that frame out. He obviously needs to continue tightening up his 3pt shot because that's his bread and butter. You could force guys like Jokic and Sabonis to guard him on the perimeter and make space for Green to attack. He was SOOOO young and raw when he arrived now that I think about it. There's nothing he hasn't improved during the season and he couldn't do ANYTHING well on day 1 but rebound. I know he'll be working on it in the offseason with or without supervision. That's what I love about Jabari, I don't doubt his self-motivation at all. Look at how much he got better at defense and finishing during the season. That's WORK. I like the Klay Thompson comparison a lot. 6'11 Klay Thompson with a 7'1 wingspan who can also grab 10 rebounds and block a couple of shots. That's an insanely good player lol. I really believe in his 3pt shot, he'll be making them from the logo before his career is over. I think it was a terrible start but you just watch him shoot and can't help but think he's definitely a natural shooter. He's going to be worth $30m+/season and that's a home run.
Well, Klay is literally one of the greatest shooters in NBA history. I don't think you can ever say a guy is going to be THAT elite with confidence until he's actually done it. Saying a player is going to be in the like the top 0.2% of all time at a skill is ridiculously optimistic. But luckily, he doesn't have to actually be as good of a shooter as Klay to still be one of the best shooting big men in the league and an incredibly valuable player.
What's the point saying it after he's done it? I'll take the heat for it if I'm wrong! I really think he's going to be a Klay-level shooter. Dame. That kind of thing.
Oh yeah, brutal situation, all of those wide open 3's created for him definitely hurt his 3 point % LOL, GTFOH, the kid struggled and it was 100% on him. He was just asked to make open shots and couldn't even do that. You can be hyped about what he could become if he learns how to shoot properly, but let's not be crazy.
I think so too as that's what he has done his entire competitive basketball life up until his rookie season. You also have that turnaround midrange that is as wet as the ladies thirsting Keanu Reeves.
Jabari has shown some great things this season — there’s been clear progress in his handle, his finishing at the rim, self-creation, and passing. He’s shown more flashes in those areas than I expected, and there have been games where the shot looks so good you think he’s never going to miss. The star upside is there with Jabari. It’s also true that over the course of the whole season, Jabari was one of the most negative high-minute players in the league. He’s a 19 year old rookie, so it doesn’t say much about his future. It’s one of the biggest reasons we’re a 20 win team though. He was bottom 10 out of 250 in the league in the adjusted plus minus metrics. Of 75 players who took at least 4.0 catch & shoot 3PA’s per game, Jabari was dead last in 3P% in the league at 29.5%. The good news for Jabari and the Rockets is that should naturally improve next year with age and experience, which will help his all around development and get this team more wins.
Yeah truth is they didn't develop him well in college and he was practically like a high schooler when he got here. All high schoolers struggled in the NBA except Lebron James. It felt like if the season was longer he would have just gotten better and better. There's nothing really wrong with his shot it seems like it was mostly confidence but he will also now work on his 3pt shot with the knowledge of what kind of defenses he'll face. He was WAY too skinny for a PF and he was exerting himself on both sides of the floor. PG sucked and off ball players are so reliant on PG's. With better teammates around him, better culture, better PG, polished 3pt shot and 10lbs of muscle he's going to be really good next season. Confidence up, nerves down, less getting pushed around. I feel like he will already be ready to captain the defense by next season. Jabari doesn't seem like someone who is going to take it easy this summer. He seems like someone who is going to work on his game like crazy to redeem the rookie season. I think he should shelve the mid range for now and continue to take 3's and finish at the basket. We need him to improve at those things more urgently. Midrange shot has to be elite to be worth taking and he's not there yet. It's a good bailout shot though and he can also punish smaller player with it. The turnaround in the post is a great shot to develop and he should work on a basic hook shot too.
How often do rookies not struggle? In judgement, best to keep in mind the setting. The fact he improved as he did in this S Show. Is basically "enough said". You want to question his %. Keep in mind it's nearly impossible to keep your shot when your adding arm strength. He's clearly gotten bigger throughout the season. Couldn't have helped the jumper.
Typically when you are talking about superstar players or future superstar players they don't struggle anywhere near as much as those on the Rockets have. Like I said, we can keep hope alive, but it's just hope for the sake of hope at this point. For all we know, you could end up correct.
Thanks for these Derp. I think Jabari has the work ethic and talent to be a great 2-way player. I also think his ceiling is Chis Bosh, but I think his floor is Chris Bosh. I predict he’ll have an incredible year 2. Watch out for Jabari.
Nobody is questioning that his success was limited but it's ludicrous to think his ability is limited when he walked in the door as a highly touted prospect, who obviously progressed in so many ways. This post is so contrarian, I can't tell if you're trolling or if you're genuinely this sad? Trevor Ariza?? He's already way past that and you know it. Cheer up breh.
Now apply the same logic to Alperen Sengun who is less than a year older and has already shown a lot as well.
