Yeah this is the other option. LMA in his prime was a beast, and that's shooting no 3s. LMA at a 37%-44% three point shooter on volume is an INSANELY good player.
Kevin Durant College Highlights vs Kansas for Big 12 Championship (2007.03.11) / 37 points !!! HD - YouTube Anyone ever watch Durant tape from college. Watch some Jabari tape. They played very similar. Durant developed a handle in the pros. It wasn't bad in college by any means, but the shooting ability plays. The handle will determine how great you end up being.
Not sure if Green being 1a is the best for this team's long-range outside of Steph who has been a team that contends with an undersized 2 guard being 1a? That's why I was on the Banchero train I wanted a guy who has a chance of also being that guy. But like I have said this is a process and we have a lot of capital to get that guy.
I didn't bother researching Jabari Smith before cause like everyone else I assumed he wasn't going to be available. But after looking into him I am a lot higher on his potential than I used to be (which was Uber 3&D guy). One note is that he just turned 19. That's insane. Essentially he has an extra year of development time compared to someone like Chet Holgrem. So his lack of development in certain regards is more understandable and there is more time to improve. Two is that he isn't just a great shooter, but basically flawless shooter. So even if he never can drive to the basket he can still be a top tier scorer by getting to his spots. It's not ideal compared to someone who can drive in and get fouled, but there is definitely more upside to his game than a regular 3 point shooter. Overall I'm liking this pick more and more, especially if Sengun can take another step forward and really be a hub of this teams offense
hmmmm. i wasn't that impressed with Kawhi's dribble game here. One of the first highlights, yes he gets the ball up court with a spin move, but the ball is so loose and far from his body the whole time. Or check out the dribble move at about 1 minute in. Yep... it's a LITTLE more advanced than Jabari's as he has it coming up the court a bit at the wing, but then gets a pick and takes 2 dribbles into a layup. Those 2 dribbles are as basic as they come and again too far from his body. There's no pizzazz with Kawhi's game. No flash.. which is A-OK. My point for him studying Kawhi's game was to see look, you don't have to be crossover king, you don't need to dribble the air out of the ball. Be efficient in your movements, but get better, and faster and most importantly way more comfortable with your dribble drive game so you can take those 2-3 power type dribbles to a spot you want, forcign the defense to shift to you, and finish your move via score or pass.
Madness how this guy wasn't consensus #1 pick. this doesn't even look like a college player. I do see your point tho, there isn't much dribbling at all.
If your 1a has strong efficiency on volume, then you are in good shape. If Green is who we saw at the end of they year, the Rockets absolutely have their alpha player.
Durant always had a great dribble package you can't just use a random game and then claim they were very similiar. He did develop a handle in the pros, he already had it.
Green did this on a team that was terrible and nobody took it seriously and it still does not negate the fact that no championship contender outside of GSW has a guy that small as the alpha. I am just saying the question of the Alpha has yet to be answered.
Being able to shoot over the top the way he does, is an insane skill that comes with length and a high release. Once he gets in the league, and can just focus on getting to his spots game after game. He can shoot in a highly efficient manner. I suspect he will be good enough to be your 1b with Jalen. Not sure how Kevin Porter Jr and Sengun fit on this team long term, but I am excited. It feels like the Rockets have their version of Batman and Robin with the outside shot that Green is indeed your Robin.
Random game? Durant scored most of his points off of one to two dribble pulls ups over defenders. That was his bread and butter in college.
We have to move on, Victor Wembanyama is now the goal, he can be a Rudy Gobert but with an offensive game and a 3 point shot. That is top 3 center talent behind Embiid and Jokić.
Some Jabari high school highlights. Was curious if there was more to his offensive arsenal in highschool. Indeed, there is! It's not every play or anything. He is still just super sound and fundamental with a lot of pure jab step shoot over action. BUT... there is DEFINITELY more dribble drive, in the paint pound and shot type action. This is a positive to me because it means with his work ethic, and given how young he still is and his frame to grow into, as he gets bigger and more physical and more comfortable with his body, game and hopefully handle, he will add this stuff. It doesnt always have to be blow by stuff. He's got teh ability to turn into a BIG dude. A freak of a muscleman type body. While shooting 40% threes and having enough of a handle to dribble INTO a defender and get them off balance - which he does more than once in the videos below.
You will be disappointed because Jabari is not a 1b don't force him into a role he is not fit for.. he is a 3rd option.
If you say so. Next, you gonna say Durant was as terrible at the rim. I really can't believe you are trying to compare him to Durant.
I saw a couple of things I liked in the video I did not see in college but they were very basic and don't know if they would work against higher-level guys. I just hope it's not a mental thing.
