The presumed top pick falls into our lap and people actually on here complaining Let the naysayers nay I suppose
We have a 107 page thread on coming to terms with getting Paolo.... Most of us pretty much came to terms with that pick the last six weeks. People have to get over now so let them cope.
Imagine coming from this To The Rockets basement This man bout to request a trade day one of practice...
Wembayana is the gold at end of rainbow. But he's not guaranteed. Even if Rockets are worst in NBA for 3rd consecutive season. Honestly, I'd push my chips in right now for Chet. OKC also has their eyes set on Wemby and Presti is a calculated risk taker. Trade away our 2023 unprotected pick for Chet and roll with current team. Our 2023 pick will not be as good as OKC thinks it will be, not with this roster: KPJ Green Eason Jabari Chet With Sengun, Tate, Jaygup, TyTy, Mathews, KJ, Garuba, Nix, Queen, etc. off the bench. But the spacing and defense of starting 5 would be off the charts. And all our bigs can play together, any combo.
Everyone is going to tank for Victor, the moves the Knicks made for 3 picks for next year draft from OKC, Spurs willing to trade Murray for John Collins, magic will just be bad, and OKC drafted a French player for Victor... If the draft is rigged I don't want them to reward OKC....
Kawhi is the player Jabari should most study. They both have that robotic unrelenting nature to them. I think anyone can elevate themselves to superstar status so long as they have two things: a truly elite skill and high motor/determination. Every superstar had to work on something to get to that level. Kawhi included. He started off as a two way defender and morphed into an efficient shooter. Jabari can definitely do this if he has the drive. That's the real question I think. Shooting has always come so easy to him, is he willing to put in the time to develop a dribble drive game? Or does he just want to camp out at the 3 point line and play sound defense? He's very much the antithesis to Paolo. He's a natural playmaking machine. But his defensive deficiencies will cost teams games (or series). Is he willing to work on it? Paolo doesn't have to as much because this league has no shortage of superstars who are bad defenders (Luka, Trae,Harden). There is an extreme shortage of superstars who can't dribble penetrate (literally no superstar can't do this). If Jabari does however, he will be the reason the Rockets are title contenders. He'd essentially be Giannis with an amazing shot. Or Durant.
How good is he shooting ability really?? New or old school.. Curry level?? Klay level?? KD?? Reggie?? Ray Allen??
JSJ came to the press conference in business casual attire. This man means business!!! I cant wait to see how he and Tari & TyTy fit with the group Go Rockets!!
This may have been posted before, but from TyTy and Jabari's team-up vs. Paolo back in 2020 @ Pangos where TyTy & Jabari's South team won the championship. I moved around a bit since I don't have time to watch the entire game, but I'm sure there are some highlights I missed of Jabari locking up Paolo : 1:14:20 : "Banchero's gotta be tired of Jabari Smith. Jabari Smith's been in his shorts the whole game." 1:18:52 : "Top performers in that game for the South - Jabari Smith with an excellent defensive job on Paolo Banchero. Fantastic job on both ends. TyTy Washington once again a winner. Leads his team to victory." 1:21:47 : MVP for the runner-up team : Paolo Banchero. MVP for the champions - the announcer names the wrong guy... oops... then corrects himself... it's Jabari Smith. They stand with trophies next to each other. Chet actually had the most mindboggling stats (he went for 25/19/14/5 in a game) in this tournament, but his team finished 3rd.
I was being hyperbolic to illustrate how much I hate the KD comp who is the greatest offensive player ever and Ray Allen had absolutely elite handles even at UConn. OPJ went third in the draft too and he was on an all star trajectory before injuries derailed his career. The handles are similar to Jabari and so is the defense and OPJ was an elite shooter. I truly thought he was the next Klay before injuries. Jabari is taller and is starting from scratch. It’s not a slight for me. similar numbers in OPJ breakout sophomore year https://www.sports-reference.com/cbb/players/otto-porter-1.html which even bodes better for JSJ because he’s so young.I think he’s great, I just am tampering expectations like a downer
Could Dirk Nowizki dribble penetrate? I don't quite remember. Traditional big man superstars are back to the basket low post dominating type. I think Dirk kind of broke that tradition.
If you guys want a crazy high outcome comp look at Bosh. I hope he develops a handle in time to project as more if a self creator but right now his self creation will be pull ups and the occasional post touch
KD is not the best offensive player of all time. 4x scoring champ. 2x over 30ppg. He just needs 7 more to pass MJ in each, but that's ok he's only 34. He's still got time!
