People can b**** about the rebuild all the want. FOr me personally, I'm pretty damn happy we've had 3 drafts since the tank and produced 1 x All Rookie First Team (Jalen) and 2 x All Rookie Second Team (Jabari, Amen.) Idgaf what anybody says, that's good drafting.
I can understand the other four but he should have been first team over Podziemski. Amen was more efficient on offense overall and far more impactful defensively.
It's all good. Give him an axe to grind in shooting camp this off-season... He adds a jumper and polishes up the handle and it is a WRAP. Search over. Super duper star obtained. Watch out NBA. I think it is going to happen, too. Kid has the attitude to be a major, major star.
It was the early season injury. Missed a bunch of time and took him a bunch of time to get in the groove of things. He was so effective towards the end of the season
I think if we analyze Amen post ASB he absolutely deserves first team and probably is the third best rookie behind Wemby and Chet. But he did miss some time and wasn't utilized in the applicable manner that accentuates his current skillsets prior to the ASB. If I was to value the overall future careers of this rookie class, Amen would probably have the third best future in the league.
Ah damn, you're right. Even better though, 3 drafts, 4 all rookie team selections? That's pretty damn good imo.
Amen was definitely snubbed. Unfortunately for some of these awards the early season narrative takes hold and carries on the rest of the season, even though guys can fall off. My teams would be: 1st Team Victor Wembanyama Chet Holmgren Amen Thompson Dereck Lively II Trayce Jackson-Davis 2nd Team Brandon Miller Brandin Podziemski Jaime Jaquez Jr. GG Jackson II Cam Whitmore
Amen is such an elite athlete there are probably several sports he could have become a pro level athlete had he grown up playing them instead of basketball. I bring up this random point because how is it possible for a guy with top 1% skill to not have a jump shot? It drives me crazy... anyway he should have been 1st team -- he should request a recount.
Whoever his middle school coaches were should be prosecuted for crimes against humanity. How his youth coaches didn't correct his form for a prospect of his caliber is beyond my understanding.
Not everybody is lucky enough to have great coaches just because they have talent themselves I guess. I'm sure he'll more than make up for it in the pros, just may take him more than the concrete "3 years or you're ****" line, hopefully that shot will be the priority,
Amen is the better all around player than most of these guys. His lack of diversity in offense hurts him. Brandin Podziemski definitely should not be in the same conversation as Amen.
It’s not just that. Sometimes very talented players play a certain way using their natural gifts and abilities. And sometimes players do what they are comfortable with or like to do. Im sure Amen has always been a great dribble drive guy at all levels getting buckets in the paint easily. And he likely chose to prioritize defense and passing instead of shooting. This isn’t uncommon among young players. Look at Aaron Gordon and several others. This is what development and growth is about. There is no complete player out of high school or even college. Growth is constant
