This is a great analysis of Amen, full of awesome clips. If you love Amen as much as I do, you know that he's already the guy anyone in the league would love to have on their team, and he's only going to get better, and better, and better with time. He is the most promising star we've drafted in since Hakeem!!!!
Most former players that offer opinions (including the regular NBA talking heads on ESPN) don't watch enough NBA basketball to know much about anything. Tim Legler might be an exception.
I think what's funny about all of this is talking shop with other NBA fans here in LA. While they rave about him... it's Jalen Green/Alperen Sengen who become the topic of discussion because other fans really like those two. I've been on the Amen train since he was drafted and I'm always the guy saying... yeah but it's really Amen you should be talking about. I think once he starts getting the superstar treatment... it's lights out for the league. 3 stars on one team... might be the next dynasty.
Scottie Pippen is the closest to Amen. A PG/SG that can play any SF/PF is high commodity. Amen win games by shooting mid-range, a high percentage shots unlike Paolo and Wemby shooting a lot of 3s killing their teams. Amen is opposite of the current style of players shooting numerous 3s.
Eh this doesn't play out in every case. For example the main reason why Green has a higher scoring efficiency than Alpi for the season is precisely because a large part of his shot diet are threes. Hence why both Green's efg% and ts% are higher even though the raw fg% for Alpi is a lot higher.
I heard someone compare him to a young Kawhi Leonard and I can't forget it. It really depends on developing a reliable jumper. This isn't Ben Simmons showing his offseason development year after year, then never shooting in game...Amen is at least trying to develop some confidence.
If he stays a Rocket long-term his jersey is going to be on ceiling when it's all said and done. No one's wearing #1 again after Amen. He's just too great defensively to trade him for anyone, ever.
Actually I had used the Scottie comparison a while back, but watching his mid-range game develop, I'm starting to get a uber athletic Clyde Drexler vibe. I see him as a superstar in the making. I was worried about his level of competition and shot, but young man is looking great and making NBA take notice.
On the last inbound against the Grizzlies, Amen made the in-bounds catch on the right wing. I don't think he's got excellent clarity on what he wants to do from that position. He obviously likes going right, but when going right lands him against the baseline, teams can build a wall. But once Amen's decisive and has his footwork together of how to go left, evade, and get into the paint, look out. He's got the smile and demeanor the league loves, and they're already rewarding him at the foul line. Some of our other players can't seem to earn that respect, and they have the bruises to show for it. There's a craft that Green, for example, has to learn: the science of falling in the paint (but NOT out of bounds) and disrupting the entire play without flailing. See JJJ from the Grizzlies, who, for such a massive guy, can't seem to keep his balance. I guess it's like judo, in which you move with your opponent's action and counterbalance...That or they need to get with some wrestler in the WWE to learn how to hide and manipulate contact.
