Going by what GermanRoxFan posted (thanks for the update!), and all kidding aside, you pretty much summed it up, JV. Sounds like he has a long road ahead of him if he's to ever play for the Rocks, and in the NBA.
You know that if we really do still have JHo,Swift and Hayes filling the Power Forward Slots then its going to take three seasons before we are a contending team and possibly 5 years to a championship. I just hope that with Morey taking over that even now that he will influence Les/CD into getting rid of the dead wood on our team. Where there is a will there is a way.We need several talented young athletic players who can score and defend, especially, God Forbid, Tracy McG has to end his career with the back problem.
Badaine will continue to make our summer league roster but I don't think we'll ever see him on the bench of the regular season.
For this thread I did some checking up on Badiane. or Ma-Lick Maybe he and Lampe (My -chick) can be friends....... anyways..... Would Badiane be a top 5 pick in this draft? After looking at things and serching up I think it's possible if he came in this draft now at 22 he could be a top pick. He's 6-10 3/4 barefoot 240 pounds he has a now 7-5 wingspan he has a 32 inch vertical off a stand still (same as young KG) he has a 38 inch vertical off one step (same as young KG and pre-injury Amare) He's played in the senior leagues in Europe and is considered one of the better defenders/rebounders/shot blockers prospects over there. He currently is seen as a better version of Francisco Elson, with likelyhood of being a better version of Keon Clark (minus the crack). Really if he was in this draft he's probably be a top 10 pick. I doubted he was ever going to play for the Rockets, but seeing this and comparing it to what's in this draft......... Folks he's a lot better prospect they have waiting over there than people realize.
i doubt that he would be a top 10 or even a top 5 pick. look at this draft. you see saer sene. he could be malick's twin brother. and he's projected to be a late first round pick.
...but he will not play an NBA game in a rockets uniform because he can't demonstrate sufficient ability to penetrate the weakest PF corps in the NBA. There a lot of big guys who can run and jump. Have you ever seen the And-1 tour? It is loaded with long armed, 6-7 & Taller guys who can sky out of the gym. They are not high NBA prospects though, and most never were. It takes more than that to make it. If he were draft elgibile this year, he might get picked in the top 10....rounds.
To make the team the Badman will need an Angel. (If you're not old enough to remember B&W movies, don't bother trying to understand this comment.)
The And 1 team doesn't have anyone remotely in that range of combination of size and athleticism, believe it or not that IS rare, that's RARE even by NBA standards. Also he did a lot better in Eurpe this year than what this thread is indicating.
I saw Badiane play a few games in the summer league in Long Beach a couple of years ago. I was really impressed by his athleticism and hustle, but he had a distinct lack of skills. Still, it would be great if the Rockets could get him on their NBDL team next year and let him start getting minutes against just-under-NBA-level talent. That would help him grow as a player and allow the team to keep an eye on him and get him the coaching he needs.
I think he'll join the team in 3 years. He'd be a great 3rd string pf/center in this league, kind of like Francisco Elson/DJ Mbenga. He doesn't need to become the next Garnett, but he certainly has the body to compete.
He's considerably bigger than Ty Thomas, and in the same range from an athletic stand point. He's also a shot blocker rebounder, zero offense raw type player. Thomas is probably a top 10 pick, and what exactly can he do offensively, and he's more like a PF in a SF's body. Badiane could play the 4 or 5. Granted Thomas is 19 and Badiane is 22 so, BUT Badiane's competition is probably on par or better than Thomas' was in college. He's definitely a prospect for the Rockets. They will probably keep him in Europe another year, then bring him over after next season when Deke retires.
