Rob Mahoney breaks down former Knickerbocker and prized prospect Jordan Hill, and sheds some light on Hill's progression in his expanded role under Adelman. Very interesting read, and I thought he really hit the nail on the head with his description of Jordan's physical nature -- "There’s a fundamental awkwardness in his play that goes beyond a lack of polish. He is unmistakably athletic, but he doesn’t have the fluidity in his game that even other raw talents turned stars showed at a young age. Some instinctive element of the game eludes him, making him more of a natural athlete than a natural basketball player." The Jordan Hill Corollary Lock if already posted.
True, but he will get better. He does seem to improve every 20-30 games. I think he's one of those people who learns through repetition and also someone who will actually benefit from bulking up significantly. Right now, he seems too light for the type of game he wants to play: a rebounding and shotblocking bruiser in the post.
Wow, great read. I couldn't agree more with his description of Hill. With so many other young, raw, talented players on our team, I'd rather trade Hill than put in the time on a bet that he'll develop into a good player one day.
Unlike Amare, didn't hill just pick up basketball around four years ago? That might explain why he is not that smooth right about now.
People just forget that. He is damn good for someone who hasn't played organized basketball till he was 17. It's not that this should be enough for us to be happy about, it just shows his learning curve.
This was a nice article and the part about understanding spacing is so important. There is a rythmn to the game, and some players are just on a different wave length, sometimes that can be a good thing, sometimes a bad thing. Jordan is an off rythmn player, he is always out of sync, or nearly always.....and it is awkward looking. I doubt he ever is much more than a support player, he just does not look natural or comfortable out on the floor, while he could get there, the odds, IMO are stacked against that. I guess an easy way of saying it, is he doesn't look smooth...... If you ever played Soccer, then you would understand the concept of moving into open space and making yourself an available target, basketball is identical in concept. Luis gets it, so does Chase and Kmart, you watch them subtly move to an open space when their defender turns their head, that is what I am talking about. If Jordan can just get that one concept down it would help him immensly. Either way, he is hardly a bust, but neither is he a star. DD
Jordan looks to me like someone who doesn't want the ball. And when he gets the ball, he immediately looks for someone to pass it to. When his defender gives him room and there is no threat for a double team, Hill has shown a few nice offensive moves.
I am def not hating on JH, but - - he needs more than Hakeem. There's some switch that may or may not exist to allow Hill to perform = to his athletic talent. He's OK but he's not a #8 - - except perhaps in the rotation.
just read it, i agree with DD..lol..get some training with the Dream. If there wasn't a miss communication the first time they were supposed to train, imagine his possible increase in productivity.
I'm assuming someone out of new York wrote this? I wonder if the article would be the same if Amare wasn't playing well to numb the pain Morey caused. Anyway, I hope Hill reads this right before they play the Knicks
Pat gets it too; on the pick and roll, even though no one is really guarding him, Pat runs to the open spot to get that mid range off.
I think Hill will be fine in a few years. He shows flashes from time to time. And like another poster said, he's only been playing the game for a few years. I think we have the right coaching staff in place to groom this guy to a nice player. With the help of CD and hopefully Hakeem in the future, it'll help him mold into a nice player. Before he can become a consistent contributor, he needs to work on his fundamentals and become a student of the game rather than rely on his athletic abilities.
Every time Hill makes a move in the post, it looks like he's either going to fall down or travel. That said, he looks a lot better now than he did a year ago. I see the merits of trading him considering we have Pat, but I think Hill will be a very viable big man by the time he's 28.
I think he means, "Moving without the ball." very interesting. But, he's still learning! Look at, say, Hilton Armstrong and Joey Dorsey - Hill is already better than they'll ever be, and he's obviously getting better. The awkwardness will go away as he gets (many) more minutes. He's not a "natural athlete" that will never be an NBA player; he's already made it that far.
He just needs time. He would also greatly benefit from playing his true position at PF alongside a legitimate center.
The writer put down on paper what most people seem to sense watching Hill. He looks the part, but he just doesn't seem like a natural on the hardwood, so that probably limits his chnace of ever becoming a star. However, he has already made significant progress in less than 1/2 a season. He continues to give great effort (even if it's not always fruitful) and he looks more aggressive on offense and the boards. He has a lot to learn about the nuances of the game, especially team defense, but if we're willing to give him time to develop, I think he'll continue to improve and could be a good rotation player or average starter. That's nothing to frown on.
