Not only do i love this team for their on court antics, but i also think we have the most likeable bunch of guys in the league. quality players, quality people, Patterson will fit right in. Go rockets, you fill me with pride
This is all that I can hope for with Patterson. Everyone keeps saying he will be Landry 2.0, but I just do not see it. In gameplay, he does not seem as explosive nor he is as quick a leaper as Landry. He is also not the bulldog, "I am going to score or get to the free throw line" type player. He is more the intangibles guy, and that is what every quote has said. However, he does not the foot speed to guard the good SF/SG's nor the strength (right now) to guard the good PF's. Battier does not have the numbers either, but it took him a few years to develop his defensive ability and technique. Hopefully, he will be a better rebounder than Landry became. If he turns into this type of player, he will be a great pick. Having said that, it will take a at least a few years for him to develop defense ability at the level of Battier or Hayes. So in that respect, Patterson is a project, and does potentially have upside. You cannot be angry at the draft team. I'm sure that they offered everything they could try to trade up. However, I would argue that they could have probably traded down and could have draft Patterson lower in draft (even just a few picks). Now of course they would never do so if he was their #6 and fell to them at #14.
Patterson was measured at 6'8 3/4 at the Chicago combine and he weighs 240 lbs. PP is taller and thicker than Landry. I would say he has good enough size to play D on NBA power forwards once he figures out the NBA game, and I will guess it will take less than a year.
I'm also interested to see Alexander Johnson play. DM must see something to want to lock him up last season so that he could play in this year's summer league!
I've watched quite a few UK games and Patterson isn't like Landry. His face up offensive game and outside shooting are far beyond what Landry came into the league with. He also doesn't seem to have a nose for coming up with the ball that to me is Landry's hallmark. Nor is he as overtly explosive/dunking like Landry was What ppl are saying when they compare him to Landry is similar production and similar work ethic to get better. He isn't a project though, he's an extremely versatile and well developed player for a college prospect, he could come in and score 10 points if given the opportunity I'm not sure what all the public service stuff has to do with his game though, to me what's more important is his evident work ethic on the court and his malleability with the team than the good rapport he and his parents had the Kentucky fans.
What I read in your statement is that you watched UK this past year. Not the full three years Patrick was at UK.
