Building the Perfect Power Forward Next to Yao Ming

We may be looking for a Bosh type but man is Scola proficient, and Hill... the potential is there...

 

Scola is a terrific complement.

Yao is not a very reliable rebounder, but at the same time Yao clogs up the lane on the offensive end. We need someone mobile on defense who can grab rebounds but at the same time consistantly hit shots on the offensive end.

No one can do a better job than Scola. I like to see Hill play with Yao though. Would be interesting to see how our own Twin Tower manages.

 

With a few offseasons with us Whiteside could be the perfect PF/C also.And when Yao retires we would have a Whiteside/Hill front court. Hassan Whiteside - Fr. PF/C, Marshall
http://sports.espn.go.com/ncb/player/pr ... erId=46133

Per36min numbers against Quality Opponents (10 games):
16.8pts, 9.9rebs, 0.0asts, 0.6stls, 5.4blks (1st out of 45 prospects), 3.5PFs, 2.3TOs
44.6 FG%, 33.3 3pt% (1/3), 68.1 FT%, .42 FTA/FGA

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Standing 6’11 and weighing somewhere around 230 pounds with a mammoth wingspan, Whiteside is tailor-made for playing weakside defense and altering shots around the rim. He went in and smashed the old C-USA single-season blocks record of 143 blocks with 173 blocks of his own. Not only that, but he’s set to become the first freshman to lead the nation in blocks since Travis Williams in 1998-99, an extremely impressive feat.

As a player who will likely be asked to play Center for the majority of his minutes at the next level, Whiteside looks fluid when running the floor and has excellent lateral foot speed. He is a superb athlete for his size, even when taking into account that he’s not an explosive leaper. However, there is a flaw in his physical makeup: he is very weak. He is severely lacking lower body strength, and it is one of the main causes of his problems on both sides of the floor. While he has the frame to add weight, and was rumored to have gained 15-25 pounds last summer, I am skeptical that he will ever reach that 250-260 mark. Does he have to? Not really, but he’ll have to learn how to play against bigger Centers as a similar built player, Marcus Camby, did.

Defensively, he’s a game changer in the lane when it comes to guards or wings penetrating. Because of his lateral quickness, he can quickly get into position and use his pterodactyl-arms to block or alter many of the shot attempts in the lane. It’s scary how effective he is considering his timing isn’t at an elite level. The lateral quickness also allows him to be an effective pick and roll defender. He can easily help hedge screens and make it a seamless switch. He’s truly an elite prospect when it comes to help defense.

When it comes to man defense, it’s a different story. He simply gets overpowered in the post because of his lack of lower body strength and not knowing how to guard punishing post players. On occasion, he can make up for that due to his insane wingspan and quick feet, allowing him to get an angle to block/alter the shot even though he surrendered position. However, more often he’ll get bullied and looks like a boy guarding a man when players go straight at him. This sometimes causes him to pick up cheap fouls, which could be a concern when he goes up against large post players regularly.

On the boards, Whiteside also needs work, as his current style isn’t going to translate favorably to the NBA level against the bigger, stronger, more athletic competition. Right now he gets most of the boards he collects purely off length and athleticism… there is very little fundamental influence. It’s rare where I see him block out as Ed Davis or Derrick Favors do - two guys who could easily do the same thing and rely on athleticism to grab the boards in college games, but don’t because it’s a bad habit. However, the fact that he does hustle for rebounds on occasion is a good sign and makes me think he’s not a lost cause ala Ryan Hollins.

On offense, it’s a mixed bag. When it comes to scoring, he loves taking jumpers, and he’s not afraid to take them 16-20 feet out. He possesses a very smooth jumper for a guy that big, and it’s nearly unblockable even though it’s kind of a slow release. However, the downside is that he settles for jumpers way too often and frequently takes them early in the shot clock. He uses his jumper to set up the occasional drive where he shows off an adequate handle, and because he is usually going to be more athletic than his counterpart, this is an effective part of his game. This could really make him a dangerous pick-and-roll player.

In the post, as he’s basically incapable of being a physical player, so he snakes around players and has to use his adequate handle and length to put up shots which may easily be blocked at the NBA level. This adversely affects his efficiency, as he is not drawing contact and getting to the line as often as he needs to. Often he’ll be seen throwing up awkward flips and really just displaying how raw he is as a post player - though he shows shockingly good touch around the rim. However, because of his athleticism and length, he is able to finish with authority around the rim when he’s able to get position.

To sum up his offensive skills, there are times where he looks brilliant and unstoppable because of his physical gifts and surprising jumper. However, there are times where he basically looks to have zero BBIQ. This can be seen in his shot selection, where he frequently takes shots early in the shot clock; in his post game, where he shows immature post moves and forces up tough, low % shots; in the way he spaces the floor, where he commonly bunches up and allows one man to cover two or doesn’t get himself in good position to receive the ball. I think the most alarming thing, however, is how incapable he is to move the ball when he receives it. Zero assists in 10 quality opponent games is inexcusable. Nine assists in 851 minutes is despicable. When he attempts to pass, it’s usually off-target and/or too hard. He just doesn’t have the feel for a team game on the offensive side of the ball, and it’s very alarming when attempting to project him.

Overall, Whiteside is basically the epitome of a boom or bust player. He could be elite defensively and very useful offensively if he learns to hone his skills and add strength. Right now, however, he’s a pretty big negative on the offensive end when he is not very efficient (ranks last in Center PPP with a 0.88 and 0.42 FTA/FGA) and isn’t able to move the ball or correctly space the floor; while also susceptible to being posted up and abused defensively. I have him at a tentative 8th right now, but certain teams will be more willing to take a chance on this project hoping to strike gold and get a new-age Camby.
Check out my NBA Draft blog: http://casperkid23.blogspot.com/

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Casperkid23
Sophomore

 

My Perfecdt Power Forward next to Yao from the Lab:

* Dunk everything within 3 feet. Too many times, I've seen Scola, Chuck, etc... get an easy put back blocked because, they don't have the ability to dunk from a standstill position

* Low Post Defense: Scola gives teams the blues on the offensive end, however, he gives up just as much on the defensive end, why, lack of quickness and leaping ability

* MidRange J: Scola was on fire and has cooled off. Need more consistency to hit the wide open midrage J. This will be available when Yao returns

* Rebound: Leap over someone and grab crucial rebounds.

I think Jordan Hill has the abilities, his biggest weakness is catching the rock and he must get stronger. I saw dude at Grand Lux on Saturday and up close those arms look skinny. Try the Karl Malone workout.

 

Hill is definitley the future and I would trade Scola, Battier, and Jefferies to get Bosh and school Hill behind him. Those 2 could take minutes off of Yao.

 

I just know it ain't Bosh. Another Stat filling player who can't win. Been in this league for 6 years in the East and only managed to help lead the team to 2 seasons at .500 or above and he wants to be the Number 1 option. Just no.

 

Jordan Hill can potentially be EXACTLY what we need alongside Yao. A 6'10 athletic big who can score sufficiently, finish at the rim, hit a jump hook, and can defend/block shots. He's quick enough to cut off penetration and athletic enough to compete with the better 4s defensively. He's got good instincts and a nose for the ball. This is what he can do already...

Give him an offseason of work to polish a midrange jumper, learn the hook with either hand and add some strength and muscle to his young lanky frame and he'll become the ideal complement to Yao. These are all very big IF's though.

I've always thought that having Scola complement Yao is a redundant pairing of slow, unexplosive and meagerly athletic bigs that rely on height/touch and energy/smarts to be effective. We need a dynamic finisher and athlete backing Yao in the frontcourt.

 

Why do people think we need a shot-blocker next to Yao? I don't understand that.

 

People are looking for what Scola & Hayes are not.

 

Neither do I. Sure I would like one, but there are about none available.

I also wonder why people keep insisting that Jordan Hill is a shot blocker when the numbers don't really support that theory. He might have the tools but he hasn't been able to use them very much.

 

I think it's more like the team needs a shot blocker to play at least some of the minutes that Yao is missing (either resting or sitting out due to injury).

Now, you can have this guy playing mostly the Mutombo-role or someone who normally plays the 4 with some shot blocking ability but can shift to the 5 when needed.

 

To keep Yao out of foul trouble and be even more imposing of a frontline?

 

Horry complimented Dream with his shot blocking.

 

Next thing that you can argue is that we need PF who can also shoot three, then you can space the floor even more, then the problem is that there is no such a player in NBA who can do all thing together. Hill and Scola are close to be very good PFs already, if we can upgrade more by a drift or a trade for Bosh (then, lose Scola or Hill), the PF position would be a strong one on the team for years.

 

Horry would have complimented Hakeem without the shot-blocking too.

All else equal, I'd love to have another shot-blocker in the front-court. But if you're playing next to a 7'6 guy, I don't see any reason for that to be a priority.

Next to Yao, I want a player who moves his feet, defends well in transition, defends the pick and roll, rebounds of his space -- you know, things that Yao doesn't do that great.

 

After rebounding, man to man defense, and shooting, I have shotblocking next. There are plenty of athletes in the world. I want a person that can take their athletic gifts and use them to produce in the NBA. If the Rockets can't get inside top 5, I'm hoping they can get Udoh. He's not the shotblocker that Whiteside is, but he should be able to defend his man better than Whiteside.

 

sounds like what hill brings to the table..

 

You know who would have been pretty good next to Yao?

Spoiler

 

Udoh's limitations on defense are similar to Whiteside's, mainly playing against bigger players and speedier forwards.

Either selection could be a hit or miss. They're nearly even in possible production with Udoh being a much more adept with offensive player, as Whiteside has more NBA height and athleticism (and could possibly take over the center role, if you know who is gone in the next season or three).

In a sense we already have players who are similar to Udoh . . . Scola and Hill.

While, Whiteside could be another (slightly better) version of Jared Jeffries or more in the way of Marcus Camby (whom he is often compared to).