I thought these quotes were even more interesting: "You won't find across-the-board agreement on many things with top prospects, but one area where people in basketball circles find common ground is the notion that Holmgren has the highest ceiling of any player in the 2022 class." "The good news is the defense seldom disappeared. Holmgren's instincts and stats are undeniable. While nine of his 32 games did end with him logging four or five fouls, his penchant for fouls wasn't debilitating. In fact, it could be argued college officials had challenges adjusting to how to officiate Holmgren. He is not just a natural shot-blocker; it's his instinct to erase space and be an ever-lurking threat thanks to his no-you-don't weakside recovery gambits. No one is close to him as a shot-blocker in this class. One scout said Holmgren's capacity to cover ground and tilt Gonzaga's defense was better than almost any player to come into the league in the past 10 years. Even if Holmgren doesn't wind up as the best player in 2022's crop — even if he doesn't prove to live up to his potential — he could still average three blocks per game for his NBA career. That defensive dependability brings a lot of mileage to his value. To simplify one basketball axiom, for every shot he blocks, another three never even get attempted. " "Holmgren's also a catch because he's got guard-like handles. He can snare a defensive rebound, immediately put the ball on the floor in traffic and gallop in transition toward either a stop-and-pop 3 or a rim-run finish." "Holmgren is maniacal about staying in the gym, so much to the point where he had to seriously be held back from overworking himself at Gonzaga." "We could have this unique shot-blocker and shot-maker that maybe the league has never seen before with his size and ball skills," a scout said. "The body is the copout, I guess, for what he can be and not be, and what might deter him." "Nevertheless, Holmgren will be seriously considered to go first to Orlando because he has the potential to be one of the best defensive players in the league who also possesses a reliable 3-point shot and will provide a mismatch on the floor that no other team will offer. Holmgren can handle the ball exceptionally well in transition. He's confident and carries a toughness that belies his frame. In speaking to scouts, a common refrain is the intrigue and quizzical-ness over Holmgren's embrace of physical play — yet he never gets hurt."
It does not matter if he is not at all contact adverse he will still be extremely skinny and will be moved easily and no he will not be able to finish IN THE NBA if he is consistently knocked off his spot. This is going against the best of the best, not the WCC, talk about just saying something and it doesn't make it true. He is not going to get the same easy putbacks and he is not going to be going against guys that hopefully, will make it in overseas leagues. It's really a shame that somebody like you who actually knows about basketball continues with the hyperbole to make a point. Do you really think the random dudes you continually pull from are legitimate sources and what do you think they are actually telling me?
I believe his motor is better than in some of his video clips. He can switch onto the perimeter quite quickly.
I don't disagree with any of that, too bad it does not have any bearing on anything I have said. I do disagree that he has the highest ceiling I think he has the potential to have the highest ceiling but again why do you keep using random dudes opinions as if they are gospel? Because they agree with you? Why did you ignore this part from the same article? What if durability skepticism winds up being proven correct? Smith and Banchero have NBA-ready physiques. Holmgren is a 7-foot riddle in this regard. Plus, will he get pushed off the floor? He's tough but he's not strong. He can be bullied, and he's at best a B-level on-ball defender in space. Will foul issues be perpetual once he's playing against much larger, faster and stronger competition, the likes of which he's barely encountered to this point in his life? If Holmgren doesn't go No. 1, these are the reasons he'll wind up waiting a few more minutes on draft night. "Some NBA evaluators also believe Holmgren finishes fourth, behind Ivey, Smith and Banchero, when it comes to creating offense. All these guys can score in myriad ways, but Holmgren's points will most frequently come from 3-point range (a wonderful thing to add to any offense, to be sure), put-backs, lobs or scrap-like opportunities near the rim. He'll score plenty, but it won't come as easily for him as the other three. Holmgren's height and fluidity at shooting 3s in all facets (transition, off the catch and off the bounce) is his most important offensive skillset. But he doesn't have burst on offense."
One more quote about from that CBS article above: "If it all comes together for Holmgren, he'll have the perimeter scoring prowess to average north of 20 points, while having the defensive aptitude to rank among the best rim protectors the NBA has ever seen. "
You say don't let some random dude opinion used as gospel then YOU quote the exact SAME dude???? You are hopeless man. Holmgren is a unicorn. Just because you refuse to accept it, does not make it any less true.
If he was as fragile and weak as you paint him to be then why is Chet a top 3 player in this draft? According to your analysis, he'd be lucky to be drafted at all. Please make a little sense man.
Was blown away by this interview and this kid. Probably my favorite interview of the draft process so far. Would be shocked if he fell past the Blazers. Don't see any situation where the Rockets trade up to take him over Sochan or Daniels due to Sengun but man....
We've heard this about every highly ranked thin prospect for decades and it is almost never true. People just said it about Mobley last year. Before him it was AD, KP, Aldridge, KD, Bosh, and KG. These players were great finishers because they had length and skill, not because they could outmuscle the competition. Kwame Brown and Eric Dampier were built like tanks and could barely make layups, their muscle was useless. Possibly the thinnest player in the league today, Chris Boucher, finishes at the rim at 67% for his career which is on par with Zion. Is there any reason to expect Holmgren to be worse? I think you have to go back all the way to Shawn Bradley to find a top prospect that was just too thin to pan out. And he was drafted for his defense like Mutombo and wasn't expected to be an elite offensive player anyway.
I like Chris Boucher. He’s a per minute stud and blocks a ton of shots. Remind me why he’s always relegated to a bench role? Aaron Baynes was terrible for the raptors and still was ahead of him on the depth chart. This year Boucher was supplanted by Precious Achiuwa who was statistically one of the worst big men in the entire league. Why did Nurse not trust him? There were games Boucher played a lot off the bench and games he never got off the bench all dependent on matchups. Sometimes the minutes went to Khem Birch or even Yuta Watanabe. How is it that Boucher could have such a great per minute impact and still be relegated to a bench role behind arguably the worst big men in the entire league?
Boucher is a per minute stud and a block machine but an undisciplined defender that has shown poor effort. Nick Nurse does not tolerate that. Boucher was in the doghouse early in this season but showed much more hustle towards the end and reclaimed his spot in the rotation. I remember one game where he got praise from the Toronto commentators when he went to bench exhausted because effort is all that is expected of their players. It was a positive development for him.
I believe as well this kid is ready to excel. Needs to get his 3-pt% up but other than that, his stock is ready to take off much like Siakim did.
Sounds like Deja vu from the season before. It's like the exact trajectory for him played out over multiple seasons. Raptors bring in new center in hopes they can solidify the front court. Center is terrible throughout the season, Boucher plays more as season goes. Rinse and repeat. It is well known that the Raptors are on the hunt for a center above all else. Why is it that Precious Achiuwa who shot a comically bad 48% as a center played significantly more playoff minutes than Boucher who actually shoots 3's, is more efficient all over the floor and blocks shots at an elite level?
Well yes, Boucher had some good numbers two years ago and some people here think Nurse is a god of a coach so I'm not touching that. But to our point: Boucher as a starter 21/22 (9 games): 29 minutes....16.0 pts...8.3 rebs...86.2% (FT%)...41.5% (3P%)...52.6% (FG%) 65.6% (TS%)...124 ORtg......112 DRtg.....[Sengun was 119 DRtg as starter] What Toronto doesn't know, we'll keep it a secret. https://www.basketball-reference.com/players/b/bouchch01/splits//2022
Net Rtg of +12 is good. But he's seems to be a better offensive player than defensive player, which is surprising.
Yes it is very well known that Boucher puts up stats. He played minutes in the teens throughout most of the series with Philly. In game 6 we finally got to see his talents on full display. In 32 minutes he put up 25 and 10 on .538 shooting. Those stats are awesome. He was also -11 in the box score.
