Would Jabari benefit from being put on the Giannis strength and conditioning program?

Already with the gurus......

 

Jabari is a shorter Kristaps Porzingis. Came into the league slight of frame and with a promising jumper. Athletic but a bit stiff, not strong. Decent on the glass but not dominant. Can score but lacks advanced handles and playmaking. More likely to shoot over defenders rather than any other move. Their first two seasons are remarkably similar in terms of per 36 numbers, percentages, TS%, and shot selection.

I don't know why Jabari is often compared to Giannis or Durant when he neither moves nor plays like either of them. Those guys came into the league handling the ball like guards. Is Jabari going to be someone to build an offense on? Probably not. But like KP, he can be extremely versatile and fit in any lineup. He's going to be a matchup nightmare for years to come with his height and range.

 

I see him as a smaller but more athletic Lamarcus Aldridge with better defense. So definitely has a route to be a star.

 

He should bulk up but i'm scared that he might get even more stiff than he already is.

 

He's really more of a Thurl Bailey on ketamine.

 

Aldridge averaged 0.7 attempts per game from deep over his NBA career and none in college. Jabari is averaging 4.9 3PA in his NBA career so far and 5.5 at Auburn. Aldridge shot 58.6% inside the arc in college while Jabari shot 43.5% on his 2PA.

Aldridge's offense was heavily reliant on his jumper, but Jabari would really need to alter his game to mirror Aldridge's strengths. Jabari hasn't really demonstrated an advanced post game either in college or the next level so far. I don't see the similarity.

 

I mean those numbers are probably more product of Bari going to college in the modern era of basketball and Aldridge not

 

Chet Holmgren was a freshman at Gonzaga the same year Jabari was at Auburn. Despite being even slighter of frame, Holmgren was a great finisher around the rim while Jabari was not. Some people said Jabari had to deal with Walker Kessler crowding the paint, but Holmgren had the same issue with Drew Timme. These strengths and weaknesses have largely carried over to the NBA. Jabari still struggles to finish. Evan Mobley was drafted the year before and had far more of a case to be the next Bosh/Aldridge as his game focuses on the inside out.

 

It's clear that Jabari's athleticism was a bit overrated going into the draft. Think scouts got fooled a bit by his frame and thought "this guy must be athletic". He's not a bad athlete for a 6'11" dude but definitely not a great one like some scouting reports suggested.

That's the main reason I see him more as an elite roleplayer/fringey all-star. The other is that his jump shooting also hasn't quite lived up to expectations, although at least there's been substantial progress there enough that you have to think he'll be a very good shooter in the future. Just maybe not an elite one who's near the top of the league.