Keep saying that while he looks like Alice after falling down the rabbit hole. Our team will be past its championship window by the time he's ready.
Meyers is probably a super nice guy, but I just don't see a basketball player when I watch him. He's a really tall guy with big biceps and decent athleticism and no idea what to do with any of it. Maybe if he had another 5-6 years, but I sort of doubt it ever comes together in time for it mean shit for the Blazers.
I agree. Meyers will make a great action figure but he should concentrate on getting a role in Stallone's next Expendables 3 movie
My guess is that some players are on meds and it's kept confidential. But college coaches would tell pro scouts. Even if they didn't, teams have heavily researched prospects since Len Bias almost 30 years ago, so they know at draft time.
Meyers height is misleading; he has an identical standing reach to former #2 pick Derrick Williams or Oregon's own Kyle Singler neither of whom are legitimately big enough to be PF. Yes Meyers head is up high at 7'1" but his arms don't go as high as normally expected from a PF. And people think he is the size of a center?
He has a 7'3" wingspan. It's not like he has stubby arms. Standing reach is more about teaching somebody how to stand on their tip toes. http://www.draftexpress.com/profile/Meyers-Leonard-5756/
Yes he's most definitely not a center. I agree teams should try to give him a role that maximizes his strengths and minimizes his weaknesses. Just because we hoped we'd get a center with a #11 lottery pick doesn't mean that's the best role for him. With the right team Meyers could carve out a good niche role like Matt Bonner. I think it would be best for both sides if Meyers went to another team, another fanbase, a new set of coaches, and zero expectations. It reminds me of the last year of Greg Oden being here. There were still some fans hoping he'd finally get healthy and finally live up to some of the expectations. It's just not meant to be. Better to face reality and move on. We hit home runs in the draft with Lillard; Barton looks like a great 2nd round pick and CJ has been very promising. The draft is an inexact science and in Meyers case it didn't work out.
Steven Adams is a center that is only 20 years old but showed the foundation of playing the center position. Adams makes a lot of mistakes, he can refine aspects of his game. But he knows how to bang and how to get in position defensively. He is in the right spot the majority of the time, or at least close to it. Sometimes he is a split second late. He knows what the role of a big man is on the court. Yes players make improvements as they get older but they don't completely change the essence of what they are on the court. A 20 year old needs to have a baseline in order to one day make the next step up to a productive rotational NBA player. Meyers lacks that baseline.
I'm rewatching the atl game now, I think he just needs time and coaching, more time and more coaching. He played 2 years of hs ball at a shitty program, one year at college and now he's in the nba. He is just too inexperienced mixed with being being a bit immature. Send him to the developmental league, not for a game or two, but for an extended period. Bring him back for a few games every month or so, to gauge his improvement. But let him play in the d-league, getting 24+ minutes a game. The Blazers bought their own d team for a reason, same coaching scheme, and total control. Time to put that to real use.
Just heard tone say that. Pretty crazy, totally explains the Leonard enigma. Most players start playing organized ball in elementary school.
Yep, surprised me. It totally explains a lot, and gives me hope that more time will produce better results.
Maybe he can follow the Olowakandi career path? At least we took him with the 1 1 pick instead of the 1 pick.
During last season; I believe shortly after McCollum used the Stampede for his 2 game rehab. The Blazers have decided players get more development at practice in Portland and with Portland coaches than actual DLeague game time. Over there the competition is worse and they don't have the best coaches.