http://www.draftexpress.com/profile/Kenneth-Faried-5325/stats/ Maybe a little more skilled offensively? I'd be willing to take a late 1st round flier on the guy.[video=youtube;o00Rh6Qdkow]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o00Rh6Qdkow[/video]
Seems like a 2nd round pick for an average team. Perhaps an elite team will take a shot on him late in the 1st round. There are some decent PGs available in the area where Portland should have 2 picks. Perhaps they can be packaged to a team like Houston to move a few spots and nab Kemba Walker/Brandon Knight late in the lottery?
I would be interested to see what his combine numbers turn out to be. Is he really 6'8", or is he 6'6". How is his reach and other measurements. THe difference between a 6'10 and 7' player is not that great, but the difference between a 6'8" big and a 6'6" big is huge. I love his hustle, and would certainly be open to the idea drafting him. They do say the one stat that translates the best to the NBA is rebounding, and he has that mastered.
That was my initial thought, I think because of his hair, primarily. But Balkman never came close to rebounding like him when he was in college.
Millsap had a much more polished offensive game in college. Millsap reminded me of a young Kurt Thomas in college.
Balkman was known as a stopper/motor guy that moved up to play SF, not necessarily a rebounding beast. Millsap and Faried are smallish bigs that played up (Millsap at C and KF at PF/C) And Millsap didn't have a polished game at all when he came to the league. I'm not saying Faried is polished at all, but the similarities are there, imho.
I watched Millsap in college quite a few times and he had a silky smooth baseline jumper and good moves around the basket.
Rebounding, above any other statistic, is something that is likely to carry forward into the NBA. If he can rebound AND do something else, then he's probably going to be an NBA player. Dennis Rodman, though? He was a freak in a variety of ways and I don't think that anyone will see the next Rodman coming. Ed O.
Let me add to your post that he's a man playing amongst boys. Just like Babbitt was, he plays against far far inferior players. Like JC ball. For him, it'll be a bigger jump to the NBA.
Well, against Florida he had 20pts, 18 rebs. Against #1 Ohio St. he put up 15pts, 12 rebs and 5 stls. So, its not like he struggles when playing good competition.
I get that. Nonetheless, it'll still be a bigger jump. I mean, didn't Babbitt have some good stats at the 'dance' as well? Now look at him. It's like the kid who drags himself in the house after a long day out playing street ball. His dad asks how's it going, and the kid replies, "It was really great until the big kids got out of school".
Babbitt didn't make the "dance". Somehow, with two NBA players(Yippee, both ours!) their team didn't make the tourney. Looking at last season, they played basically one good team. Carolina, who didn't make the tournament, and he shot 5-18, went for 15 and 11.
Scoring and rebounding are different, though. Amazing scorers in college (at different levels) routinely fail, while amazing rebounders have a better success rate in the NBA. Ed O.
Its funny that people are closing the book on Babbitt already. Hell, I think all the knee-jerker's closed the book after preseason. ..And yes, Babbitt never made the 'dance'.
I agree it's too early to write him off. The thing he is known for is his shooting... he just needs to get good enough at other things to get on the floor. His shooting should be there when he does. I have confidence that he'll turn into a solid player at some point. Ed O.
I, for one, haven't closed his book. I think he just has a longer way to go than most rookies due to his background.
