Armon=Nick Van Exel?

[1 Eye Jack]

I have to be honest I've only seen bits and pieces of each game but from what little I've watched I think Armon reminds me a lot of Van Exel. Good perimeter in your face defender and very good control of the offense. The one big concern with him is his outside shot something Van Exel had. Armon seems to be very effective inside where he uses floaters and body control to get his shots off. Anyone read where Cho was estatic about being able to get a 1st round pick. I think Bayless might have been a little overrated by fans. I've read two or three comments about how other teams liked it when Bayless came into the game. Nothing against Bayless but I really don't think he'll ever amount to much more than a streaker scorer off the bench.

Don't take that wrong I wish him nothing but the best.

 

[BLAZER PROPHET]

I see a few of the comparisons, but to me the Baby Gansta was a one of a kind. He really took no prisoners and I doubt Armon will be like that. I also agree about Bayless. He was a defensive liability and was only effective on offense once every 5 games or so. What I think people around here liked about him was his scowl. It made him look better than he was and seemed to fool a lot of people.

 

[KingSpeed]

I have to be honest I've only seen bits and pieces of each game but from what little I've watched I think Armon reminds me a lot of Van Exel. Good perimeter in your face defender and very good control of the offense. The one big concern with him is his outside shot something Van Exel had.

Armon Johnson is shooting 65% from the field and 100% from the three point line.

 

[BLAZER PROPHET]

Armon Johnson is shooting 65% from the field and 100% from the three point line.

Uh, yeah.

And your point is after a few games?

 

[KingSpeed]

Well, he's made both threes he's taken so it makes no sense to challenge his outside shot.

 

[THE HCP]

Hell no! Van Exel wasn't an on the ball hawk like AJ and AJ has nowhere near the outside shooting ability Nick had. He was deadly from outside.

 

[Natebishop3]

I don't see it at all. Nick's game was very unique.

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[1 Eye Jack]

To each his own I watched the video and remember watching Nick play and Armon reminds me a lot of Nick. Obviously Armon has a long long ways to go but I see similarities in their games. Hopefully he turns out to be like Nick because that's the type of PG we need.

 

[Sug]

The kid has played 20 solid minutes in the NBA so far, this is so Blazer fan.

 

[Tince]

I feel like he's got a lot of Greg Anthony in him

 

[KingSpeed]

Hell no! Van Exel wasn't an on the ball hawk like AJ and AJ has nowhere near the outside shooting ability Nick had. He was deadly from outside.

How do you know AJ doesn't have the outside shooting ability?? He's taken two and made both. What evidence do we have that he is a bad outside shooter?

 

[KingSpeed]

The kid has played 20 solid minutes in the NBA so far, this is so Blazer fan.

Wrong. He played 22 minutes alone just last night.

 

[RoyToy]

I see Magic Johnson

 

[Nikolokolus]

Frankly I think he looks just like Bob Cousy ... granted I've never actually watched a single minute of Bob Cousy game footage, but I have a pretty vivid imagination, so I'm pretty sure what I imagine Cousy looked like is exactly what Armon looks like.

 

[Fez Hammersticks]

 

[Nikolokolus]

Holy shit! When did we trade Armon to Cleveland?

 

[Natebishop3]

Holy shit! When did we trade Armon to Cleveland?

We didn't. Eric Snow lied about his age, enrolled at Nevada, entered the draft, and is now masquerading as a rookie.

Shhhhhh! Don't tell anyone.

 

[Nikolokolus]

We didn't. Eric Snow lied about his age, enrolled at Nevada, entered the draft, and is now masquerading as a rookie.

Shhhhhh! Don't tell anyone.

Aha!! What a sneaky bastard. BTW, he's looking pretty spry for 36

 

[MickZagger]

I can see a little bit of Van Exel in Armon's game. Both herky-jerky left handers, I think Armon has the ability to be a better defender than Nick. Van Exel was a pure shooter though, that was really his niche in the league. It also be great if Armon could some day run the pick and roll like Van Exel did.

Offensively, Armon reminds me a lot of Kenny Anderson.

 

[MickZagger]

Frankly I think he looks just like Bob Cousy ... granted I've never actually watched a single minute of Bob Cousy game footage, but I have a pretty vivid imagination, so I'm pretty sure what I imagine Cousy looked like is exactly what Armon looks like.

You just like saying, "Bob Cousy".

Kind of like how I enjoy saying, "Ben Handlogten".

 

[MickZagger]

Speaking of Eric Snow. Nice to see that NBATV finally let him go. He was so awkward, I felt embarassed sometimes for people who had to work with him.

 

[Nikolokolus]

But seriously

I've thought he had a little bit of Snow's game to him when I watched him in summer league, but the resemblance makes me wonder if Armon's mom maybe "knew" Eric Snow when they were in high school (if you know what I'm saying).

 

[Natebishop3]

But seriously

I've thought he had a little bit of Snow's game to him when I watched him in summer league, but the resemblance makes me wonder if Armon's mom maybe "knew" Eric Snow when they were in high school (if you know what I'm saying).

I liked my theory better.

 

[Minstrel]

Van Exel was a pure shooter though, that was really his niche in the league.

If you're implying that all he could do was shoot, I don't agree at all. A younger Nick Van Exel was a scoring combo guard. He had some passing skill, but didn't have a distributor's mindset. But he was a brilliant slasher. He could get to the hoop and finish remarkably well. That's why he got the nickname "Nick the Quick"...because he was nearly impossible to stop one-on-one.

I'd compare Van Exel to a pre-insane Stephon Marbury, though Marbury had better court vision and passing skills. But the scoring game was very similar. Great ability to get to the hoop, lights out shooter.

I just don't see the comparison between Johnson and Van Exel. Armon Johnson really has shown nothing to suggest he will be a great scorer. And he likely will be a better defender than Van Excellent.

 

[MickZagger]

If you're implying that all he could do was shoot, I don't agree at all. A younger Nick Van Exel was a scoring combo guard. He had some passing skill, but didn't have a distributor's mindset. But he was a brilliant slasher. He could get to the hoop and finish remarkably well. That's why he got the nickname "Nick the Quick"...because he was nearly impossible to stop one-on-one.

I'd compare Van Exel to a pre-insane Stephon Marbury, though Marbury had better court vision and passing skills. But the scoring game was very similar. Great ability to get to the hoop, lights out shooter.

I just don't see the comparison between Johnson and Van Exel. Armon Johnson really has shown nothing to suggest he will be a great scorer. And he likely will be a better defender than Van Excellent.

I should have put pure scorer, instead of shooter. He was basically instant offense. He also ran the pick and roll well. Defensively he wasn't that great.

 

[Duckhook]

It also be great if Armon could some day run the pick and roll like Van Exel did.

After watching Armon play in high school, and his 3 years at Nevada, I can assure you he's one of the better pick-and-roll PGs in this draft. He had 1 year of playing with Javale McGee at Nevada, and then worked the pick and roll with Babbitt his remaining 2. Armon is great with the alley oop pass to finishing bigs - and his ability to hit the floater opens up that pass. Also, he was one of the best finishing PGs on the west coast his junior year because of his strength.

As many have already found out, AJ is a gym rat and is a sponge when it comes to learning the game. He'll continue to learn and get better.

 

[VanillaGorilla]

How do you know AJ doesn't have the outside shooting ability?? He's taken two and made both. What evidence do we have that he is a bad outside shooter?

College, summer league, preseason, reports from practice to name a few.

I absolutely love Armon. He is one of my favorite players on the team already because I love his style so much. While I am loving him after limited minutes, I still think it is premature to say he has "the outside shooting ability of Nick Van Exel". He was taken 2 threes. Seriously.

 

[alex42083]

Offensively, Armon reminds me a lot of Kenny Anderson.

I like the Kenny Anderson comparison offensively.. always will be one of my favorite players here. They do have similar offensive games with their ability to create and having an average outside shot (at least at this point in Armon's career).

Armon is like a hybrid of a poor man's Kenny offensively right now and Greg Anthony defensively, IMO.

 

[Natebishop3]

I like the Kenny Anderson comparison offensively.. always will be one of my favorite players here. They do have similar offensive games with their ability to create and having an average outside shot (at least at this point in Armon's career).

Armon is like a hybrid of a poor man's Kenny offensively right now and Greg Anthony defensively, IMO.

That's a good mashup.

 

[Shooter]

Frankly I think he looks just like Bob Cousy ... granted I've never actually watched a single minute of Bob Cousy game footage, but I have a pretty vivid imagination, so I'm pretty sure what I imagine Cousy looked like is exactly what Armon looks like.

Don't be a jerk. The OP is making a valid point, and you're pushing it to ridiculous lengths.