Fox Sports Opinion of Nolan Smith

[BLAZER PROPHET]

21. Portland Trail Blazers — Nolan Smith, G, Duke: Picks don't get less exciting than Nolan Smith. Congrats Portland, you just drafted a potential backup guard. You know, if he reaches his ceiling. For a team that seriously lacks frontcourt depth this pick makes no sense. I guess that's what happens when you fire your GM a month before the draft. -Seth Sommerfeld

 

[EGame]

Hey what do you know, I agree with this guy. Pick makes zero sense, but thats our front office for you! The things they do can be head scratchers like firing GM's within a year and not addressing a huge need in backup PF.

 

[Nikolokolus]

What kills me is that the team yet again drafted a combo guard ...

 

[PapaG]

21. Portland Trail Blazers — Nolan Smith, G, Duke: Picks don't get less exciting than Nolan Smith. Congrats Portland, you just drafted a potential backup guard. You know, if he reaches his ceiling. For a team that seriously lacks frontcourt depth this pick makes no sense. I guess that's what happens when you fire your GM a month before the draft. -Seth Sommerfeld

The team doesn't have a back-up PG. Assuming Oden can play, there is a front-court rotation of Camby, Oden, Aldridge, Wallace, and whoever is picked up in FA.

I also didn't know that the ACC Player of the Year is the least exciting pick possible at #21.

Who is Seth Sommerfeld?

 

[PapaG]

Seth Sommerfeld
Bio:
Seth Sommerfeld is an intern with The Inlander. He attends Gonzaga University.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

I wonder what other interns at newspapers I've never heard of are saying?

Should we start a thread for each one? Somebody find something from the Ashland Daily Tidings, ASAP!

 

[PapaG]

Basically, Seth Sommerfeld is a poster on the internet who is a college student.

We have some of those on this board as well.

Seth Sommerfeld
Writer/Journalist

Location
Syracuse, New York Area
Industry
Writing and Editing
Seth Sommerfeld's Overview
Current •Editorial Intern at Spin Magazine
•Contributing Writer at Nbadraft.net
•Contributing Writer at Pacific Northwest Inlander
•Contributing Album Reviewer at AbsolutePunk.net
•Creator/Writer at Long Live the Album

Education •Syracuse University
•Gonzaga University

 

[alex42083]

At least his name was recognizable, and he was player of the year in one of the best conferences. This was one of the least exciting drafts ever since no one knew who the hell anyone was.

 

[RoyToy]

Basically, Seth Sommerfeld is a poster on the internet who is a college student.

We have some of those on this board as well.

Seth Sommerfeld
Writer/Journalist

Location
Syracuse, New York Area
Industry
Writing and Editing
Seth Sommerfeld's Overview
Current •Editorial Intern at Spin Magazine
•Contributing Writer at Nbadraft.net
•Contributing Writer at Pacific Northwest Inlander
•Contributing Album Reviewer at AbsolutePunk.net
•Creator/Writer at Long Live the Album

Education •Syracuse University
•Gonzaga University

So this guy is MAYBE one step higher than bleacher report.

Yawn.

 

[Spud147]

I just can't understand all the frustration! What do you expect at #21 in a weak draft? The chances of Smith and all the other guys we "should've drafted instead" making it in the NBA is going to be pretty slim no matter who we had taken at that spot. I think a guy with an outstanding work ethic and is obviously "coachable" (unlike Telfair and Bayless) raises his odds of success. He looks like a Nate guy.

From the interviews I've seen and interaction with the fans at his Duke days he appears to be very likeable, well spoken, and stays out of trouble. I just have a feeling he's going to come in, accept his role, work on his game, and fit right in with the other guys.

 

[RoyToy]

I like that he improved every season at Duke against top competition.

 

[PapaG]

I like that he improved every season at Duke against top competition.

Like a mini-Brandon Roy. I don't think he'll be nearly as good as Roy was (obviously), but 20/5/5 at Duke is impressive as a senior, as is being ACC PoY.

 

[RoyToy]

Like a mini-Brandon Roy. I don't think he'll be nearly as good as Roy was (obviously), but 20/5/5 at Duke is impressive as a senior, as is being ACC PoY.

People need to get over the stigma that a 4-year player is some slight against that player. It's foolish.

Coming to the NBA after 1-2 years and "develop" while playing only 15min a game is so overrated.

People are too enamored with "potential" that is usually more times than not unwarranted. Results DO matter.

 

[RoyToy]

Smith has a high basketball IQ and is a willing passer, and at the very least should be able to competently run an offense for stretches off the bench as a combo guard. The diversity of Smith's offensive game, even if he may not be dominant in any individual area, combined with his willingness and ability to defend the point should create a fairly limited floor and make Smith a reasonable bet to be a contributor at the next level, which will make him especially attractive to playoff teams picking in the second half of the first round.

- DraxtExpress

I trust their opinion over some hack that should be writing for bleacher report

 

[illmatic99]

I've been reading more about Smith today, and like him more and more. He compares very favorably to Darren Collison, in that he's a four year player from a top program and had good stats and won a lot. I take back my comments from yesterday about Selby and Jackson possibly being better than him. But I'm still torn whether Smith will be better than Darius Morris.

 

[RoyToy]

I've been reading more about Smith today, and like him more and more. He compares very favorably to Darren Collison, in that he's a four year player from a top program and had good stats and won a lot. I take back my comments from yesterday about Selby and Jackson possibly being better than him. But I'm still torn whether Smith will be better than Darius Morris.

I made the same comparison yesterday.

I think there's a very real possibility that Nolan Smith works out fine.

 

[illmatic99]

Pretty impressive interview. I really like the way he answered these questions.

[video=youtube;tiAOlIeBX80]

I hate the Felton move, and do not think it will work out, but I'm holding out hope for this guy.

 

[Ed O]

People need to get over the stigma that a 4-year player is some slight against that player. It's foolish.

Oh, yeah? How many NBA all-stars in 2011 were 4-year college players?

One: Tim Duncan.

Four-year college players are not impact players as often as other levels of experience simply because the best players almost always leave school early.

Ed O.

 

[PapaG]

Oh, yeah? How many NBA all-stars in 2011 were 4-year college players?

One: Tim Duncan.

Four-year college players are not impact players as often as other levels of experience simply because the best players almost always leave school early.

Ed O.

Well, the Blazers had one the three years prior to that.

Blake Griffin spent two years in college. That's a red flag these days.

It's fun drafting completely undeveloped players, and then having them be worthless on their rookie contracts.

What are the odds that Bismack Biyombo is worth anything of value his first three years?

Kyrie Irving is going to struggle as well.

 

[RoyToy]

Oh, yeah? How many NBA all-stars in 2011 were 4-year college players?

One: Tim Duncan.

Four-year college players are not impact players as often as other levels of experience simply because the best players almost always leave school early.

Ed O.

That's because players these days leave school for various reasons, whether they're determined to be a top pick or not. Kid are lazy and don't want to be in school, period.

A 2-year player has no advantage over a 4-year player. It's just that a 2-year player is perceived to have more potential because of the unknown, that's it. Developing your game in the college game is looked down upon these days, and that's just stupid.

It all comes down to talent.

 

[EGame]

Oh, yeah? How many NBA all-stars in 2011 were 4-year college players?

One: Tim Duncan.

Four-year college players are not impact players as often as other levels of experience simply because the best players almost always leave school early.

Ed O.

Well maybe not in 2011, but our very own Brandon Roy went to UW for all 4 years and ended up becoming a 3 time all-star and it could be argued had he not broken down he would still play the level we were accustomed to seeing him play at. I'm not to super high on Nolan and it does seem like 4 year players are more of the safer type picks, but don't have much potential in them, but if Roy did it maybe there is hope for Nolan.

Edit: Haha, PapaG beat me to the B Roy point. But it is something that can be used in arguements in hopes for Nolan Smith.

 

[MickZagger]

I guess if people say he's a combo guard enough it will stick.

When he filled in for Irving he was leading the ACC in assists. He's a 1 that has converted his game to fit the 2 spot.

 

[MickZagger]

Oh, yeah? How many NBA all-stars in 2011 were 4-year college players?

One: Tim Duncan.

Four-year college players are not impact players as often as other levels of experience simply because the best players almost always leave school early.

Ed O.

You're expecting Nolan Smith to be an AS?

 

[RoyToy]

Well maybe not in 2011, but our very own Brandon Roy went to UW for all 4 years and ended up becoming a 3 time all-star and it could be argued had he not broken down he would still play the level we were accustomed to seeing him play at. I'm not to super high on Nolan and it does seem like 4 year players are more of the safer type picks, but don't have much potential in them, but if Roy did it maybe there is hope for Nolan.

Edit: Haha, PapaG beat me to the B Roy point. But it is something that can be used in arguements in hopes for Nolan Smith.

It's not like a player stops getting better at 22. The prime years for most athletes is in the 26-32 range.

 

[Minstrel]

It's not like a player stops getting better at 22. The prime years for most athletes is in the 26-32 range.

No, it's not that players stop getting better at 22. It's that the best talents leave school early because they want to draw a paycheck rather than starring for free in college. Players who aren't as good are better off staying longer in order to develop more polish and eliminate weaknesses that made them less interesting to NBA teams when they were younger. The players who left early still had weaknesses, but their overall talent still made them valuable picks at a young age.

So, it's not that playing four years in college makes you worse. It's that early entry players are a picked population of the better players. This is also a common dynamic in baseball drafts, where often the best talents enter the draft out of high school. Sure, some very talented players choose to go to college...but even those players (the most talented who do go to college) usually enter the draft before their senior year.

 

[PapaG]

Speaking of the 2011 All-Star Game, where were those players drafted?

All except Rondo and Ginobli were drafted in the lottery, most in the top 5 picks, and Ginobli was one month shy of 22 when he entered the NBA.

It's a crapshoot after the lottery.

This whole episode after Smith being drafted is embarrassing to me as a Blazer fan.

 

[RoyToy]

A lot of it also is teams will draft a player that has a great frame or athleticism but it very raw when it comes to the game. That's nice, but I also like players that already know the game.

Btw, can anyone think of another 4-year player from the ACC that pretty much everyone said couldn't translate his skill to the NBA?

Hint - "Psycho T"

 

[PapaG]

You're expecting Nolan Smith to be an AS?

He's expecting Kenneth Faried (another 4-year player) and DeJuan Blair to be All-Stars, apparently.

 

[RoyToy]

DeJuan Blair was a better prospect than Faried anyways. He's pretty big for his height and put up the same numbers as Faried....in a major conference. He can bang down low with guys in the NBA. We'll see how Faried with a much lighter body holds up.

edit - Blair averaged 12reb/G in 27min/G his sophomore season in the Big East.

Faried put up 14.5 at Roast Beef University last year in 35min/G

 

[PapaG]

Btw, can anyone think of another 4-year player from the ACC that pretty much everyone said couldn't translate his skill to the NBA?

Hint - "Psycho T"

Great point. Hansbrough has a career PER of 16 after losing most of his rookie year to injury and is a solid contributor for Indiana.

I still don't get what people expected at pick 21. The next Qyntel Woods, perhaps?

 

[PapaG]

DeJuan Blair was a better prospect than Faried anyways. He's pretty big for his height and put up the same numbers as Faried....in a major conference. He can bang down low with guys in the NBA. We'll see how Faried with a much lighter body holds up.

That's true. The beef with Blair were his knees, and how long they will last.