Batum should be topping this chart, he should have taken this edition of the Euroleague by storm. Nobody, not a single player, comes close to combining his physical gifts and skill repertoire. Instead, we’re hearing an already familiar tune: inconsistency, a certain lack of character and… perhaps some softness(?) mixed in with stretches of impressive play that only a freakish athlete like him is capable of deliver.
Unlike Gallinari, Batum hasn’t been able to emerge as the team leader Le Mans needed in order to overcome a pretty forgettable regular season (2-12 record), especially considering the very poor situation they had at the point guard position and the excellent creative skills Nicolas enjoys. But he barely ever came up aggressive enough to command his team’s offensive efforts for long periods. He wasn’t fearless enough attacking the basket, and his jumper is still a work in progress. And particularly, he disappeared again from the court in crunch time with concerning regularity--which didn’t help his team avoid some painfully close losses.
However, whenever he figured things out, he really impressed with his abilities. The guy can be simply unstoppable, able to create his own shot at will, to easily set up his teammates for easy baskets, to play lock down defense taking advantage of his freakish wingspan and athleticism, and come up with a slew of highlights in the form of blocks, dunks, long-range off-the-dribble shots, etc.
Batum needs to realize that he’s the clear-cut best player on his team, and start playing accordingly. It would be a crime to waste such an impressive collage of basketball goods. Indeed, he should be a lock for the lottery, but even if we can easily project him there, there’s no solid ground to protect him from slipping, given the concerns his game draws.
From DraftExpress.com
http://www.draftexpress.com#ixzz2pHekH53e
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