[Pick #11] A case for Meyers Leonard

[Fez Hammersticks]

Athletically, for a seven footer, he's off-the-charts. He is very mobile with both feet in the post, above average lateral quickness, and runs like a deer in the open court. He throws down dramatic dunks to display his vertical ability and simply honing his athletic skills should get him six points a game in the NBA.

This year, Illinois was as dysfunctional as any team (including UCONN). He was severely misused in Bruce Weber’s motion offense. At the end of their season, Illinois was blowing it to a Nebraska team and Meyer’s was crying before the game was over. Many fans would question if he was soft, but after witnessing how dysfunctional this team was, many would state this as frustration that boiled over. Meyers is known as a player that puts everything into what he has and sometimes his emotions get the best of him.

Overall, Meyers has a high skill level. He can shoot efficiently from mid-range, already developed solid post moves already developed, and plays well in transition.

He has the skillset of a Brooke Lopez (not as quite developed offensively and I don’t know if he ever will but better defensively and not quite as soft) with more athleticism (athletic similar to Javelle McGee, but not quite as fluid), but a lot of rawness and gets frustrated too easily. To me, it is about placement with Meyers and how he is developed.

Meyers would have been better off staying another year in school and becoming a top 3 pick in next year’s weak draft class, but situations propelled him to enter this year.

LINK

Meyers Leonard - Soph.
6'11.75" w/o shoes
7'1.25" w/shoes
250 lbs.
2/7/92​

 

[jwhoops11]

No convincing needed for me. I saw him earlier this year and was amazed at how athletic he is. For a guy 7 foot tall he moves fluidly, no big white stiff. As a coach though, I watched his foot work the most and am convinced he'll be a very good NBA center. Not an All-Star, but far better than Spencer Hawes who we may be looking at in free agency.

 

[BLAZINGGIANTS]

I like Leonard. I wouldn't be unhappy taking a chance on him late-lotto or somewhere in the teens.

 

[Fez Hammersticks]

I like Leonard. I wouldn't be unhappy taking a chance on him late-lotto or somewhere in the teens.

Haynes thinks he's a lock to go top-9.

If you really want him maybe try to move up from #11 to #8.

 

[Blaze01]

BUST

 

[BBert]

If he has any kind of motor and competitiveness, I wouldn't think he'd be a "bust" if picked in the teens (or even at 11). The 11th pick doesn't have to be an all star to have a successful career.

 

[Fez Hammersticks]

I've read more than one scouting report saying he has a high motor.

With the right coaching and PG maybe he could develop into a Joakim Noah type of C.

 

[Blazinaway]

I've read more than one scouting report saying he has a high motor.

With the right coaching and PG maybe he could develop into a Joakim Noah type of C.

Drummond

 

[jlprk]

We already have Thabeet.

 

[BBert]

We already have Thabeet.

I respect you man, but Leonard is nothing like Thabeet.

 

[BBert]

I didn't know anything about Leonard two weeks ago. And the whole Drummond thing has me confused -- is he the next Bynum or the next Kwame Brown? Does he have a motor? Does he have the competitive streak of say, Shaq? If not, Drummond is the one who is more likely to be the bust.

If those who are paid to know determine Drummond lacks the motor and drive that makes players winners, while the less physically dominant Leonard does, then I'd rather have Leonard at 11 than Drummond at 6. (Notice those are 'ifs'.)

Why I think Leonard would be a good gamble at 11 (or say 12-16 if we could swing it) in two words: Joel Przybilla. If we were to draft Leonard, I would hire Joel either as a player or coach to teach him the Joel Way of the Warrior. He's already got the athleticism to play offense. Joel could turn him into a man.

 

[BBert]

Drummond

Drummond won't be there at 11. He may not even be there at 6. In which case, the question would be, do we gamble on Leonard at 11?

 

[Run BJM]

FWIW, the Warriors have been said to have liked Leonard for quite a while now, and I've read it from multiple local writers who "hear" this. Why does that matter? Jerry West loved Klay Thompson last year and everyone knew it wayyyy ahead of the draft. He seems to give a lot of info to Rusty Simmons, a local beat writer, and seems to not give a shit that much that he's leaking the info.

Doesn't really mean anything, but if West does give the guy his blessing then its something to think about.

As far as his mentality, apparently hes pretty competitive. There are questions as to whether he lacks confidence at times, but he also gets very intense in games, scowling at people a la KG, Bogut, Perkins, etc. The crying thing obviously brings up memories of Adam Morrison in college. I think he could be the good kind of crazy. And as for his work ethic, just look at the improvement from freshman to sophomore year. He went from barely playing to being a very nice contributor, making the kind of improvement that college people typically look for from Fr. to So. year.

 

[RR7]

Haynes thinks he's a lock to go top-9.

If you really want him maybe try to move up from #11 to #8.

Hedging your bets. You'll soon say that you like every single guy in this draft, so 3 years from now, you can link back to that, and not all the others, to try to show how smart you are. Come on now.

 

[jlprk]

I respect you man, but Leonard is nothing like Thabeet.

You respect me??? You must be a slow learner.

Okay, it makes sense now. You're after my body. I get it.

 

[THE HCP]

Golden State is drafting Terrance Jones, not this cracker!

 

[jlprk]

Why I think Leonard would be a good gamble at 11 (or say 12-16 if we could swing it) in two words: Joel Przybilla. If we were to draft Leonard, I would hire Joel either as a player or coach to teach him the Joel Way of the Warrior. He's already got the athleticism to play offense. Joel could turn him into a man.

While Przybilla has failed to turn Aldridge into a man, I noticed that Thabeet lost his oncourt smile when Joel got signed. Joel's seriousness rubs off onto most players.

 

[Fez Hammersticks]

Hedging your bets. You'll soon say that you like every single guy in this draft, so 3 years from now, you can link back to that, and not all the others, to try to show how smart you are. Come on now.

Just throwing out options. If we don't trade up the pick at #11 has a lot of players on that same tier -- Leonard/Marshall/Rivers/Jones/etc.

 

[Nikolokolus]

Seems like a decent enough gamble at 11 ... tough to say if any of these center prospects are going to work out. History says no -- and not just the Blazer's general curse with drafting centers.

 

[Blaze01]

When I see things mentioned about a big man like:

mechanical, raw offensive game, tentative\soft....I move right along...this guy is 6 fouls and a screen every once in awhile...


POR would be lucky if he resembled anything close to Kelvin Cato...

 

[VanillaGorilla]

If we got him at 11 I'd be pleased. Don't like him enough to move up for him at all.

 

[Mediocre Man]

A case against Myers Leonard

He is white

 

[Rastapopoulos]

Right now I'd feel happier with Kyle O'Quinn than either Leonard or Drummond. Especially given what each would cost.

 

[Boob-No-More]

A case against Myers Leonard

He is white

A case for Meyers Leonard:

Hasheem Thabeet is black.

BNM

 

[Mediocre Man]

A case for Meyers Leonard:

Hasheem Thabeet is black.

BNM

Cool, I will play this game. You name all of the white all star American born centers in the last 25 years, and I will name all of the black ones.

 

[Rastapopoulos]

Cool, I will play this game. You name all of the white all star American born centers in the last 25 years, and I will name all of the black ones.

So what you meant to say was "a case against Meyers Leonard: he is white and American"

 

[MickZagger]

I like Leonard. There's actually not too many guys I'd be devastated if we drafted. But, I'm not huge on Zeller, Henson, Barnes (at #6), Moultrie and Lamb.

Leonard can do some things athletically that I dont see a legit 7 footer doing on a regular basis. His problem from watching him this year was that he'd pickup a couple early fouls and mind fuck himself acting like a baby on the bench.

 

[Blaze01]

and you think that is going to IMPROVE in the NBA?

I don't like Meyers Leonard at all...He is you typical, looks the part but can't act\play for shit...

He has got all the measureables that I am sure Chad Buchanan just loves....but when you watch him play, he seems incapable of capitalizing on them.....

 

[jlprk]

and you think that is going to IMPROVE in the NBA? I don't like Meyers Leonard at all...He is you typical, looks the part but can't act\play for shit...He has got all the measureables that I am sure Chad Buchanan just loves....but when you watch him play, he seems incapable of capitalizing on them.....

A leonard can't change his spots.

 

[MickZagger]

and you think that is going to IMPROVE in the NBA?

I don't like Meyers Leonard at all...He is you typical, looks the part but can't act\play for shit...

He has got all the measureables that I am sure Chad Buchanan just loves....but when you watch him play, he seems incapable of capitalizing on them.....

How many times did you watch him play at Illinois?