SI - Blazers' Batum ahead of schedule

[BoBoBREWSKI]

Some love from SI for our boy BatumShakaLaka.

http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2009/writers/ian_thomsen/02/26/wade.notes/1.html

Blazers' Batum ahead of schedule

One of the more surprising developments for the Trail Blazers has been the role played by rookie Nicolas Batum. Portland used a draft-night trade to acquire Batum with the No. 25 pick, envisioning him as a 6-8, 190-pound project. Instead, the swingman has emerged as the starter at small forward for the No. 5 team in the West.
"Looking at him in summer league, we felt he was a few years away,'' Blazers coach Nate McMillan said. "He was the third small forward behind Travis [Outlaw] and Martell [Webster].''

But Webster suffered a potential season-ending stress fracture in his left foot, and McMillan preferred to bring Outlaw off the bench to provide scoring and energy with the second unit. Even so, he refused to start Batum in the season opener against the Lakers' Kobe Bryant. "I didn't want to put that type of pressure on a 19-year-old-kid,'' McMillan said. But he quickly changed his mind a few games later and Batum has been worthy of the challenge.

His role is limited: Batum averages 17.7 minutes while starting the first and third quarters before Outlaw and Rudy Fernandez take over. He is mainly an active, long-armed defender, but most impressive is that he has so little negative impact for a player who had been counseled by his French club Le Mans to remain in Europe for another year of experience. Batum is producing more assists than turnovers and he is knocking down an acceptable 36.2 percent of his three-pointers while averaging 5.1 points.

"Yeah, I was surprised,'' Batum said of his starting assignment. He speaks in a whisper as his English steadily improves, but he doesn't lack confidence as a rookie who belies the stereotype that Europeans don't play defense. "That's where I start in Europe, I play defense first. But I never played defense in this way. It's the not the same type of game, but I prefer to play like this [in the NBA]. Because it's quicker, faster here.''
"Defensively, he's about average, leaning toward above [average],'' McMillan said. "We think he can get better defensively. He's shooting the ball OK and that will get better. We think we drafted a good player and in a couple of years he'll be a legitimate starter with the ability to ... who knows? The sky I think is the limit for him.''

 

[Mediocre Man]

It tells a lot about our team that Nate calls our best defender average.

It either says we have the worst defenders on the planet, or Mr. Sonic doesn't know what the hell he is talking about.

 

[Sinobas]

Well, if he were a great defender, a Bruce Bowen in his prime, don't you think our defense would not be the worst in the league? Also, our best defender is Joel Pryzbilla.

But this team does have reason to hope defensively, Jerryd Bayless and Batum could become excellent defenders.

 

[MrJayremmie]

I love Batum... I love Jerryd as well, which is why i'm realy happy with our future. It hink they will both pan out into extremely good players. If we just make sure Oden pans out as well, I think our starting lineup will be the best in the NBA in 2-3 years, no matter how young they will be.

 

[handiman]

Nate has shown several times this year that he will not heap praise on a rookie, no matter how deserving at the time. Probably some sort of a tough love philosophy with the young 'uns.

 

[alex42083]

I can't wait to see Nicolas when he's 25, 26 years old and entering his prime years. Of course, that seems like a long ways a way, but he's going to be special and going to be a perfect role player next to Brandon and LaMarcus. He's already a good player in limited minutes.

And who knows, if he develops a jump shot and an ability to create off the dribble, he could be great. I could see why KP and the gang would've been hesitant to trade him, knowing they've got at least 15 years with this guy barring a major injury.

 

[AgentDrazenPetrovic]

Hmmm....Rudy or Batum for you guys. Who do you think has the better game? I tend to think that Rudy might be a bit overrated based on expectations....Batum might be the better prospect. He shoots the rock fairly well. Don't have stats here but to me, seems like he can play as well, if not better. Rudy is just too in love with the 3.

 

[mook]

Batum has been looking better than Rudy lately.

But Fernandez is playing 8 more mpg, played in the Olympics, and didn't get a real break over All Star weekend. Batum is just fresher.

I think Batum looks to be Stacey Augmon with three point range. That's not a bad player at all.

But Fernandez' ceiling is higher.

 

[Minstrel]

I think Batum looks to be Stacey Augmon with three point range. That's not a bad player at all.

I'd say that's his floor, though, not his ceiling or expected prime. I think his ceiling is tremendous, considering how naturally he fit into the game as a raw, 19 year old rookie. His skills need lots of work, but he has so much time between now and his prime that I can envision a star upside for him. His defense already looks like it could be special, which gives him a very important tool. If he can become more consistent as a shooter and translate is fluid athleticism into strong slashing skills, he could be a big-time player.

 

[RoyToy]

I see maybe a slightly less version of Shawn Marion as his ceiling.

He'll never have the chance to avg the same numbers because at best he'll be the 4th option in his career in Portland, but the blks/stls/etc type stats will be there, and he'll probably have a very good opponents FG% against him.

 

[Bwatcher]

Alex42... It's so nice to see someone think with a longer time frame than this year and next. Fortunately for all of us, KP and others seem to have a long term time horizon, incorporated in their planning. It seems clear to me that GO is going to require at least a year or to more before his improved skills help us into the championship window. Why bring in a V Carter when within 3 years his skills will likely decline greatly. It is likely a pretty similar case for RJefferson. Instead, give Batum the playing time and accelerate his development. Does anyone think he would have developed as quickly if Martell hadn't been out?