We need to talk about Zion Williamson

[Broly]

https://twitter.com/BreakinDownFilm/status/1081740353391214592

Yeah, there's a CBB thread somewhere, but f that shit. He dunked that thing without even breaking a sweat. Whichever team drafts this kid is set for life, oh my lord. This boy is listed to be somewhere between 275 and 285 lbs, but can jump through the roof with a 45 inch vert, that is not normal. The second he gets drafted he is by far the best athlete in the league. Hell, he might be the best athlete ever seen. His shooting needs some work, but from what I've seen it's pretty minor and he's not suffering from the Ball or Fultz disease.

[Kobe'sAchilles]

I see a lot of Shawn Kemp in him. If he can develop an 18 footer like Kemp then he will be deadly. Seriously, who's going to stop him from going to the rim? He's stronger than all the guards who have the speed to stay with him and a hell of a lot faster than all the bigs who can keep him in "check." If he can get a jumpshot then his pump fake/ drive to the hoop will be unguardable.

[Chris Fall]

The athleticism stands out because it’s something we haven’t really seen before, not at that weight, certainly not at that age. He looks like Jadeveon Clowney but even bigger and even more athletic.

But I don’t think he’s just all jump and dunk. He does look to have solid handles (dribble a bit high but he’s solid for a guy at his size and position), he has good dexterity and touch at the rim. He seems to have a plus basketball IQ, but consistently better competition could be a better indicator. And I do think his athleticism plays up because he plays hard.

The height thing will be interesting. If he’s listed at 6’7, he may really actually be closer to 6’5. What is he going to look like when he has to guard Giannis or Durant or Porzingis. If he’s got enough perimeter skill and improves his jumper enough, he could be pretty special. If he’s just the best athlete who plays PF only, he may just be a pretty good player who’s great for occasional highlight plays.

[SuperCam]

Mexicans upstairs think he's another Blair :lol

[Mr. Body]

I'm not sure how a PF does in this league anymore. Whatever team drafts him will have a great talent but issues how to integrate him.

[HarlemHeat37]

It would be fun to see him next to Porzingis if he ever stays healthy..

[313]

Kids a monster. Ambidextrous, good handles, great passer, although doesn't have to use it much. 6'5 but averages 3.5 ORBs a game in 25 min.

You draft him and figure the rest out later. It's looking like ATL is tanking hard for him. Would be crazy if the Suns had Book, Ayton, and Zion.

[Mr. Body]

Kids a monster. Ambidextrous, good handles, great passer, although doesn't have to use it much. 6'5 but averages 3.5 ORBs a game in 25 min.

You draft him and figure the rest out later. It's looking like ATL is tanking hard for him. Would be crazy if the Suns had Book, Ayton, and Zion.

Should get rid of Booker asap, if that happened.

[Silver&Black]

that dunk looks so much better because it's left handed.

[lebomb]

Why do y’all think the only Niggas Thst can play in the NBA are 6-10 and skinny with long ass Orangutan arms? Maybe a player like Zion will change the NBA again to big strong powerful players.

[DMC]

Big powerful guy, one torn ACL from Anthony Bennett.

[FkLA]

Looks like a shorter Julian Randle on steroids, tbh.

[Mark Celibate]

tbh I see the next Blake Griffin imho. Very similar skillset

-Crazy athleticism/strength
-Post up game consists of getting angles and outmuscling the defender
-Ability to blow by taller defenders with the handle
-Respectable jumpshot, but not consistent enough to make him a superstar

[Spurtacular]

listed to be somewhere between 275 and 285 lbs, but can jump through the roof with a 45 inch vert, that is not normal.

If he was smart he'd cut weight. Jumping and landing at that weight doesn't last long.

[phxspurfan]

MYnpO03crr8

Clips from when he was in HS. Insane how somebody who would dominate NBA athletes was playing in HS a year ago.


That being said, he's basically a shorter Amare Stoudemire with a little more speed.

U3XUz6L9JLA

[Spurtacular]

That being said, he's basically a shorter Amare Stoudemire with a little more speed.


Rodney Rodgers with less shooting and more leaping.

[lebomb]

If he was smart he'd cut weight. Jumping and landing at that weight doesn't last long.

Agreed. I read somewhere that he had lost weight. He was chubby when younger.

[lebomb]

I also believe he needs to not dunk so hard and with all his might so much. That will take its toll on your knees as well just ask Blake Griffin

[Killakobe81]

The athleticism stands out because it’s something we haven’t really seen before, not at that weight, certainly not at that age. He looks like Jadeveon Clowney but even bigger and even more athletic.

But I don’t think he’s just all jump and dunk. He does look to have solid handles (dribble a bit high but he’s solid for a guy at his size and position), he has good dexterity and touch at the rim. He seems to have a plus basketball IQ, but consistently better competition could be a better indicator. And I do think his athleticism plays up because he plays hard.

The height thing will be interesting. If he’s listed at 6’7, he may really actually be closer to 6’5. What is he going to look like when he has to guard Giannis or Durant or Porzingis. If he’s got enough perimeter skill and improves his jumper enough, he could be pretty special. If he’s just the best athlete who plays PF only, he may just be a pretty good player who’s great for occasional highlight plays.

Good assessment and I freely admit Im pre-disposed to hating duke players; but a special athlete who if he does what you said and further develops his handle and shot, I could see having a wesbrook type impact for a few years then wil probably flame out ...

We will see. O do hope he can be what we wanted Kemp to be for a longer stretch ... but he is not as tall or as long ...but probably jumps higher ...and has a bigger physique ...

I dont get what the fascination is with Porzingis at this point.
I am not rooting for him to fail, and i get he showed promise.
But I dont see a long-term future. :lol
he can block shots but post injury I dont see why he is talked about like Davis or giannis.
sure he can shoot as well and that will probably still be the case but if he struggles with leg njuries (which > 7 foot 2 big has a knee/leg/foot injury and it never resurfaces?!)
How is he goonna defend pnr? or contest 3's ?!


I would probably trade ingram or Zo for him though, LOL

[Killakobe81]

If he was smart he'd cut weight. Jumping and landing at that weight doesn't last long.

I also agree ... said the same about shaq he lasted a long while but he was 7 foot 1 not barely 6 foot 7

[Chris Fall]

He could probably stand to lose a good 15-20 pounds, but then again some freak athletes are just different. When it came out years ago that LeBron was over 260, there was some similar criticism about the potential for weight-related injury. That was back in his first stint in Cleveland. Now getting into his mid 30s, I don't think we've seen that play out for LeBron. Some guys are just freakishly different. Zion could be like that.

Improving his shooting and playmaking could be the difference between him becoming a superstar and him being a super-role player who provides a lot of highlight transition dunks. Superstars in this era have the basketball in their hands a lot, regardless of position. The semi-exception of Steph or Durant involves guys who are such prolific shooters, they can still drop 30+ without dominating the ball. If he's just a transition dunker for the most part, he's probably not a future superstar.

[blah28]

He reminds me of Grand mama.

[koriwhat]

He reminds me of Grand mama.

:tu

[313]

For a guy with his talent he's incredibly humble compared to the last few top draft picks. Seems like a great locker room guy, and wouldn't be averse to adding things to his game if a coach asked him to.

[Beartrucci]

I don't know if he's going to be great, but damn he's gonna make a lot of money. Probably before he ever dribbles a basketball on an NBA court.

[TimDunkem]

Why do y’all think the only Niggas Thst can play in the NBA are 6-10 and skinny with long ass Orangutan arms? Maybe a player like Zion will change the NBA again to big strong powerful players.

Most of ST doesn't really know basketball. ST intelligentsia thought the Spurs were shooting too many 3s in early 2014. :lol

[Beartrucci]

If you're scoffing at this kid's athleticism or rather acting like we've seen people like him before, you're being a curmudgeon. We have never seen anything like this, not even close. Whether or not his skills translate to NBA...who can say? But like I said he'll be rich either way.

[phxspurfan]

For a guy with his talent he's incredibly humble compared to the last few top draft picks. Seems like a great locker room guy, and wouldn't be averse to adding things to his game if a coach asked him to.

You mean he doesn't sport a Chosen-1 tattoo all over his back and call himself the King? :lol

[phxspurfan]

If you're scoffing at this kid's athleticism or rather acting like we've seen people like him before, you're being a curmudgeon. We have never seen anything like this, not even close. Whether or not his skills translate to NBA...who can say? But like I said he'll be rich either way.

??

xlqF05pEyj8

And he's only the first one that comes to mind. And his career was likely much better than this kid's will be, in an NBA that isn't Charmin soft. Plus he's got post moves and isn't 6'4"


Others include Kemp, Barkley etc

[Beartrucci]

??

xlqF05pEyj8

And he's only the first one that comes to mind. And his career was likely much better than this kid's will be, in an NBA that isn't Charmin soft. Plus he's got post moves and isn't 6'4"


Others include Kemp, Barkley etc

I think somewhere along the line you missed the part about him being 290 or his head touching the fucking rim. You're being willfully ignorant.

[jehawk81]

Dude's like a giant Nate Robinson, fwiw

[DAF86]

He's fat and can jump high and run fast. :wow

Kidding aside, the kid is a novelty and that's why he is getting so much hype. If he was a lean dude jumping and running like that, he wouldn't be getting even half the buzz.

It's something unique and fun to watch, but to become a star at the NBA level he will need to do other things besides jumping high and running fast.

I know he has some handles and shooting mechanics that promise improvement. But when he gets to the NBA and starts matching up with guys that aren't 10 levels below him in terms of athleticism and size, I don't know how "unique" and "special" he will look, tbh.

[Broly]

I know he has some handles and shooting mechanics that promise improvement. But when he gets to the NBA and starts matching up with guys that aren't 10 levels below him in terms of athleticism and size, I don't know how "unique" and "special" he will look, tbh.
I know this has been said about maybe a million guys before, but all he basically needs is a somewhat reliable jumpshot. Just enough so teams have to recognise him on the perimeter, rather than giving him the Tony Allen/Ben Simmons treatment. Even without it, he could become a problem in today's NBA (see: Giannis). +/- 10 years ago Zion would probably be doubted and get the tweener label, but he'd probably be suited as both a SF and PF in this game. Just looking at the physical side of the game, I'm having a hard time finding a player that is currently in the league that can keep up with him. Guys his length he outweighs by a mile, and guys taller than him are too slow. Of course, that doesn't matter all that much if you couldn't hit a jumper to save your own life.

[DAF86]

I know this has been said about maybe a million guys before, but all he basically needs is a somewhat reliable jumpshot. Just enough so teams have to recognise him on the perimeter, rather than giving him the Tony Allen/Ben Simmons treatment. Even without it, he could become a problem in today's NBA (see: Giannis). +/- 10 years ago Zion would probably be doubted and get the tweener label, but he'd probably be suited as both a SF and PF in this game. Just looking at the physical side of the game, I'm having a hard time finding a player that is currently in the league that can keep up with him. Guys his length he outweighs by a mile, and guys taller than him are too slow. Of course, that doesn't matter all that much if you couldn't hit a jumper to save your own life.

But Giannis is a seven footer. length >>>> size.

[lebomb]

Shaq vs Giannis. SIZE >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>length

[horseshue]

Great athlete, mediocore basketball player.

[monosylab1k]

I think somewhere along the line you missed the part about him being 290 or his head touching the fucking rim. You're being willfully ignorant.

Barkley was doing the exact same shit 30 years ago, with a far more well rounded game.

[Darth_Pelican]

He would have been much more valuable in the 90s-early 2000's . He's in the 3 pointer generation and he can't shoot 3's. He'll make plenty of SportsCenter highlights for his dunks but we'll see if he can really help a team win games.

[FrostKing]

He's fat and can jump high and run fast. :wow

Kidding aside, the kid is a novelty and that's why he is getting so much hype. If he was a lean dude jumping and running like that, he wouldn't be getting even half the buzz.

It's something unique and fun to watch, but to become a star at the NBA level he will need to do other things besides jumping high and running fast.

I know he has some handles and shooting mechanics that promise improvement. But when he gets to the NBA and starts matching up with guys that aren't 10 levels below him in terms of athleticism and size, I don't know how "unique" and "special" he will look, tbh.
He plays in the ACC. And Duke plays most of the top schools in Tournaments anyway.

I think you'd have to go back nearly 2 decades to the last time Duke had a very highly touted bust - Jay Williams and he wasn't even Lonzo Ball bad.

Once the season concludes we will recognize Zion's weaknesses and know exactly how he stacks up with the NBA. Current day Duke is a tiny step down from the NBA in terms of coaching, faciliaties, game planning.

I think some really overrate the NBA. Alot of it is roll the ball out on the court and see if Jammal cares and/or isnt too stoned/hungover on any given day.

[Killakobe81]

He plays in the ACC. And Duke plays most of the top schools in Tournaments anyway.

I think you'd have to go back nearly 2 decades to the last time Duke had a very highly touted bust - Jay Williams and he wasn't even Lonzo Ball bad.

Once the season concludes we will recognize Zion's weaknesses and know exactly how he stacks up with the NBA. Current day Duke is a tiny step down from the NBA in terms of coaching, faciliaties, game planning.

I think some really overrate the NBA. Alot of it is roll the ball out on the court and see if Jammal cares and/or isnt too stoned/hungover on any given day.

Nicca Jahlil Oakafor says hello, he was the top recruit coming out of HS only 4 years ago
I agree Dukes bust rate is smaller now but don't act like it's been that long...

[baseline bum]

Good assessment and I freely admit Im pre-disposed to hating duke players; but a special athlete who if he does what you said and further develops his handle and shot, I could see having a wesbrook type impact for a few years then wil probably flame out ...

We will see. O do hope he can be what we wanted Kemp to be for a longer stretch ... but he is not as tall or as long ...but probably jumps higher ...and has a bigger physique ...

I dont get what the fascination is with Porzingis at this point.
I am not rooting for him to fail, and i get he showed promise.
But I dont see a long-term future. :lol
he can block shots but post injury I dont see why he is talked about like Davis or giannis.
sure he can shoot as well and that will probably still be the case but if he struggles with leg njuries (which > 7 foot 2 big has a knee/leg/foot injury and it never resurfaces?!)
How is he goonna defend pnr? or contest 3's ?!


I would probably trade ingram or Zo for him though, LOL

So now you finally admit Ingram ain't shit? :lol

[Chucho]

So now you finally admit Ingram ain't shit? :lol

Teehee.

[Chucho]

He's fat and can jump high and run fast. :wow

Kidding aside, the kid is a novelty and that's why he is getting so much hype. If he was a lean dude jumping and running like that, he wouldn't be getting even half the buzz.

It's something unique and fun to watch, but to become a star at the NBA level he will need to do other things besides jumping high and running fast.

I know he has some handles and shooting mechanics that promise improvement. But when he gets to the NBA and starts matching up with guys that aren't 10 levels below him in terms of athleticism and size, I don't know how "unique" and "special" he will look, tbh.

10/10.

[HarlemHeat37]

Nobody knows anything about how college players will translate to the NBA, it's virtually all guessing, tbh..

The only near-lock is that white American college players are likely to fail in the NBA..

[313]

He has a 42 PER right now, and a W/S per 40 of .391...He's manhandling D1 athletes like he's still in High School lol

Notable picks the last 10 years

Demarcus Cousins
Per: 34
W/S per 40: .290

Ant Davis
Per: 35
W/S per 40: .310

Dame Lillard
Per: 34
W/S per 40: .290

CJ MCCullum
Per: 32
W/S per 40: .267

KAT
Per: 31.4
W/S per 40: .311

Siakam (:wow)
Per: 31.5
W/S per 40: .265

Ayton
Per: 32.6
W/S per 40: .259

Notable Busts that were in top 10 PER and W/S per 40

Jimmer Fredette
Per: 30
W/S per 40: .256

[DAF86]

Shaq vs Giannis. SIZE >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>length

Shaq had length and size. :lol

[FrostKing]

Nicca Jahlil Oakafor says hello, he was the top recruit coming out of HS only 4 years ago
I agree Dukes bust rate is smaller now but don't act like it's been that long...
Indeed, I had a hunch I was forgetting someone. Okafor is as of now a certified bust


Nobody knows anything about how college players will translate to the NBA, it's virtually all guessing, tbh..

The only near-lock is that white American college players are likely to fail in the NBA..
And yet black Americans are consistently more likely to be a bust and there exponentially more of them

[HarlemHeat37]

Indeed, I had a hunch I was forgetting someone. Okafor is as of now a certified bust


And yet black Americans are consistently more likely to be a bust and there exponentially more of them

Of course there will be more busts by volume, there are barely any white Americans drafted high in the draft anymore:lol

Since 2010, there has only been 1 decent white American player drafted in the lottery:lol Cody Zeller, a backup C masquerading as a starter on a bad team..

[daslicer]

Most of ST doesn't really know basketball. ST intelligentsia thought the Spurs were shooting too many 3s in early 2014. :lol

:lol You are the same guy that said last year that the Warriors had much better younger prospects in McCaw and Jordan Bell than the Spurs.

[phxspurfan]

I know this has been said about maybe a million guys before, but all he basically needs is a somewhat reliable jumpshot. Just enough so teams have to recognise him on the perimeter, rather than giving him the Tony Allen/Ben Simmons treatment. Even without it, he could become a problem in today's NBA (see: Giannis). +/- 10 years ago Zion would probably be doubted and get the tweener label, but he'd probably be suited as both a SF and PF in this game. Just looking at the physical side of the game, I'm having a hard time finding a player that is currently in the league that can keep up with him. Guys his length he outweighs by a mile, and guys taller than him are too slow. Of course, that doesn't matter all that much if you couldn't hit a jumper to save your own life.

KD, Giannis, Kawhi, LeBron, Paul George all could easily guard this guy. He's so overrated.

[weebo]

Nobody knows anything about how college players will translate to the NBA, it's virtually all guessing, tbh..

The only near-lock is that white American college players are likely to fail in the NBA..

:lol

[Chris Fall]

I was watching a Blazers game a while ago and they had four white American players on the court at the same time. Zach Collins, Meyers Leonard, Jake Layman, and Nick Stauskas. And their fifth was Seth Curry who at his size and athleticism is basically a white guy.

My mind was blown...

[BatManu20]

Ain’t gonna be your team my boy :lol


1082797964215623680

[blah28]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-yYgcV0iOmw

[SuperCam]

this nigga raining 3s now. better shooter than lonzo tbh :lol

[lebomb]

Zion right now on espn. 11/14 f/g, 26 pts and 10 reb. Lol At y’all non basketball Knowing mufawkus.

Zion is straight on another level. I’d take dis nigga over six Lonzo ball’s. Come to think of it, I don’t want any Balls on my team.

[TimDunkem]

:lol You are the same guy that said last year that the Warriors had much better younger prospects in McCaw and Jordan Bell than the Spurs.

I never said McCaw was any good. Pretty ironic though coming from the guy who said Dejuan Blair is better than Draymond Green. Maybe they should call him up from Austin. :lol

[daslicer]

I never said McCaw was any good. Pretty ironic though coming from the guy who said Dejuan Blair is better than Draymond Green. Maybe they should call him up from Austin. :lol

:lol Don't deny it you did say McCaw and Jordan Bell were better than any young prospect the Spurs had last year which included Bertans and White. You are also the same guy that said the Spurs needed to fear OKC last year because of their addition of Carmelo. The same Carmelo whose now out of the league. I would say Draymond Green's play is proving my point from last year which is Draymond is an overrated scrub.

[phxspurfan]

He's Julius Randle part 2

[FrostKing]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-yYgcV0iOmw
With Barkley's head

[Broly]

30 points (13/16 FG, 3/4 3P), 10 rebounds, 5 assists, 4 steals, 1 block vs. WF. Showed some decent handle and footwork in this game too.

[Killakobe81]

So now you finally admit Ingram ain't shit? :lol

No just saying we could have and maybe should have traded him when value was high still...and he was not injured...unlike Zo..

[baseline bum]

No just saying we could have and maybe should have traded him when value was high still...and he was not injured...unlike Zo..

Because he's not good and you could have been pulling a fast one on the rest of the league. Thankfully RC didn't fall for the media's fluff up of this scrub.

[Killakobe81]

Because he's not good and you could have been pulling a fast one on the rest of the league. Thankfully RC didn't fall for the media's fluff up of this scrub.

I won't argue that he is good he has been a mild disappointment.
But as deeps and many others have pointed out Lebron's window (and Magic's hype) jhas accelerated teh pressure.
I see flashes where he looks good very good.
I also see games where all he can do is iso and look's very bad.
His 3 ball has regressed but even when he shot well he never shot enough.

But I still think he has better long-term upside than Jaylen Brown ... but Im staring to lose confidence in that thought.

unlike most Laker fans im still in the lets not make a panic move.
I dont give a shit about Bron's legacy which is already sown anyways.
Even if Lakers did miss playoffs, his apologists will still say he is better than MJ, look at the stats!!1
his haters will say MJ doesnt miss the playofffs.

best thing for short-term (trade) or long-term (building) is we get Ingram to have more games like he did vs Mavs ...
Problem is he wont face Luka's or Barnes defense every night ...

[horseshue]

More athletic Draymond Green.

[phxspurfan]

But I still think he has better long-term upside than Jaylen Brown ... but Im staring to lose confidence in that thought.

Jaylen Brown is legit dude. Only thing Ingram has on him is a couple inches of height. He hustles way more, shoots it better, already has deep playoff run experience, something that the Lakers won't have for multiple years.

[Killakobe81]

Jaylen Brown is legit dude. Only thing Ingram has on him is a couple inches of height. He hustles way more, shoots it better, already has deep playoff run experience, something that the Lakers won't have for multiple years.

:lol

[tlongII]

I think Zion is 6-8. I guess we’ll see.

[Mr. Body]

Still think he'll struggle some in a league that has no place for his size, build, or position.

[ambchang]

Zion is way more athletic than Larry Johnson.

[DMC]

Zion is way more athletic than Larry Johnson.

That the pre ACL tear assessment.

Guys that big who can jump like that feel they should jump like that, even if they don't need to, like on a break away dunk. Just get up as high as you can. The body is taking note. Just ask DRose who also had major hops for his size.

If he scores (and he will) a major NBA contract, he's set regardless but big men with big hops don't last long. James might be a rare exception.

[Will Hunting]

That the pre ACL tear assessment.

Guys that big who can jump like that feel they should jump like that, even if they don't need to, like on a break away dunk. Just get up as high as you can. The body is taking note. Just ask DRose who also had major hops for his size.

If he scores (and he will) a major NBA contract, he's set regardless but big men with big hops don't last long. James might be a rare exception.
As someone said earlier he might be another rare exception with freakish jumping ability that lasts into his 30s, but I don’t see the same fluidity to his game that Lebron has either way. It’s hard to envision him ever developing the skill needed to be able to create in the halfcourt on a consistent basis, and he doesn’t have the height needed for a low post scorer imo.

Also, even though he appears to have a good attitude and love basketball, there’s no excuse for someone who plays basketball 3 hours a day to be that overweight.

I’d take RJ Barrett over him if I had the #1 pick next year.

[FrostKing]

Zion will nutbag little Lebron next season

[DMC]

Thon Maker tearing it up these days? He was a beast in HS though.

[phxspurfan]

big men with big hops don't last long. James might be a rare exception.

HGH is a hell of a drug

[Arcadian]

KD, Giannis, Kawhi, LeBron, Paul George all could easily guard this guy. He's so overrated.

...The kid just finished high school less than a year ago, and you're already holding him to this standard :lol

[DMC]

...The kid just finished high school less than a year ago, and you're already holding him to this standard :lol

Only because others are setting him up to be judged this way, acting like he might dominate in the NBA.

[Broly]

https://twitter.com/SLAMonline/status/1094398547225731074

[Killakobe81]

https://twitter.com/SLAMonline/status/1094398547225731074

I don't think Knicks or Suns trade him if they get him fanbase already think he is savior...

[RsxPiimp]

I don't think Knicks or Suns trade him if they get him fanbase already think he is savior...
would be stupid for the knicks to trade him for AD.

[horseshue]

would be stupid for the knicks to trade him for AD.

Then they are definetly gonna do it

[RsxPiimp]

Then they are definetly gonna do it

:lol true

they’re supposed to have a plan but the last time they had cap they blew it on thjr and noah but they seem
optimistic this time around. if they can get kyrie then ad may follow. you add zion in the mix and msg will have the best product on the floor since ewing and starks.

[Mark Celibate]

I won't argue that he is good he has been a mild disappointment.
But as deeps and many others have pointed out Lebron's window (and Magic's hype) jhas accelerated teh pressure.
I see flashes where he looks good very good.
I also see games where all he can do is iso and look's very bad.
His 3 ball has regressed but even when he shot well he never shot enough.

But I still think he has better long-term upside than Jaylen Brown ... but Im staring to lose confidence in that thought.

unlike most Laker fans im still in the lets not make a panic move.
I dont give a shit about Bron's legacy which is already sown anyways.
Even if Lakers did miss playoffs, his apologists will still say he is better than MJ, look at the stats!!1
his haters will say MJ doesnt miss the playofffs.

best thing for short-term (trade) or long-term (building) is we get Ingram to have more games like he did vs Mavs ...
Problem is he wont face Luka's or Barnes defense every night ...

William Hunting has hinted at this, but do you think the recent seasons of Kobe's retirement brickfest tour, Lebron's drama that he always brings, and the general circus of Magic/Lavar has resulted in the struggling of Russell, Randle, Ball, and Ingram with the Lakers?

tbh I don't see much in Ball, but the other three seem to have potential the flourish in the right organization. I wouldn't be surprised if the general circus that the Lakers organization has undergone the past few years has stunted their growth but I don't watch enough to say for sure imo

[DPG21920]

As good as Zion looks, you absolutely trade him for AD and don’t even think twice. He would have to reach his ceiling just to be as good as AD is and AD is still young and guaranteed to be good.

You don’t pass up on a guaranteed AD in hopes that you get the next Lebron James. You take the guaranteed thing.

[Killakobe81]

As good as Zion looks, you absolutely trade him for AD and don’t even think twice. He would have to reach his ceiling just to be as good as AD is and AD is still young and guaranteed to be good.

You don’t pass up on a guaranteed AD in hopes that you get the next Lebron James. You take the guaranteed thing.

I'm not 100% sold on Zion but you talking a Uber athletic dunk machine that would thrill MSG...
Davis is more skilled but injury prone and doesn't really want to play for Knicks. Zion wants too seems made to be Knock star even more than Melo or Porzingis...
I think it's at least something worth considering.

[Agilist]

I'm not 100% sold on Zion but you talking a Uber athletic dunk machine that would thrill MSG...
Davis is more skilled but injury prone and doesn't really want to play for Knicks. Zion wants too seems made to be Knock star even more than Melo or Porzingis...
I think it's at least something worth considering.

:lol Might need to translate this sentence. You mention Davis is injury prone and while it's still early, I think Zion will amass injuries with his weight/playing style. It's been known for awhile that the crazy athleticism, super jerky movements, hard dunking, and reckless style of play is a precursor to torn ACLs, pulled hamstrings, etc. But you rarely see guys who are 280 pounds playing that way as well. I just can't see him lasting long unless he drops a lot of weight

Not to mention I don't see his limited skillset turning a franchise around. Guys in this thread have compared him to "undersized" Blake Griffin/Julius Randle which is a fair assessment imo

[DMC]

:lol Might need to translate this sentence. You mention Davis is injury prone and while it's still early, I think Zion will amass injuries with his weight/playing style. It's been known for awhile that the crazy athleticism, super jerky movements, hard dunking, and reckless style of play is a precursor to torn ACLs, pulled hamstrings, etc. But you rarely see guys who are 280 pounds playing that way as well. I just can't see him lasting long unless he drops a lot of weight

Not to mention I don't see his limited skillset turning a franchise around. Guys in this thread have compared him to "undersized" Blake Griffin/Julius Randle which is a fair assessment imo

That motherfucker is autistic. Don't get him all wound up or he'll go into a counting fit.

[DMC]

William Hunting has hinted at this, but do you think the recent seasons of Kobe's retirement brickfest tour, Lebron's drama that he always brings, and the general circus of Magic/Lavar has resulted in the struggling of Russell, Randle, Ball, and Ingram with the Lakers?

tbh I don't see much in Ball, but the other three seem to have potential the flourish in the right organization. I wouldn't be surprised if the general circus that the Lakers organization has undergone the past few years has stunted their growth but I don't watch enough to say for sure imo

I'll offer my 2 cents> The drama in LA has nothing to do with how shitty the players and coaches are. They should still be able to play a fucking basketball game. You look at teams like the Cavaliers when Lebron came back, there was a shit ton of drama. Kobe and Shaq had drama. Both teams found ways to win and still play their A games. LA's A game isn't very good. Lebron makes it serviceable when his A game is employed, but otherwise it's just a shitty overrated coach who cruised to an fraudulent record while Kerr was supine, because Kevin Hart could have coached that team to the Finals. Now Luke Walton is the head coach of LA with Lebron as his pupil. How fucking backwards is that? Get a real coach.

If LA wants to be serious about winning, forget player talent for a second and focus on trainers and coaches. Fire Magic Johnson. Reach out to Spurs trainers and guys from teams that can get your C level players to play B level ball. Right now LA is too focused on acquiring A level players. You don't need that in the short term.

[Clipper Nation]

The Lakers won't really be serious about winning until the Buss kids sell the team to someone with a clue. Nothing ruins a franchise worse than bad ownership.

[GAustex]

Zion seems like he might get fat
He’s got that in him
Depends whether he keeps working or not

[lebomb]

Zion is the real deal. Whomever doubts that is a stupid non-basketball knowin mufawkuh and needs to stick to watching curling in the Olympics.

[Chris]

https://twitter.com/JakeRepNY/status/1098404834842198018
https://twitter.com/getruben/status/1098404699370409984

[Beartrucci]

Maybe Pippen was right...Zion might've just lost a lot of money. This sucks.

[phxspurfan]

Zion blows out shoe and right knee... oof Knicks/Suns/Cavs/Bulls/Hawks

[Chris Fall]

Paul George shoes...

[Chucho]

Maybe spurs can draft him now. :lol

Dejuan Blair 2.0

[Killakobe81]

Like Zion, but fuck Duke.

[Killakobe81]

Also Reddish jumper is butter smooth

[Chucho]

He's got Anthony Bennett potential, tbh.

[Killakobe81]

If I am his parents I shut his ass down.
I'm with Spida Mitchell...
Fuck coach K and Duke's legacy I'm pulling a Kyrie and getting ready for the pros.

[lebomb]

He will be fine, his knee is not blown apart. Nigga would have been hollarin like a 3yr ole girl if he did. But, I do believe he needs to not go as hard, or just shut it down. He doesnt want to kill that #1 draft pick.

[Chris Fall]

But the injury wasn’t a result of him going hard, diving for a loose ball or jumping five feet for a block or running 100 mph. He hurt himself on a casual dribble at the top of the key, plant and pivot as his foot slipped. The way he split and turned and his right knee gave way, he could have easily torn his ACL/MCL/LCL. On a dribble and plant out by the three point line.

Had nothing to do with him going hard. Aside from the shitty Paul George shoe, you understand that these college kids can get seriously hurt doing pretty much anything on the court.

[Will Hunting]

If I am his parents I shut his ass down.
I'm with Spida Mitchell...
Fuck coach K and Duke's legacy I'm pulling a Kyrie and getting ready for the pros.
Huh? Kyrie was injured for most of his only season with Duke but he came back at the end and played into March Madness. He never decided to shut it down.

[Stan]

Black people irrationally hating on Duke is still hilarious :lol

[Will Hunting]

Black people irrationally hating on Duke is still hilarious :lol
Especially since they’re starting lineup is all black, it made more sense when they were starting guys like JJ redick or Josh McRoberts

[Mr. Body]

Black people irrationally hating on Duke is still hilarious :lol

There's nothing irrational ever about hating Duke.

[lebomb]

But the injury wasn’t a result of him going hard, diving for a loose ball or jumping five feet for a block or running 100 mph. He hurt himself on a casual dribble at the top of the key, plant and pivot as his foot slipped. The way he split and turned and his right knee gave way, he could have easily torn his ACL/MCL/LCL. On a dribble and plant out by the three point line.

Had nothing to do with him going hard. Aside from the shitty Paul George shoe, you understand that these college kids can get seriously hurt doing pretty much anything on the court.

This is true, BUT!!!! have you watched him throughout the season? Zion goes at the rim like there is no tomorrow!!! He throws down dunks like there is no tomorrow!!! He plays all out all the time. That is kinda dangerous if you want a #1 draft paycheck. Just sayin...........

[Killakobe81]

Black people irrationally hating on Duke is still hilarious :lol

I don't hate Duke because of their white guys... Though Grayson just graduated and he he was gigantic prick.
I hate the sanctimonious, hypocrite Coach K

[Killakobe81]

I hated the Landlord Tyus Jones and Alaa Abdelnaby as much as Laetener Hurley etc

[Killakobe81]

Huh? Kyrie was injured for most of his only season with Duke but he came back at the end and played into March Madness. He never decided to shut it down.

He sat though when he was hurt but you are right he didn't shut down completely

[Will Hunting]

He sat though when he was hurt but you are right he didn't shut down completely
I don't think anyone is suggesting Zion try to play through his injury, that'd be a really stupid idea on his part.

[baseline bum]

If I am his parents I shut his ass down.
I'm with Spida Mitchell...
Fuck coach K and Duke's legacy I'm pulling a Kyrie and getting ready for the pros.

This. I wouldn't give two fucks about Duke or the NCAA. He has shown he's the #1 pick and there is nothing else he needs to do there now except slay rich white women.

[lefty]

He's got Anthony Bennett potential, tbh.

Damn I forgot about this dude :lol

[GAustex]

Zion seems like he might get fat
He’s got that in him
Depends whether he keeps working or not

[FrostKing]

Nike stock took a tumble

[Broly]

29 points (13-13 shooting), 14 rebounds, 2 assists, 5 steals, 2 blocks vs. Syracuse. He's back.

[lebomb]

29 points (13-13 shooting), 14 rebounds, 2 assists, 5 steals, 2 blocks vs. Syracuse. He's back.


Bu, bu, bu, but......he is gonna be a poor niggas Michael Beasley!!!! :lmao

[Killakobe81]

29 points (13-13 shooting), 14 rebounds, 2 assists, 5 steals, 2 blocks vs. Syracuse. He's back.

He looked good.
Good for him.
after Zion, I liked Reddish the most of the Fab Freshmen but he really failed to step up while Zion was out.
Way to passive drifts in and out of games to much. Dude had length decent athelticism and a nice stroke but I worry he has to much Wiggins or Lonzo in him.
RJ takes some dumb shots but is at least aggressive
and I like some flashes I see out of Jones ...
Ja morant might be the #2 pick in this draft ...

Still, Eff Duke ...

[lebomb]

He looked good.
Good for him.
after Zion, I liked Reddish the most of the Fab Freshmen but he really failed to step up while Zion was out.
Way to passive drifts in and out of games to much. Dude had length decent athelticism and a nice stroke but I worry he has to much Wiggins or Lonzo in him.
RJ takes some dumb shots but is at least aggressive
and I like some flashes I see out of Jones ...
Ja morant might be the #2 pick in this draft ...

Still, Eff Duke ...

I agree with alot of your takes.

I like Zion the best, RJ based on he isnt afraid to go all in, next Reddish because he can shoot, lastly Tre Jones. He is a good defender, passes decent, but just doesnt have enough offense for me.

Draft wise? I got:

1. Zion
2. RJ based on size
3. Ja Morant (dude is sick)
4. Reddish
5 thru whatever........doesnt matter to much.

[spurraider21]

its like if zach randolph was an elite athlete

[Mark Celibate]

I hated the Landlord Tyus Jones and
Alaa Abdelnabyas much as Laetener Hurley etc

rofl I thought you had a stroke when you typed that but I had no idea that was actually a real person

[313]

reddish has shown absolutely nothing to this point that would warrant a top fove pick, and if you take him in the top 10 it’d be a pretty big gamble still. His motor looks nonexistent.

[Beartrucci]

Reddish is trash and Barrett has worse tunnel vision than TP

[FrostKing]

Already more clutch than Lebron :lmao

https://i.ibb.co/mNG5kW2/Screenshot-2019-03-16-19-57-14-1.png

[SuperCam]

Zion carrying these white scrubs and overrated cancers like redish and barett is quite impressive tbh...

[SuperCam]

https://twitter.com/Kyle__Boone/status/1107096679436767234

better than any pass Duncan ever made in his career

[TheCultOfPersonality]

Reddish is trash and Barrett has worse tunnel vision than TP
True.

Reddish is absolute garbage.

I know this draft isn't that good, but it's still laughable that a guy who's terrible offensively in college and doesn't do much else is considered a top 10 NBA prospect. This isn't even a Top 60 talent let alone Top 10. You would have to be the biggest idiot on the planet to draft this scrub.

[140]

True.

Reddish is absolute garbage.

I know this draft isn't that good, but it's still laughable that a guy who's terrible offensively in college and doesn't do much else is considered a top 10 NBA prospect. This isn't even a Top 60 talent let alone Top 10. You would have to be the biggest idiot on the planet to draft this scrub.
Inb4 Grizzlies pick him

:lol

[TheCultOfPersonality]

Inb4 Grizzlies pick him

:lol
If the Grizzlies are able to keep their pick and Chris Wallace is still the GM it wouldn't shock me. This is the type of pick Wallace would make. Wallace is the guy who thought Andrew Harrison, a guy who was possibly worse than Reddish in both of his seasons at Kentucky, was worth trading into the draft to get. This is the stupidity that we're dealing with here.

[FrostKing]

Reddish is a quality defender (on ball and boards) and has a quality shot (free throw line too). But he is surprisingly fragile driving to the basket. He is compared to Paul George and they had similar Freshman seasons

[lebomb]

Zion
.
.
.
.
.
RJ Barrett.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
Tre Jones
.
.
.
Reddish

[phxspurfan]

TMZ: Zion Williamson's Busted Nike PG 2.5 PE Shoe Missing; 'Worth Around $250K'

https://bleacherreport.com/articles/2828788-tmz-zion-williamsons-busted-nike-pg-25-pe-shoe-missing-worth-around-250k?utm_source=cnn.com&utm_medium=referral&utm_campaign=editorial

Zion Williamson's Nike shoe that exploded during a Feb. 20 game against North Carolina, the same game he suffered a knee injury, has reportedly gone missing, according to TMZ Sports.

Per that report, Duke head coach Mike Krzyzewski said that "Nike reps came out to Durham and inspected the shoe in hopes of identifying the problem. But it's unclear who has the shoe now."






Seen driving away from the scene was a black Chevy Suburban with multiple hired goons...

https://i.kinja-img.com/gawker-media/image/upload/s--dRP_WWWA--/c_scale,f_auto,fl_progressive,q_80,w_800/ek14wzfdpbvyhfvbnoxf.jpg

[LkrFan]

Mexicans upstairs think he's another Blair :lol

:lol

[ambchang]

So Scottie Pippen is saying that Zion is the best prospect in the nba since Jordan.

That’s better than Ewing, bias, Robinson, shaq, Duncan, iverson, Lebron, Durant, Lonzo, Ingram.

While he may turn out to Be better than some, it would be tough for him to be better than all.

Hard to live up to the hype.

[Mr. Body]

So Scottie Pippen is saying that Zion is the best prospect in the nba since Jordan.

That’s better than Ewing, bias, Robinson, shaq, Duncan, iverson, Lebron, Durant, Lonzo, Ingram.

While he may turn out to Be better than some, it would be tough for him to be better than all.

Hard to live up to the hype.

Pippen is broke as fuck. He's probably saying whatever the ESPN-Duke industrial complex needs him to.

[FrostKing]

So Scottie Pippen is saying that Zion is the best prospect in the nba since Jordan.

That’s better than Ewing, bias, Robinson, shaq, Duncan, iverson, Lebron, Durant, Lonzo, Ingram.

While he may turn out to Be better than some, it would be tough for him to be better than all.

Hard to live up to the hype.
Only Ewing or Lebron I'd disagree with and probably only Pat since he proved it in College while James was just a HS star

And Jordan doesn't belong either. Ralph Sampson?

[ambchang]

Only Ewing or Lebron I'd disagree with and probably only Pat since he proved it in College while James was just a HS star

And Jordan doesn't belong either. Ralph Sampson?

Ralph came before Jordan. The original porzingis.

[DMC]

Only Ewing or Lebron I'd disagree with and probably only Pat since he proved it in College while James was just a HS star

And Jordan doesn't belong either. Ralph Sampson?

Lebron would have destroyed college ball.

[Broly]

My main conclusion from watching all these Duke games this year isn't just that I want Zion, but also that I don't want my team to come anywhere near drafting RJ Barrett.

[Chris Fall]

I think Zion is phenomenal. I still question whether he’ll be a franchise changing superstar at the next level because I’m not sure he’s a high usage enough player, in terms of dominating the ball and dictating the action offensively. It’s a guard dominated league. The most recent league MVPs exemplify that with Russ and Harden. And the “superstars” that aren’t guards have the ball in their hands on offense as if they are guards. LeBron, Freak, Ben Simmons, Luka. Even natural 2-guards like Harden, DMichell, Oladipo, D’Angelo, they handle the ball, they facilitate the action, they dictate the tempo. The only superstar exceptions who don’t always have the ball in their hands are Durant and Kawhi. I’m not sure Zion is that caliber of scorer.

I don’t know if Zion can be a guy that runs a team with the ball in his hands. And I don’t know if he’ll be given that opportunity. If he can’t be that type of player, he may as well end up being a super role player who provides a handful of highlight dunks and blocks every game. But will that be enough to elevate a team. Or will he just be a great young player whose impact is limited because he doesn’t dominate the ball, perhaps in a similar way to how Anthony Davis or Karl Anthony Towns are.

[phxspurfan]

My main conclusion from watching all these Duke games this year isn't just that I want Zion, but also that I don't want my team to come anywhere near drafting RJ Barrett.

? He couldn't beat good coaching from Michigan St and their yearly crop of mediocre but disciplined upper classmen. But he's now better than Duncan, Ewing, etc? He hasn't even had a better college career than Carmelo.

[spurraider21]

So Scottie Pippen is saying that Zion is the best prospect in the nba since Jordan.

That’s better than Ewing, bias, Robinson, shaq, Duncan, iverson, Lebron, Durant, Lonzo, Ingram.

While he may turn out to Be better than some, it would be tough for him to be better than all.

Hard to live up to the hype.
better prospect doesnt mean "lock to become a better NBA player than"

luck was a better prospect than aaron rodgers was, and very few people will argue that point.

but nobody says luck is a better qb than aaron rodgers

[FrostKing]

? He couldn't beat good coaching from Michigan St and their yearly crop of mediocre but disciplined upper classmen. But he's now better than Duncan, Ewing, etc? He hasn't even had a better college career than Carmelo.
Not sure you wanna go down that route. Duncan as a senior got bounced in the 2nd Round by athletic powerhouse Stanford

Carmelo didn't win the Naismith award

[phxspurfan]

Not sure you wanna go down that route. Duncan as a senior got bounced in the 2nd Round by athletic powerhouse Stanford

Carmelo didn't win the Naismith award

Duncan also didn't play on a team gifted with a high seed every year with 3 other NBA players (2 other lottery talents)...

[Mr. Body]

better prospect doesnt mean "lock to become a better NBA player than"

luck was a better prospect than aaron rodgers was, and very few people will argue that point.

but nobody says luck is a better qb than aaron rodgers

What the fuck does better prospect mean then? Duncan and Robinson both were far better college players and far better prospects.

[spurraider21]

What the fuck does better prospect mean then? Duncan and Robinson both were far better college players and far better prospects.
prospect refers to how highly the player is graded/evaluated by the community prior to setting foot on the court professionally. it's purely a projection of what people think the player will be, his floor, his ceiling, etc.

to this day, andrew luck was a much better prospect than tom brady was.

i'm not arguing that zion IS a better prospect than duncan/robinson. i'm just clarifying in response to ambchang's post, which seemed to conflate prospect with future success.

so if you're comparing duncan the prospect to zion the prospect, you'd have to compare how duncan was evaluated back in '97 to how zion is being evaluated now. you dont look back at duncan's NBA career in hindsight. duncan was as good a prospect as the NBA had ever seen. he would have been the #1 overall pick had he declared for the draft in 1995 or 1996 but kept going back to school. lebron is the only guy i can think of since duncan that eclipsed him as a surefire hit. whats amazing is that both completely lived up to the hype.

yao was another one.

[JoeTait75]

Duncan also didn't play on a team gifted with a high seed every year with 3 other NBA players (2 other lottery talents)...

What, Randolph Childress and Rusty LaRue weren't enough?

[Mr. Body]

prospect refers to how highly the player is graded/evaluated by the community prior to setting foot on the court professionally. it's purely a projection of what people think the player will be, his floor, his ceiling, etc.

to this day, andrew luck was a much better prospect than tom brady was.

i'm not arguing that zion IS a better prospect than duncan/robinson. i'm just clarifying in response to ambchang's post, which seemed to conflate prospect with future success.

so if you're comparing duncan the prospect to zion the prospect, you'd have to compare how duncan was evaluated back in '97 to how zion is being evaluated now. you dont look back at duncan's NBA career in hindsight. duncan was as good a prospect as the NBA had ever seen. he would have been the #1 overall pick had he declared for the draft in 1995 or 1996 but kept going back to school. lebron is the only guy i can think of since duncan that eclipsed him as a surefire hit. whats amazing is that both completely lived up to the hype.

yao was another one.

Zion is a product of extreme hype, the ESPN-Duke machine. He's good, but thinking about him in terms of an actual basketball player gets obscured by the relentless waves of PR. We all need to slow our roll.

[spurraider21]

Zion is a product of extreme hype, the ESPN-Duke machine. He's good, but thinking about him in terms of an actual basketball player gets obscured by the relentless waves of PR. We all need to slow our roll.
perhaps. i remember being extremely skeptical of lebron when he was coming out because it felt like a massive hype machine. but he lived up and then some.

[Mr. Body]

perhaps. i remember being extremely skeptical of lebron when he was coming out because it felt like a massive hype machine. but he lived up and then some.

Ergo Zion will succeed? That's pretty faulty logic. Zion will be good, but he's hardly the player LeBron was.

One major issue in talking about 'prospects' is that high school players are rated atrociously. Often a player will get moved up because they are getting recruited by Kentucky or Duke or another few top flight programs. There's a feedback loop. If Zion went to even Michigan State or Gonzaga, I'm not sure he'd be the automatic number one in the draft. Basketball 'experts' are often ludicrously stupid and follow the herd.

[spurraider21]

Ergo Zion will succeed? That's pretty faulty logic. Zion will be good, but he's hardly the player LeBron was.

One major issue in talking about 'prospects' is that high school players are rated atrociously. Often a player will get moved up because they are getting recruited by Kentucky or Duke or another few top flight programs. There's a feedback loop. If Zion went to even Michigan State or Gonzaga, I'm not sure he'd be the automatic number one in the draft. Basketball 'experts' are often ludicrously stupid and follow the herd.
no. rather, the mere fact that there's a media hype machine does not invalidate the player's likelihood of success.

i think zion is going to be a good player. if aaron gordon can become a good nba player, i see no reason why zion isn't going to be a damn good one. his athleticism is simply absurd and its not like he's a raw player like giannis was coming out.

[Mr. Body]

no. rather, the mere fact that there's a media hype machine does not invalidate the player's likelihood of success.

i think zion is going to be a good player. if aaron gordon can become a good nba player, i see no reason why zion isn't going to be a damn good one. his athleticism is simply absurd and its not like he's a raw player like giannis was coming out.

He'll be good. Just saying that comparing him to many other former players is just another sign of how little perspective people have in this era of hype and celebrity worship.

[FrostKing]

Ergo Zion will succeed? That's pretty faulty logic. Zion will be good, but he's hardly the player LeBron was.

One major issue in talking about 'prospects' is that high school players are rated atrociously. Often a player will get moved up because they are getting recruited by Kentucky or Duke or another few top flight programs. There's a feedback loop. If Zion went to even Michigan State or Gonzaga, I'm not sure he'd be the automatic number one in the draft. Basketball 'experts' are often ludicrously stupid and follow the herd.
19 year old Zion is SIGNIFICANTLY better than 19 year old James

It took LeBron 10+ years to learn a post move and Zion already has that. Defensively Zion is also better. But Jsmes wore a headband and did some stupid chalk thing. Oh and self labeled himself "King"

[HarlemHeat37]

Nobody knows how good any of these prospects will be, it's almost all guessing:lol

It'll be interesting to see how Zion looks with good coaching..coach K is a horrible coach nowadays, he was a huge liability for Duke .

[spurraider21]

Nobody knows how good any of these prospects will be, it's almost all guessing:lol

It'll be interesting to see how Zion looks with good coaching..coach K is a horrible coach nowadays, he was a huge liability for Duke .
if it was, there would be no point in having draft orders/lotteries. you know better tbh

every sport is prone to flops, but you're more likely to hit a good player in picks 1-5 than 15-20 for a reason, tbh

[HarlemHeat37]

if it was, there would be no point in having draft orders/lotteries. you know better tbh

every sport is prone to flops, but you're more likely to hit a good player in picks 1-5 than 15-20 for a reason, tbh

Sure, that's not what I meant, though..you can separate prospects and have them on different levels, but you're still guessing on comparisons..

I've heard Zion being compared to LeBron, Blake Griffin, Aaron Gordon, Rodney Rogers, Charles Barkley and many others..nobody has any credible way of projecting his outlook..

[FrostKing]

Sure, that's not what I meant, though..you can separate prospects and have them on different levels, but you're still guessing on comparisons..

I've heard Zion being compared to LeBron, Blake Griffin, Aaron Gordon, Rodney Rogers, Charles Barkley and many others..nobody has any credible way of projecting his outlook..
This applies to every player on every team in History and not just the transition from College to Pros. That is why bad contracts and comeback player of the year awards exist. We watch sports in major part for the unexpected. Otherwise what is the purpose of watching games live and seeing it unfold before my eyes.

As NBA returns to the straight to NBA rule, prepare for more draft busts and bottom feeders remaining in the grave. Teams such as Lakers will sit back and poach the guys whom actually pan out. Bad for NBA

[spurraider21]

Sure, that's not what I meant, though..you can separate prospects and have them on different levels, but you're still guessing on comparisons..

I've heard Zion being compared to LeBron, Blake Griffin, Aaron Gordon, Rodney Rogers, Charles Barkley and many others..nobody has any credible way of projecting his outlook..
true true tbh

[ambchang]

better prospect doesnt mean "lock to become a better NBA player than"

luck was a better prospect than aaron rodgers was, and very few people will argue that point.

but nobody says luck is a better qb than aaron rodgers

I know. Which why Ewing and Robinson were there. They were hugely hyped coming out of college.

Besides, Jordan was drafted third, clearly behind Hakeem and on even grounds with Bowie. So not sure how he was this great prospect.

[Avant]

Not even going to try and pretend I know NCAA basketball, but I do know when I see a special athlete. I have never talked a college basketball player, ever, until this guy.

If the kid doesn't lose it with $$$$$$$$$$$$/fame, I do expect to see a real force in the NBA.

[Mr. Body]

19 year old Zion is SIGNIFICANTLY better than 19 year old James

It took LeBron 10+ years to learn a post move and Zion already has that. Defensively Zion is also better. But Jsmes wore a headband and did some stupid chalk thing. Oh and self labeled himself "King"

You have no fucking idea what you're talking about. LeBron at every era blows Zion away. Get off ESPN's tit, you fuck.

[FrostKing]

You have no fucking idea what you're talking about. LeBron at every era blows Zion away. Get off ESPN's tit, you fuck.
James has superior court vision and 3 point shot. Zion is better at every single facet of the game of basketball

[Mr. Body]

James has superior court vision and 3 point shot. Zion is better at every single facet of the game of basketball

Sure thing, bro.

[FrostKing]

Sure thing, bro.

Who is your CBB team anyway kiddo

[Broly]

? He couldn't beat good coaching from Michigan St and their yearly crop of mediocre but disciplined upper classmen. But he's now better than Duncan, Ewing, etc? He hasn't even had a better college career than Carmelo.
Why are you quoting me? What does this have to do with my post?

[phxspurfan]

Zion Williamson

[ducks]

he will be a BUST

[Rummpd]

NO is sitting pretty if AD gets rejuvenated because of this

[davethedope]

Zion will be lucky if he has the career Blake Griffin had... Unless of course he can make 3's at an effective than clip right out of the gate

[Mugen]

NO is sitting pretty if AD gets rejuvenated because of this

He wont :lol

[Robz4000]

he will be a BUST

[Jonnyblue19]

How does anyone know? If he is willing to put in the time in the gym he will be good to great. I love how people are calling a 19 year old a bust.

[ducks]

I think he wink be injury prone like oden

[Jonnyblue19]

I think he wink be injury prone like oden

But he hasn't had any injuries like Oden. Bigger players like Oden and Embid are injury prone not players that are 6'7. Based on this strength and athleticism he can easily average 10-15 points on put backs and running the floor. He literally weighs 20 pds more than Lebron and jumpers higher too.

[DMC]

But he hasn't had any injuries like Oden. Bigger players like Oden and Embid are injury prone not players that are 6'7. Based on this strength and athleticism he can easily average 10-15 points on put backs and running the floor. He literally weighs 20 pds more than Lebron and jumpers higher too.

He has it to prove. Some of you are so ready to crown the next king you he doesn't even need to suit up. Hell, he could very well be the next Oden then.

How is he going to develop once NBA trainers start altering his shot, his positioning under the rim (like they did with Blair who was a foul magnet but grabbed tons of rebounds)? Will he have the green light to hurl 3pt shots as big as he is and how much he can draw in the defense to get other people shots? These guys don't always translate to dominating NBA players. Who is the last 1st overall to actually do anything in the league other than make the all star game? You have Anthony Davis who still hasn't done shit. Otherwise you have a bunch of hyped players. Does anyone even remember Ayton?

[Jonnyblue19]

He has it to prove. Some of you are so ready to crown the next king you he doesn't even need to suit up. Hell, he could very well be the next Oden then.

How is he going to develop once NBA trainers start altering his shot, his positioning under the rim (like they did with Blair who was a foul magnet but grabbed tons of rebounds)? Will he have the green light to hurl 3pt shots as big as he is and how much he can draw in the defense to get other people shots? These guys don't always translate to dominating NBA players. Who is the last 1st overall to actually do anything in the league other than make the all star game? You have Anthony Davis who still hasn't done shit. Otherwise you have a bunch of hyped players. Does anyone even remember Ayton?

Of Course he is hyped, they always hype players it is their jobs. I have no idea if he will become as good as he is being predicted but some people are calling him a bust.

If he has great work ethic he will become a great player. If he doesnt then he will be very average but based on his athleticism he will score because of his size and speed. He is a freak of nature now let's see how badly he wants to be great.

[DMC]

Of Course he is hyped, they always hype players it is their jobs. I have no idea if he will become as good as he is being predicted but some people are calling him a bust.

If he has great work ethic he will become a great player. If he doesnt then he will be very average but based on his athleticism he will score because of his size and speed. He is a freak of nature now let's see how badly he wants to be great.

He's not a bust, but he's in New Orleans. He might as well be.

[phxspurfan]

All aboard the Zion train! Next stop, Bourbon St.

[Jonnyblue19]

He's not a bust, but he's in New Orleans. He might as well be.

Yep, if he had gone to New York, Lakers,Chicago, Charlotte, Memphis, Phoenix ,etc then he wouldn't be labeled a bust by some because all these organizations have been great at player development.

If a player wants to get better they will work on their game and become better.

[Chucho]

Yep, if he had gone to New York, Lakers,Chicago, Charlotte, Memphis, Phoenix ,etc then he wouldn't be labeled a bust by some because all these organizations have been great at player development.

If a player wants to get better they will work on their game and become better.

None of the teams you listed are renown for player development at all.

[HarlemHeat37]

Nobody knows if he's going to be good, it's all guessing when trying to assess the transition from amateur to pro in any sport..

A huge part of career success is based on luck and circumstances..which franchise drafts you, the quality of your teammates, etc..can't really predict that .

[J_Paco]

None of the teams you listed are renown for player development at all.

Pretty sure that was meant as sarcasm. And any player drafted #1 (minus Anthony Bennett) has star/superstar potential but could be a huge bust.


It is an inexact science, so the potential is there is for them to become any level of player. The days of drafting a Shaq, Duncan or Olajuwon "can't miss/instant HOF" level of talent is probably gone.

[Chris]

this is funny :lol



t4lT8gTwnIU

[R. DeMurre]

*

[spurraider21]

busts can always happen but you have to take the guy #1 overall... im more concerned with his wingspan than his jumper as a weakness.

he projects as a big playing a similar position to draymond green, but draymond has a 7'1 wingspan to make up for lack of height. zion's wingspan is 6'10 which is acceptable but not great. sure he can outjump draymond, but you have to be able to contest positionally without jumping, or else you'll just be at the mercy of shot fakes and shoulder fakes when bigs try to back him down. its why blake griffin was never a great defender despite having adequate height and outstanding leaping ability... mediocre length

luckily the nba is trending away from centers backing guys down in the paint. the only imposing bigs (on offense) in the west right now (on teams that are legitimate playoff threats) are jokic/nurkic/aldridge. assuming cousins leaves GSW, none of the western conferences playoff teams have centers that really cause problems on that end. gobert isn't taking guys to the woodshed in the post...

offensively, if julius randle can succeed with his scoring/driving/passing, then zion should have no concerns on that end. his jumper could use work obviously, but he developed an at least adequate/mediocre jumper with duke after having virtually no jumper going in. he's still so young that he can work on it.

no brainer pick at #1 overall...

and lol at the "oh well he can get injured and become a bust" stuff which is applicable to everybody including zion. blake griffin had missed his first season after major knee surgery and still was dominant as a rookie

[Darth_Pelican]

https://i.imgur.com/8G841oQ.jpg

[TDMVPDPOY]

dont know if anyone has mention this

but doesnt zion and randall play the same position??

[Chucho]

Anthony Bennett 2.0 with slightly better stats that will buy him some goodwill a season or so longer than Fat Canuck.

Ship him out to prevent the heartache. Ship Brow out to prevent the headache. I'm glad the Pelicans are getting a piece of the sidewalk after getting the dick all season and they deserve to have the cards in their favor. Loved their response to everything and hope they carry that poker face into the off season to make it interesting.

[140]

dont know if anyone has mention this

but doesnt zion and randall play the same position??

Randle is a FA so hes probably not re-signing with them tbh

[Killakobe81]

busts can always happen but you have to take the guy #1 overall... im more concerned with his wingspan than his jumper as a weakness.

he projects as a big playing a similar position to draymond green, but draymond has a 7'1 wingspan to make up for lack of height. zion's wingspan is 6'10 which is acceptable but not great. sure he can outjump draymond, but you have to be able to contest positionally without jumping, or else you'll just be at the mercy of shot fakes and shoulder fakes when bigs try to back him down. its why blake griffin was never a great defender despite having adequate height and outstanding leaping ability... mediocre length

luckily the nba is trending away from centers backing guys down in the paint. the only imposing bigs (on offense) in the west right now (on teams that are legitimate playoff threats) are jokic/nurkic/aldridge. assuming cousins leaves GSW, none of the western conferences playoff teams have centers that really cause problems on that end. gobert isn't taking guys to the woodshed in the post...

offensively, if julius randle can succeed with his scoring/driving/passing, then zion should have no concerns on that end. his jumper could use work obviously, but he developed an at least adequate/mediocre jumper with duke after having virtually no jumper going in. he's still so young that he can work on it.

no brainer pick at #1 overall...

and lol at the "oh well he can get injured and become a bust" stuff which is applicable to everybody including zion. blake griffin had missed his first season after major knee surgery and still was dominant as a rookie

Well balanced assessment. Agree 100%
and blake is the comp I see most apt.
Maybe he will be better we will see.

[Killakobe81]

Randle is a FA so hes probably not re-signing with them tbh

he has a player option but it's it a low number
no way he opts in that was only there in case he got hurt

[Jonnyblue19]

Anthony Bennett 2.0 with slightly better stats that will buy him some goodwill a season or so longer than Fat Canuck.

Ship him out to prevent the heartache. Ship Brow out to prevent the headache. I'm glad the Pelicans are getting a piece of the sidewalk after getting the dick all season and they deserve to have the cards in their favor. Loved their response to everything and hope they carry that poker face into the off season to make it interesting.

Can you explain how his game is similar at all to Bennett's?

[Chucho]

Can you explain how his game is similar at all to Bennett's?

Can you explain how I said their games are similar?

[Jonnyblue19]

Can you explain how I said their games are similar?

You basically called him Anthony Bennett with better stats. Compare them? Why is he Anthony Bennett with better stats? Is that complicated?

[Joseph Kony]

the only similarities to Bennett and Zion are that they will be #1 picks. Bennett is arguably the worst #1 pick in NBA history and everyone was baffled that Cleveland selected him 1st that year. Zion is a consensus #1. not really comparable tbh

[Chucho]

the only similarities to Bennett and Zion are that they will be #1 picks. Bennett is arguably the worst #1 pick in NBA history and everyone was baffled that Cleveland selected him 1st that year. Zion is a consensus #1. not really comparable tbh


Both fat and undersized. That was my comparison. Zion is going to bust as badly as Bennett, but he'll average a little bit better stats to keep him in the L a little longer but he's also 1 injury away from that bit of slack.

[Jonnyblue19]

Both fat and undersized. That was my comparison. Zion is going to bust as badly as Bennett, but he'll average a little bit better stats to keep him in the L a little longer but he's also 1 injury away from that bit of slack.

Bennett averaged 4 points a game and 12 minutes a game his rookie year, so Zion is going to have similar numbers? Wtf are you talking about? And really, every NBA player is one injury away from being out the league.

You should definitely become a GM with your player knowledge of talent.

[Jonnyblue19]

the only similarities to Bennett and Zion are that they will be #1 picks. Bennett is arguably the worst #1 pick in NBA history and everyone was baffled that Cleveland selected him 1st that year. Zion is a consensus #1. not really comparable tbh


So true, I cannot some people are even comparing these two, it is a joke.

[R. DeMurre]

Anthony Bennett 2.0 with slightly better stats that will buy him some goodwill a season or so longer than Fat Canuck.

Ship him out to prevent the heartache. Ship Brow out to prevent the headache. I'm glad the Pelicans are getting a piece of the sidewalk after getting the dick all season and they deserve to have the cards in their favor. Loved their response to everything and hope they carry that poker face into the off season to make it interesting.

Anthony Bennett college stats were nowhere near Zion's, plus he played against much weaker competition.

https://www.sports-reference.com/cbb/players/anthony-bennett-1.html
https://www.sports-reference.com/cbb/players/zion-williamson-1.html

[R. DeMurre]

I do understand concerns about Zion's arm length as opposed to his wingspan. His wingspan is underwhelming, and a lot of that comes from having a very wide body. His arms are pretty short for a PF. It'll be interesting to see what his standing reach measures out at.

[313]

Zion had a 40 PER, crazy

[DMC]

Big powerful guy, one torn ACL from Anthony Bennett.


That the pre ACL tear assessment.

Guys that big who can jump like that feel they should jump like that, even if they don't need to, like on a break away dunk. Just get up as high as you can. The body is taking note. Just ask DRose who also had major hops for his size.

If he scores (and he will) a major NBA contract, he's set regardless but big men with big hops don't last long. James might be a rare exception.

I said this shit.

Dude already hurt his knee again. Not even 1st RS game yet and he's out weeks.

[LkrFan]

He needs to drop 35lbs. Hard to do in a city like New Orleans tho.

[SuperCam]

https://twitter.com/TheNBACentral/status/1227431099757973505

:wow this NiQQa is the real deal tbh :wow


And to think spur fan will have to see him in the same division four times a year for the next decade :lol


he not even more than 75% in game shape right now..

[Mark Celibate]

I've always said this guy is another Greg Oden/Derrick Rose waiting to happen. I'm not hating, I mean he's a likeable, humble guy in interviews and all that. I just don't see somebody that height at 280+ pounds playing with that freakish athleticism without a nasty ACL-type tear happening eventually. He'll have his good games and all that, but I think injuries will keep him from being consistently great. Said it from the get go unless he drops 30 pounds or so. Body's just not meant to maintain those type of explosive movements at that weight tbh

[daslicer]

I've always said this guy is another Greg Oden/Derrick Rose waiting to happen. I'm not hating, I mean he's a likeable, humble guy in interviews and all that. I just don't see somebody that height at 280+ pounds playing with that freakish athleticism without a nasty ACL-type tear happening eventually. He'll have his good games and all that, but I think injuries will keep him from being consistently great. Said it from the get go unless he drops 30 pounds or so. Body's just not meant to maintain those type of explosive movements at that weight tbh

We'll see it does look like the odds of him not suffering a major injury is low but I hope he defies all odds and remains healthy. I'm just going to enjoy all the highlights he puts up for now.

[FrostKing]

Already Top 10 player in the Association?

[Killakobe81]

Already Top 10 player in the Association?

Hell no...

[Robz4000]

I've always said this guy is another Greg Oden/Derrick Rose waiting to happen. I'm not hating, I mean he's a likeable, humble guy in interviews and all that. I just don't see somebody that height at 280+ pounds playing with that freakish athleticism without a nasty ACL-type tear happening eventually. He'll have his good games and all that, but I think injuries will keep him from being consistently great. Said it from the get go unless he drops 30 pounds or so. Body's just not meant to maintain those type of explosive movements at that weight tbh

This.

[FrostKing]

Already surpassing Lebron & Kobe


"Williamson became the first player since Michael Jordan to have four consecutive games of at least 25 points while shooting at least 57% from the field as a rookie."

[SuperCam]

better than any spurm right now tbqh :tu

[DMC]

Why do y’all think the only Niggas Thst can play in the NBA are 6-10 and skinny with long ass Orangutan arms? Maybe a player like Zion will change the NBA again to big strong powerful players.


Most of ST doesn't really know basketball. ST intelligentsia thought the Spurs were shooting too many 3s in early 2014. :lol


Zion right now on espn. 11/14 f/g, 26 pts and 10 reb. Lol At y’all non basketball Knowing mufawkus.

Zion is straight on another level. I’d take dis nigga over six Lonzo ball’s. Come to think of it, I don’t want any Balls on my team.


I agree with alot of your takes.

I like Zion the best, RJ based on he isnt afraid to go all in, next Reddish because he can shoot, lastly Tre Jones. He is a good defender, passes decent, but just doesnt have enough offense for me.

Draft wise? I got:

1. Zion
2. RJ based on size
3. Ja Morant (dude is sick)
4. Reddish
5 thru whatever........doesnt matter to much.


Zion carrying these white scrubs and overrated cancers like redish and barett is quite impressive tbh...

Ducks called it again, just like Trump over Hillary

:lol Lebomb aka Titan, TimDumbkin and SuperCat