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Compared to most guys - yes. But Rush is coming off an ACL tear (more recently) himself.
Even though i get the draft prospect threads whats the point of posting draft picks that we're not going to get?
Compared to most guys - yes. But Rush is coming off an ACL tear (more recently) himself.
Do you think his character issues are not a concern? I think he's fine off the court, but on the court he has Rasheed Disease where you don't know if you can count on his head not to explode. It really hurt K-State late in the season.
A concern? Absolutely. Something that should drop his stock much? I doubt it.
His major at ude issues were finished by the halfway part of the season (and it should be noted that he respected the coach's authority in all cases).
He still picked up the occasional frustration technical, but the majority of those would have been let go by NBA refs. Officials in Big 12 Country (especially Ed Hightower) like to put the young guys 'in their place.'
I'm not sure where his at ude hurt K-State late in the season. He had some terrible games (one could make the argument that NOBODY in college basketball played a worse game last year than he did against UT), but he was improving his demeanor as the season progressed.
I think he'll compare more to Stephen Jackson (without the off court issues) on the court than he will Rasheed Wallace.
The supposed "character" concerns surrounding Marcus Williams didn't stop them from drafting him ahead of guys like Dominic McGuire or the kid from Vandy.
As I said in my intial post though, it's just a hunch. And as K-State pointed out, he has more potential than either of the two you listed.
http://www.realgm.com/src_fromtheraf...um_of_le_mans/
Nicolas Batum has a slight build, but he already has great balance, broad shoulders and extremely long arms. He is already wiry strong and will grow into his body gradually and will eventually have the ideal body for an NBA wing.
I don’t usually like to compare players, but his offensive skill set is highly reminiscent of early Latrell Sprewell.
His pre-dribble moves are effective and he consistently utilizes them; a strong jab step often sets up a dribble step back jumper and ball fakes that he gets defenders to bite on.
He then has a quick first step on a crossover dribble he uses to get into the lane.
He will be phenomenal at shooting off the dribble on the perimeter; he prepares the rest of his body for the shot while his hand is palming the ball. He is currently better when dribbling into his shot with his right than his left, though he likes going left a little bit more.
Batum still is developing as a perimeter shooter, but he looks like he’ll eventually become a very good one as soon as he works on his streakiness issues. He has extremely consistent mechanics, readies his hands as the ball is on its way, has really good lift from his lower body and a high release point.
His shot is fluid, pretty, quick in a subtle way and he also has good range. Batum rarely misses to the left or right and though he doesn’t get a whole lot of arc on his shot, it is soft and with nice touch.
Also impressive given his age is how comfortable he is shooting when tightly contested.
He is brilliant at slashing into the paint and will get a lot of easy layups and dunks in this area of the floor. His instinct for finding space in the key during the halfcourt offense also proves useful on the offensive glass. He easily slides in position and gets a lot of highlight reel put back slams and tips- his timing is as sophisticated as it gets.
Batum also has a really quick second jump, which combined with great length to the ball, how he keeps the ball high and noticeable effort, makes him incredibly effective on the offensive glass.
But his other off-ball movements are lackluster and are why he inexcusably disappears. He is an easy cover offensively when he doesn’t have the ball because he’s a sleepy mover though he does drift into openings on the perimeter well.
Without question he would get many more open looks if he worked a little harder without the ball.
He does come off of screens really well but that’s probably because he realizes his number is about to be called. He will come off a screen for a catch at the left elbow, take just one dribble and make a great layup on the right side in one fluid motion. He has really good ability in this part of his game.
He is very athletic and extremely graceful in the air. He glides beautifully in the air like the one they once called The Gylde. He also does the one-handed Dr. J take to the rim and has great coordination jumping off of either food.
Batum is a extremely gifted player in transition, with fast closing sped to the bucket and he’ll complete a lo of alley-oops simply because he out-hustles everyone down the floor and has the kind of athletic ability to capitalize.
Another reason why he is so elusive, primarily in the open floor is because of his length; he is able to turn runners from seven or feet away into pseudo-layups.
As Batum increases his strength, he will be extremely dangerous in the post. He has a nice little baby hook out of the block and will be able to slip past and get to the rim against just about any defender that plays him too tight because of really good footwork technique.
Batum also has a great up and under move in the mid-post that he can finish off the glass from about 10-feet out.
He seals his defender smartly in the post when the ball is swung and has excellent hands for the catch.
Batum has very good vision in the post to find cutters and spot up shooters.
In the post and on drives, Batum loses his great balance when he gets bodied and that immediately affects his decision making, but that should diminish as his body matures.
On the perimeter and in the open floor, Batum has a long ways to go as a passer. His decision-making is frequently bad and his basic technique and fundamentals are below average. He sometimes makes soft uncoordinated passes, will leave his feet to pass and also attempt ill-advised one-arm passes, all of which make him turnover prone when he is giving the ball up.
He has some work to do on the defensive end, though he will make an impact from the beginning strictly based on his length and quickness.
His long arms are really active on-ball and he will get a lot of deflections defending the passing lanes. He is also a good shotblocker for a swing man, flying through the air aggressively.
But he is susceptible to getting screened, as it is tough for him to fight through to keep up with his man.
Batum was initially believed to be a top-five pick in this draft and his talent is as immediately palpable as anyone’s; but unlike the first few picks who will very likely become successful regardless of the situation, I expect Batum’s destination and the type of chance he’s given to prosper to dictate a significant portion of his career’s outcome.
Courtney Lee has become my favorite at 26 but if by miracle Batum falls there's no way you pass on him.
Isn't Lee a bit shorter than we would like for a 2-guard?
I think he's about 6'5", reportedly about his listed height. That's not bad for a 2.
Here's a little 5 minute interview w/ Batum:
http://www.draftexpress.com/article/...ob-Meurs-2922/
Booo..the interviewer asked him if he would want to play for the Spurs & the half court game, or Phoenix with the run & gun..of course he said Phoenix.
NBA Comparison: Rudy Gay
Strengths: Very long and versatile wing player … Explosive leaper possessing a nice first step … Extremely quick off the floor, especially on his second and third jumps … His big strides allow him to run the floor with the best of them and his length allows him to finish on difficult drives … Is most effective shooting one or two dribble pull ups from midrange … A high release and great elevation make it difficult to contest his shot … His moves out of the triple threat are hard to defend because his jabs are so long and they get the defenders off balance with regularity … Stays within himself, rarely getting out of his element to force plays … Possesses a great feel for the game and sees the floor exceptionally well, especially for a player his age … Delivers well timed and precise passes showing off his mature decision making … Defensively, has all the tools to become great … A player possessing his type of length and athleticism to go along with great lateral foot speed is a rarity … Could eventually become a defender capable of guarding all 5 positions on the floor …
Weaknesses: Did not have the type of season that was expected of him … Had some good games, but was too inconsistent … Is still a few years away from being ready to contribute at the NBA level … His frame is frail looking and he needs to put on weight and add muscle … He is easily thrown off balance by the slightest contact, making his finishes that much more difficult, as a result he shies away from contact and settles for jumpshots … Lacks confidence handling the ball with his left hand and also struggles finishing on that side of the hoop because he always tries to switch the ball back to his dominant right hand … He dribbles the ball too high and becomes an easy strip victim in traffic … Does not have the best rebounding numbers, his length and athleticism are negated on the boards because he gets pushed out of position too easily … He is a rhythm and flow kind of player, when things are going well, look out, but when he’s off, his game goes downhill fast … Gets overly passive and defers to his teammates too often … At times he seems to be coasting and he gets lost in the action … Reacts defensively as opposed to anticipating, leaving him out of position, but with more experience that should change … There is concern about his inability to play as well away from home, particularly how difficult it will be for him to make the adjustment to moving to the US and adapting to the NBA game ... Landing in the right situation will be crucial for his career ...
Borko Popic - 6/13/2008
http://www.nbadraft.net/admincp/prof...olasbatum.html
porter
I dunno if Porter will keep that same kinda style that D'Antoni was running...especially with Shaq and an older Nash who is slowing down... they might try for the half-court too...
Givony pronounced his name as Nick-O-Lie Baw-TOOM. Is that correct?
He looks like a young T-Mac to me.
Nicolas Batum was supposedly playing very well until he got hurt mid-way through.
http://www.draftexpress.com/blog/Jonathan-Givony/
Batum cancels workouts; agent says he 'feels fine'
LINK
French swingman Nicolas Batum, projected to be a late first-round NBA draft pick, stopped participating in a workout with the Toronto Raptors earlier this week after a stress echo test -- a treadmill test that measures the health of the heart -- came back in the "borderline" area.
"There is an issue with Batum, and nothing is clear," his agent, Bouna Ndiaye told ESPN.com on Friday afternoon. "The number [the score on his stress echo test] could be a borderline problem if he had a family history of heart problems. But I talked to Nicolas's mother and she said his father didn't die of a heart problem. His team in France and the French national team test him regularly and said they've never seen any indication that he had a heart issue."
A Sports Illustrated report in February said that Batum's father, Henry, suffered a "massive heart attack" and died at the free throw line while playing pro basketball in France when Nicolas was 2 years old. According to Ndiaye, Batum's father died of an aneurysm, not a heart attack.
Raptors GM Bryan Colangelo, was reached by phone, but refused to comment on the situation.
Batum was scheduled to be in the three-team workout in New Jersey on Friday, but didn't play. He did take a physical, and Ndiaye said results were similar to those in Toronto. Ndiaye said Batum will undergo another test over the weekend and, if it goes well, he'll be able to begin workouts again next week.
Batum has also canceled an open workout in New York scheduled for Saturday.
"He feels fine," Ndiaye said. "He wants to workout. He's been doing great. This morning he really wanted to workout with Joe Alexander. This is disappointing. I really don't think this is a real issue."
It's unclear whether the issue will affect Batum's draft status. It does come at a bad time. After wowing NBA scouts at the Nike Hoop Summit in April of 2007 his draft stock has been on the decline. His play in the French league this year wasn't stellar. Neither was a brief appearance at this year's Reebok Eurocamp.
However, he's had some strong individual workouts for teams and was projected as a potential pick somewhere between 17 and 27.
Perfect !
Let's hope he has nothing serious at his heart.
The best case scenario would be nothing serious but it hurts a little his draft value and he ends up at #26.
I think this could torpedo his draft stock, fair or not. Especially the disputed information about how his father died.Let's hope he has nothing serious at his heart.
The best case scenario would be nothing serious but it hurts a little his draft value and he ends up at #26.
It's nick-o-la ba-toom.
In French, unlike in English, you don't put stress on a specific syllable of a word.
After this information about his heart, he better rethink telling people his last name is pronounced "Ba-Tomb".
If he's available at 26, Batum is a pretty good pink. I think he's a bit overrated in general because the biggest reason why he's a first round pick is because of his one game at the Nike Hoops Summit last year, however he's probably the only perimeter player who could be available at 26 that could eventually turn into a star. The bad news is he'll probably need two full years in the D-League before he's ready to even think about contributing.
this is quickly becoming the ing GAYEST summer of all spursdom time
prahps guys
you pick euro crap for 7 years straight and now we're up a creek begging for peanuts to fall to us
^I agree,Better start drafting players from here so they can actually play! Also those euro players get payed much more then they do in the US, So no real point of drafting a euro guy.
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