DRAFT TALK Thread: Looking Like Lonzo

Another compliment

 

I wrote about him a few pages back comparing him to Lonzo.

The quick answers:
Pros:
- One of the more athletic guards to come out in a while. Not just explosive, but combines speed and agility as well.
- Can navigate to the middle of the paint easily given his athleticism. Very good pick and roll player.
- Has great mechanics on his jumper.
- Is an A+ defender at his position.
- Can play in transition or slow the game down.
Cons:
- Not a shooting threat.
- Doesn't make teams pay for disrespecting him.
- Lack of jumper makes him a liability off the ball right now.
- Decent frame, but he weighed in at under 180 pounds at the combine. He needs to put some muscle on.

 

Salivating...

 

He's very good out of the pick and roll. He can run half-court offensive sets, but he tends to be ball dominant in those cases because he can't shoot. When he's off the ball in half-court situations, he's not effective.

I'd say it's good-not-great. Give him a B-.

 

I noticed you didn't say "thick." If you did I'm scheduling an eye exam. That kid is 120 lbs soaking wet.

 

He projects (early in his career) as more of a Patrick Beverley. A guy who isn't going to move the needle offensively every night, but will bring competitiveness on the defensive end.

Rondo's effectiveness is his ability to pass the ball. I don't see that in Fox. If you're looking for a really optimistic comparison, Fox is often compared to John Wall because of his speed and athleticism. Personally, I don't think he's there, but they have similar strengths and weaknesses.

 

Warning: De'Aaron Fox is comparable to X NBA player post...

List of players whose names come up for NBA comparisons with Fox: Wall, Dennis Schroeder, Kris Dunn, Brandon Jennings, Jrue Holiday, Elfrid Payton.

1. Do the player comparisons have any sort of consensus?
2. Do the players have similar physical tools?
3. Do the players have similar playing styles?
4. Do the players have similar strengths and weaknesses?

1. For the most part these are long athletes who handle the ball a lot on their respective teams.

So, to answer the other questions and build up to my thoughts on Fox:

John Wall
Wall was a 16-8-5 player on 41-30-77 shooting at 20.
He has improved to 23-11-4 on 45-33-80.
==Much stronger than Fox, weighing about 25 pounds more as a rookie, was more highly regarded, and wasn't known for the defensive side of things. Not a good comparison. Devote yourself to the gym and maybe in five years we can talk.

Kris Dunn
Dunn was a 22 year-old rookie, who averaged 4-2-2 on 38-29-61 shooting. He was a four year player who didn't post Fox-like numbers until he was 20 and 21.
==Very dissimilar builds, but similar skills and held in similar regard. Given the age difference and the build difference, I'd say this is not a particularly good comparison, but it's better than Wall for sure.

Brandon Jennings
At 20, Jennings posted 16-6-3 on 37-37-82 shooting. He peaked at 19-6-3 and 42-33-81.
==Similar builds, similar strengths on offense, but Jennings was probably a better shooter and definitely was not a defender. The play style and overall strengths are too different.

Jrue Holiday
Holiday started at 19, averaging 8-4-3 on 44-39-76 shooting. He has improved to 18-8-4 on 43-37-75 shooting. He was not a scorer in college, but his shooting numbers were similar.
==Was not nearly as highly regarded as Fox, has a much heavier build than Fox, and a very different style of play in college. Not a good comparison.

Dennis Schroeder
Schroeder came in at 4-2-1 on 38-24-67 at 20. He has improved to 18-6-3 45-34-86.
==Was not as highly regarded as Fox entering the draft, but he has similar skills, size (he was smaller and less athletic, mind you), and weaknesses. This one is a good comparison.

Elfrid Payton
At 20, Elfrid Payton averaged 9-7-4 on 43-26-55 shooting. He has improved to 13-7-5 on 47-27-69. He had three years in college, and he did eventually post numbers similar to Fox's.
==Not as highly regarded as Fox, was actually quite a bit heavier than Fox at the Combine, but he plays a somewhat similar sort of game. I think that for overall style of play, frame, and calling card, this is a good comparison.

So, is a Dennis Schroeder/Elfrid Payton type of player a promising prospect? Is it a thing we could use? Both players started out slowly - let's say 7-4-3 as a rookie on 40-25-69 shooting. But within a couple of years, both players are much better, say 15-6-4 on 46-31-76 shooting. Neither player has peaked, mind you, and both are very good on one side of the court.

 

doubt it

 

If he's Schroeder on O and Payton on D, he's good. Schroeder could still be a 20/8 guy, and Payton is well above average on D. Not a lot of players who can claim that two- way ability.