Jordan Clarkson Discussion: Sky's the limit!

In the two head-to-head matchups I've watched, Clarkson looks more athletic, more comfortable on the ball (which in fairness may be the 2-year age gap), and just comfortable in big moments. Not many rookies can step up to the charity stripe and swish free throw after free throw with the game on the line. Will Exum be drawing defensive stoppers like Tony Allen late in the game in two years because he's been unstoppable? Exum's career high has been what Clarkson has averaged since the All-star break. I just don't see it.

 

^ He's worked with Kobe and Nash a lot on his footwork, body positioning, and fundamentals. He's a sponge and seems like a really good kid.

Re: Exum vs. Clarkson- Clarkson is right now at another level. Physically they're of a similar build, but Exum hasn't developed much yet. He'll get there eventually. I just have a hard time envisioning him being at an All-Star level and NOT Clarkson. Honestly I don't see either of them as All-Stars, but if I'm projecting one of them reach that it'd be Clarkson. That's not bias, it's just fact. Clarkson has outperformed Exum in almost every category statistically and in head-to-head match ups.

 

Dante Exum reminds me of Shaun Livingston... Clarkson? Ron Harper...

 

Exum does not have a similar body to Clarkson. He's taller, and much longer. That gives him huge innate advantages. Clarkson doesnt have much of a reach. Exum is basically a skinny Kobe in terms of physical build (6'6, long arms). Clarkson is closer to a pg build, he's 6'3' not 6'6.

That doesn't mean Clarkson wont be the better player.

 

There are only 49 players averaging 10-3-3 this season

Those under 23?
Kyrie Irving 22-5-3
Victor Oladipo 18-4-4
Jordan Clarkson 11-3-3
Bradley Beal 15-4-3

Only one of them is a rook.

 

Using his starter stats: 15.0 points, 4.7 ast, 4.3 reb:
Only 15 averaging 15-4-4
But because there are some superstars in there, what if we say, who's averaging 15-20 PPG, 4-6 APG, and 4-6 RPG, to see some player comparisons?

Gordon Hayward: 19.5, 4.9, 4.2 (9th pick)
Eric Bledsoe: 17.2, 6.0, 5.4 (18th pick)
Victor Oladipo: 17.8, 4.2, 4.2 (2nd pick)

Not bad, Mitch.

 

I just don't see it yet, it's possible. Remember they're guards though and it's rough in a guard driven league to make an All-Star game. Mike Conley, Tony Parker, Ty Lawson, and Monta Ellis didn't make it this season even with injuries hitting the West. It's rough. They'd have to do something outstanding to make it. They can and maybe they will, but if I have to judge at this moment I'm saying probably not. Clarkson is an NBA starter though. Exum is on his way there.

 

Going by their DE profiles-
Exum- 6'4.5" w/o shoes 6'6" w/shoes
Clarkson- 6'3.25" w/o shoes 6'5" w/shoes
Exum- 6'9.5" reach 8'7" standing reach
Clarkson- 6'8" reach 8'2" standing reach
Exum- 31.5" no step vert 34.5" max vert
Clarkson- 33" no step vert 38.5" max vert

Exum is longer definitely, but Clarkson is more athletic and they're fairly close in height. Their movement is similar, their agility test was close if I remember correctly, and I think the argument can be made they have similar bodies. The only thing Exum really has on him is that length. I know that's really important, but Clarkson can actually out jump him, so there's also that.

Either way, I think the two of them have a really cool budding rivalry. We were rumored after one kid, took the other one later in the draft. Clarkson really goes hard at Exum and I dig that. Hopefully that's a rivalry we see build over the years.

 

So do you think they have All-Star potential? I mean, I could give a flying you know what if they are actually all-stars, but if they have all-star talent, that's what matters. I do agree though that making it as a pg in the West in the foreseeable future will be difficult. Exum will have a much more difficult time though because as a Laker, you will have more media attention, therefore more exposure to make it.

 

Yeah I suppose there's the potential for it. I like Clarkson a lot and I think he's got NBA starter written on him at this point. I'm not sure what his numbers would look like on a great team, so I'm not sure if he's got the means to get to an All-Star game. The thing is we haven't seen him consistently scoring and dishing out assists. If he can bottle that up and give it to us for the majority of a season, then sure he has All-Star ability. I just think if I had to put my money on it today it's a no.

Starter is really good though. We should be very, very excited about having a starter like him.

 

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