2015 Nba Draft Discussion: Russell, Nance Jr., Brown

Discussion in 'Lakers Discussion' started by LaVarBallsDad, Oct 14, 2014.

Page 255 of 287
  1. LTLakerFan

    LTLakerFan - Lakers Legend -

    Joined:
    Oct 5, 2014
    Messages:
    36,734
    Likes Received:
    61,072
    Trophy Points:
    113
    Location:
    So Cal
    Offline
    LOLOL. Oh woe is us. How do we know he won't be a bust, or that he'll ever be really really good to great? [​IMG] [​IMG]

    [​IMG] Because he's 19 years old and is already this good and this Big and this dominant and is a freaking BEAST. Like I supposed and borne out multiple times in that clip, and attention called to by YoungThundercat ..... one handed grabs of entry passes. The kid is better on offense and BIGGER (body build) than Tim freaking Hall of Fame Duncan at 19 years old. Game, set, match, scoreboard.
     
    LTLakerFan, Jun 24, 2015
    #5081
  2. jerryr88

    jerryr88 - Rookie -

    Joined:
    Oct 8, 2014
    Messages:
    789
    Likes Received:
    706
    Trophy Points:
    93
    Location:
    CIty Of Angels
    Offline
    Oh yeah i amost forgot about him

    I still hope we draft & keep okafor. A nucleus of clarkson/randle/okafor and a couple of stud FA should be better than Just having cousins and a #6 pick with less money to spend in FA
     
    jerryr88, Jun 24, 2015
    #5082
  3. tada

    tada - Lakers All Star -

    Joined:
    Oct 31, 2014
    Messages:
    4,467
    Likes Received:
    8,535
    Trophy Points:
    113
    Offline
    Yeah it just seems so obvious to me. This kid is the next basketball prodigy. He was destined to be the consensus #1 since his high school years. So many people have lost sight of that.
     
    tada, Jun 24, 2015
    #5083
    jerryr88 likes this.
  4. jerryr88

    jerryr88 - Rookie -

    Joined:
    Oct 8, 2014
    Messages:
    789
    Likes Received:
    706
    Trophy Points:
    93
    Location:
    CIty Of Angels
    Offline
    Exactly i remember when he got to high school he was touted as the next big thing and if you were to tell me back then we'd be in a position to draft him i'd call u crazy but now we're in a position to draft him and people are saying he's a bum or wanna trade him for a headcase that hasnt won anything and will cost 3x as much
     
    jerryr88, Jun 24, 2015
    #5084
    SirJunkyBen, Savory Griddles, shoe and 1 other person like this.
  5. abeer3

    abeer3 - Lakers Legend -

    Joined:
    Oct 5, 2014
    Messages:
    28,536
    Likes Received:
    76,797
    Trophy Points:
    113
    Offline
    ^^^right. and it's not like he's a felipe lopez, a consensus top high schooler who fizzled in college. okafor dominated and led a team to a title.

    but you know, spacing and stuff.
     
    abeer3, Jun 24, 2015
    #5085
    Weezy and jerryr88 like this.
  6. jerryr88

    jerryr88 - Rookie -

    Joined:
    Oct 8, 2014
    Messages:
    789
    Likes Received:
    706
    Trophy Points:
    93
    Location:
    CIty Of Angels
    Offline
    Exactly hes been a winner at every level

    With all the bs going around you'd think hes a headcase like upshaw that will hurt the team instead of helping it

    I really hope we get okafor
     
    jerryr88, Jun 24, 2015
    #5086
  7. abeer3

    abeer3 - Lakers Legend -

    Joined:
    Oct 5, 2014
    Messages:
    28,536
    Likes Received:
    76,797
    Trophy Points:
    113
    Offline
    hey, i'll trust the FO if they take Russell or towns (in the unlikely event he slips). I just take issue with the (imo) ridiculous criticisms levied upon okafor. the nbatv mock draft cited limited upside as a weakness. ft shooting? ok. defense? ok. but limited upside? why? because he's already good? what kind of a crazy world am I living in?

    you know what they say, wish in one hand...
     
    abeer3, Jun 24, 2015
    #5087
    tada, therealdeal and jerryr88 like this.
  8. trodgers

    trodgers Administrator Staff Member

    Joined:
    Sep 6, 2014
    Messages:
    12,182
    Likes Received:
    18,533
    Trophy Points:
    113
    Occupation:
    Professor of Humanities
    Location:
    Orlando
    Offline
    trodgers, Jun 24, 2015
    #5088
    jerryr88 likes this.
  9. trodgers

    trodgers Administrator Staff Member

    Joined:
    Sep 6, 2014
    Messages:
    12,182
    Likes Received:
    18,533
    Trophy Points:
    113
    Occupation:
    Professor of Humanities
    Location:
    Orlando
    Offline
    Wasn't Kidd a great athlete? He seemed to be a pretty good athlete up until the end of his career.

    BTW, his Sophomore stats are ridiculous - like 17-9-7 and 3 steals.
     
    trodgers, Jun 24, 2015
    #5089
  10. jerryr88

    jerryr88 - Rookie -

    Joined:
    Oct 8, 2014
    Messages:
    789
    Likes Received:
    706
    Trophy Points:
    93
    Location:
    CIty Of Angels
    Offline
    Looks like a golf ball lol

    Its crazy. Are his hands bigger than kawhi leonard?
     
    jerryr88, Jun 24, 2015
    #5090
  11. jerryr88

    jerryr88 - Rookie -

    Joined:
    Oct 8, 2014
    Messages:
    789
    Likes Received:
    706
    Trophy Points:
    93
    Location:
    CIty Of Angels
    Offline


    This is ridiculous

    If we didn't have a draft pick they would be saying he's the next duncan and has unlimited upside

    I think this says more about what they think about us than okafor

    Lets hope we draft him and he shuts them up
     
    jerryr88, Jun 24, 2015
    #5091
    trodgers likes this.
  12. therealdeal

    therealdeal Moderator Staff Member

    Joined:
    Sep 7, 2014
    Messages:
    28,475
    Likes Received:
    62,061
    Trophy Points:
    113
    Offline
    For the life of me I can't see where his upside isn't great. As in he's already really talented but he might not ever be really really talented?

    What am I not seeing??
     
    therealdeal, Jun 24, 2015
    #5092
    trodgers, JSM and jerryr88 like this.
  13. jerryr88

    jerryr88 - Rookie -

    Joined:
    Oct 8, 2014
    Messages:
    789
    Likes Received:
    706
    Trophy Points:
    93
    Location:
    CIty Of Angels
    Offline
    Exactly i dont get it.

    He helped his college win the title and people are acting like he sucked im perplexed

    As for his conditioning he's down 15-18 pounds and he wants to get better

    My only knock on him is his ft% but i think that can get better as well as his defense
     
    jerryr88, Jun 24, 2015
    #5093
    JSM and therealdeal like this.
  14. abeer3

    abeer3 - Lakers Legend -

    Joined:
    Oct 5, 2014
    Messages:
    28,536
    Likes Received:
    76,797
    Trophy Points:
    113
    Offline
    he was super fast and strong, but not laterally quick nor a great leaper. LeBron-ish athleticism in a 6'5 frame instead of 6'9.
     
    abeer3, Jun 24, 2015
    #5094
    trodgers likes this.
  15. Battle Tested20

    Battle Tested20 Moderator Staff Member

    Joined:
    Oct 5, 2014
    Messages:
    9,213
    Likes Received:
    24,866
    Trophy Points:
    113
    Occupation:
    Technical Data Analyst
    Location:
    Fair Oaks, CA
    Offline
    Mitch is the one making the decision so his vote is the only one that matters and I'm sure he didnt give him opinion in this article.
     
    Battle Tested20, Jun 24, 2015
    #5095
  16. LTLakerFan

    LTLakerFan - Lakers Legend -

    Joined:
    Oct 5, 2014
    Messages:
    36,734
    Likes Received:
    61,072
    Trophy Points:
    113
    Location:
    So Cal
    Offline
    How amazingly better he's going to get when he and Randall both start picking Kobe's brain for more and fancier back to the basket moves? Did everyone I hope see him banging backward with his mass already. He's got that nasty Shaq edge to him. Kobe, like Coach K texted with him is going to love this kid. Unselfish with hitting guys with assists when he's doubled. He has to be doubled down low as a 19 year old rookie. I want him so bad. How much FUN will it be to watch him and Randall and Clarkson even just this coming year, as our own work hard want to be Lakers homegrown draft picks. No one is going to want to see us in the first round if Mitch delivers with what happens with 27 and 34 and free agency (and we get lucky with health for a change). As someone else said yesterday even this year free agents are aware of the beast that Okafor is going to be. What if he DOES grow another inch or more?? Not to mention that during Bynum's first couple of years there was all this talk which certainly seems true, that BIG men don't fully mature with their strength and mature "man muscle" until 25-27 years old. Let that sink in. He's so damn good and hard to defend now. And I feel exactly the same way about Julius Randle, leadership aside, just with his speed, agility, size, strength and equally advanced skills for a 19-20 year old. There is no one in the league like him. Like there will be no one like Jahlil. Cost freaking controlled!!!! Spend the money elsewhere.
     
    LTLakerFan, Jun 24, 2015
    #5096
    tada, therealdeal, Battle Tested20 and 1 other person like this.
  17. jerryr88

    jerryr88 - Rookie -

    Joined:
    Oct 8, 2014
    Messages:
    789
    Likes Received:
    706
    Trophy Points:
    93
    Location:
    CIty Of Angels
    Offline
    Great post
     
    jerryr88, Jun 24, 2015
    #5097
  18. John3:16

    John3:16 Moderator Staff Member

    Joined:
    Sep 6, 2014
    Messages:
    6,590
    Likes Received:
    15,642
    Trophy Points:
    113
    Occupation:
    CEO - Big Baller Brand
    Offline
    Who had more talent around them in college: Towns or Okafor?

    Who won the national title: Towns or Okafor?

    Out of all these great players: Jordan, Worthy, Sampson, Brand, Jamison, Chris Paul, Vince Carter, Bias, Grant Hill, Laettner, David Thompson, Duncan, and Jah Okafor....

    Which one is the ONLY one to win ACC player of the year as a rookie?

    But for some reason, we're supposed to believe we're not getting a future great player. SMH
     
    John3:16, Jun 24, 2015
    #5098
    trodgers, SirJunkyBen, acetabulum7 and 3 others like this.
  19. gcclaker

    gcclaker Moderator Staff Member

    Joined:
    Oct 5, 2014
    Messages:
    9,036
    Likes Received:
    20,547
    Trophy Points:
    113
    Location:
    Wherever I am at the moment...
    Offline
    The upside I see is on opponent's heads when he moves them around and scores on them.
     
    gcclaker, Jun 24, 2015
    #5099
    trodgers, acetabulum7 and therealdeal like this.
  20. Weezy

    Weezy Moderator Staff Member

    Joined:
    Sep 6, 2014
    Messages:
    18,726
    Likes Received:
    76,011
    Trophy Points:
    113
    Location:
    Anaheim
    Offline
    The next Tim Duncan is a huge thing to live up to, and if he doesn't, he's still not a bust, because Duncan is one of the best to ever play. That said, I could swear analysts were calling Okafor the next Duncan or at least comparing him to Duncan before the college season even started. I don't think his play in college should make those same people suddenly doubt him or say they were wrong/change their minds. He was said to be the best player coming into college last season, and I think most would if not just many, would say he lived up to that hype. Yes, he had some bad games in the tournament, and was in foul trouble in the title game, but he was still a big part of that team winning it all, and had some major impact plays down the stretch of that game.

    On the positive side, to me he doesn't seem like a guy who shied away from that best player coming in, or Duncan comparisons label. There are questions about his conditioning, and his effort maybe due to that in his jogging back on defense at times, but conditioning seems like an easily fixable issue. Every player has weaknesses, Randle's defense and a few other things were brought up over and over last year, but it still wasn't enough to not draft him. Conditioning can be improved, defense can be improved with coaching, these are 19 year old kids. It's not like Towns is flawless, or Russell, and as been pointed out multiple times in this thread, I don't see them getting picked apart and dissected as much as those 2. To hear analysts and scouts talk, Towns has no weaknesses, will be an all star for a decade, and nothing more needs to be said about him other than gushing praise. I even read an article from during the tournament with this line in it

    I think that's kind of harsh, because those should be 2 of the main things a center needs, protecting the rim being another. I think they also left out his passing ability out of double teams in the post. Their other knock on him was his free shooting and that he can't shoot outside of 10 feet because of "funky shooting mechanics". But if he's that good in the post why does he need to go out there and shoot anyway? A lot of the article was harsh on him saying he was possibly overrated in the first place, but I don't see it. Of course they built up Towns in the article as well, saying he's a better 2 way player, more athletic, and can shoot. That can all be true, but if he's not there at 2, I don't consider Okafor a consolation prize, but a completely different type of player just as good in his own strengths.
     
    Weezy, Jun 24, 2015
    #5100
    acetabulum7 and therealdeal like this.
Page 255 of 287

Share This Page