Dalton Knecht Discussion: I Just Want To Hoop

Juronimo · Apr 16, 2025

karacha said: ↑

^

Of course. The mentality is usually completely different for those two skillsets -- shooting and lockdown defense. Great shooters (think Steph Curry, Ray Allen) rely heavily on muscle memory, balance, and a calm, repeatable process. Their mental focus is on precision. The best shooters have to be fearless, and more importantly, they need to forget misses quickly, instead of letting the misses affect them too much.

Great defenders (Kawhi, Pippen, Artest) are mentally geared toward creating chaos -- disrupting plays, crowding opponents, getting in passing lanes. They need to be aggressive and physical. Defense is much more reactive. You’re constantly adjusting to the offensive player's moves, reading their eyes, their hip movement, and playing physically without fouling. It’s mentally taxing in a different way, which is why many (but not all) defensive stars don’t have enough energy or rhythm left to also be high-level offensive players.

In a nutshell, I can tell you what I was told when I played semi-pro in Europe as a "cadet" (junior team athlete) ages ago - but I feel this is still true: Shooting is about doing the same (extremely consistent) thing every time. Defense is about adapting constantly. Only the best of the best (Jordan, Bron types) can do both, but once they get older, this isn't true anymore, even for them.

Just to add something about athleticism: raw speed, explosiveness and verticality are amazing skills to have, but they usually don't have anything to do with muscle memory, rhythm and touch. Most people are not particularly blessed with any of those things, let alone height; some are tall, wide, strong and can have some of these characteristics, but it's very rare that you're going to be precise, with great muscle memory, with the mentality that enjoys repetitive work, but also incredibly quick, great leaper, and physically strong. Something has to give.

Again, the best talents, such as LeBron or Kawhi (or Kidd, for example), are also known as hard workers and can improve something -- their shooting ability for example, but this literally takes years, even decades. It's a slow process even with their incredible work ethic. Curry or Drazen Petrovic, or Ray Allen were always great shooters, it came naturally to them.
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ESPN and TNT talking heads could only dream of saying something this insightful. This was a brilliant and masterful.

LTLakerFan · Apr 16, 2025

YES

KareemtheGreat33 · Apr 19, 2025

Khmrp · Apr 22, 2025

karacha said: ↑

Sorry to say, but probably not.
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His ig post of his shooting workout is reminiscent of Ben Simmons

Khmrp · Apr 22, 2025

abeer3 said: ↑

i think we're talking about different things in some ways.

i think you can be a good--even very good--defender without being a freak athlete. but i felt like the player you were asking for was an athletic defender who's also a movement shooter (hence the vando/knecht merge). my contention is there isn't a vando/knecht--and certainly not among the role player ranks.

even apex paul george may not have been quite the defender vando can be (albeit in limited minutes) nor the shooter knecht can be (again, in smaller doses).

iow, i just think it's an unrealistic ask for a guy to just develop the capacity. i will agree that if one part is going to be developed, it's shooting (e.g., lopez), but even then, it's usually standstill shooting. like, herb jones may one day become good enough from three so as not to be left open (and he'd suddenly make 3x his current salary), but he's not going to be popping off screens and drilling 27 footers with a hand in his face.

watching vando, i really question whether any amount of practice will yield even the standstill jumper. and i think he works at it and knows he could make even more money if he could do it.
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$ should be a great factor to at least be competent at shooting

sirronstuff · Apr 25, 2025 at 2:32 AM

He’s going to be a monster next year. Lebron will only play 40 games in his farewell tour, so he’ll get plenty of PT

timothy · Apr 25, 2025 at 9:56 PM

Play him. Screw it. We’re down 2-1. Try something else JJ…

svtzr · Apr 26, 2025 at 1:28 AM

timothy said: ↑

Play him. Screw it. We’re down 2-1. Try something else JJ…
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Our problem is more defensive than offensive at the moment. Knecht won't help on that end, he would look as bad as Hayes in limited minutes.

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Dalton Knecht Discussion: I Just Want To Hoop

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