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

OK on Russell then if you guys think he is quick enough and can become strong enough. Is he a better best talent available than say..... Mario Hezonja who would also help with our shooting. Our need for a 3 and athleticism. Maybe he's an alpha dog? Is Russell a potential alpha dog? Honest questions. Haven't seen that much of him.

 

Hezonja definitely has a stronger alpha mentality than Russell. I'm not sure how his personality would work out with Randle and Clarkson. You rarely get a Euro with such arrogance. It could potentially hurt team chemistry, especially when there's a language/cultural barrier.

No one questions his talent. His ceiling may be the highest in this draft class. He's a high risk player though, for the reasons mentioned above.

 

I don't think Russell is quick enough to stay front of point guards; as I mentioned, the best possible avenue to go with Russell on the defensive side of the floor is on the point guard. Admittedly, point guards would be quicker than him laterally, but he won't get outmuscled; he can use his length to help compensate for his lack of quickness.

Let's understand this has well; it takes a team defensive concept to contain star guards; so, well, some might argue that he'll get torched because of his lack of quickness, Russell would have to fight through screens, play off of the guards playing them for the jump shot or funnel them to side of the floor where the help defense is i.e. to a rim protecting shot blocker and that's where scheme, communication, and effort are all so important on that side of the floor and where it comes in play.

I think Russell is a better talent than Henzonja. Although, Henzonja could make me look like a fool in 2 years, but I'll take that chance. Russell is an alpha-dog. No doubt about that. He's a leader. There's no character issues. He's a student of the game. He's very confident in himself and his ability. He has elite vision, passing, and his shooting is very good. Skill and IQ are off the charts. He's a winner. Love the kid...

 

Bill Oram@billoram · May 15
.@JerryZgoda asks Russell why he decided to come to combine. “If I wasn’t here I would have probably never met you. And you’re a great guy.”

Bill Oram@billoram · May 15
D’Angelo Russell compares himself to Steph Curry. “When I watch his game I see my game. … I see it before it even happens.“

Bill Oram@billoram · May 15
What makes D’Angelo Russell so sure he is the best player in the draft? He responds with a question of his own: “Did you watch?”

 

WHOA!! "Did you watch?" Yeah clearly he's no shrinking violet as RandleROFY is saying above.

 

Now, add in Randle's 'there going to regret it,' teams that didn't draft him or Clarkson remembering every guard that got drafted before him, and then we add the 'did you watch from Russell?' Now, we're talking...

 

If only we could get Kobe to not be so passive and step up his competitiveness to match these kids next year.

 

Russell is definitely a leader with a great work ethic.

 

LMAO. Did you watch? That is a great response

 

I keep having nightmares of losing our pick fml!

 

^ i counter your "nightmare"...

 

^^^

 

Notebook: Top storylines and rumors from the 2015 NBA draft combine
http://www.si.com/nba/2015/05/18/nba-draft-combine-dangelo-russell-rj-hunter-stanley-johnson

Article contains thoughts on Russell, S Johnson and Upshaw.

 

Seems like they're baiting these guys at the combine with the best player in the draft question. I like the response "if I didn't come here I wouldn't have met you." Without reading too much into it that reflects a kid who sees everything as an opportunity and likes people in general. Magic always seemed to have that kind of attitude, which made everyone love playing with him and for him.

 

Arrogance you say?

 

It's tomorrow!!! I don't think I'm sleeping tonight.....

 

....are you comparing Hezonja to Kobe?

 

I was waiting for this. Of course not. It was obviously a sarcastic jab...

I'm just saying, you can't always write off arrogance as a bad thing. Kobe was an arrogant kid, Jerry West knew that when he drafted him. He knew he would clash with Shaq sometime down the line, but it was the risk he was willing to take.

Was he right? Of course, but sometimes the juice is worth the squeeze and the talent is their for Hezonja. How it pans out, we'll have to wait and see.

If you were to put Wiggins and Hezonja in the same draft, I take Hezonja. I want someone with personality, someone who's out with a chip on their shoulder. Wiggins to me was always too passive, never really aggressive enough for me. He defaulted as the ROY by luck to be honest.

 

Well yeah, Kobe backed up his confidence with his superior game, and made everyone shut up with his work ethic.

Like I said, arrogance WITH a language barrier can be a recipe for disaster. At least teammates were able to communicate with a young Kobe.