[valentine]

What does everyone think about Cal, Jalen Brown and Ivan Rabb? 

California is currently on tour in Australia, and won their first match comprehensively against local competition that really wasn’t a true test (and certainly far less than the competition being faced by LSU). 

Jalen Brown looked very athletic, showing his full array of scoring ability and dropped a thunderous dunk in traffic. 

In the past, I’ve been quoted as a Jalen Brown skeptic…but I’m starting to change my mind and think that he’s a top 2 pick. 

Ivan Rabb….I’m just not sold on him. I saw him get bettered by Simmons in HS and my local source advised me he was pretty good around the hoop during this game…but hes far from a one-and-done type prospect in my opinion.  

The top of my Mock Draft now goes Simmons, Brown, Murray, Bender, Skal. 

As a side note, I hope these student athletes take advantage of the reduced age for drinking (18yo) whilst on tour, and hit up the nightspots for some local honeys. If they need any advice for suitable locations, they just need to ask their American Navy Counterparts who periodically frequent our shores and seem to do OK for themselves in that department. 

Thoughts on Cal, Brown and Rabb for both the upcoming season, and future in the NBA?

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[RecoveringVegetarianParticipant]

 Hey now!! I already predicted Rabb is going undrafted!! He ain’t better than Cliff Alexander or Kevin jones of West Virginia!!

[Rip255]

 Ill hold u to that.

Dunno why ur posts to neg ratio is so low. Maybe a lot of carnivores in here who dont approve of your diet.

 

 

[Rip255]

 Ill hold u to that.

Dunno why ur posts to neg ratio is so low. Maybe a lot of carnivores in here who dont approve of your diet.

 

 

[RecoveringVegetarianParticipant]

 Hey now!! I already predicted Rabb is going undrafted!! He ain’t better than Cliff Alexander or Kevin jones of West Virginia!!

[JR RyderParticipant]

I like Jaylen Brown alot, have him right behind Skal and Simmons. His game and body reminds me of Michael Finley. And should be a top 5 pick.

Ivan Rabb on the other I feel is a type or prospect who should consider going to college for atleast 2 years to develop. He has a nice skill set, but I have doubts about his strength, he also doesnt posses the type of athletecism you see when Chris Bosh/Lamarcus Aldridge was as a prospect. Which is why I consider him just right below the “blue chip” status. But he will be a top 10 pick or just barely outside.

[JR RyderParticipant]

I like Jaylen Brown alot, have him right behind Skal and Simmons. His game and body reminds me of Michael Finley. And should be a top 5 pick.

Ivan Rabb on the other I feel is a type or prospect who should consider going to college for atleast 2 years to develop. He has a nice skill set, but I have doubts about his strength, he also doesnt posses the type of athletecism you see when Chris Bosh/Lamarcus Aldridge was as a prospect. Which is why I consider him just right below the “blue chip” status. But he will be a top 10 pick or just barely outside.

[asmartin626Participant]

Jalen Brown is good…but if I was a gm next year I would pick Ingram over him. Brandon Ingram seems like a better project to me when I watch  them both play. I think both will be good players in the league though. I’m not too awful impressed with Rabb either. I think he’ll be decent this year since he won’t be the main option on the team. I could see him in the 20-25 range next year best option. My guess is early 2nd round though. I don’t think he would be undrafted. Brown is top 5 all day though.

[asmartin626Participant]

Jalen Brown is good…but if I was a gm next year I would pick Ingram over him. Brandon Ingram seems like a better project to me when I watch  them both play. I think both will be good players in the league though. I’m not too awful impressed with Rabb either. I think he’ll be decent this year since he won’t be the main option on the team. I could see him in the 20-25 range next year best option. My guess is early 2nd round though. I don’t think he would be undrafted. Brown is top 5 all day though.

[ChicagoCaseyParticipant]

 I love Jaylen Brown’s game. Kind of remind me of Jimmy Butler. He’s a top 3-4 pick along with Ben Simmons, Skal Labissiere, and Brandon Ingram.

I actually like Ivan Rabb. He have nice physical tools and he gain 11 pounds since arriving at Cal. He can be a lottery pick if he have a good season.

  

[Rip255]

 Quite possible. Cal has a good team and could make a nice run which will boost his stock.

[Rip255]

 Quite possible. Cal has a good team and could make a nice run which will boost his stock.

[ChicagoCaseyParticipant]

 I love Jaylen Brown’s game. Kind of remind me of Jimmy Butler. He’s a top 3-4 pick along with Ben Simmons, Skal Labissiere, and Brandon Ingram.

I actually like Ivan Rabb. He have nice physical tools and he gain 11 pounds since arriving at Cal. He can be a lottery pick if he have a good season.

  

[IlladelphParticipant]

I haven’t seen Raab play except on youtube mix tapes.  He doesn’t seem explosive, or tremendously athletic.  But the web sites all have him getting drafted in the first round next year or the year after so I will defer to their collective judgement.

I have seen Brown play, and like him a lot.  He is strong, and agressive, has above average athleticism, defends well, has a high motor, and if he develops his shooting more I can see him being a top 5 pick easily.  I could see him third after Skal, and Simmons.

OTOH, I see some obvious physical similarities to Stanley Johnson who did not take over at Arizona like many thought that he would.  He disappeared for parts of games, and his defense was suspect until the end of the season when he seemed to figure out how to switch and give help.

For a guy like Brown to go to Cal is a surprise, and I hope that he gets better development there than Johnson got at Arizona.  Everyone has their own views on this, but if I was a one and done type player I would go to a school that would develop me for the pro game.  In my humble opinion there is a clear leader at that, and it is Kentucky.  Brown might not have taken as many shots at UK, or played as many minutes, but he would be better prepared for a pro career.  He will be the man at Cal, but he won’t get the same pro-style development there. 

[IlladelphParticipant]

I haven’t seen Raab play except on youtube mix tapes.  He doesn’t seem explosive, or tremendously athletic.  But the web sites all have him getting drafted in the first round next year or the year after so I will defer to their collective judgement.

I have seen Brown play, and like him a lot.  He is strong, and agressive, has above average athleticism, defends well, has a high motor, and if he develops his shooting more I can see him being a top 5 pick easily.  I could see him third after Skal, and Simmons.

OTOH, I see some obvious physical similarities to Stanley Johnson who did not take over at Arizona like many thought that he would.  He disappeared for parts of games, and his defense was suspect until the end of the season when he seemed to figure out how to switch and give help.

For a guy like Brown to go to Cal is a surprise, and I hope that he gets better development there than Johnson got at Arizona.  Everyone has their own views on this, but if I was a one and done type player I would go to a school that would develop me for the pro game.  In my humble opinion there is a clear leader at that, and it is Kentucky.  Brown might not have taken as many shots at UK, or played as many minutes, but he would be better prepared for a pro career.  He will be the man at Cal, but he won’t get the same pro-style development there. 

[GBeeParticipant]

 I actually really like Rabb long term.  For a big his age, his offensive game is fairly complete. He’s got great hands and touch around the rim.  He’s completely ambidextrous, in fact favoring his left around the rim.  He’s got good ball skills for a big, able to rip and run, handle in transition or take opposing bigs off the dribble from about 20 ft+, where he has range on his jumper too.  His face up game should be on point. He also sees the game pretty well, being a good, willing passer, not trying to force things up through doubles.  I think what separates him from other bigs in this class is that he has a back to the basket game as well.  He’s got good agile feet, and because he’s ambidextrous, he has a scoring move over each shoulder, comfortably tossing lefty jump hooks or turning the other way for a turnaround fade which is in his arsenal.  His ability to turn over either shoulder comfortably, makes his shoulder fakes and such that much more believable and effective in the counter game.

Concerns about his build are warranted so it’s nice to hear about him putting on some good weight.  He was hovering around that 210 range without much progress for the last 2 years or so.  He doesn’t have elite size with his slim frame and ~9’0-9’1 standing reach, but who knows if he’s done growing.  IDK what he’s at now (heard he put on 10 lbs of muscle since he’s been on campus), but if he can finish the year and enter the draft process around the 230 mark that’s a great sign that he can and is willing to put in the work on his body. He is a quick leaper and naturally contests shots with his left hand so he does block his share of shots, but without more mass he’ll just be pushed around on the interior.

Not sure why Cliff’s name was brought up in this thread.  They’re not remotely similar.  Rabb actually has skill and some polish to his game. 

 As for Jaylen, he’s got prototypical tools for a wing but he’s still raw.  I like him as a prospect because of those tools, but when I’ve gotten a chance to see him play in settings where he wasn’t the man, he struggled to pick his spots and find his rhythm.  One thing that I don’t like about his game is how upright he plays.  He doesn’t get low enough on his drives which makes him vulnerable to losing the ball or getting stripped (he actually turns the ball over a lot on drives).  He also plays too upright and relaxed defensively.  I remember seeing him on Team USA and thinking that he was the worst perimeter defender on the team.  This goes for the other end of the floor as well, but if he’s not near the action he has a tendency to just relax and watch.  Cuonzo Martin’s a pretty solid teacher when it comes to defensive fundamentals so maybe that end will be cleaned up.  

It’s not really saying much in this era of 1 and done’s, but I think whoever drafts Brown will be getting a project.  Some guys are more projects physically and some are projects in terms of skill, approach and feel for the game. IMO, Brown is the latter.

[GBeeParticipant]

 I actually really like Rabb long term.  For a big his age, his offensive game is fairly complete. He’s got great hands and touch around the rim.  He’s completely ambidextrous, in fact favoring his left around the rim.  He’s got good ball skills for a big, able to rip and run, handle in transition or take opposing bigs off the dribble from about 20 ft+, where he has range on his jumper too.  His face up game should be on point. He also sees the game pretty well, being a good, willing passer, not trying to force things up through doubles.  I think what separates him from other bigs in this class is that he has a back to the basket game as well.  He’s got good agile feet, and because he’s ambidextrous, he has a scoring move over each shoulder, comfortably tossing lefty jump hooks or turning the other way for a turnaround fade which is in his arsenal.  His ability to turn over either shoulder comfortably, makes his shoulder fakes and such that much more believable and effective in the counter game.

Concerns about his build are warranted so it’s nice to hear about him putting on some good weight.  He was hovering around that 210 range without much progress for the last 2 years or so.  He doesn’t have elite size with his slim frame and ~9’0-9’1 standing reach, but who knows if he’s done growing.  IDK what he’s at now (heard he put on 10 lbs of muscle since he’s been on campus), but if he can finish the year and enter the draft process around the 230 mark that’s a great sign that he can and is willing to put in the work on his body. He is a quick leaper and naturally contests shots with his left hand so he does block his share of shots, but without more mass he’ll just be pushed around on the interior.

Not sure why Cliff’s name was brought up in this thread.  They’re not remotely similar.  Rabb actually has skill and some polish to his game. 

 As for Jaylen, he’s got prototypical tools for a wing but he’s still raw.  I like him as a prospect because of those tools, but when I’ve gotten a chance to see him play in settings where he wasn’t the man, he struggled to pick his spots and find his rhythm.  One thing that I don’t like about his game is how upright he plays.  He doesn’t get low enough on his drives which makes him vulnerable to losing the ball or getting stripped (he actually turns the ball over a lot on drives).  He also plays too upright and relaxed defensively.  I remember seeing him on Team USA and thinking that he was the worst perimeter defender on the team.  This goes for the other end of the floor as well, but if he’s not near the action he has a tendency to just relax and watch.  Cuonzo Martin’s a pretty solid teacher when it comes to defensive fundamentals so maybe that end will be cleaned up.  

It’s not really saying much in this era of 1 and done’s, but I think whoever drafts Brown will be getting a project.  Some guys are more projects physically and some are projects in terms of skill, approach and feel for the game. IMO, Brown is the latter.

[Author]

Posts