[Lotto StudParticipant]

Question of the year…

What does MKG have do to establish himself in the same sense as Kawhi Leonard?

[prophetmeirParticipant]

For one get a better shot and consistantly be elite defender and rebound. Also kawhi has a better feel for the game then micheal. Its kinda unfair to compair the two, you have a guy throw into a system with some of the best players ever. That already have an established system and culture. With the Hornets  it really showed micheals weakness which could hinder some of his confidence and growth. I honestly think if you replace the two last year San would have still won a championchip .

[prophetmeirParticipant]

For one get a better shot and consistantly be elite defender and rebound. Also kawhi has a better feel for the game then micheal. Its kinda unfair to compair the two, you have a guy throw into a system with some of the best players ever. That already have an established system and culture. With the Hornets  it really showed micheals weakness which could hinder some of his confidence and growth. I honestly think if you replace the two last year San would have still won a championchip .

[JoeWolf1]

Leonard could always shoot pretty well, which I think the main difference is offensively.

Kawhi came in as a rookie, and embraced the 3 and D role and honed his corner 3 pointer. In his rookie year he shot .376% from downtown, and 45% of his deep attempts were from the corners. He had a place in the offense from the get go and then he built on that knowing that he had a role he can slowly expand on.

MKG doesn’t really have a role in that offense outside of getting garbage buckets. He can’t spread the floor for Al, like Kawhi could do for Duncan, you don’t want him shooting jumpers ( he didn’t improve as a shooter percentage wise from his 1st to 2nd seasons ) and although his handle is okay, your offense can get better shots than MKG taking someone off the dribble. It’s hard to build and gain confidence when your default is to score off offensive rebounds and finish alley oops.

Despite having similar athletic gifts, and size, they really aren’t two players that are very much alike. MKG is younger, but he was 20 last year and with a fall birthday he was the same age as Leonard was as a rookie, and he’s still significantly behind where Kawhi was as an offensive player at age 20.

My answer is no, but that doesn’t mean MKG can’t be a good player. I just think Leonard is going to be a high teens scorer/ All-Defensive 1st teamer throughout his prime. I think MKG will be kind of a guy who is more like DeMarre Carroll, who’s a low teens scorer, but is a solid starter and glue guy.

[JoeWolf1]

Leonard could always shoot pretty well, which I think the main difference is offensively.

Kawhi came in as a rookie, and embraced the 3 and D role and honed his corner 3 pointer. In his rookie year he shot .376% from downtown, and 45% of his deep attempts were from the corners. He had a place in the offense from the get go and then he built on that knowing that he had a role he can slowly expand on.

MKG doesn’t really have a role in that offense outside of getting garbage buckets. He can’t spread the floor for Al, like Kawhi could do for Duncan, you don’t want him shooting jumpers ( he didn’t improve as a shooter percentage wise from his 1st to 2nd seasons ) and although his handle is okay, your offense can get better shots than MKG taking someone off the dribble. It’s hard to build and gain confidence when your default is to score off offensive rebounds and finish alley oops.

Despite having similar athletic gifts, and size, they really aren’t two players that are very much alike. MKG is younger, but he was 20 last year and with a fall birthday he was the same age as Leonard was as a rookie, and he’s still significantly behind where Kawhi was as an offensive player at age 20.

My answer is no, but that doesn’t mean MKG can’t be a good player. I just think Leonard is going to be a high teens scorer/ All-Defensive 1st teamer throughout his prime. I think MKG will be kind of a guy who is more like DeMarre Carroll, who’s a low teens scorer, but is a solid starter and glue guy.

[ballislife33Participant]

Kawhi wasn’t much of an offensive player in college and he was a terrible shooter. He shot 30% from 3. A lot of it has to do with coaching and the situation Kawhi got drafted into vs. Gilchrest.

[ballislife33Participant]

Kawhi wasn’t much of an offensive player in college and he was a terrible shooter. He shot 30% from 3. A lot of it has to do with coaching and the situation Kawhi got drafted into vs. Gilchrest.

[JoeWolf1]

 There’s a difference between a guy who needs reps and a guy with a busted form. Leonard need reps and some coaching. MKG needed to completely re-tool the jump shot he’d been getting reps on since he was a kid. There’s a big difference.

Early percentages may have been similar, but a better overall form is almost always a better indicator at growth as a shooter.

[JoeWolf1]

 There’s a difference between a guy who needs reps and a guy with a busted form. Leonard need reps and some coaching. MKG needed to completely re-tool the jump shot he’d been getting reps on since he was a kid. There’s a big difference.

Early percentages may have been similar, but a better overall form is almost always a better indicator at growth as a shooter.

[Meditated StatesParticipant]

 He is a ok defender not all world. He rebounds well and that is his best attribute. He needs to develop a mid range shot. Wasting time shooting the 3 only lowers his percentage. He get a mid range he can 1 to 2 dribble drive wich he is more suited than braking a guy down.

[Meditated StatesParticipant]

 He is a ok defender not all world. He rebounds well and that is his best attribute. He needs to develop a mid range shot. Wasting time shooting the 3 only lowers his percentage. He get a mid range he can 1 to 2 dribble drive wich he is more suited than braking a guy down.

[theprophetParticipant]

 i feel like this is a topic because the 2 were once compared as prospects going forward to the nba. mkg has the intangibles, but his offensive skills lack. to establish himself as a leonard type, he would need a very skilled coach, preferrably one that moves the ball around ala popovich or blatt. 

[theprophetParticipant]

 i feel like this is a topic because the 2 were once compared as prospects going forward to the nba. mkg has the intangibles, but his offensive skills lack. to establish himself as a leonard type, he would need a very skilled coach, preferrably one that moves the ball around ala popovich or blatt. 

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