This topic contains 5 replies, has 5 voices, and was last updated by AvatarAvatar BothTeamsPlayedHard 13 years, 3 months ago.

  • Author
    Posts
  • Posted on: Thu, 02/28/2013 - 11:48pm #46937
    AvatarAvatar
    JoeWolf1

    I’ve recently stumbled up the name of A.J. Matthews, a 7′ athletic center playing for DIII Farmingdale State. At close to 24 years old, and yet to play against major competition there are obvious questions surrounding his translation, but to me, he is just as good of prospect as Dwayne Dedmon who is the same age, has the same physical qualities but has struggled against D1 opponents.

    Matthews, to me, is probably a guy who will end up in the D-League or overseas to begin his pro career, but I think he has a realistic shot of getting on the board in the late 2nd, where teams now seem to draft and stash. This is obviously dependant on how he performs against his peers in the Portsmouth or in pre-draft camps, but his physical tools alone will surely get some teams to give him a hard look if he performs well.

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XUo2N3bSBo8

    0
  • Posted on: Fri, 03/01/2013 - 12:04am #751695
    AvatarAvatar
    theprophet
    Participant

    thanks for the video. he seems pretty big and athletic. raw but i see your point. why not draft and stash on a guy like this in a questionable draft? twenty four years old might hurt his stock.

    0
  • Posted on: Fri, 03/01/2013 - 4:58am #751708
    AvatarAvatar
    druneave3
    Participant

    http://nbadraft.net/forum/aj-matthews

    Hoping the Bulls take him w their second rounder.

    0
    • Posted on: Fri, 03/01/2013 - 5:17am #751710
      AvatarAvatar
      JoeWolf1

      Cool, yeah, I’m a Bulls fan too, and I’ve got my fingers crossed for Kenny Kadji or Ohriaki, because I feel they could help right away, but Matthews could be intriguing, but most likely he’ll have to get his feet wet at a lower level first because I’d guess most of his opposing centers are 6’6”.

      0
  • Posted on: Fri, 03/01/2013 - 8:17am #751731
    AvatarAvatar
    Siggy
    Participant

    Eh. 24 and still very raw, playing vs super weak competition? I’ll take a pass, even in the 2nd round,

    0
  • Posted on: Fri, 03/01/2013 - 8:33am #751741
    AvatarAvatar
    BothTeamsPlayedHard
    Participant

    Matthews is likely to get an invite to Portsmouth, and be able to use that tournament as a way to get noticed. If he plays well, then teams can determine whether they want to lock him into a summer league/training camp invite by drafting him or simply try to get him into their summer camp after the draft. If he struggles or isn’t working out in training camp, then maybe playing a year or two oversees or in the NBDL is what is best. He isn’t going to stop being 7-feet tall, and teams know that there is no harm to having cheap rookies who journeyed through various lower level pro leagues in their mid-to-late 20s on their roster.

    0
  • Author
    Posts

You must be logged in to reply to this topic. Login