[MagikKnickParticipant]

 

Drummond Has Lost 22 Pounds Since End Of Season

May 29, 2012 10:10 AM EDT

Andre Drummond has lost 22 pounds since the end of his freshman season at Connecticut.

Drummond now weighs 268 pounds, allowing him to have excellent lateral quickness for a player his size.

Read more:http://basketball.realgm.com/wiretap/221277/Drummond_Has_Lost_22_Pounds_Since_End_Of_Season#ixzz1wHonagw1

[TyroberParticipant]

 That will really help his combine. Might be just what he needed.

[SpacegrassParticipant]

Damn , he was 290 at UConn?  I know everyone thinks Washington won’t pick him , but if his combine is impressive and they think he can play the PF I still think Washington will draft him because he has the most talent at the second pick.  Plus people are acting like Washingtons front court is good , it’s not  and all those guys they have are expendable other than maybe Seraphin.

[mikeyvthedonParticipant]

The kid is a tank. Not to surprised he was playing at 290 last year, but I bet he is absolutely cut right now. Ford also says he is working with "The Hoops Whisperer" Idan Ravin. People might be familiar with Ravin who is an Israeli trainer that has written a few advice columns in SLAM. Well, certainly seems like Andre is going to the right people and doing the right things.

I am sure Perry Jones III is a great kid, have heard nothing to the contrary. I also think that Andre falls into this "too nice" type of persona. Something has to make both of these kids tick. Simply put, the best players play with an edge. You do not have to flip out, you do not have to be KG, you do not have to have the same silent intensity of Tim Duncan. You just need to have some competitive edge and use your gifts (whether they be physical or skill based) to your advantage.

The reason I like Drummond as a prospect, with him having a very roller coaster first season, is that he simply has a body that is incredibly advantageous for basketball players. I read something from David Aldridge’s scouting report stating something about him just using his strength and size to get rebounds rather than positioning. Well, Andre will always have his strength and size. He will be using this to his advantage consistently.

You throw in the speed and the fact that he has at the very least decent hands, this kid is someone you may be very happy with down low. I do not know if he will be a star, his FT shooting was atrocious, but he is a guy who could give you a major advantage in the trenches. For those who feel he is Kwame Brown, well, he is as big as Kwame Brown is RIGHT NOW. With hands, mind you. My biggest fear about Perry Jones III is his being pushed around by 4’s and not being able to play 3. With Andre, I have some doubt about his ever being a strong offensive option, but his being pushed around is not something I worry about. He needs to have that spark to be great, but I think even without it he could be good due to his incredible natural gifts.

I hate when people are called "The Natural" (they used to use that as Brandon Roy’s nickname) because I feel it takes away from the hard work one has put into honing one’s craft. But, with Drummond, being this big, tall and fast certainly bodes well. His feeling for the game is there, he may be raw but he is not beyond repair. Attitude will be the biggest thing and at the very least he seems to be a kid willing to be coached and learn. This is why people are excited about his prospects.

This is the Andre Drummond theme song:

"Son, here’s a rattle, you’ve never seen battle, I’m a natural"-Gifted Unlimited Rhymes Universal

[mosdefParticipant]

I like Drummond more then PJ3 cuz Drummond was a year early in his freshmen year while PJ3 underachieved for 2 years

[joecheck88Participant]

 I’ve been saying it for awhile. If I was running a team I wouldn’t be counting Drummond out as the first pick. There is tons of media pressure on whoever picks first to take Davis but to me he isn’t a sure thing either. He may have a higher floor than Drummond but I think Drummond can and will be the better player. 

[BA30Participant]

If  Drummond can get his act together mentally he could be one of the more dominant centers in the league. Physically he has all the tools to make him a star. The fact that he put in the work to drop 20 pounds bodes well for him moving forward. I think we can all agree that Uconn’s offense was terrible for his skill set outside of his above average passing ability out of the post.

[BothTeamsPlayedHardParticipant]

Maybe I’m weird, but I think him making 22 free throws would have been more of an accomplishment.

[JoeWolf1]

 Yeah, it shows something about his work ethic, but he’s a project more so from a basketball standpoint than a physical standpoint.  It’s a good start, but I still have the same reservations.

[NYK2010Participant]

Dropping weight good move by the kid.

If he’s not a top 3 picks something is wrong.

[joecheck88Participant]

 Haha. I don’t understand how anybody can shoot that bad from the FT line. He is suppose to be working on it every day. I shoot like 65% in my league but that isn’t with crowd distractions. Haha

[FearTheStacheParticipant]

 He has huge hands. That’s why he is so bad at free throws. Try shooting a Nerf ball everytime you shoot a basketball. It feels really weird. That’s what it is like when he shoots a basketball.

[JoeWolf1]

 ^That’s a terrible excuse.  He’s not the first basketball player with huge hands, nor does he have the biggest hands in basketball history.

 

[FearTheStacheParticipant]

 

Dwight Howard and Shaq have the same problem, yet no one really cares do they? If Drummond even gets close to either of those statuses, then not many people will care about his free throws.I was just trying to say how it is not comparable for any of us, because we don’t have these massive hands. Sure, I could shoot a much better percentage, but my hands are normal sized for a basketball.

[Memphis MadnessParticipant]

Joe Wolf,

Do you think Drummond will come in closer to 6’10 or 7’0?  If he is right at 7’0 in shoes then I think he will be the number 2 pick even if he is raw from a basketball standpoint.  If he is closer to 3 or 4 there might be more of a chance that he falls to 3 or 4 especially if PJIII, MKG, and Thomas Robinson measure out well and do well in the draft camps. 

If Drummond comes in close to 7’0 then I think he is in control of his own destiny as far as the number two pick goes.

[JoeWolf1]

 Not to mention, shooting a basketball is very reliant on muscle memory so of course shooting a smaller ball feels strange.  You’re used to shooting something much larger.  I’ve heard that theory before and I just don’t buy it.  Drummond has been playing with a men’s ball his whole life, and there have been plenty of good shooters who have huge hands.

Kwahi Leonard is known for having huge hands and he shot 73% at age 18.  Greg Smith has the biggest hands in combine history and he was at least a 58% shooter as an 18 year old. 

Michael Jordan and Elton Brand are also known for having unusually large hands.  

YOU CAN’T BLAME BIG HANDS ON POOR SHOOTING.

[JoeWolf1]

 @Memphis Madness,

I think he’ll be 6’11 and change in shoes, if I had to make an educated guess.  I agree, if he is 7′ or over, he’s almost a lock.

[Krypt GussParticipant]

 also has huuuge hands. Hence, the bad free throws…

[JoeWolf1]

 Michael Jordan also has huuuge hands.  Hence, the good free throws?

[Krypt GussParticipant]

 is but one of a few exceptions. Wade is an iffy shooter too and Lebron….

Some just don’t have the touch?

[JoeWolf1]

 Exactly, its case by case.  Having big hands isn’t an excuse nor a rule for poor shooting.

A few exceptions is just plain false.  You’re pointing at Lebron and Wade, who are both 70+ % free throw shooters, Dr J. is rumored to have a 12 in hand.  Elton Brand’s hands were a large part of why he was #1 that year.

Drummond shoots 32% from the FT line.  He isn’t cursed with big hands, he just hasn’t put in the reps to become a good shooter.  Many of the greatest players in history, had huge hands and were just fine shooting free throws.

[Krypt GussParticipant]

 last time i checked, 70% is not good. It’s barely average.

It’s pretty crippling for two supposed best players int the league….

[GrandmamaParticipant]

There was one game last year where they did a close-up on Drummond’s free throw shooting. He has a really deep grip when he shoots, meaning he uses too much of his hand to get a proper rotation and true release. He needs to put the ball closer to the tips of his fingers so the ball isn’t so deep in his hand. Hopefully whoever picks him shows him the proper way to hold the ball while shooting.

[capshati23Participant]

 i like andre talent alot hes a physical specimen but when i watch him play i just feel like theres something missing i know they didnt really pass him the ball at uconn but there where games last year when he got 2 rebs and 3 rebs off his physical talent alone he should be avg at least 10 rebounds a game theres jus something missing maybe its his motor or maybe he jus wasnt happy wit the uconn offense again the kid has big time potential and he is very young so this can change 

[kngojcParticipant]

 The big hands excuse works to an extent. That extent is if he shot a Shaq like FT%. But if you shoot a lower FT% than him… There is definitely something wrong.

[Pistol Pete. The PelicanParticipant]

 How does every post on this site end up going to PJIII in some kind of way? "Oh hey, the thunder just lost game 1….you know Perry Jones III is probably going to be a bust."

[MalcolmxParticipant]

Drummond is a physical beast. he is those once in a lifetime kind of kids.He just needs a stronger mindset and he will be alright. Give it three or four years and he may be one of the top bigs in the league.With him losing this wieght we know he has a good work ethic now. And he is probably even more athletic now because he has less wieght to move. Man this is just scary

[joecheck88Participant]

I will take the excuse but you should still be over 50%

[The8thDeadlySinParticipant]

On the topic of hands, I dont have any numbers but I would guess Yao Ming had pretty big hands and he was a very good shooter from the line.. I would aslo think that both Gasols have pretty big hands..

Another thing.. I have one of those arcade type basketball systems in my basement and the balls are small and the rim is proportional to the ball.. I can make 9 out of 10 shots from a foul line distance.. I sit in my basement and shoot balls while I watch tv so I shoot there alot but I wouldnt think I shoot more free throws than a professional basketball player..

Just my opinion..

[FearTheStacheParticipant]

 How high is the rim on your arcade game?

[mikeyvthedonParticipant]

Is Perry Jones III turning into the 2012 Draft’s version of "blame everything on LeBron James"? Possibly. I did not say Perry was going to be a bust, but the reason I bring it up is due to this sites propensity for grouping these players due to the following factors:

• Their height and length is exceptional
• They are both spectacular athletes
• They both have the "low motor" label (which I think is not exactly either of their issue as much as a general lack of understanding of how to use what they have)
• Scouts and fans alike are split on the two probably more than any other players in this draft

On this site, I see a lot more people talking about the "upside" of Perry Jones III, thinking he is more likely not to miss than Drummond. I am in the party of believing that Drummond does two things well that tend to help teams compete: defend and rebound. Even if he could do the latter much better (I disagree wholeheartedly on Aran having him as a 7 rebound rating, though I understand why people are underwhelmed with how few defensive rebounds he grabbed for the amount of minutes he played), I do not see Perry Jones III being a stand out at either. At least not right now.

Could Perry Jones III become a solid defender and rebounder? I would think the first more than the second, due to the fact that I see him getting pushed around by players with more upper body strength. The Big 12 is a conference that saw Kevin Durant average over 11 boards per game and Michael Beasley lead the nation in said category. The "he was playing out of position" excuse does not necessarily sit well with me.

I think I brought up Perry Jones III just to point out the areas I liked Drummond better. I did not say I felt Perry would be a bust, just that the areas I saw Drummond excelling in were areas I felt might make him more valuable than Jones. I am a proponent for taking Jones top 10, probably as high as 8. Just wanted to give a measure of why I felt the one tantalizing unknown was more appealing to me than the other.

[thparadoxParticipant]

PJ3 and Drummond belong in the same discussion. They are the ultimate high risk / high reward picks.

I think it’s obvious to everyone that Drummond has a higher ceiling with a lower basement (and consequently would rank him higher).

If you pick these guys where they currently are on the mock draft, and they turn into busts… I think it was worth the gamble.

But if you pick PJ3 ahead of Thomas Robinson and Jeremy Lamb, then you’ve probably taken an unecessary risk.

 

[TallmanNYCParticipant]

 Big hands might be a problem with free throw shooting, but height is much more of a problem. The high release results in a flatter shot which gives you a flatter angle of entry into the hoop. That makes it a harder shot. You can shoot a high archer and get the good angle of entry again. But then the ball has to travel farther which means more time and distance for it to go off line. What I mean by that is that if you are 1 degree off in a short shot you won’t miss. But 1 degree off on a long shot can mean a big miss on a long shot. 

That is the real reason big men are bad at shooting free throws. This is my own theory and you won’t hear it anywhere else, but I’m pretty sure this is right. It is just physics. Incidentally it is one of the advantages of the underhand shot since it lowers your release point.

There are big men that are good at shooting free throws, but that is because these guys are just good at shooting free throws. Some people are coordinated like that. The hand size is mainly an issue but once they shooter gets the ball on the fingertips it doesn’t make that big a difference would be my guess.

[surveParticipant]

 for one, I did not know this kid was 290 at UConn, I always thought he was around 270 for some reason or another.  secondly, its too much Davis Kool-Aid on this site and everywhere else.  If I were GM, I would "want" to pick Drummond.  The media has made Davis # 1 so if a GM wants to keep his job, thats who he had better pick.  Personally, I have always preferred Drummond over Davis.

As far as free throws, its focus.  When I played, and there was a bad shooter on the team, the coach always said, "just try and put it on the back of the rim".  Alot of times you will brick it, but if you line it up it has a better chance of going in.  Maybe he needs to go to the arcade and try the machines there…and do it with speed.  LOL.  See how many points he can get.  Those rims are smaller and the balls are like regulation size.  That could help him.

[Pistol Pete. The PelicanParticipant]

This post was about Drummond losing 22 pounds. I understand what you said in that last post but this was about Drummond losing 22 pounds not about the upside of Perry Jones and Drummond and why’d you pick one over the other. 

Some times it’s just better to leave a player out of things.

I for one think the Anthony Davis love has been going to far. Anthony Davis put up better number than Perry Jones on a much better team than Baylor from Perry Jones’ freshman or sophomore year. If Quincy Miller doesn’t tear his acl in high school, maybe this is a different story for Perry and the team. Anthony Davis Blocked shots and was a good, not great rebound on a team that played great defense. Anthony Davis’ offensive game was nonexistent, he caught alley oops, ran the floor, and got putbacks, he had rare flashes of a post game, but Perry Jones had rare flashes of a post an perimeter game. People are saying best big man prospect since Tim Duncan, what? Because Michael Kidd-Gilchrist and Anthony Davis played for Kentucky the got the media hype. You go to kentucky and you get hype, until the NCAA tournament, Kyle Wiltjer was mentioned more on National televison than PJIII. They both get touted as having great motors and great defenders, with exorbitant ammounts of potential, Potential isn’t always fulfilled, Motors don’t always mean you fix your problems. Tim Tebow may be one of the hardest workers in the NFL, but his throwing motion still stinks. 

I am in no way saying PJIII will be better than Anthony Davis, but they were in very different situations, and they both have vast ammounts of potential. I for one saif PJIII was playing out of potential, and everyone gave me 100 negatives, I say we see what they do in the league, I don’t think Perry Jones will ever be a superstar, he may not be an all star ever, Rudy Gay hasn’t made one yet but he will be a good player on the team he goes to and hopefully he goes to the right situation. Because a situation can make a player. Anthony Davis, I do not expect him to be the best big man since Tim Duncan, I think he will be Marcus Camby like a ton of people say, great defensively but forever, just okay offensively and nothing is wrong with that, but stop mentioning a player on every post just to try and break him down. 

No matter what you meant in your original post that’s what it became, not saying you were calling PJIII a bust, but there was really no point to  mention him on this status.

[The8thDeadlySinParticipant]

My goal is about 7 feet high.. I shoot on it from my couch about 15 feet away. I am sitting on my couch and every time I make a shot, the ball rolls back to me.. I am shooting on it right now…

[raybeasParticipant]

Rik Smits was 7’4" and shot 77%. Yao Ming was 7’6" and shot 83%. Did they have really small hands?

Get in the gym and work on your free throws, Andre!!!!!!!!!

[mikeyvthedonParticipant]

How about this:

• I write something on topic about why I like Andre Drummond and his weight loss, using the fact that he is still 268 pounds to give examples of why I like him more than a prospect who is thrown around as being similar in many capacities (which I highlighted earlier)
• You proceed to at first come off as funny, than go on a long rant that pretty much goes nowhere and is not even close to being on topic to what I or anyone on here was saying about Perry Jones. Much less, Andre Drummond losing 22 pounds.

I get you like Perry Jones and think he gets to much flack. But, when a 6’11 athletic freak who is seen as a 3/4 who underachieved and is seen by many as a "potential" star is often thrust by many as being better than a 6’11 big man who has underachieved, than one can state there opinion as to which they like more than the other. You can like Perry Jones and disagree with what I said, but to tell me not to say it is flat out hypocrisy with what you went on about afterwards.

If you want people to stop talking about Perry Jones or feel there is a place you want them to talk about, start a topic. Minus me. Do not tell me I should not bring him up in a way that I feel was very much on topic and a perspective as to why I like Drummond more than a prospect many others feel might be a better NBA player in Perry Jones.

[Pistol Pete. The PelicanParticipant]

 I never said Drummond wasn’t a better prospect than PJIII, I didn’t mention anything about Drummond’s prospect, I like Drummond, He has POTENTIAL. Nothing is guaranteed. 

Your rant is the first time I’ve seen the prospects of Perry Jones III and Andre Drummond compared on this site or any other. I’ve seen them in articles together about having amazing potential to be stars and amazing potential to be busts but never actually compared against each other. If you can find an article where that happens please show me. Maybe i’m misinformed. So your statement saying that many feel PJIII may be a better player is pretty ludicrous when i’ve only seen PJIII demeaned besides the last week with Chad Ford. 

First of all Perry Jones is a great athlete but no where near a freak. You said yourself on a previous post that he wasn’t on the level of Tyrus Thomas or Rudy Gay as an athlete. That’s now a contradiction on your part. 

Also, I used Anthony Davis a player i’ve seen you give ridicously high praise to, as a Potential/ hype comparison to your thoughts on PJIII, on this site everyone reads posts even if they don’t comment on them, I’m just using things from your past to speak to you, unless you’ve forgotten the things you’ve said in the past…

 

Now I’m sure everyone would love to see the Mikeyvthedon comparison on this site, comparisons are a great thing when it comes to sport but save it for it’s on topic or your mock draft. Not telling you to listen to me, Not even telling you to argue, this is a site of opinions and I have given mine, at the end of the day unless someone on this site knows the future or has a time machine, we tell what we think will happen. 

[mikeyvthedonParticipant]

Seemed like a confidence thing to me more than a lack of skill. I do not know if he will ever be a good FT shooter, but I certainly think he will be better than he was at UConn. I think some guys are just bad FT shooters, no matter how much they work on it. 

I mean, were there much worse FT shooters than Bill Russell, Wilt Chamberlain and Shaquille O’Neal, three guys I think are absolute top 10 players of all-time (three best centers in my opinion, with Kareem Abdul-Jabbar making a nice argument, though Kareem could shoot FT’s. Was not the rebounder the other three were. Yes, even Shaq). Wilt just was a mad mental block. I remember reading about that. Think that these guys did not practice like crazy? Think Shaq said, "f#ck FT’s"? He might have acted that way, but he worked on it constantly. 

Shooting is a skill that has a great deal to do with muscle memory and repetition. But, I think there are definite factors that influence poor FT shooting that you notice with certain players. Dwight Howard, Reggie Evans and Blake Griffin are all tanks, all fairly poor FT shooters. I think having the strength and bulk that those players carry is a gift and a curse. It is a gift in the paint and on the boards, seems to be a curse at the FT line. Still do not see those guys being able to do too much about it, pretty sure they all try.

With confidence, I think some guys are flat out scared at times to go to the line. I think Rondo could shoot many more FT’s than he tends to, but just does not like doing so. He is averaging 2 attempts per game in the play-offs. For a person with the capable to get into the paint that Rondo has, that is pretty surprising. The guy does not like getting fouled and I think it has nothing to do with fear of contact. He does not like being left on an island and does not really excel at doing so. If this is not the case, would have to see him prove me wrong.

Think Drummond fell under both of these categories. My last thing I might throw in is conditioning. When you play basketball (you or I, at least I am assuming this happens with you the reader as well. Probably less quickly than it does with myself, but happens), it takes energy. As you get tired, things become more difficult. Your legs get heavier, you’re breathing faster, etc. This easily effects ones shot.

It is one thing to go into the gym and shoot FT after FT. It is a whole other ball game to shoot FT’s after running up and down the court for a prolonged period of time. Not to mention that you have to run around guarding other players, if you are a big guy you may be forced to try and get position against other large gentlemen (it is tiring as hell, lol. Ever wonder why people hated guarding Shaq?). I think these things can indeed effect a persons FT shooting.

Injuries of course tend to effect FT shooting. I get pissed off as hell at Jeff Van Gundy spewing otherwise. That dude is probably a sniper from the stripe. I can knock them down too. As much as I have a hard time believing guys can’t hit their freebies, I don’t shoot mine going up against NBA competition. I think the thousands of people could be a slight trip as well, though I tend to not find them to be as much of an effect as the other things I listed.

Let’s put it this way, I understand why Dwyane Wade and Ray Allen have sucked from the line most of the play-offs. It may not be an excuse, which is what Van Gundy is probably underlining as his theory (though he did say injuries in no way effect FT shooting. Seeing they can indeed effect the way one shoots in general and what feels comfortable, that sounds like bull$hit. Also, as they probably hinder ones conditioning, another factor to consider), it just simply does not seem to be the case. All I know is, Dwyane Wade and Ray Allen certainly both look effing effected and I do not think it is because they are not practicing or focusing on FT’s.

The big hand excuse is an old one. I know Rondo has major mitts, of course Shaq did. So did Arvydas Sabonis. Kawhi Leonard’s hands are obscenely large and he seems to be doing fine at the line. I think that some players simply are either better shooters or have better mechanics than others. I think that confidence in shooting FT’s might not be everyones bag. Shaq or Dwight Howard may do other things a lot more hard core than Yao Ming or Andrew Bynum away from the line, but at the stripe they were flat out not in their element. Practice is a definite factor, but I just think there are others beyond that which tend to effect players who have a tough time shooting from 15 against no one.

[mikeyvthedonParticipant]

Tell me where I guaranteed $hit. Did not. Tell me where I "compared" them as PLAYERS. Just saying what I liked in one prospect as opposed to another. If you do not like it, that is fine, but I think you are getting the wrong message from what I said originally, which has been only exacerbated in your replies. All I said was what I think will happen. Do not have a time machine and never claimed to. 

[Pistol Pete. The PelicanParticipant]

 See previous posts. Your comprehension skills are seriously lacking. I never said you guaranteed anything. In my first comment, I never mentioned Drummond, but you replied and you mentioned Drummond, I simply replied back with that opening statement about potential.

 

Also I never said you had a time machine nor did I say you claimed to, I simply made another statement. I see those statements can be tricky with you. I’ll continue the rest of this comment in questions. 

Did I mention Drummond in my first comment on this post? NO

Did I use your previous statements and hype of Anthony Davis to compare to your statement above about PJIII? Yes

Did I reply to you mentioning Drummond by saying he has potential but I never said PJIII would be a better pro or have more potential than he? Yes

Did you in a previous post say PJIII wasn’t the level of athlete at Tyrus Thomas and Rudy Gay who were freak athletes? Yes

In this post did you call PJIII a freak athlete? Yes

Did you contradict yourself?YES

Did I ever allude to the fact of you claiming to have a time machine or having one? No

Did I make a statment about a time machine? Yes

Did you understand this last post? Most likely not

[omphalosParticipant]

If he was playing at 290 and still showing that level of quickness I’m even more amazed than before. Dude was already quick enough to guard Kevin Jones inside and on the perimeter in the Big East tournament, and he just got quicker? Wow.

I agree with surve again about Drummond being a better prospect than Davis. Davis is going to spend his first few years just bulking up, but Drummond will be able to learn how to use his size and bang in the post from the beginning.

I think Drummond made a mistake going to UCONN, people expected Dre to come in and score a bunch of points because Calhoun has a reputation of developing big men, but Calhoun’s best work is on the defensive end with his big men, and the UCONN offense was one of the worst I’ve seen in terms of flow. Drummond rarely got the ball on the low block to isolate and score, I saw Napier pass him up for the shot in transition to go himself a number of times, and he still put up pretty damn good numbers for a kid in that situation.

I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again, but if Drummond had gone to Kentucky, North Carolina or Georgetown he’d be the #1 pick hands down.

Kentucky because he’d be playing the Davis role and is perfectly suited for it. North Carolina because Roy Williams loves to play through his bigs and Marshall does a great job getting the ball to big men who run in transition, and Georgetown because they do a great job developing the offensive abilities of their bigmen and they are much more featured in the offensive end than UCONN.

Of course, another thing we haven’t seen is Drummond as a pick and roll player, I think his combination of size to set screens and quickness to roll to the basket is going to make him a force to be reckoned with in the pros with the right PG.

I know there are a lot of ifs about Drummond and whether he’ll pan out, but a lot of those come down to context, which is normal for big men everywhere. A PG prospect comes in and immediately has the ball in his hands, which is why they develop so much quicker and do better in college as freshmen than PF/Cs. Every big man is dependent on other players to get him the ball though, and unfortunately for Drummond, he wasn’t the focus with Lamb, Napier and Boatright in the fold.

I wish I read an article saying Cousins had dropped 22 pounds one of these days, because from a skill standpoint he’s got it all, but his conditioning and extra weight are holding him back from challenging Bynum/Howard for the position of best C in the NBA.

[mikeyvthedonParticipant]

Man, are you saying that Perry Jones is the level of athlete that Rudy Gay or Tyrus Thomas is? Are you saying that my saying two guys are better athletes than him still does not make him a "freak" (a pretty freaking general term with "great" or "awesome") athlete. I don’t get how your general statements, which are being applied to me (they are both entitled Mikeyvthedon) are not applicable to me as you so claim.

I understand what you were comparing on hype, but you gave so little basis to it being about playing actual basketball. You just pointed to situations, Tim Tebow and not knowing anything for sure. I get that, but it seems like you are hiding your own opinion and kind of beating around the bush. Just come out and say, "I think Perry Jones is getting too much flack and here is where I disagree with you." All I see is you claiming I put words in your mouth, when you were the one who claimed that I am calling Perry Jones a bust and being totally off-basis on this topic.

I thought your first thing was funny and I do think Perry Jones catches some unfair slack. But, I think my saying what I did about why I find a prospect in the 2012 draft, whom I believe you would agree parallels Perry Jones in ways I explained earlier, the better prospect. Could I have left out Perry Jones? Maybe, but I do not think the connotation you have taken makes much sense and I find no reason for you to tell me who or what to write about. You seem like you are on here a lot, we discuss the draft and various prospects.

If I disagree with someone, I may bring up things from past posts by that individual, but I will usually do that sooner rather than later. I apologize for contradicting myself, as I forgot that you were only allowed two freak athletes and clumsily was using Perry Jones as a III. Dude, I just think we both are misunderstanding each other, but I would like to understand you. Just do not think you have done a great job at making much of a point thus far. That could change, tell me the point you were trying to make and what ticked you off so much about me bringing up Perry Jones, maybe without telling me not to bring up what I feel was a fair analogy between two highly touted prospects who have people all over the chart as far as pro prospects. 

I actually remember you saying something on my Andre Drummond post a while back. FUNNY! You are THE ONLY person to bring up Perry Jones on that post! LOL. I would like to come to a mutual understanding, but I really did not get much after your first post which I saw as a great dynamic as I said in my immediate reply. After that, just kind of felt like you were telling me not to bring up a prospect who certainly seems to be brought up with the prospect in question with this post. 

http://www.nbadraft.net/forum/case-andre-drummond

 

 

[F_S]

 idk if it was from the end of the season, he looked thinner towards the end of last season

 

[Pistol Pete. The PelicanParticipant]

In that post I mentioned PJIII’s name, said nothing about his prospects, something along the line of "Andre Drummond suffers from the same syndrome from Perry Jones, he doesn’t have the competitive fire all of the time." I didn’t go into a full on comparison of the two players. 

 

I related a problem, so everyone could understand easily. Maybe we are misunderstanding each other. I generally like your posts and comments over other people’s. I respect your opinion, the whole point of this was as you said yourself you probably could have did this post without mentioning PJII. I’m one of the few people on this site who are actually in the middle with PJIII, Most people on here either love him or hate him. I’ve said in multiple posts and comments, that I think PJIII played out of position, and that I don’t think he will be a superstar, may not even be an all star, but I think he will be a good player, along the line of 18 and 7. Never even said he should be the number 1 pick. I think we should all be objective. If you asked me about any player I’d give my opinion. Like I said I like your post and maybe we misunderstood each other. 

[uknationParticipant]

Too bad losing the weight won’t make him have better skills or better motor. Now a skinnier potential bust

[TallmanNYCParticipant]

 Do people honestly believe the FT problems lots of big NBA players have is because they don’t practice? So you think Bill Russell was just lazy and that is why he shot 56% for his career?

Compare the NBA centers to the free throw shooting of a good high school team. Lots of centers shoot a lot worse than anyone on a good high school team. Even the worst freshman is knocking down FT better than 50%. But these centers have played years longer and have practiced much more than any high school player. And they stink at this skill.  A possible explanation is large hands and a high release make the shot harder. That doesn’t mean that a good shooting big man like Yao or Smit can’t be a good free throw shooter. But there needs to be an explanation why the average guy off the street if you give him a Few YEARS of practice is going to shoot at least 60% but these NBA veterans can’t do the same.

[TallmanNYCParticipant]

 By the way, the guys that I play basketball with now that we are well past school probably haven’t really practiced free throws in years, maybe even more than a decade. The good shooters knock them down almost all the time anyway. They don’t seem to need any practice beyond playing once or twice a week and the shoot around before the game. Why are these rec league weekend warriors so much better with no practice than NBA veterans who practice nearly everyday during the season?

[HaleParticipant]

It’s a mental block. I’ve read a few different articles that have mentioned Shaq shooting around 90% in practice.

[Author]

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