[valentine]

 The only two defensive stats that appear in the box score are steals and blocks. You don’t need to weigh more than 150 lbs to accumulate stats in those categories.

Playing actual, good defense simply can’t be determined from looking at a player’s simple statistics. Some players get tons of rebounds by never contesting a shot, like Kevin Love, and some people contest every single shot, and accumulate blocks, but are actually below average defenders.

We look at Andrew Wiggins, and he moves around pretty well, but is he really a good defender? At 198-200 lbs, he’s 30-40 lbs undersized for guarding the SF position, so I doubt that he’s actually an effective defender at SF.

Anthony Davis, supposed defensive superstar, allowed a crazy high FG% at the rim last year. Is that the sign of a great defender?

My fellow Celtics fans worship blocks like they’re the only defensive stat that matters, but it seems to me that that stat is just as likely to conceal a bad defender as it is to identify one. Much like defensive rebounds, as Kevin Love shows.

 

So who are some other skinny defenders that get more credit than they deserve?

WCS comes to mind.

 

 

[SmooveKRYPTParticipant]

Yeah Tayshaun Prince was waaaaay overrated defensively. Young Paul George too. Long skinny guys get too much credit

[SmooveKRYPTParticipant]

Yeah Tayshaun Prince was waaaaay overrated defensively. Young Paul George too. Long skinny guys get too much credit

[DrivingDownTheStreetinmy64]

 T Rex take a break Man Plz!!! 

[DrivingDownTheStreetinmy64]

 T Rex take a break Man Plz!!! 

[BleedGreen808Participant]

 If you don’t think Anthony Davis is a great defender you might need to get your eyes checked.  

[BleedGreen808Participant]

 If you don’t think Anthony Davis is a great defender you might need to get your eyes checked.  

[KingslayerParticipant]

No Andrew Wiggins is not a good defender, not yet. But he can and I believe he definitely will be.

Rookies very rarely are ready to make a high defensive impact out of the gate, since the NBA game is so different than college, and there is also a massive step up in competition in terms of athleticism, size and skill. I may be missing some, but off the top of my head only Marcus Smart and Nerlens Noel really made positive impacts on the defensive end among rookies last season, and it took them both half a season to find their groove.

Young players need time to develop physically & mentally on the defensive end – even athletic freaks like Wiggins and WCS. While those two may never be bulky players, they will be able to gain weight like all young players who work hard do. Adding some extra muscle and experience to their tremendous length, quickness and leaping ability will give them the potential to become fantastic defenders as they develop. 

Anthony Davis is a prime example. He is becoming more physically developed every year in the league and appears to have added more weight this offseason. He had a very skinny frame as well coming into the league, but has put in the work to add good weight. It’s hypocritical to suggest that he is not a good defender based on just his FG% allowed at the rim, just as it would be to say steals/blocks are the be-all and end-all defensively. You need to consider team context and look at his total impact on the floor. The sum of his impact on all aspects of defense screams that of a very, very good defensive player, obviously with the upside to be one of the premier defenders in the league. The Pels had absolutely no good perimeter defenders last season, and Davis was perhaps the only above average defender on the entire team. Without him, the Pel’s would have challenged to be one of the worst defensive teams in the league.

 

 

[KingslayerParticipant]

No Andrew Wiggins is not a good defender, not yet. But he can and I believe he definitely will be.

Rookies very rarely are ready to make a high defensive impact out of the gate, since the NBA game is so different than college, and there is also a massive step up in competition in terms of athleticism, size and skill. I may be missing some, but off the top of my head only Marcus Smart and Nerlens Noel really made positive impacts on the defensive end among rookies last season, and it took them both half a season to find their groove.

Young players need time to develop physically & mentally on the defensive end – even athletic freaks like Wiggins and WCS. While those two may never be bulky players, they will be able to gain weight like all young players who work hard do. Adding some extra muscle and experience to their tremendous length, quickness and leaping ability will give them the potential to become fantastic defenders as they develop. 

Anthony Davis is a prime example. He is becoming more physically developed every year in the league and appears to have added more weight this offseason. He had a very skinny frame as well coming into the league, but has put in the work to add good weight. It’s hypocritical to suggest that he is not a good defender based on just his FG% allowed at the rim, just as it would be to say steals/blocks are the be-all and end-all defensively. You need to consider team context and look at his total impact on the floor. The sum of his impact on all aspects of defense screams that of a very, very good defensive player, obviously with the upside to be one of the premier defenders in the league. The Pels had absolutely no good perimeter defenders last season, and Davis was perhaps the only above average defender on the entire team. Without him, the Pel’s would have challenged to be one of the worst defensive teams in the league.

 

 

[he_gets_bucketsParticipant]

 Yeah Dennis Rodman was an absolute scrub on the defensive end- way too skinny. 6’7 and 210? Way too skinny. You know that Bill Russell guy? Yeah he was only 215 at 6’10; must of been terrible defensively too. Scottie Pippen was only 210 at 6’8, he’s like 30 pounds underweight, what an overrated defender, I really doubt he was any good.

[he_gets_bucketsParticipant]

 Yeah Dennis Rodman was an absolute scrub on the defensive end- way too skinny. 6’7 and 210? Way too skinny. You know that Bill Russell guy? Yeah he was only 215 at 6’10; must of been terrible defensively too. Scottie Pippen was only 210 at 6’8, he’s like 30 pounds underweight, what an overrated defender, I really doubt he was any good.

[T Rex]

 I’m not saying they’re all overrated, I’m just saying they don’t always get enough scrutiny.

Because weakness has it’s weaknesses.

 

[T Rex]

 I’m not saying they’re all overrated, I’m just saying they don’t always get enough scrutiny.

Because weakness has it’s weaknesses.

 

[GStatesince88Participant]

 Bruce Bowen, Hakeem Olajuwan at C against guys who weighed more, Kawhi Leonard, Patrick Beverly, just off the top of my head….

Not about strength…. it’s about IQ and tenacity. Using your teammates and floor spacing…. Some of the best defenders ever weighed less than the average weight at their respective position

 

 

[T Rex]

 Yeah, Kahwi is skinny. And he still weighs 30 lbs more than Wiggins. That’s my point!

 

 

[T Rex]

 Yeah, Kahwi is skinny. And he still weighs 30 lbs more than Wiggins. That’s my point!

 

 

[GStatesince88Participant]

 Bruce Bowen, Hakeem Olajuwan at C against guys who weighed more, Kawhi Leonard, Patrick Beverly, just off the top of my head….

Not about strength…. it’s about IQ and tenacity. Using your teammates and floor spacing…. Some of the best defenders ever weighed less than the average weight at their respective position

 

 

[King CaluchaParticipant]

I have to agree with T-Rex this time. Steals and blocks sometimes get too much credit.

Anthony Davis is bit overrated. We all know he’s a great shot blocker and a decent low post defender (not great). He has the lateral quickness to be disruptive in pick and roll situations, but he needs a lot of work in that area.

Weight could certainly help his low post defense, but it seems that he just needs to learn the game.

[King CaluchaParticipant]

I have to agree with T-Rex this time. Steals and blocks sometimes get too much credit.

Anthony Davis is bit overrated. We all know he’s a great shot blocker and a decent low post defender (not great). He has the lateral quickness to be disruptive in pick and roll situations, but he needs a lot of work in that area.

Weight could certainly help his low post defense, but it seems that he just needs to learn the game.

[SkalAndJamalParticipant]

Come on now. Anthony Davis is the best defensive player in the NBA. His teammates just couldnt stop screwing him over. if Davis stepped up to be in the gap defense, his teammates would still continue to leave the rim open as if Davis was somehow still there LOL

[SkalAndJamalParticipant]

Come on now. Anthony Davis is the best defensive player in the NBA. His teammates just couldnt stop screwing him over. if Davis stepped up to be in the gap defense, his teammates would still continue to leave the rim open as if Davis was somehow still there LOL

[omphalosParticipant]

 Wiggins isn’t a great defender yet, but the tools are there and he’s shown flashes of his potential at that end.

Watching him lock up James Harden a few times comes to mind.

He’s got instincts, but might need some more weight, certainly. That said, he’s stronger than he looks.

 

 

[omphalosParticipant]

 Wiggins isn’t a great defender yet, but the tools are there and he’s shown flashes of his potential at that end.

Watching him lock up James Harden a few times comes to mind.

He’s got instincts, but might need some more weight, certainly. That said, he’s stronger than he looks.

 

 

[mowestenParticipant]

 Begs the question, if skinny defenders are overrated, are fat defenders underrated?

[mowestenParticipant]

 Begs the question, if skinny defenders are overrated, are fat defenders underrated?

[Author]

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