This topic contains 4 replies, has 5 voices, and was last updated by AvatarAvatar Hitster 5 years, 10 months ago.

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  • #68516
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    OhCanada-
    Participant

    Noone is really talking about him leading up to the draft but I think he deserves a mention. He scored 27 points in the combine and despite not testing well athletically is quite mobile for a 7’0 tall 275 pound guy with a 7’7 wingspan. At just 18 years old Udoka has only been playing ball for 5 years and he has been a physical presence for Kansas and a decent rim protector. His post moves and hook shot has developed well, he has good feet and could develop into a top notch rim running/screen setting energy big. He averaged 77% FG. His shooting is terrible and free throw percentage is well below 50% but I feel like if teams are willing to draft Robert Williams in the 1st round Azubuike should have similar value. He should enter the draft.

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  • #1117960
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    treytalkssports.com
    Participant

     There’s a guy who try to find correlation between the combine results and future success in the NBA. It’s pretty hit or miss, and correlation is not automatic. 

    However, he did find that big men nba prospects (top 60 players in the draft) who had at least a 9’2” standing reach and ran the 3/4 sprint in less than 3.2 seconds always succeeded in the NBA, with a potential for stardom. 

    Big men don’t typically have those numbers, or they don’t test at all, which is why I was surprised to see Azubuike fit that combine result.

     

     

     

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  • #1118033
    AvatarAvatar
    Dazzling Dunks and Basketball Bloopers
    Participant

    I think the main issue with azubuike is that his mobility and defensive instincts aren’t anywhere near the level he would need them to be in order to be a factor at the next level. While his physical measurements are impressive, he hasn’t shown any ability to defend in space, or effectively protect the rim without fouling. At Kansas he functioned mostly as a traditional back to basket big, which is basically extinct in today’s game. His length and size makes him intriguing as a roll man, but he’ll need to greatly improve his stamina and feel for the game to function in that role at the next level. And that’s without even getting to the fact that he’ll probably always be a liability on offense due to his horrendous foul shooting and inability to score outside of 5 feet.

    Azubuike has physical gifts you can’t teach and could have potential to be an impact player in the future with improved defensive awareness and conditioning. But make no mistake, he’s a huge project right now. He could be worth a second round pick in a team is willing to take a patient approach with no guarantee that that patience will ultimately pay off.

     

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  • #1118039
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    Memphis Madness
    Participant

     He’s a backup center.  Although I would project Moritz Wagner as a backup center, too.  

    With Udoka being your typical rebound/dunk/block shots backup center/hatchet man, while Moritz Wagner is a version of a new utility player that I like: the backup stretch 5 who can also rebound a bit and bang.  

    Stretch 5 off the bench is the new starting stretch 4/backup stretch 4.

    Shot blocking/dunking specialists used to come off the bench.  NOW they should START.

    Then bring your low-post goon off the bench.

    The prototype centers in this draft (projected) would be Mo Bamba, Jaren Jackson, Jr., with two of the milk carton bigs aka Robert Williams III (although maybe I like him more in a mini-twin towers lineup with a versatile, athletic big who can score a la AD, and maybe a GREAT pick and roll partner with Giannis), and Mitchell Robinson And The Magical Mystery Tour.

    You want a guy who can guard all 5 positions? Then you are looking more at a utility combo forward.  So whatever a rich man’s version of Miles Bridges is.  The regular man’s Miles Bridges projects as a 4th or 5th guy on a team with a really great Big 3 or a very good Big Four.  

    Forwards: now you have a small forward, a kinda-small forward, then your 3rd string forward.  Starting stretch 4 morphs into your kinda-small forward off the bench.  Your fourth forward is your emergency 3rd string point foward.  So, like Joe Johnson or somebody.  Your 13th man forward is 6’8 with a 7’3 wing span who can throw down dunks.  What does he do? He roams the baseline while you are running your guard/big pick and rolls/pick and pops aka the DJ Stephens position.  Your final forward spot goes to your string-bean 6’9/6’10 forward in the Jones Brothers position named after the infamous Jones Brothers aka Charles and Caldwell.  Basically your third string centers in a small ball regime.  ALSO KNOWN AS the Cureton Position.  

    Guards: 3 guard rotation being optimal.  Anything more than that is a luxury.  Then you better not be paying your 4th guard more than the MLE.  Lead guard is a bigger point guard who can slash, pick, roll, hit the 3, score, pass, and dribble.  The Klay Guard is, well, … then your third guard is your fourth most important position behind (hopefully) two unicorn superstar guards and your unicorn superstar big.  I am not paying an over-priced flawed starting small forward to get me 12/4 in 30 minutes a night.  Would rather spend my money on a flawed (but fairly priced or under priced) combo guard who can get me 12/4 in 20 minutes.  3rd and D point guard aka the scrappy, defendy 3rd string point guard is the new scrappy, defendy, backup 3 and D wing who couldn’t actually do either one.  5th guard: the 6’5 YMCA looking dude who can hit an 18 footer once a week, get a rebound, and smack James Harden in the face — also hands out a mean cup of Gatorade, can wave a towl like a champ — bonus points for any gray hairs.  Your pudgy 6’5 YMCA version of ML Carr also doubles as your third string center.  

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

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  • #1118044
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    Hitster
    Participant

    According to this site’s draft combine analysis he finished last in every running and agility drill. As the writer rather politely put it “It seems to take his mind time to process just how to move his body”.

    In today’s fast paced NBA he’d get caught out of position especially if marking a perimeter orientated big, who would spin away from him and get in free shots.

    That said he does have huge side so a team like Philly with several 2nd rounders may take a punt on him.

    I’d think he is clearly the sort of player who should stay in college and look to develop, he is only 18 years old and playing under a top coach in Bill Self and seeing regular playing time with the Jayhawks is surely better than sitting on the end of an NBA bench.

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