[AwardedBallerParticipant]

Sophomore:

Junior:

Senior:

Freshman:

Sophomore: http://a.espncdn.com/photo/2010/0208/recruit_i_muhammed_200.jpg
Junior: http://www.highschoolhoop.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/08/rsz_shabazz-muhammad-1.jpg
Senior: https://encrypted-tbn2.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcRUcZ_KlB-YZ_1Z_EUVf1VUZ8yiZVun1PG257OLPvcSogVElfKyJg
Freshman: http://i.cdn.turner.com/si/multimedia/photo_gallery/1211/cbb-10-best-players-pac-12/images/shabazz-muhammad.jpg

Lately, people on this site have said Shabazz Muhammad’s game digressed, and it seems like it has honestly. In my opinion this has a lot to do with his athleticisim, it seems like he’s lost a step in his athleticisim due to his weight gain and loss. He was an athletic freak throughout high school, but once stepping on UCLA campus he became slower. Does anyone think if he becomes the athlete he was that he will be able to dominate in the NBA in a way he did high school?

[SiggyParticipant]

Shabazz was never a freak athlete. His length and strength compared to his competition made him look more athletic than he really was.

[HaleParticipant]

This. I watched each video and not once did I say “wow this guy’s an insane athlete”.

[phila9012Participant]

Yea, you can tell he isnt super athlete in high school, and a lot of his scoring was because he has long arms and he is strong. That just means he is at best a second option in the NBA. You cant really compare how athletic guys look in high school to how athletic they are compared to players in the NBA. Every NBA player was the most athletic guy on his high school team.

[Beard13Participant]

Muhammad is still athletic but i think the reason why he looks average is because he is playing Div I ball at a top program school going against future players in the NBA or overseas. I like Muhammad but my question is can he be a player you build around or a player who can be a key piece on a contender but not the main guy.

[Olynyk 4 NPOY]

Even in HS he operated like a combo forward.

[BenchWarmerParticipant]

… no comment

[Yandyhere2Participant]

Shut up. Bazz is not even close to playing or operating like a 3/4 just shutup.

[Chilbert arenasParticipant]

Am I the only one that hates when getting fouled is in a highlight reel?

[FastAndFuriousParticipant]

This guy said Bazz is a 3/4 lmaoooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo

[alex23Participant]

hes def. lost some quickness and speed running up and down , hes still not to me , in a 100 percent shape lets hope by the time the combine arrives he gets closer to where he was athletically in high school

[HotSnotParticipant]

Bazz’s body type and prowess in all his vids never shouted super athletic. At his peak, grading out of 10, I’d give him an 8 or 8.5 being very generous. At the moment he’s looking like a 7 or a bit less… which is ok if you have the skill level to back it up against NBA defenders. Not one impressive jump or demonstration of speed in his college vid.

[Mr. 19134Participant]

Should of titled this De-Evolution based on your argument.

I think the combination of going from high school to a much better Pac-12 and getting hurt before the season starts combined with huge expectations has warped people’s perception. I don’t think Bazz was ever considered a “Freak Athlete” but his combination of strength and speed did make him a “Special Athlete” He got hurt and put on weight which has clearly affected his athleticism.

I also don’t think he’s %100 healthy but has no intentions of staying in school so he’s toughing it out. Bazz is only a freshman and has one of the strongest work ethics in the nation, so I think his ceiling is extremely high.

Bazz will be a 20ppg scorer in the NBA.

[JoeJoParticipant]

Bass has more than enough athletic ability to match up with most of the 2-guards. It really annoys me when shooting guards are considered universally faster and quicker than small forwards. The main difference between the positions is size, not skill level, especially not shooting ability, not handles, it’s mostly just size.

The current starting 2-guards are:

Randy Foye
Wesley Matthews (slower than Batum)
Thabo Sefolosha (Slower than Durant)
Jared Dudley or PJ Tucker (who the heck is considered the 2-guard there and damn there’s not much quickness there)
Iguodala (who just last season was considered a SF, whatever that means)
Danny Green and Ginobili has to be thrown in here because he’s very important to their team
Tony Allen
Eric Gordon
OJ Mayo
James Harden
Tyreke Evans
Kobe
Chauncey (formerly Willie Green)
Klay Thompson
Bradley Beal
Arron Afflalo
Wade
Gerald Henderson
Devin Harris
Monta Ellis
Lance Stephenson
Dion Waiters
Brandon Knight
Richard Hamilton
Derozan
Evan Turner
Iman Shumpert or Jason Kidd currently
Joe Johnson
Courtney Lee

I don’t see a player Muhammad will be hopelessly too slow to guard.

[HotSnotParticipant]

I do. NBA players are fast and strong. Joe Johnson would eat Bazz. James Harden, Kobe, Wade…even a guy like Evans. There’s quite a few on that list actually.

Even if Bazz isn’t “hopelessly too slow to guard” these guys and is merely adequate, he will still be responsible for a positional disadvantage when he’s on the floor.

On offense Bazz should be able to get his shot off but he will struggle to seperate on his own from sticky defenders which could turn him into a chucker.

I’ve asked this before,

What is Bazz’s role in the NBA? Scorer? Do you believe he’ll be given a green light? Defender? Spot up shooter? Facilitator? What is going to be Bazz’s bread and butter that makes coaches want to go with him over an established veteran?

Its the NBA and Bazz is not 7ft. He can’t just be good, he has to be great.

[JoeJoParticipant]

Who is faster/quicker, shooting guards or small forwards:

Wade and Lebron (Push)
Kobe and Artest (SG)
Lee and Pierce (SG)
Joe Johnson and Gerald Wallace (SF)
Iman Shumpert and Kidd or Carmelo (whoever)
Derozan and Gay (Tie? Maybe slightly SG)
Evan Turner and Nick Young (Tie)
Hamilton and Deng (SG
Waiters and Gee (Tie, maybe SF)
Afflalo and Harkless (SF)
Durant and Sefolosha (SF)
Tony Allen and Prince (SG)
Gordon and Aminu (SF)
Harden and Parsons (SG)
Matthews and Batum (Batum)
Green and Leonard (Tie)
Foye and Marvin Williams (SG)
Iguodala and Gallinari (SG)
Beal and Webster (tie?)
Evans and Salmons (SG)
Thompson and Barnes (tie)

[theballerwayParticipant]

his jumper looks tight and fairly effective when he takes ‘good’ shots. thats his evolution not this run and jump business but skill. The skill he need to show most to operate as a 2 guard.
Just saying

[omphalosParticipant]

Yeah Bazz is a great shooter off the catch; he can elevate really quickly and get clean looks, he can also beast on the boards some.

He’s definitely limited by his athleticism right now, but let’s not forget the record Howland has with getting his players in shape; Howland said he wanted Bazz to gain weight after losing a few pounds due to the flu, but he certainly didn’t put muscle back on.

Once Bazz is in an NBA training program and has the time to work on his health in the off-season he could take off. His work ethic and self-belief are such that I don’t think he’ll have a problem reaching his potential (which remains sky-high IMO).

Also, people have got to get out of this mentality that Bazz is a terrible defender, he is rarely blown by, he doesn’t gamble for steals and he’s usually there to contest the shot. So while he’s not going to be a disruptive defender, he’s certainly competent at the very least, and that competence will only improve once his conditioning does.

If I’m Charlotte, I’m gunning for Bazz no matter what it takes, here is a guy with the size, skill and fire to benefit from Michael Jordan’s mentoring. MJ has helped Henderson be a better player, but Henderson for all his gifts doesn’t have the mindset of a star, and while MKG has the competitive fire, he’s severely lacking in the offensive skills required to be a star, and that jumper is just as broke now as it was in college. While Bazz is left-hand dominant at the moment, improving your handle is the easiest thing to do, and he already has that great shot.

I was begging for Charlotte to take Barnes last year, but it wasn’t meant to be, so I’m hoping Bazz can breathe some fire into that lacklustre franchise.

[JoeWolf1]

He’s not a bad defender because he doesn’t fill up the stat sheet. Doug McDermott has the same style, and similarly doesn’t put up big block and steal stats. They stand their ground and don’t gamble, there is nothing wrong with that kind of defense.

[JoeWolf1]

Watch out!!! the Bazz homers won’t stand for this dissenting opinion!!!!

[Author]

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