[steviechillzParticipant]

Somebody brought up a great point in a post today as a joke, but when I think about it, it actually makes sense.  Watching Jabari Parker on the offensive end is a thing of beauty. 6"8, LONG Forward who can score in a variety of ways and can even handle the ball and make plays simillar to a PG. 

 

Then I saw this comment today, "Jabari made SLO-MO Anderson look quick".  And to be honest it’s true. Can Parker guard 50% of the starting SF’s in the league?  IMO, no, at least right now.  He does not have quick feet on defense, when you look at him he is no faster than a PF in the NBA, he can block and defend slower players at the college level, but in all honesty I don’t think he could handle even a Jeff Green at the next level, let alone guys like Paul George, Lebron, Melo.

 

Am I wrong? Or will Jabari be able to handle the quickness and athleticim at the next level?  IMO I think he could work on his conditioning and either lose a few pounds or maybe consider being a PF.  Either way I am rooting for him and I hope he can exceed in the NBA, just wanted to know what yall think about him guarding players in the NBA.

[LindseyParticipant]

 He definitely can and will improve defensively, but I think it will be based mostly off improving court awareness on that side of the ball, and improving things like positioning and footwork. Athleticsm is one of the hardest thing to really improve upon in the league, especially with things like first step and lateral agility. 

[LindseyParticipant]

 He definitely can and will improve defensively, but I think it will be based mostly off improving court awareness on that side of the ball, and improving things like positioning and footwork. Athleticsm is one of the hardest thing to really improve upon in the league, especially with things like first step and lateral agility. 

[aaucoachParticipant]

 what player handles lebron,melo, etc lol..if anderson could move like parker,he would be the 1st pick in whatever draft he declared.the only thing people can nitpick parker on is athleticism,so of course people are gonna do that death.

[steviechillzParticipant]

I ain’t trying to nit pick, I think it’s a legit concern if you’re gunna take him #1. I don’t think he’s the worst defender out there, but the dude does need work.  Plenty of guys who are considered "slow" or not as atheltic as the rest can make it as a great defensive player in this league and improve on defense ala, Paul Pierce.

[aaucoachParticipant]

 athleticism is not a legit concern for parker.he has many highlight reel dunks,coast to coast plays,and not to mention he is dukes best shot blocker.dude avgs 8 boards and a block.he is already solid defensively playing out of position at the 4.everybody should be encouraged by the fact he actually blocks shots.he is no less athletic than a guy like luol deng who has been a standout so far in the league

[B-ball fanParticipant]

 I’m not sure the issue is a blanket lack of athleticism.  He just looks a little out of place on defense at times.  Whether it is a lack of anticipation and court awareness or a simple lack of footspeed, he often is a step slow on defense.  And he certainly lacks physicality on that end of the floor, getting worked in the post often.  Even if he has a few big dunks, he doesn’t really showcase that athleticism on defense.  Plus, his length, body control, and coordination are much more impressive tattributes of his than his explosiveness.

Still, I think Parker can definitely become at least a passable defender at the 3 who can swing over to the 4 situationally.  He has a nice feel for the game on offense and makes some very nice plays on defense at times.  He does use his length well to block shots sometimes, although his big block games do seem to be mostly against smaller/overmatched opponents.  I think his focus and stamina are probably not where they need to be right now, but that could definitely improve if he improves his conditioning.

[B-ball fanParticipant]

 I’m not sure the issue is a blanket lack of athleticism.  He just looks a little out of place on defense at times.  Whether it is a lack of anticipation and court awareness or a simple lack of footspeed, he often is a step slow on defense.  And he certainly lacks physicality on that end of the floor, getting worked in the post often.  Even if he has a few big dunks, he doesn’t really showcase that athleticism on defense.  Plus, his length, body control, and coordination are much more impressive tattributes of his than his explosiveness.

Still, I think Parker can definitely become at least a passable defender at the 3 who can swing over to the 4 situationally.  He has a nice feel for the game on offense and makes some very nice plays on defense at times.  He does use his length well to block shots sometimes, although his big block games do seem to be mostly against smaller/overmatched opponents.  I think his focus and stamina are probably not where they need to be right now, but that could definitely improve if he improves his conditioning.

[aaucoachParticipant]

 athleticism is not a legit concern for parker.he has many highlight reel dunks,coast to coast plays,and not to mention he is dukes best shot blocker.dude avgs 8 boards and a block.he is already solid defensively playing out of position at the 4.everybody should be encouraged by the fact he actually blocks shots.he is no less athletic than a guy like luol deng who has been a standout so far in the league

[steviechillzParticipant]

I ain’t trying to nit pick, I think it’s a legit concern if you’re gunna take him #1. I don’t think he’s the worst defender out there, but the dude does need work.  Plenty of guys who are considered "slow" or not as atheltic as the rest can make it as a great defensive player in this league and improve on defense ala, Paul Pierce.

[aaucoachParticipant]

 what player handles lebron,melo, etc lol..if anderson could move like parker,he would be the 1st pick in whatever draft he declared.the only thing people can nitpick parker on is athleticism,so of course people are gonna do that death.

[TarHeelRavenParticipant]

 Jabari is a mediocre defender at best.  A lot of this is because he is asked to guard post guys for the other team.  He is playing out of position a lot because Duke lacks any sort of post presence and he is getting stuck on Centers on the post.  I thought that he would have to play out of position this season because of Duke’s lack of size inside. Daniel Miller of Georgia Tech posted him up several times and made him look silly on one fake.  He was beat routinely on rotations at Notre Dame and was dunked on for a late roation one time.  Coach K has always been thought of as a defensive coach that has had strong defensive teams, but his teams the last 3-4 years have been really bad defensively compared to what Duke has been accustomed to.  Jabari is very gifted offensively, but really looks lost on the defensive end.  He will struggle in the league without question.  He might improve some, but he’ll always be a pretty weak defender.  

[TarHeelRavenParticipant]

 Jabari is a mediocre defender at best.  A lot of this is because he is asked to guard post guys for the other team.  He is playing out of position a lot because Duke lacks any sort of post presence and he is getting stuck on Centers on the post.  I thought that he would have to play out of position this season because of Duke’s lack of size inside. Daniel Miller of Georgia Tech posted him up several times and made him look silly on one fake.  He was beat routinely on rotations at Notre Dame and was dunked on for a late roation one time.  Coach K has always been thought of as a defensive coach that has had strong defensive teams, but his teams the last 3-4 years have been really bad defensively compared to what Duke has been accustomed to.  Jabari is very gifted offensively, but really looks lost on the defensive end.  He will struggle in the league without question.  He might improve some, but he’ll always be a pretty weak defender.  

[llperez]

ive seen duke twice and one of those games was the ucla game you mentioned in the op.

I love jabari’s game. Based on what I have seen around the nation, I could see jabari going first. IM not nitpicking his skills. But it is true he made kyle Anderson look quick. I mean Anderson really had to work hs butt off yesterday to get by aaron Gordon of zona and pretty never just flat out blew by Gordon. But vs parker, Anderson was able to completely beat him off the dribble and blow by him a few times. That has to be a bit of a concern. But maybe he has looked good defensively vs other guys and just was caught off guard that night?

[llperez]

ive seen duke twice and one of those games was the ucla game you mentioned in the op.

I love jabari’s game. Based on what I have seen around the nation, I could see jabari going first. IM not nitpicking his skills. But it is true he made kyle Anderson look quick. I mean Anderson really had to work hs butt off yesterday to get by aaron Gordon of zona and pretty never just flat out blew by Gordon. But vs parker, Anderson was able to completely beat him off the dribble and blow by him a few times. That has to be a bit of a concern. But maybe he has looked good defensively vs other guys and just was caught off guard that night?

[Tongue-Out-Like-23Participant]

I think people take athleticism too much into account.  

When you look at guys like Thabo Sefolosha, Chandler Parsons, early Ron Artest, even Ray Allen and Paul Pierce, they aren’t necessarily ultra athletic, they’re average, yet are still solid defenders.

Parker doesn’t have elite defensive/shut-down potential, but I don’t see why he can’t be a solid defender a la Grant Hill.

There are four things you need to be an elite defender: athleticism, wingspan, timing, and footwork.  I don’t see why Parker can’t be a solid defender if he already has a nice wingspan and would simply need to work on his timing and footwork.

[aaucoachParticipant]

all those guys you named were actually elite athletes in h.s and college lol.peirce in particular.in h.s,ron artest won the nyc dunk contest.

 

http://www.youtube.com/watch

[butidonthavemoney]

Doesn’t make his point any less valid. You don’t need elite athleticism to be an great wing defender in the NBA. It certainly helps, but it isn’t necessary. I’d even say the same thing about length. Look at Jared Dudley, for example. He’s 6’7" with a 6’7" wingspan and below average athleticism, but he’s respected in the league for his defense. Bruce Bowen is another example. He had great footspeed and anticipation, but wasn’t particularly big or athletic. Larry Bird was one of the best defenders in the league with a below average physical toolset as well. Jabari Parker is bigger, longer and a better leaper than any of the above, but defense goes way beyond athleticism and size.

That being said, watching Parker defensively leaves much to be desired. He gets beat off the dribble by collegiate power fowards, which does not bode well for his future as a small forward in the NBA. He may have a Carmelo-kind of impact in that he’ll score points and force defenses to adjust to him, but unlike his Kansas-counterpart, he does not have the athletic profile of a championship caliber small forward. Look at every contending team in the league right now and their respective small forward (Miami, LeBron James; Indiana, Paul George; San Antonio, Kawhi Leonard; Portland, Nicolas Batum; Oklahoma City, Kevin Durant). There’s an obvious trend and I don’t know if I’m comfortable with Parker against any of them in a seven game series.

[aaucoachParticipant]

 exactly my point.which is why i said his athleticism is not an issue

 

 what college power forwards are beating him off the dribble?i just have not seen that.of course ive seen late rotations,and lazy defense,but he is a freshman.defense is 1 of those things that really get better as you get older and learn the nuances of the game.as much as you want to ask"who can he guard",flip the question around.who can guard him.

[aaucoachParticipant]

 exactly my point.which is why i said his athleticism is not an issue

 

 what college power forwards are beating him off the dribble?i just have not seen that.of course ive seen late rotations,and lazy defense,but he is a freshman.defense is 1 of those things that really get better as you get older and learn the nuances of the game.as much as you want to ask"who can he guard",flip the question around.who can guard him.

[butidonthavemoney]

Doesn’t make his point any less valid. You don’t need elite athleticism to be an great wing defender in the NBA. It certainly helps, but it isn’t necessary. I’d even say the same thing about length. Look at Jared Dudley, for example. He’s 6’7" with a 6’7" wingspan and below average athleticism, but he’s respected in the league for his defense. Bruce Bowen is another example. He had great footspeed and anticipation, but wasn’t particularly big or athletic. Larry Bird was one of the best defenders in the league with a below average physical toolset as well. Jabari Parker is bigger, longer and a better leaper than any of the above, but defense goes way beyond athleticism and size.

That being said, watching Parker defensively leaves much to be desired. He gets beat off the dribble by collegiate power fowards, which does not bode well for his future as a small forward in the NBA. He may have a Carmelo-kind of impact in that he’ll score points and force defenses to adjust to him, but unlike his Kansas-counterpart, he does not have the athletic profile of a championship caliber small forward. Look at every contending team in the league right now and their respective small forward (Miami, LeBron James; Indiana, Paul George; San Antonio, Kawhi Leonard; Portland, Nicolas Batum; Oklahoma City, Kevin Durant). There’s an obvious trend and I don’t know if I’m comfortable with Parker against any of them in a seven game series.

[aaucoachParticipant]

all those guys you named were actually elite athletes in h.s and college lol.peirce in particular.in h.s,ron artest won the nyc dunk contest.

 

http://www.youtube.com/watch

[MopgrassParticipant]

Also, there’s more than one facet to athleticism itself. Some guys are crazy fast, but take a minute to get going, and are actually slow running short distances. Some need to run full speed to jump high, some guys launch instantly. Some can do a great second jump quickly, some have to gather. Some have insane reflexes. Some are slow laterally.

Saying someone has good or bad athleticism is extremely subjective because the guy with the greatest jumping ability can have slow reflexes, take forever to gather, and have poor lateral movement. People keep saying "athleticism" as though it means one thing.

It’s hard to learn these traits, you’re usually born with it. But if you can learn it, I’d bet Jabari figures it out.

[MopgrassParticipant]

Also, there’s more than one facet to athleticism itself. Some guys are crazy fast, but take a minute to get going, and are actually slow running short distances. Some need to run full speed to jump high, some guys launch instantly. Some can do a great second jump quickly, some have to gather. Some have insane reflexes. Some are slow laterally.

Saying someone has good or bad athleticism is extremely subjective because the guy with the greatest jumping ability can have slow reflexes, take forever to gather, and have poor lateral movement. People keep saying "athleticism" as though it means one thing.

It’s hard to learn these traits, you’re usually born with it. But if you can learn it, I’d bet Jabari figures it out.

[Tongue-Out-Like-23Participant]

I think people take athleticism too much into account.  

When you look at guys like Thabo Sefolosha, Chandler Parsons, early Ron Artest, even Ray Allen and Paul Pierce, they aren’t necessarily ultra athletic, they’re average, yet are still solid defenders.

Parker doesn’t have elite defensive/shut-down potential, but I don’t see why he can’t be a solid defender a la Grant Hill.

There are four things you need to be an elite defender: athleticism, wingspan, timing, and footwork.  I don’t see why Parker can’t be a solid defender if he already has a nice wingspan and would simply need to work on his timing and footwork.

[Jester87Participant]

Defense is not going to be a concern early in his career in my opinion. He’ll presumably go to a bad team, so he’ll have the chance to be their best offensive player and they will need his production immediately. Think of Carmelo, Glenn Robinson, they were all bad defenders coming in but that didn’t stop them from playing 30+ minutes, averaging 20+ points etc. Defense however would tell us how high his ceiling will be, if he can be a franchise player for a contender or "only" a great scorer.

[Jester87Participant]

Defense is not going to be a concern early in his career in my opinion. He’ll presumably go to a bad team, so he’ll have the chance to be their best offensive player and they will need his production immediately. Think of Carmelo, Glenn Robinson, they were all bad defenders coming in but that didn’t stop them from playing 30+ minutes, averaging 20+ points etc. Defense however would tell us how high his ceiling will be, if he can be a franchise player for a contender or "only" a great scorer.

[Author]

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