[valentine]

i wanted a legit source for his wingspan so i checked his latest measurements…

he’s 7’0.25 BARE FOOT which would make him around 7’2 feet with shoes. in addition to the largest wingspan EVER recorded at 7’9 feet, and a standing reach of about 10 feet tell.

 

 

.

.

[he_gets_bucketsParticipant]

 if his standing reach was 10 foot he’d be holding onto the ring

[JoeWolf1]

Your standing reach with one hand is higher than your standing reach with two.

[F_S]

 he’s wearing sandals and standing reach is measured till the tip of your middle finger, not how far you can grab anything.

if i had to take i guess i’d say 9.4-9.6, which is "about 10 feet tall".

[Wahoo757Participant]

 You’re a couple months late on this. Just about everyone on this site knows this already.

[romei838Participant]

wow

[mikeyvthedonParticipant]

"about 7 feet tall"? Why not just say, "I am guessing his standing reach might be amongst the tallest ever recorded as well" instead? Gobert is definitely an intriguing prospect and received a lot of hype at the European Camp this year (especially from the site that shall not be named). Here are some facts about him that maybe say he has a little ways to go:

• European U20’s he was the leading rebounder for France at 7.0 rpg and was the leading shot blocker in the tournament averaging 3.9 bpg. However, was the 5th leading scorer on the team after Leo Westermann (PG, who was a definite leader for this years Hoop Summit squad in their short time together), Axel Toupane, Louis Labeyrie and Livio Jean-Charles. Labeyrie and Jean-Charles also averaged more offensive rebounds per game than Gobert. That does not mean that Gobert is not the best PROSPECT of the group, but shows he has some work to do. Gobert made the All-Tournament team for 2nd place France (along with Westermann), just stating his offense appears to be well behind his defense. Averaging 7.6 ppg in the tournament was fine, but one might hope for more from a guy hyped as a high lottery pick next year.

 

• As BTPH always brings up (for good reason), Gobert has yet to really stand out as a pro. Yes, he is young and developing, but his pro performance leaves some to be desired. Playing in the French Pro A League last year, he averaged 4.3 ppg, 3.6 rpg and 1.2 bpg in 13.3 mpg over 30 games (12.9 ppg/10.8 rpg/3.6 bpg, not bad, but than again he is playing nowhere near 40 mpg and he would be close to fouling out if doing so as he averaged 1.5 fpg as well). He shot a very impressive 75.6% FG, though only took 2.6 shots per game. Meanwhile, he only shot 40.9% from the FT stripe. In Eurocup (which is the tournament below Euroleague, though still having fairly high level teams from all over Europe), Gobert played 6 games averaging slightly more minutes (13.8 mpg). However, while boosting his rebounding a tad to 4.3 rpg, he only averaged 2.2 ppg, almost as many points as fouls (2 fpg). He shot 45.5% FG and was again under 50% from the stripe at 42.9% FT. Again, just food for thought when projecting him, he does have a new year coming up where he will hopefully show improvement. Just think that these numbers might not be as common knowledge as his height and wingspan after the European Camp.

 

• It is difficult not to look at Rudy Gobert and at least think about Alexis Ajinca. Ajinca had a 7’8.75 wingspan and a 9’4 standing reach, both maybe a tad shorter than Gobert’s. Ajinca was incredibly thin as well, maybe even more so than Gobert, but he entered the draft at the same age Gobert is right now. He played in two Hoop Summits, the first as a somewhat complimentary player (as Nicolas Batum starred in that game for the Internationals) and in the second game he lead the team in scoring (was there, he outscored Serge Ibaka and was clearly their go-to guy for the game). Ajinca went 20th in the 2008 Draft to the Bobcats and never seemed to thrive in the NBA. He was much to perimeter oriented for a player of his size and never really felt comfortable being an NBA center. Gobert is apparently slightly different and more willing to do the dirty work. One thing I will say is, Ajinca went back to France and is putting up numbers (14.7/6/2.3 bpg through 19 games in 26 mpg). Chances are, Gobert would be even more so by the time he is Ajinca’s age. The only question is, will he not face some of the same issues Ajinca faced in the NBA? Will he be a willing defender and will he not be an offensive liability? Just things you have to think about.

Just wanted to point some of these things out. If Gobert is indeed the 4th best prospect in your eyes, what are your expectations of him down the line. Why does he rank above Steven Adams, is it his length over Adams strength? We know that Gobert has legit height and length, but what makes him the best player after Muhammad, Noel and Zeller in your eyes? This is what I think people want to know rather than the insane (and true, but still obviously freakish) measurements we heard before the 2012 Draft.

[McDunkin]

 Rudy>Nerlens

[F_S]

why don’t YOU give a scouting report instead of going over his stats since you know so much about him… i saw his stats already!

i would take him 4th right now mainly because he is a physical specimen and his upside, (which is the main reason to have him so high). yes, he’s very raw indeed, but so are adams and nerlens, and cody is skilled but not athletic.

gobert is not an athletic freak but he is athletic is his own rights. he has good mobility, a very quick jump together with quick feet on defense and sense of timing. he’s major alley oop threat as (opposed to adams), and under the hoop is almost a guaranteed dunk, steve adams is not explosive and finishes below the rim.

is not like gobert looks stiff out there on offense, and i would go out on a limb and say he’s more polished than nerlens as far as having a softer touch under the rim.

 i cant really go too much in-depth cuss i haven’t seen him play a full game. but i say this, picture gobert in CBB, say kentucky. imo he would dominate on defense and would get about 12 points 10 rebs and 3 blocks on like 60% in 30 mins of action. scoring basically off dump-offs and alley oops. 

even thought he’s not the strongest, his frame looks like it can take more weight than nerlerns for example, or isaiah austin.

 

 

[mikeyvthedonParticipant]

I see that any time I say anything to you, the thing you are more often than not is defensive. Let me just say, I have thought about Rudy Gobert playing for Kentucky and if he had when he was the same age as Anthony Davis or Nerlens Noel, I am not sure he does what you say. Lets reverse the scenarios and see whether Nerlens could have done what he did in France and for France? I certainly see it as being possible. Both are really offensively, I feel Nerlens Noel is the quicker and a better athlete. I am not so sure Gobert can hold more weight than Nerlens, time will tell.

It is not as much of a competition as you are trying to make it. I think I am among the many posters who are hoping to see possible improvement in the quality of your posts, which is entirely possible if you put the smallest bit more effort forward. Instead, you seem to get defensive and keep doing the same things that have not gotten you the results you are looking for. To say Cody Zeller is not athletic is not a statement I agree with in the least. Guess you missed this article:

http://aol.sportingnews.com/ncaa-basketball/story/2012-07-03/nba-draft-cody-zeller-jared-sullinger-perry-jones-james-michael-mcadoo

Who knows if Zeller’s vert is actually 39 inches (hell, anything over 30 for a player his size is pretty damn athletic), I know the kid can move like his older brother. Tyler Zeller was always commended for his ability to run the floor and Cody does it just as well if not better. He may not have the strength of a Steven Adams (atleast when he puts things together) or the length/lateral quickness of a Nerlens Noel, but Zeller is a great athlete. I am not so sure Gobert projects to be better than these guys right now. All I can go off is what I have seen and heard, much like you. I think your "scouting report" is about as good as mine.

Rudy Gobert is a tall, fairly mobile 7 footer with albatross length. He is a decent rebounder, solid shot blocker and a willing post defender who would be much better with added girth. His offense is incredibly limited and his range is not really existent at this time. One would like to see improvement from Gobert as an offensive rebounder, where his lack of strength limits him from getting as many as would hope at this time. He certainly has qualities one would look for in a potential NBA center, just has a lot of work to do on finishing with either hand, playing with continued intensity and bringing the same aggression he showed this summer to the pro level.

Remember, he would be basically a college sophomore or junior, which I think one has to take into account when comparing the projections you had for him this season to what one expects from Nerlens Noel (who is two years younger than Gobert). Gobert could be better than Nerlens, entirely possible. Guess I have seen more of Nerlens than Gobert and from what I have seen of Gobert, I am not sure he is really a better long term prospect. Admit I could be wrong, just do not know why you are so defensive every time I give a suggestion. Realize you may see it as "hate" rather than possible help and constructive criticism, just would maybe hope you could see it as the latter.

 

 

[TRC1991Participant]

did anyone else see the 215 right by his head and think momentarily that it was his weight? lol

[HaleParticipant]

Haha yeah I did.

[F_S]

trust me, no competition here bud. and yea, i did take it defensively. because im trying to share his measurements (which i didnt know people was aware of, zach.) and you’re telling me people doesn’t care about his freakish measurements but rather my actual opinion on why i would put him at 4th. i thought you’re were trying to tell me that i don’t know anything and im just putting him so high because his measurement. 

zeller is strong and has great frame with elite mobility, by not being athletic i meant more like explosive. he’s a ok athlete and i cant really say he’s not athletic, but he’s def not a great one. he constantly finishes below the rim when he’s under the basket. and i bet that not only does he not have a 39 inch vert, the max vert that he does show in testings will not be the same one he displays mid games, (you know, one of those cases). 

i never suggested rudy was a better long term prospect than noel, and noel is without a doubt more athletic than gobert.

 

[mikeyvthedonParticipant]

I for one just wanted to know why you posted this about Gobert as opposed to telling why you like him as a prospect beyond this. I did not say people do not care about his measurements, just are probably more interested to know more about him as a player. John Riek has a 7’8.75 wingspan, he has huge issues with conditioning, mobility, basic fundamentals and injury. Gobert does not necessarily have the same issues, I just think if you would have kicked knowledge (as you said you already knew about all of his stats) instead of just posting the numbers, that people would respond very well.

Instead, you got defensive (even trying to defend the "around 10 feet" statement, which was not something I brought up) and made it seem competitive at the very least. Your user name you go by is "Future Scout". Why not work towards that goal in giving people a window into why you like these players? You have done scouting reports and write ups on guys, but why not try to make them like something you might read on one of these draft sites rather than all lower case letters? Just a suggestion, only trying to help and I think it would make this site much better if you tried to take the advice rather than see it as something to get defensive about.

[Bmore_DCParticipant]

 F_S give up your future plans of being a scout…maybe the -1586 points should help you…

[Lebron’s HairlineParticipant]

Gobert has all of these physical gifts but is not dominating his league. That’s a red flag for me. Remember saer sene? He had similar measurements as Rudy and look where he is now

[European BallerParticipant]

Name one single European draft pick of recent years that was "dominating". NBA only fans are ridiculous.

 

Gobert might not become good, but your level of judging is absurd. Many NBA starters were total scrubs in Europe before they were drafted. SCRUBS.

 

Sure the fuck none of them was "dominating". NONE OF THEM.

[ENOGSIWONdede]

   I think they just make the numbers up sometimes I see a draft site had Mike Mardesich with a 9.05 standing reach and I saw him touch a rim without jumping at summer camp.

 

But Manute Bol and Muresan should have longer wingspans than 7’9 anyway

[franfranParticipant]

Another Alexis Ajinca? 

Rudy Golbert is 7’2 Height and 7’9 Wingspan

Alexis Ajinca is 7’1 Heght and 7’8.75 Wingspan

[Anton123Participant]

Gobert was listed as 6’11 last year, which means he’s grown significantly over the year, he’s probably still adjusting to his body. Once he does adjust to his body he’ll need to get much stronger and will probably need time to adjust again. So basially Gobert is SUPER FAR from being a finished product.

He plays nothing like Ajinca who is a 7’1 jumpshooter afraid of the paint. Gobert actually has some moves (like a nice looking hook shot) and has no problem with getting in the paint.

The potential is there, he has a full year until the draft to work on his game and body, we’ll see what he does

[BothTeamsPlayedHardParticipant]

Cholet had a pair of preseason games last weekend.

[BothTeamsPlayedHardParticipant]

It is easy to see why he gets the early hype (his height and length stand out), but it is also impossible to ignore the fact that this isn’t Pau Gasol operating as the best player in the Euroleague.

[European BallerParticipant]

Pau Gasol was NOT "the best player in the Euroleague".

 

Please just stop this ridiculous NBA only fan bullshit.

[BothTeamsPlayedHardParticipant]

I guess I must have gotten it wrong that Pau Gasol only averaged 19 points per game in the Euroleague and hung 24-10 on PAOK the year before he was drafted. He had nothing on Vassilis Kavvadas, right? You are the guy who thinks Greek basketball clubs aren’t impacted by the financial crisis in that country, so of course you know all.

[TallmanNYCParticipant]

 No way Zeller puts up a 39 inch veritcal. But he should be a top draft pick. He was dominant a Freshman big man. That is rare. Sullinger should have gone a lot higher as well. He will do work this season and folks will need to recognize that he is a legit starting PF in the NBA on day one. 

I don’t care about a guy who is just tall if he doesn’t rebound and block shots. 

[ENOGSIWONdede]

 His vertical was about 34-35 it looked like last year in games, so maybe he got a little more athletic and had one real good jump for the test but can’t jump 39 consistently but I dont htink it is just completely made up or something.  White guys jump just as high as black guys and usually win high jumping medals, Tim Tebow is fat and he has a 38.5 inch vertical so why can’t zeller jump as high as him?

[Bad DogParticipant]

I wouldn’t want to be the GM who drafts Gobert in the lotto. Jobs are lost over draft picks like him. I’d be comfortable taking him around 20 if I wanted to take a gamble but lotto is too risky for prospect like him. He’s very raw and the chances of him becoming a bust are too great to use a lotto pick on him.

[slepchorParticipant]

 First of all, rudy gobert might share a similar bodytype with ajinca but that’s it. I have seen plenty of both, and rudy is a big man with a big man’s game. His feet are much quicker than ajinca’s, he bangs with people in the lows post on offence (not too often but he is still 215 lbs or so) and does not settle at 15 feet out for easy jumpers. He is going to be a center. Provided he gets drafted next year, the only thing he has to do is to work on his post game, add 30 lbs of weight and he will be able to utilize his freakish body against nba guys. I don’t see him coming back to europe anytime soon. And it is not a bad thing that he is going to be 21 either, maturity comes with age and having played as a pro in france, he will only need 2-3 years to reach his full potential, which is really scary. As for the other guys mentioned, I really think steven adams is going to dominate. The guy (though constantly registered at 6’10….) is tall, as we have seen in the photo with dwight, and he has the body of a 25 year-old before even going to college.. Everything is there for him, and I believe that if he stays injury free he is going to kill in the nba. Cody zeller has a natural feel for the game of basketball. Period. Even if he had a 9 inch vertical he would still be efficient. He easily dominated meyers leonard, and he was still a freshman. Rumor has it that he is around 7 feet and 245 now, so no one (except maybe adams or noel) will be able to stop him this year. I consider him as a mix of lamarcus aldridge and tim duncan (wait don’t kill me, I meant his mental approach and love for the pure post game). Nerlens noel on the other hand, will average 3 blocks per game this year, will rebound quite well and also score 4-5 baskets a game because he plays for kentucky, but that’s all. Unless he wants to be the american version of serge ibaka (not that it’s a bad thing..), he really really has to obtain a post game. He is 6’11, for god shake.

[lwokesaParticipant]

why don’t YOU give a scouting report instead of going over his stats since you know so much about him… i saw his stats already!

[SiggyParticipant]

 I’m usually not crazy about guys with his body type: skinny with long legs and high center of gravity because it’s easier to root them out of position and get leverage on them, but I do like how Gobert knows his place on the court.  He’s not that skilled so he doesn’t try to venture out of the paint, which keeps him in position for garbage buckets and o-boards.

[HitsterParticipant]

 He did look good in the Olympics but would need a great body of work to get ahead of Noel and Adams in next years’ draft in my opinion. He is an elite prospect but I don’t see him being stronger than Adams whose half sister won the shot at this year’s Olympics and if Steve Adams has any of the same genetics as her then he will be a monster.

But as I always say about any prospect it only takes one GM to like you and if Rudy does measure out at this monster size at the combine then there is a good chance someone takes a punt on him. He deserves to be a lottery pick but maybe not in top 5 as the expectations there are so high down in say 7 to 10 range he’d be a bit more comfortable IMO. 

[BothTeamsPlayedHardParticipant]

Hitster, Gobert didn’t play in the Olympics. He played in the U20 European Championships.
 

http://u20men.fibaeurope.com/en/cid_FW2Ym8GSJEAe2vpbWdQMR0.pageID_sniZ4BmSGQQLlPeL-EMh33.compID_UIfgjyQcGqk-fPlnl66Tj0.season_2012.roundID_8745.teamID_282.html

I also doubt Steven Adams will have much of an impact at Pitt this year, though I can probably say that until I am blue in the face and nobody will seem to care that the recent history of freshman big men in the Big East is largely miserable and can only be matched by that of foreign national freshmen.
 

I also disagree about the deserving to be a lottery pick. A player who deserves to be a lottery pick is someone who can help a bad team get better. Simply being extremely tall and long doesn’t do that, especially when the player is as thin and raw as Gobert. I think there is value in him as someone who can stay in France for another few years and then with more experience and weight might be able to stick in the NBA.  

[HitsterParticipant]

Thanks for pointing out that Gobert played in Euro’s under 20’s and not the Olympics, my mistake. As BTPH says above, a lottery pick certainly a high one should be a player that helps a team improve but on what time scale is the great mystery. Big men prospects often take longer to develop and need time, ideally for NBA teams this developing is done before they get drafted as much as possible.

All prospects need time but players need to start contributing by their 2nd year if they are a high draft pick I always think, players like Favours and Kanter may have been developed slower as they are playing behind a couple of good NBA starters but both are showing good development for example. The days of drafting a big man on hope for example Sene at Seattle in 2006 seem to have gone and now teams want to see more than impressive measurements. But one good workout can make a players stock rocket.

The Big East point about freshmen is very valid but I was merely saying from a physical standpoint Adams has the size to make an impact if his skillset is what we hope it is.

[BothTeamsPlayedHardParticipant]

Also, just to put it out there for people who think Gobert is poised for a breakout season, here are his numbers through four preseason games:

18:22 minutes, 7-11 FG, 5-10 FT, 4.75 PPG, 2.0 OffReb, 4.25 DefReb, 0.0 Ast, 0.75 Stl, 1.75 TOs, 1.25 Blks, and 3.0 PFs. It isn’t exactly signaling a leap from how he was playing last year.
 

 

[JunkYardDogParticipant]

Well… first Gobert is absolutely NO Ajinca… even if there seems to be some comparison (from a physical point with the numbers). Gobert has good shoulders (enough to put on some weight) and should become a solid physical player. Ajinca was just not… and still isn’t.

Gobert indeed didn’t play very well during this pre season but it doesn’t tell much at this point in france. The important thing for him is to play more and gain experience this year. Gobert is valuable on the court even if he doesn’t put up big numbers… only by his presence in the middle. 

Gobert didn’t play the olympics BUT he was part of the french A team preparation (along Leo Westermann who will play with Belgrade in serbia this season)… his first days with  french A team. He seems to be a smart kid (I was not a huge fan of him at the beginning but he matured very nicely in Cholet) and I would draft him with absolutely no hesitation (from5 to 10). This kind of prospect is rare… and even more with solid pro experience for about 2 years. In the worst case I think you should get a better focused J.McGee, in the best case you have a T. Chandler 2.0. Remember when Chandler arrived and played as a PF/C next to Curry with the bulls… If you give him some PT he should develop nicely in maybe 2 years.  

@BTPH : Where would you rank Steven Adams and Rudy Gobert towards Alex Len and Alec Brown ? I never watched Len and Brown (I like the shooting skills of Brown by the way)… 

[BothTeamsPlayedHardParticipant]

My point in bringing up Gobert’s preseason numbers (which are in many ways similar to what he put up last year) is that for all the obvious unteachable gifts he has, he is not at a point where he can put it to use in a major way in games. I think that is okay. The world doesn’t end if a player needs to be 24-25 years old and gain both the experience and size necessary to play in the NBA. Not everybody is Pau Gasol, Greg Monroe, Brook Lopez, etc. where they are ready for the NBA both physically and mentally by the time they are 20. Most players are not. The problem is that when drafting a player when they are 19 because they have the potential to be good when they are 25 is that sometimes they end up out of the NBA at that point or certainly no longer with the team that drafted them. Maciej Lampe has become a nice European player. When he was healthy, Saer Sene basically replicated Bismack Biyombo’s performance for Fuenlabrada. Perish the thought of Marc Gasol being a 24-year old rookie. I know, I know, “he might not have any upside left at that age,” except he has still gotten better every year he has been in the NBA. Nobody ever points out that good players never stop working to get better, and that there is no magical cutoff point for working to improve. By the way, two more preseason game long form highlights.

I am not a big believer in this coming crop of big men being lottery picks. I have no doubt that some size will rise, but the draft would be no fun if not littered with bums. I tend to believe that if Steven Adams has the kind of freshman year that previous Pitt freshmen have had (Khem Birch, Malcolm Gilbert, Dante Taylor, Talib Zanna, and even going back to Gary McGhee) he probably will not declare. Nothing that has been said or written about him has led me to believe he has the make up of a guy like Greg Monroe or DeJuan Blair where his transition to the Big East will be mostly smooth. It is a big league with a good number of quality experienced big men, many of whom were in similar regard to how Adams is now. They also have home-and-home games with Cincy (David Nyarsuk), (Marquette (Davante Gardner and Chris Otule), Villanova (Mouphtaou Yarou and Maurice Sutton), and DePaul (Derrell Robertson and Donnavan Kirk). This is on top of Louisville (Gorgui Dieng, the sawed off Chane Behanan, and Zach Price), Syracuse (Rakeem Christmas, Baye Kieta, and DaJuan Coleman), USF (Toarlyn Fitzpatrick, Victor Rudd, and the project of 7’ 3” 334 lbs. Jordan Omogbehin), Georgetown (Nate Lubick, Mikael Hopkins, and Moses Ayegba) Rutgers (Wally Judge). Alec Brown is too slight and too inexperienced against teams capable of playing someone who is 7’ 1“ for me to get excited over. A guy who can knock down an open 15-footer can do so regardless as to who isn’t stepping out on him, but he is painfully thin. I cannot think back on a guy like Keith Benson and all the other really thin players who just could not translate because they are too slightly built to use. Even if I was to look at him with the most optimistic eyes, I would hope he could be another Jon Leuer, but even Leuer was a second round pick who did reasonably well as a guy who would make 15-footers only to be parted with after one year. I somewhat like Gorgui Dieng because of the growth he showed from year one to two, but he probably needs to take another step. He is also slightly built, which is even more problematic because he is going to turn 23 this season so that might just be as big as he gets. If that is the case, he is a backup and someone who shouldn’t go higher than the very end of the first round. Aziz N’Diaye is a tree who could probably be this year’s Festus Ezeli as the guy who isn’t good but some team talks themselves into drafting. Same for Jeff Withey, though Withey doesn’t have the body of N’Diaye. I think Kevin O’Neill was wrong to talk up DeWayne Dedmon last year, because of his lack of game experience. It isn’t right to put that kind of pressure on someone with so little seasoning, but he flashed enough to confirm the potential. The problem is that he got hurt and missed getting the game experience he needed, so now he is a redshirt junior with only a half-season of games under his belt. Josh Smith, Davante Gardner, and Reggie Johnson are as good as their ability to keep their weight down, which has been problematic. Patric Young and Alex Oriakhi have center-like games (at least of the unskilled banger kind), but not center size. Maybe if you cross your fingers and want to think optimistically you can think about Brandon Davies, but he needs a big season. I think Davies has outgrown his listed measurements (BYU has him at the same height and weight as when he started), and was really impressive down the stretch of last season. If he can do it again and measure out at 6’ 10-6’11 with a big wingspan, then he might be someone to seemingly come out of nowhere. Alex Len wasn’t good last year, and while I am the farthest thing from a Mason Plumlee supporter, I don’t know what anyone could have seen from Alex Len last year to think he is a better NBA prospect. I understand the adjustment culturally as well as the added problem of him not having a full grasp of English last year, but I didn’t really see the upside to where even if he were to become fully comfortable at Maryland that he is a potential NBA early entrant this year. David Nyarsuk is 7’ 1” and might be on the short list of human beings who might compare to Rudy Gobert in terms of height and length. The guy only has NAIA games under his belt, but he is at least acclimated to the US and to a lower form of college basketball life, so I want to get a look at him play at Cincy.

Speaking of giant Sudanese men, John Riek plays Tennessee-Chattanooga on November 12th. I mention this because I just have this itching feeling that he is going to end up reappearing in the predraft process next spring thus concluding the longest predraft process in the history of mankind.
http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2007/writers/the_bonus/12/05/john.riek/

This is probably the year where Lucas Nogueira gets time with Asefa Estudiantes. He received pretty good reviews for his play against Real Madrid in a preseason game, which could mean nothing but in a draft where big men will be few and far between could be someone worth watching.
http://www.acb.com/redaccion.php?id=87546

Rasmus Larsen has been getting minutes in the preseason matches with Assignia Manresa. Other than the Princeton game, I couldn’t get a full box score, but he has had 6, 9, and 10 points in the three games. Mindaugas Kupsas could be in line for bigger minutes with Lietkabelis. It is really hard for me to figure out the position. Maybe the freshmen (and Amir Williams) play extremely well and earn respect and praise, but otherwise it is Cody Zeller (with the hope he gains some base strength) and then a cliff dive. I don’t think Nerlens Noel is an NBA center when he is listed at 6’ 10” 228 lbs. That is Louis Labeyrie minus the promising looking jump shot, and that is called positionally to be a 4. It can easily be a year where there is Cody Zeller and then reach after reach after reach.

[JunkYardDogParticipant]

Interesting comparison between Labeyrie and Noel…

Labeyrie is the kind of guy that comes from nowhere taking his chance when he’s got (HTV financial issue and limited roster last year). He has got very few buzz around him before last season. Less than Gobert or even Joffrey Lauvergne who is a little bit disappointed finally. Labeyrie could be an interesting 2nd round draft pick if you are opened to let him develop into europe several years. Energy guy with good behaviour. Playing in paris should give us some information on his ability to handle life in a big city (with night life) and basket in a team with more pressure and deeper roster.

[BothTeamsPlayedHardParticipant]

Let me clarify, physically they are similar. I think it will be obvious for anyone who sees Labeyrie next to Sean May and Jawad Williams that he will never be an NBA center. For a lot of people, it is hard to appreciate NBA size until it is up close, but at that point is becomes crystal clear. When people throw around stuff about a guy being a center, it gives the impression he is much bigger than Noel really is.

[HitsterParticipant]

It will be interesting to see how Gobert does compare to Brown, Len, Adams, Noel and Cody Zeller as you currently have 6 legit big men in the top 12 of Aran’s latest mock. There are other guys who can play frontcourt also in that part of the mock but these 6 are the guys who will always play frontcourt as opposed to playing some frontcourt.

Some prospects such as Zeller is much higher rated than say Len or Brown but if we are including Noel then I feel we have to include Zeller as he is nearer Noel’s draft ballpark than say Len or Brown maybe.

I feel that this will be a big season for both Len and Brown as they look to consolidate or even improve their draft stock and Brown being a Junior should be further along than say a freshman like Noel even if his upside isn’t as high. Len also has a decent shooting range like Brown does as JYD mentioned above but I don’t see them being as good defensively as Noel and Adams promise to be. Maybe they will be more finesse big men perhaps a bit similar to Myers Leonard for example.

[JunkYardDogParticipant]

Cody Zeller

Nerlens Noel

Steven Adams

Rudy Gobert

Alex Len 

Alec Brown 

Isaiah Austin

Jeff Withney

Mason Plumlee

Rakeem Christmas

Patric Young

Josh Smith

Mouphtaou Yarou

Gorqui Dieng 

Alex Oriakhi

Dewayne Dedmon

Kenny Kadji

Aziz Ndiaye

Zeke Marshall

Reggie Johnson

Philip Neumann

Max Kleber

Lucas Nogeira (as every year for about 15 years)

Augusto Lima

…. lots of big boys…

[slepchorParticipant]

 And we have to count in some younger guys lika dakari johnson, jahlil okafor, and mamadou ndiaye, plus all these international boys, like zhou qi, satnam bhamara who are  both like 16 years old and 7’1

[KOWinBEParticipant]

Nerlens Noel

[European BallerParticipant]

I guess I must have gotten it wrong that Pau Gasol only averaged 19 points per game in the Euroleague and hung 24-10 on PAOK the year before he was drafted. He had nothing on Vassilis Kavvadas, right? You are the guy who thinks Greek basketball clubs aren’t impacted by the financial crisis in that country, so of course you know all.

 

————————–

You said that Pau Gasol was the best player in Euroleague before he came to the NBA. That is an outright lie and absolurtely freaking ridiculous and ABSURD of a claim.

You just all credibility to comment about any European players that are draft eligible.

[BothTeamsPlayedHardParticipant]

Give me a name of someone who was better.

[European BallerParticipant]

 Cody Zeller

Nerlens Noel

Steven Adams

Rudy Gobert

Alex Len

Alec Brown

Isaiah Austin

Jeff Withney

Mason Plumlee

Rakeem Christmas

Patric Young

Josh Smith

Mouphtaou Yarou

Gorqui Dieng

Alex Oriakhi

Dewayne Dedmon

Kenny Kadji

Aziz Ndiaye

Zeke Marshall

Reggie Johnson

Philip Neumann

Max Kleber

Lucas Nogeira (as every year for about 15 years)

Augusto Lima

…. lots of big boys…

 

You have got be freaking kidding me…………..You list all of these and don’t even mention Kavvadas? Just stop.

[European BallerParticipant]

 WTF?

 

Bodiroga

Tomasevic

Ford

F u c k a

Garbajosa

Becirovic

Hamilton

Bullock

Liadelis

Radja

Griffith

Oberto

Ginobili

this is just from the players I remember at that time, so surely there are more.

You are suffering from an extremeley severe case of NBA only fan disease.

 

You are a god damn &$#%#&@! IDIOT

[mikeyvthedonParticipant]

NBA Draft prospects than Pau Gasol? Come on man. That is what we are talking about, this is NBADRAFT.NET! In what we have on Pau Gasol, he was at the very least doing quite well in the ACB and Euroleague before coming to the NBA:

http://www.euroleague.net/competition/players/showplayer?pcode=ADF&seasoncode=e2000

I know BTPH knows a lot more about international basketball than I do, he at the very least follows it and has followed it much more closely. You seem to know your stuff, but have absolutely no humility or any want to share your knowledge without talking down to people. So, by calling people idiots, are you really helping your cause? Are you educating people or making them want to know and learn more about European basketball? Think not.

Still, at the very least, I think you can admit that Pau Gasol was playing WELL in the ACB/Euroleague before he was drafted. That was BTPH’s point! Pau was drafted 3rd by Atlanta (traded to Memphis for Shareef Abdur-Rahim) and became NBA rookie of the year. Are you telling me the players you listed would have done as well or better in the NBA at the same age as Pau? Because, none of the ones who came to the NBA did in their first year in the league. You can bark at the logistics of what BTPH said, just know that in terms of DRAFT PROSPECTS (KEY WORD) you are going off topic. So, say what you will about Pau Gasol than, but I think even you can admit that if he was not "dominating" than, he was certainly getting to that thresh hold. Not to mention, he has certainly dominated international and European competition since.

[JoeWolf1]

 Don’t get sucked in! You are far too respectful and possess way too much logic to get through to him.

[mikeyvthedonParticipant]

Just could not believe this one. Thanks for the wake up call, Joe.

[BothTeamsPlayedHardParticipant]

Pau was named to second team All-Euroleague despite only playing 6 games, which speaks to his impact in those games. FC Barcelona was undefeated in games where Gasol played. They got knocked out because Pau missed a month of the season, not because he wasn’t good.

But hey, it isn’t every day that someone tries to the case that Francisco Oberto and Rashard Griffith were better than Pau Gasol so you have that going for you.

[JNixonParticipant]

 BothTeamsPlayedHard, cant live with em…CANNOT turn your back on em

[JNixonParticipant]

 A 7’9 wingspan is SCARY tho, extremely scary. He needs weight and skills tho

[European BallerParticipant]

 Anyone who says Gasol dominated Euroleague before he came to the NBA is retarded and a joke. PERIOD. I’m not even wqasting my time to lower myself to such an absurd discussion.

[European BallerParticipant]

 Glyniadakis has a 7-8 wingspan. It did him no good in the NBA evidently.

[slamma jamma83]

J wolf how much logic u need to post some stat?/p>

[slamma jamma83]

1. Du

 

[slamma jamma83]

anton and tongue out like 23 are right mikey v does thosewrites > hours long essays . he knows nothing about</thr the game unless he googles it.rs

[slamma jamma83]

That mr bean looking geek has to google it

[slamma jamma83]

That mr bean looking geek has to google it

[BothTeamsPlayedHardParticipant]

 http://www.lequipe.fr/Basket/Actualites/Entorse-pour-gobert/318099

Rudy Gobert sprained his ankle in Cholet’s first regular season game. The team’s twitter feed says the injury is not too bad.

[TWTWWAParticipant]

Just wanted to point some of these things out. If Gobert is indeed the 4th best prospect in your eyes, what are your expectations of him down the line. Why does he rank above Steven Adams, is it his length over Adams strength? We know that Gobert has legit height and length, but what makes him the best player after Muhammad, Noel and Zeller in your eyes? This is what I think people want to know rather than the insane (and true, but still obviously freakish) measurements we heard before the 2012 Draft.

[wizoaokoosaoParticipant]

Give me a name of someone who was better.

[bxfafaParticipant]

Don’t get sucked in!

[BothTeamsPlayedHardParticipant]

Gobert had his best game of the season to date. 17 points (8-9 shooting), 7 rebounds, 3 blocks, 2 steals, 3 fouls, and 2 turnovers.

[3–6]

thanks

[Author]

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