Chad Ford on Tyler Ennis

[OrangeTown]

http://insider.espn.go.com/nba/draf...54/noah-vonleh-stock-continues-soar-nba-draft

After watching Ennis workout in Long Island with some other prospects, Chad Ford wrote the following:

"Ennis and Clarkson showed a contrast in styles when they were working out with each other.
Ennis is a smooth, steady player who is rock solid fundamentally. He's so effortless out there that there's times when it looks like he's done this his whole life. His poise for a player his age is really remarkable. Watching him move from innovative drill to innovative drill with Hernandez, it was tough to really pick apart anything about his game. He's got a great handle (forget moving through stationary cones, Hernandez made Ennis and Clarkson weave through moving ones on wheels), to passing (Hernandez would throw out small rubber balls and ask Ennis to dribble and pass the basketball to hit the rubber balls before finishing the play) to his shooting mechanics, Ennis may be the most fundamentally sound point guard in the draft.

The knock on him was his lack of elite size and athleticism -- two questions he answered pretty emphatically at the draft combine. While Ennis isn't particularly tall (6-2.5 in shoes) he measured with a terrific 6-7.25 wingspan, securing that coveted plus-5 height-to-wingspan ratio that NBA scouts covet. He also tested better than expected at the combine, with a 36.5-inch maximum vertical and one of the three fastest shuttle drill scores at the event. So he's explosive enough off the floor and the drills show he's got the foot speed to compete in the NBA.

While there are bigger, faster and better shooting point guards with fewer defensive questions (it's so hard to gauge whether Syracuse players can guard their position), there isn't a point guard in the draft with such a complete package of skills. While I think Dante Exum and Marcus Smart will likely go ahead of Ennis, I think he has a great shot of going in the lottery for a team looking for more consistency and poise and less sizzle from their lead guard."

 

[OttoMets]

I'm glad that Ford and other prognosticators are still so high on Ennis, but why isn't anyone addressing actual basketball skills?

Things like poise can't be quantified and don't put points on the scoreboard or make defensive stops. What do the talent evaluators think about his ability to run X, Y, and Z types of sets? His ability to pass the ball to a scorer where he wants it? Run a break properly? Shoot? Drive and score? Drive and dish?

We saw him do a lot of those things for 34 games. I would think the people who are paid to write about and over-analyze the draft process might begin to touch on them rather than rambling on about poise.

 

[longislandcuse]

Dante Exum is an unknown and NBA scouts love the unknown so I can see the hype with him but for Marcus Smart, I dont get the infatuation. Marcus Smart will not be able to run a team like Ennis. Talented pure point guards are a RARE commodity, i'd take Ennis over Smart personally.

 

[realorange]

Dante Exum is an unknown and NBA scouts love the unknown so I can see the hype with him but for Marcus Smart, I dont get the infatuation. Marcus Smart will not be able to run a team like Ennis. Talented pure point guards are a RARE commodity, i'd take Ennis over Smart personally.

One of the problems in talking about Smart is that most of the writers drooled ab0ut him for the past year. Now, even if they think a little differently, they aren't about to eat any crow in the process.

 

[Full_Rebar]

I'm glad that Ford and other prognosticators are still so high on Ennis, but why isn't anyone addressing actual basketball skills?

Things like poise can't be quantified and don't put points on the scoreboard or make defensive stops. What do the talent evaluators think about his ability to run X, Y, and Z types of sets? His ability to pass the ball to a scorer where he wants it? Run a break properly? Shoot? Drive and score? Drive and dish?

We saw him do a lot of those things for 34 games. I would think the people who are paid to write about and over-analyze the draft process might begin to touch on them rather than rambling on about poise.

Well this article was about Ford's personal observation of this workout group. In his Big Board write-ups, he typically lists guys based upon what he's hearing from NBA scouts. I'm not sure how much college hoops Ford himself watches- which is fine since he's not pretending like some others (cough Bill Simmons cough)

If you want a breakdown based upon game observations, Goodman seems to be the ESPN person that you'll want to read.

 

[DoctorBombay]

Not comparing the two, but one can look at TE like a Tim Duncan- the "Big Fundamental".
Nothing fancy, nothing flashy, no spectacular 360 dunks. Just a sound, steady, consistently fundamental guy who'll give you max efficiency every night.

 

[realorange]

Not comparing the two, but one can look at TE like a Tim Duncan- the "Big Fundamental".
Nothing fancy, nothing flashy, no spectacular 360 dunks. Just a sound, steady, consistently fundamental guy who'll give you max efficiency every night.

Just think of TE in San Antonio-----or anywhere else where there is no pressure for anyone to be the man, just a cog in the team. Ennis could thrive in a system like that.

 

[Melancer46]

Just think of TE in San Antonio-----or anywhere else where there is no pressure for anyone to be the man, just a cog in the team. Ennis could thrive in a system like that.

Yeah, it's too bad they already are set at PG with Parker, Mills, and Joseph (who Ennis gets compared to a pretty good amount actually). I'd love to see Chicago come out of the draft with Ennis and Warren/Early. Would really transform their second unit.

 

[Melancer46]

Dante Exum is an unknown and NBA scouts love the unknown so I can see the hype with him but for Marcus Smart, I dont get the infatuation. Marcus Smart will not be able to run a team like Ennis. Talented pure point guards are a RARE commodity, i'd take Ennis over Smart personally.

I don't think anyone expects Smart to run a team the way Ennis would, but Smart can flat out make things happen that Ennis won't be able to do. Neither is anything special in terms of shooting, but Smart is without a doubt a better finisher, and with his body, he'll be far more effective getting into the paint. And he's also an exceptional defender.

I don't even think Smart will end up playing PG when it's all said and done though. I wouldn't be surprised if he goes to Utah or Boston as a SG.

And yeah, Exum is just a freak. Basically has the body of a young MJ and the quickness and finishing skills of a prime Tony Parker. Just a really weird and amazing combination. He reminds me of Brandon Roy a bit, but faster and quicker.