I think Okafor is the next great NBA center | Syracusefan.com

I think Okafor is the next great NBA center

Eric15

Eric15

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I just think the sky is the limit for this guy, and I'd be surprised if he wasn't a 10-12 time NBA all-star.

The one play that sticks out in my head is when we had him completely surrounded by G, Rak and Roberson, and he just muscled up and finished. When he develops a more polished low post game and a consistent short range jumper, he'll be a max contract player.

I know, I know, he plays for Duke and he's the devil, blah blah blah. I like him.
 
No one is going to give a 2nd thought to taking him 1st in the Draft. He might need work on d and ft's, but what skill for a 7 footer.
 
He won't have the size advantage in the NBA to just overpower people. What I see is a guy that doesn't rebound out of his area, doesn't defend the rim or on the perimeter at all, can't shoot FTs, and has no offense outside of 8 feet. Actually reminds me of Eddy Curry. He is not a franchise player. I'll take Towns all day and wait for the development. He will be a much more complete, much more versatile player.
 
Full_Rebar said:
No one is going to give a 2nd thought to taking him 1st in the Draft. He might need work on d and ft's, but what skill for a 7 footer.
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i actually dont agree, i think there are a few teams that will consider Towns. that kid plays so much longer and better on D than Ok. ok did a great job pushing Rak out on D last night because he is so much bigger. but i could tell Rak settled for that because he thought he could face up ok and beat him easily off the dribble just the way many acc centers have this year one on one. but of course K had him doubled before he could get the ball on the court. very smart as we had no other options. could ok be the next Olajuwon offensively? yes! defensively? i really doubt it. it bothers me slightly when people talk about the next greats and they only mention offense, no discussion of defense. dont get me wrong he could be the next olajuwon but imo on D he has a long long way to go. Towns is a lot closer on D imo and also Towns plays above the rim way better. you cant compare their low post moves, ok wins in a landslide
 
Towns is better on D, but he's not a lot more than run and dunk on offense right now, plus he's got maturity issues according to his own coach. I doubt any NBA GM is willing to bet on him over Okafor at this point. Rak wasn't going to get many chances to face up and go off the dribble because Duke was helping off of other guys. Sure at the next level, he'll struggle guarding Cousins when he faces up, but every other center in the NBA has the same problem.
 
Full_Rebar said:
Towns is better on D, but he's not a lot more than run and dunk on offense right now, plus he's got maturity issues according to his own coach. I doubt any NBA GM is willing to bet on him over Okafor at this point. Rak wasn't going to get many chances to face up and go off the dribble because Duke was helping off of other guys. Sure at the next level, he'll struggle guarding Cousins when he faces up, but every other center in the NBA has the same problem.
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Not to be snippy, but I suggest you read a bit more on Towns and/or watch some of his pre UK highlights. The kid has a very nice jumper out to the college line right now. His baby hook is automatic. And yes, he can run and jump, too. Most respected analysts have moved Towns equal to or maybe even slight ahead of OK4. Defense win titles and Okafor doesn't play it. Even the great Dukie king, Dickie V made a point of it.

edit: I just looked it up. In the the 40 years in the NBA, no team has won that had a center who was a liability on defense and the majority had good defensive centers.
 
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Full_Rebar said:
Towns is better on D, but he's not a lot more than run and dunk on offense right now, plus he's got maturity issues according to his own coach. I doubt any NBA GM is willing to bet on him over Okafor at this point. Rak wasn't going to get many chances to face up and go off the dribble because Duke was helping off of other guys. Sure at the next level, he'll struggle guarding Cousins when he faces up, but every other center in the NBA has the same problem.
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would Olajuwon struggle to guard Cousins face up? i really doubt it. the other thing is how many dunks per game did Olaj have in college? 3-4? how many dunks did Ok have last night. dont think scouts wont notice that, ie Ok is a stronger version of the Dream right now but not nearly athletic. basically he s a smaller version of Shaq. but yes he should go #1 i just think Towns might be a little closer than many think
 
Full_Rebar said:
Towns is better on D, but he's not a lot more than run and dunk on offense right now, plus he's got maturity issues according to his own coach. I doubt any NBA GM is willing to bet on him over Okafor at this point. Rak wasn't going to get many chances to face up and go off the dribble because Duke was helping off of other guys. Sure at the next level, he'll struggle guarding Cousins when he faces up, but every other center in the NBA has the same problem.
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Phil Jackson was at the Kentucky game...
 
alphaorange said:
edit: I just looked it up. In the the 40 years in the NBA, no team has won that had a center who was a liability on defense and the majority had good defensive centers.
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I don't recall Luc Longley striking fear in opposing centers hearts. And did the Heat even have a real center recently that played big minutes in their title runs?
 
Jack Hall said:
would Olajuwon struggle to guard Cousins face up? i really doubt it. the other thing is how many dunks per game did Olaj have in college? 3-4? how many dunks did Ok have last night. dont think scouts wont notice that, ie Ok is a stronger version of the Dream right now but not nearly athletic. basically he s a smaller version of Shaq. but yes he should go #1 i just think Towns might be a little closer than many think
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lol...nothing like the dream at all. Nothing. Think Eddy Curry on offense. The Eddy Curry for the Knicks that weighed 290, had the feet of a ballerina, and averaged 20/8. IMO, offensively and size-wise, they were similar. Both were poor defensively and at boarding, although OK4 is a better rebounder. Worthy of #1? Sure, you can argue that, but he doesn't scream franchise player like Anthony Davis or Thon Maker.
 
Eric15 said:
I don't recall Luc Longley striking fear in opposing centers hearts. And did the Heat even have a real center recently that played big minutes in their title runs?
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Defensively Longley was very good. A shot blocker? No. But he protected and helped...help being the key one. And Miami? Are you serious? Joel Anthony and Birdman ring a bell? Defense is about ALL they do (did).
 
Jack Hall said:
would Olajuwon struggle to guard Cousins face up? i really doubt it. the other thing is how many dunks per game did Olaj have in college? 3-4? how many dunks did Ok have last night. dont think scouts wont notice that, ie Ok is a stronger version of the Dream right now but not nearly athletic. basically he s a smaller version of Shaq. but yes he should go #1 i just think Towns might be a little closer than many think
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The Dream and young Shaquille is your Oak comparison? Really? I really like okafor but he ain't like those dudes.
 
alphaorange said:
Defensively Longley was very good. A shot blocker? No. But he protected and helped...help being the key one. And Miami? Are you serious? Joel Anthony and Birdman ring a bell? Defense is about ALL they do (did).
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Yeah the worst in a long time was probably late 80s Kareem, but your point is valid
 
AZOrange said:
The Dream and young Shaquille is your Oak comparison? Really? I really like okafor but he ain't like those dudes.
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i didnt make the Dream comparison to begin w and i said a smaller Shaq
 
Jack Hall said:
i didnt make the Dream comparison to begin w and i said a smaller Shaq
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Shaq doesn't fit either..except the FT shooting part. Shaq was an animal on defense and on the boards, even as a rookie. He was also a gifted passer.
 
alphaorange said:
Shaq doesn't fit either..except the FT shooting part. Shaq was an animal on defense and on the boards, even as a rookie. He was also a gifted passer.
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Oak kind of reminds me of cousins actually...
 
AZOrange said:
Shaquille was a ridiculous specimen in his early days. I don't know how old you are but LSU Shaquille is not late lakers Shaquille
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lol if u look at my original reply it was a critique of ok, i am not entirely sold on him, i like Towns almost as much
 
Jack Hall said:
lol if u look at my original reply it was a critique of ok, i am not entirely sold on him, i like Towns almost as much
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Ftr I like towns also...
 
Okafor shoots fouls like Shaq. But count me in as one of those wondering aobut his success rate at the next level. Shaq was 7-1, 325. Okafor is 6-11 270. He moves well in the paint but isn't really athletic. I haven't seen a facing the basket game. I wouldn't call him an outstanding defender. He's dominated smaller players in high school and college but won't have those advantages in the NBA. The development of players is like a race. some guys dominate early. Some are still leading in the middle. But often somebody else breaks the tape at the end.
 
Eric15 said:
But are you being too strict about critiquing Okafor's defensive capabilities when he's only 19 years old?
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I don't think so. On defense, he gets blown by on the outside and it will only get worse as his body gets thicker...which it will. As a help defender, he is slow to react and becomes a "watcher". I think he wants to defend but can't. Think STAT. It just isn't in him.
 
Eric15 said:
But are you being too strict about critiquing Okafor's defensive capabilities when he's only 19 years old?
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totally agreed but he has a long way to go, he may get there. what great true C has ok gone up against? rak will be a 4
 
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