RF2044
Living Legend
- Joined
- Aug 15, 2011
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The guy dunks and catches lobs off no steps at 6'8 all the time? That's being athletic and bouncy. He's constantly leaping high to block opponents shots. Last night he guarded and held a skilled 7-footer who averaged 18 points a game to ZERO points. Brown didn't do that against a bigger man without having strength, athleticism, elite-level defensive instincts and tenacity - all desirable skills in the NBA.
Maliq isn't asked to score from outside of the paint in this offense so he rarely does. But the fact that he's a solid free throw shooter with good form demonstrates that he CAN shoot from at least 15 ft in, he just isn't asked to right now.
A smart athletic player who rarely makes mistakes, impacts winning and defends at high level can make a living in the NBA for a long time - see Taj Gibson.
I compare Maliq to CJ Fair as a sophomore [I get that they play different positions, but are similar in terms of having an exceptional feel for the game / unusually high hoops IQ]. Both play within themselves, don't force, don't try to do too much, and generally make the right play and are in the right place at the right time.
CJ's sophomore year, there were several posters insisting that he couldn't score / shoot outside of 10 feet. Then his junior year, he shifted into the starting lineup, proved to be an outstanding mid-range shooter, and shot ~50% from three point range.
I'd expect that Maliq is similar in the sense that he CAN hit jump shots, but plays within himself. Now that he's getting established [and it's important to note that he's still a sophomore], he's earned the green light to take those shots if they are there. But unlike Benny -- just for example -- he doesn't take many, because he plays within the structure of the team's offense and doesn't "force."