It's showtime -- let the (NBA) games begin!

[Knicks411]

I want Lonzo Ball over Fultz if Boston wins the lottery.
Bill Walton who I deem a pretty good judge of NBA talent and who is rarely negative wasn't a fan of Fultz.
He without saying it implied Fultz was selfish and not a great teammate when Washington played Arizona.

Ball's dad doesn't bother me and I see a Jason Kidd ish game from him.

I don't know Fultz NBA comp.

Ball for Kidd is kind of weird to me; I admit I haven't seen a ton of Ball, but the guy's shooting numbers are insane.

Fultz had better assist numbers than Ball, with good, but nowhere near as good shooting numbers, as Ball. Fultz has really good block and steal numbers. I think they'll both probably be good, I think I would go with Fultz? I dunno

 

[Melancer46]

Ball for Kidd is kind of weird to me; I admit I haven't seen a ton of Ball, but the guy's shooting numbers are insane.

Fultz had better assist numbers than Ball, with good, but nowhere near as good shooting numbers, as Ball. Fultz has really good block and steal numbers. I think they'll both probably be good, I think I would go with Fultz? I dunno

I love the way Ball is constantly looking up the floor/the way he sees the floor; it is very Kidd-like. I think Kidd was still a much better passer than Ball is. Ball sees the floor in a special way, but Kidd saw the floor that way while also having incredible control over the ball. Kidd was a great ball-handler, while I think Ball's ball-handling is pretty weak. I also think Kidd had a lot more quickness with the ball than Lonzo does. Kidd was an elite defender, while Lonzo is pretty poor on the defensive end. And lastly, Kidd was a horrific shooter early in his career while Lonzo is a great spot-up shooter (though his shooting off the dribble is basically non-existent outside of the occasional step-back). It's a weird comparison; I think it gets tossed around mostly because they're both big passing PGs from California. If you break down what really makes each of them special, they aren't very similar IMO.

In the end, the ball-handling, lack of quickness, defense, and lack of pull-up game is what I think will prevent Lonzo from being a good NBA player.

 

[MikeSU02]

I want Lonzo Ball over Fultz if Boston wins the lottery.
Bill Walton who I deem a pretty good judge of NBA talent and who is rarely negative wasn't a fan of Fultz.
He without saying it implied Fultz was selfish and not a great teammate when Washington played Arizona.

Ball's dad doesn't bother me and I see a Jason Kidd ish game from him.

I don't know Fultz NBA comp.

I love watching Ball play, but that hitch in his shot and the slow release just scream for a reconstruction in the NBA.

 

[Alsacs]

What is Fultz NBA comp? Westbrook or Lillard?

 

[Knicks411]

What is Fultz NBA comp? Westbrook or Lillard?

I haven't seen the guy play enough, i don't think it's fair to put a Westbrook comp on anyone though.

Ken Pom does comps based on the guys height/weight (i think) and their advanced stats purely, Fultz's #2 comp is John Wall in his freshmen year.

Lillard had 19 blocks his entire college career; Fultz missed time this year, and finished with 50% more in his one season than Lillard did his whole career (30). I think stuff like that matters; I lean on the block/steal #'s maybe too much for college guys

 

[Melancer46]

What is Fultz NBA comp? Westbrook or Lillard?

I can't imagine really ever comparing someone to Westbrook because his athleticism and motor is such a special level. I think you could say he's similar to Lillard offensively while having the potential to be a good defender (whereas Lillard is one of the worst). Probably a better passer than Lillard as well.

 

[Cusefan0307]

Did you ever watch them play? He would have killed to have teammates the caliber of Ben Simmons' teammates at LSU lol. Without him, they probably would have been the worst team in the Pac 12.

Fultz is a great player, but thats not completely accurate. All of those guys he played with were 4 star recruits the past two years. Last year they had one of the best classes in the country. LSU didn't have near the talent Washington had this year. Romar just can't coach IMO.

 

[OrangeDW]

Fultz is the type of prospect that these tanking teams have been hoping for. Kid is an absolute do-it-all stud. Far and away the #1 prospect in this draft IMO.

Agreed. There's a lot of top PGs in the league right now and I think he's got the ability to be right up at the top with any of them, and it won't take long either.

 

[OrangeDW]

He seemed pretty motivated for a long time and has missed very few games this season, despite dealing with some nagging injuries. If there is something physically off now, he should sit. I would hate to think he is going into tank mode at the team's request, and would be surprised if he would even do so if asked. Perhaps it's the team's revived obsession with the Triangle that has thrown him off temporarily. But who knows?

I saw comments later after the 3rd straight game of not shooting much where he said something like "just trying to run the offense".

He was back to putting up 26 shots yesterday. LOL.

It was just a weird sudden fall off because he'd really been in a nice groove for awhile.

 

[Melancer46]

Fultz is a great player, but thats not completely accurate. All of those guys he played with were 4 star recruits the past two years. Last year they had one of the best classes in the country. LSU didn't have near the talent Washington had this year. Romar just can't coach IMO.

The past 4 years, excluding Fultz, they've had 5 4 star prospects. 2 went to the NBA. 1 transferred. The other 2 have turned out to be run of the mill college players. The rest of their recruits were all pretty lowly ranked. I agree that the coach sucks but the players are also bad.

 

[Fireball Jr.]

Plan THC is a phenomenal nickname.

Approved by the arbiter.

Cavs go with Plan THC. I like.
Cavs sign center Sanders, waive injured Bogut

 

[OttoinGrotto]

Cavs go with Plan THC. I like.
Cavs sign center Sanders, waive injured Bogut

He's known to get smokin' hot.

 

[MikeSU02]

San Antonio is now the #1 seed in the west (and overall #1 seed) with the win last night against Atlanta.

They won without Parker, Aldridge and Murray.

 

[Cusefan0307]

The past 4 years, excluding Fultz, they've had 5 4 star prospects. 2 went to the NBA. 1 transferred. The other 2 have turned out to be run of the mill college players. The rest of their recruits were all pretty lowly ranked. I agree that the coach sucks but the player should are also bad.

Ehh it's somewhere in the middle Jerry's crystal meth ball has them with Fultz, 3 4 stars, and the rest 3 stars. The talent isn't UCLA/Zona/Oregon level, but it's better than a lot of the rest of that conference.

 

[Melancer46]

Cavs go with Plan THC. I like.
Cavs sign center Sanders, waive injured Bogut

I give the signing a thumbs-up.

 

[Knicks411]

Is anyone else a little worried about Ball's dad? Maybe Im being stupid but I might think twice before taking him #1

 

[Melancer46]

Is anyone else a little worried about Ball's dad? Maybe Im being stupid but I might think twice before taking him #1

He annoys the hell out of me, but if I liked Lonzo as a prospect, I wouldn't hesitate to take him due to his dad. However, I don't like Lonzo as a prospect. I'd take him if he fell to around the 6-10 range, but he isn't a top 5 prospect to me.

 

[OttoinGrotto]

Is anyone else a little worried about Ball's dad? Maybe Im being stupid but I might think twice before taking him #1

I think you have a chat with the player and let him know you're concerned about the dad. If the player gets it, he's in play. If he doesn't, you let him know you're out.

If dad's hurting the player, that's feedback that has to come out.

 

[OrangeDW]

Is anyone else a little worried about Ball's dad? Maybe Im being stupid but I might think twice before taking him #1

He said he could've beat Michael Jordan 1 on 1 and that the Ball shoe deal contract negotiations start at a billion dollars.

This guy is something else.

 

[Alsacs]

Lavar Bell is making Marv Marinovich, Richard Williams, Earl Woods look like normal parents.

Lavar Bell is trying to make himself the Kris Jenner(I only know who this is because my GF DVRs that chit show) of NBA parents.

The Jordan 1 on 1 stuff is insane. Lonzo is a good prospect but not 1986 Michael Jordan would beat the snot out of him athletically in a 1 on 1 game.

 

[OrangeDW]

Lavar Bell is making Marv Marinovich, Richard Williams, Earl Woods look like normal parents.

Lavar Bell is trying to make himself the Kris Jenner(I only know who this is because my GF DVRs that chit show) of NBA parents.

The Jordan 1 on 1 stuff is insane. Lonzo is a good prospect but not 1986 Michael Jordan would beat the snot out of him athletically in a 1 on 1 game.

No...he said HE could've beat Jordan. He, the father! Said he was 6'6 270 and too fast for Jordan to get by. He said something like Jordan would've had to make every single jumper. And he said he would've just backed Jordan down for buckets all day long.

 

[Alsacs]

No...he said HE could've beat Jordan. He, the father! Said he was 6'6 270 and too fast for Jordan to get by. He said something like Jordan would've had to make every single jumper. And he said he would've just backed Jordan down for buckets all day long.

LaVar Ball averaged 2 PPG at Washington State in 1987-88
LaVar Ball College Stats | College Basketball at Sports-Reference.com

Michael Jordan averaged 35 PPG, 5.9 APG, 5.5 RPG in the NBA in 1987-88.
Michael Jordan Stats | Basketball-Reference.com

This guy can't even troll. LaVar Ball in 1987 probably couldn't beat MJ of today.

 

[Knicks411]

No...he said HE could've beat Jordan. He, the father! Said he was 6'6 270 and too fast for Jordan to get by. He said something like Jordan would've had to make every single jumper. And he said he would've just backed Jordan down for buckets all day long.

That's obviously complete BS, b ut i have to admit reading it did make me laugh.

 

[OttoinGrotto]

No...he said HE could've beat Jordan. He, the father! Said he was 6'6 270 and too fast for Jordan to get by. He said something like Jordan would've had to make every single jumper. And he said he would've just backed Jordan down for buckets all day long.

That's downright Trumpian.

 

[OrangeDW]

Here's the story, lol. The college football TE stuff is funny too.

LaVar Ball, father of UCLA star Lonzo Ball, says he could have beaten Michael Jordan one-on-one