NBA Scout: "I'm hearing Malachi will be a top 10 pick."

[Cusefan0307]

I don't know how anyone could shoot less than 85% in the NBA.

I don't think that is realistic. Only 25 guys did that this year. I do agree everyone should at least shoot 70% though.

 

[orangefog]

I don't think that is realistic. Only 25 guys did that this year. I do agree everyone should at least shoot 70% though.

I know that not a lot of guys shoot 85%, and I know there are game situations that make free throw shooting more difficult, however, it is a 15 foot shot with no defense. I used to shoot my third free throw in 21 left handed and I made more than 85%.

 

[Gabjon]

Taking a look at some of the numbers:

At the rim:
Beal: 65%
Malachi: 58% (worse than MCW was)

2 point jumpers:
Beal: 33%
Malachi: 22.5% (also worse than MCW was)

3 pointers:
Beal: 34%
Malachi: 35%

FTA/FGA:
Beal: 44%
Malachi: 38%

FT%:
Beal: 77%
Malachi: 72%

I think Beal projected pretty easily to be a better shooter than Malachi does. Not that Malachi can't be good, but I don't think he's nearly the prospect that Beal was. I think Malachi ends up being a Nick Young kind of player in the NBA.

Beal played in a terrible SEC, a football league with one true basketball school. Malachi played in the best league in the country which 6 schools in the sweet 16. Malachi needs to finish better at the rim but he seems to drive to fouled a lot where if he doesn't get the call he has almost no change at finishing the play.

 

[orangefog]

Beal played in a terrible SEC, a football league with one true basketball school. Malachi played in the best league in the country which 6 schools in the sweet 16. Malachi needs to finish better at the rim but he seems to drive to fouled a lot where if he doesn't get the call he has almost no change at finishing the play.

I agree. I like what has been said previously where he doesn't drive hard to the rim. It would be nice to see him try to finish through somebody. If his max vertical is 38" and his standing reach is 8'5.5", that means potentially he is over a foot above the rim. Time to punish someone at the rim Malachi.

 

[br801]

I agree. I like what has been said previously where he doesn't drive hard to the rim. It would be nice to see him try to finish through somebody. If his max vertical is 38" and his standing reach is 8'5.5", that means potentially he is over a foot above the rim. Time to punish someone at the rim Malachi.

He was still feeling his way as a freshman. Once he finishes with authority a few times and realizes he can do it through contact, look out.

 

[OttoinGrotto]

I know that not a lot of guys shoot 85%, and I know there are game situations that make free throw shooting more difficult, however, it is a 15 foot shot with no defense. I used to shoot my third free throw in 21 left handed and I made more than 85%.

How did your percentage translate when you got into the NBA?

 

[RF2044]

i totally agree with you about free throw shooting. that is a big red flag. great three point shooters are great at the free throw line. you can be good at one and not the other but if you're drafting top 10, you're not looking for good

I don't think that is realistic. Only 25 guys did that this year. I do agree everyone should at least shoot 70% though.

Meh--not that worried. Kid was a frosh. Some FT variance is attributable to concentration / game pressure / him being new. If he shot that way for multiple years--then I'd say that there was a trend. But I wouldn't draw definitive conclusions and say that he can't or won't improve over a one year baseline, where he was a freshman.

 

[orangefog]

How did your percentage translate when you got into the NBA?

Well, I always shot on 10ft rims from 15ft away, so it really doesn't translate at all. Like I said, there are other factors involved when you are talking about the NBA. But these guys get paid a ton of money. I don't know why it is so hard to make 17 out of 20 free throws.

 

[orangenirvana]

I loved Beal - thought he would be better in the NBA than he is, although he's shown flashes, and injuries have really hampered his development a bit thus far. I mean, I have no idea what Mali is doing in these workouts, but Beal looked far better as a Frosh to me than Mali did this year.

I thought he looked more explosive, and had a better stroke from deep (although he didn't shoot percentage wise very well) - he was also being counted on for offense a lot more, if I recall correctly, and probably had a lot more focus on him defensively (although that's off memory, so it could be wildly inaccurate!)

I am perfectly okay with Mali leaving by the way, not at all in the "Grrrrrrrrrrrrr, what did he do to his life and Syracuse University," camp.

I think Beal is the most overrated player in the NBA. Malachi should develop into a more efficient player two or three years into his career. But most importantly - hopefully MR gets overpaid just as much as Beal has been.

 

[Cusefan0307]

Well, I always shot on 10ft rims from 15ft away, so it really doesn't translate at all. Like I said, there are other factors involved when you are talking about the NBA. But these guys get paid a ton of money. I don't know why it is so hard to make 17 out of 20 free throws.

You do realize a lot of guys who can't make free throws in games, make them in practice.

 

[orangefog]

You do realize a lot of guys who can't make free throws in games, make them in practice.

I am aware that practice is altogether different from games, yes. Is the length of the shot different in practice? Is the height of the rim different? This is a whole other topic, so I won't go crazy on it, but with nobody guarding you, whether it is practice or a game, you should shoot 85% from 15ft. Particularly when you are being paid handsomely to do it.

 

[Melancer46]

You do realize a lot of guys who can't make free throws in games, make them in practice.

I'm sure they do make some of them, but I have a really hard time buying into the idea that Dwight Howard is an 85% shooter in practice and a 50% shooter in games. I understand guys can hit 3's in practice and not be able to do it in a game because there's so many variables involved there, but you have to have some serious concentration issues if you're automatic at the FT line in practice and completely horrific in games.

 

[orangefog]

Height (with shoes):
Beal: 6'4.75"
Malachi: 6'6.25"
Nick Young: 6'6.75"

Wingspan:
Beal: 6'8"
Malachi: 7'0"
Nick Young: 7'0"

Standing Reach:
Beal: 8'4"
Malachi: 8'5.5"
Nick Young: 8'4.5"

No step vert:
Beal: 33"
Malachi: 33"
Nick Young: 39.5"

Max Vert:
Beal: 39"
Malachi: 38"
Nick Young: 40.5"

Malachi is obviously longer, but Beal is still pretty solid size for a SG, and he had more weight/muscle than Malachi does now with comparable if not more explosiveness. I think probably Malachi's best trait is his ability to hang in the air just long enough to draw contact, but it comes at a cost. As another poster said, he doesn't attack the rim. The fact that a guy with Malachi's length and measured athleticism struggled around the rim is not a good sign. Likewise, his horrific shooting from mid-range puts a damper on the promising 3PT% and volume.

And Beal was a much better all-around player at Florida than Malachi currently is. Far better rebounder, defender, finisher, ball-handler, and mid-range shooter.

Klay Thompson
Height (with shoes): 6'7.25"
Wingspan: 6'9"
Standing Reach: 8'7.5"
No step vert: 26.5"
Max Vert: 31.5"

These numbers were from the combine.

 

[Millhouse]

Well, I always shot on 10ft rims from 15ft away, so it really doesn't translate at all. Like I said, there are other factors involved when you are talking about the NBA. But these guys get paid a ton of money. I don't know why it is so hard to make 17 out of 20 free throws.

yes, this is why you start with free throws - i get your point. there aren't any other confounding variables.

if you can't shoot free throws, you're probably not going to be able to shoot with anthony davis taking a 15 foot step and blocking your shot with his knee cap.

all time best season league average from the line is 77%

i think if your hands are too giant, it's gonna be hard to make 80%. they bring the numbers down.

 

[Cusefan0307]

I am aware that practice is altogether different from games, yes. Is the length of the shot different in practice? Is the height of the rim different? This is a whole other topic, so I won't go crazy on it, but with nobody guarding you, whether it is practice or a game, you should shoot 85% from 15ft. Particularly when you are being paid handsomely to do it.

If you shoot 25 in a row, you can get in a rhythm. Totally different from going to the line randomly say 3 times a game for one or two free throws.

 

[orangefog]

yes, this is why you start with free throws - i get your point. there aren't any other confounding variables.

if you can't shoot free throws, you're probably not going to be able to shoot with anthony davis taking a 15 foot step and blocking your shot with his knee cap.

all time best season league average from the line is 77%

i think if your hands are too giant, it's gonna be hard to make 80%. they bring the numbers down.

Good point, but I still think that given the consistency of the shot and the fact that it is their job, every NBA player should be a good free throw shooter. I understand that there is pressure and a crowd and all that, but it is still the same shot.

 

[orangefog]

If you shoot 25 in a row, you can get in a rhythm. Totally different from going to the line randomly say 3 times a game for one or two free throws.

Very true and if you are a big guy, you are not taking outside shots aside from free throws. That is a good point.

 

[JDubbin]

I know that not a lot of guys shoot 85%, and I know there are game situations that make free throw shooting more difficult, however, it is a 15 foot shot with no defense. I used to shoot my third free throw in 21 left handed and I made more than 85%.

The fact that you are pulling your Free Throw percentages from games of 21 shows pretty evidently you do not have much game experience. Do you have your percentages from High School, or did you not play at that level? If you do have those numbers, I could guarantee you did not touch 85% from the line.

 

[orangefog]

The fact that you are pulling your Free Throw percentages from games of 21 shows pretty evidently you do not have much game experience. Do you have your percentages from High School, or did you not play at that level? If you do have those numbers, I could guarantee you did not touch 85% from the line.

It is an example, and no, I do not have my numbers from high school. My point is, it is the same shot. I understand circumstances are different in proper games as well as the heightened pressure at different levels of the sport. Cusefan0307 has an excellent point with regard to stepping to the free throw line without having shot for a period of time. But, a shooter should have the stroke going.

 

[OttoinGrotto]

It is an example, and no, I do not have my numbers from high school. My point is, it is the same shot. I understand circumstances are different in proper games as well as the heightened pressure at different levels of the sport. Cusefan0307 has an excellent point with regard to stepping to the free throw line without having shot for a period of time. But, a shooter should have the stroke going.

I feel like people thinking free throw shooting is easy is akin to people thinking that it's easy for a punter to control where their punts go.

 

[orangefog]

I feel like people thinking free throw shooting is easy is akin to people thinking that it's easy for a punter to control where their punts go.

I don't think that at all. If I had to kick the free throw into the basket, it would be a hell of a lot more difficult.

 

[Melancer46]

The fact that you are pulling your Free Throw percentages from games of 21 shows pretty evidently you do not have much game experience. Do you have your percentages from High School, or did you not play at that level? If you do have those numbers, I could guarantee you did not touch 85% from the line.

I don't have my exact FT%, but I shot 46% from 3 point range in high school and somewhere around 85% from the FT line. I understand it comes much easier to some people than others, but it's hard to be a good 3 point shooter if you're not a good FT shooter or mid-range shooter.

I never would have attempted my FTs left handed, but I did sometimes experiment with shooting underhanded, one-handed, or throwing it like a chest pass at the backboard and I made around 60-70% of those (absolutely not in game situations though).

 

[Millhouse]

I feel like people thinking free throw shooting is easy is akin to people thinking that it's easy for a punter to control where their punts go.

i feel like you're reaching

 

[orangefog]

I don't have my exact FT%, but I shot 46% from 3 point range in high school and somewhere around 85% from the FT line. I understand it comes much easier to some people than others, but it's hard to be a good 3 point shooter if you're not a good FT shooter or mid-range shooter.

I never would have attempted my FTs left handed, but I did sometimes experiment with shooting underhanded, one-handed, or throwing it like a chest pass at the backboard and I made around 60-70% of those (absolutely not in game situations though).

The left handed thing was in games of 21, I would have never done that in a game.

 

[Millhouse]

I don't think that at all. If I had to kick the free throw into the basket, it would be a hell of a lot more difficult.

that's my go to move in horse. that or a header.