Taurean Thompson | Page 10 | Syracusefan.com

Taurean Thompson

RF2044 said:
I get what you're saying about both Lydon / Moyer, on paper.

Moyer is much more of a 4, with some versatility. His release is a bit cork-screwy, but he can shoot from mid range. He's a good passer. Very much an inside oriented guy on offense. That doesn't mean that he can't play 3, or that he won't develop into a 3, but at least right now, he seems more like a relentless 4 who loves to power dunk on people and punish them on the boards.

My dad watched him play a few months ago, and came away thinking that while he needs to fill out [he's only a high school senior--most do], he's got the motor and physical attributes to be a great player. Will be interesting to see whether he lands as a 4 or a 3 eventually. But today, his game is more like a PF in our system.
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RF: this is spot on. Moyer is a 4 right now.

I was at the same game as your dad and came away with the same impressions. His handle is starting to emerge (he actually likes to dribble behind his back). Moyer's biggest strengths right now are, as you said, his unrelenting motor, plus a lot court savvy and a laser focus. I'm glad you brought up his passing; he is very unselfish and does pass very well for a forward. It'll be really fun to have some attitude inside. Syracuse has a tendency to be a little soft. Moyer brings the 'tude.

Thompson is not a lock, according to a certain recruiting guru/poster who has been on hiatus from the board. We have to be the favorites but I hope his recent play doesn't open up more options for him since I'm not sure we have a plan b '16 big. After whiffs like Thomas Bryant, I don't want to see us left out in the cold again.
 
iommi said:
RF: this is spot on. Moyer is a 4 right now.

I was at the same game as your dad and came away with the same impressions. His handle is starting to emerge (he actually likes to dribble behind his back). Moyer's biggest strengths right now are, as you said, his unrelenting motor, plus a lot court savvy and a laser focus. I'm glad you brought up his passing; he is very unselfish and does pass very well for a forward. It'll be really fun to have some attitude inside. Syracuse has a tendency to be a little soft. Moyer brings the 'tude.

Thompson is not a lock, according to a certain recruiting guru/poster who has been on hiatus from the board. We have to be the favorites but I hope his recent play doesn't open up more options for him since I'm not sure we have a plan b '16 big. After whiffs like Thomas Bryant, I don't want to see us left out in the cold again.
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Not trying to parse your post, but I'm wondering where you see Moyer at the college level. You mentioned "right now" (he's a 4), but do you still see him (as RF does) as a 4 in the aCC? Does he have a jump shot, or more of a back-to-the basket game offensively?

Also, I'm wondering about playing time on the front line not being open for him at the 4, but at the 3. My thinking is ... if we bring in Thompson (6'10) ... that would mean minimal available PT at the 5 (Chukwu/DC2) and the 4 (Roberson and Thompson) -- making the 3 behind Lydon (as I've postulated) a potential/likely place for him to break in.

Just interested on your take on that ... and of course whether you see him as being able to contribute minutes against conference opponents.
 
reedny said:
So, he's a 4 right now, but he has a big motor and and improving handle. At the college level, do you still see him (as RF does) as a 4 for SU? And what if we bring in Thompson (6'10) ... that would mean minimal available PT at the 5 (Chukwu/DC2) and the 4 (Roberson and Thompson) -- making the 3 behind Lydon (as I've postulated) a potential/likely place for him to break in. Just interested on your take on that ... and of course whether you see him as being able to contribute minutes against conference opponents.
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I've seen Moyer and Thompson. Moyer is a 3 who can play the 4. He plays at the top of the zone frequently in his team's defense. Very flexible player. Thompson is a 4 who could play some 5.
 
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reedny said:
Not trying to parse your post, but I'm wondering where you see Moyer at the college level. You mentioned "right now" (he's a 4), but do you still see him (as RF does) as a 4 in the aCC? Does he have a jump shot, or more of a back-to-the basket game offensively?

Also, I'm wondering about playing time on the front line not being open for him at the 4, but at the 3. My thinking is ... if we bring in Thompson (6'10) ... that would mean minimal available PT at the 5 (Chukwu/DC2) and the 4 (Roberson and Thompson) -- making the 3 behind Lydon (as I've postulated) a potential/likely place for him to break in.

Just interested on your take on that ... and of course whether you see him as being able to contribute minutes against conference opponents.
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Moyer still has months to make strides. If he were on the SU campus right now, he'd be a 4 IMO. He doesn't have a back to the basket game. He has a decent jumper, but as RF said, his form is definitely funky. Think unorthodox like Scoop Jardine. He's capable of knocking down jumpers but he's much better finishing in the open floor. He seems to be a decent ft shooter. He clearly needs to hit the weight room to be able to bang in the ACC but he knows that and is working on that already. I'd say Moyer has a similar frame as Lydon but maybe a little more filled out.

One concern I have is he's not especially quick, so the game might be a little fast for him early on. Still, he's playing in the NEPSAC and that will help him. He wants to challenge himself to improve. I think he can help us right away but he doesn't have the handle yet or the jumper to play the 3 right out of the gate. I think he will be fine in the zone with the slides. His numbers indicate he can rebound. To me, I think he'd get some floor time at the expense of Roberson. Thompson could backup Chukwu at the 5 and also play some 4 maybe. Thompson wants minutes too. I'm not sure DC will be back but if so, there will be a lot bigs for sure.

I think Lydon can play some 3 next year. He's shown the ability to pump fake and drive , shoot the 3 and pass. Malachi hopefully will be here and play minutes at the 2/3. If Malachi leaves, we will be very thin at the SF slot.
 
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iommi said:
Moyer still has months to make strides. If he were on the SU campus right now, he'd be a 4 IMO. He doesn't have a back to the basket game. He has a decent jumper, but as RF said, his form is definitely funky. Think unorthodox like Scoop Jardine. He's capable of knocking down jumpers but he's much better finishing in the open floor. He seems to be a decent ft shooter. He clearly needs to hit the weight room to be able to bang in the ACC but he knows that and is working on that already. I'd say Moyer has a similar frame as Lydon but maybe a little more filled out. One concern I have is he's not especially quick, so the game might be a little fast for him early on. Still, he's playing in the NEPSAC and that will help him. He wants to challenge himself to improve. I think he can help us right away but he doesn't have the handle yet or the jumper to play the 3 right out of the gate. I think he will be fine in the zone with the slides. His numbers indicate he can rebound. To me, I think he'd get some floor time at the expense of Roberson, Thompson could backup Chukwu at the 5 and also play some 4 maybe. Thompson wants minutes too. I think Lydon can play some 3 next year. He's shown the ability to pump fake and drive , shoot the 3 and pass. Malachi hopefully will be here and play minutes at the 2/3. If Malachi leaves, we will be very thin at the SF slot.
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Not worried about SF depth. Lydon and Moyer will be fine there.

If Malachi were to leave, we'd be woefully short handed in the backcourt.
 
Saw free article from Skout on him. Go to their site and click on the article. Then take a look at the last paragraph and that could explain things with SU
 
hoopsupstate said:
It doesn't let me in.
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It said that Thompson is going to wait to see what the rosters look like after people leave early, graduate, etc. before deciding. Also, the writer said that Thompson could get minutes at center backing up Chukwu if Coleman is not back. As I said, Thompson wants to play next year.
 
reedny said:
And he's also dreaming if he think's he's going to walk into any top 20 BB program with no one on the front line to compete with for PT.
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Very true but maybe another program might have less competition up front. We have to be considered the leaders but it is not a slam dunk. If DC leaves, it would increase our chances, but if Coleman can't play overseas, I'd think he'd be back.
 
Cuse'91 said:
Maybe all players think this way, but it's another thing to readily admit it. I would rather get a player not afraid to compete for playing time...
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This is a perfect situation for him. Unless Moyer is a superstar that can only function at the 4 (unlikely on either count), Thompson would only have 1 guy in front of him ... a senior. He'd definitely get PT and he'd learn, also get some time at the 5, and be glad that he's not thrust into a high-expectation scenario when he's not ready for prime time.
 
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I can see why he would hold off. He appears to be a PF at the next level or possibly center. He has Roberson ahead of him at the PF and Chuckwa (sp?)at center. No way he plays over Lydon either. I'm not even figuring Coleman into the mix. Seriously doubt he would beat out any of these guys and Boeheim is notorious for not playing his bench guys. Makes sense for him to wait and see how the dust settles.
 
orangejunkie said:
I can see why he would hold off. He appears to be a PF at the next level or possibly center. He has Roberson ahead of him at the PF and Chuckwa (sp?)at center. No way he plays over Lydon either. I'm not even figuring Coleman into the mix. Seriously doubt he would beat out any of these guys and Boeheim is notorious for not playing his bench guys. Makes sense for him to wait and see how the dust settles.
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Yeah, I mean, different recruits have different priorities. Some kids would be happy to walk in, sit the bench and then start to get decent back-up minutes sophomore year. Other kids, not so much. And that's fine. For example, that might have helped us beat out Duke for Battle. He probably didn't want to sit behind Allen, Jones, Thornton, and Kennard.
 
Why has this kid not committed yet? He has a perennial top team in Cuse then what seems like a bunch of teams well below us. Why is he dicking around so long? Jrodcusehulk smash!!!!!
 
JrodCuse said:
Why has this kid not committed yet? He has a perennial top team in Cuse then what seems like a bunch of teams well below us. Why is he dicking around so long? Jrodcusehulk smash!!!!!
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He wants immediate playing time we might not be able to guarantee him, especially if Coleman comes back.
 
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