ESPN's "Freshman Focus"

[flyingdutchdevil]

I think people on this board are forgetting how good COLLEGE Melo was. NBA Melo is one of a one dimensional player, but COLLEGE Melo was insanely good. Check out these two players:

Player A: 22.2 ppg / 10.0 rpg / 2.2 apg / 0.9 bpg / 1.6 spg / 45.3% FG
Player B: 21.4 ppg / 8.0 rpg / 1.8 apg / 1.3 bpg / 1.1 spg / 52.8% FG

Player A is Melo and Player B is Jabari. Now, Melo played a lot more minutes (over 5 more minutes per game) and Jabari is clearly the more efficient player. However, Melo's stats are very very impressive. Furthermore, Melo LED HIS TEAM TO A NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP. I want a player like that, and I hope that Jabari has it in him.

I think that COLLEGE Melo and COLLEGE Jabari are very similar players. Jabari is more efficient, but they are equally versatile and both great rebounders. I think the comparisons are incredibly apt.

[TexHawk]

As for Embiid, comparing him to a Hall of Famer before he's played what, a dozen college games and started less than that -- well, that's unfair to the kid. Lots of potential, starting to realize a little of it lately, much further along defensively than offensively, and I think it's too early on him to make any meaningful comps.

I have to disagree on this point. Embiid can block some shots, yes, but he is constantly out of position, fouls way way way too much (fouls that would be called last year with the old rules too), and despite his size, he can be pushed around a bit. His shot-blocking ability is all just natural talent right now, he can be pump-faked easily, and is very susceptible to a drive and dish. He really needs someone like Danny Manning, who tutored Jeff Withey and Cole Aldrich on the fine art of understanding how to keep your feet on the ground, arms straight up until the last moment. Embiid just flails at everything right now. Good PGs can just drive straight at him and get a foul called very easily.

His offense is much further along. He is close to automatic from 7-8 feet out, with a wide variety of post moves with either hand. He can pop off a screen and hit a 18 footer pretty consistently. His biggest problem is staying on the court, averaging just over 21 mpg. (Though he has played 28-29-25-21-31 minutes in the 5 games since the Bahamas.)

[Des Esseintes]

I have to disagree on this point. Embiid can block some shots, yes, but he is constantly out of position, fouls way way way too much (fouls that would be called last year with the old rules too), and despite his size, he can be pushed around a bit. His shot-blocking ability is all just natural talent right now, he can be pump-faked easily, and is very susceptible to a drive and dish. He really needs someone like Danny Manning, who tutored Jeff Withey and Cole Aldrich on the fine art of understanding how to keep your feet on the ground, arms straight up until the last moment. Embiid just flails at everything right now. Good PGs can just drive straight at him and get a foul called very easily.

His offense is much further along. He is close to automatic from 7-8 feet out, with a wide variety of post moves with either hand. He can pop off a screen and hit a 18 footer pretty consistently. His biggest problem is staying on the court, averaging just over 21 mpg. (Though he has played 28-29-25-21-31 minutes in the 5 games since the Bahamas.)

Those are actually pretty impressive minutes totals for a freshman center, especially for a player with such limited experience in basketball. It's easy to understand the hype.

[Des Esseintes]

I think people on this board are forgetting how good COLLEGE Melo was. NBA Melo is one of a one dimensional player, but COLLEGE Melo was insanely good. Check out these two players:

Player A: 22.2 ppg / 10.0 rpg / 2.2 apg / 0.9 bpg / 1.6 spg / 45.3% FG
Player B: 21.4 ppg / 8.0 rpg / 1.8 apg / 1.3 bpg / 1.1 spg / 52.8% FG

Player A is Melo and Player B is Jabari. Now, Melo played a lot more minutes (over 5 more minutes per game) and Jabari is clearly the more efficient player. However, Melo's stats are very very impressive. Furthermore, Melo LED HIS TEAM TO A NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP. I want a player like that, and I hope that Jabari has it in him.

I think that COLLEGE Melo and COLLEGE Jabari are very similar players. Jabari is more efficient, but they are equally versatile and both great rebounders. I think the comparisons are incredibly apt.

Great info. I would also say that Anthony isn't quite the one-dimensional player people often think. He is a lazy, bad defender, but he has always rebounded well for his position, particularly at small forward. Moreover, while he dominates the ball, he can be an effective team player under the right circumstances. Many of his Denver teams and especially last year's Knicks were tremendous offensive teams, and they fed off not only Anthony's scoring potency but also his ability to draw attention and hit the open man. A selfish player--and by many accounts not a great person generally--but possessed of a more varied game than is popular to say in the context of the radioactive wasteland that is Knick basketball this year.

[kAzE]

Great info. I would also say that Anthony isn't quite the one-dimensional player people often think. He is a lazy, bad defender, but he has always rebounded well for his position, particularly at small forward. Moreover, while he dominates the ball, he can be an effective team player under the right circumstances. Many of his Denver teams and especially last year's Knicks were tremendous offensive teams, and they fed off not only Anthony's scoring potency but also his ability to draw attention and hit the open man. A selfish player--and by many accounts not a great person generally--but possessed of a more varied game than is popular to say in the context of the radioactive wasteland that is Knick basketball this year.

Melo is the ultimate #2 guy. On team USA, when he was playing with LeBron, he got wide open shots all the time. He was incredibly efficient, and I think he actually led the team in scoring. He just can't carry a team by himself the way LeBron can.

[FerryFor50]

Melo is the ultimate #2 guy. On team USA, when he was playing with LeBron, he got wide open shots all the time. He was incredibly efficient, and I think he actually led the team in scoring. He just can't carry a team by himself the way LeBron can.

That's because it would require him to pass.