Rasheed Sulaimon - is he the next Russell Westbrook?

[coot]

This article is short but list Sheed as one of the best ten returners to the game next season. Hopefully he will step it up in his junior year on the same level that Nolan Smith did. He is certainly talented enough to do something special. If he does, a final four run may be in the making.

http://www.answers.com/article/11885...e-all#slide=21

coot

[OldPhiKap]

This article is short but list Sheed as one of the best ten returners to the game next season. Hopefully he will step it up in his junior year on the same level that Nolan Smith did. He is certainly talented enough to do something special. If he does, a final four run may be in the making.

http://www.answers.com/article/11885...e-all#slide=21

coot

I will repeat the mantra I have had the last two years -- Sheed could be a lottery pick before all is said and done if he pulls it all together. May the consolidation of consistency start this season!

[kAzE]

This article is short but list Sheed as one of the best ten returners to the game next season. Hopefully he will step it up in his junior year on the same level that Nolan Smith did. He is certainly talented enough to do something special. If he does, a final four run may be in the making.

http://www.answers.com/article/11885...e-all#slide=21

coot

Yeah . . . I wouldn't put too much stock into whoever wrote that article. I love me some Rasheed Sulaimon, but Russell Westbrook is not who I would compare him to. Westbrook is an all-world athlete, and the most athletic point guard of all time. Sheed is a nice player, and a guy who will play in the NBA for a long time, but I'd be pretty surprised if he ever made an all-star team. Also, apparently, he didn't hear Jordan Adams went pro . . .

[Duvall]

Short answer: No.
Long answer: Nooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo ooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo.

[Henderson]

Westbrook is ... the most athletic point guard of all time.

See post #4.

[mattman91]

See post #4.

Who would it be?

[g-money]

If I'm 'Sheed, I'm working like crazy on ballhandling and dribble penetration this summer. There were a lot of times last season when he ended up being forced into tough/awkward shots because he couldn't get by his man. This won't get any easier at the next level without extreme quickness... however, with savvy ballhandling skills it is possible. Just ask Steve Nash.

[Des Esseintes]

If I'm 'Sheed, I'm working like crazy on ballhandling and dribble penetration this summer. There were a lot of times last season when he ended up being forced into tough/awkward shots because he couldn't get by his man. This won't get any easier at the next level without extreme quickness... however, with savvy ballhandling skills it is possible. Just ask Steve Nash.

Ask Steve Nash *what*? Yes, Nash has a terrific handle. He is also one of the greatest passers in NBA history and arguably the very best shooter in NBA history. If you took those latter two traits away, he could not have made it at all in the Association, much less been a star. Nash is not a career path *anyone* can follow. He is utterly, utterly unique, as are most guys with weak athleticism who star at that level. Distilling his success down to his handle is like telling a lumberjack prospect that the big key to lumberjacking at the next level is to paint your ox blue.

Sulaimon has the same chance of being Westbrook as he does Nash. Which is to say he has a 0% chance. And that's ok, because there are many special careers that never touch the heights of those two.

[budwom]

If Sheed scores a WHOLE lot more points and makes a WHOLE lot more utterly selfish, boneheaded plays, he'll be exactly like Westbrook.

[JNort]

I think a better comparison is James Harden. I mean it's not an amazing comparison but I feel they almost look the same when they got the ball. Sheed is IMO a better and more willing passer where as Harden is the better overall athlete. Both can shoot, both are slashers, both need the ball in their hands, both try to get fouled on their drives.


Actually thinking further I'd say he is almost exactly like Manu Ginobili.

[nmduke2001]

I think a better comparison is James Harden. I mean it's not an amazing comparison but I feel they almost look the same when they got the ball. Sheed is IMO a better and more willing passer where as Harden is the better overall athlete. Both can shoot, both are slashers, both need the ball in their hands, both try to get fouled on their drives.


Actually thinking further I'd say he is almost exactly like Manu Ginobili.

I don't really see the Manu or Harden comparison. To me, Sheed is most like Leandro Barbosa. They're about the same size and have a similiar skill set and surprisingly close career stats.
http://espn.go.com/mens-college-bask...sheed-sulaimon
http://espn.go.com/nba/player/_/id/2166/leandro-barbosa

I think Sheed would be happy with a Barbosa-like career; anything more would be gravy.

[flyingdutchdevil]

I think a better comparison is James Harden. I mean it's not an amazing comparison but I feel they almost look the same when they got the ball. Sheed is IMO a better and more willing passer where as Harden is the better overall athlete. Both can shoot, both are slashers, both need the ball in their hands, both try to get fouled on their drives.


Actually thinking further I'd say he is almost exactly like Manu Ginobili.

Harden is 10x the offensive player that Sulaimon is. Fortunately, Sulaimon is a muuuuuuuuch better defender. And Sulaimon isn't even an elite defender (Harden is just that bad in defending. Between Kyrie, Harden, and Stephen Curry, it's tough to say which player has the largest spread between their offensive and defensive talents).

Sulaimon's best comp, at least right now, is a poor man's Goran Dragic: good shooter, good at getting to the rim, good passer, decent defense, great teammate. Sulaimon is like Dragic, only not as good at everything that Dragic does (except defense).

[Billy Dat]

I always wonder why the comps have to be All Star, All NBA type players?

I looked at Draft Express' database of players heights and weights by position to find size comps for Rasheed to try and find a more realistic NBA comp

http://www.draftexpress.com/nba-pre-...0&pos=2&sort=2

Looking through the list of 6'4", 185 pound shooting guards is a humbling experience because there are a lot of guys who haven't made it in the NBA that it is hard to argue are worse than Rasheed.

I hope he wakes up everyday and says, ala Jay Bilas, I gotta go to work.

[Kedsy]

I don't really see the Manu or Harden comparison. To me, Sheed is most like Leandro Barbosa. They're about the same size and have a similiar skill set and surprisingly close career stats.
http://espn.go.com/mens-college-bask...sheed-sulaimon
http://espn.go.com/nba/player/_/id/2166/leandro-barbosa

I think Sheed would be happy with a Barbosa-like career; anything more would be gravy.

Except in his heyday, Barbosa was known as the fastest player in the NBA. Rasheed will never be that (and he isn't half the passer or scorer Dragic is, either).

Unfortunately, one of the best comps for Rasheed is Nolan Smith. Except Rasheed has a lot of improving to do before he'll be close to as good a college player as Nolan. Hopefully he'll begin that improvement process this season.

[flyingdutchdevil]

Except in his heyday, Barbosa was known as the fastest player in the NBA. Rasheed will never be that (and he isn't half the passer or scorer Dragic is, either).

Unfortunately, one of the best comps for Rasheed is Nolan Smith. Except Rasheed has a lot of improving to do before he'll be close to as good a college player as Nolan. Hopefully he'll begin that improvement process this season.

I agree that, right now, Smith is a decent comp. But I think were are 3 main differences that don't make the comp ideal:

1) Sulaimon is taller with a bigger wingspan. He's arguably an inch taller with at least 2-4 inches in wingspan. That matters, because it makes Sulaimon more capable of playing the combo (versus Nolan who could only play the 1)
2) Smith was a lock-down defender. Sulaimon is a serviceable defender. I hope Sulaimon becomes that type of defender
3) Sulaimon is a better 3pt shooter and driver. Sulaimon has slightly better stats, but it's his consistency and form that I feel are sooo much better than Smith. Furthermore, Sulaimon already drives with his head up and gets to the hoop with ease. He isn't great at finishing, yet, but I think he'll get there.

As a senior, Smith has the full offensive arsenal: good 3pt shooter, great mid-range, strong to the hoop. But when he got to the NBA, all those assets just weren't good enough. Sulaimon has a better 3pt shot and should continue to become a better driver. I don't really like his mid-range, and I'm sure he'll be asked to drop it once we gets to the NBA, but if Sulaimon can become a highly serviceable 3pt shooter with good driving ability, he can easily become Goran Dragic 2.0

[BD80]

... Between Kyrie, Harden, and Stephen Curry, it's tough to say which player has the largest spread between their offensive and defensive talents). ...

Jabari Parker

[flyingdutchdevil]

Jabari Parker

I think Jabari needs to be compared with Al Jefferson, Gordon Hayward, and Carmelo Anthony (come on! put the guards together and the forwards together! )

Also, saying Jabari's D is worse than Harden's is indeed saying something. Jabari is awful. Harden may be on another level. If JJ Redick continuously blows by you on drives, you are not a serviceable defender (JJ is a great shooter, a crafty playmaker, and a workhorse. Driving is not in his NBA arsenal and never has been).

[roywhite]

Except in his heyday, Barbosa was known as the fastest player in the NBA. Rasheed will never be that (and he isn't half the passer or scorer Dragic is, either).

Unfortunately, one of the best comps for Rasheed is Nolan Smith. Except Rasheed has a lot of improving to do before he'll be close to as good a college player as Nolan. Hopefully he'll begin that improvement process this season.

Yeah, I think Nolan is a decent comparison.

Remember, Nolan was much better as a junior and senior; his scoring averages were as follows:
FR 5.9
SO 8.4
JR 17.4
SR 20.6

Rasheed, so far:
FR 11.6
SO 9.9

Sheed is a key player for the 2014-15 season, both for his play and to help bring along the young guys.

[g-money]

Ask Steve Nash *what*? Yes, Nash has a terrific handle. He is also one of the greatest passers in NBA history and arguably the very best shooter in NBA history. If you took those latter two traits away, he could not have made it at all in the Association, much less been a star. Nash is not a career path *anyone* can follow. He is utterly, utterly unique, as are most guys with weak athleticism who star at that level. Distilling his success down to his handle is like telling a lumberjack prospect that the big key to lumberjacking at the next level is to paint your ox blue.

Sulaimon has the same chance of being Westbrook as he does Nash. Which is to say he has a 0% chance. And that's ok, because there are many special careers that never touch the heights of those two.

Hmmmm, wasn't really trying to compare the too. Just making the point that it's possible to get by someone with savvy ballhandling, even in the absence of great quickness.

[rocketeli]

No (unfortunately)