I was thinking about this duo the other day when someone posted a Jah article. Could it be JJ who gets Jah on the right path? It would be really cool to be reading a story a year from now about how JJ took Jah under his wing and taught him how to truly be a professional.
Criticism may not be agreeable, but it is necessary. It fulfils the same function as pain in the human body. It calls attention to an unhealthy state of things. - Winston Churchill
President of the "Nolan Smith Should Have His Jersey in The Rafters" Club
While true about Brand, JJ's situation is not like Jah's. JJ didn't have strong defensive/distribution skills as an NBA rookie; van Gundy helped to develop that. Jah has the tools but is deemed "unmotivated" and "lazy".
I assume there was 0% that JJ was signed on to help Jah. It's safe to say that Jah isn't in the 76er's long-term plans.
Criticism may not be agreeable, but it is necessary. It fulfils the same function as pain in the human body. It calls attention to an unhealthy state of things. - Winston Churchill
President of the "Nolan Smith Should Have His Jersey in The Rafters" Club
JJ might succeed where Brand did not. Personally, I'd like to see him try.
Jah is still young but perhaps he's old enough now to see that he needs to rededicate himself to his craft. I don't know, I'm just hoping...
I agree that the Sixers didn't bring in JJ to school Jah. I'm just saying I'd love for it to happen anyway. If Jah has the tools, JJ might be just guy to get him to use them. Might happen, might not. Again...one can hope!
Jah gets after it, learns to be a pro from JJ and gets going in the right direction, he might end up in the long term plans for a team. If it's not the Sixers, that's OK, heck that might be a blessing.
Quickie Duke in the NBA Opening Night Power Rankings...injuries count, this is based on where they stand right now according to my very subjective criteria. Debate very welcomed.
1. Kyrie Irving – Most prominent Dukie in the NBA
2. JJ Redick - $23MM dollar a year man, brought in to mentor the baby 76ers
3. Rodney Hood – the opportunity to become “The Man” in Utah
4. Justise Winslow - can he stay healthy, can he shoot, is he all everyone thought he was as a precocious rookie?
5. Brandon Ingram - a starter in his second year, expectations are sky high
6. Jayson Tatum - starting in the big opening night game, so what if it's only because someone is hurt
7. Lance Thomas - potential starter in NY
8. Mason Plumlee - trying to carve out his rotation minutes as a back-up in Denver
9. Austin Rivers - missed all preseason but a projected potential starter for Daddy in LA
10. Luke Kennard - can he crack the regular rotation as a defensively deficient player under Stan Van?
11. Luol Deng - now the veteran mentor to the baby Lakers, fighting for back-up minutes
12. Jahlil Okafor - the odd man out in Philly, needing a new start but likely in the rotation most nights
13. Tyus Jones - the little engine that could, fighting to be a rotation player for Thibs
14. Josh McRoberts - injured but back soon and a likely 15-20 minute man when he plays for Dallas
15. Kyle Singler - on his last legs in OKC, likely not active on opening night
16. Miles Plumlee - looking at decent back-up minutes in Atlanta but out for a few weeks with injuries
17. Seth Curry - a rotation man in Dallas but out injured for at least a few weeks
18. Harry Giles - shut down until at least January, but coming along
19. Frank Jackson - out until January with a broken foot
20. Jabari Parker - out until at least February, sure to shoot up the list once he returns
Hayward. Snapped his leg off. There goes the season. The kyrie curse. Too soon? Yikes
Well unfortunately there are going to be more minutes up for grabs for Tatum, Gordon Hayward just gruesomely broke his leg.
I was not necessarily talking about JJ’s stint with the Magic.
I do think that JJ will understand what Jahlil is going through in the NBA, in part based on being a lottery pick who found himself on the bench. But JJ’s transformation in the NBA was his second. It was his first, while at Duke, that Jahlil needs to embrace.
I don’t think JJ was signed to help Jahlil. I hope that Jahlil thrives, and I wonder if JJ can help.
I think Seth is going to move up that list a bit by the end of the year.
My preseason read on Winslow is that he still can't shoot and is still having trouble finishing at the rim. He was a mess in the first 4 games, but played considerably better in the 2nd 2, so I'm hoping he was just shaking off some rust having been injured most of last year. He's still really young and athletic, and he's still a hard worker, so I continue to believe he's going to figure it out eventually. I'm just not sure it's going to be with Miami.
Tatum with a strong 3rd quarter. 10 points and a nice hesitation move on LeBron for the and-1. Then a deep 3-pointer.
He's got a bit of foul trouble, but I've been impressed.
Kyle gets BUCKETS!
https://youtu.be/NJWPASQZqLc
It's a good game now. That Jaylen Brown kid is really good.
Kyle gets BUCKETS!
https://youtu.be/NJWPASQZqLc
Tatum has looked fantastic in the second half. Smooth and solid, hasn't initiated much but has played his role. Will only get better as he gets more comfortable. You can see why Boston was so high on him.
Valiant try by Kyrie and his Celtics. Very enjoyable. Kyrie was on fire at times but Lebron was huge!
Kyle gets BUCKETS!
https://youtu.be/NJWPASQZqLc