Singler in the NBA?

[Hancock 4 Duke]

Even though many people are talking about Singler's possibilities, I still think he has a lot to learn. I think G has a slight better chance...

[eddiehaskell]

He isn't ready yet, IMO. His shot could use more work and he needs to work on his ability to drive to the basket and finish. If he stayed 2 more years I think he would be a finely polished gem.

[Oriole Way]

Singler doesn't shoot well enough or drive well enough to make an impact in the NBA right now, even from the potential-standpoint which gets so many kids drafted. If he were 6'10 or taller, his prospects would be better. But his size isn't really a positive considering he's not a great shooter (yet) and not particularly quick.

I would imagine scouts see similarities between Kyle and Adam Morrison (or perhaps that's just me being wrong). If that's the case, Morrison's struggles will probably turn teams off. Like I said, I could be wrong, but I see a lot of similarities in both of those player's games.

If Kyle makes drastic improvements, he could leave after next year. But I think there's a decent chance Singler is a 4-year player.

[COYS]

Singler doesn't shoot well enough or drive well enough to make an impact in the NBA right now, even from the potential-standpoint which gets so many kids drafted. If he were 6'10 or taller, his prospects would be better. But his size isn't really a positive considering he's not a great shooter (yet) and not particularly quick.

I would imagine scouts see similarities between Kyle and Adam Morrison (or perhaps that's just me being wrong). If that's the case, Morrison's struggles will probably turn teams off. Like I said, I could be wrong, but I see a lot of similarities in both of those player's games.

If Kyle makes drastic improvements, he could leave after next year. But I think there's a decent chance Singler is a 4-year player.

Adam Morrison was no where near the two way player that Singler is. Morrison never put up the rebounding numbers Singler put up as a frosh . . . and he's only improved on them as time has gone on. Singler is a better rebounder, passer, and defender (although he is kind of caught between positions on the defensive end in the NBA) than Morrison was in college by far. Morrison was basically a pure scorer. Singler is a far more complete player.

That being said, Singler does need to polish off his shot and work on getting his shots off on drives and on pull up jumpers. If he can become a dead-eye from three point range and shoot consistently from mid-range, his court savvy, passing ability, and general basketball smarts will carry him a long way.

[Oriole Way]

Morrison never put up the rebounding numbers Singler put up as a frosh . . . and he's only improved on them as time has gone on.

I would disagree that Singler was a significantly better rebounder than Morrison as a freshman. Singler averaged 5.8 rebounds in 28.6 minutes per game, Morrison 4.3 in 20.8 minutes a game. They essentially rebounded at the exact same rate when you factor in that Singler played almost 8 more minutes a game as a freshman.

Singler has shown to be a better rebounder as a sophomore. But Singler rebounds better at a clip of 2 rebounds a game compared to Morrison. That's a negligible difference when it comes to the NBA. Neither player will be a great rebounder. All you have to do is look at Michael Beasley, who was a dominant rebounder and one of the best in all of college basketball his freshman year. He rebounds nowhere near the same amount in the NBA. All three are forwards... neither Morrison nor Singler will have an impact in the rebounding department.


Singler is a better rebounder, passer, and defender (although he is kind of caught between positions on the defensive end in the NBA) than Morrison was in college by far. Morrison was basically a pure scorer. Singler is a far more complete player.

As I already mentioned, rebounding isn't going to matter very much when discussing Singler's pro prospects (when comparing him to Morrison).

Singler's passing wasn't any better than Morrison's as a sophomore - Singler averages 2.6 assists in 31 minutes, Morrison averaged 2.8 in 34 minutes. More importantly, Singler averages 2.5 turnovers, Morrison only 1.7 turnovers. So, I actually think you're wrong when you say Singler is a better passer. Morrison was actually the better passer.

I will agree that Singler is the better defender. But Singler will be drafted for his offense anyway, not for his defense.

Do you think Singler will average 28 points per game as a junior? Morrison did, and I would be pleasantly shocked if Singler comes anywhere close.

Morrison was a much better shooter than Singler both years, shooting better than 50% from the field, and I suspect their junior years will be more of the same in that Morrison will prove to be the superior and more efficient scorer. Considering offensive capabilities are what got Morrison drafted, and that offensive skills will also primarily be why Singler gets drafted, then I actually think Morrison was a better NBA prospect than Singler will be at any point this season or next.

[FireOgilvie]

I would disagree that Singler was a significantly better rebounder than Morrison as a freshman. Singler averaged 5.8 rebounds in 28.6 minutes per game, Morrison 4.3 in 20.8 minutes a game. They essentially rebounded at the exact same rate when you factor in that Singler played almost 8 more minutes a game as a freshman.

Singler has shown to be a better rebounder as a sophomore. But Singler rebounds better at a clip of 2 rebounds a game compared to Morrison. That's a negligible difference when it comes to the NBA. Neither player will be a great rebounder. All you have to do is look at Michael Beasley, who was a dominant rebounder and one of the best in all of college basketball his freshman year. He rebounds nowhere near the same amount in the NBA. All three are forwards... neither Morrison nor Singler will have an impact in the rebounding department.

As I already mentioned, rebounding isn't going to matter very much when discussing Singler's pro prospects (when comparing him to Morrison).

Singler's passing wasn't any better than Morrison's as a sophomore - Singler averages 2.6 assists in 31 minutes, Morrison averaged 2.8 in 34 minutes. More importantly, Singler averages 2.5 turnovers, Morrison only 1.7 turnovers. So, I actually think you're wrong when you say Singler is a better passer. Morrison was actually the better passer.

I will agree that Singler is the better defender. But Singler will be drafted for his offense anyway, not for his defense.

Do you think Singler will average 28 points per game as a junior? Morrison did, and I would be pleasantly shocked if Singler comes anywhere close.

Morrison was a much better shooter than Singler both years, shooting better than 50% from the field, and I suspect their junior years will be more of the same in that Morrison will prove to be the superior and more efficient scorer. Considering offensive capabilities are what got Morrison drafted, and that offensive skills will also primarily be why Singler gets drafted, then I actually think Morrison was a better NBA prospect than Singler will be at any point this season or next.


Keep in mind that Morrison played for Gonzaga, and they didn't have that much talent his junior year (compared to Duke now). They were good, but Morrison basically had the offense go through him all the time. Morrison is awful on defense, always has been... his junior year he had 11 blocked shots. Not good... not to mention he couldn't guard anyone. Singler is much better on defense. Also, 2 rebounds is significant. If Singler averaged 2 more rebounds, he'd be Shelden Williams. I think if Singler played for a team like Morrison did, he'd probably be averaging 20+ points a game right now. Singler is also a LOT stronger than Morrison. Also, Morrison only averaged 1.8 assists his junior year... he really was not much of a passer... more of a black hole on offense. Singler is much more of an intelligent all-around player... I agree with COYS.

Edit: Adam Morrison's problem in the NBA (before his knee problems) is/was that he was one of the least efficient players in the entire league. I just don't see that happening with Singler. He might not be the offensive threat that Morrison is, but I can see him being a much more solid team player.

[RoyalBlue08]

I think Singler's NBA future depends on his ability to consistantly hit the NBA 3 pointer. He isn't quick enough to score of the bounce in the NBA, and while he should be able to rebound his position and place fairly good defense, he is going to have to be a jump shooter that stretches defenses I think. Because of this, I think he is best suited to stay four years and continue to work on his game/shot before he leaves for the pros.

[CDu]

Singler's game is perfectly suited for the "4" spot in college, but he's probably not a great NBA fit. So much of his game is based on his savvy (he's got a great sense for where to be) and being a mismatch at the college level. He's too good off the dribble for big guys and he can shoot over the little guys. But I don't see him being a mismatch in the NBA. He's going to be a "3" in the NBA, and the combination of size and athleticism at that spot is going to give him problems. In the NBA, pretty much everyone can match him in size, and they are great athletes.

I think Singler will be a first round pick whenever he goes, and he'll find a place in the league. But he's going to have to really improve his shooting.

[BobbyFan]

Singler's game is perfectly suited for the "4" spot in college, but he's probably not a great NBA fit. So much of his game is based on his savvy (he's got a great sense for where to be) and being a mismatch at the college level.

Agreed. I think it's a stretch to expect him to be an NBA starter.

[COYS]

I would disagree that Singler was a significantly better rebounder than Morrison as a freshman. Singler averaged 5.8 rebounds in 28.6 minutes per game, Morrison 4.3 in 20.8 minutes a game. They essentially rebounded at the exact same rate when you factor in that Singler played almost 8 more minutes a game as a freshman.

Singler has shown to be a better rebounder as a sophomore. But Singler rebounds better at a clip of 2 rebounds a game compared to Morrison. That's a negligible difference when it comes to the NBA. Neither player will be a great rebounder. All you have to do is look at Michael Beasley, who was a dominant rebounder and one of the best in all of college basketball his freshman year. He rebounds nowhere near the same amount in the NBA. All three are forwards... neither Morrison nor Singler will have an impact in the rebounding department.



As I already mentioned, rebounding isn't going to matter very much when discussing Singler's pro prospects (when comparing him to Morrison).

Singler's passing wasn't any better than Morrison's as a sophomore - Singler averages 2.6 assists in 31 minutes, Morrison averaged 2.8 in 34 minutes. More importantly, Singler averages 2.5 turnovers, Morrison only 1.7 turnovers. So, I actually think you're wrong when you say Singler is a better passer. Morrison was actually the better passer.

I will agree that Singler is the better defender. But Singler will be drafted for his offense anyway, not for his defense.

Do you think Singler will average 28 points per game as a junior? Morrison did, and I would be pleasantly shocked if Singler comes anywhere close.

Morrison was a much better shooter than Singler both years, shooting better than 50% from the field, and I suspect their junior years will be more of the same in that Morrison will prove to be the superior and more efficient scorer. Considering offensive capabilities are what got Morrison drafted, and that offensive skills will also primarily be why Singler gets drafted, then I actually think Morrison was a better NBA prospect than Singler will be at any point this season or next.

I understand that Morrison is a significantly more accomplished scorer, but assists is not the best way to determine passing ability. Singler has consistently shown better floor vision than Morrison. He also operates better as a passer out of the high post. Also, I'm not sure where you get that rebounding won't matter for Singler as an NBA prospect. Singler has a better nose for the ball, which is important for any position and is an added bonus for someone who is not regarded as an elite level athlete. Morrison became someone who couldn't get his shot off against athletic defenders, didn't create for anyone, didn't defend, and didn't rebound at all. Even contributing two more rebounds per game would have been very significant for Morrison and would have raised his player efficiency rating, which has been abysmal since he got to the NBA (based on Hollinger's stats, he was at 7.91 as a rookie when he played significant minutes and before his injury, which made him just about the worst player in the league who got lots of minutes). This is because he can't rebound, can't pass, can't defend, and can't help orchestrate an offense.

Morrison, as a junior, had just about the same rebounding numbers he had as a freshman at 5.5. No improvement. His assists didn't improve (1.9), and (albeit, with more usage than Singler gets) had 2.3 turnovers per game. Singler's ability to do more on the court than just score will be important in his evaluation. However, ultimately I was agreeing with your point that Singler needs to become a more consistent shooter to become a legit NBA prospect as, relative to most players at his size in the NBA, will not be an elite rebounder, defender, or playmaker. But he is still significantly better in those areas than Morrison.

[Billy Dat]

I think you guys really underestimate his potential in the NBA. The NBA types (scouts, etc.) think he's a can't miss and he will be a first rounder whenever he decides to leave. I hope for our sake it's at least a year away.

Singler, when guarded 1 on 1, usually beats his guy. He sets up his jumper really well from triple threat and regularly drives on people. His 3 point range will extend to NBA range, I think, with little difficulty. I do think he's got starter talent.

[flyingdutchdevil]

Am I the only one who thinks that Singler is not going to the NBA this year. Actually - I rephrase - I would be shocked, twice as shocked as when Shavlik declared for the draft, if Singler declared for the draft. Hendo - different story (and IMO, if G leaves, good for him - he's ready. If he stays, good for him - we have a good chance of winning it next year).

Singler has a lot to work on. Leaving for the NBA this year (and maybe even next year) will be a mistake. Shooting and driving - two fundamental skills for a player like him, need to be improved to even consider going to the NBA.

But I think Singler will definitely be in the league. And most likely as a lottery pick as well.

[ncexnyc]

I'm not sure we're all watching the same games as I find it hard to believe anyone thinks Kyle is ready for the NBA.

Kyle knows how to play the game and he works well both inside and outside, however he isn't ready for the next level.

If he can put on some more muscle and increase his shooting efficiency from long range then he will stand a very good chance of making it, but as of right now he just doesn't have enough strength to battle NBA caliber forwards nor is his stroke solid enough for him to get by hanging on the perimeter.

[Kewlswim]

Am I the only one who thinks that Singler is not going to the NBA this year. Actually - I rephrase - I would be shocked, twice as shocked as when Shavlik declared for the draft, if Singler declared for the draft. Hendo - different story (and IMO, if G leaves, good for him - he's ready. If he stays, good for him - we have a good chance of winning it next year).

Singler has a lot to work on. Leaving for the NBA this year (and maybe even next year) will be a mistake. Shooting and driving - two fundamental skills for a player like him, need to be improved to even consider going to the NBA.

But I think Singler will definitely be in the league. And most likely as a lottery pick as well.

Hi,

These days nothing seems to shock me. If Kyle leaves, it would be a mistake--however, I wouldn't be shocked. G probably shouldn't leave either. In that if he stays he could be a lottery pick. If he goes, he might just be a journeyman because he might start his career in the wrong place and wouldn't have the perks of being a lottery pick. He is a diamond that is just a bit unpolished, stay one more year and G might be a polished gem. Then again, going rah-rah for Duke when there are millions of dollars on the table, journeyman or not, might not be good advice. He goes pro and then he gets the money. He stays at Duke, and heaven forbid, some accident happens, well you get the idea.

This is fun though. I find the speculation interesting. I find this team really cool. I really like both G and Kyle and wish them nothing but luck in whatever decisions they make. I don't think, and nobody has said otherwise, that it is like when Luol or Corey or William left after just one year--in those cases I felt like I hardly got to know the player and "poof" they were gone. It was like, "See ya, wish I had the chance to get to know you." Both have been here a while and really been super contributors. I was in the minority, I think, when I was sad to see Josh leave early. I guess he wasn't well liked, but he might have been able to turn that around. Another year at Duke would have helped Josh out immeasurably before he joined the association.

GO DUKE!

[longtimefan]

I dont think you can accurately compare singler's numbers to Morrison's.i believe duke plays better competition during confrence play than Gonzaga .morrison was a little quicker than singler.singler is stronger.im betting kyle has him by ten pounds today.morrison didnt have a player near his ability on his team.i would hope both he and henderson stay.

[dukelifer]

Singler will play in the NBA- but he will be better in one to two years. I cannot think of a player in the league who is like him that has left after his sophomore year. I am also not convinced he is as tall as listed. If he was as big as Dunleavy- I would be more worried. If Kyle leads Duke to an FF, that buzz may get him a high pick.

I personally think G should stay- but he will definitely test the waters. He has a lot of upside- but unless he becomes a very good outside shooter- he will have some challenges at the next level. Again a FF run will give him a lot of buzz. But that said- he is one of the more exciting players in college to watch.

[houstondukie]

Singler doesn't shoot well enough or drive well enough to make an impact in the NBA right now, even from the potential-standpoint which gets so many kids drafted. If he were 6'10 or taller, his prospects would be better. But his size isn't really a positive considering he's not a great shooter (yet) and not particularly quick.

I would imagine scouts see similarities between Kyle and Adam Morrison (or perhaps that's just me being wrong). If that's the case, Morrison's struggles will probably turn teams off. Like I said, I could be wrong, but I see a lot of similarities in both of those player's games.

If Kyle makes drastic improvements, he could leave after next year. But I think there's a decent chance Singler is a 4-year player.

No offense, but you would make a terrible scout.

Singler and Morrison, other than height, have almost nothing else in common.

Singler can rebound, pass, and play defense. Morrison couldn't spell defense.

Morrison was a much better shooter and was better at creating his own shot.

Singler is not leaving after this year. IMO, I don't even think it's that close. He loves college, doesn't come from a poor family, and he has lots to improve on.