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Zion.
2025 NBA Draft Thread
- Thread in 'Sports & Training' Thread starter Started by addict4sneakers,
- Start date
dacomeup
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We thought that Zion would rim protect and be a a freaky defender, though. People were projecting him to be a souped up Draymond.
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I do not recall this.
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I feel like you have a calendar alert set for June 1 or something each year just to ramp up the temperature of your takes.
Comparing Banchero and Anthony Bennett or Derrick Williams is nuts.
Im not a fan of overhyping every young prospect like NT does every year. These guys suck more often than not.
All these scouting articles are a waste. People just doing their job I get it, but legit I hate the draft for this reason. I am not wasting a top 3 pick on Banchero. Trade the pick.
Im comparing him to offensive minded PFs who can’t play defense, aren’t necessarily great at any one thinh, but dominated in college and went top 5. These are the worst players to draft.
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dacomeup
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What Zion is now is really good, but what people thought he was going to be was other worldly.
dacomeup
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1. Draymond Green | Defensive versatility
Schmitz: Zion delivers amazing rim-rattling slams, but it's his defensive versatility and willingness to work on that end that make him the ideal modern big prospect, with the 1-through-5 switchability of Draymond Green. Williamson even produced a 7.2 defensive box plus-minus in his lone season at Duke -- identical to Green's defensive impact as a senior at Michigan State. In the NBA, Green has consistently ranked among the most effective stoppers in the league, according to ESPN's defensive real plus-minus, despite his size.
Like Green, Zion plays far bigger than his measurables suggest, allowing him to slide all the way up to the center spot, giving Pelicans coach Alvin Gentry ultimate flexibility at the other four positions. Although Draymond (7-1½ wingspan, 8-9 standing reach) is longer than Zion (6-10½ wingspan, 8-7 standing reach), Williamson is close to 50 pounds heavier, with far superior leaping ability to go along with similar defensive feel and toughness.
EDITOR'S PICKS
Zion's nuclear bounce allows him to play with his head at the rim in verticality situations, while his catlike quickness and motor help him cover ground in the blink of an eye to rotate for blocks. Even when he is tasked with checking more traditional bigs, his frame, low center of gravity and competitiveness are enough to neutralize opponents.
Williamson comfortably checked all five positions at Duke, stifling point guards like Ky Bowman, wings like Jarrett Culver and centers like the 260-pound Steven Enoch. He can shift between anchoring a defense to switching to point guards, displaying nimble feet for a player of his weight. Williamson also has outstanding anticipation in the passing lanes, regularly jumping routes with elite closing speed.
He can stand to improve his discipline, but Williamson covers up a lot of his mistakes with effort.
Goldsberry: Green's unique blend of size, strength, speed and smarts has made him one of the definitive players of this decade. As NBA offenses embraced pace-and-space, defenses had to adapt. Many traditional stoppers like Roy Hibbert have lost their jobs, as bigs are now required to defend both the edges and the interior of the court. Green is so unique because he can play great defense everywhere.
He can switch onto almost any player, from Chris Paulto Joel Embiid, and if Zion can do the same in the NBA, his team will be a nightmare. Green's versatility as an individual force is arguably the most important factor that has enabled Golden State to develop one of the best defensive schemes for the current era.
If there were such a thing as a defensive quarterback in basketball, Green would be all-pro.
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It was a time when we were trying to let anyone play the 5 lol
But I also recall zions weight being a factor for people saying he’d be able to guard big 5’s since he was like already the heaviest player as a rookie lol
But I also recall zions weight being a factor for people saying he’d be able to guard big 5’s since he was like already the heaviest player as a rookie lol
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He didn't really dominate in the tournament either. I know most on here really don't care about that. Also why I am low on Murray.
If I am a GM I would much rather be in the 10-20 range in this draft personally.
Mister Meaner
formerly super producer j
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Banchero has enough fluidity to play the 3 with the tools to guard 3-5 at the very least.
Get him a coach like Thibs early in his career & he’ll be off to a good start.
Iirc, he had a crazy growth spurt & was a SF/G wing before.
Mom was a ball player so that bodes well for his development already.
I’m all in if I’m in the top 3.
Get him a coach like Thibs early in his career & he’ll be off to a good start.
Iirc, he had a crazy growth spurt & was a SF/G wing before.
Mom was a ball player so that bodes well for his development already.
I’m all in if I’m in the top 3.
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Play the 3? Thibs? Wut
HOU$TON
formerly convertibleburt
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Is Paolo REALLY that superior of a prospect to Bagley? They had different offensive strengths as prospects, but Bagley was pretty much a consensus top 3 guy in a stacked draft.
Just seems a bit hyperbolic, imo.
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I dunno given the thickness of his lower half, it kinda seems like he'd struggle to get through screens and if his shooting doesn't develop it's gunna be pretty hard to put him at 3.
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Bagley didn’t have a lot of skills. He out motored everyone. Ate off of put backs. Even still I thought he’d be a 20/10 guy in the league. Can’t measure a guys worth ethic/dedication
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good video.
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I guess my thing with Banchero is, is some team just going to give him the reins and let him be one of their primary creators? I feel like that's kinda what you need to do in order to get the best version of him, but he's not actually good enough to deserve it. Are Jalen Green and KPJ just going to happily play off of him? Tough for me to envision that.
And if you aren't letting him be that guy, then how does he fit in? You're marginalizing him offensively and he's not going to be of much help to you defensively either.
Just my issue with that archetype of player in general.
And if you aren't letting him be that guy, then how does he fit in? You're marginalizing him offensively and he's not going to be of much help to you defensively either.
Just my issue with that archetype of player in general.
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Yeah I get what you’re saying even though I think banchero is more skilled with the ball than bagley
If he can scale his game down to be a third wheel on a great team I’d say that’s a win for this draft class
I think there’s no reason he couldn’t with the right mindset and development
I dunno what his ceiling is but I can’t really compare him to bagley
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Yeah I agree he is more skilled with ball than Bagley. I wasn't comparing them in that sense. Simply as an overall prospect. While he wasn't as skilled with the ball, Bagley was far superior to Banchero as a paint scorer and rebounder. Had flashes of a handle to where he could do a bit more in transition. I think there was probably a lot of people that thought similar to
addict4sneakers
where he'd be able to be like a 20/10 guy in the league based on his motor and elite touch in the paint.If that's what people were thinking, I have a hard time buying that Paolo is some leaps and bounds better prospect. That is all.
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I also thought bagleys athleticism and quickness would be much better
So as a prospect bagley was certainly more hyped
Banchero certainly isn’t leaps and bounds over any former hyped prospect, none of the guys in this class are being hyped like that
If anything I feel like it’s viewed as a decent to weak class for blue chippers and also maybe even overall
So as a prospect bagley was certainly more hyped
Banchero certainly isn’t leaps and bounds over any former hyped prospect, none of the guys in this class are being hyped like that
If anything I feel like it’s viewed as a decent to weak class for blue chippers and also maybe even overall
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If he slides to Houston I don’t see how KPJ/green have any right to hog playmaking duties. The rockets were bad last year and they are still young. Everyone has something to prove.
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Imagine giving a flying **** how KPJ factors into how you're going to use a top 3 pick 
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Oh I 1000% agree with you in theory.
Just not sure I trust it actually happening.
EYE would still draft him 3rd without thinking twice.
HOU$TON
formerly convertibleburt
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I don’t see a problem with Banchero in Houston offensively.
Jalen green is efficient and effective with or without the ball in his hands. He cuts to the basket, spots up, etc.
Jalen green is efficient and effective with or without the ball in his hands. He cuts to the basket, spots up, etc.
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Jalen Green is perfectly fine.
