Saturday, April 12, 2014

Team USA's Hoop Summit Measurements

This might not seem like a super big deal, but it really is. When you are talking about playing in the NBA, every inch of height and reach matters.

A few thoughts:

- Theo Pinson (6'6 190 with a 6'11 wingspan) and Kelly Oubre (6'6 205 with a 7'2 wingspan) were the big winners among the wings. Pinson really impressed me at the McDonald's Game - he's super athletic and he can run point. If he can consistently make 3's next season at UNC, he could be a lottery pick. He reminds me of a young Will Barton. Oubre isn't quite as skilled, but he's very athletic and projects as a high-level 3-and-D wing. The 7'2 wingspan means he should be able to play the 3 in the NBA.

- From a physical standpoint, the gap between Stanley Johnson (6'7 235 with a 6'11 wingspan) and Justice Winslow (6'6 220 with a 6'10 wingspan) is the gap between being a starting 3 and coming off the bench in the NBA. That doesn't seem like a lot, but when you are going up against 6'9+ small forwards, every little bit helps. Winslow doesn't have great size and he's not totally comfortable on the perimeter - this is guy who might have to stay 2-3 years in Duke before he thinks about coming out.

- The LaMarcus Aldridge comparisons only continue to grow for Myles Turner, who checked in at 6'11 240 with a 7'3.5 wingspan. He's big, he's long, he's athletic and he can shoot. This guy is going to be a very good basketball player for a very long time.

- Jahlil Okafor came in at 6'11 270, which is good for a guy who makes his living in the low post. If he had come in at 6'9, he might not have been able to play as a C and projecting him to the next level would have been much more difficult. As is, he reminds me a ton of Al Jefferson - the question will be how he holds up defensively. Can he play as the lone big man in a 4-out system in the NBA or will he need to be in a two-post system that allows him to share some of the defensive responsibility?

- Tyus Jones (6'1 185 with a 6'3 wingspan) probably had the most disappointing measurements. He's not super athletic and he doesn't have the size or length to make up for it - he will have trouble defending PG's in the NBA. He's got a similar profile to Tyler Ennis - if he's going to be a starter at the next level, he had better be super efficient on offense and he had better not turn it over. DX has him as a lottery pick in 2015 - I doubt that holds up over his freshman season.

- Cliff Alexander (6'8 250 with a 7'3 wingspan) has the athleticism and measurables of a starting 4 in the NBA, but the question for him is going to be his overall skill level. Kansas was a good choice for Cliff - there's a lot of Thomas Robinson in his game. He needs a lot of polish before the thinks about going pro.

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