Zion is the most exciting/dynamic player since....

[Jaker]

Andre Drummond

 

[husky429]

I don't think it will be. It's a spread, finesse game in the NBA and he's going to be the strongest, or one of the strongest, players in the league as a 19-year-old rookie. He's going to be a matchup nightmare: too strong for most 3s and too quick for every 4. He's not really undersized either, he's an ideal stretch 4 or even smallball 5.

Zion is the third player I've ever seen who's such a complete and total freak of an athlete that he'll transcend and typical NBA thoughts/scouting reports can be thrown out the window. Shaq and LeBron were the other two.

He's 6'6. He's undersized. Don't be obtuse.

He will overcome it with his strength and athleticism and be a great, great player if he learns to shoot.

 

[polycom]

On offense, Williamson and Barrett are fouling machines. They are bowling balls with elbows. If you put either or both into a UConn uniform, they would be whistled out of the game in the first five minutes.

This is false, in the NBA you have to respect someone’s size. That’s why there are freedom of movement rules.

 

[Walker11]

Zion's go to move, that flip shot over his right shoulder after clearing space, won't work nearly as well. It doesn't really matter. He doesn't need to be a shooter to reach his potential. Being a guy who can hit open 3's will be more than enough. I have never seen someone so freakish in the fast break. If you aren't completely squared up, he just rips through with the defender having no chance. I would love to see him land on the Hawks, if my dream of the Knicks getting him, and 2 of KD, AD, Kyrie doesn't pan out.

 

[intlzncster]

Zion's go to move, that flip shot over his right shoulder after clearing space, won't work nearly as well. It doesn't really matter. He doesn't need to be a shooter to reach his potential. Being a guy who can hit open 3's will be more than enough. I have never seen someone so freakish in the fast break. If you aren't completely squared up, he just rips through with the defender having no chance. I would love to see him land on the Hawks, if my dream of the Knicks getting him, and 2 of KD, AD, Kyrie doesn't pan out.

The funny thing is we're talking about an 18 year old right now. He still has a 8-10 years to hit his prime.

Obviously his current go to isn't going to work. Most of his skills/game are completely underdeveloped as he hasn't played against the guys he's supposed to be playing against.

He'll be fine.

 

[Old school]

Antric Klaibor

 

[John]

Coach K looks like he belongs in a wax museum.

 

[Walker11]

The funny thing is we're talking about an 18 year old right now. He still has a 8-10 years to hit his prime.

Obviously his current go to isn't going to work. Most of his skills/game are completely underdeveloped as he hasn't played against the guys he's supposed to be playing against.

He'll be fine.

I don't think he is really that raw. He should be very good from the jump. He needs to improve his shot and learn to deal with bigger and better athletes, just like every other college player but he has a really good feel for the game.

 

[intlzncster]

I don't think he is really that raw. He should be very good from the jump. He needs to improve his shot and learn to deal with bigger and better athletes, just like every other college player but he has a really good feel for the game.

I agree. Was only saying that a lot of the skills he developed against smaller, less athletic players won't translate. But that doesn't mean he's not going to pick up new skills quick.

 

[superjohn]

I don't think he's raw at all, he's basically awesome at everything already except for his shot could use a little work but it already keeps teams honest. Only thing that will stop him from being a superstar is his body can't handle his power and breaks down which is a very real concern.

A guy like Barrett has great numbers but you hardly even notice him with Zion on the court racing around. Zion legitimately effects every single play offensively and defensively.

Best comparison has always been Barkley but Zion is even more athletic and Barkley is one of the biggest athletic freaks the NBA has ever seen.

 

[intlzncster]

I don't think he's raw at all, he's basically awesome at everything already except for his shot could use a little work but it already keeps teams honest. Only thing that will stop him from being a superstar is his body can't handle his power and breaks down which is a very real concern.

For the record, I don't think he's raw in the traditional sense either. I was trying to counter the 'his go moves won't work at the next level' meme (I worded it poorly). I just don't think that's the case. Anything that "doesn't work", he'll just adapt to, probably quite quickly.

I do think he's raw in the idea that his ceiling is so much higher than it is now, and he's got all the time in the world to work on it.

If I'm a team, I'm not worrying about his body breaking down in the near term. If you can draft a Superstar, and say he starts breaking down at 30, that's a huge win. His recent injury was absolutely cause by equipment failure.

Given that he's so strong, he's more than capable of developing a Karl Malone style game later in his career, which inherently puts a bit less stress on the body.

A guy like Barrett has great numbers but you hardly even notice him with Zion on the court racing around. Zion legitimately effects every single play offensively and defensively.

His defense is what really sets him apart from most players coming out. He's an actual weapon on defense out there. A true two way player.

This is absurd:

Best comparison has always been Barkley but Zion is even more athletic and Barkley is one of the biggest athletic freaks the NBA has ever seen.

Strength-wise and height-athleticism ratio, absolutely. He's like Barkley + Larry Johnson + Sean Kemp (minus the height). lol

I can't come up with a good athletic comparison to Zion, probably need a mix of guys to do so. Actually, the fact that I'm struggling to do say, probably says as much as anything about him. One of a kind.

 

[husky429]

PJF, for those who know him, just did a podcast preview on why zion SHOULD NOT lose weight.

My gf is a DPT and strength coach. Says the same thing. If he is putting on the weight without a real lifting and nutrition program, then it's okay. Losing 20 lbs could be worse for his joints.

 

[jibsey]

Since Bazz.

 

[freescooter]

Bigger stronger guys will give him trouble just like The UCF kid did. And honestly, Fall is a pretty ordinary bi except for his size. In college Zion was able to out muscle forwards and out quick most bigs but in the NBA he won’t do either. The bigs are bigger, stronger and the 3s and 4s are quicker and stronger. At 6-6, he won’t overpower anyone. If he stuck around he could be a legendary college player but in the NBA he will be pretty ordinary.

 

[tzznandrew]

Bigger stronger guys will give him trouble just like The UCF kid did. And honestly, Fall is a pretty ordinary bi except for his size.

I mean, not to beat a dead horse, but he had 32 and 11 on 50% shooting. If that's "giving him trouble" he's going to do just fine in the league.

 

[Lefty2one]

He's 6'6. He's undersized. Don't be obtuse.

Do you even watch the NBA? Guys like Draymond Green, Rondae Hollis-Jefferson, and Gary Clark play the 5 at times, and the 4 quite often. It's not 1993 anymore.

Giannis Antetokounmpo and not because of the nickname, which is bad, but he is an incredible athlete.

Sorry, I should have clarified that I meant at age 18/before entering the NBA. Giannis now is certainly a freak to that level.

 

[Dream Jobbed 2.0]

I feel like over a course of a game he has a half dozen “WOW” plays but I don’t think you can build around him. Not a great handle or shot. Those out of control drives where he somehow scores or gets to the line in college will not be as successful when he has a guy like Draymond Green, Marcus Smart, or Kawhi Leonard on him.

 

[freescooter]

He won’t score st the rim over bigger stronger NBA guys If he can shoot 3s maybe but I’m skeptical

 

[BigErnMcCracken]

I feel like over a course of a game he has a half dozen “WOW” plays but I don’t think you can build around him. Not a great handle or shot. Those out of control drives where he somehow scores or gets to the line in college will not be as successful when he has a guy like Draymond Green, Marcus Smart, or Kawhi Leonard on him.

To the extent there was a knock on him coming out of high school it was "well, he's roasting a bunch of 5-9 suburban kids, just wait until he's playing high major college basketball." And then he got to high major college basketball and still looked like a different species than everyone else on the court. I'm not sure how much Draymond you've watched lately but I doubt he's the guy that's going to make Zion look normal. The kid's quicker, jumps higher, and has FIFTY pounds on him.

 

[billybud]

Zion has such an incredibly quick first step...for offense and defense.

FSU's coach commented that it was the fastest first step that he'd seen with his many years of experience.

At only 18, he hasn't yet physically peaked.

He is an inch shorter than Lebron, 35 pounds heavier, and has 2" less wingspan and has the same 40 inch vericle leap...

Lebron's FG % picked up after year five....his FG % in year one was .417....3 point % of .290 in year one.

 

[Lefty2one]

To the extent there was a knock on him coming out of high school it was "well, he's roasting a bunch of 5-9 suburban kids, just wait until he's playing high major college basketball." And then he got to high major college basketball and still looked like a different species than everyone else on the court. I'm not sure how much Draymond you've watched lately but I doubt he's the guy that's going to make Zion look normal. The kid's quicker, jumps higher, and has FIFTY pounds on him.

That's the thing with Zion's freakishness: it's not just the vert or being 285 lbs. He is so quick and so light on his feet. His change of direction is ridiculous. I think it was the VaTech game in transition where the VT kid hit with a pretty nasty hesitation and Zion bit, then still recovered to glass the layup attempt. Human beings don't do stuff like that.

 

[polycom]

I feel like over a course of a game he has a half dozen “WOW” plays but I don’t think you can build around him. Not a great handle or shot. Those out of control drives where he somehow scores or gets to the line in college will not be as successful when he has a guy like Draymond Green, Marcus Smart, or Kawhi Leonard on him.

He's bigger than all 3 of those guys. The only thing that will stop Zion will be can his body handle his playstyle.

 

[BigErnMcCracken]

I think it was the VaTech game in transition where the VT kid hit with a pretty nasty hesitation and Zion bit, then still recovered to glass the layup attempt.

Yeah that was VT. A great hesitation dribble, he was completely beaten, and still rubbed it. That was pretty demoralizing.

 

[billybud]

Zion kept the four freshman of Duke in contention against veteran laden squads...

 

[EBonz30]

Can someone tell me what happened with Zion elbowing Ahmed Hill in the face. That's clearly a flagrant 1. I was watching in a crowded bar but Duke got the ball after the refs looked at the monitor and now I'm reading online they called a foul on Hill. That can't be right??? No flagrant 1 is insane, they didn't really call a foul on Hill, right?

Reality is to beat this Duke team you have to beat them by 10+ points, they get every call imaginable. For Duke to only have two fouls with 30 seconds left yesterday was absolutely atrocious. Once Zion got his second the refs ate the whistle regarding Z. MSU gets out rebounded by 10+ as well, lol. Happy to see Duke lose, they deserved to.