Talent in the NBA

You know, I was realizing with all of these mock drafts, that the talent pool in the NBA isn't that great. Anyone think im off-base? Discuss.

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Originally Posted by BallSoHard

You know, I was realizing with all of these mock drafts, that the talent pool in the NBA isn't that great. Anyone think im off-base? Discuss.

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Yeah. In the NFL, teams are getting starters in the 2nd-3rd rounds. In the NBA, you'll be lucky to get a rotation player in the early 2nd. Same with baseball. There's just as many late round picks in the MLB as 1st-2nd rounders.

I think that the talent pool at the 2 and 5 are low. Everything else seems fine. Whenever I think of elite 2's I think Kobe, Wade, then... Gordon? I have a lot of trouble saying that third best player at a position can't stay healthy, no matter how talented he is. Then the same with 5's, Dwight and Bynum, then a pretty huge dropoff to third.. Pekovic? Monroe? Hibbert maybe? Just those two are weak IMO.

Edit: You might be talking about the draft talent pool, which would make this not mae much sense.

The NBA doesn't reward fundamentals. They reward and promote athleticism and star power.

I would agree with that, after the top 60 or so players, they are all kind of the same. That's two good players per team if you distribute it evenly.

The pool of players that are physically able to play basketball at a high level is smaller than the other sports. There was a drop in talent in the very early 2000 drafts, but there have been a lot of quality players come in since 2003. The biggest difference is that AAU has gotten all the potential big men to try mimicking the perimeter skills of Garnett instead of actual post moves. There are also more teams now than there was in the past. There may be a couple of teams too many.

As a whole, though, the skill level has improved. Just wish there was better post play.

It's the Jordan age. Everyone and their mothers want to model their game after MJ.

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Originally Posted by Nola Hornet

It's the Jordan age. Everyone and their mothers want to model their game after MJ.

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Kobe is old Jordan.
Westbrook is young Jordan.

:p

Coaching talent pool. Teams just don't develop guys like they should.

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Originally Posted by Nola Hornet

National media coverage doesn't reward fundamentals. They reward and promote athleticism and star power.

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Fix't it for you.

Guys like David West, Gerald Wallace, Andre Iguodala, etc. are really valued in NBA coaching/GM circles and people who really follow the game, or even solid bench guys like Reggie Evans, Louis Amundson, or Nazr Mohammed. Everyone can't be a superstar...some players need to fit into glue roles. There's probably more decent glue guys than we know, but only so many of them are on teams who are on TV all the time.

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Originally Posted by Kibner

Kobe is old Jordan.
Westbrook is young Jordan.

:p

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That sent a chill down my spine

If you're talking about guys who are 6 foot tall, then no, the NBA has too many options there. (See Lin / Charles Jenkins / Avery Bradley)

Once you factor in height combined with quickness and basketball talent you start to have a problem. I truly believe there is a market out there for "big men coaches." I also hope the Hornets draft Andre Drummond and find a legit "big man coach" for him. You saw with Bynum and Cousins that teams employed former greats to work with them to help them adapt to the NBA, and it has paid off for both LA and Sacramento. While other teams draft bigs with potential and give up on them once a coach who was never a big can't get them to be productive.

The talent level required for NFL big men is nothing like the talent level required for NBA big men. Baseball doesnt really count because size doesn't really matter as much.

So yes, you're crazy to think that reading mocks put up selling players to teams are any indication of the actual talent already in the NBA and you have to appreciate that this is a particularly weak draft for guards so some fairly average bigs are being put waaay too high.

You're right, Hakeem is BOOKED solid every summer and from what I understand Mcgee will be going to work with Shaq. If we take a guy like Drummond with our first pick, we need someone to teach him. Although, Patrick Ewing hasnt really helped D12's post game significantly.

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Originally Posted by onpointlikecp3

Yeah. In the NFL, teams are getting starters in the 2nd-3rd rounds. In the NBA, you'll be lucky to get a rotation player in the early 2nd. Same with baseball. There's just as many late round picks in the MLB as 1st-2nd rounders.

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The NFL starts 22 players (25 if you count the ST specialists), and then about 10 more guys get serious burn. That's a lot of players. And because so many players are on the field, players don't have to be as versatile, they have to be good at basically one thing, maybe 2.

In the NBA there are 5 guys on the court and maybe 8 guys total getting significant play. As a result, the talent level on the floor will be much higher, and the talent pool will be much smaller.

Just the way it is.