2023 NBA Draft Megathread

[Handlogten's Heros]

View: https://twitter.com/Barlowe500/status/1663565408346181635


Taylor Hendricks

Such an lol stat for a guy that yacked on everyone all year. But okay. Same as being concerned about a player's 20-foot jumpshot when they shoot >40% from 3.

Now add in the dunks... what does the percentage say now? Also how many layups or non-dunk finishes were there in total?

I get the nitpicking as it is nitpicking season. But, when you add in the dunks and other 2p attempts he comes in at 53.5% on 2 point baskets. Jarace Walker on the other hand shoots 51.5% on 2p shots... red flag?

Its just a weird thing to isolate...

 

[TheStormofWar]

Calculating an "at the rim" percentage but arbitrarily removing dunks seems like a remarkably stupid way to statistic.

Yeah, it makes no sense whatsoever to me. If dude is hammering home or finger rolling within 5 ft of the rim, it seems good to me either way. Stat debunked.

 

[Handlogten's Heros]

Calculating an "at the rim" percentage but arbitrarily removing dunks seems like a remarkably stupid way to statistic. What was Lauri's "at the rim, but remove the dunks" percentage? Nobody knows and nobody cares because that is moronic, especially for players who yam it a lot.

Actually at the beginning of the year it was insanely high and then tapered off... but yes... point we all kind of made. Taylor dunked a lot... he's no Vando around the rim (not big enough to dunk everything and seemingly misses every layup he takes).

 

[Handlogten's Heros]

It should be so that’s misleading. He should just say layups.

He shot 40% on layups in the halfcourt and 44.7% on layups overall.

If this was a guard I'd be concerned... but the 36 dunks make up 30% of his 2p shots made. Then cut out the midrange shots (I don't have those #s). Are we talking about maybe 5-10 layups that didn't go in over a 34 game sample?

I think ramping up his scoring volume will likely be an issue and this may be a small factor there.... maybe.

 

[Saint Cy of JFC]

Yeah, it makes no sense whatsoever to me. If dude is hammering home or finger rolling within 5 ft of the rim, it seems good to me either way. Stat debunked.

So you think dunking in the AAC or NBA is easier?

I don't get why people get so butthurt when a negative stat is brought up against a prospect they have tied themselves too.

Hendricks has bad touch around the rim and he's struggles with physicality. That's a big reason why I'm lower on him than the consensus, because I don't see the upside for him to expand his game (along with poor handling ability and middle of the road feel) outside of the more role player oriented business. The stat just confirms what my eyes saw.

If you don't think it's a big deal or you think there is something in his game/movement/whatever that indicates he can improve on that, then cool.

 

[Handlogten's Heros]

Wasn't he supposed to have received a promise from a team(the Pacers?) if I'm not mistaken?

That was the rumor I saw somewhere. It makes sense.

 

[Saint Cy of JFC]

That sounds like a stat coach Nick would quote for Gobert... even though he dunks almost everything around the rim. At the end of the day it matters what his efficiency is, not what some super small sample of shots says...

I mean, it clearly was a negative part of Goberts game. Coach Nick just hated on Gobert way too much vs how good he was, but it was a valid critique of Gobert.

 

[Handlogten's Heros]

So you think dunking in the AAC or NBA is easier?

I don't get why people get so butthurt when a negative stat is brought up against a prospect they have tied themselves too.

Hendricks has bad touch around the rim and he's struggles with physicality. That's a big reason why I'm lower on him than the consensus, because I don't see the upside for him to expand his game (along with poor handling ability and middle of the road feel) outside of the more role player oriented business. The stat just confirms what my eyes saw.

If you don't think it's a big deal or you think there is something in his game/movement/whatever that indicates he can improve on that, then cool.

I like when 10 people point out an obvious flaw to a limited stat and it equals "butthurt".

People who are realistic about Taylor understand the actual flaws... May never have a ton of volume to his offense and likely not gonna self create. He can still be super valuable as a guy that gets an efficient 15 points per game if he provides the secondary rim defense and some switching/small ball possibilities.

 

[Saint Cy of JFC]

If this was a guard I'd be concerned... but the 36 dunks make up 30% of his 2p shots made. Then cut out the midrange shots (I don't have those #s). Are we talking about maybe 5-10 layups that didn't go in over a 34 game sample?

I think ramping up his scoring volume will likely be an issue and this may be a small factor there.... maybe.

View: https://youtu.be/47LAe_hIQfk

 

[Saint Cy of JFC]

I like when 10 people point out an obvious flaw to a limited stat and it equals "butthurt".

People who are realistic about Taylor understand the actual flaws... May never have a ton of volume to his offense and likely not gonna self create. He can still be super valuable as a guy that gets an efficient 15 points per game if he provides the secondary rim defense and some switching/small ball possibilities.

I don't think anyone has actually pointed out any obvious flaw and are mostly just guessing g what those flaws might be.

 

[Handlogten's Heros]

I mean, it clearly was a negative part of Goberts game. Coach Nick just hated on Gobert way too much vs how good he was, but it was a valid critique of Gobert.

If Rudy could shoot 40% from three no one would have really cared what his non-dunk rim finishes were like.

 

[Saint Cy of JFC]

If Rudy could shoot 40% from three no one would have really cared what his non-dunk rim finishes were like.

Ok, but Rudy doesn't shoot 3s and Taylor Hendricks is not dunking around the rim like Rudy Gobert so what are we even talking about with this Rudy talk regarding Hendricks?

 

[Elizah Huge]

Hendricks actually shot 58.8% around the rim overall including everything.

 

[Udidthizz]

Bleacher Report mock draft from this morning.

9.Black
16.Bilal
28.Podz

I can certainly live with that.

 

[stitches]

Hendricks actually shot 58.8% around the rim overall including everything.

Now that's a much more relevant stat and this number is not great for a 6'9" forward...

 

[Udidthizz]

# of dunks in NCAA

Brandon Miller - 23
Cam Whitmore - 28
Jarace Walker - 31
Anthony Black - 24
Cason Wallace - 11
Gradey Dick - 15
Taylor Hendricks - 36
Keyonte George - 3
Kobe Bufkin - 12
Noah Clowney - 27
Jordan Hawkins - 9
Brice Sensabaugh - 9
Jett Howard - 6
Jamie Jacquez - 17
Derrick Lively - 54
Brandin Podzdskdjsl - 7
Amari Bailey - 16
GG Jackson - 19
Nick Smith Jr - 4
Dariq Whitehead - 2
Colby Jones - 9
Jalen Hood Shifino - 4
Marcus Sasser - 6
Jordan Walsh - 17

Quite a lot for Black.

 

[TheStormofWar]

So you think dunking in the AAC or NBA is easier?

I don't get why people get so butthurt when a negative stat is brought up against a prospect they have tied themselves too.

I don't mind negative stats. I do mind dishonest stats.

In the 21-22 season, Gobert shot 53% of layups. I mean, seriously, dude's over 7 ft, he can't put the ball in the rim? This discounts his 92.6% FG% on dunks, but who's counting, amirite? Gobert is one of the best rim runners in PnR actions maybe ever, but this is one of those where stats don't pass an eyetest. Take it for what you will, but if a dude can lay it up or dunk it, I care little beyond a certain point because folks can cherrypick stats to mean anything if they try hard enough.

"There are three kinds of lies: Lies, damned lies, and statistics." ~ Dilke.

 

[KqWIN]

On Hendricks and his dunks vs layups....yeah it doesn't matter if it's a dunk or a layup what matters is that it goes in. Having said that, there's been talk about Hendricks being able to be a good roll man and I'm not sure about that. He is terrific in transition and can dunk everything in an open floor setting....but I don't think he has amazing touch around the basket and doesn't handle contact super well. I think this will improve as he puts on weight, but I think it is fair to differentiate between the two skillsets. There's a big difference between an open floor finisher and guy who can finish in half court settings.

 

[KqWIN]

Quite a lot for Black.

Black is underrated at scoring around the basket. His percentage at the rim is not great, but his FTr is great. He knows how to use his body to finish or get to the free throw line. He only needs a little bit of space/advantage to get all the way to the rim with his long strides.

 

[Handlogten's Heros]

Ok, but Rudy doesn't shoot 3s and Taylor Hendricks is not dunking around the rim like Rudy Gobert so what are we even talking about with this Rudy talk regarding Hendricks?

Because Taylor can shoot he has other ways to ramp up his offensive value that Rudy did not have. His first option is to dunk... his second option is a non-dunk finish around the basket. He had no other shots available. Not having touch affected like maybe 3-4+ shot opportunities a night... it likely prevented us from giving him another 3-4 a night on top of that. With Taylor I would think its maybe a shot or two? He can still get to a solid volume taking the opportunities he has to dunk and shoot threes if the non-dunk rim finishing doesn't come... he simply removes some of those shots from his profile... or if he takes 2-3 at what like 45% its not the end of the world either.

If he gets better at it he can be a 20ish ppg guy... I think just as a shooter and dunker he could be a 15ish ppg guy on great efficiency. If Rudy could catch and had great touch he might have scored 8-10 more ppg.