Jazz Pre-Draft Workouts

[mellow]

More Biyombo:

The Biyombo workout was interesting as a rare public look at a prospect who has not played in months, after splitting with his team in Spain, and was barely known in the United States even when he was in a lineup. It just wasn’t good. The entire premise was a bad idea. Biyombo, a power forward from the Republic of Congo, is a stud athlete who blocks shots and rebounds. That would have come out in a game, where he could light up the gym by flying around the rim and overpowering opponents. In one-on-none drills, NBA evaluators got to observe bad hands and an offensive game that everyone agrees will be a non-factor in the league, all the way to a bad showing at the line. Dibs on trademarking “Hack a ‘Mack.” Opponents will foul Biyombo every time he has the ball within dunking distance, also known as his maximum shooting range. The encouraging news is that an executive with one team said Biyombo did much better at a recent individual workout in Spain by catching balls a club official purposely threw wild to gauge reaction and hands. But nothing hides the zero offense of a player tracking to the top 10.

https://hangtime.blogs.nba.com/2011/06/11/eurocamp-day-1/

 

[mellow]

And Donatas Montijunas:

The Motiejunas workout was better but hardly worth the top of the resume either. While he showed the agility and a shooting touch uncommon at 6-feet-11 power forward, the lottery-bound power forward appeared tired to those who had watched him during the season.

and

Chad Ford: That's not Motiejunas' game either. One-on-none workouts don't favor players like Biyombo or Motiejunas. Both should've just played in camp.


and

Mark Deeks: Donatas Motiejunas is not, and will not be, a good player.

 

[Gyp Rosetti]

Interesting, his standing reach is 1 inch higher than last reported but wingspan is 1 inch shorter. If this is accurate that means he is nearing elite size for centers as standing reach is most important. Also, this guy is just in ridiculously good shape, not sure if they do athletic tests there but would like to see his standing vertical jump.

I'm curious but how do the likes of Larry Sanders, Hassan Whiteside and any other recent, similar fodder compare?

 

[Jazz4ever]

And Donatas Montijunas:

The Motiejunas workout was better but hardly worth the top of the resume either. While he showed the agility and a shooting touch uncommon at 6-feet-11 power forward, the lottery-bound power forward appeared tired to those who had watched him during the season.

and

Chad Ford: That's not Motiejunas' game either. One-on-none workouts don't favor players like Biyombo or Motiejunas. Both should've just played in camp.


and

Mark Deeks: Donatas Motiejunas is not, and will not be, a good player.

I want no part of Donatas at 12. Has the same poor desire and work ethic Bargnani has, and isn't even half the shooter.

 

[Jazz4ever]

I'm curious but how do the likes of Larry Sanders, Hassan Whiteside and any other recent, similar fodder compare?

They all are about the same length wise, excellent. Whiteside and Sanders are glued to the floor though. BB, from the video I've seen, is pretty dang athletic. He flies around like he has a jet pack on. Out of control at times so he fouls a lot, but that could be harnessed.

 

[Zerol]

I wouldn't mind Biyombo falling to 12 at all. I'm warming on Jimmer, so it'd be interested if Biyombo and Fredette were there at 12. Which one to take?

Add Burks into the mix please.

 

[mellow]

Biyombo workout clip from today:


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SgNY0cFr1JM

No hands, no touch.

 

[Darkwing Duck]

Biyombo workout clip from today:


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SgNY0cFr1JM

No hands, no touch.

NBA body. Good motor from what I've seen. He's the perfect player for a team with two draft picks in the draft. If Jazz go BPA, they may end up with Kanter and Biyombo. Wouldn't THAT be something.

 

[zbone]

I said it before and will stand for it - Biyombo is Fes at best. What Fes loses to Biyombo on D he gains on him on O. He is 3rd string C in playoff contender. I don't mind gambling on him though.

 

[billyshelby]

Biyombo workout clip from today:


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SgNY0cFr1JM

No hands, no touch.

There's nothing to learn from this video, or the workout. There's only 2 reasons to go to it: 1) To talk to the guy; 2) To see him up close. That's an NBA body and and top athlete at the 5.

Every team is going to scout his Spain tape for what he can actually do.

 

[Thee Idiotic Minivan K]

If we take Kanter, then also taking Biyombo would be a wasted pick unless we are planing on trading Kanter.

 

[NUMBERICA]

I've never been so excited to see a player prove everyone wrong before.

 

[mellow]

I had to run as I posted a link to the Biyombo video.

The guy is clearly an athlete, and showed some good quickness. I knew that he was raw, and that his impact will be on defense, but I didn't expect his basketball skills to be that undevloped. I read about his bad hands and he showed really bad hands.

What I don't know is if a guy who is so athletic can't also learn to catch, move and shoot just a little.

 

[trigg3r]

I had to run as I posted a link to the Biyombo video.

The guy is clearly an athlete, and showed some good quickness. I knew that he was raw, and that his impact will be on defense, but I didn't expect his basketball skills to be that undevloped. I read about his bad hands and he showed really bad hands.

What I don't know is if a guy who is so athletic can't also learn to catch, move and shoot just a little.

He should be throwing a basketball against a wall for the entire lockout and getting more comfortable catching it. You are right, his hands are very bad right now.

 

[BENTLEY]

NBA body. Good motor from what I've seen. He's the perfect player for a team with two draft picks in the draft. If Jazz go BPA, they may end up with Kanter and Biyombo. Wouldn't THAT be something.

If you go BPA I can see this as likely. Have to sort it all out later.
Or maybe that Washington trade comes to fruition.

 

[margodydek]

Re: Biyombo. Weren't there a lot of people on this site that thought Whiteside was going to be the next elite defensive center? I can't lie, it would be exciting to get Biyombo at #12 (no way in hell at 3), but at the same time I wouldn't have very high expectations from him.

 

[Stifle Tower]

Re: Biyombo. Weren't there a lot of people on this site that thought Whiteside was going to be the next elite defensive center? I can't lie, it would be exciting to get Biyombo at #12 (no way in hell at 3), but at the same time I wouldn't have very high expectations from him.

Ummm, yes. I wasn't advocating Hassan at #9, but I thought trying to trade down (or up from our 2nd round slot) and pick him up late first/early second might be worth it. I was obviously either dead wrong, or he'll take several years to develop.

 

[cowhide]

I could be wrong but Biyombo is extremely raw and I have doubts he can be anything but a role player in the NBA unless he dramatically improves. I think people are getting all excited because of his length but what good does it do if he can shoot, catch the ball or gets pushed around on defense. So he blocks a few shots big deal. He won't be playing in the fourth quarter if he can't shot free throws. I would pick him in the 20s but not at 12. I think he is being overhyped.

Again I could be wrong because his skills are better seen 5 on 5 than in workout drills. However it seems an NBA caliber player would have better individual skills than Biyombo has.

 

[NUMBERICA]

Re: Biyombo. Weren't there a lot of people on this site that thought Whiteside was going to be the next elite defensive center? I can't lie, it would be exciting to get Biyombo at #12 (no way in hell at 3), but at the same time I wouldn't have very high expectations from him.

There's always some ruckus about drafting some defensive C every year. But they are all missing critical components to the puzzle (usually weight/strength, work ethic, aggressiveness/intensity, and/or intelligence). I might be the loudest loud mouth about Biyombo, but I was never on the Whiteside train, nor was I on the Thabeet train (had he even been in the Jazz's range). I doubt I would've been on the Sene train, but I wasn't around then.

 

[Gyp Rosetti]

If we take Kanter, then also taking Biyombo would be a wasted pick unless we are planing on trading Kanter.

It would seem so but Okur can ride the pine all year and likely might anyway. That means there would be five guys (Jefferson, Millsap, Favors, Kanter, Biyombo) for the 4-5 with Millsap getting some solid burn at the 3 as well.

Let's say Millsap can play 20 minutes at the 3 and 10 at the 4, that leaves 86 minutes for the other four guys between the 4 and 5. 34 for Al, 24 for Favors, 16 for Kanter and 12 for Biyombo. I think that sounds about right and might even be asking too much for Kanter and Biyombo as very young rookies, so I see no issue with drafting both of them if they're the BPA on the Jazz Big Board.