*** Monte Morris NBA Analysis/Assumptions ***

[randomfan44]

So do they not have Niang in the top 60? I realize they draft based on potential, but I can't imagine they'd take some of those 19 year old kids over a proven Niang.

There is no reason for a team to use a draft pick on Niang. He is a guy that will have to fit into a certain type of system and a team like that will just pick him up as an undrafted free agent. You can probably count the number of systems that Niang would do well in on one hand. When there is no threat of any other team taking a guy you want, you don't draft him.

 

[CyJack13]

60+ guys are told they will be first round picks. They listen to bad information. Obviously there's some exceptions, but a lot of guys leave early expecting a place in the NBA and don't get it. Then later regret leaving early.

Or a lot of guys realize they aren't going to improve their draft stock by playing another year of college basketball and are ready to make money, be it in the NBA or overseas. I think a lot of early entrants are more aware of their potential draft position than you are giving them credit for. Not all these guys love the college experience, there's a lot of them that are just ready to be getting paid for putting in all the work.

 

[CyJack13]

That's a pretty unrealistic number. Maybe 42-43% would be a more reasonable target. He isn't looking to go into the NBA as a shooting guard. Only 43 players in all of college basketball shot 45% or better from three last year and I doubt of many, if any, were point guards. He just has to get more consistent on both his hits and misses. Scouts watch not only how many you miss but how many of your misses had a chance to be a make.

Right, there's not a magic 3-point percentage number that scouts use to determine if you're a good shooter or not. RJ Hunter shot like 29% this year and teams still love him for his shooting, he's got a good stroke and took a ton of contested threes as the focal point of the offense. If a player is getting a lot of great looks and shooting 40%, that very well could be less impressive than the player who was the main focus of the defense every night and shooting 35% with very few clean looks.

 

[baagoe]

So do they not have Niang in the top 60? I realize they draft based on potential, but I can't imagine they'd take some of those 19 year old kids over a proven Niang.

They definitely will, Georges has far from proven that he can play in the NBA or that his game will translate

 

[LLCoolCY]

Seniors hardly ever get drafted high. If MM comes back for his senior year, he either got hurt or we had a terrible season.

Scout's don't care if your a Jr or Sr, actually most coaches would like 4 year players to impact faster. Truth is most players that stay till their Senior year, have to because they don't have the matured talent of one and done-ers and they need to get as much tape of their games and improve their weaknesses as much as possible. The reason Seniors are drafted later is because there are still flaws in their game. In Monte's case size and NBA three point shooting. If he improves those to the point he is a first rounder after this year he should leave, if not take one more year become the man and work on those areas. Scouts aren't going to drop him 10-15 spots just due to being a Senior over coming out as a Junior though.

 

[CyCy]

Will Blalock declared after his junior season at ISU. Got drafted in the 2nd round and ended up with an NBA career of 14 games.

 

[Cyclonepride]

So do they not have Niang in the top 60? I realize they draft based on potential, but I can't imagine they'd take some of those 19 year old kids over a proven Niang.

It's the NBA, that is exactly what they do.

 

[Cyclonepride]

They definitely will, Georges has far from proven that he can play in the NBA or that his game will translate

I think he can play in the NBA, and I think he will have a nice career there. But he won't be drafted high by any stretch. He's a unique player who can find a niche somewhere and really help a team.

 

[randomfan44]

I think he can play in the NBA, and I think he will have a nice career there. But he won't be drafted high by any stretch. He's a unique player who can find a niche somewhere and really help a team.

Niang is a small version of Boris Diaw. the problem is that Boris Diaw came into the league as a great athlete and morphed into the all around play maker he is after years of experience. Niang doesn't have the elite athleticism that might be needed to get his foot in the door. From Marc Stein and Amin Elhassan of ESPN.com: One of the more surprising aspects of the Diaw story is the way that his biggest fans — before they start dissecting the way he’s sneaked up on the Heat this week — are so keen to remind you that they once gushed over his athletic gifts. … “Boris walks into the gym one day wearing flip-flops and holding his customary cappuccino, which was a staple for him every morning,†[Cavaliers GM David Griffin, formerly a member of the Phoenix front office] recalled. “It was during pre-draft workouts, so he sees the Vertec [machine] and asks what it is. “We tell him it measures your vertical leap by determining how many of the bars you can touch. He asks what’s the highest anyone has ever gone, and we tell him Amare’ [Stoudemire] cleared the entire rack. “Boris puts down the cappuccino, takes off his flip-flops and clears the entire rack on the first try. Then he calmly puts his flip-flops back on, picks up his cappuccino and walks away, saying, ‘That was not difficult.'†Niang isn't doing that any time soon.

 

[RustShack]

Even most of the elite point guards and shooting guards do not shoot 45% in three point shots. Examples last year Russell Westbrook 29.9% James Harden 37.5% Kevin Durant 40.3% Lebron James 35.4% Carmelo Anthony 34.1% Steph Curry is the only one who came close at 44.3%. Pella High grad Kyle Korver had the best 3pt% for the third time last year at 49.2% but that is extremely rare.

Only 17 players of any playing position made 45% of their 3 pt shots last year including one player who made 100% making 1 of 1, ha. Most of the higher percentage shooters each year are shooting guards and not point guards anyway.

Only six of those 17 players even played in half of the regular season games. They just got lucky in the few shots they took and are not considered in the race for the best 3pt shooter in the league for last year.

http://stats.nba.com/league/player/#!/?sort=FG3_PCT&dir=1

Fred had the best 3pt% in 2004-2005 at 48.28% and I think he was second the year before. The month before the season ended in 2005 Fred was ahead of Steve Kerr's all time 3pt shooting percentge but got an injury and finished below Steve's highest year. Kyle Korver broke Kerr's record in 2009-2010. You want to remember the year's record at the link below is just the best of the best not the normal 3pt%

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_NBA_season_leaders_in_three-point_field_goal_percentage

Why are you comparing Pro% to college %

 

[cyclonesherm]

I love that story. I think Niang is awesome for so many reasons, but he will never be considered an elite athlete.

 

[cyclonesherm]

Morris is a great question mark and it may depend on Prohm's offense. The former coach ran an inside outside set with a PF acting as a PG in the half court. This didn't put much on Monte to create in the half court because the ball wasn't always in his hands creating, which is a must for NBA PG's. MM has a really good shot at the league but may want to wait a year after Niang leaves, so he can really lead the team. This is what the negatives are today:

1. Most assists have come in the open court not creating off of pick and roll or half court sets. He was much more involved in the half court the last ten games.
2. He is a little small in the upper body, which is requirement for the NBA.
3 He floats to the hoop as opposed to finishing with aggression. There were flashes of him driving hard and finishing strong which causes the defense to change the approach. More of this is needed.
4. Offense didn't run through him.

Positives:
1. Not afraid to mix it up. He can rebound and with a little more strength this could be an asset.
2. Not afraid of the big shot. He seems to want the ball in his hands.
3. Great handles
4. Rarely does something stupid or force the action in a bad way. A few more aggressive turnorvers might be a good thing.

 

[Cydkar]

Why are you comparing Pro% to college %

Was wondering the same. A long and entirely irrelevant post.

 

[baagoe]

I think he can play in the NBA, and I think he will have a nice career there. But he won't be drafted high by any stretch. He's a unique player who can find a niche somewhere and really help a team.

I just feel like he's a tweener who doesn't really do one thing great (in terms of NBA levels) and while he is very skilled and has found a way to work around his athletic struggles in college that will be harder to do in the NBA. He's a tough guy for me to gauge or project because he's a pretty unique player & case though.