Ellenson NBA prospects

[LAMUfan]

shooter!

[TAMU, Knower of Ball]

I think that's where he'd be his best.

You are who you can guard. I don't see Ellenson guarding Big East wings. Would be happy to be proven wrong.

[brandx]

You are who you can guard. I don't see Ellenson guarding Big East wings. Would be happy to be proven wrong.

Agree wholeheartedly. Which is why I predict we get 3 years from HE.

He absolutely cannot guard an NBA '3' and needs more strength & seasoning before he could handle an NBA '4'.

[We R Final Four]

You are who you can guard. I don't see Ellenson guarding Big East wings. Would be happy to be proven wrong.

Steve Novak would disagree with you. I think HE will have issues with the quickness of the "3" and the strength and power rebounding against the "4".

[We R Final Four]

Agree wholeheartedly. Which is why I predict we get 3 years from HE.

If NBA scouts see the potential in HE, he can go after one year. If Henry wants to stay and get stronger that's on him. HE will get drafted on potential, not his perceived level of defense, or strength.

[brandx]

Steve Novak would disagree with you. I think HE will have issues with the quickness of the "3" and the strength and power rebounding against the "4".

Actually, I think Steve would agree. In the NBA you are what you can defend. Steve can defend no one, so he is no one.

Luckily, he has one skill that is off the charts and that has earned him millions, but ultimately, he is unable to defend - ergo he rides the bench.

[brandx]

HE will get drafted on potential, not his perceived level of defense, or strength.

I agree with the 1st half of the sentence - and disagree with the 2nd half.

To make it on a good team in the NBA without being able to defend, requires the type of physical AND basketball skills that HE doesn't possess - think Curry, Harden, Iverson.

[wadesworld]

I think a large chunk of people here are completely underestimating how good Hank is.

[brandx]

I think a large chunk of people here are completely underestimating how good Hank is.

I'm hoping he will be a Kyle Singler-like player. I'd be happy with 13/6 as a freshman.

He probably has 1" - 1 1/2" edge on Kyle and the build to be stronger once he gets in the weight room.

[Sharpie]

Actually, I think Steve would agree. In the NBA you are what you can defend. Steve can defend no one, so he is no one.

Luckily, he has one skill that is off the charts and that has earned him millions, but ultimately, he is unable to defend - ergo he rides the bench.

I wouldn't mind being a "no one" and making millions. Sign me up.

[Sharpie]

I agree with the 1st half of the sentence - and disagree with the 2nd half.

To make it on a good team in the NBA without being able to defend, requires the type of physical AND basketball skills that HE doesn't possess - think Curry, Harden, Iverson.

Are you saying in order to be on a good nba team one must possess the skills that Curry, Harden, and Iverson have/had? That's quite the statement. Pretty sure the nba and good nba teams take lots of different types of players.

There are plenty of good players on good teams that are mediocre at defense. I have no idea what to expect out of HE and am tempering expectations but I have a feeling he's going to be a stud. Needless to say I'm excited with what he shows in his freshman year of college.

[brandx]

Are you saying in order to be on a good nba team one must possess the skills that Curry, Harden, and Iverson have/had? That's quite the statement. Pretty sure the nba and good nba teams take lots of different types of players.

There are plenty of good players on good teams that are mediocre at defense. I have no idea what to expect out of HE and am tempering expectations but I have a feeling he's going to be a stud. Needless to say I'm excited with what he shows in his freshman year of college.

No, I wasn't saying that. I was saying that you need a very specific skillset if you don't play defense (think Kyle Korver, Dale Ellis).

And, I too, look forward to seeing what HE can do. I think by the time that he leaves MU, we will all be pretty happy with the results.

[We R Final Four]

Actually, I think Steve would agree. In the NBA you are what you can defend. Steve can defend no one, so he is no one.

Luckily, he has one skill that is off the charts and that has earned him millions, but ultimately, he is unable to defend - ergo he rides the bench.

Since HS, Steve Novak has been told he needs to improve his defense. What he decided was best for him was to shoot 1K jumpers/day. He's now approaching a 10 year professional career, including his latest 4 year, $15M deal. SN will never be considered for defensive POY, but certainly not a NO ONE.


I don't think HE's inability to defend an NBA '3' will NOT translate into a longer collegiate career.

[brandx]

Since HS, Steve Novak has been told he needs to improve his defense. What he decided was best for him was to shoot 1K jumpers/day. He's now approaching a 10 year professional career, including his latest 4 year, $15M deal. SN will never be considered for defensive POY, but certainly not a NO ONE.


I don't think HE's inability to defend an NBA '3' will translate into a longer collegiate career.

It was a smart move by Steve - but in terms of an NBA player he is just a body. He is the definition of a No One in the NBA. In 9 years, he has only played over 10 minutes per game 3 times. At 6'10" he has averaged 1.3 rebounds for his career and has averaged 4 blocked shots PER YEAR (0.1 per game).

His only marketable skill is shooting 3s. It is the ONLY reason he has ever been in the NBA.

And yes - I would trade my career for his in a second.

[WarriorPA]

Has anyone seen some videos that poke fun at Harden's defense? It's terrible. Defense can definitely be important, but it doesn't always matter. The same way NBA player's have great careers shooting 40% from the line or not being able to hit a jumper to save their lives. Lots of players have big deficiencies in their game, but still have great careers.

The NBA is really all about potential when it comes to the draft, especially when you look at those lottery picks where we all are hopeful HE will end up someday.

[brandx]

Has anyone seen some videos that poke fun at Harden's defense? It's terrible. Defense can definitely be important, but it doesn't always matter. The same way NBA player's have great careers shooting 40% from the line or not being able to hit a jumper to save their lives. Lots of players have big deficiencies in their game, but still have great careers.

The NBA is really all about potential when it comes to the draft, especially when you look at those lottery picks where we all are hopeful HE will end up someday.

I think we agree here. In Harden's case, defense doesn't matter as much because of the other things he brings to the floor. For a marginal player, it does matter.

[We R Final Four]

It was a smart move by Steve - but in terms of an NBA player he is just a body. He is the definition of a No One in the NBA. In 9 years, he has only played over 10 minutes per game 3 times. At 6'10" he has averaged 1.3 rebounds for his career and has averaged 4 blocked shots PER YEAR (0.1 per game).

His only marketable skill is shooting 3s. It is the ONLY reason he has ever been in the NBA.

And yes - I would trade my career for his in a second.

Steve's HS coach was his Dad who at 6'9" moved Steve to SG. His Coach(es) never worked with Steve to be a rebounder or shot blocker. They worked on his unbelievable skill which paid dividends in the millions.
If his coach would have spent the time and worked on Steve's D, rebounding, and shot blocking..........you wouldn't be seeing him on an NBA roster, you would be playing against him at your local YMCA--just a guy.
He's a specialist with deficiencies--similar to Dennis Rodman, Shaquille, jimmy Mac, etc.

HE played the 1,2 and 4 in HS. His rebounding and D are not stellar. Maybe that changes. But if it doesn't, it will not affect his NBA aspirations, nor will he stick around longer in college to improve the areas of his game that you would like to see improvement.

[brandx]

Steve's HS coach was his Dad who at 6'9" moved Steve to SG. His Coach(es) never worked with Steve to be a rebounder or shot blocker. They worked on his unbelievable skill which paid dividends in the millions.
If his coach would have spent the time and worked on Steve's D, rebounding, and shot blocking..........you wouldn't be seeing him on an NBA roster, you would be playing against him at your local YMCA--just a guy.
He's a specialist with deficiencies--similar to Dennis Rodman, Shaquille, jimmy Mac, etc.

HE played the 1,2 and 4 in HS. His rebounding and D are not stellar. Maybe that changes. But if it doesn't, it will not affect his NBA aspirations, nor will he stick around longer in college to improve the areas of his game that you would like to see improvement.

The only part I question is comparing him to Rodman or Shaq. Novak is a one-trick pony. Those guys were not.

The Jimmy Mac comparison is apt. He could block shots with the best.

[We R Final Four]

The only part I question is comparing him to Rodman or Shaq. Noak is a one-trick pony. Those guys were not.

The Jimmy Mac comparison is apt. He could block shots with the best.

Shaq couldn't hit a FT or anything longer than a 6' jumper.  That part of his game never improved.
Rodman's jumper was laughable, but what he did, he also did the best.  I think you can play in the NBA--at varying degrees--with deficiencies in your game, including defense.

[brandx]

Shaq couldn't hit a FT or anything longer than a 6' jumper.  That part of his game never improved.
Rodman's jumper was laughable, but what he did, he also did the best.  I think you can play in the NBA--at varying degrees--with deficiencies in your game, including defense.

Shaq was a dominant hall of fame player on both ends. He was a dominant scorer, rebounder, shot blocker, and passer. He led teams to NBA titles.

Rodman was the NBA's best defender, arguably its best rebounder, maybe the best setter of picks, and without doubt was the top "effort" guy in the league. He was the difference maker in helping Detroit win titles.

Novak was a 5-7 minute per game player. His one skill gave him an NBA job. Because he only had one skill, he has been just another body for 9 years that no team ever made an effort to keep.

[Freeport Warrior]

My conversation with a former ESPN guy from this morning:
Him: You guys are going to be pretty good this year considering how bad you were last year.
Me: Agree, it will certainly be exciting.
Him: Too bad that Hauser kid and Ellenson will never play together, though.
Me: You never know. I'm hoping for two years.
Him: No way. It's like Badger fans thinking Dekker would come back this year. Not even in the ballpark of possibility.
Me: Really?
Him: Really. That kid could be a lottery pick if all goes well.

BTW: Badger fans I know are absolutely distraught with the Sam Hauser commitment.  They saw him as the prototypical Bo player and can't understand why they weren't on him years ago.

[Spotcheck Billy]

My conversation with a former ESPN guy from this morning:

Chicos is that you?

[Freeport Warrior]

Chicos is that you?

Sorry. Let me try again. I was talking to a guy I've known for 15 years who knows a little bit about play basketball. He said Ellenson is good.

[Juan Anderson's Mixtape]

Sorry. Let me try again. I was talking to a guy I've known for 15 years who knows a little bit about play basketball. He said Ellenson is good.

But did he play high school basketball?

[We R Final Four]

Shaq was a dominant hall of fame player on both ends. He was a dominant scorer, rebounder, shot blocker, and passer. He led teams to NBA titles.

Rodman was the NBA's best defender, arguably its best rebounder, maybe the best setter of picks, and without doubt was the top "effort" guy in the league. He was the difference maker in helping Detroit win titles.

Novak was a 5-7 minute per game player. His one skill gave him an NBA job. Because he only had one skill, he has been just another body for 9 years that no team ever made an effort to keep.

HE isn't staying in a school and additional year(s) to improve his defensive skills---I believed that was where this all started.