I think Cain's poor ball handling makes him look less athletic. Other times, he's thinking so much that his reaction time isn't quick. Watch him sky for a rebound sometime. He's a top athlete but it hasn't translated 100% to the court.
Agreed, and his skinny frame gets him bumped around a bit so that affects perception too.
He's also not as fast-twitch as some other explosive athletes people traditionally think of (I'm thinking like a Dominic James / Kemba Walker-type first step), but his ability to get up in the air for a board is very impressive.
Maybe he's just a tall guy with long arms that has a good vertical then?
I would agree that at times clumsy ball handling or getting pushed around down low could make him seem less athletic than he really is. But like EFR mentioned, I think of guys like the 3 amigos when talking about good athletes in college basketball. When I compare Jamal to those guys, he seems more like an average athlete than an exceptional one.
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