Crowder and the NBA on SI.com

[GOMU85]

The question on Butler was shooting range, not athleticism.  Butler was a top notch athlete.  And Novak was a 2nd rounder.  I think DJO has a chance to sneak into the first round, while Crowder will go mid-to-late second round.

+1000

[Avenue Commons]

I disagree.  He's a great college player, but he will not be a first round pick and I struggle to see him being a good NBA player.  I hope I'm wrong, but to me his decision making and ball handling are nowhere near where they need to be to be a point guard in the NBA, and that is what his size will cause him to be in the NBA.  There's a reason there aren't many 6'2" shooting guards in the NBA.  It's much harder to get a shot off in the NBA when shooting guards who are defending you are 6'5" with long arms and you're 6'2".  He dribbles the ball insanely high for a guard (as does Cadougan, not sure why both of our guards do that).  He definitely knocks down some difficult jumpers and can shoot the rock, but getting those shots off will be difficult for him in the NBA.

Two points that make your analysis inaccurate:

1. DJO has a super-long reach. Like D-Wade freakish. Check out the SportsScience thing on DJO: http://espn.go.com/blog/collegebasketballnation/post/_/id/40926/video-sports-science-on-marquettes-djo

2. Hand checks are illegal in the NBA. Shorter guys can get their shots off. I watched some of Golden State last night. Both Monta Ellis and Steph Curry are "undersized" for their positions. Both are listed at 6'3" and 185 lbs. DJO is only an inch shorter, has a longer wingspan, and has shoulders like a power forward. Listed at 6'2" and 215 lbs. That's twenty pounds of muscle on Ellis and Curry who are both very, very good NBA players. You're gonna tell me DJO couldn't be 85-90% of Ellis or Curry?

The game has evolved. DJO has the skills to play in the league how its played today.

[wadesworld]

Two points that make your analysis inaccurate:

1. DJO has a super-long reach. Like D-Wade freakish. Check out the SportsScience thing on DJO: http://espn.go.com/blog/collegebasketballnation/post/_/id/40926/video-sports-science-on-marquettes-djo

2. Hand checks are illegal in the NBA. Shorter guys can get their shots off. I watched some of Golden State last night. Both Monta Ellis and Steph Curry are "undersized" for their positions. Both are listed at 6'3" and 185 lbs. DJO is only an inch shorter, has a longer wingspan, and has shoulders like a power forward. Listed at 6'2" and 215 lbs. That's twenty pounds of muscle on Ellis and Curry who are both very, very good NBA players. You're gonna tell me DJO couldn't be 85-90% of Ellis or Curry?

The game has evolved. DJO has the skills to play in the league how its played today.

Good points on the wingspan.  Never knew that.  I hope I'm wrong on DJO, I hope he's a superstar in the NBA, but if I'm being honest, no, I don't think DJO can be 85-90% of what Ellis and Curry are.  Those 2 are 2 of the best scorers in the NBA.  Curry was a junior in college when he single-handedly took a bunch of below-average (for NCAA Tournament teams) players and carried them to within a shot of the Final Four.  I think the ball handling of those 2 are way better than DJO's will ever be.  Again, I hope I'm wrong and you bring up good points, but to me DJO is much more Scotty Reynolds than he is Steph Curry.

[MU82]

He can score the ball and play D in college, but the NBA is a whole different game.

Can't a guy simply score? Does he have to "score the ball"? Aside from sexually, how does one score without the ball?

Score the ball. Meaningless, coachspeak drivel.

Thank you for letting me rant about this pet peeve.

[dwaderoy2004]

Can't a guy simply score? Does he have to "score the ball"? Aside from sexually, how does one score without the ball?

Score the ball. Meaningless, coachspeak drivel.

Thank you for letting me rant about this pet peeve.

My biggest pet peeve is when someone says a player is "out with a knee" or whatever body part may be injured.  How did that even start?