2019 Draft Prospects...

[JCSunsfan]

Yeah I was thinking Zion was all overhyped and And-1 highlight vids in high school but immediately changed my tune watching his debut in the NCAA. We could all be wrong, but that guy is going to be a man amongst lesser men at the nba level he’s that physically superior. As long as injuries don’t derail him.

He is just a big thick, big-boned kid. I think he will be OK with injuries, but you never know.

 

[SunnyBaller]

Zion is going to hyped more then Luka next year, he's going to take his team no matter who it is( hopefully suns) to a minimum of 5th seed in the playoffs! Calling it now !

 

[Ouchie-Z-Clown]

Zion is going to hyped more then Luka next year, he's going to take his team no matter who it is( hopefully suns) to a minimum of 5th seed in the playoffs! Calling it now !

Wow. That’s a bit much imo.

 

[Hoop Head]

Zion is going to hyped more then Luka next year, he's going to take his team no matter who it is( hopefully suns) to a minimum of 5th seed in the playoffs! Calling it now !

That's a bit much. He'll move them to 5th in attendance but not the playoffs, especially if he lands in the West. Keep in mind that rookie Lebron couldn't lead the Cavs to the playoffs. I know he wasn't the best rookie ever but I would imagine Zion will have similar attention paid to him when he enters the league and will likely be the centerpiece of whatever team he lands on.

 

[GatorAZ]

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[CardsSunsDbacks]

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Looking more and more like Canaan everyday.

 

[1Sun]

Looking more and more like Canaan everyday.

Canaan had spectacular athletic plays like that in college against the same inferior competition.

 

[CardsSunsDbacks]

Canaan had spectacular athletic plays like that in college against the same inferior competition.

Okay bud...

 

[Phrazbit]

Yeah I was thinking Zion was all overhyped and And-1 highlight vids in high school but immediately changed my tune watching his debut in the NCAA. We could all be wrong, but that guy is going to be a man amongst lesser men at the nba level he’s that physically superior. As long as injuries don’t derail him.

Worst case, he's the next Larry Johnson.

IMO, the only way he busts is a couple years into his career when his metabolism changes, like everyone's does in their 20s. If he is that heavy now, he could really blow up in 3-4 years.

 

[hcsilla]

Worst case, he's the next Larry Johnson.

Yes, the bigger Larry Johnson as his comparison crossed also my mind.

nbadraft.net's comparison Barkley/Blake Griffin is not bad either.

 

[AzStevenCal]

Yes, the bigger Larry Johnson as his comparison crossed also my mind.

nbadraft.net's comparison Barkley/Blake Griffin is not bad either.

I think he's a cross between PJ Tucker and Anthony Davis.

 

[slinslin]

Yes, the bigger Larry Johnson as his comparison crossed also my mind.

nbadraft.net's comparison Barkley/Blake Griffin is not bad either.

Barkley is his best comparison.

 

[Ouchie-Z-Clown]

Barkley is his best comparison.

When i first watched him my initial thoughts were grandmama. But I think Barkley is likely a better comp.

 

[JCSunsfan]

Barkley is his best comparison.

It is when he is on the break and his overall physicality. However, he is much more of a face the basket player than Barkley. Barkley played the post game a LOT. Zion would too probably, but that is not where the NBA is today.

Honestly, there is a lot of LeBron in Zion's game. Athleticism, speed, overall size, skill set. It is all very similar to LeBron when he came into the league. LeBron added the shooting after he came in. The thing that makes Zion so intriguing is that he has all the athleticism, skill, and size, plus he has a non-stop motor AND he is an excellent defensive player.

 

[Ouchie-Z-Clown]

It is when he is on the break and his overall physicality. However, he is much more of a face the basket player than Barkley. Barkley played the post game a LOT. Zion would too probably, but that is not where the NBA is today.

Honestly, there is a lot of LeBron in Zion's game. Athleticism, speed, overall size, skill set. It is all very similar to LeBron when he came into the league. LeBron added the shooting after he came in. The thing that makes Zion so intriguing is that he has all the athleticism, skill, and size, plus he has a non-stop motor AND he is an excellent defensive player.

Zion doesn’t possess Lebron’s ballhandling or passing skills and in my opinion those are what elevated Lebron to not just being special but ALL-TIME special. Zion is not a slouch in any area other than maybe shooting, and I believe he’ll be an all nba teamed multiple times. But I’m a little more skeptical that he’ll take a place in the MJ, Lebron, Magic, Bird, Kobe, Kareem, Russel, Wilt, maybe Shaq (i struggle with where to put him) pantheon.

 

[JCSunsfan]

Zion doesn’t possess Lebron’s ballhandling or passing skills and in my opinion those are what elevated Lebron to not just being special but ALL-TIME special. Zion is not a slouch in any area other than maybe shooting, and I believe he’ll be an all nba teamed multiple times. But I’m a little more skeptical that he’ll take a place in the MJ, Lebron, Magic, Bird, Kobe, Kareem, Russel, Wilt, maybe Shaq (i struggle with where to put him) pantheon.

That's interesting. From what I see, Zion is a very good passer and ball handler. It is a bit hard to compare though.

There is a difference in personality though. LeBron is more of a type A competitive athlete, Zion seems to have more of an exuberant personality.

 

[Ouchie-Z-Clown]

That's interesting. From what I see, Zion is a very good passer and ball handler. It is a bit hard to compare though.

There is a difference in personality though. LeBron is more of a type A competitive athlete, Zion seems to have more of an exuberant personality.

He is a good passer and ballhandler . . . for a power forward. But he’s nowhere near the class that James was in those two areas, even when coming into the league straight from high school. Not even close.

 

[Hoop Head]

I think Zion is more Carmelo than Lebron, at least at this stage of his basketball life. He's not a chucker but Melo wasn't a chucker when he entered the league either. He was much more under control and could play within a system. I remember watching a lot of Melo and Lebron when they were rookies and I think Melo deserved the Rookie of the Year for getting the Nuggets to the playoffs while Lebron's Cavs fell short. Lebron was much flashier at that stage because he wasn't a great scorer yet but Melo could take over games when it called for that. It's too bad he got his wish and was traded to New York because the Melo in Denver was a damn fine player that could have had a great career but he thought he was a bigger star than he was and once he became a Knick it was downhill from there.

 

[Chaplin]

I think Zion is more Carmelo than Lebron, at least at this stage of his basketball life. He's not a chucker but Melo wasn't a chucker when he entered the league either. He was much more under control and could play within a system. I remember watching a lot of Melo and Lebron when they were rookies and I think Melo deserved the Rookie of the Year for getting the Nuggets to the playoffs while Lebron's Cavs fell short. Lebron was much flashier at that stage because he wasn't a great scorer yet but Melo could take over games when it called for that. It's too bad he got his wish and was traded to New York because the Melo in Denver was a damn fine player that could have had a great career but he thought he was a bigger star than he was and once he became a Knick it was downhill from there.

Only thing I can say to that is that Zion doesn't play a dime-a-dozen position. This league is loaded with SFs, but very few PFs in his mold. I'd say that a pretty big difference.

 

[Mainstreet]

Here is an ESPN draft analysis of 100 players giving strengths and improvement areas.


http://www.espn.com/nba/draft/bestavailable?sf206132227=1

 

[Mainstreet]

Here is the tweet that goes along with the above.

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[AzStevenCal]

I think Zion is more Carmelo than Lebron, at least at this stage of his basketball life. He's not a chucker but Melo wasn't a chucker when he entered the league either. He was much more under control and could play within a system. I remember watching a lot of Melo and Lebron when they were rookies and I think Melo deserved the Rookie of the Year for getting the Nuggets to the playoffs while Lebron's Cavs fell short. Lebron was much flashier at that stage because he wasn't a great scorer yet but Melo could take over games when it called for that. It's too bad he got his wish and was traded to New York because the Melo in Denver was a damn fine player that could have had a great career but he thought he was a bigger star than he was and once he became a Knick it was downhill from there.

Sure he was. He put up 18 shots per game his rookie year while making less than 43% of them and averaging just under 3 assists per game (and 3 turnovers too). And he put up almost 18 shots per game in college too. That screams chucker to me. Zion puts up 10 shots per game and makes an incredibly high percentage of them too. Plus he plays defense.

 

[Cheesebeef]

It is when he is on the break and his overall physicality. However, he is much more of a face the basket player than Barkley. Barkley played the post game a LOT. Zion would too probably, but that is not where the NBA is today.

Honestly, there is a lot of LeBron in Zion's game. Athleticism, speed, overall size, skill set. It is all very similar to LeBron when he came into the league. LeBron added the shooting after he came in. The thing that makes Zion so intriguing is that he has all the athleticism, skill, and size, plus he has a non-stop motor AND he is an excellent defensive player.

he's not even close to the passer/ballhandler LeBron was coming into the league. He had that special, innate passing skills that aren't learned, they're with you when you're born. Zion's looks special, but that's one area that he's not really close to LeBron, IMO. Then again, not many rookies ever have been.

 

[CardsSunsDbacks]

Morant with 40 points, 11 assists and 5 steals tonight. Canaan who?

 

[GatorAZ]

Morant with 40 points, 11 assists and 5 steals tonight. Canaan who?

#2 player in the draft. Competition be damned.