With about as much going on in the NBA as there is in black hole, why don’t we look at a player who’s probably going to be the talk of next years draft? John Wall, a quick point guard who’s playing for Kentucky this year is the guy. In what I’ve seen, he’s got the flash that fits the NBA (I’m sure you remember when he took Jerry Stackhouse’s lunch money). But, I want to see more of him before I deem him an amazing NBA prospect.
I could watch all the YouTube mixes under the sun, but that doesn’t tell me if he’ll fit into an NBA teams system. Tendencies can’t be found when you only see the good plays. Player evaluation can only be done after seeing at least a game or two.
So, I’ll say that Wall excites me. His ball handling is superb and he clearly is a tough guard because of his speed and quick change of direction. But, one thing I noticed in the YouTube mixes I want to point out: I only saw one jump shot. This scouting report says that his jumper’s only good enough to keep the defense honest.
His case reminds me of current NBA rookie Demar Derozan. Coming into the draft, his mid-range game was questioned. I remember reading about how he was the first one in the gym before a summer league game. He put in the work and, while it’s yet to be seen if he’ll improve, I’d bet that he will.
For this year of college, I want Wall to only practice fundamentals. Don’t try to perfect dunks during practice. Make 10 three’s in a row, then aim for 15. I know I sound like a coach, but if Wall can take what he does in mixes and do it in the NBA, then he could be very special. Also, I’m really tired of these quick, athletic, strong guys that can’t shoot jumpers. While the story of how they improve always interests me, it’s getting old.
But, I’ll say that the jumper I saw didn’t look horrible. He’s got a step up on Rondo, for sure.
Here’s a mix for you:
College and high school fans who know more about John Wall, I want to hear from you. Leave your thoughts on him in the comments!
This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.