March 14, 201511 yr Doesn't Tim Duncan play below the rim? Tim Duncan is one of the best 10 players of all time. Hard to compare anyone to him.
March 14, 201511 yr What did Shaq do or what does Dwight Howard do well besides be freaking massive but nimble for their size, eat space in the middle, and score because of it? Saying, "yea... take away his ability as a post scorer and Okafor isn't nearly as good" is like saying "yea... Rondo isn't a really good point guard when you take away all the assists he gets". I mean, if we're only taking away the thing he's most dominant at and is seen as being the most dominant at in the past five or so years... BTW, I do think he shows good awareness feeling doubles and passes pretty well given too. For his size Shaq was an incredible athlete. Watch him in Orlando, that wasn't a below the rim player. Even at 330 with LAL he was still very athletic. Huge, strong and even fat but a different class of athlete than Okafor.
March 14, 201511 yr Tim Duncan is one of the best 10 players of all time. Hard to compare anyone to him. HUGE leap. Just asked if Tim Duncan is considered playing below the rim.
March 15, 201511 yr We hear about how good offensively KAT is and we see how good offensively Okafor is. I get it that KAT does other things better than Okafor but Okafor is so skilled in the post that there is no way I would pass him up for KAT. I just don't see it.
March 15, 201511 yr We hear about how good offensively KAT is and we see how good offensively Okafor is. I get it that KAT does other things better than Okafor but Okafor is so skilled in the post that there is no way I would pass him up for KAT. I just don't see it. And that stance is totally understandable. Problem is the game just doesn't revolve around a skilled low post scorer much any more. Granted, Okafor is a bit different because his skill set is so much more polished than pretty much anyone in a decade plus. I do think he has grown a lot making decisions on doubles and digs, but the all around game drops quickly after those two skills. I'm just not sure he can be a legit threat hitting the glass out of area on either end, and I struggle to love a big that can score 25 but give up 22 on D. I think both KAT and Okafor will be All Star level bigs in time. I'd take Towns because he checks a lot more boxes on both ends...
March 15, 201511 yr And that stance is totally understandable. Problem is the game just doesn't revolve around a skilled low post scorer much any more. Granted, Okafor is a bit different because his skill set is so much more polished than pretty much anyone in a decade plus. I do think he has grown a lot making decisions on doubles and digs, but the all around game drops quickly after those two skills. I'm just not sure he can be a legit threat hitting the glass out of area on either end, and I struggle to love a big that can score 25 but give up 22 on D. I think both KAT and Okafor will be All Star level bigs in time. I'd take Towns because he checks a lot more boxes on both ends... So is KAT an elite rim protector a la Anthony Davis? I get the game has changed/changing but that doesn't mean a team can't or won't be successful with a throwback big. I just don't understand the logic people are saying nowadays that KAT will become more successful on down the road than Okafor because he does more than Okafor. Is Okafor that stupid that he can't learn to become effective on defense?
March 15, 201511 yr So is KAT an elite rim protector a la Anthony Davis? I get the game has changed/changing but that doesn't mean a team can't or won't be successful with a throwback big. I just don't understand the logic people are saying nowadays that KAT will become more successful on down the road than Okafor because he does more than Okafor. Is Okafor that stupid that he can't learn to become effective on defense? Now you are just making crap up and throwing it against the wall. If being able to move with elite lateral quickness were just one of those things you work on, sure. As I said earlier, I think Towns will be an average rim protector at best with Okafor being a negative impact guy in that area. He isn't capable of blocking shots in the ACC, so how that translates to the NBA is pretty clear. If I felt Okafor was even on the glass getting out of area boards, I'd have a hard time not ignoring the rest and going with his back to the basket skill. He just doesn't move well enough side to side for me and that has been my evaluation for 3+ years. Love his skill once he gets that ball 15 feet and in. He dominates Towns there. The rest, not so much...
March 15, 201511 yr Now you are just making crap up and throwing it against the wall. If being able to move with elite lateral quickness were just one of those things you work on, sure. As I said earlier, I think Towns will be an average rim protector at best with Okafor being a negative impact guy in that area. He isn't capable of blocking shots in the ACC, so how that translates to the NBA is pretty clear. If I felt Okafor was even on the glass getting out of area boards, I'd have a hard time not ignoring the rest and going with his back to the basket skill. He just doesn't move well enough side to side for me and that has been my evaluation for 3+ years. Love his skill once he gets that ball 15 feet and in. He dominates Towns there. The rest, not so much... Everyone is different. Give me Jahlil. Another KAT will come around eventually. Jahlils are a dying breed.
March 16, 201511 yr Everyone is different. Give me Jahlil. Another KAT will come around eventually. Jahlils are a dying breed. Not to take away from JO, I love his game. I really do. He's a stud. But who cares if that kind of player is a dying breed? If he can't defend or shoot a 17 footer give me the other guy who can. The ceiling with Towns is higher, IMO.
March 16, 201511 yr Not to take away from JO, I love his game. I really do. He's a stud. But who cares if that kind of player is a dying breed? If he can't defend or shoot a 17 footer give me the other guy who can. The ceiling with Towns is higher, IMO. We shall see one day.
March 16, 201511 yr I am not seeing either as can't miss franchise changers. I would lean Okafor, but Towns seems to have a more diversified ceiling.
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