I'm okay with him because we really need a point guard but otherwise I'm moving this pick if no Scoot.
Simmons was not a top 1% athlete. He was athletic for his size. He had a short wingspan for his height (only 7 feet) and worse hops than Amen.
But he had amazing iq and amazing defense, which he lroved against real competition. I'll be happy if Thompson ends up somewhat close to what Ben Simmons was.
His fluidity, coordination and overall skill-level at 6'10" 240 was more impressive than Amen's combination, which is why he was the clear #1 prospect. The sad thing is, I believe in Simmons' jumper far more than I believe in Amen's, he's just too scared to shoot it.
If Amen Thompson is Ben simmons without the injury without the ambivalence towards basketball without avoiding jumps hot like the plague and can be just coached normally, then picking him 4th is a no brainer
Ben Simmons is absolute trash in today’s nba. That’s why nobody gives af about him anymore. Dude is irrelevant. His days of being an impact player that matters stopped a long time ago. Amen being Ben Simmons in this current nba is a absolute failure
Only 7 feet? Amen is only 6'6 without shoes. I don't think Simmons went to the combine so I dunno how you think Simmons wasn't athletic. Def not as athletic as Amen but he was still pretty athletic.
Adding to this. There's nothing that suggests Amen is scared to shoot, has a mental block or suffers from chronic injuries like Simmons. Other than that, his ceiling is higher than Ben Simmons and at #4 you have to take a shot. I'm just glad we aren't drafting 5th.
FWIW, Simmons was/is a respectable athlete for a 6'10 240 lb forward (a respectable 37-inch vertical at the combine). Thompson is a 6-7 PG with a comparable reach and a 42-43 inch vertical. Watch the clips, he's usually dunking while bending his elbows, And as you would expect, Thompson is far quicker.
Sounds about right, but did see new mocks with Ausar at 5 and Anthony Black at 6. Pistons truly unpredictable. I initially thought Rockets could trade down to 6 and 11 and take Whitmore (while his stock was up) and Black (very nice haul if this were to happen, but unlikely). At this point I'm hoping Hornets take Miller and the Rockets front office should be feeling really good about Amen or Scoot (lol, not happening).
If you watch Simmons at LSU, he was tall and athletic. A tremendous passer for a power forward. He was getting his points in transition and on post ups. He wasn’t blowing by guys. Amen’s shooting is definitely an issue. But the guy is a walking paint touch. I think he is going to consistently bend defenses. His explosiveness is just on another level. His speed, quickness and leaping ability are on par, if not greater than Jalen Green. We’ve seen how often Green can get in the paint with his average-ish handle. I don’t think we’ve seen a point guard with this combination of size, feel, passing and finishing ability before. Jason Kidd was just an abysmal shooter when he was younger. If he can get to the point where he is a later career, Jason Kidd level set shooter, I think he has a chance to be a special player.
I'm also ok with Amen at 4th, and have been at some time (although I would prefer a trade down for 6 and 11 tbh). I'm just saying there's a lot of player like Amen now in the league he isn't unique.
Who said Simmons wasn't athletic. I said he wasn't a top 1% athlete. The 7 feet I was referencing was his wingspan, which is short for his 6'10 frame. Amen has a 7 foot wingspan, for comparison. No, Ben Simmons was not a top 1% athlete. Please name the "lot of players" that are the best say, 10 athletes in the league, that also have his (projected) PG skills.
