Ford: Can Yi play in the NBA?

[vdunkndunk]

Exodus' scouting report confirms (to me, at least) what I already kind of suspected about Yi. First of all, if you watch the Youtube stuff, Yi has a nice release on his turnaround and doesn't have trouble getting it off over his (very short) defenders. But if you look closely, it looks like he's struggling for position, and of course all we get to see are the shots he made. Makes you wonder what might happen if he tried to get position for that shot on bigger, stronger, more athletic players.

And if you watch the highlights you think it looks like he's got a great stroke from 3. Except if you look closer, the defense is usually begging him to shoot it, just standing there and letting him put his finger to the wind before he shoots. I wondered about that at the time, because I thought he was supposed to be a dangerous shooter in the Dirk/Bargnani mold. Then you find out that he shot 18-percent from the Chinese 3-point line and things start to make sense.

And what about his rebounding? Often he'll come up with a sort of impressive rebound, except it looks to me like he's jumping over people rather than getting position. Somehow I suspect that a guy like Shelden Williams, although physically outmatched in terms of height and leaping ability, would be able to box Yi out with physical strength and work ethic. I'm just not sure that Yi's strong enough or driven enough to be a force on the boards anytime soon.

Plus, you see his stats and they look impressive. But then you read a DraftExpress review of one of his games and they say he didn't really look that good even though he scored 25 points with 11 boards and 2 blocks. They'll talk about how he struggled doing more than shooting jumpshots, struggled with his man-to-man post defense, got pushed around, etc. Then you find out just how inflated some of the guys' stats are in that league and you start to wonder just how impressed you should be with his numbers, especially considering his physical talent and skill level.

Like I said, I've never watched a game he played in other than the US vs. China game over the summer, but he didn't really blow me away in that game even though, when it was all said and done, he put up decent numbers. Overall I'm just not sold that he's the best choice for us at number 3. At this point I'm almost starting to wonder if we could draft Conely at 3 and get Yi at 11.

[Traceman]

and he has the ability and desire to get better. He is very polished for a guy who didn't pick up basketball until very late.

I also think you are selling him WAY short on his athletic ability. He was the 21st best athlete at the draft combine and he finished well ahead of several supposedly great athletes like Corey Brewer, Julian Wright, Brandan Wright, Daequan Cook and Joakim Noah.

I don't KNOW that he can't play Center beside Smoove (he has the frame to get a LOT bigger) but even if he can't, he can certainly play PF when Smoove is at SF. Besides, Shelden wants to play Center and if we are going to play him there, having a rugged PF like Horford beside him makes plenty of sense. Smoove can slide to SF or go to the bench when those two play together.

As for Yi, you don't see his limitations because you don't WANT to see them.

1) He is phyiscally VERY weak for an NBA PF. He may not be Brandan Wright weak but he will have to get a LOT stronger.

2) His defense is a joke right now.

3) I also don't think he is as quick or as good a ballhandler as he is being portrayed to be. He is very good at taking ONE dribble and getting to the rim BUT when he has to take MULTIPLE dribbles he doesn't look anywhere NEAR as fluid.

You HOPE those things will improve but there are no guarantees.

Horford's skill set duplicates Shelden about as much as getting Carlos Boozer or Elton Brand would duplicate Shelden.

Bottom line is that Horford has PLENTY of upside and he is a LOT more of a sure thing than Yi. Yi's upside may be greater but you act as if taking Yi over Horford is a no-brainer and it CLEARLY is not as virtually EVERY mock has Horford going ahead of Yi.

[AtLaS]

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I'd take Horford over Yi all day. The truth is we cannot afford a bust at 3. All these guys who won't commit a real opinion like Ford now, will nationally laugh their heads off if he sucks later. My feeling is this guy is Skita's twin brother.

This guy is also a SF. Lets move on.

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Seriously, I'm sick of all this potential talk. It's annoying as hell, and we don't need a project forward, period. Just take Horford or Conley, or trade the pick.

[Diesel]

I think I watched all of them that are available.. Even from that slow ass chinese server...

The point is this:

I have seen enough of Yi to realize that this guy is going to be a star in this league. Maybe not this year, but soon. I also believe that if we use him, he will be productive for us this year.

He's not Skitta. He's not any of those other foreign players who didn't play a lick. This guy has played and everytime I see him, he looks like he's getting better. He's easily the best prospect based on Skillset and talent after Oden and Durant... and he's not far behind Durant.

IF somebody wants to prove that Horford is better... please cite something other than Rumor and Draftboard... Because after the NCAA's, Horford was barely a top ten. I think he was firmly behind Brandan Wright and Julian Wright. Rumor and speculation and raised his stock, but he's still that solid player who will never be an allstar quality player.

I dare somebody to give me something tangible (other than your feelings or rumor) that can show me otherwise.

13ppg? Weak defense? Come on... Show me something.

[gsuteke]

I haven't seen any of them so you have me in that regard.

I just don't see how he projects into a 5.

[jerrywest]

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I have wathed some more game video since my last thread so this is a good time to post some more thoughts about it.

I'll start with what i am sure of. Yi's speed, quickness and agility are legit. He will have no problems there at all.

However his lack of strength means he isn't even remotely a post player right now. I believe his listed weight about as much as i believe in the Easter Bunny. He can't take contact at all. That turnaround J that looks so good in the highlight clips isn't nearly as effective in reality. First he has to get in position near the basket which he isn't good at. Then he has to gather himself to shoot it and again if he takes any contact it will throw him off.

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I have seen a few full games and I think a lot of what he does is a product of the system. He looks like he could do so much more.

He looks much bigger now than he looked in the Chinese league. Its not even close. I wouldn't be surprised if he is actually 248 now because his body fat % is extremely low and muscles weigh 3 times as much as fat.

If he is really 7-1 with 7-4 wingspan, I am sure BK knows it.

His strength is a concern but that's somewhat true about all front court rookies. He seems to have the frame for getting more muscular.

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His jump hook with his right hand is passable at best. His left handed jump hook is lame.

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How many NBA players can shoot jump hooks with both hands? Yi also has an up an under with his left hand that he does after faking a right hook. How do you stop that?

[Diesel]

I think you're the only person on this board making that claim. We call that a strawman or a scarecrow. Nobody is arguing the point of position with Yi. The point is talent.

If he wears a Hawks Uni, he battles Smoove for second most talented player on the team. And at 7'1, 246, and a whole lot of speed and quickness, he has great potential.

[exodus]

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Neither Shell or Smoove are seven footers either though. I mean seriously how much of a vertical above 30 inches does an athletic seven footer need to be able to block shots or sky up for boards?

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You are missing the point.

The point is i am trying to evaluate his game objectively. If i see something i think is hype i will call it such. If i see someone being overly negative then i will point it out as well.

if you were his agent and you knew he would test/measure well then why would you hold him out of the combine testing?

[Sothron]

The only explanation I have heard is that Yi and his agent Fagan and the Chinese govt officials are absolutely trying to determine where he goes and they didn't see the need to go to the combine for all the teams when they only want him to go to select teams.

[jerrywest]

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Neither Shell or Smoove are seven footers either though. I mean seriously how much of a vertical above 30 inches does an athletic seven footer need to be able to block shots or sky up for boards?

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You are missing the point.

The point is i am trying to evaluate his game objectively. If i see something i think is hype i will call it such. If i see someone being overly negative then i will point it out as well.

if you were his agent and you knew he would test/measure well then why would you hold him out of the combine testing?

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Didn't he touch the top of the 12 feet measurement thing. I read that he could go higher, but that was the highest point they could measure.

[jerrywest]

Soth - why can't you tell his height and weight? Did Ford steal from you that BK was meeting Yi's people today?

[gsuteke]

we don't need a 7 foot jumpshooter. me need somebody who can score in the paint.

if nobody else wants to bring up what position he'd play then that's their stupidity.

[exodus]

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we don't need a 7 foot jumpshooter. me need somebody who can score in the paint.

if nobody else wants to bring up what position he'd play then that's their stupidity.

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Right now he is a 3. He isn't strong enough to play the 4 no matter how much people keep wishing that he is.

[gsuteke]

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we don't need a 7 foot jumpshooter. me need somebody who can score in the paint.

if nobody else wants to bring up what position he'd play then that's their stupidity.

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Right now he is a 3. He isn't strong enough to play the 4 no matter how much people keep wishing that he is.

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it's either a or b

I knew when this Yi talk came out from Ford people would try to project him into something he isn't on this board because he is a 7 footer. it's either wishful thinking or simply refusing to acknowledge the obvious.

[DrReality]

There seems to be a lot of attention given to his size and weight that really don't amount to much. 99% of all kids who come into the NBA from college lack size and strength. His talent is undeniable.

I think AS could draft him and he would not be a success on the court and he would still be a $$$ success to them.

I have not heard a lot about when he played the USA team. Seems that ought to answer all the questions about competition,etc. Anyone see that game???

[Guest Walter]

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Horford's skill set duplicates Shelden about as much as getting Carlos Boozer or Elton Brand would duplicate Shelden.

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Except that Horford is not nor will he be anywhere near as good as they are and never once dominate at any level like they did. Come on man. Get real.

W

[Seano]

Oooph, that could really come back to haunt him if he did in fact lie about his age. Whoever was responsible for that (I'm thinking most likely an agent), what an idiotic, irresponsible, and unnecessary thing to do. Really, really lame-o.....

[vdunkndunk]

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There seems to be a lot of attention given to his size and weight that really don't amount to much. 99% of all kids who come into the NBA from college lack size and strength. His talent is undeniable.

I think AS could draft him and he would not be a success on the court and he would still be a $$$ success to them.

I have not heard a lot about when he played the USA team. Seems that ought to answer all the questions about competition,etc. Anyone see that game???

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I saw it. I think Yi scored 14 points on 50% shooting, with 7 rebounds. That's just from memory, but it was something about like that. He didn't really stand out that much to me though. Decent numbers, didn't really blow me away. If I remember correctly this was one of the games that wasn't even close - total blowout.

[a1aa0]

I too have watched a lot of GT games and agree that Critt has a higher ceiling than Jack... If people could only remember Jack his freshman year and be able to compare it to Critt's, it'd be easy to see... If Critt were to stay as long as Jack did, again, it'd be easy to see...

Only problem is, can the Hawks afford the time to let Critt's game evolve?

[Traceman]

Horford was playing in the frontcourt with TWO other lottery picks in Brewer and Noah and Lee Humphrey and Taurean Green were both TERRIFIC college players. In addition, Chris Richard was a quality big who got plenty of minutes off the bench. How was he supposed to put up huge stats with all those guys around?

I don't know if Horford will end up being as good as Boozer or Brand but he is obviously a better prospect than Boozer was when he was drafted. Boozer went in the 2nd round and I cant envision a scenario that leave Horford out of the top 5 in a deeper draft.