Terrance Ferguson

[Guest]

He bypassed college and playedin Australia. SB Nation has him mocked to Hawks at #19.

Does he fit what the Hawks need.

 

Scouts are split on the idea of Terrance Fergusonas an NBA prospect and it is easy to see why. The U.S. high school standout continued his career in Australia during his “freshman” season and, for the most part, operated in relative anonymity. With that in mind, Ferguson’s stock is all over the place from a late lottery pick to the (slim) potential that he could even fall out of the first round entirely.

Tom Ziller of SB Nation believes there could be a landing spot for Ferguson with the Atlanta Hawks, though, as he projects the young wing as the No. 19 overall pick in a recent mock.

Ferguson has much better size than Mitchell, but NBA teams haven’t been super willing to spend high picks on Americans who spurn college basketball to play internationally. (Brandon Jennings, the best example, probably fell five picks because he played in Rome instead of Tucson. Emmanuel Mudiay appeared to slip after choosing China over a Big 12 school.)

But decision-makers probably will love that Ferguson went to Adelaide and fit into a role where he wasn’t the superstar. Players taken in the mid-first — even in a good year — aren’t immediate stars and may never become starters. Being able to find a role and excel within it is a big draw. Ferguson has, to some extent, proved he can do that.

For comparison’s sake, Ziller is using Louisville’s Donovan Mitchell as a measuring stick and that is interesting. It is certainly true that Ferguson “wasn’t the superstar” in Australia but he might profile more as a 3-and-D player given his relentless athleticism and shooting upside.

The concern, though, would be that his jumper has been inconsistent and there could be a low floor as a result. Atlanta doesn’t “need” a wing given the investment in Taurean Prince, DeAndre Bembry and Kent Bazemore (with a decision to come on Tim Hardaway Jr.) but Ferguson does boast a ceiling with more offensive capability and range than the other players involved.

[GABALLA]

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[Guest]

Every projection I've seen lists IQ as one of his weaknesses.  EZPass Lane.

His ceiling is Terrence Ross

[Guest]

I'd rather have D.Mitchell but you are right...he might fit the bill on a 3D.

[KB21]

22 minutes ago, kg01 said:

Every projection I've seen lists IQ as one of his weaknesses.  EZPass Lane.

His ceiling is Terrence Ross

His ceiling is as a 3 and D guy on the perimeter, IMO.  He's not a potential superstar, but in the long run, if you can get a 3 and D guy with the 19th pick, it is a good pick.

Honestly though, I like Kostja Mushidi more.  

[Guest]

40 minutes ago, KB21 said:

His ceiling is as a 3 and D guy on the perimeter, IMO.  He's not a potential superstar, but in the long run, if you can get a 3 and D guy with the 19th pick, it is a good pick.

Honestly though, I like Kostja Mushidi more.  

Terrence Ross is awful and a bad contract.  That "ceiling" looks an awful lot like a floor to me.

Kosta Mushroomidi?  Sigh, there you go again.  You're overrating these Euro guys just off the unknown and your anti-AAU bias.

[KB21]

9 minutes ago, kg01 said:

Terrence Ross is awful and a bad contract.  That "ceiling" looks an awful lot like a floor to me.

Kosta Mushroomidi?  Sigh, there you go again.  You're overrating these Euro guys just off the unknown and your anti-AAU bias.

My anti-AAU bias is completely justified.  The best coach in the NBA has an anti-AAU bias, and I would imagine his top underling that has become a successful head coach shares that view.  If I'm going young, give me a young Euro who has a better skill level and is over himself.  I'll take Kristaps Porzingis over DeAngelo Russsell anyday, just to use an example.

[Lurker]

I wouldn't mind Mushidi, but then again, I'd be told that I'm all over the place. Just wouldn't be my first choice, at either draft spot. He's probably staying in Europe for at least one more year.

Ferguson scares me because of the stories about how the one and done overseas guys don't reach their potential. (Wait a minute, sh**? I thought being in one of the overseas leagues or being raised through Europe as a basketball player was BETTER than the US? HMMMMMMMMMMM????????????)

Plus, this was also just a "what if there is chaos" mock by SB nation.

I'd rather Donovan Mitchell, his height doesn't scare me, and if it scares others, perhaps he could be a great 2nd unit player with Bembry running point and guarding the SG. He has a high floor and medium-ish ceiling. His floor is Marcus Smart with less playmaking and a better shot. His ceiling is Avery Bradley, or what Norman Powell has flashed.

[Lurker]

The "best coach in the NBA" also had Tim Duncan.

High caliber talent matters in the NBA. You can't rely on being "hot".

[Guest]

44 minutes ago, KB21 said:

My anti-AAU bias is completely justified.  The best coach in the NBA has an anti-AAU bias, and I would imagine his top underling that has become a successful head coach shares that view.  If I'm going young, give me a young Euro who has a better skill level and is over himself.  I'll take Kristaps Porzingis over DeAngelo Russsell anyday, just to use an example.

Jury still out on Kristaps and Russell imho.

And, as has already been said, Pop has David Rob and Timmay as the backbone of his program so it's a little self-serving for him to act all indignant about AAU culture since he hasn't had to rely on it as much.

Budz can share that belief all he wants but he better not be turning away talent off that misguided principle.

[KB21]

44 minutes ago, Lurker said:

The "best coach in the NBA" also had Tim Duncan.

High caliber talent matters in the NBA. You can't rely on being "hot".

Yep.  Tim Duncan from the Virgin Islands, who was not a highly recruited player.  His scholarship offers included Hartford, Delaware, and Providence among Wake Forest.  He's the epitome of what Pops wants in a player.....a player who doesn't make it all about him.  Duncan didn't start playing basketball till he was in the 9th grade, so he didn't grow up a pampered AAU brat.

[Guest]

42 minutes ago, KB21 said:

Yep.  Tim Duncan from the Virgin Islands, who was not a highly recruited player.  His scholarship offers included Hartford, Delaware, and Providence among Wake Forest.  He's the epitome of what Pops wants in a player.....a player who doesn't make it all about him.  Duncan didn't start playing basketball till he was in the 9th grade, so he didn't grow up a pampered AAU brat.

Shld we wait for the next Tim Duncan then?  See you in 2055, I guess.

[CP61]

1 hour ago, kg01 said:

Jury still out on Kristaps and Russell imho.

And, as has already been said, Pop has David Rob and Timmay as the backbone of his program so it's a little self-serving for him to act all indignant about AAU culture since he hasn't had to rely on it as much.

Budz can share that belief all he wants but he better not be turning away talent off that misguided principle.

What the actual f*** are you talking about with the jury still being out on Kristaps and D'angelo? One is significantly better. I thought I was higher than most on D'Angelo lol. Even if they were close talentwise, a 7'3 shooter with the skill of a guard is so much more valuable than a guy who is pretty much just a scoring guard. 

[CP61]

2 hours ago, Lurker said:

The "best coach in the NBA" also had Tim Duncan.

High caliber talent matters in the NBA. You can't rely on being "hot".

I mean yeah, but they've had tons of great talent besides him who weren't as highly regarded as Tim Duncan was coming out. Having Pop as the coach has a lot to do with that. I'm with you that talent matter, but let's not diminish Pop.

[Guest]

20 minutes ago, CP61 said:

What the actual f*** are you talking about with the jury still being out on Kristaps and D'angelo? One is significantly better. I thought I was higher than most on D'Angelo lol. Even if they were close talentwise, a 7'3 shooter with the skill of a guard is so much more valuable than a guy who is pretty much just a scoring guard. 

Everybody just accepts that Kristaps is Dirk Duncan mixed with Dominique Jordan and all but he looks like a bag o skills that's not impacting winning much right now.  Everybody blames Melo but, if you watch Porzingo play, he's more reliant in his game than I care for in a supposed ultramegastar.  He lacks the takeover gene in games when Melo plays and in games where he's gone.  Conversely, Russell has shown some of those abilities but he's so immature it doesn't matter.

I'd caution folks to stop just going with the narrative on Kristaps.  He's basically a less rugged Kevin Love.

[Lurker]

8 hours ago, KB21 said:

Yep.  Tim Duncan from the Virgin Islands, who was not a highly recruited player.  His scholarship offers included Hartford, Delaware, and Providence among Wake Forest.  He's the epitome of what Pops wants in a player.....a player who doesn't make it all about him.  Duncan didn't start playing basketball till he was in the 9th grade, so he didn't grow up a pampered AAU brat.

And if "humility" and "integrity" matters a lot in players, then the Hawks will run the treadmill with 99% of those players for the next 3+ decades, as you are smiling bright and wide about those humble players that have integrity.