NotSure
Joined: 3/09/23 Posts: 1,072
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Posted Today 1:42 pm
(Edited Today 1:44 pm)
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In response to Answers (WoodenDisciple)
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The Portland coaches think Austin Rapp, a 6-10 230 C from Australia, will leave.
But he needs muscle and a lot of coaching on how to play d the right way. He's more of the guy who you hope will back up for a year and then when he's a 6-11 255 JR he can be a highly-skilled bully.
For instant impact "This guy is a rim protector who will dunk on 7-footers and get rebounds", so far the best guy I've heard of (and of course seen play a lot) is Steve Jamerson of San Diego. I have a higher opinion of him than some people do.
He played with a wild, out of control gunner "PG" KaJay Bradley from the Shaw and West LA College, the son of legendary Kevin "Bean" Bradley from the Shaw, one of the last really good LA City section players.
Lavin had his best players from the year before poached, so he didn't have a good team with KaJay going one and one and making Sebastian look shy by comparison.
I think with a defensive-minded coach and good players all pulling together, Steve could be a steal. He doesn't need much weight, maybe get him to 220-225. He's very athletic, with a wingspan that might be 7-4 (3 inches shorter than Aday) and maybe a 34-inch vertical (compared to a 2-inch vertical for Aday). If he plays on a team with an organized defense at one end and in an offense run by the Puppet Master Donovan Dent (IMHO, one of the two best PGs in college next year along with Braden Smith of Purdue), he is a good true 5.
Steve will play UP to the level he moves to, IMO, and is badly underrated. If Cronin can grab him, I say grab him with both hands and the 10 hands of your assistants and make that f'ing deal.
Is he going to block shots like Aday? No. Can he pass like Aday? No. Can he alter games like Aday? Well... yes, actually, in some ways that Aday never will. Like, hedging a screen 20 feet from the basket and STAYING ON THE G AND SHUTTING HIM DOWN, jumping a passing lane and giving it to Double D and taking the wing and dunking it when the other C is 60 feet back, set a screen or slip it, Steve can do it and he can do it against a lot more 5s than Tyler can.
If you can't get the best 5 there is, you get the best 5 you can get, and I'd rather have Steve than Xavier Booker or Aaron Bradshaw. I want a guy who wants to be a 6-10 version of Jaylen Clark and with the right coach Steve might be that. He'll run through a wall to win. You have to pay Booker and Bradshaw just to put on a uniform and after that pray. |
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