How on Earth did the NBA miss on Gobert and Whiteside?

[ClipperRevival]

I mean you start with the measurables.

Whiteside: Height 7'0" without shoes, 7'7" wingspan, 9'5" standing reach.
Gobert: Height 7'0.5" without shoes, 7'9" winspan, 9'7" standing reach.

I see those numbers, I want to see them workout. In 5 minutes, I would know if this guy has potential or not. How can the multi-billion corporation not catch these two? I am telling you right now had you given me 5 minutes to put these guys through any workout I wanted, I would've seen that these guys were keepers. And I am not saying this to be boastful because they should see the obvious, above average lightness of feet and ability to just move better than most guys that big. When you are that big, you just need guys to move well, not great, just well enough. Both these guys have feet on the lighter side. That fact alone warranted serious attention. Sometimes I wonder how good SOME NBA scouts are. At what level of understanding do they have of the game at the core level of evaluating talent and what to look for?

[RRR3]

Whiteside was originally considered a lotto pick IIRC. But he fell due to being viewed as a locker room problem.

Gobert IDK he is from France but plenty of foreign players have gone lotto.

[outbreak]

I remember Gobert in the hoops summit, he looked like a great prospect with good size and skills and i thought he'd be the "biyombo" type guy who would rise on his upside and mystery.

[warriorfan]

Very thin Euro man as your paint protector, that isn't very enticing as a draft prospect. He has paid off for the Jazz so far though.

[Fallen Angel]

Anthony Randolph

[ClipperRevival]

It's not that hard. You give me 5 minutes with Habeet and I would've said he is too stiff. Light feet is maybe the most important aspect of potential greatness for a big. There is no all time great big who didn't have light feet. It's a prequisite for great bigs. And a truly rare trait for bigs. But given how long Whiteside and Gobert were, they didn't need to possess rare light feet to impact the game, just decent. Whitside has lighter feet over Gobert but Gobert is longer.

[ClipperRevival]

Anthony Randolph

Has very light feet for a big. He can shuffle and pivot his feet very well and is also not a true 7 footer like these two.

[SwishSquared]

Whiteside told NBA execs pre-draft he had no holes in his game and nothing to improve. His attitude got in the way of his work ethic and potential, leading him to drop in the draft and flame out quickly afterwards.

I knew very little about Gobert prior to him being drafted. I remember his athletic testing being poor and some people thought he was a stiff. His size was amazing, but he didn't move well. He later said he had a knee injury at the time but insisted on participating in drills at the combine anyway to prove himself.

I guess that explains the drop for both of these guys. Maybe somebody more-informed knows something, but I think that's sorta the gist.

[ClipperRevival]

Okafor has pretty light feet and his post game is pretty refined. His wingspan is impressive and his 270lb body helps him absorb contact. He should be a pretty good pro. His FT shooting will be fine. He has the touch and huge hands. I could easily see him being a 20/10 guy for 7-10 years.

[ClipperRevival]

Whiteside told NBA execs pre-draft he had no holes in his game and nothing to improve. His attitude got in the way of his work ethic and potential, leading him to drop in the draft and flame out quickly afterwards.

I knew very little about Gobert prior to him being drafted. I remember his athletic testing being poor and some people thought he was a stiff. His size was amazing, but he didn't move well. He later said he had a knee injury at the time but insisted on participating in drills at the combine anyway to prove himself.

I guess that explains the drop for both of these guys. Maybe somebody more-informed knows something, but I think that's sorta the gist.

Yeah, but even though Gobert isn't as fluid as Whiteside, he could move well enough to impact the game. If he was healthy and working out hard, you should see this. I just don't get it. Measuring lightness of feet is easy. How can scouts not see obvious things? 7'1", 7'9" wingpsan, 9'7" reach? All he needs is to move well enough. And he obviously can.

[SwishSquared]

Yeah, but even though Gobert isn't as fluid as Whiteside, he could move well enough to impact the game. If he was healthy and working out hard, you should see this. I just don't get it. Measuring lightness of feet is easy. How can scouts not see obvious things? 7'1", 7'9" wingpsan, 9'7" reach? All he needs is to move well enough. And he obviously can.

I don't disagree with you. It's just at the combine, he didn't move well because of a knee injury. He appeared slow and like a stiff. That's a large contributing factor into his slide. He hurt his stock by doing the drills at the combine since he seemed heavy-footed and slow.

[Xiao Yao You]

Jazz traded to get him in the first round. They actually gave up cash for him. I'm sure that is a first coming from one of the cheapest ownership groups in sports. They saw something. Sloan liked him. But if you saw him play as a rookie you'd know he was a project offensively and still has a lot of work to do there.

And defensively there are still some guys that can push him around. Hibbert in particular last year. Hard to measure a guys heart in a workout. You don't know if a guy is going to be able to play with the energy he does all the time. Or put in the work to get better. The guy is a winner. Hard to know that.

Jazz certainly didn't expect him to be as good as he is this soon for sure. They act like they still want to tank with the off-season they've had. He ruined their grand plans with his play.

[Nash]

because there are your Gobert's and Whiteside's but also Javale McGee's.

[masonanddixon]

They are both decently serviceable big men. You're acting like they are elite.

[Kobe_6/8]

Whiteside told NBA execs pre-draft he had no holes in his game and nothing to improve. His attitude got in the way of his work ethic and potential, leading him to drop in the draft and flame out quickly afterwards.

Alpha.