Question - how can you put Noel in that first five when he has yet to play a game in the NBA? For that reason alone, the Greek Freak should be in the first 5, imo.
Nerlens grew up on the street behind me and went to school from 6th grade with my son. Been watching him swat balls and dunk on people since he was 13 years old.
Question is, with me, how could Nerlens NOT be in the top 5 regardless of how many games he played?
Have you seen him play against other top players in the country at that age? The only reason I ask is I expect most if not all first round picks to dominate when they were in middle school. Even saying that some kids are late bloomers, and some level out really fast after being really good at that age.
With my small sample size watching him I think Noel can be a Marcus Camby type player. Who would you compare him too?
You are obviously missing the point. The point is he is my kid's friend and my neighbor. I'm going to be loyal and place him that high regardless out of loyalty for a fellow kid from Everett.
Also, I watched every game he played at Kentucky(where he put up numbers , especially defensively that were as good if not better than what Anthony Davis put up there with a better group of talent around him) and every Summer League game he played(where in Orlando he was easily the best player in the Summer League).
I think Nerlens new stroke at the line is going to make him a bit more of a scorer than people thought and so I think he has a career arch of being better than Marcus Camby but Camby might be his best comparison. But let's not forget, Camby was a guy that was a DPOY, led the league in blocks and blocks per game 4 times, defensive rebound % 3 times, total rebound percentage 4 times and who averaged over 10 rebounds per game 10 times and who became a fairly adept passer.
Nerlens is already a better passer than Camby ever was, compares favorably as a shot blocker and rebounder and has much quicker lateral movement and faster hands meaning he will nab a lot more steals than Camby ever did.
So a better version of Marcus Camby is what I have been calling him all along. That puts him as the player with the highest realistic upside from that draft class, IMHO.