Looks like Giannis is starting to live up to the hype

[D.o.s.]

Telfair's not a great example to use for this discussion, although if you wanted to use him  you'd have to say Telfair would be the GA portion of the example and Kelly would be... E'Twaun Moore?

I've had the four years vs one year argument enough times on here to have zero interest in going over it again, though.

[Rondo9]

Second, yes this would be an issue of potential vs. real value if Olynyk was putting up vastly greater numbers than Antetokounmpo, except GA is putting up similar numbers already and has loads of basketball growth left in him.

So does KO.....

No, he doesn't. He's 23 1/2 already, practically retirement age for NBA players, you know...

KO is not even in his prime yet, he got 1-2 years to get there. He still got room to grow.

[jonaslopes]

And because we like to compare, here's Olynyk's numbers:

12.8 PPG, 6.2 RPG, 1.6 APG, 59 FG%, 75% FT, 48% 3PT%, 0.6 STLS, 1.0 BLKS

Playing only 26 MPG.

Olynyk = bust
Antetokounmpo = rising superstar

Sounds about right for Celticsblog. [Not responding to rondohondo, just the general tenor on the boards these days.]

Same thing: people want John Henson, but he's not better than Zeller. The grass is always greener on the other side...

[MBunge]

Telfair's not a great example to use for this discussion, although if you wanted to use him  you'd have to say Telfair would be the GA portion of the example and Kelly would be... E'Twaun Moore?

I've had the four years vs one year argument enough times on here to have zero interest in going over it again, though.

No, the comparison for KO would be Markieff Morris, drafted 13th in 2011 at 22 years old.

Who would you rather have today, Telfair or Morris?

Mike

[D.o.s.]

Telfair's not a great example to use for this discussion, although if you wanted to use him  you'd have to say Telfair would be the GA portion of the example and Kelly would be... E'Twaun Moore?

I've had the four years vs one year argument enough times on here to have zero interest in going over it again, though.

No, the comparison for KO would be Markieff Morris, drafted 13th in 2011 at 22 years old.

Who would you rather have today, Telfair or Morris?

Mike

My point was that, in addition to cherry picking Bassy out of thin air because he was drafted young, the comparison was between a guard who was a widely hyped prospect turned bust to GA, who is A) not a guard, and B) a pleasant surprise, not a widely hyped bust. Good try, though. 

[MBunge]

Telfair's not a great example to use for this discussion, although if you wanted to use him  you'd have to say Telfair would be the GA portion of the example and Kelly would be... E'Twaun Moore?

I've had the four years vs one year argument enough times on here to have zero interest in going over it again, though.

No, the comparison for KO would be Markieff Morris, drafted 13th in 2011 at 22 years old.

Who would you rather have today, Telfair or Morris?

Mike

My point was that, in addition to cherry picking Bassy out of thin air because he was drafted young, the comparison was between a guard who was a widely hyped prospect turned bust to GA, who is A) not a guard, and B) a pleasant surprise, not a widely hyped bust. Good try, though. 

But the POINT is potential, youth and projected development. 

The reality is that Giannis might not develop any more from this point than KO will, which would leave KO still the better player.  Telfair's been the league for 10 years now, so the talent people saw when he was a kid wasn't a mirage.  They just projected he would get so much better.  And when Telfair was 22, he averaged just over 9 points on 40% from the field with a turnover-to-assist-ratio of about 3 to 1, so he did improve from his disappointing rookie year.

If Giannis becomes a better player than KO, I won't complain about anybody posting however many threads they want about how Ainge was an idiot for passing on him.

Can we at least wait until that actually happens, though?

Mike

[rondohondo]

Telfair's not a great example to use for this discussion, although if you wanted to use him  you'd have to say Telfair would be the GA portion of the example and Kelly would be... E'Twaun Moore?

I've had the four years vs one year argument enough times on here to have zero interest in going over it again, though.

No, the comparison for KO would be Markieff Morris, drafted 13th in 2011 at 22 years old.

Who would you rather have today, Telfair or Morris?

Mike

My point was that, in addition to cherry picking Bassy out of thin air because he was drafted young, the comparison was between a guard who was a widely hyped prospect turned bust to GA, who is A) not a guard, and B) a pleasant surprise, not a widely hyped bust. Good try, though. 

But the POINT is potential, youth and projected development. 

The reality is that Giannis might not develop any more from this point than KO will, which would leave KO still the better player.  Telfair's been the league for 10 years now, so the talent people saw when he was a kid wasn't a mirage.  They just projected he would get so much better.  And when Telfair was 22, he averaged just over 9 points on 40% from the field with a turnover-to-assist-ratio of about 3 to 1, so he did improve from his disappointing rookie year.

If Giannis becomes a better player than KO, I won't complain about anybody posting however many threads they want about how Ainge was an idiot for passing on him.

Can we at least wait until that actually happens, though?

Mike

C'mon man....

Telfair is a 6'2 PG with average athleticism and skill

Giannis is a 7 foot , physical freak, with a good handle, court vision and finishing ability .  He also projects to be a very good defender with his athleticism, long arms, huge hands .

Not even worth comparing the two .

[kozlodoev]

Giannis is a 7 foot , physical freak, with a good handle, court vision and finishing ability .  He also projects to be a very good defender with his athleticism, long arms, huge hands .

The myth of GA lives on. The reality is that he was never officially measured, and came in the draft listed as 6'9- 6'10. He is now rumored to have grown an inch or so. And all of a sudden, he's a "7 foot athletic freak". Exaggerate much?

[rondohondo]

Giannis is a 7 foot , physical freak, with a good handle, court vision and finishing ability .  He also projects to be a very good defender with his athleticism, long arms, huge hands .

The myth of GA lives on. The reality is that he was never officially measured, and came in the draft listed as 6'9- 6'10. He is now rumored to have grown an inch or so. And all of a sudden, he's a "7 foot athletic freak". Exaggerate much?

I said physical freak, and yea 1 inch is a great exaggeration , you're right.

[kozlodoev]

Focus on the "never been officially measured" part.

[Jonny CC]

Giannis is a 7 foot , physical freak, with a good handle, court vision and finishing ability .  He also projects to be a very good defender with his athleticism, long arms, huge hands .

The myth of GA lives on. The reality is that he was never officially measured, and came in the draft listed as 6'9- 6'10. He is now rumored to have grown an inch or so. And all of a sudden, he's a "7 foot athletic freak". Exaggerate much?

He's a 6'11" SHOOTING GUARD which is the definition of a "physical freak". 

[D.o.s.]

He's a 6'11" SHOOTING GUARD which is the definition of a "physical freak".

Wait Ryan Anderson is a physical freak?

[kozlodoev]

He's a 6'11" SHOOTING GUARD which is the definition of a "physical freak".

He's not a shooting guard.

[kozlodoev]

He's a 6'11" SHOOTING GUARD which is the definition of a "physical freak".

Wait Ryan Anderson is a physical freak?

You're thinking of Steve Novak. Ryan Anderson is a better player than he's getting credit for around here.

[TheFlex]

Second, yes this would be an issue of potential vs. real value if Olynyk was putting up vastly greater numbers than Antetokounmpo, except GA is putting up similar numbers already and has loads of basketball growth left in him.

So does KO.....

No, he doesn't. He's 23 1/2 already, practically retirement age for NBA players, you know...

KO is not even in his prime yet, he got 1-2 years to get there. He still got room to grow.

KO has potential, but it's pretty hard to make up for the age differential advantage that GA has on him.