Author Topic: Justin Patton: new Beast of the East  (Read 5083 times)

0 Members and 1 Guest are viewing this topic.

Justin Patton: new Beast of the East
« on: January 07, 2017, 11:39:30 AM »

Offline csfansince60s

  • Paul Silas
  • ******
  • Posts: 6234
  • Tommy Points: 2238
This kid has just had two breakout games vs 'Nova and St. Johns.

He's a red-shirted freshman and will be 20 in June, but he could be a gem.

He plays today at 2:00 on CBSSN for Creighton. He is opening some eyes.

This from draftexpress:

Quote
ulian Applebome takes a closer look at Justin Patton's 18-point, 8-rebound, 2-block performance against then-undefeated and #1 ranked Villanova.

The 19-year old redshirt freshman big man has been a revelation for top-ten ranked Creighton so far this season, averaging 20 points, 10 rebounds, 2.2 blocks and 1.5 steals per-40, in 25 minutes of action. He's shooting an outrageous 76% for 2 thus far, and is even 5/8 from beyond the arc.

While Patton was very much an under the radar prospect coming into Creighton, a product of his late-blooming status in high school and subsequent decision to redshirt his first year, his combination of size, athleticism, budding skill and upside is is extremely interesting in the long term. While his frame is still a ways away from being NBA ready, he is already starting to draw quite a few looks from NBA teams and will continue to do so if he keeps producing like this over the next few months.

http://www.draftexpress.com/profile/Justin-Patton-7310/

And this lengthier article from the Big East web page:

Quote
He is near unstoppable in the paint. He gobbles up rebounds like he’s picking apples off a tree (and at seven feet tall, there would be no need for a ladder). He blocks shots, misdirects countless others, is a dunking machine and, from time to time, even steps out to bury the occasional three pointer.

He is a blossoming nightmare for the BIG EAST, a godsend for Creighton and one of the more exciting young players you’ll see anywhere in the nation. Meet Justin Patton, the Bluejays’ freshman big man, who until just a few short years ago was a relative unknown on the amateur basketball circuit.

“He reminds me of Marcus Camby,” St. John’s head coach Chris Mullin said after Patton lit up the Red Storm for a career-high 25 points with nine rebounds in Creighton’s 85-72 victory Wednesday night at Carnesecca Arena. “(He has) great hands and even banged a three. Especially tonight, he looked All-NBA.”

Camby, the former UMass star, went on to enjoy a 17-year career in the NBA with the Raptors, Knicks, Nuggets, Clippers, Trail Blazers and Rockets.

Mullin knows a thing or two about quality players so his endorsement carries considerable weight. But just three seasons ago Patton was an unknown commodity, toiling at Omaha North High School, just a stone’s throw from Creighton’s campus. But by the end of his senior season, Patton, now seven inches taller, turned into a five-star prospect and a top-50 recruit. But Creighton head coach Greg McDermott was the only one who saw the potential early on and kept close tabs on the neighborhood kid.

Now in his first season with the Bluejays after redshirting last season, even McDermott is a little surprised at how far Patton has come in such a short time.

“He might even be surprising himself,” said McDermott, now in his seventh season as head Bluejay. “We saw Justin as a junior in high school (and) to see his growth in just a few short years is incredible. A lot of it is because he loves the game. (But) he willingly takes coaching and his teammates trust him and that’s not often the case with a freshman. But they know they can throw it up 12-13 feet and he’s going to go get it and get them an assist instead of a turnover. He continues to just get better. Nothing surprises me because I’ve seen the potential in him for a long time.”

How much of a problem is Patton for opponents to defend? Well, he came into the game against St. John’s ranked third in the nation in field goal percentage (74.3%) and then proceeded to go 11-of-14 from the field against the Johnnies. And dunks? Yeah, he had five of them to give him 39 jams for the season through just 15 games. That’s already the second-most career dunks by a Creighton player since 2010-11 as he trails only Greg Echenique’s 90 dunks for the school record. Creighton has 16 regular-season games remaining before the BIG EAST Tournament so, Greg, enjoy the record while you still can.

“He’s a big guy, has multiple moves and we didn’t have an answer for him,” St. John’s stellar freshman Shamorie Ponds said. “He’s a great player.”

So how does a 7-0 center dribble and pass like he’s an oversized guard, as he did with his perfect alley-oop pass on a Marcus Foster jam Wednesday night?

“I was a guard (in his younger days) but I wasn’t really that good at shooting. I was just chucking shots,” Patton said with a laugh. “But I got taller and people started telling me I was a post (player) but I didn’t believe it at first. But we worked on those (low post) moves in practice and coach did a great job of putting me in certain situations in drills where I could develop and become the player I am today.”

Patton even comes equipped with a rather cool nickname, “Big Muddy.” He was given the moniker by the father of freshman guard Davion Mintz, who compared Patton to the Missouri River.

Now with all of 15 games under his collegiate belt, “Big Muddy” has scored in double figures 13 times, including his career-best outing vs. St. John’s. But when asked how much more of a ceiling Patton has, McDermott had some rather chilling words for the rest of the BIG EAST.

“Justin’s best basketball is still ahead of him,” McDermott said. “He continues to grow and improve. A lot of it has to do with his work ethic and how he’s understanding the value of competing on a consistent basis. As good as he was offensively the first half (vs. St. John’s), he was equally as good defensively. That wasn’t the case the first five or six games of the season. (But) his low post game continues to develop. His patience down there and his footwork are really off the charts. He’s been a pleasure to coach and he’s obviously a special talent.”

It seems unthinkable now that Patton, with the Marcus Camby comparisons and an explosive start to his Creighton career, had just one lone suitor coming out of Omaha North.

“Creighton. That was it,” Patton said. “They had been seeing me for a long time because I’m from Omaha and I played in their camp for a long time. So they knew me.”

When asked how long it took him to decide to commit to McDermott and the Bluejays, Patton flashed his smile once again.

“Instantly,” he said. “I don’t think it was even 30 seconds.”

So while coaches at brand-name schools across the country are kicking themselves for missing out on a game-changing big man, Patton, as grounded a player as you’ll find, seemed more thankful to Creighton for taking him than the school was for recruiting him.

“I would say the doubt was solely on me like, ‘Was I good enough?’ But then I (grew) seven inches and I automatically qualified for the job,” Patton said laughing. “But I’ve been playing really good and it’s all from feeding off my teammates. You see when the lights go on, Marcus and Maurice (Watson Jr.) are just ready to go. Nothing fazes them, so when I see they’re ready, then we’re ready and that’s been our plan.”

The plan, with Big Muddy in the middle of it, appears to be working quite nicely for the 14-1 Bluejays, currently ranked 10th in the nation. Fifteen regular-season games left. Fifteen more opportunities to see the next big thing in college basketball.

“We’re lucky to have him,” said McDermott in the understatement of the year.

Re: Justin Patton: new Beast of the East
« Reply #1 on: January 16, 2017, 11:34:37 PM »

Offline csfansince60s

  • Paul Silas
  • ******
  • Posts: 6234
  • Tommy Points: 2238
 Did anybody see Justin Patton play today against Xavier?

He was hampered by fouls from the beginning. He only played 18 minutes.  He had 10 points nine rebounds three blocks and two steals..

But at the end of the game when it came down to it he had two important hoops and controlled the paint.

Kid's rising in the East.

 Chance for the lottery!

Re: Justin Patton: new Beast of the East
« Reply #2 on: January 17, 2017, 12:24:18 AM »

Offline Smartacus

  • Bailey Howell
  • **
  • Posts: 2112
  • Tommy Points: 318
No center in this class has risen to take the top spot just yet so it's exciting to see a player emerge when it was beginning to look like a relatively weak class for the 5. Here's hoping Patton can keep this forward momentum going, gotta love the prospect that comes out of nowhere.

Marcus Camby's a good comp and Camby would probably be a more natural fit in this era since he had some range on that jumper and could survive on switches.

Re: Justin Patton: new Beast of the East
« Reply #3 on: January 17, 2017, 12:46:14 AM »

Offline DefenseWinsChamps

  • Paul Silas
  • ******
  • Posts: 6043
  • Tommy Points: 766
I watched the game hoping to come away impressed enough to write a post arguing for him as the best prospect in the draft.

His athleticism, length, and offensive feel are absolutely elite.

But I came away underwhelmed. He had 9 rebounds, but it felt like he should have had 20. He had a few blocks, but it felt like he should have had 6 or 7.

The talent is tantalizing. That steal on the guard for a break away layup displayed impressive mobility on the perimeter for a big defender. He used his length to defend a few shots that made me think, "This kid could be amazing."

Everything in me wants to see Embiid and KAT in this kid. At times, I do. But other times, I don't.

He avoids contact. His free throw rate is really, really bad (no free throws in a physical game today). His rebounding percentage is ok, but not impressive considering his length (similar to Okafor's a few years ago).

I also want to believe that his offensive game will be versatile enough to be a spotup shooter, but while his jumpshot is consistent out to three point line, but his free throw percentage is awful (FT% is one of the best indicators of afuture 3 point success in the NBA).

He is still young, and the upside is clearly there, but there are a lot of holes in his game - too many for me to think he is a better prospect than guys like Fultz, Ball, Isaac, and even Ntilikina.

Re: Justin Patton: new Beast of the East
« Reply #4 on: January 17, 2017, 01:35:37 AM »

Online tazzmaniac

  • Don Nelson
  • ********
  • Posts: 8113
  • Tommy Points: 549
Kind of surprised DraftExpress still has Patton in their 2018 mock draft.  Only my 2nd game watching him so I want to see how he progresses.  He seems to be a good 2-way center but I haven't seen anything special about him so far.  I like his mobility and comfort level defending the perimeter.  I do like that he was a guard who had a large late growth spurt.  Shows that he's probably a good learner while still have significant room for improvement. 

Re: Justin Patton: new Beast of the East
« Reply #5 on: January 17, 2017, 01:46:24 AM »

Offline drogbagarnett

  • Jrue Holiday
  • Posts: 386
  • Tommy Points: 37
Am I getting carried away thinking I would use our BKN 2017 pick on this kid if he declares for the draft this year..?
Exactly what we are missing !! Our own unicorn !! Hope he can extend his range and be our Center of the future !!
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=3e1xK1nn0sE

Re: Justin Patton: new Beast of the East
« Reply #6 on: January 17, 2017, 02:28:49 AM »

Offline alewilliam789

  • Don Chaney
  • *
  • Posts: 1605
  • Tommy Points: 76
We are not taking this guy with a top pick and if we do I'm calling for Ainge's head.

Re: Justin Patton: new Beast of the East
« Reply #7 on: January 17, 2017, 08:35:46 AM »

Offline The One

  • Bailey Howell
  • **
  • Posts: 2017
  • Tommy Points: 203
Am I getting carried away thinking I would use our BKN 2017 pick on this kid if he declares for the draft this year..?
Exactly what we are missing !! Our own unicorn !! Hope he can extend his range and be our Center of the future !!
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=3e1xK1nn0sE

Yes, you are...but way to rep your guy.

Re: Justin Patton: new Beast of the East
« Reply #8 on: January 17, 2017, 08:39:56 AM »

Offline Tr1boy

  • Paul Pierce
  • ***************************
  • Posts: 27260
  • Tommy Points: 867
As intriguing PAtton looks (like Isaac)...he is far from the beast of the east

1st. His rebounding numbers are very average for a guy his height/athleticism.  He needs to add 15 more pounds

2nd.  Has shown he can score some tough buckets in a variety of ways. Just has not shown consistent top scoring numbers game in and game out.  Just like Isaac

The key words here are, IF able to put it all together.  Play with confidence. Play a little more selfishly if it totals more wins

Re: Justin Patton: new Beast of the East
« Reply #9 on: January 17, 2017, 08:47:57 AM »

Offline Who

  • James Naismith
  • *********************************
  • Posts: 47135
  • Tommy Points: 2401
Guys with his size and athleticism are rare. To have some skills offensively and a willingness to defend and rebound on top of that. That is an impressive package.

This guy is a top 5 pick. Probably top 3.

Re: Justin Patton: new Beast of the East
« Reply #10 on: January 17, 2017, 08:53:58 AM »

Offline drogbagarnett

  • Jrue Holiday
  • Posts: 386
  • Tommy Points: 37
Am I getting carried away thinking I would use our BKN 2017 pick on this kid if he declares for the draft this year..?
Exactly what we are missing !! Our own unicorn !! Hope he can extend his range and be our Center of the future !!
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=3e1xK1nn0sE

Yes, you are...but way to rep your guy.

He is not my guy, as I learned about him yesterday! But our current players are my guys and adding another combo guard to our team doesn't excite me as much...
Have unranked prospects skyrocketed on draft boands after mid January to become top 5 picks in the past..?
If thé answer is yes than we might have another one this year if he shows he can drain 3s and has a good tournament...
He would excite me because of his potential AND because he fits a need as we wouldn't have to force a trade to slide him right in on this team full of MY GUYS...!!

Re: Justin Patton: new Beast of the East
« Reply #11 on: January 17, 2017, 09:27:39 AM »

Offline Tr1boy

  • Paul Pierce
  • ***************************
  • Posts: 27260
  • Tommy Points: 867
Guys with his size and athleticism are rare. To have some skills offensively and a willingness to defend and rebound on top of that. That is an impressive package.

This guy is a top 5 pick. Probably top 3.

But his numbers/stats does not indicate top 5 pick material...6 reb per game for his height?

I doubt he will go top 5 if the draft started today...things could change of course

Re: Justin Patton: new Beast of the East
« Reply #12 on: January 17, 2017, 10:10:39 AM »

Offline A Future of Stevens

  • Jim Loscutoff
  • **
  • Posts: 2524
  • Tommy Points: 486
If he gets drafted here at some point, and becomes our dominant player going forward,  I want to point out a new nickname.

I'm calling first dibs on calling him The General.
#JKJB

Re: Justin Patton: new Beast of the East
« Reply #13 on: January 17, 2017, 11:34:50 AM »

Offline csfansince60s

  • Paul Silas
  • ******
  • Posts: 6234
  • Tommy Points: 2238
Quote
I came away underwhelmed. He had 9 rebounds, but it felt like he should have had 20. He had a few blocks, but it felt like he should have had 6 or 7.

Quote
The key words here are, IF able to put it all together.  Play with confidence. Play a little more selfishly if it totals more wins
Quote

He is not my guy, as I learned about him yesterday!

Quote
He avoids contact.

Yesterday vs Xavier, Patton got into very early foul trouble with two questionable calls within the first few minutes. Right at the beginning of the second half, he was called for his 3rd with minimal contact. So he WAS avoiding contact because of the fouls.

Consequently, he played only 18 somewhat tentative minutes, his aggression and physicality muted by the fouls. Even still, he score 10 points, had 9 'bounds, 3 blocks and 2 steals vs a top 20 team, with some real big plays coming at crunch time in the last couple of minutes.

When he is not hampered by the fouls, he is capable of playing with a lot of confidence and having games like he had against another competent foe, Villanova, when he had a huge game.



Quote
But his numbers/stats does not indicate top 5 pick material...6 reb per game for his height?

I doubt he will go top 5 if the draft started today...things could change of course

In the OP and subsequent post, I was suggesting lottery, not necessarily top 5, although I think that top 10 is a possibility. He is a red-shirted freshman with not a ton of experience, and he is getting better.

I just figured that I'd discuss a prospect that no one was discussing who had big-time potential.

I think that skills-wise, he fits well with the Cs.

I'm not sure how he fits given our draft position (likely top 4) and his perceived value come draft time, even if it is rising.

EDIT: And for someone who hasn't played a lot of organized ball at the center position , on a veteran-laden highly ranked team to average 13.8/6.6rb/1.3apg/1.1spg/1.7bpg in 25 minutes and improving is pretty darn good.
« Last Edit: January 17, 2017, 11:39:57 AM by csfansince60s »

Re: Justin Patton: new Beast of the East
« Reply #14 on: January 17, 2017, 11:45:03 AM »

Offline csfansince60s

  • Paul Silas
  • ******
  • Posts: 6234
  • Tommy Points: 2238
Kind of surprised DraftExpress still has Patton in their 2018 mock draft........ I like his mobility and comfort level defending the perimeter.  I do like that he was a guard who had a large late growth spurt.  Shows that he's probably a good learner while still have significant room for improvement.

TP, tazz. Good analysis.

I think that given the real dearth of center talent in this year's draft, if he keeps improving, he will make it into the lottery...which I guess is good and bad for us.