Poll

Does Yabs have an NBA future?

No, I thought he was the French Draymond but he's the French Jared Sullinger.
20 (52.6%)
Yes, he the Dancing freaking Bear!
13 (34.2%)
I'm against the French stealing American jobs.
5 (13.2%)

Total Members Voted: 37

Author Topic: Yabusele three years later... What's the verdict?  (Read 5592 times)

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Re: Yabusele three years later... What's the verdict?
« Reply #45 on: July 16, 2018, 01:30:17 PM »

Offline Rosco917

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IMO At the time he was picked, we were loaded with young kids and draft picks. Danny chose him because he was stashable, and didn't demand immediate time on the Celtic squad.

I didn't like the pick then and I like it less now...time to say goodbye to the Dancing Bear.

Re: Yabusele three years later... What's the verdict?
« Reply #46 on: July 16, 2018, 02:02:26 PM »

Offline Hoopvortex

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The thread title says "three years later" -  what?! He was drafted two years ago. 

As far as a verdict goes, I'd say that he's an NBA player, with upside as a rotation player. He has an unusual build/skillset, which is an advantage. I don't think that his body will last at this level into his early 30's, maybe less.

As far as his future with the Celtics goes, I'd predict that he at least finishes the year. They think that he can make decisions, initiate offense, and shoot with range.

I just see a lot of scoring talent. Just with his 3 point shooting and ability to attack closeouts, I could see him getting buckets. Combine that with offensive rebounds and post touches.

I'll take these in order.

We could quibble about what "a lot of scoring talent" amounts to; I wouldn't say it that way. He does have a couple of ways to score. Big hands and great feet, good handles for his size, has some ability to drive it. If you believe the tiny sample size, he finished really well.

In spot minutes before the All-Star break, he looked like a reliable 3-pt shooter (.364) and an exceptional offensive rebounder (12.6%). After the break he averaged low rotation minutes and those numbers came down to earth. Because of the tougher defense playing against rotation players? Random drift? Rookie wall? All of the above?

Post touches? I'm skeptical. More likely is the new wrinkle that we saw in Summer League: they used him at the top of the circle as a facilitator, and with some success, too.  He got a couple of nice assists out of it... That looks like a good role for him, initiating the offense à la Olynyk.

You did not mention his production at the foul line. He got to the line a lot for the possessions he used; he was a C-minus free throw shooter for the year, though A-minus after the break.

I fully recognize that we haven't seen the production for that, but I'm saying i've seen enough to think he has the talent for that.

I'd agree that he has the talent for it, and I'm with you when I say that at these sample sizes you've got to do some careful looking.

The sample sizes are tiny. There's a tendency on forums like this to put too much weight on FG%s and 3-pt %s, and regardless of how many shots we're looking at. (That's not an argument that he's actually in truth some kind of great shooter, either!). My rule of thumb is, what does the % look like if you add or subtract two or three makes? There's enough random stuff that goes on during a game and during a season that you need to look at a range, and that gives you a better sense of what to expect in future.

For the year he shot 12/37 for .324; that's below average but it's also about a point per shot, which is acceptable production for a possession. If he made 9/37 that would be .243; if he made 15/37 that would be .405 - that's a huge range, so the first thing to take away from his actual number is that it does not give you a good idea of his shooting. He's somewhere between catastrophic and golden.

Great footwork and size should translate into better individual defense and especially defensive rebounding.  The defensive rebounding is critical for his future, and he's got a ways to go - with his butt, he really ought to be better at it. I thought he looked clueless on D in Summer League 2016, and especially during early offense, so he's advanced a fair amount, I'd say. "Better but not good."

I think this is the only way he'll carve out a role in the NBA from what I can see. Playmaking at the top of the key. He'll get eaten up down low but maybe from the high post he can do some damage..

We also saw him in SL as the roll man, where he can use his bulk and handles and (apparent) finishing ability.
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Re: Yabusele three years later... What's the verdict?
« Reply #47 on: July 16, 2018, 02:17:07 PM »

Offline CelticSooner

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I just don’t see how he’s going to get any minutes on this team to even try to improve. Better off for him to go to another team where he can get those minutes.

Re: Yabusele three years later... What's the verdict?
« Reply #48 on: July 16, 2018, 02:25:35 PM »

Offline Who

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Yabu can be a good replacement for Morris in 12 months time when Morris' contract expires.

Re: Yabusele three years later... What's the verdict?
« Reply #49 on: July 16, 2018, 05:54:25 PM »

Offline Celtics4ever

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Quote
If sully had that physique, we'd have ourselves a nice 4! Sully was really awesome in some ways ... but physique was not one of them. Held him back and cut his career

I would like to challenge this statement.   If Sully had the physique he would have ate his way out of shape because his problems were between his ears and he lacked willpower and was lazy.

Also, aside from rebounding and having a big rear what skills did he possess?   He was terrible on D, could not shoot he was a holdover until we got better players and now is out of the league.  Your statement is a  prime example how faulty one's memory can be...

Re: Yabusele three years later... What's the verdict?
« Reply #50 on: July 16, 2018, 06:39:00 PM »

Offline mmmmm

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I'm trying to figure out how 235 career regular season NBA minutes has somehow become "three years later"?

I dunno what folks expect sometimes.  He's a #16 draft pick.  His rookie year production was fairly nominal for a #16 draft pick.   The last 9 #16 draft picks produced an average of 0.49 Win Shares.  Yabusele produced 0.60.   The last 9 #16 draft picks averaged a little over 300 minutes.  Yabusele played 235 (plus another 48 in the playoffs).   Four of those guys played more.  Four of those guys played less.

One (Royce White) of those 9 guys was clearly not made for the NBA long term but most are at least rotation-quality:  Nikola Vucevic, James Johnson, Just Nurkic, Luke Babbitt, Terry Rozier, Lucas Nogueira.   

I'm not saying Yabusele will turn out to be as good as Nurkic of Vucevic or that he won't be out of the league in a few years like White.  But it's almost certainly way too early to be certain of either outcome.

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