Here it is! My first mailbag is where I answer the questions that arose from the NBA Draft subreddit. As I always do, I try to go into detail as much as I can. Enjoy!
I feel like one of the hardest skills to develop that never gets touched on is a players handle. When I see a theoretical perimeter big or smaller off ball guard. (Let's use Bronny and Alex Sarr for examples) I struggle so much to determine how long it is going to take those players to develop those skills, as the track record for it is so spotty.
Excellent point, man! Thanks for adding that. Especially in this era of NBA basketball where players are expected to dribble, pass, and shoot. The Paul George example is being used a lot, for players developing their handles to open up the rest of their game. But that's more an outlier of true work ethic than something that should be the norm.
Another layer where I struggle with those players is how much value will they actually provide the team who drafts them if they aren't likely to contribute on a rookie deal. You have to extend them before you know if they impact winning, or let them walk
I feel like one of the hardest skills to develop that never gets touched on is a players handle. When I see a theoretical perimeter big or smaller off ball guard. (Let's use Bronny and Alex Sarr for examples) I struggle so much to determine how long it is going to take those players to develop those skills, as the track record for it is so spotty.
Excellent point, man! Thanks for adding that. Especially in this era of NBA basketball where players are expected to dribble, pass, and shoot. The Paul George example is being used a lot, for players developing their handles to open up the rest of their game. But that's more an outlier of true work ethic than something that should be the norm.
Another layer where I struggle with those players is how much value will they actually provide the team who drafts them if they aren't likely to contribute on a rookie deal. You have to extend them before you know if they impact winning, or let them walk
Exactly. So many cases where the drafting team can't or won't invest the much-needed reps and time.