Bear Down Wildcats

Merkin wrote:I never watch the NBA, but is he a real prospect for a one and done?

enfuego wrote:

RichardCranium wrote:

84Cat wrote:Here's at look at where Nnaji's scoring output in his first two games ranks among other UA standouts from the past 20 years:
Chase Budinger: 49 points
Hassan Adams: 43 points
Zeke Nnaji: 39 points
Lauri Markkanen: 39 points
Jerryd Bayless: 39 points
Deandre Ayton: 38 points
Mike Bibby: 35 points
Kobi Simmons: 31 points
Allonzo Trier: 30 points
Solomon Hill: 29 points
Aaron Gordon: 27 points
Mustafa Shakur: 27 points
Jason Gardner: 26 points
Stanley Johnson: 25 points
Gilbert Arenas: 24 points
Derrick Williams: 18 points
Richard Jefferson: 11 points

https://arizonawildcats.com/news/2019/1 ... night.aspx" target="_blank

Money and Norman would both be somewhere around the 30 point mark - and there was no 3 point line. In 1972 Norman was top scorer with 37 in the exhibition against Cal State Bakersfield. Then Money was top with 20 in a loss against San Francisco and Norman was top with 20 in a loss against Stanford. I can't see what they got when they were not top, but I'm sure they had to have gotten 10 or more.

https://www.sports-reference.com/cbb/sc ... edule.html" target="_blank

Norman always got most of his points from a million miles out - oh for a three point line back then.

Edit: I don't know how that sports-reference site figures we got 13,000 people into Bear Down Gym. I think the 3,200 they list at the start of the season was a stretch.

Since you brought up money, can you explain the following to me?

Tarczewski - Kansas lean, picks Arizona.
Ayton - Kansas lean, picks Arizona.
Nnaji - Kansas lean, picks Arizona.

Merkin wrote:I never watch the NBA, but is he a real prospect for a one and done?

RondaeShimmy wrote:less talented Marvin Bagley?

RichardCranium wrote:

84Cat wrote:Here's at look at where Nnaji's scoring output in his first two games ranks among other UA standouts from the past 20 years:
Chase Budinger: 49 points
Hassan Adams: 43 points
Zeke Nnaji: 39 points
Lauri Markkanen: 39 points
Jerryd Bayless: 39 points
Deandre Ayton: 38 points
Mike Bibby: 35 points
Kobi Simmons: 31 points
Allonzo Trier: 30 points
Solomon Hill: 29 points
Aaron Gordon: 27 points
Mustafa Shakur: 27 points
Jason Gardner: 26 points
Stanley Johnson: 25 points
Gilbert Arenas: 24 points
Derrick Williams: 18 points
Richard Jefferson: 11 points

https://arizonawildcats.com/news/2019/1 ... night.aspx" target="_blank

Money and Norman would both be somewhere around the 30 point mark - and there was no 3 point line. In 1972 Norman was top scorer with 37 in the exhibition against Cal State Bakersfield. Then Money was top with 20 in a loss against San Francisco and Norman was top with 20 in a loss against Stanford. I can't see what they got when they were not top, but I'm sure they had to have gotten 10 or more.

https://www.sports-reference.com/cbb/sc ... edule.html" target="_blank

Norman always got most of his points from a million miles out - oh for a three point line back then.

Edit: I don't know how that sports-reference site figures we got 13,000 people into Bear Down Gym. I think the 3,200 they list at the start of the season was a stretch.

enfuego wrote:

RichardCranium wrote:

84Cat wrote:Here's at look at where Nnaji's scoring output in his first two games ranks among other UA standouts from the past 20 years:
Chase Budinger: 49 points
Hassan Adams: 43 points
Zeke Nnaji: 39 points
Lauri Markkanen: 39 points
Jerryd Bayless: 39 points
Deandre Ayton: 38 points
Mike Bibby: 35 points
Kobi Simmons: 31 points
Allonzo Trier: 30 points
Solomon Hill: 29 points
Aaron Gordon: 27 points
Mustafa Shakur: 27 points
Jason Gardner: 26 points
Stanley Johnson: 25 points
Gilbert Arenas: 24 points
Derrick Williams: 18 points
Richard Jefferson: 11 points

https://arizonawildcats.com/news/2019/1 ... night.aspx" target="_blank

Money and Norman would both be somewhere around the 30 point mark - and there was no 3 point line. In 1972 Norman was top scorer with 37 in the exhibition against Cal State Bakersfield. Then Money was top with 20 in a loss against San Francisco and Norman was top with 20 in a loss against Stanford. I can't see what they got when they were not top, but I'm sure they had to have gotten 10 or more.

https://www.sports-reference.com/cbb/sc ... edule.html" target="_blank

Norman always got most of his points from a million miles out - oh for a three point line back then.

Edit: I don't know how that sports-reference site figures we got 13,000 people into Bear Down Gym. I think the 3,200 they list at the start of the season was a stretch.

Since you brought up money, can you explain the following to me?

Tarczewski - Kansas lean, picks Arizona.
Ayton - Kansas lean, picks Arizona.
Nnaji - Kansas lean, picks Arizona.

YoDeFoe wrote:

Merkin wrote:I never watch the NBA, but is he a real prospect for a one and done?

The trouble for Zeke will be his lack of wingspan and what that means for his rim protection and rebounding. He's a 7'1" wingspan on a 6'11" height. You can see in his numbers so far that he's got mediocre advanced stats in blocks and rebounding - if that keeps up through the season then there's going to be some real risk for a team that he's an excellent college basketball player but is questionable for the NBA.

Without the length... can you play him at the five?
Without perimeter skills... can you play him at the four?

He's not going to get longer so he needs to develop a three point shot and some perimeter ball handling skills in order to get higher into the first round. Otherwise he's a late first round pick / early second who will need to develop those skills in the NBA to have a shot at PT at the four in the NBA. He's a fluid athlete with nice touch, a great motor, and a high IQ... so the ingredients are there. But without either the length or the perimeter skills its tough to see him breaking through "fringe first round" status heading into the draft.

YoDeFoe wrote:

Merkin wrote:I never watch the NBA, but is he a real prospect for a one and done?

The trouble for Zeke will be his lack of wingspan and what that means for his rim protection and rebounding. He's a 7'1" wingspan on a 6'11" height. You can see in his numbers so far that he's got mediocre advanced stats in blocks and rebounding - if that keeps up through the season then there's going to be some real risk for a team that he's an excellent college basketball player but is questionable for the NBA.

Without the length... can you play him at the five?
Without perimeter skills... can you play him at the four?

He's not going to get longer so he needs to develop a three point shot and some perimeter ball handling skills in order to get higher into the first round. Otherwise he's a late first round pick / early second who will need to develop those skills in the NBA to have a shot at PT at the four in the NBA. He's a fluid athlete with nice touch, a great motor, and a high IQ... so the ingredients are there. But without either the length or the perimeter skills its tough to see him breaking through "fringe first round" status heading into the draft.

YoDeFoe wrote:

Merkin wrote:I never watch the NBA, but is he a real prospect for a one and done?

The trouble for Zeke will be his lack of wingspan and what that means for his rim protection and rebounding. He's a 7'1" wingspan on a 6'11" height. You can see in his numbers so far that he's got mediocre advanced stats in blocks and rebounding - if that keeps up through the season then there's going to be some real risk for a team that he's an excellent college basketball player but is questionable for the NBA.

Without the length... can you play him at the five?
Without perimeter skills... can you play him at the four?

He's not going to get longer so he needs to develop a three point shot and some perimeter ball handling skills in order to get higher into the first round. Otherwise he's a late first round pick / early second who will need to develop those skills in the NBA to have a shot at PT at the four in the NBA. He's a fluid athlete with nice touch, a great motor, and a high IQ... so the ingredients are there. But without either the length or the perimeter skills its tough to see him breaking through "fringe first round" status heading into the draft.

Spaceman Spiff wrote:

YoDeFoe wrote:

Merkin wrote:I never watch the NBA, but is he a real prospect for a one and done?

The trouble for Zeke will be his lack of wingspan and what that means for his rim protection and rebounding. He's a 7'1" wingspan on a 6'11" height. You can see in his numbers so far that he's got mediocre advanced stats in blocks and rebounding - if that keeps up through the season then there's going to be some real risk for a team that he's an excellent college basketball player but is questionable for the NBA.

Without the length... can you play him at the five?
Without perimeter skills... can you play him at the four?

He's not going to get longer so he needs to develop a three point shot and some perimeter ball handling skills in order to get higher into the first round. Otherwise he's a late first round pick / early second who will need to develop those skills in the NBA to have a shot at PT at the four in the NBA. He's a fluid athlete with nice touch, a great motor, and a high IQ... so the ingredients are there. But without either the length or the perimeter skills its tough to see him breaking through "fringe first round" status heading into the draft.

I was happy to see 11 rebounds last night. If that becomes more the norm, he'll do a lot for his draft stock getting out of that tweener range.

Jefe wrote:Thru 3 games:

Chase Budinger: 68 points
Zeke Nnaji: 65 points
Lauri Markkanen: 61 points
Jerryd Bayless: 59 points
Deandre Ayton: 56 points
Hassan Adams: 53 points

ghostwhitehorse wrote:

Jefe wrote:Thru 3 games:

Chase Budinger: 68 points
Zeke Nnaji: 65 points
Lauri Markkanen: 61 points
Jerryd Bayless: 59 points
Deandre Ayton: 56 points
Hassan Adams: 53 points

Frybry02 wrote:This is just bad journalism. Crazy that there is no mention of Nnaji on this list of Freshmen is a joke.

https://www.cbssports.com/college-baske ... irst-week/

ghostwhitehorse wrote:

Jefe wrote:Thru 3 games:

Chase Budinger: 68 points
Zeke Nnaji: 65 points
Lauri Markkanen: 61 points
Jerryd Bayless: 59 points
Deandre Ayton: 56 points
Hassan Adams: 53 points

zonagrad wrote:

Frybry02 wrote:This is just bad journalism. Crazy that there is no mention of Nnaji on this list of Freshmen is a joke.

https://www.cbssports.com/college-baske ... irst-week/

I won’t excuse the bad journalism, but the SID needs to be in the ear of some of these outlets promoting Arizona. It’s laughable that Zeke hasn’t been noticed. I guarantee that Illinois and San Jose are saying, “Fuck, those Arizona freshmen are unbelievable.”

zonagrad wrote:

Frybry02 wrote:This is just bad journalism. Crazy that there is no mention of Nnaji on this list of Freshmen is a joke.

https://www.cbssports.com/college-baske ... irst-week/

I won’t excuse the bad journalism, but the SID needs to be in the ear of some of these outlets promoting Arizona. It’s laughable that Zeke hasn’t been noticed. I guarantee that Illinois and San Jose are saying, “Fuck, those Arizona freshmen are unbelievable.”

ghostwhitehorse wrote:

Arizona is in the enviable position of having a battle on its hands for the title of most amazing freshman. Nico Mannion, for example, has been sensational, scoring 23 points on 9-of-15 shooting in the Wildcats' impressively easy 90-69 win over Illinois in Tucson.

Still, when recognizing outstanding first-year performances on Sean Miller's roster, it's awfully tough to look past the guy that is shooting 84% on his 2s.

Yes, 84%. Eat your heart out, Zion Williamson. Zeke Nnaji scoffs at your pitifully pedestrian 75% shooting inside the arc last season.

Now, will Nnaji continue to make 84% of his 2s? Why must people always be so skeptical, but, no, probably not. The only thing even more incredible than connecting 84% of the time inside the arc is to record a 77% success rate specifically on 2-point jumpers. That is precisely what the 6-foot-11 freshman has done after his first three games. Conversely, a more typical level of accuracy for that particular shot type in Division I is something around 36%.

So, yes, Nnaji might be looking at a correction in both his 2-point jumper accuracy and his overall 2-point success rate. Nevertheless, the early indications are that his level of production is no accident. So far, Nnaji has recorded 58% of his 2-point attempts at the rim. That's not quite on the same insane level as what we saw from Williamson last year (86% of his 2-point tries occurred at the tin), but it is still outstanding.

Nnaji and Mannion might indeed prove to be one of the better inside-outside freshman duos we've seen in recent years.

enfuego wrote:Before anointing him the second coming, have you played anyone yet?

enfuego wrote:Before anointing him the second coming, have you played anyone yet?

enfuego wrote:Before anointing him the second coming, have you played anyone yet?

ByJoveByJingle wrote:

enfuego wrote:Before anointing him the second coming, have you played anyone yet?

I’m still trying to figure out if Baker is ever going to play.

enfuego wrote:Before anointing him the second coming, have you played anyone yet?

scumdevils86 wrote:2nd highest FG % in the nation.

ChooChooCat wrote:Has made 17 field goals in a row.

Kiyama wrote:He just seems to have an excellent Bball IQ, he is patient and I do not recall him taking a bad shot (or any silly fouls). As others have pointed out, I wish he had a few more rebounds a game.