In my opinion will be a huge factor on next year's team. The kid is a legit 6'11 athletic player who can stretch the floor, has great post moves and jump hook, and is silky smooth. I feel he is being overlooked on this year's recruiting class. He has the ability to start from day one at the 5. If KP can get that physicality out of him all of the time, he will be a lotto pick. Not many players have that kind of skill set at 6'11. He should make a living on the offensive glass and catching lobs in the DDMO. I think he can have a similar freshman impact of Trey Lyles.
SKJ...
- Thread starter MWes11
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Wouldn't surprise me if he is our best post player next season even with Bolden . He can really score and is alot like Skal without the weakness ( not that I am bashing Skal as toughness takes time for some players).
Not as convinced as you guys are that SKJ (I've been calling him Skay-Jay, don't care if anyone follows) will be ready to contribute immediately. He might surprise me, but I think he played against competition that was beneath him and physically the high major game D1 might be more of an adjustment for him than our other newcomers.
I think the good thing about SKJ is that he's a two year bet that could pay off big for us.
I think the good thing about SKJ is that he's a two year bet that could pay off big for us.
A lot of folks don't realize he can play with his back to the basket as well as facing it. Needs more muscle but he's got unlimited upside. And the best part, we took him out of Chapel Hill. Eat it, Roy.
Lets be real here. Very few of these kids play that rough of a schedule against the top players. There are a few kids from prep school that do play a hell of a schedule but there some prep kids that don't as well... Any team that has a top one hundred recruit on it is going to try and play in a couple of big tournament with other top players... If you look at their shedule they all have it. Even though playing in aau isn't as organized as high school basketball, they are playing the best of the best every weekend... If you're are going to use that as an excuse, then more than half of these recruits should be in question because of "weak scheduling"
VES played a national schedule this year. They weren't just playing a bunch of lame private schools in Virginia. And there are some pretty good private school teams in VA.
This is starting to become a thing and it needs to stop. In Cal's 7 yrs, Skal is the first high-profile recruit that was basically a bust. He and SKJ have similar builds, but let's keep the comparisons at that. No reason to keep guessing whether he's going to turn out like Skal did.
According to the experts on this board, Bolden and Adebayo already have that locked up. SKJ will have to be someone else 2.0
Videos are videos, but 2 things about this kid that I love: The form on his shot is dead solid perfect, and he shows really good lateral movement. People love to hype up this or that kid as being a 6'10"+ guy who, no, really, can play on the perimeter, or as a face-up 4. 90% of the time it's just wrong. With SKJ, maybe it really is possible.
He might take some time, because that build is thin, and of course everyone is going to be obsessed with Skal, but you can also make some physical comparisons to guys that Cal did very, very well with. Like Marcus Camby and Anthony Davis (though SKJ isn't that type of athlete). Or on the lower end, Robert Dozier. If SKJ can fall somewhere between Dozier and Camby and AD, he'll be a really good college player with a solid pro future.
He might take some time, because that build is thin, and of course everyone is going to be obsessed with Skal, but you can also make some physical comparisons to guys that Cal did very, very well with. Like Marcus Camby and Anthony Davis (though SKJ isn't that type of athlete). Or on the lower end, Robert Dozier. If SKJ can fall somewhere between Dozier and Camby and AD, he'll be a really good college player with a solid pro future.
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Yeah he's going to surprise some people. And Trey Lyles is a great comparison IMO. Different bodies, but similar beastly mid range game.
I was just going to make the same comparison. Reminds me a lot of Trey. A 4 who can run the floor and has great handles for a big, solid mid range game, and a reasonably well developed low post game. SKJ looks like a sure fire contributor next year to me, albeit it may only be 15 minutes a game, but I really think he will be a key guy off the bench and could fill a role we missed this year, reliable offense off the bench from a front court player.
I think we'll get a better feel for SKJ in these all star games. I'm anxious to see if he can compete physically with the big boys. I am leaning toward the idea that he can be a help right away, maybe play the 4 and maybe even the 3. I like what I've seen of his ball handling and shooting, and his strength appears much better than a year ago.
Dead on. Skal was a unique and freaky situation....it happens...but not often to Cal...just ask Billy Self about Diallo
It's possible that he did play against elite competition, I'm just saying I didn't find any of it when I was researching him for a pod I do with a friend and the footage I did find didn't appear to be all that physical. That's all I'm saying. I absolutely believe in the kid and I think he's the type that could develop into a lottery pick. Not down on him at all, just setting what I see as the timeline for him.
Is it just me, or does SKJ not necessarily look like he is 6'10"-6'11"?
It's hard to really tell in the video, and this is the only footage I've seen of him thus far, but if I was watching this video and knew nothing about SKJ I would have guessed he is 6'7"... maybe 6'8" tops. Maybe it's because he moves and handles the ball so well, and has a solid form on his jump shot... I don't know. Have any of you seen him play in person, or have any solid info on his height beyond what is posted online? I know height measurements are sometimes inflated a bit on paper.
It's hard to really tell in the video, and this is the only footage I've seen of him thus far, but if I was watching this video and knew nothing about SKJ I would have guessed he is 6'7"... maybe 6'8" tops. Maybe it's because he moves and handles the ball so well, and has a solid form on his jump shot... I don't know. Have any of you seen him play in person, or have any solid info on his height beyond what is posted online? I know height measurements are sometimes inflated a bit on paper.
A few things. He is alot like Skal in terms of game - Both are amazing shooters from 18 feet in and handle a ball in the open court for their size . But SKJ has some great post moves and is deadly on his 10 foot fadeaway. SKJ is a stretch 4 in the NBA but could play center in college. Skal is very talented just weak as of yet . SKJ can play the 3 thru 5 positions . I hope we get Bolden because it allows everyone to play what they are natural at - SF - Willis and Gabriel PF -Bam and SKJ Center - Bolden , Lee and Humphries . Man typing that out even without Bolden we are loaded inside next year.
Skal and SKJ are not comparable in terms of dribbling the basketball. Skal's problem is not the mechanics or the execution of his offensive moves, it's that the physicality of everything above high school has overwhelmed him to the point where he can't even GET to point where he can execute his move. I'm actually trying to remember a moment this season where Skal dribbled the ball more than three feet.
He won't be a major factor next season. He could, and probably will, contribute. But he'll be in the mold of Dakari his freshman year.
Dakari couldn't Jump over a brick.. He's nothing in the mold of Dakari bro.. Height? Maybe but skills? Nope!
If he's in the mold of Dakari he'll have to bring some stuffing with him so he doesn't clatter around. Dakari would make 2 of him.