Adams vs Gobert vs Len (alphabetical order and such)

[KB]

Adams vs Gobert vs Len (alphabetical order and such)

So Here is this, not sure if each guy needs their own thread, part of thinking this way is because they all play the same position so it may be easier to compare them if they are in the same thread.

Aside from that I'm going to do a separate post in the thread for each of them in alphabetical order and such

So Adams – from start of season

http://www.pittsburghsportingnews.com/pitt-recruit-steve-adams-scouting-report/

Bio

Steven Adams, aka the Kiwi Phenom, committed to play basketball at Pitt in the summer of 2010. The New Zealand native transferred to Notre Dame Prep (MA) in January in order to be academically eligible. The 19 year old (7/28/93) stands 7 foot tall and weighs 250 pounds. He’s rated the No. 5 overall player in the 2012 class by both Rivals and Scout.

Adams is the youngest of 18 children, all of whom are at least 6’5”. His sister Valerie is a two-time gold medalist in the shot put. For a brief time during his early teenage years, Adams was homeless and lived on the streets. By all accounts he’s a fun loving guy with a vivacious personality who is well liked by his teammates.
Strengths

Adams is loaded with potential, and is just beginning to scratch the surface of that potential. A 7-footer with broad shoulders and an already muscular frame capable of adding more weight, Adams’ size and length is ideal for the center position. A great athlete, he runs the court well and is very coordinated for his size. He pulls down rebounds with ease. He’s improved his jump shot greatly over the past couple years, eliminating a hitch in his shot; Adams now has good form on his jumper and his mid range game has developed nicely. He’s pretty good at taking the ball to the basket, and is very hard to stop coming down the lane. He’s a competitor and has a relentless motor. He’s a humble and unselfish kid who is very coachable and wants to get better. His length makes him an excellent shot blocker. He’s a good passer for a bigman and possesses impressive basketball IQ and quick decision making, especially considering his lack of experience.

Weaknesses

Like most other young projectable big men, Adams’ offensive game is raw. At this point in his development he settles for a 10 or 12 foot jumper a little too often and needs to work on his post game. He didn’t play against great competition for most of his high school career, although he did have an impressive showing with Notre Dame Prep in January when he scored 23 points and pulled in 13 rebounds against fellow top recruit and now Kentucky freshman Nerlens Noel. His conditioning had been suspect in the past but should not be an issue. He needs to improve at the free throw line.

Impact and Future at Pitt

Adams will immediately take on an important role with the Panthers. If he isn’t an immediate starter, he should be at some point in the season. He probably won’t be a huge scorer in his freshman year, but should rebound at a very high rate and block some shots.

Adams is a potential Lottery pick and commonly projected to enter the NBA draft after his freshman season. In a recent interview with ESPN’s Andy Katz, Adams indicated he wants to win an NCAA title before thinking about his NBA future. This is definitely encouraging to the Pitt faithful, but don’t count on four years of Adams.

Adams was a big get for Jamie Dixon and his staff. His undeniable talent and work ethic will strengthen and energize Pitt’s team this season; if he sticks around for a couple years, Pitt will have a star center capable of being the best big man in the ACC

From May 6th

http://www.draftexpress.com/profile/Steven-Adams-6301/

NBA Draft Prospect of the Week: Steven Adams
May 6, 2013 Scouting Report by Jonathan Givony. Video Analysis by Mike Schmitz

Steven Adams is a prospect we've been evaluating for the better part of three years now, having watched him for the first time in Los Angeles at the adidas Nations when he was 16 years old, and virtually a complete unknown. His profile increased substantially a year later when he again returned to the adidas Nations and had a very impressive outing against a number of top high school recruits, which kicked off speculation that he might skip college and enter the 2012 NBA Draft as a 19-year old early-entry candidate.

http://www.youtube.com/embed/mmdpZD61dUw

Adams eventually elected to honor his commitment to Pitt after moving to the US mid-season to attend Notre Dame Prep, a ”school” with a checkered past which served as a holding spot to keep him in line to get eligible for college.

Adams had an up and down freshman season, looking fairly raw as was expected for those familiar with his background as a late-bloomer with limited basketball experience, but still dropping enough glimpses of potential to keep scouts interested in his long-term development. When the season ended, Adams told reporters he will be returning for his sophomore season, even sounding slightly annoyed to being asked about it: ““I don't know why you guys keep asking that question, man. I'm coming back.”

Once Adams returned to New Zealand to visit his family for a week, things changed, as he returned to Pittsburgh and shortly after announced his intentions to enter the draft, citing his desire to help his family.

“It's time for me to help my family. There's certain family members who I feel need a bit more help than the others. I don't like seeing them struggle. It's quite sad to see your family struggle, you know what I'm saying. I don't want to see that anymore."

Adams' main virtues as a NBA prospect continue to revolve heavily around his physical profile, as he has rare size, a strong frame, and excellent athleticism. He runs the floor well, is extremely mobile, and has very good quickness for a player his height, also being capable of playing above the rim when called upon.

Offensively, Adams was a very limited player at Pitt, averaging 7 points in 23 minutes, or 12.3 points per-40 minutes, which is the fourth lowest rate of any of the 75 college players in our top-100 prospects. While he was efficient from the field in his limited attempts (57%), he struggled badly from the free throw line, making just 44% of his attempts, a pretty good indication of where his skill-level is at in this stage of his development.

Not a focal point of Pitt's offense, being responsible for just 11% of his team's overall possessions, Adams' biggest source of touches came from the offensive glass, where he was extremely effective. His 5.2 offensive rebounds per-40 minutes ranks 3rd best among collegiate top-100 prospects, as his combination of size, quickness, mobility and intensity were extremely effective in making his presence felt on the offensive glass.

He also saw some looks working off the ball, running the floor in transition, and even occasionally with his back to the basket, but struggled to make the most of such opportunities on a consistent basis.

Adams has very crude footwork in the post and little in the ways of countermoves if the defender is able to cut off his initial action. He often decides what he wants to do with the ball seemingly before he even catches it, not reacting to how his defender is playing him and struggling to improvise on the fly if his initial plan goes awry. He's very mechanical with his movements and not overly instinctive with his approach to the game, which leaves some concerns about how much he can improve on this end of the floor in time.

Even more concerning though is how poor of a finisher he appeared to be around the basket this year. Adams seems to have smaller hands than average for a player his size and had a difficult time catching the ball cleanly all season long resulting in quite a few turnovers. He bobbles the ball on the catch regularly, as he seems to need to have it thrown to him perfectly so he can get two hands around it, at times using his chest to assist him. Because of his lack of control upon catching it, he tends to either hesitate going up strong for the finish, or just throws the ball up on the rim, seemingly just hoping for the best. The fact that he doesn't get great extension on his moves around the rim makes him fairly predictable and resulted in him getting his shot blocked a fair amount relative to his small number of touches.

Additionally, Adams has a bit of a subdued, non-chalant demeanor on the floor, rarely looking angry or in much of a hurry, which results in some relatively soft finishes. While he's very explosive, rarely did you see him getting angry and just powering up through a defender and jamming it home, which further hampered his effectiveness on this end of the floor.

Stepping away from the basket, Adams is not much of a threat, as you would probably guess by his mediocre free throw shooting percentages (44%). He shoots the ball with poor mechanics, locking his elbow, not setting his feet, and showing no follow through on his release. Combine that with his average touch and it seems he has a long ways to go to become a legitimate threat outside of the immediate vicinity of the basket.

Where Adams looks much closer to being able to contribute to a NBA team is on the defensive end. His quickness and overall mobility is extremely impressive for a player his size, and allows him to make a significant impact on this side of the floor, particularly on the pick and roll. Adams can step out on screens and recover very effectively, even being able to switch out on guards at times and not look entirely uncomfortable. He'll get beat off the dribble at times, but is athletic enough to recover and still make a play at the rim, showing very good instincts as a shot-blocker.

Adams seems to have good potential as a rim-protector, already rejecting 3.7 blocks per-40 as a freshman, which ranks fifth among collegiate top-100 prospects.

In the post, Adams does a solid job, looking patient and not fouling too often, playing under control and showing a much better feel than he does on the offensive end.

With that said, Adams' technique and fundamentals still have a long ways to go, as he tends to give up deep post-position too frequently to stronger opponents, closes out wildly contesting shots on the perimeter, gets lost off the ball, and will make some ill-advised plays stemming from his lack of experience and coaching.

Adams also isn't as good of a defensive rebounder as you might hope, ranking second to last in that category among top-100 collegiate centers. He rarely boxes out opponents, mistimes his jumps, and has a difficult time coming away with loose balls in traffic because of his small hands, something he'll need to improve on considering the role he'll be expected to play in the NBA.

All in all, Adams is clearly a long-term project who a team will need to invest a few years of solid coaching in order to be able to expect to reap benefits from down the road. He may never develop into anything more than an average player offensively, but has excellent potential defensively thanks to his terrific physical tools, which could convince a NBA team to invest a pick on him somewhere late in the first round. Teams will first want to get a better feel for his mental approach and all-around feel for the game in private workouts, interviews and background checks.

Measurements and updates from day 1:

Steven Adams -
6'10.75' w/o shoes
7 feet with shoes on,
7'4" wing span, and
9'1.5" standing reach
11in hand width
9.5 Hand Length
6.7% Body Fat
(Chad Ford)

The seven-footer, who attended Pittsburgh for a year, showed great strides from the player who arrived from New Zealand in 2012.

Adam Zagoria @AdamZagoria
Former Pitt center Steven Adams tells @ESPNAndyKatz he has been working on his jump shot "a lot." Says learning curve is "a big one." 12:33 PM - 16 May 2013

At the combine, he was consistently the most mobile big man. He shot the ball well, and his performance had to make scouts believe he could contribute sooner than some may have believed

Chad Ford ✔ @chadfordinsider
Best two players I've seen at the Combine today have been Steven Adams and Rudy Gobert. Both helping themselves a lot here
12:06 PM - 16 May 2013

Updates, video and stuff provided by the rest of you:

STAT #15 (appears to be concerned or curious when it comes to the fertility of Steven's father, possibly looking for pointers)

More on the whole youngest of 18 children thing:

"His father Sid Adams was an Englishman who settled in New Zealand after serving in the Royal Navy. Steven was the youngest of Sid's 18 children with five different women; his mother is Tongan. His siblings and half-siblings are notable for their unusual size and athletic prowess. His father's male children average 6'9" (2.06 m), and his female children average 6' (1.83 m)."

Why is this important? It's not. But 18 kids? 18? I had to know more.

oasis05 #16 (sounds like he's turned on by the muscular build of Stevens sister, should we be worried?)

[video=youtube;fmq_o9jnFGg]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fmq_o9jnFGg[/video]

Steven Adams big sister Valerie Adams goes 6'4'' 265 lbs of solid muscle. I can imagine how big steven adams is going to be as he fills out.

http://bleacherreport.com/articles/...s-2013-winners-and-losers-from-chicago/page/2

Winner: Steven Adams, Pittsburgh

Steven Adams was the biggest winner from this year's event.

Normally, most combine winners generate buzz during physical measurements. But Adams created his based on simple basketball drills in front of executives, scouts and coaches.

He was knocking down jumpers left and right as if he's been saving them for the right time. At Pittsburgh, Adams did most of his damage by catching and dunking at the rim. He'd go weeks at a time without attempting a shot outside the paint.

But during drills, Adams was not only accurate, his stroke was fluid. It looked natural. He was swishing shots in rhythm during the pick-and-pop drills and converting one-dribble pullups comfortably.

After watching his shooting drills, it appears that this skill was hidden in Pittsburgh's offense.

This is promising from a development standpoint, as teams now know they have something to work with and build on.

He also gave a strong interview with Andy Katz on national television, seeming down to Earth, self-aware and personable. The interviews are a very underrated aspect of the process. It can go a long way if you're able to charm a coaching staff or general manager.

Adams measured in at 7'0'' with shoes and a monstrous 7'4.5'' wingspan, almost an inch longer than Nerlens Noel's.

Given this new information, teams may no longer view Adams as that hit-or-miss, long-term prospect. He's going to continue impressing in workouts based on his size, athleticism, deceptive touch and character.

The lottery now seems like a reasonable possibility

Athletic testing results

http://nbadraft.net/forum/2013-nba-combine-athletic-testing-results

Three-quarter time 3.4

Lane agility time 11.85

Modified time 3.02

Standing leap 28.5

Maximum leap 33

2013 NBA Draft Thread:

NorthCoastKid ##4977

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p>Just got done with Cleveland workout! Their facility is absolutely AMAZING!!!</p>— Steven Adams (@RealStevenAdams) <a href="https://twitter.com/RealStevenAdams/status/344184966743195649">June 10, 2013</a></blockquote>
<script async src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p>Oh I also got a photo with Big Z!!!! He is the man! I know my tshirt shrunk in the dryer. <a href="http://t.co/vEatIONnVe" title="http://twitter.com/RealStevenAdams/status/344199219848032257/photo/1">twitter.com/RealStevenAdam…</a></p>— Steven Adams (@RealStevenAdams) <a href="https://twitter.com/RealStevenAdams/status/344199219848032257">June 10, 2013</a></blockquote>
<script async src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

 

[KB]

Gobert

http://bleacherreport.com/articles/1641647-nba-draft-breakdown-and-scouting-report-on-rudy-gobert

Measurements:

7’05 w/o shoes
7'2 in shoes,
7'8.5" wing span,
9'7" standing reach
10in hand width
9.75 Hand Length
4.4% Body Fat

NBA Draft Breakdown and Scouting Report on Rudy Gobert

By Jonathan Wasserman (NBA Lead Writer) on May 16, 2013

The buzzing started at last summer's Adidas Eurocamp, when Rudy Gobert reached out his arms during the physical-measurement portion of the event. Since then, he's been considered a can't-miss international prospect over the past year, despite playing a minimal role on his team in France.

Gobert played 21.6 minutes a game for Cholet. He averaged 8.2 points, 4.9 rebounds and 1.9 blocks while shooting 69.4 percent from the floor. He's still considered a project, but given his unique physical gifts, he's able to contribute despite lacking a refined offensive skill set.

Gobert was too old to participate in this year's Nike Hoops Summit, which allowed other international prospects at the event to step up and steal some of his thunder.

We have an idea of what Rudy Gobert could look like down the road. It's just a matter of whether or not that idea comes to fruition.

Physical Tools

Gobert's draft stock is driven entirely by his physical tools. He actually has some tools that we've never seen before. At 7'2'' in shoes, Gobert registers an unprecedented 7'9'' wingspan, outrageous measurements both vertically and horizontally. Between his height and length, Gobert can cover a ton of ground, which is made easier by the fact that he's mobile and athletic.

He moves really well up and down the floor, and has the lift that allows him to play above the rim. Gobert is also quite coordinated. He can catch high lobs on the move and finish in one fluid motion.
Gobert's physical tools could allow some general managers' imaginations to run wild, which is a good thing.

Easy Buckets

With Gobert, everything is about easy buckets. He's gets them just by being out there. Gobert isn't an advanced offensive player, nor is he someone guards will feed the ball to and watch him go to work. He's a finisher—a target at the rim for dump-offs and a target above it for lobs.
He'll get some tip-ins and fast-break buckets to give his team cheap but valuable points.

http://www.youtube.com/embed/OdTECazexFo?start=59&wmode=transparent&autoplay=0

Defensively

His appeal defensively is fairly obvious. Gobert is a constant disruption at the rim, swatting, tipping and altering shots he has no business contesting. Even when Gobert is out of position, his physical tools allow him margin for error.

He's also fearless and aggressive, a good characteristic to show NBA scouts. Check out the rim protection he offers:

http://www.youtube.com/embed/OdTECazexFo?start=18&wmode=transparent&autoplay=0

Challenges

Offensively, his challenge will be finding ways to contribute when the ball doesn't bounce his way. Gobert isn't a guy who's going to create offense on his own—he needs to be set up by his guards or hope he's in position for a put-back dunk or tip-in.

He's shown flashes of an over-the-shoulder hook shot, but it's clearly a move he'll need to sharpen if he wants to become more of an offensive threat.

Defensively, Gobert lacks strength and should have trouble defending the post against some of bulkier big men in the NBA. It's also likely to be a while before he picks up on how the NBA game is called.

Draft Breakdown and NBA Outlook

Gobert projects as an off-ball finisher. He's not a post player or a jump-shooter—he's a guy who's going to make plays as a finisher without using a dribble.

In a draft like this one, being an easy-bucket guy could result in a lottery selection. But without currently knowing if he's an actual player or just a couple of measurements, it's possible he slips down later into Round 1.

Given his physical measurements and capabilities as an athlete, teams are bound to give Gobert looks across the board. He's a prospect that will generate intrigue, and intrigue is contagious.

http://bleacherreport.com/articles/...y-1-measurements-highlights-and-top-prospects

Rudy Gobert is Ridiculously Long

Many have rounded Gobert's wingspan up from 7'8 1/2" to 7'9", but, at that length, the half inch doesn't matter much.

The kid is incredibly long. His length will likely serve him well on draft day. Gery Woelfel of the Journal Times has the official numbers for Gobert.

Gery Woelfel @GeryWoelfel
Speaking of big men: Rudy Gobert was measured at 7-1 1/2 WITHOUT shoes. Has 7-8 1/2 wing span.
Players Who Stood Out

Gobert on the Rise?

Gobert's huge wingspan was apparent, and it helped him shine during defensive drills.
Jonathan Givony @DraftExpress

No one can score on Rudy Gobert inside the paint. Block, deflections, steals. Changing everything around the rim. #nbacombine

11:51 AM - 16 May 2013
The 7'1" Frenchman is an exceptionally good athlete who also looked decent shooting the ball as well. If you're looking for the player who helped himself the most on Thursday, it might be Gobert.

Savas Birdal @sannti
For what it's worth, I think Rudy Gobert is the French JaVale McGee. Good prospect to have as long as you don't pay him

Here is a look at a highlight reel of Gobert in action in France.

http://www.youtube.com/embed/FXSgw_epvDc?wmode=transparent&autoplay=0

Updates, video and stuff provided by the rest of you:

howler #11 (first) and oasis05 #14

I just watched all of the Gobert videos on his website, and there wasn't much to see on offense aside from dunks and alley-oops so I can't really comment on his touch or offensive skills. He can really move well for a guy his size though, he's definitely not an athletic stiff by any means and he also seemed to finish strongly (at least in those reels). That said, something that showed up consistently on both offense and defense was his high center of gravity, and I think even if he gains more weight it'll be tough for him to hold position in the NBA. Still, I'd definitely take a flyer with him. If he can learn to keep the ball high and finish with some jump hooks in the paint, it'll be impossible to stop him with his dimensions.

edit: here KB.

http://www.rudygobert.biz/videos.html

Funny Man Rocco - NBA Draft Combine Thread #128

Jesus.

http://nbadraft.net/combine-measure...omNba-TopStories+(Sports+-+NBA+-+Top+Stories)

Rudy Gobert

Apparently Gobert is French for "condor". Gobert's 7'8.5 wingspan is the longest in a number of years. Former draft picks like Saer Sene and Jamaal Maglore come to mind. His 9'7 standing reach is just 5 inches shy of the rim meaning he can likely touch the rim on his tip toes. His 237 lbs is impressive as his body appears that he can put on another 30 lbs without problem. He also measured with a very impressive 4.4% body fat

Athletic testing results

http://nbadraft.net/forum/2013-nba-combine-athletic-testing-results

Three-quarter time 3.57

Lane agility time 12.85

Modified time 3.19

Standing leap 25

Maximum leap 29

 

[Man Called X]

Draft Adams and Gobert, let them battle it out to develop, trade whoever doesn't pan out.

Think Vitaly/Z.

 

[KB]

Damn it X you fucked up my alphabetical order

Len was supposed to be next, jerk :chuckles:

http://www.draftexpress.com/profile/Alex-Len-6156/

Top NBA Draft Prospects in the ACC, Part Four
September 20, 2012 Jonathan Givony

Suspended by the NCAA for the first ten games of the season due to eligibility issues revolving around his professional background dating back to his time with former club Dnipro in his home country of Ukraine, Olexiy/Alex Len had an inconsistent freshman season, but showed enough sparks of potential to leave significant optimism around his long-term outlook.

The intrigue around Len begins with his outstanding physical profile. Standing 7-1, with a huge wingspan, big shoulders, and a frame that will surely fill out nicely over the next few years, Len clearly has terrific tools to work with. He's also a very good athlete for his size, as he runs the floor well, elevates off the ground quickly, and is capable of playing above the rim with ease.

Playing just 21 minutes per game last season upon becoming eligible, Len was up and down as a freshman as noted, stringing together a handful of very impressive performances, but also being a total non-factor in many Maryland contests. This is somewhat understandable considering the cultural adjustment involved with moving from Ukraine, as the language barrier and adaptation to a completely new style of basketball and academic schedule would be a significant burden for even the most talented prospect to shoulder.

Most freshmen at least get the easier non-conference portion of their team's schedule to get their feet wet, but Len was thrown directly into the fire of arguably the toughest conference in college basketball, matching up with future NBA players virtually every single time he stepped on the floor. A pesky ankle injury he suffered mid-way through the season likely didn't help matters either.

Offense

Len did not play a very big role in Maryland's offense last season, as he sported just the fifth highest usage rate on the team, despite being their most efficient scorer. With undersized shooting guard Terrell Stoglin, who led the ACC in field goal attempts per-minute by a huge margin, being booted off the team, there will now likely be a much larger emphasis on incorporating him into the offense. Len should be able to shoulder additional playing time and a bigger role as a sophomore after a full offseason in the weight room and more practice time to develop chemistry with his teammates.

With his impressive foot speed and ability to effortlessly elevate around the basket, Len was much more effective as a finisher last season than he was as a post-presence. Showing soft hands and excellent touch, he's capable of scoring with either hand inside the paint. He shows a nice basketball IQ moving the ball within the flow of the offense, sometimes with a nifty bounce pass to a cutter diving to the rim. He also has nice shooting mechanics, making a couple of mid-range jumpers last season.

With that said, Len is still figuring out how to effectively use his talent on a consistent basis. His frame is simply too thin to allow him to establish and hold deep post position, and when he does catch the ball inside the paint, he doesn't always have the footwork, balance and coordination to get a good shot off, particularly in traffic. Continuing to get bigger, tougher and stronger are huge keys for his future, as will simply gaining experience on the basketball court, something he clearly sorely lacks at the moment. He turned the ball over on 25% of his possessions last year, and made just 59% of his free throw attempts, two areas scouts will want to see improvement in this season.

Defense

On the other end of the floor, Len's terrific size, length and mobility give him tremendous potential on defense. He led the ACC in blocked shots per-40 minutes last season, over the likes of NBA draft picks John Henson, Tyler Zeller, Bernard James and Miles Plumlee, and averaged a solid 10 rebounds per-40p.

Len has quick feet and good timing stepping out and hedging screens on the perimeter, something you usually don't see 7-1 centers do too often. His main virtue lies as a rim protector, though. He's so tall and long he often doesn't even have to leave his feet to block a shot, and he has a tremendous knack for using his wingspan to alter and reject shots around the rim.

With that said, Len had his fair share of issues in many ACC contests last season, averaging nearly five fouls per-40 minutes versus in-conference competition. He didn't always have the strength, experience or toughness to deny opposing big men deep post position, not fighting hard enough early in possessions to prevent them from catching the ball with two feet in the paint. As he gets older, smarter and more physically mature, scouts will want to see him do a better job in this area.

An extremely talented prospect, yet still in a very early stage of his development, this upcoming season will tell us quite a bit about Len's long-term potential. If he was able to have a productive offseason on and off the court, Len could be poised for a breakout year on a national level. His early season matchup with Nerlens Noel and Kentucky in New York City on November 9th will likely be scrutinized closely.

From a Wizards blog but a good read considering they get some Terps fans OP's and geographical location

http://www.bulletsforever.com/2013/5/9/4315248/nba-draft-2013-scouting-report-alex-len

NBA Draft 2013 scouting report: Alex Len
By Jeff Newman on May 9 2013, 11:56a

Team: Maryland

Class: Sophomore

Position: Center

Expected draft position: Top 10

Year GP PPG RPG APG SPG BPG FG% 3FG% FT%
2012-13 38 11.9 7.0 1.0 0.2 2.1 53.4% 12.5% 68.6%

College career:

The arrival of Olexiy "Alex" Len at the University of Maryland campus was a bit unusual, in that it came without the months or even years that fans, thanks to the coverage dedicated to college basketball recruiting, typically have to become acquainted with a school's top recruits. When Len signed with the Terps at the end of August 2011, a couple months before his freshman season was set to start, he was already well-known among international scouts, who had been projecting Len as a future NBA lottery pick since seeing him flash rare athleticism for a 7-footer during the 2010 Under-18 European Championships. But he was still an enigma to fans, who knew nothing about him other than he was big (7'1"), Ukrainian and, given the pro hype, the key to replacing their departed star center, Jordan Williams.

Len's college career got off to an inauspicious start when the NCAA suspended him from the first 10 games of his freshman season over concerns that he violated amateurism rules by playing for a professional club team in Ukraine. Once Len got on the floor, his play didn't exactly live up to the hype. While he flashed moments of dominance, they came between lengthy periods of listless, near-invisible play. Some of his struggles were attributed to the difficulty of learning a new language while also adapting to a different culture and brand of basketball, not to mention a college course load, all while dealing with the expectation of being a future lottery pick. Still, Len's potential as a versatile offensive center and elite rim protector was obvious, and he entered his sophomore season still projected as a high pick in the 2013 NBA Draft.

Whether Len lived up to the hype as a sophomore probably depends on which games you saw him play. He opened the season with a dominant showing against Nerlens Noel, the top recruit in the nation, scoring 23 points and grabbing 12 rebounds in a loss to Kentucky. The performance immediately generated reports of NBA scouts stating that Len had an outside shot of being the top pick in 2013 draft. Unfortunately for Len, his first game of the season might have also have been his best, as the inconsistency from his freshman year carried over to 2012, though his streaks of inspired play were more frequent and lasting. He had a game-winning tip in against N.C. State, two strong efforts against Duke and Mason Plumlee towards of the end of the season, and another huge game against Alabama in the third-round of the NIT, but fans saw Len at his best against Noel, and he never quite measured up to that standard again.

Questions abounded whether Len's inconsistency was due to a general lack of toughness and killer drive, or the guards he was playing with at Maryland, who seemed incapable of feeding him the ball down low despite his ability to establish decent position. It didn't help Len's cause when news broke last week that he had been diagnosed immediately after the season with a partial stress fracture in his ankle, and that he had undergone surgery that would keep him out 4-6 months, meaning he'll miss pre-draft workouts, summer league and preseason games, and maybe even the first part of the regular season. In addition to the health concerns that come with leg injuries to any young big man, the universal expectation was that Len would have shined in individual workouts with teams running up to the draft, perhaps putting to rest some of the remaining concerns scouts have with his game. On the other hand, it was reported during the second-half of the Terps' season that Len was playing with a sprained ankle; if he was in fact playing with the stress fracture, that might go a long way to explaining why he was so inconsistent down the stretch.

Offense:

Len in some ways violates the stereotype surrounding European big men, namely that they're jump shooters and can't play down low. If Len has a bright future in the NBA, it will be because of his post game, which is still developing, but shows clear potential. He has soft hands and great touch around the basket. Right now he's much better at facing up to the basket, using his quickness to get by defenders and his length to finish at the rim. Even after adding a lot of weight between his freshman and sophomore seasons, Len doesn't currently have the strength to effectively bang and bruise down low, but he has wide shoulders and the frame needed to bulk up further. When Len did post up in college, he showcased quick feet, but his footwork was wildly inconsistent. There were times when his low post moves couldn't look smoother, and others when he'd look uncoordinated and off-balance, like a kid still getting used to a recent growth spurt. Len does pass well out of the post, when he remains calm and doesn't get flustered by double- or triple-teams, which happens more often than you'd like. Len rarely looks to take over a game, preferring to play within the offense (an asset Randy Wittman would love) and take his shots as they come. But this unselfishness also worked to his detriment, as there were often times when the Terps needed Len to be more aggressive offensively, leading scouts to question whether he's too passive for the NBA.

As for Len's jump shot, it's NBA-ready from midrange. He's got very good mechanics on his jumper, and projects as an above-average shooter for an NBA center, one who could flourish in the pick-the-roll alongside the right point guard (John Wall?). Len also improved as a free throw shooter while at Maryland (59% as a freshman, 69% as a sophomore) and should be above average for an NBA big man given his solid form.

Defense:

For his size, Len is a decent shot blocker and rebounder. At this stage, he's not what you would call dominant at either. He averaged 2.1 blocks per game as a freshman, leading the ACC in blocks-per-40 minutes, but he averaged the same amount again as a sophomore despite playing five more minutes per game. Len also averaged 7.8 rebounds in 26.4 minutes per game in 2012, which is good, but not great. Still, at 7'1" and with his length, Len will be able to protect the rim from the moment he steps on an NBA court. On the perimeter, Len's quick feet serve him well defending the pick-and-roll, as he's able to step out and hedge screens while maintaining the ability to get back and guard his man.

A disciplined defender who generally stayed out of foul trouble, averaging 2.7 fouls per game as a sophomore, Len relies on bodying up in the post, moving his feet and forcing opponents to shoot over him. He doesn't have the strength to consistently keep from getting posted up, and opponents are consistently able to establish deep post position against him. It didn't matter as much in college, where most of the players Len guarded didn't have the length to shoot over him, but that won't be the case in the pros, and he'll need to learn that the key to defending down low is to do your work early.

Pro potential/Wizards fit:

Questionably listed at 255 pounds, Len has the frame to put on the weight he'll need to survive down low in the NBA. At 7'1", he boasts as much potential as any player in the 2013 NBA Draft, and is generally considered its second-best center prospect behind Noel. At his ceiling, Len projects as a center that can shut down an opponent's best post scorer, protect the rim, and score at will, either in the post, where his quickness and length will make him a matchup nightmare, or in the pick-and-roll, whether it's popping out for a jump shot or rolling to the rim for alley oops. Len also runs the floor very well for a player his size, which combined with his potential as a pick-and-roll partner makes him a perfect fit schematically alongside Wall.

Len often appears calm and collected on the court, perhaps to a fault, as his toughness and passion for the game are often among the main questions raised about him. His passivity was well-publicized during his freshman season, when he struggled to adapt to a new way of life in the United States. By his sophomore season, Len had mastered English and appeared far more comfortable with his teammates and reporters in the locker room. His on-court demeanor didn't change much, but he frequently flashed some fire, pumping his fists and shouting into the crowd on occasions when he or one of his teammates made a big play. As for his toughness, Len doesn't really seek out contact on either end of the floor, but he doesn't back down from it either. He also rarely looks to the officials for help on the offensive end, where's he undoubtedly a finesse player, more interested in using his quickness and length to score rather than banging down low.

For what it's worth, in his latest mock draft ESPN's Chad Ford has the Wizards taking Len at No. 8 overall, citing his enormous upside and Washington's need for a long-term solution in the post. Whether the Wizards actually consider selecting Len will depend on if they're willing to take a chance on a potential cornerstone, or if they'd rather go with a safer selection that can instantly contribute to a team with its sights set on making the playoffs.

---
We reached out to SB Nation's Maryland Terrapins blog, Testudo Times, for help in breaking down Len's pro potential, and contributors Pete Volk and Dave Tucker were kind enough to offer their analysis:

Volk:
Alex Len will need at least a year before he can play in the NBA. If the Wizards, or whoever ends up with him, are smart, that will be in the D-League, but we've seen early picks thrust too early into the league before.
Any time you watched a Maryland basketball game this season, whichever new announcing team was in town would spend half the game commenting on how bad Len looked. "This is the guy everyone wants to take in the lottery? Him?" They weren't wrong, in a sense - Len had really an awful sophomore year with Maryland, and has MUCH work to do before he's even a passable basketball player.

The potential is undoubtedly there, and with it it's easy to understand why teams want him. He's tall, has great length, is a plus shooter, and his defensive awareness is growing steadily. His biggest problem remains on the offensive side of the ball - he has NO idea what to do with himself in the post - but that can be taught (and weight can be put on). The comparisons to Nowitzki and Gasol will likely be endless, but that's pretty lazy. Instead, in a perfect world, I see him closer to Amare Stoudemire, with less inside explosiveness. Len is incredibly athletic, and can dunk with the best of them, and has that great outside shot to back him up. All he needs to work on is his game in the post - once he's got that, the rest is golden.

Tucker:

At 7' 1", Len definitely has size and potential, which is why he's viewed as a top 10 pick by most. When you look at the transformation he made at Maryland between last year and this year, it was a night and day improvement. He's definitely shown the ability to get better when he's give the chance to work on his game. Case in point - his mid-range jumper, a shot that seemingly didn't exist his freshman year, became a regular part of his scoring arsenal this season. If he's given time and the proper coaching, Len has the potential to be a great center in the NBA, including on the defensive side of the ball.

This season at Maryland, Len led the ACC in blocks with 78. He was also a force on the glass, grabbing 7.8 rebounds per game. His mid-range jumper was a nice addition for him, allowing him to shot over a defender if he was unable to get to the rim. However, one of his biggest struggles this season was putting the ball on the floor too often when he was around the basket. As the season progressed, he began to simply put up a shot or slam it home rather than trying to dribble it once or twice first. However, he still struggled at times, especially when he was double teamed in the paint. He was often times unable to find the open player in those situations and would put up an ill-advised shot or turn the ball over. But again, that was something he continued to improve on throughout the season.

In terms of how he'll fit in with the Wizards, I think fans need to look at Len as a bit of a project, especially given the stress fracture in his ankle that he recently had surgery to correct. Len was arguably someone who could have benefited from spending time in the D-League this summer, but will now be unable to do anything basketball related for the next six months as he recovers. As a result, if the Wizards selected Len, I don't think you'd see him make much of an impact during the 2013-2014 season. How he fits on the team after that depends on what Washington does with some of the current players on their roster. Ideally, you'd like to slowly work Len into your rotation. He has the potential to be a very skilled center who can back down defenders, make mid-range jumpers, grab rebounds and protect the basket on defense. But Len's ankle should raise a red flag in that many big men who suffer foot injuries often times struggle upon their return.

Measurements

W/O shoes NA
In shoes NA
Wt NA
Wingspan 7’3.5”
Reach NA
Hand width 10.75
Hand Length 9
Body fat 6.4%

Converstion in the 2013 NBA Draft thread were Max jumped in regards to those with concerns about Len's Stress Fracture:

jwalker1399 #4224

Only two words needed for a reason why to stay away from Len: Stress fracture

Revenged25 #4226

Which was caused due to an injury that he proceeded to play on and had preemptive surgery to prevent it from being a serious and recurring issue...

I'm not concerned about the injury at all.

oasis05 #4227

Are you sure?

Revenged25 # #4229

Considering he had no stress fracture during the season and was moving around just fine, then he hurt his ankle badly in January and continued to play on it for 2 months against top competition at a high level, including several dominating performances, which I can tell you right now that doing physical activity with a rolled ankle will give you regular stress fractures/shin splints, then yes I'm pretty sure. Also if you read all the reports the injury would've healed on it's own, but by doing the surgery now they were pushing up the recovery timeline and lower the chances of the injury becoming a constant problem.

Max #4231

Exactly. Bob Anderson who did the surgery isn't concerned, so I'm not. Noel's leg went 90 degrees sideways...that's a bigger concern for me. Reinforcing a partial stress fracture from an ankle sprain that never had adequate time to heal does not.

jwalker1399 # 4232

A stress fracture is an overuse injury. I'm not a doctor but I don't think a stress fracture comes thru physical contact or physical injury, as you say; a stress fracture is caused when muscles become tired and cannot brace for impact and passes the impact or stress onto the bone, which then cracks.

I love the guy as a prospect. Just saying this issue could morph into a chronic problem.....

faughta0509 #4233

I don't know the specifics of Len's injury, but stress fractures can also come from repeated motion in an unstable position. If he did have a badly sprained ankle, he was likely compensating for it by putting his body in a compromised position. Continually playing in this state can lead to a stress fracture. Something as petty as a blister on a runner's foot can lead to a substantial enough change in gait to cause upstream problems from the primary injury.

Silky Smooth # 31

@JasonLloydABJ: Maryland center Alex Len will meet with #Cavs today

Silky Smooth # 33

@JasonLloydABJ: Len didn't play bkball til 13, said he liked watching Zydrunas Ilgauskas & sees similarities in their games. Also similar to Valanciunas

Combine Measurements Thread

wuck #14

Yeah, Lloyd reported: "Len unable to do ht/wt measurements because he's still on crutches. Wingspan is 7-3 1/2. He's hopeful to be back on court mid/late Aug"

Silky Smooth #56

Michael Lee @MrMichaelLee

Alex Len: "I think 10 years from now, I'll be the best player out of this draft." #terps
12:04 PM - 17 May 2013

2013 NBA Draft Thread

CavsFanatic #4708

http://insider.espn.go.com/nba/blog...y-teams-consider-taking-alex-len-nerlens-noel

Why I'd take Len over Noel
By Fran Fraschilla May 29:37

"Most NBA front offices keep a fluid list of draft prospects that will change throughout the course of the year. But now that the early-entry players have declared their intentions (international prospects can still withdraw their names up to 10 days before the NBA draft on June 27), things will start to become clearer for teams as they assess and evaluate players over the next two months.

The consensus among teams I talk to is that there is no consensus about this draft. However, in my opinion, one thing is clear: This is not a draft that has a potential Hall of Famer or a definite NBA All-Star in it. It reminds me of the 2011 draft, minus Kyrie Irving's selection as the top pick. Valuable players like Klay Thompson, Kawhi Leonard, Kenneth Faried and Chandler Parsons were taken outside of the top 10. If teams can find a similarly valued player anywhere in this draft -- Murray State's Isaiah Canaan maybe? -- they should consider themselves fortunate.

In the coming weeks, we will go through each of the five positions and break down the prospect largely considered to be the favorite to be taken first at his position, then compare him with one of the top alternatives.

First up, we will look at the top two center prospects in the draft, and why taking Alex Len over Nerlens Noel could be the right choice.

The favorite


Nerlens Noel, 6-foot-10, Kentucky Wildcats
If Noel isn't the top pick in June's draft, he will likely to be the first big man taken. That means a team will be willing to wait until midway through next season as Noel recovers from ACL surgery on his left knee.

In many ways, Noel is the safest big man an NBA team can take. He has one elite skill that you can count on: his shot-blocking ability. Because of his 7-4 wingspan, elite athleticism, high motor and excellent timing, he will be able to defend the rim reasonably well despite the fact that he played this past season at 215 pounds. His 13.2 percent block rate was outstanding and similar to Anthony Davis' 13.8 percent rate from the season before.

Noel has a very light frame for an NBA center. By comparison, Davis, one of the most heralded college players of the last decade, did not start a single game at center for the New Orleans Hornets this season. Having a luxury like 7-foot veteran Robin Lopez, who started all 82 games, allowed New Orleans to keep Davis away from physical mismatches; when he did play center, it was usually against opponents' backup centers.

Noel, with his slight frame, was mauled at times by physical SEC big men (who are marginal NBA prospects) like Florida's Patric Young and Tennessee's Jarnell Stokes. In fact, I was surprised to see how often Kentucky either double-teamed in the post or dug the ball out of there with their guards to protect Noel in one-on-one situations.

As an NBA big man, Noel will spend a lot of time defending in screen-and-roll situations on the perimeter. On those plays in college, I thought Noel's footwork and lateral quickness were average at best, and belied what is supposed to be elite athletic ability.

One elite characteristic he does have: his hands. I was impressed with how quick they were when I watched him on SynergySportTech video. They are like a Venus flytrap. His 3.9 percent steal rate was the second best in the country among players over 6-8. On many occasions, his hands saved him from being backed down in the paint.

Offensively, especially early in his career, Noel will be a major work in progress. He shot 59 percent from the field this season, primarily on effort baskets off transition looks, offensive rebounds and lobs at the rim. His post game is rudimentary at this point, and his lack of strength and balance around the rim will be a major detriment.

Shooting 53 percent from the foul line is certainly not great, but on a positive note, Noel did surprise with a few drives to the rim from the top of the key, on limited opportunities.

Ultimately, no one is drafting Noel high based on what he contributes offensively. He has been a defensive force throughout his high school and college career, and it is anticipated that he can have a similar effect on the defensive end at the NBA level.

The alternative


Alex Len, 7-foot-1, Maryland Terrapins

I would be only mildly surprised if Len is drafted ahead of Noel, and it is not necessarily because Noel has been a better-known commodity than the big Ukrainian who has only been in the United States two years.

In their only meeting of the season, Len outscored Noel 23-4 and outrebounded him 12-9 in a November game in which Noel found himself saddled with foul trouble. It was Noel's first college game and should not have any effect on NBA decision-makers, if they are inclined to take him.

Whereas Noel is the low-risk pick because an NBA team can hang their hat on his shot-blocking, Len is the "high risk, high reward" pick that many teams can see as a 10-year starter. However, the possibility exists that he doesn't adjust to the next level and ends up not meeting expectations.

Personally, I think Len will meet expectations. He did save the best games of his sophomore season against his best competition. Not only did he hold his own against Noel, he got the better of Mason Plumlee in both of the Maryland's wins over Duke at the end of the season.

Len, at 7-1 and 250 pounds, has prototype NBA center size and he is a good athlete for his size and age (he'll turn 20 just 11 days before the draft). While improved strength would be a welcome addition, he has already added nearly 40 pounds since arriving in College Park, and there's room for 25 more, according to his coaching staff.

In addition, Len has very good hands, is quick off his feet and has a good touch around the basket. He has a face-up game that is evolving and good first-step quickness off the lane against similar-sized players. I believe he will have more space to operate within the NBA as well.

Len, despite his length, is not a prolific shot-blocker. A block rate of 8 percent placed him in the top 70 college players. I was impressed, however, with how well he moved his feet in defending screen-and-roll situations, even though he played the second part of the season on what appeared to be a badly sprained ankle.

While Len averaged 12 points in his 26 minutes on the floor, he was the victim of poor-passing, high-turnover teammates. Maryland's 22.2 percent turnover rate was 292nd in the country. In fact, in 16 of his last 19 games as a Terrapin, Len took fewer than 10 shots, averaging only 7.4 shots.

Ultimately, Len has as much chance of playing in an All-Star Game or two as anyone in the draft. He has a chance to be a Zydrunas Ilgauskas-caliber player -- a guy who played 13 NBA seasons, most of them as a starter.

Outlook

This is a tougher call than it looks. Again, Noel is a safe selection. Few will criticize a team for taking him, in part because conventional wisdom has had him going No.1 or No. 2 all season long. If a team wants to try to hit a home run, Len could be the guy.

I love Noel's one-tool elite shot-blocking ability, but if I'm making the pick, I'd swing for the fences with Len."

Wuck # 80

On Len's rehab:

---
Ahead of NBA draft, Alex Len is in full control of his rehab process


The Washington Post
By Alex Prewitt, Tuesday, June 4, 9:59 AM

<article> It sounds like an air piston when Alex Len breathes, gasping in sync with the tennis balls being fired at his face. He snatches them quickly and ferociously, exhaling with metronomic rhythm, the sharp pfffs echoing inside this cavernous auxiliary gym on a humid May morning at the University of Maryland.

Len appears almost regal seated upon the stack of red gym mats parked inside the paint. Four trainers and team managers surround him on the perimeter. A fifth stabilizes Len from behind. Stiffening his back, Len throws his hands into the air, ready to catch. Initially, it looks like he is surrendering.
</article>
Except this isn’t a surrender. The challenge, after all, has just begun. Since declaring for the NBA draft in mid-April after two seasons with the Terrapins, Len has surrounded himself with a trusted crew, each member tasked with arming the 19-year-old Ukrainian for the next battle.

A third ball gets added to the drill, a blue one no bigger than a softball. He’s getting in a rhythm now. Five in a row. Six in a row. Now a fourth ball, purple and heavier than the rest. It’s constant commotion, but the 7-foot-1 center looks almost peaceful.

It’s almost enough to forget about the silver walking boot strapped around his left foot.

‘He’s a tough kid’

Len had surgery to repair a partial stress fracture in his left ankle on April 27 at Charlotte’s Mercy Hospital. He walks with crutches but hops the stairs, two at a time. The foot’s range of motion has improved, but it still hurts when trainers grab the heel, arch back his toes and apply pressure to stretch it out.

Stress fractures worsen over time, compounded by overuse, so it’s impossible to pinpoint exactly when the injury occurred. Maybe during the ACC tournament in mid-March, when Len says he struggled to walk around the team hotel after games. Maybe against Iowa in the National Invitation Tournament semifinals on April 2, when the pain reached its peak. Right now, though, the origins don’t matter so much.

“What it did show me,” Maryland Coach Mark Turgeon said, “was that he’s a tough kid, a very tough kid who played through it, played through pain, which eventually became an injury. I think Alex was just trying to win as many games as he could down the stretch, and be successful. Never one time did the kid come to me and say he had a really bad injury.”

Once Len decided on surgery, he traveled to North Carolina to see Robert Anderson, a renowned foot and ankle surgeon responsible for operating on several high-profile NBA stars, including Kyrie Irving and Stephen Curry. Len wants NBA teams to be reassured when evaluating his health, and there’s no one more trusted under these circumstances than Anderson.

It was the first major surgery of Len’s life, and his body reacted poorly to the anesthesia, which induced nausea and vomiting. He also doesn’t quite remember posing for a pre-operation photo snapped by his agent, forming a circle with his thumb and pointer finger around his eye, a monocle in full hospital gown.

Len thrives off structure and familiarity. His current daily routine was choreographed by Turgeon and Maryland director of basketball performance Kyle Tarp, the same duo responsible for overseeing Len’s 35-pound weight gain last offseason.

It’s why he signed with agent Michael Lelchitski, a Russian who speaks the language fluently and has become close with Len’s family. It’s why his iPhone buzzes for every meal, why an app tracks his sleep schedule and why he saves grocery receipts for Tarp’s inspection and approval.

Individual workouts for NBA teams were expected to boost Len’s stock, playing up his strengths as a tireless worker with an attractive skill set. But because of the injury, Tarp has been forced to get creative. “We’re going to come back stronger,” he said. “We’re going to come back better. And he knows that.”

Len begins his workout flat on his back in Maryland’s basketball performance center. His eyes are closed during this visualization exercise. He pictures his favorite low-post moves. Up-and-unders and dribble-drives. Something Tarp calls “The Tim Duncan,” a shoulder-to-shoulder sweep where Len arcs the basketball over his head, or “The Kevin Durant,” where the ball moves linearly, sharply across the chest.

Tarp bets big on the mind’s power.

“The ankle is the least of our concern,” he says. “We need to make sure the rest of the system stays where we need to be.”

‘Alex is a worker’

After several sets of seated medicine ball slams, pull-ups from a prone position and exercises involving a weighted bean bag to strengthen his grip, the workout moves to the gym upstairs. Len won’t shoot today, but on days that he does, they lower the backboard to simulate to the normal distance between his shoulders and the rim, so the transition will go smoother once he can stand.

For now, Len is perched atop the stacked mats and fielding chest passes. Behind him, a student manager slaps his shoulders, offering token resistance. Len’s legs occasionally kick forward when the passes arrive, as if he just wants to say boot-be-damned and return to midseason form. But the recovery process takes patience. It takes restraint.

Every drill is designed to cure a weakness. Twenty minutes of corrective exercises designed to prevent the body from over-compensating in other areas because of foot immobilization. Len needs ballhandling work, so he palms and pounds basketballs into folding chairs. Sometimes, he counts the number of repetitions out loud to practice communicating in English, a language Len first started studying less than two years ago. When Maryland women’s assistant David Adkins peppers Len’s lower-left quadrant with tennis balls, it’s because a vision training machine showed that Len reacted slower in that specific region.

Len’s injury precluded him from working out at the NBA draft combine last month, but he still conducted interviews with most of the lottery teams and came prepared. The binder Len shared with executives contained workout schedules and nutrition plans. Anything to show teams that months from now, once he reaches the last page of that book, the boot will be gone and he will be himself once again.

“That’s Alex,” Turgeon said. “Alex is a worker. Alex has been a pro since he stepped foot on campus. That’s just the way he approaches it. You have to dial him back, because it’ll work.”

A little bit of pain

The scar crawls up his leg like a splotchy caterpillar, the raw remains of 12 stitches bisected by the incision mark. Removing the walking boot, Len leans back on a cushioned training table, propping his good leg up onto a towel rack.

Trainer Matt Charvat approaches and works his toes from side to side, bending forward at the ankle and applying slight pressure. Len grips the table edges for balance. It hurts, but only a little.

For two years Len has lived with teammate John Auslander, a forward who is one of Len’s best friends. Last summer, Auslander also dealt with the exact same partial stress fracture, the specificity of which Len says is relatively uncommon among basketball players. Len ponders this oddity for a moment, wondering about the roommates’ freaky coincidence.

Yet Len doesn’t appear much burdened by fate or circumstance. He sees the problem and acts, like with the 38 marbles Charvat just dumped onto a white towel. Len must return them to a plastic container using only his left foot. He struggles initially, curling his second toe around the glass and bending the marble into the open space. Several fall. One rolls off the towel. But soon Len hits his stride, completing the task twice before grabbing the black crutches and calling it quits.

Alex Len has been in control all day, each second of the nearly three-hour workout scripted for maximum efficiency and oversight. But there’s something on his mind, an unanswered question he asked Charvat about the next step: June 27, when Len hears his name called at the NBA draft.

“You think I’ll be able to walk on the stage?”

Cavattitude #105

NBA draft 2013: Alex Len is a worthwhile gamble — if you’re willing to wait
Posted: Posted June 06, 2013
By Andy Glockner | SI.com

Alex Len is currently sidelined following surgery to repair a stress fracture in his foot. (Patrick Semansky/AP)

The typical buzzwords of a draft — potential, upside, skilled — apply doubly when the tantalizing prospect is a big man. The overall low-ceiling nature of this draft makes dreaming on a 7-footer like Alex Len even easier.

It’s possible Len will someday be the best player in the 2013 draft. It’s also possible that the team that drafts him high in the lottery will end up as a bagholder, putting in the investment to develop Len into an effective pro only to see him never reach that level, or, worse yet, reach that level for a different team down the road. That’s the risk when you marry tantalizing skill with a long expected learning curve. Mix in an immediate health concern — Len had surgery last month to repair a stress fracture in his foot and will need four to six months to recover — and the risk/reward profile gets even more complex.

At a base level, the 19-year-old Ukrainian is a compelling package. He has legit NBA height and a frame that looks like it can accommodate a good amount of additional weight as he gets stronger. He shows good agility, nice footwork, can handle the ball and has a solid-looking face-up stroke. Per Synergy Sports Technology, Len was fairly productive on either block. Speaking with several college and NBA people I trust, the general consensus is that they really like Len’s prospects as a pro.

Here’s a sampling of his production in the ACC:

<iframe width="560" height="315" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/Ajwa8j79vd0?rel=0" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>

So where is the concern? Len started off the season with a bang, putting up 23 points and 12 rebounds with four blocks on Kentucky in the season opener, easily outplaying the debuting Nerlens Noel, who has a strong chance to be the No. 1 overall pick later this month. That 23-point outing turned out to be his season-high.

That’s not to say that Len didn’t impact other games. He had some productive outings this season against better competition, hitting Duke with a 19 and 9 in a two-point upset win, putting 20 and 7 on North Carolina in the ACC tournament and posting a strong 15 and 13 in the NIT semis against Alabama. But he certainly wasn’t consistently productive, and the Terrapins, despite having a lottery-bound 7-footer on the roster, weren’t consistently good at any point in the season.

A weak nonconference schedule provided a gaudy record and expectations that Maryland would continue to grow as the season progressed, and it didn’t really happen. Len averaged 11.9 points and 7.8 rebounds for the season and didn’t consistently impact a league that wasn’t exactly dripping with great bigs last season. The Terps’ spotty point guard play was a significant factor in their overall performance, and unquestionably hurt Len’s consistency, as well.

While having a skilled 7-footer in college should be an immediate ticket to success, it doesn’t always work out that way. We only have to go back to last year’s draft to find two lottery big men from mediocre teams.

Andre Drummond spent his one season in Storrs frustrating a fanbase with his inconsistent play and effort, and ended up going ninth to the Pistons in a classic draft situation where the potential reward was finally worth the risk. He now looks like an absolute steal at that spot, coming off a rookie season in which he averaged 7.9 points and, more impressively, 7.6 rebounds in just 20.7 minutes a game. Illinois’ Meyers Leonard, a more direct comparable to Len in terms of size, physicality and college experience, went two picks later to Portland. He, too, had a credible debut season (11.3 points, 7.6 rebounds and 1.1 blocks per 36 minutes) and looks promising going forward for the Trail Blazers.

So, especially in a draft like this one, someone’s going to take a reasonable gamble on a prospect like Len, development curve and all, ankle injury and all. The new NBA collective bargaining agreement helps teams retain their own prospects a bit longer, so that helps a general manager roll the dice on a pick like this. Len certainly has the look of a capable NBA player. If you’re drafting him, though, you have to hope he starts to show that while you still have him.

*L-Train* #125

draft profile on Len from CSNWashington.com. they ask an NBA scout about the players, it's a pretty good read (so far there are only articles on Len, Muhammad and Bennett)

http://www.csnwashington.com/basketball-washington-wizards/talk/nba-draft-profile-alex-len


Alex Len, Maryland

Draft Express overall ranking: No. 1

Height/Weight: 7-1, 255 lbs

Key stats: 11.9 points, 7.8 rebounds, 2.1 blocks in 2012-13

The player:

One of the tallest players in the 2013 draft - and an incredibly coordinated one at that - also sports the highest ceiling of any prospect in the class. That's because at times during his sophomore campaign, Len flashed his high-end athletic gifts inside and running the court, showed quality fundamentals as a scorer and passer, and used his 7-foot-4 wingspan for impressive finishes at the rim and swatting shots of those looking to do the same. His consistency lacked from game to game in part because Maryland's inexperienced point guard play led to stretches with scant touches in scoring positions, though Len's fading from the fray in those instances didn't help. Then there is the stress fracture in his left foot that required surgery in April and a 4-6 month recovery period. Still, there is a reason why talent evaluators on the college and pro level I spoke with for this draft project showed more genuine excitement about Len's promise than any other lottery prospect.

The fit:

Drafting a potentially stud big man is always a fit, so there's that. Emeka Okafor, who anchored the middle of the Wizards top-10 defense and cranked out double-doubles over the second half the season, is entering the final year of his contract. If he does not return in 2014-15, Washington lacks a true rim protector ready to step in. Even beyond a potential Okafor departure, the roster lacks any stable fours or fives beyond the frequently injured Nene. With his athleticism and ability to make plays in the open court, Len should be able to keep up with John Wall's fast-breaking ways.

The issue: The potential is sincere, but nobody expects Len's blossoming to occur soon - and the Wizards hope their playoff drought ends next season. Even if the Ukrainian recovers from injury in time for training camp, he likely becomes no more than yet another green member of Washington's frontcourt. Then there is the injury itself; the NBA is littered with stories of centers having their cut short because of foot woes including Yao Ming and Bill Walton. Perhaps medical advancements alleviate some concerns, but wear and tear on bigs due to pounding and stress is a constant.

The analysis (all told exclusively to CSNwashington)

NBA scout:

" I'm a big Alex Len fan. He's in my top-5. He's a legit 7-foot-1, huge. This year, from that Kentucky game on, he was just a different person. If you compare Alex Len today from where he was last year at this time, it's night and day from a physical and skill standpoint. He gained more weight - he still has a long way to go - but he's skilled, he has touch, it seems like he wants to play hard, he runs the floor, he's a good athlete. He's not a great athlete, but he's a good athlete for a guy who is 7-1. He's got a lot of upside. If you're 7-1, skilled and want to work, you can have a long career in this league. If you're 7-1 don't want to play but just play because you're big, that's a potential problem. That is where you do your due diligence to find out what the kid is like, what drives him, what his motor is, what is toughness is. If that checks out I think you have a very good player. ...The other thing you have to factor in is he played with some awful guards at Maryland. He got very low usage. He had like 15 games where he had only 6-7 shots. ...Would like him to demand the ball more, but is he the type of person who does that? ...He's still a project so you have limited initial expectations. It's the 2-3 years down the road where you hope to benefit the rewards.

Paul Hewitt, George Mason head coach (faced Len in BB&T):

" I don't know if he's a guy that comes in right away and helps you win games. But he's really athletic for a man that size. He's got very good hands, but I think offensively his games is going to come along. ...He's long, blocks shots, very athletic. It would be a good pick, but I don't think anybody should expect him to walk in the door and all of a sudden be 15 and 10 guy...(inconsistency) I think it's just inexperience. He's a young big guy who is going to get better. It's tough because everybody wants it now. Back 15-20 years ago, you draft a kid like that, he'd be a junior in college... I don't think the fact that he was inconsistent now means that's who he is as a player."

Ed Isaacson, NBA Scout, NBADraftBlog.com, NBCSports: (drafting Len)

"It's a risk on potential. When you look at his skill set, when you look at his size, it's easy to sort off fall in love with that. The problem is most of the time such prospects don't pan out. Len needs to be put into a situation where he'll be one of the top options to get the real benefit for having him. You saw at Maryland when the ball wasn't going to him, he didn't really contribute much and then he would start to fall out of the game a bit. With Wall and Beal, I don't know if Len would be the right fit even with his potential...For big guys you have to find a way to be a contributor when you don't have the ball and for me that is the biggest issue with him. He's not that great at crashing the boards and even at his size, he's not a very good defender. ...(Len vs. Kentucky center Nerlens Noel) Assuming Noel comes back from his injury 100 percent, he'll make an impact on the defensive end so you're already getting something. With Len, there is a lot of potential there, but you don't know if you're going to see it.

The summation:

For all the uncertainty in this draft, Len is one of the few who at least displayed starry upside and at the hardest to find position. If the Wizards think they have enough to make the playoffs even if their first round pick is a developmental selection, then why not take an interior threat to go with their maturing backcourt. Based on how recent international selections have fared for this franchise combined with Len's other concerns, there are also plenty of reasons to say no.

Smooth # 136

Interesting take on Len, considering the use of stats to determine his future value:
Whole article is very informative but this stood out the most...
http://www.canishoopus.com/2013/6/17/4434738/2013-nba-draft-who-should-the-lottery-teams-pick

ALEX LEN

Comparisons: Robin Lopez, Jon Koncak, Michael Olowokandi

I haven't had the opportunity to feel the firmness of Alex Len's handshake, sense the confidence with which he crutches around a practice facility, or even watch him post up a chair. Maybe this puts me at a disadvantage trying to understand what Len brings to the table, but based on his production on basketball courts during actual games I see nothing to warrant a lottery selection.

Len's scoring, rebounding, and shot-blocking are all good for a college big but mediocre even for a young NBA prospect. Scouts are comfortable looking past this because Len has a big frame and moves well. At first blush he is basically Steven Adams with the scale tipped a bit more towards offense. Decent enough production to allow hope that he figures out how to use his natural gifts. However, unlike Adams, Len has one very scary statistic: 0.3 steals per 40 minutes across two seasons.

Recall my earlier discussion of Nerlens Noel. Steals matter for big men... a lot. This may be difficult to wrap your mind around because the link is not intuitive, but it is undeniable looking at past results. Here are the top and bottom 25 steal rates for the 293 center prospect to play at least 1,000 NCAA minutes in the past 30 years:

The top 25 group includes Hall of Famers Olajuwon, Robinson, and Shaq (Ewing is right behind at 1.5), along with other excellent players like Monroe, Noah, Laettner, Miller, and Aldridge. The bottom group, which Len happens to be at the bottom of, is probably headlined by Will Perdue and Olden Polynice and includes a number of players who washed out entirely. Could Len be the next DeAndre Jordan (who also had a poor steal rate in college but on limited minutes) and eventually contribute in spite of his pitiful collegiate steal rate? Maybe... but it looks like a dangerous thing to bet on. Len scored a 2.1 expected wins in my projection models, good enough for the 110th best of the 283 centers in my 30 year dataset.

In addition to the steal-rate red flag and low overall rating, Len is a large young man already suffering from a stress fracture... so even on the off chance there is actually a good player in there, you then need to worry whether he will have the health to contribute long term. Yikes! There are some silly rumors going around about how the Cavs are considering taking Len #1 overall. There isn't anything Len could have done in workouts, short of turning water into wine, that would justify that reach.​

Smooth #148

Nice article on ESPN about Len:
http://insider.espn.go.com/nba/draf...debate-maryland-center-alex-len-espn-magazine

Alex Len's potential
How will Maryland center Alex Len fare in the NBA?
Originally Published: June 18, 2013

1. Len had ankle surgery in may to address a stress fracture. How much will it affect his development or draft slot?

Kevin Pelton, NBA Insider: I doubt his injury will affect his draft stock much, although he won't have the opportunity to impress scouts in workouts. I'm more worried about a known project missing summer league and a key part of the transition to the NBA.

Fran Fraschilla, former basketball coach: Len's injury could be a blessing in disguise. There was some chatter about him potentially being the No. 1 pick, and that pressure could have crushed him. Instead, he'll probably go somewhere in the top 10, and that, combined with the time needed to heal from surgery, will allow him to adjust at a reasonable pace.

Dave Telep, national recruiting analyst: If the stock of Nerlens Noel, the likely No. 1 guy, isn't hurt by a torn ACL, then Len's less serious setback shouldn't be an issue. No one wants to run into a Greg Oden situation again, so there's some trepidation, but it's not a grave concern.

Jay Bilas, college basketball analyst: As long as the medical staff passes upon his current injury issues with no major red flags, it should not be a significant problem.

Amin Elhassan, former NBA scout: Len's injury will affect his development way more than his draft slot. One of the most important phases in the transition from college to pro ranks is the ability to work with coaches and trainers over the summer, particularly summer league, where he'll be introduced to basic NBA terminology and team playcalls. Len will miss out on this crucial development stage, which can slow him out the gate.

2. Have we already seen the best of Len?

Fraschilla: We haven't seen close to his best. He played on a Maryland team that was one of the worst passing teams in the country, and it affected his offensive output. In fact, he only attempted 10 shots in a game three times in his final 19 as a Terrapin. There were nights when he established himself inside and was very effective. That will happen in time at the NBA level.

Elhassan: I agree. No way have we seen his best. Len still needs to learn the value of patience and timing, kicking the ball out and then reposting for deeper position, and to run the floor hard for duck-ins at the front of the rim. As he gets more accustomed to getting touches, he'll have a better opportunity to apply his skill set.

Telep: I'm not sure anyone really knows who Len truly is. For me, what we haven't seen is the nasty in his game. Does he have an iron-will determination to go out and become a leading man, or is he comfortable being a cog in a machine?

Pelton: The answer with any 19 year old is always going to be no, and that's exacerbated by the system Len was in and his adjustment to a new country and basketball style. A well-spaced floor should give him more room to operate in the post.

3. What does Len, a true center, need to develop to adjust to an increasingly positionless league?

Bilas: Positions in basketball are more about who you guard. Len is a low-post center with a good shooting touch who can step away from the basket and make a face-up jumper. He only needs to get stronger and tougher in seeking out and playing through contact. He has a chance to be very good.

Fraschilla: Absolutely. He's a former gymnast who's very athletic for his frame. Only two years removed from leaving Ukraine, he has already added 40 pounds. He lives in the weight room. Len has the agility and touch to develop into a true low-post scoring threat, but that will take some time.

Elhassan: What does he need to work on? Pick-and-roll defense, without question. Almost every team in the NBA runs a steady diet of pick-and-roll. The special ones can run it with a 6'8"-plus ballhandler, something Len has probably never seen.

Pelton: Yeah, the key for him will be to develop the ability to step out and defend the pick-and-roll while also protecting the paint. Making that transformation is what elevated Tiago Splitter from a reserve to a starter in San Antonio.

Telep: He's got to do three things well. He'll need to continue being a good finisher. He's flashed the perimeter game and polishing his mid-range shot is important. The most important element is establishing his identity as a guy that's going to bring it every time out. Consistency is paramount.

4. Is it even worth it to attempt to build around a true center in today's NBA?

Bilas: Even though there are so few dominant low-post centers in the game, it's still worth it. For sure.

Pelton: Agreed. Look around the playoffs. Size will always matter defensively.

Fraschilla: The true center has not gone the way of the dinosaur. If a team can develop an athletic 20-year-old center like Len, it will try to do so.

Elhassan: Today's NBA is about what works. If you have a 6'11" wing scorer like Kevin Durant, you build it around him; if you have a 6'3" dynamo point guard like Derrick Rose, you build it around him. Indiana, Memphis and San Antonio have all shown us the value of the true center if he's put in a position where he can succeed.

Telep: Look, you build around a franchise center if you have one. If none exists, you either adapt or become roadkill for teams that do the adapting.

5. Who is len's ceiling? Who is his floor?


Fraschilla: Ceiling -- Marc Gasol. Floor -- Zydrunas Ilgauskas.

Bilas: Ceiling -- Jonas Valanciunas. Floor -- Nikola Vucevic.

Elhassan: Ceiling -- Brook Lopez. Floor -- Spencer Hawes.

Pelton: Ceiling -- Andrew Bogut. Floor -- Meyers Leonard.

Telep: Ceiling -- Brook Lopez. Floor -- Michael Doleac.​

 

[oasis05]

Remember that draftexpress had Gobert as a top 4 pick before the college season started. I don't think he really did anything to fall. Draftexpress also had steven adams a top 7 pick in the 2014 draft before the college season started.

I don't think anything has changed for either player. dominant defensive big men with youth, and athleticism that demonstrate motors, and elite size. No reason for them to have dropped.

Len might have a problem with the stress fracture, the doctors will be the judge of that though.

 

[KB]

Draft Adams and Gobert, let them battle it out to develop, trade whoever doesn't pan out.

Think Vitaly/Z.

If that happens I want to see both of them dressed up in some verison of the Cavs mascot suits and then start acosting each other with swords

 

[Biw]

If that happens I want to see both of them dressed up in some verison of the Cavs mascot suits and then start acosting each other with swords

Flesh swords?

 

[KB]

Flesh swords?

Only if they were part of the mascot suits otherwise it might get a bit awkward

 

[wuck]

Draft Adams and Gobert, let them battle it out to develop, trade whoever doesn't pan out.

The idea of drafting two big men (after skipping Jonas and Drummond) might allow Rchfld and a number of others to heal their past draft wounds.

Can't wait til the draft lottery is over and we can envision some actual strategies going forward.

If they can't get a serviceable big man in this draft...

 

[Pioneer10]

I'm on the Gobert bandwagon. We could have the best defensive frontcourt in the league in a few years between him and Thompson together. Thompson is a good positional and pick and roll defender while Gobert could protect the paint behind him. Let Irving and Waiters score away and then protect them on other end that combo.

 

[MD13]

I just watched all of the Gobert videos on his website, and there wasn't much to see on offense aside from dunks and alley-oops so I can't really comment on his touch or offensive skills. He can really move well for a guy his size though, he's definitely not an athletic stiff by any means and he also seemed to finish strongly (at least in those reels). That said, something that showed up consistently on both offense and defense was his high center of gravity, and I think even if he gains more weight it'll be tough for him to hold position in the NBA. Still, I'd definitely take a flyer with him. If he can learn to keep the ball high and finish with some jump hooks in the paint, it'll be impossible to stop him with his dimensions.

edit: here KB.

http://www.rudygobert.biz/videos.html

 

[Adam]

I really hope the kings arein a position to bringall threein for workouts, they always post videos of their workouts. I would love to see them go against each other. Goberts height and lengths are once in a generation, if he has any sembalance of Bball IQ then he will be a very effective player.

I really think all 3 will be great fits for the cavs, we have to go big in this draft and look to improve the 3 spot during FA

 

[KB]

I just watched all of the Gobert videos on his website, and there wasn't much to see on offense aside from dunks and alley-oops so I can't really comment on his touch or offensive skills. He can really move well for a guy his size though, he's definitely not an athletic stiff by any means and he also seemed to finish strongly (at least in those reels). That said, something that showed up consistently on both offense and defense was his high center of gravity, and I think even if he gains more weight it'll be tough for him to hold position in the NBA. Still, I'd definitely take a flyer with him. If he can learn to keep the ball high and finish with some jump hooks in the paint, it'll be impossible to stop him with his dimensions.

If you have the link and the vid is not already in there add it to your post and I will place it to the the Gobert section

 

[oasis05]

http://www.rudygobert.biz/videos.html

 

[STAT]

More on the whole youngest of 18 children thing:

"His father Sid Adams was an Englishman who settled in New Zealand after serving in the Royal Navy. Steven was the youngest of Sid's 18 children with five different women; his mother is Tongan. His siblings and half-siblings are notable for their unusual size and athletic prowess. His father's male children average 6'9" (2.06 m), and his female children average 6' (1.83 m)."

Why is this important? It's not. But 18 kids? 18? I had to know more.