Simmons only became 3x all star because the East was weak AF, he was seen as Lebron's protege and most importantly Embiid modified his game to fit him in, becoming a 3 pt shooter so Simmons has space to drive inside. If Embiid was a traditional center Simmons wouldn't get enough PT unless he can keep defenses honest and he wouldn't be an all star, Sixers would have to choose between the 2 of them. For me the question is whether Amen can develop 3 pt shooting that's better than Giannis. If he can't then he will be unplayable and be a bust. Just look at Dyson Daniels, Suggs, Giddey and Scottie Barnes. Their PT is corellational to their 3 pt shooting ability, either that or they play PF. We will prob pick Amen, and it'll be interesting to look back on these posts once Amen starts playing in the NBA.
30% overall, and about 34-35% unguarded are the marks I'm looking for him to clear. That's not good 3P shooting, obviously, but it's enough to keep defenders honest, which is all he really needs to be a starting-caliber player who falls somewhere in the range between Markelle Fultz and Ja Morant in terms of overall production.
There's a diff between unguarded shots in OTE vs NBA. Like if you look at Adam Morrison his 3 pt% are worlds apart in college vs NBA. Same thing with Suggs and Johnny Davis (mid range) the shot quality is diff because you are open for only a short time.
I meant in the NBA. Don't know that he'll get there his rookie season, or perhaps even his second year in the league.
Spurs insider forums? anyone can claim to be an insider these days Where’s the quote from the Athletic?
I just watched his team play, actually it was the final game with his buzzer beater. After watching both brothers, I'm not sure who looks like the better propspect. Amen is the PG, but Ausar is the better shooter/scorer and because of that he was the one managing the ball the last possesions when his team needed a bucket. Also, Ausar looks like the best overall defender. Amen ballwatches a lot defending off the ball, loses the defensive stance and never boxes out (like our current guards). He has all the defensive tools in the world, but does not have the habits. Amen looks a bit more athletic than Ausar, and has even better handles. He's definitely a first pass PG, has a great vision and executes quickly not only the difficult pass but also the easy one (key for a real PG). Team mates will want to play with him. He's a crafty handler but is not a ball hog. His reads are very accurate, no doubt his IQ is really high, and I think he is a magnificent passer. I think he will never become a great shooter, but his mechanics are not broken. With reps he could become an OK shooter, but he may never become a great scorer. I don't know, must recognize I've comed to HATE the players who show that body language defending off the ball. That comes to hurt you very seriously at proffesional basketball, and those are habits that normally can't be altered at that age, and that he would share with Jalen Green. Now I understand why Scoot is the clear #2 pick. Not only looks like a better shooter, but shows a different mentality and better winning habits at the defensive end and overall without the ball.
Yeah I like Ausar a lot more than Amen. I get that Amen is more athletic, but all it takes is one bad injury and that athleticism is halved or even gone. Just ask WB. Ausar is just more well rounded and has shown a lot more ambition and work ethic imo. Amen is more talented but seemed like he rests on his gifts more.
I haven't heard anything about a differentiation in their work ethic--seems to me you're reading too much into raw statistics in that regard. My understanding is they essentially do everything together. "8am to 8pm on basketball" is what I heard about both of them. Ausar does seem more consistently-engaged on defense, but I don't think that's a work ethic thing, I think it's a mentality/approach to the game thing. Amen always wants to get out in transition, always seems to be the first thought on his mind, whereas Ausar seems more comfortable in the half court. That can probably be coached though.
If Amen is out there doing 8 am to 8 pm then it's a crime his shot has only marginally improved. He is the same as he was a year ago, this uber athletic guy who can't shoot. Actually he reminds me of Ben Simmons. Simmons also looked like he had good work ethic but in reality he was just keeping in shape. Very little growth in skillet despite being in the gym and grinding it out in his early years. Ausar went from worse version of Amen to better shooter and defender than Amen in 1 year. It's also not just pure stats he grew in multiple dimensions defense, shooting even play making. That's a lot more impressive than Amen imo. Athleticism isn't everything and Ausar himself is also extremely athletic.
This is the time of year we all have to remember that analyst draft boards are not necessarily what your front office draft board looks like.
No, there were many pre-draft scouting reports which mentioned potential character/work ethic/personality issues with Ben Simmons. There are not any reports like that with Amen Thompson. Shooting comes more naturally for some guys than others. Doesn't mean Amen can't pick it up, just might be a bit of a longer process.
True that it’s hard to compare shooting across different contexts. Amen probably got more comfortable open 3’s in OTE than he would have gotten in college for example. At the same time, OTE uses the NBA three point line and not the college line. Difficult to compare. FT shooting is the most comparable data point for touch IMO, since it’s the same everywhere and sample size is bigger. Amen at 69% this year (RS + playoffs) isn’t good but isn’t “this guy will never have shooting touch” levels. He’s shown major improvement from 53% last season to 65% this regular season to 77% in the playoffs. Research shows that NBA players tend to improve ~5 pts in FT% from ages 19-21 to age prime years 26-28. Someone like Ben Simmons who completely cratered is not the norm at all. https://www.thespax.com/nba/do-nba-players-improve-at-shooting-free-throws/ If Amen is a long term steady state 72-76% FT shooter, I think he’s in good shape to be a great player. More importantly, it shows he has actual touch to work with, and he has the capacity to get to passable levels from mid range and 3.
I hope with the new rule the 6-7 height can be confirmed for sure. I remember people were saying Cade Cunningham was 6-8, he’s actually 6-4 at best.
They are both 6'5.75" without shoes, with a 7'0" wingspan. https://www.nbadraft.net/2023-nba-draft-combine-anthro-measurements/ Shoes usually add about an inch of height. So seems fairly accurate for list height (which is generally with shoes on).
I wish people would stop comparing prospects to Ben Simmons. He’s a one-off unicorn of a bust that we likely will never see again.
Ausar seems more efficient, a better shooter from range, better defense and also has a nice handle and athleticism. Anyone here prefer Ausar to Amen? Kind of reminds me of the Morris brothers conversations.
