Meyers Leonard will be an elite bigman in the NBA

[REACTION]

What I've seen Meyers Leonard so far has really impressed me.

Anyone else feel the same way?

[chips93]

never seen him play, but sounds like his stock was really boosted over the combine

[CelticBaller]

Celtics need to get him

[el gringos]

What? a good center draft year- this guy seems really mobile and potentially good. He and Zellers i think could go anywhere single dgits on to the 20's it seems. and Robert Sacre is going to be a really great pick for someone.

This is going to be a sweet draft to watch because so many players like Leonard, Zeller, Royce White, Wroten, Ross, Cunningham, even the gaurds Lillard/Marshall- Waiters/austin rivers. You really dont know if guys are going top 10 all the way into the 20s but there will be some suprises and alot of really good after lottery picks this year

[IlliniFan]

Been watching him since Illinois offered him way back when. He has grown so much as a player. His freshman year consisted of a couple dunks around the basket, and that was about it. His offensive game has really gown since. He has great athleticism:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F64KxaaQGqU

He seemingly learned how to block shots as well, though he could still improve there. His freshman year he would just swat down at everything. I think he does a lot better learning to stay tall and keep his hands up now.

One thing he needs work on is getting into his move once he gets the ball in the post and learning when to pass out and when not to. Sometimes he just holds and looks for a highlight pass for so long, he just gets ripped or doubled and turns it over. He's a good passer, just needs to recognize when he has to score and when to get rid of it. He needs to catch and go into his move quicker.

I think he could have been a lock to be a top 5 pick with one more season in college, but I definitely understand his decision to go.

[InspiredLebowski]

I'm sure some Illini fans can (or maybe not) dispute what I saw, but Leonard gives me a ton of pause. The tools are immense, big, long, really athletic for his size. But I just couldn't get past his body language all year. I think it's pretty obvious there was a lot of problems in the program, from Weber on down through the locker room, but he just seemed to get down on himself so much. In that regard he honestly reminds me a lot of Roy Hibbert, he's not as sound fundamentally as Hibbert and is light years ahead athletically but it just scares me. Hibbert was about 6 weeks away from being a lost cause until Indy fired Jim O'Brien because Hibbert just couldn't take the verbal abuse.

Leonard's definitely one of the guys in this draft that has to land in the right spot. He's going to need time to develop w/o getting brow beaten after every screwup.

[Thorpesaurous]

I think elite is pushing it, but I do really like him. He's obviously got plus plus athleticism, and as with a lot of guys, on a team that takes advantage of a big who can get end to end, and has a PG to feed him, he can be a real asset. In a grind out style of game I'm afraid he doesn't have the offensive polish on one end, and I'm afraid his frame isn't designed to hold up as an on ball defensive player.
At the very worst he could be a Chris Anderson type bench big who comes in and blocks some shots and fills lanes on an up tempo team.

Personally I like Zeller better because of his post polish. And Zeller, while not a great athlete, can really run and change ends himself.

[IlliniFan]

I think elite is pushing it, but I do really like him. He's obviously got plus plus athleticism, and as with a lot of guys, on a team that takes advantage of a big who can get end to end, and has a PG to feed him, he can be a real asset. In a grind out style of game I'm afraid he doesn't have the offensive polish on one end, and I'm afraid his frame isn't designed to hold up as an on ball defensive player.
At the very worst he could be a Chris Anderson type bench big who comes in and blocks some shots and fills lanes on an up tempo team.

Personally I like Zeller better because of his post polish. And Zeller, while not a great athlete, can really run and change ends himself.
I think with Zeller and Leonard it's a classic case of higher floor vs. higher ceiling, and we all know what type of player NBA teams like to take.

As far as offensive polish, he does have a ways to go, but he's taken leaps and bounds from his freshman year to his sophomore year, so I don't see why he couldn't have a pretty good post game in a couple years.

[ILLsmak]

lol kids coming around on Leonard.

-Smak

[Thorpesaurous]

I think with Zeller and Leonard it's a classic case of higher floor vs. higher ceiling, and we all know what type of player NBA teams like to take.

As far as offensive polish, he does have a ways to go, but he's taken leaps and bounds from his freshman year to his sophomore year, so I don't see why he couldn't have a pretty good post game in a couple years.


Yeah, the Leonard / Zeller is a pretty good guage of how a team looks at a prospect. I've said the same about Perry Jones vs. Jared Sullinger. I feel like Sullinger is a way more sure thing, but Jones has a much higher cieling. It's just that Jones could also pretty quickly turn into Dante Green.

My fear with Leonard's development is mostly the frame. Sometimes I feel like I can see if a guy's frame is gonna be able to fill out, and I worry that his won't without losing too much athleticism. I think it's because he's so narrow through the waist.

[Goliath Uterus]

Not elite, but I think he'll be a productive player.

[jbot]

i hope he does well. he's from a really small town about 1 hour from me.

[ILLsmak]

Yeah, the Leonard / Zeller is a pretty good guage of how a team looks at a prospect. I've said the same about Perry Jones vs. Jared Sullinger. I feel like Sullinger is a way more sure thing, but Jones has a much higher cieling. It's just that Jones could also pretty quickly turn into Dante Green.

My fear with Leonard's development is mostly the frame. Sometimes I feel like I can see if a guy's frame is gonna be able to fill out, and I worry that his won't without losing too much athleticism. I think it's because he's so narrow through the waist.

What?

http://roundballdaily.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/06/628x471.jpg

How much more frame does he need? People are talking about his strength. I remember reading on a draft scouting report that he would need to add 5 pounds in order to compete. I was like FIVE POUNDS? I think Meyers is pretty much good size-wise now. He just needs to get meaner.

They are projecting him to be picked by the Bucks. Imagine him with BJ and Ellis. Look at how small Biedrens is but he does work. I think Leonard has a much larger frame than Andris.

-Smak

[Thorpesaurous]

What?

http://roundballdaily.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/06/628x471.jpg

How much more frame does he need? People are talking about his strength. I remember reading on a draft scouting report that he would need to add 5 pounds in order to compete. I was like FIVE POUNDS? I think Meyers is pretty much good size-wise now. He just needs to get meaner.

They are projecting him to be picked by the Bucks. Imagine him with BJ and Ellis. Look at how small Biedrens is but he does work. I think Leonard has a much larger frame than Andris.

-Smak


He's muscled, but he's narrow. Like in the waist and through his core. It's not a bad thing, it just changes how I feel like he'll be able to add weight moving forward.
It's also one of the things that bothers me about the Brow. It's not that he's skinny, it seems like he's naturally skinny. As if adding the weight won't fit him naturally.

Zeller on the other hand is a legit 7 feet and 250 lbs and looks like he can carry it.

[ILLsmak]

He's muscled, but he's narrow. Like in the waist and through his core. It's not a bad thing, it just changes how I feel like he'll be able to add weight moving forward.
It's also one of the things that bothers me about the Brow. It's not that he's skinny, it seems like he's naturally skinny. As if adding the weight won't fit him naturally.

Zeller on the other hand is a legit 7 feet and 250 lbs and looks like he can carry it.

He hit the bench 19 times at the combine. That's pretty good for a college guy.

Meyers is also 250 ... and 5.7% body fat.

-Smak

[fatboy11]

I feel like Leonard is one of those guys that will get unfairly slammed (by people that would post here on ISH) if he doesn't really pan out. He could end up being a really good player, or he could end up being Todd Fuller. You have to be aware that it could go either way or end up in the middle.

I think there's an equal amount of risk to the reward he could bring to whatever teams picks him. I think he's the 2nd best center in this draft based on what he's shown behind Zeller, with Drummond 3rd. He probably stays in 2nd if we're going on potential with Drummond and Zeller switching places. As a big, you can justify he being taken around the top 10. I just think people will come back and slam the pick if he doesn't pan out, but right now, he looks like a good lottery pick, IMO. He could be elite one day, but he should be at least solid.

[ILLsmak]

dey pickin drummie b4 leonard I bet.

-Smak

[mobbdeep]

i have seen him many times. He is a good ft shooter and can score over the small guys in college but how mobile is he for the NBA?

He sometimes never got his touches or demanded the ball as much as the guards would shoot and shoot and shoot lol. And a zone kept him from getting the ball too.

but u can't teach size!

[InspiredLebowski]

Don't mean to open a can of worms, but apparently an NBA exec said "if Leonard were black he'd be the #2 pick."

[Talent]

Don't mean to open a can of worms, but apparently an NBA exec said "if Leonard were black he'd be the #2 pick."

Most people know there is a stigma towards white players being soft recently....for some reason.

[boozehound]

dey pickin drummie b4 leonard I bet.

-Smak
really? wow, what a revelation!

I am hoping the pistons pick him at 9. perhaps a reach, but I dont think any other big outside of robinson, davis and drummond have the same potential play. Zeller is going to be a better contributor next year, but long term, leonard is the better prospect. cant wait till draft day!

[blacknapalm]

next jordan hill

[LBJMVP]

hope cleveland ends up with that golden state pick...

beal/leonard
MKG/leonard

[ILLsmak]

really? wow, what a revelation!

I am hoping the pistons pick him at 9. perhaps a reach, but I dont think any other big outside of robinson, davis and drummond have the same potential play. Zeller is going to be a better contributor next year, but long term, leonard is the better prospect. cant wait till draft day!


lol well he said Leonard is the 2nd best behind Zeller. I was saying I think he's more like the 2nd best behind Drummond.

Although I think he might be THE FIRST BEST out of the 3. People are dumb, period. Everyone wants to say that I am being a homer because I'm an Illini fan. I shit on McCamey; I knew that dude wasn't going anywhere, but the growth that Leonard showed proves he is committed. Dude's time in the gym must be crazy to have that level of strength and low body fat. He's not only in the gym, though, he's also working on his game.

I was reading somewhere where a guy on bleacher report was like LEONARD HAS NO SKILL. It's like wut?? I dunno. I'm anxious to see how it turns out. Gotta respect him for blowing people away from game 1 this year until the combine. He went from lolno to lotto to maybe top 10.

-Smak

[fatboy11]

lol well he said Leonard is the 2nd best behind Zeller. I was saying I think he's more like the 2nd best behind Drummond.


No, I didn't. Go back and read what I actually wrote.

[fatboy11]

really? wow, what a revelation!

I am hoping the pistons pick him at 9. perhaps a reach, but I dont think any other big outside of robinson, davis and drummond have the same potential play. Zeller is going to be a better contributor next year, but long term, leonard is the better prospect. cant wait till draft day!

Given the relative parity of potential and risk outside of the top 3 or so, I don't think Leonard would be a reach at all for the Pistons at #9. Especially when you look at their roster, it's definitely not a reach. He could play behind Monroe for a couple of years, but I see that being a very unique "Twin Tower" duo in the future. I think if Drummond is off the board, the Pistons actually should draft Leonard at #9. If they didn't have Gordon (or could move him), I would probably throw Waiters/Lamb/Rivers into that mix with Leonard. Maybe Terrence Jones?

[el gringos]

I agree Detroit wouldn't be reaching. He could go 6-16. This is going to be an awesome draft in terms of unpredictability

[innervisions]

He'll be better than Zeller and Drummond. I think that any of the teams picking 9-12 could draft him. I don't think he falls past MIL at 12 now that Bogut is gone.

[ILLsmak]

No, I didn't. Go back and read what I actually wrote.

heh, I like to read what people write before I respond to their posts. Maybe you confused yourself and said something you didn't mean to say.

-Smak

[fatboy11]

heh, I like to read what people write before I respond to their posts. Maybe you confused yourself and said something you didn't mean to say.

-Smak

If you had read what I wrote, you would know that I did not say Meyers Leonard was 2nd best behind Tyler Zeller.

I ranked each of them by two different sets of criteria. I never ranked them based on who is flatly "best." I ranked them based on potential and what they've shown in college. It should go without saying that determining what player is "best" to pick combines the two things. Not just one or the other.

I said Meyers Leonard was 2nd under both criteria, ranking behind both Zeller and Drummond, respectively.

[StateProperty]

Sixers brought him in for a 2nd workout. I'm hoping he's gone before 15.

[Elliott Wave]

I hope the Sixers get him