John Calipari compares Randle to Shaq

[SpecialQue]

[QUOTE] Serena Winters @SerenaWinters

"Understand in college he (@J30_RANDLE) was triple teamed every game. Shaq is the last guy to be played the way he was played.

[Nash]

hope lakers don't trade him

[ralph_i_el]

Honestly, he could be the next great bully ball 4. I envision a quicker David West. He'll be getting different looks in the NBA than he did in school. If he becomes a good interior passer I could see him getting a lot of O run through him on the block.

[Real Men Wear Green]

Triple-teamed every play is a gross exaggeration. He attracted help when he tried to post but Calipari is just boosting up an ex-player.

[Cold soul]

This is high praise coming from Calipari. I like Randle hopefully he turns into a beast for the Lakers.

[Milbuck]

Offense was never the issue, aside from adjusting to NBA-level defenders and defensive schemes, he has all the tools to be a sick offensive player, and I think he'll become that.

It's defense that's gonna kill him. Already undersized height-wise, then you add in his short wingspan, then consider that he's decently athletic but nothing incredible..he's gonna be a liability for the first few years, and even if he busts his ass year after year he just has a low ceiling as a defender. No idea how he's gonna guard guys like Aldridge, Blake, or Davis..

[dynasty1978]

Offense was never the issue, aside from adjusting to NBA-level defenders and defensive schemes, he has all the tools to be a sick offensive player, and I think he'll become that.

It's defense that's gonna kill him. Already undersized height-wise, then you add in his short wingspan, then consider that he's decently athletic but nothing incredible..he's gonna be a liability for the first few years, and even if he busts his ass year after year he just has a low ceiling as a defender. No idea how he's gonna guard guys like Aldridge, Blake, or Davis..

I would agree with this. He won't be able to guard the above players, but he may one day neutralize them with his own offense (sort of the 'best defense is a good offense' philosophy).

[ralph_i_el]

Offense was never the issue, aside from adjusting to NBA-level defenders and defensive schemes, he has all the tools to be a sick offensive player, and I think he'll become that.

It's defense that's gonna kill him. Already undersized height-wise, then you add in his short wingspan, then consider that he's decently athletic but nothing incredible..he's gonna be a liability for the first few years, and even if he busts his ass year after year he just has a low ceiling as a defender. No idea how he's gonna guard guys like Aldridge, Blake, or Davis..

He may D up BG better than you'd think, but I agree in general.

With BG you need to get real physical and not let him have any launch pad space. He'll still get his though if the rest of your D is letting him get touches inside 10 feet

[IGOTGAME]

he needs to learn how to shoot. his jumper is broken.

[senelcoolidge]

LoL. He can't be serious. Randle is a undersized short armed power forward. Shaq in college would have rag dolled Randle all over the court.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MTQD3C8Muco

[LAZERUSS]

LoL. He can't be serious. Randle is a undersized short armed power forward. Shaq in college would have rag dolled Randle all over the court.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MTQD3C8Muco

This...

[qrich]

Sounds like something NickYoung would say.

[tpols]

LoL. He can't be serious. Randle is a undersized short armed power forward. Shaq in college would have rag dolled Randle all over the court.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MTQD3C8Muco

Shaq would ragdoll anybody really.. youre comparing a C to a PF.. all calipari is saying is that randle is strong enough at his position to overpower guys. Idk if that will continue in the NBA though.

[Combat Wombat]

:bowdown:

Randle has the potential to be a beast in the NBA but comparing him to Shaq is a massive (and highly unlikely) leap.

[hawksdogsbraves]

I'm a big Kentucky fan but this is a little far fetched...

Randle is going to struggle getting his shot off and struggle mightily guarding good bigs...

[UK2K]

I'm a big Kentucky fan but this is a little far fetched...

Randle is going to struggle getting his shot off and struggle mightily guarding good bigs...

You see that GIF of the nasty crossover he had?

Dude has handles, and finesse, and speed, and footwork.

I think the bigger bigs are going to have more trouble guarding him than the smaller ones.

[hawksdogsbraves]

You see that GIF of the nasty crossover he had?

Dude has handles, and finesse, and speed, and footwork.

I think the bigger bigs are going to have more trouble guarding him than the smaller ones.

He has good handles, but how far does that get you as a true 4, which he is?

Randle seems like Blake Griffin minus the insane athleticism.

Don't get me wrong, I don't think he'll be a bust, but it's hard for me to see an undersized 4 without elite athleticism being a star. Being a guy like Kenneth Faried seems like a good, (not best) case scenario.

He's just going to have to work so hard for his points. If he can develop a better jumper that will help, but he's still going to struggle mightily defensively guarding the Dirk's, Aldridge's, Duncan's, Griffin's, etc... out west.

[Combat Wombat]

He has good handles, but how far does that get you as a true 4, which he is?

Randle seems like Blake Griffin minus the insane athleticism.

Don't get me wrong, I don't think he'll be a bust, but it's hard for me to see an undersized 4 without elite athleticism being a star. Being a guy like Kenneth Faried seems like a good, (not best) case scenario.

He's just going to have to work so hard for his points. If he can develop a better jumper that will help, but he's still going to struggle mightily defensively guarding the Dirk's, Aldridge's, Duncan's, Griffin's, etc... out west.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q4KhsqCdOvw

His jumper is pretty decent. Granted it's a shoot around.

[JimmyMcAdocious]

The thing with Randle is that he's going to shoot so many free throws. He initiates contact like nobody's business, he's strong, and he finishes through contact. Offensively, I wouldn't be worried unless you are expecting Karl Malone or Dirk. Or unless he decides he wants to be Josh Smith and shoot 3s. The best thing for Randle is that D'Antoni is gone.

I still question how well he will be able to defend.

[Darius]

Did specialque decide to become an eliteballer-style Laker troll this offseason?

I remember him being a decent poster...

[wakencdukest]

The thing with Randle is that he's going to shoot so many free throws. He initiates contact like nobody's business, he's strong, and he finishes through contact. Offensively, I wouldn't be worried unless you are expecting Karl Malone or Dirk. Or unless he decides he wants to be Josh Smith and shoot 3s. The best thing for Randle is that D'Antoni is gone.

I still question how well he will be able to defend.





He does initiate a lot of contact, but the thing that worries me is that it's all done off the dribble. He faces up on every possession and tries to do the cross-over every time. When he does get into the paint, he tends to double clutch and release the ball on the way down. He's got the strength to score like this in the college game, but will he be able to take bigger, more athletic, NBA power forwards inside? He doesn't really play above the rim, which could be a problem at his position.

[ArbitraryWater]

:bowdown:

You got the bowdown emoticon mixed up with the facepalm one

[senelcoolidge]

Why are so many people high on Randle? I don't think he's going to be that good. He will get playing time with a crappy lakers team so that will be good for his development. He won't be able to defend most PF's. Guys like Love, Griffin, Aldridge, and high echelon PF's will feast on him. He has a small offensive game that looked good in college, but he can't bully most NBA PF's. Those few moves he has will become very predictable fast. He has a lot of work to do and I see his ceiling as a 2nd tier PF at BEST. He's not very athletic, he undersized and has short arms. That's 3 big strikes right there. I would compare him to a Thomas Robinson or Jared Sullinger...somewhere in between those guys. Not as athletic as Robinson and not as skilled as Sullinger.

[SpecialQue]

Did specialque decide to become an eliteballer-style Laker troll this offseason?

I remember him being a decent poster...

I just assumed everyone would know that my tongue was in my cheek with this and that Lin thread. I obviously don't think Randle will be on par with Shaq, he'll be better.