Giannis is a Center

[Walk on Water]

I don't understand why some call him a small forward. He's a 7 foot center with some athleticism. He does a lot of posting up and is athletic.

[lilteapot]

magic is 6'9 and posted up a lot so i guess hes a power forward and not a point guard.

[Ghost1]

Giannis can't shoot the three bro, he's no center. :no:

[Uncle Drew]

I would like to request OP to never have a thought about anything ever again.

[90sgoat]

He is the center that Embiid is trying to be.

[ImKobe]

It's the era of position-less basketball.

[Phenith]

The OP isn't completely off base, but there isn't a lot of centers that can face up and dribble drive like Giannis, or defend almost any position...

The Bucks are actually using him a lot like the Magic used Dwight Howard when they were good, drawing a lot of attention to him down low and surround him with shooters to punish double teams.

For some reason, watching Giannis reminds me a lot of Corey Maggette, except Giannis is taller, a better defender and can play back to the basket much better (so bad comparison right, lol). But their dribble drive game is all about getting to the basket and getting fouled.

[FireDavidKahn]

Just because someone is 7' doesn't make them a center...

[Ghost1]

Brook Lopez is a shooting guard.

[90sgoat]

I wrote this in my 1 game expert analysis of Giannis as well.

He is 100% a center, but a modern center, the new evolution of the center. The eye tests speaks clearly: CENTER.

Just like the eye test clearly said: Duncan is a center regardless of position.

He is to the center what KG was to the PF spot.

He runs the floor like a small forward, but rebounds and protects the rim like a center.

Him and Porzingis are the new breed.

[90sgoat]

The OP isn't completely off base, but there isn't a lot of centers that can face up and dribble drive like Giannis, or defend almost any position...


Hakeem could and I am sure he would play much like Giannis today.

[brooks_thompson]

He is not the 'modern evolution of center' or whatever similar thing you said. He is a once in 10-15 years physical specimen. Giannises aren't gonna start taking over the league, first and foremost because 6'11" guys don't grow on trees. Then add in his athleticism on top of that.

And Porzingis has done nothing to suggest he is more than a run-of-the mill All-Star other than inspire the imagination for what he COULD be if everything breaks right.

[Rudeboy3]

Don't ever speak on my boy again :coleman:

[Marchesk]

He's the Ralph Sampson we deserved, not the one Hakeem needed.

[FKAri]

He's the Ralph Sampson we deserved, not the one Hakeem needed.
Ralph Sampson was nothing like Giannis...

[Marchesk]

Ralph Sampson was nothing like Giannis...

Not really, but when he came into the league everyone was super excited about 7-4 guy who could dribble and shoot, thinking he would revolutionize the game. So from a mid 80s perspective, sort of. You just don't remember the hype, if you were even alive then.

Sampson was considered >>> Jordan as an impact player first several years. Rockets could have made a trade that would have put Jordan with Hakeem easy.

[Mr.GOAT2408]

He doesn't have an actual position, but if I had to classify him as anything it's point center

[Marchesk]

He doesn't have an actual position, but if I had to classify him as anything it's point center

Wilt-like, almost.

[AirFederer]

He

[Walk on Water]

Just because someone is 7' doesn't make them a center...


Well every time I saw him play the warriors he played center.
I had no clue he played small forward. He

[Walk on Water]

Don't ever speak on my boy again :coleman:


He

[Rudeboy3]

[QUOTE=Walk on Water]He

[baudkarma]

Not really, but when he came into the league everyone was super excited about 7-4 guy who could dribble and shoot, thinking he would revolutionize the game. So from a mid 80s perspective, sort of. You just don't remember the hype, if you were even alive then.

Sampson was considered >>> Jordan as an impact player first several years. Rockets could have made a trade that would have put Jordan with Hakeem easy.

I was alive then, and remember. You are correct, at the time Sampson was regarded as the 80's version of Wilt. A big who could do it all. Too bad injuries derailed him.

[Celtics 1825]

I would like to request OP to never have a thought about anything ever again.
This

[Vragrant]

I consider him a point center

[bizil]

Giannis played the SF position as his PRIMARY position for most of his career actually. Last season is where he played the PF more exclusively. Positional versatility wise on both sides of the court, he's turned into the most versatile player ever. So DEPENDING on what a team needs, he can always switch positions.

Magic played the PG position at 6'9 because his passing and floor generalship was as good as ANYBODY to ever play. He was born to play the PG position. With Giannis, he's the best passer on his team. Could defend the wing players BETTER than anybody on his teams. And his overall motor, athletic ability, and skillset is SIMILAR to the elite wing players.

So it makes TOTAL SENSE to play him as a SF like he was when he came in the league. BUT he can play as big as the dominant big men as well due to his size and athletic ability. So he can play PF and C of course too. U just can't pigeonhole him into a center. Guys like Embid, Jokic, Cousins, Towns, etc. are highly skilled centers. Guys like Giannis and AD are different and from the KG breed of positionless basketball. Sure they can play center. BUT they have the skillsets, motor, and athletic ability of the great wing players.

[bizil]

When it came to Sampson, he could NEVER DEFEND the great perimeter players scoring the rock in the 80's. His lateral quickness and motor wouldn't enable that. BUT he could play the PF position in that era in addition to center. His skillset on OFFENSE showed us shit a player that size never had showed us.

BUT he was never a positionless type of big man at 7'4. It simply WOULDN'T make sense to play him as a SF. Let alone a PG or SG. He was a talented highly skilled 7'4 PF-C type. KG, AD, KD, and Giannis are the positionless 7'0 type of players. Because they could play AND defend the perimeter positions. And their athletic ability, skillset, and motor are more similar to the elite wing players. Positionless means u CAN FLOAT between the perimeter and big man positions.

[Milbuck]

Giannis has been a PF for like 4 seasons now. Small-ball C too, lineups with him at C have been slaughtering teams lately, but he's primarily a 4.

[Vragrant]

[QUOTE=Phenith

For some reason, watching Giannis reminds me a lot of Corey Maggette, except Giannis is taller, a better defender and can play back to the basket much better (so bad comparison right, lol). But their dribble drive game is all about getting to the basket and getting fouled.[/QUOTE]

Tbh he actually reminds me of Shaq in a wingman type physique.

[Euroleague]

Greece's national team coach already announced Giannis will be used as a center from now on. He said they tried using him as a PG, SG, SF, PF and he has obvious weaknesses at all those positions. So he will be used as a center from now on, where his skill weaknesses will be limited, and his athleticism can be maxed.

[Rudeboy3]

Greece's national team coach already announced Giannis will be used as a center from now on. He said they tried using him as a PG, SG, SF, PF and he has obvious weaknesses at all those positions. So he will be used as a center from now on, where his skill weaknesses will be limited, and his athleticism can be maxed.
Lol what? He's been playing PF for the past 3 seasons now, why would he have a weakness there.

[Milbuck]

Greece's national team coach already announced Giannis will be used as a center from now on. He said they tried using him as a PG, SG, SF, PF and he has obvious weaknesses at all those positions. So he will be used as a center from now on, where his skill weaknesses will be limited, and his athleticism can be maxed.
Yeah, not surprised Giannis can easily transition to full-time C playing against the scrub international competition. Giannis is so far and away the best Greek player of all time it's not even funny.

Gap between him and whoever is the 2nd best Greek player today (Baldnoulis?) is like the gap from KD to Shelvin Mack or some shit.

[Euroleague]

Lol what? He's been playing PF for the past 3 seasons now, why would he have a weakness there.

He can't shoot at all. That's an enormous weakness for a PF, especially in FIBA competitions, where almost every PF can hit the three at a decent rate.

[Milbuck]

For some reason, watching Giannis reminds me a lot of Corey Maggette, except Giannis is taller, a better defender and can play back to the basket much better (so bad comparison right, lol). But their dribble drive game is all about getting to the basket and getting fouled.
Meh, his game is all about getting to the basket, but not about getting fouled. he doesn't flop much at all (though I wish he would because he takes so much uncalled contact at the rim), probably by far the least of any star player. The FTA he does get is just a result of teams usually not being able to do anything with him in the paint. If he actually tried to draw fouls and sold contact constantly like Harden, Embiid, CP3, KD, etc. he might seriously average like 15 FTA per game.

[Mr.GOAT2408]

He can't shoot at all. That's an enormous weakness for a PF, especially in FIBA competitions, where almost every PF can hit the three at a decent rate.
34.5% of his 3s this year and roughly 40% of his long 2s all year after a rough start

It's a weakness but it's not as glaring as it's made out to be, hoping his jumper stays like this all year

[smoovegittar]

He is not the 'modern evolution of center' or whatever similar thing you said. He is a once in 10-15 years physical specimen. Giannises aren't gonna start taking over the league, first and foremost because 6'11" guys don't grow on trees. Then add in his athleticism on top of that.

And Porzingis has done nothing to suggest he is more than a run-of-the mill All-Star other than inspire the imagination for what he COULD be if everything breaks right.

"everything breaks right" :oldlol:

[AngelEyes]

There was a play at the end of the game when Giannis got an offensive rebound off of LeBron and then dunked it viciously. Even someone as physically imposing as LeBron James did not look like he could handle Giannis in the paint. That's how scary Giannis is, his dominance in the paint is unparalleled for a wing player, he's a great playmaker and his shot has been getting better steadily over the course of the season. I think he's going to crazy in the playoffs this year and perhaps lead Milwaukee to the finals. The last few years all he needed was a competent coach and better shooters around him. He got that in one off season and he's destroying the league even more now because of it.

[bizil]

You have results. And then u have skill level. In terms of results, Giannis has NO WEAKNESSES! LEGIT GREAT at scoring, rebounding, passing, and defending his position! In terms of skill, of course he can become a better shooter. But the bottom line is he's the total package in terms of RESULTS on the court.

If anything, he knows what he does best. The notion that EVERY SUPERSTAR needs to be an elite three point or midrange shooter is laughable. Guys like Giannis, Westbrook, Simmons, etc. have proved u can be great BY FOCUSING on what u do best! Even though he's a PF today, he's one of the those rare guys u can put at ANY POSITION and he will dominate.

[Mr.GOAT2408]

You have results. And then u have skill level. In terms of results, Giannis has NO WEAKNESSES! LEGIT GREAT at scoring, rebounding, passing, and defending his position! In terms of skill, of course he can become a better shooter. But the bottom line is he's the total package in terms of RESULTS on the court.
What makes me really optimistic about his future is that he absolutely wants it, to be the absolute best. The jumper isn't quite there (although as mentioned earlier he's been shooting well recently) but with his work ethic I have little doubt it'll be there soon. Even then, he's dominant enough to where like Shaq before him he may not truly need it, but it won't hurt of course.

Once he gets there though, game over. Perfect cell status right there, GOAT peak

[Jasper]

It's the era of position-less basketball.
your right , Curry plays center , and Couisons plays Point forward

[Euroleague]

34.5% of his 3s this year and roughly 40% of his long 2s all year after a rough start

It's a weakness but it's not as glaring as it's made out to be, hoping his jumper stays like this all year

He's an awful shooter. Those percentages are with him being left wide open by the defense.

[FKAri]

What makes me really optimistic about his future is that he absolutely wants it, to be the absolute best. The jumper isn't quite there (although as mentioned earlier he's been shooting well recently) but with his work ethic I have little doubt it'll be there soon. Even then, he's dominant enough to where like Shaq before him he may not truly need it, but it won't hurt of course.

Once he gets there though, game over. Perfect cell status right there, GOAT peak
His shot mechanics are a bit wonky. It's hard to believe he will ever become a great overall shooter. He might pull a Jason Kidd where he becomes great with his feet set but off the dribble? Not seeing it. And that's a big part of his next step evolution imo. I know y'all are talking about how he may not need it but as the primary ball handler that he is, having the ability to pull up off the dribble is too valuable to be ignored.