Posts tagged with “cleveland cavaliers nba draft”

FREAK ATHLETICISM A SCARY TUNE FOR NBA GM’S

Sunday, 25 May, 2014

FOLLOW@cimini

The attraction of Sportscenter highlights has a brain wash effect for NBA team’s fans and in turn to NBA general managers. Busts are bound to happen but the attraction of a high flyer never goes away. had the attention of every college and the NBA while in high school.

Why? Because he made it look easy and possesses uncanny athleticism. Putting him on the court with college athletes was not an easy transition like people would have thought. He struggled just like most freshman do, but also put together solid games that caught the eyes of the media. Riveting games like the one he had against West Virginia are all reasons to draft Wiggins. As a number one pick is the question.

We all were shocked when Cleveland selected Anthony Bennett a year ago as the number one pick. This time around there would not be any head scratching with Wiggins. Can he live up to the billing and deliver with all the top prospects Cleveland has? Maybe. Time to develop just won’t be a luxury for Wiggins. What we saw a year ago with Bennett will not be replicated in Cleveland. Bennett was often times sat on the bench and did not receive proper minutes of a number one pick. Instead he looked like a project of a second round pick.

Struggles will happen for Wiggins. When they do what will be his signature basketball skill set to rely on? Likely his athleticism. His latest one step vertical leap was showcased all over social media like an art display at an exhibit. It’s social media hoopla. No different than Nik Stauskas showcasing a video of him making numerous three’s in a row, or the numerous others on youtube.

During certain games in the Big 12 conference, Wiggins athleticism did not translate to on court success. His go-to move in college was to use his foot speed to get in the lane and attack the rim. His slight frame and the NBA’s more physical nature will likely take that ability away in the NBA. That and the fact that there will be true power forward’s and centers in the lane to prevent an easy attempt. The Big 12 just did not have too many lane protectors this past season.

People expecting Wiggins to run away with rookie of the year should truly evaluate his season at Kansas. He just is not ready to be the type of rookie that Michael Carter-Williams was last year. Heading to Cleveland may darken his early career than brighten it. Just a half-season ago Kyrie Irving and Dion Waiters were in a public tantrum against each other. There likely were more players involved in the Cavaliers pointing fingers sessions.

All of Cleveland’s core and nucleus involves young players. They all want shots just like they did in college and what they’ve shown on the professional level.

The media is profiling how unique of an opportunity the Cavaliers have with getting the number one pick for the third time in four years. It’ll truly be unique when all the players end up on different teams because they couldn’t win with each other as a Cavalier.

They can’t even keep a coach. The fan base is growing anxious for a producer and may not get it.