I have raised this topic on a few other occasions, but some people are either uninformed or just don't understand the difference between being a good college player and an NBA player of even average ability. Booker is a great HORSE player and could play with the likes of Reggie Miller, Ray Allen, Larry Byrd, MJ, Kobe, Louie Dampier and any other great shooters that come to mind. But to play in the NBA, you have to be ATHLETIC enough to create your own shot and strong enough to take the poundings every night that are commonplace in the NBA. I think Devin is a great open shooter, plays smart bb, has improved into an above average college defender, and has shown a remarkable maturity for a frosh. On the other hand, he is one of the poorest rebounding guards I have seen, averaging about 1 rebound or maybe even less per game, and that's even worse than it sounds considering he's a 6'6'' guard. That has a lot to do with his lack of strength and the fact that he's never been asked to deal with playing through contact.
My second point, aside from the fact that he lacks the strength to avoid being literally abused in the NBA, is that Devin rarely drives the ball ALL THE WAY to the rim. He takes an occasional pull up shot and anything wide open from the perimeter, but to play in the NBA you must have the athletic ability, especially at the SG position, to create your own shot. Devin hit one very timely step back 3-pointer against Bama, but aside from that, he rarely takes any shots that are not open 3-Point looks. He needs to be open and not only that, but Cal rarely runs plays that are designed to get him wide open looks. How often do you see him come off the curl and bomb away as Jeff Sheppard did in 1998 when UK suddenly started playing well enough to go ahead and win the whole thing? If Cal believed that Devin could create his own shot, ala Derek Anderson, Kidd-Gilchrist, Brandon Knight, John Wall and Erik Bledsoe for example, does anyone seriously believe that he would hold Devin back and refuse to allow such a great shooter to take more shots that would help the team?
As though I need to mention anything more, I want those people who say that any UK frosh playing well is a certain OAD (which has hardly been the case) to listen to what Devin's father has said on more than one occasion in the clearest possible terms. Devin, according to his father who was an excellent player in his own right at Missouri, will not, and I repeat, WILL NOT be leaving for the NBA after his freshman year at UK. Either Mr Booker is an outright liar which I have no reason to believe, or he is telling the truth. If it's the latter, I would hope that those who continually predict that all UK freshmen who are meeting or exceeding expectations will be OAD's will put a lid on those ill-advised threads and actually think about their comments before posting them. Devin isn't ready, he and his father know that, and I have yet to hear any credible bb analyst, NBA GM or scout, or even any knowledgeable commentator say otherwise. Remember how Lamb and Jones were certain to leave after their freshmen year? And wasn't Willie absolutely certain to go pro after he was injured in the NCAA tournament last year? Weren't the Harrisons and Dakari certain to leave after the loss to Uconn last year in the final? According to our dogmatic experts on this board, none of them were coming back. I might point out that those prognosticators win either way. If we lose the players, we all hear that 'I told you so' refrain. If they end up returning, they can then say how overjoyed they are to be wrong. Of course most of them would prefer to avoid the conversation altogether and hope like hell that none of us remember their absurd predictions.
I hope Devin continues to make the huge strides he has already made and if he were to become NBA ready in terms of both strength and athleticism before the NCAA tournament, nothing would please me more. I hope he develops into one of the greatest shooting guards the NBA has ever seen and wish him all the best no and in the future. I just don't believe that there is any credible evidence to support those who continually claim he will be playing somewhere other than at UK next season. Moreover, all the credible evidence that exists to date suggests that he will be sporting the same blue and white for at least one more year.
My second point, aside from the fact that he lacks the strength to avoid being literally abused in the NBA, is that Devin rarely drives the ball ALL THE WAY to the rim. He takes an occasional pull up shot and anything wide open from the perimeter, but to play in the NBA you must have the athletic ability, especially at the SG position, to create your own shot. Devin hit one very timely step back 3-pointer against Bama, but aside from that, he rarely takes any shots that are not open 3-Point looks. He needs to be open and not only that, but Cal rarely runs plays that are designed to get him wide open looks. How often do you see him come off the curl and bomb away as Jeff Sheppard did in 1998 when UK suddenly started playing well enough to go ahead and win the whole thing? If Cal believed that Devin could create his own shot, ala Derek Anderson, Kidd-Gilchrist, Brandon Knight, John Wall and Erik Bledsoe for example, does anyone seriously believe that he would hold Devin back and refuse to allow such a great shooter to take more shots that would help the team?
As though I need to mention anything more, I want those people who say that any UK frosh playing well is a certain OAD (which has hardly been the case) to listen to what Devin's father has said on more than one occasion in the clearest possible terms. Devin, according to his father who was an excellent player in his own right at Missouri, will not, and I repeat, WILL NOT be leaving for the NBA after his freshman year at UK. Either Mr Booker is an outright liar which I have no reason to believe, or he is telling the truth. If it's the latter, I would hope that those who continually predict that all UK freshmen who are meeting or exceeding expectations will be OAD's will put a lid on those ill-advised threads and actually think about their comments before posting them. Devin isn't ready, he and his father know that, and I have yet to hear any credible bb analyst, NBA GM or scout, or even any knowledgeable commentator say otherwise. Remember how Lamb and Jones were certain to leave after their freshmen year? And wasn't Willie absolutely certain to go pro after he was injured in the NCAA tournament last year? Weren't the Harrisons and Dakari certain to leave after the loss to Uconn last year in the final? According to our dogmatic experts on this board, none of them were coming back. I might point out that those prognosticators win either way. If we lose the players, we all hear that 'I told you so' refrain. If they end up returning, they can then say how overjoyed they are to be wrong. Of course most of them would prefer to avoid the conversation altogether and hope like hell that none of us remember their absurd predictions.
I hope Devin continues to make the huge strides he has already made and if he were to become NBA ready in terms of both strength and athleticism before the NCAA tournament, nothing would please me more. I hope he develops into one of the greatest shooting guards the NBA has ever seen and wish him all the best no and in the future. I just don't believe that there is any credible evidence to support those who continually claim he will be playing somewhere other than at UK next season. Moreover, all the credible evidence that exists to date suggests that he will be sporting the same blue and white for at least one more year.
