Gabriel vs. Tatum

[Cat Ballou]

I think this is a very interesting comparison since it's very likely that if UK plays Duke next year, these two will be matching up against one another at the three.

I think obviously Tatum is a more polished player now, but I think Gabriel may actually have more upside. Gabriel may also be a better outside shooter, with Tatum having a better mid-range game.

 

[wcc31]

I think this thread is a complete stretch.

 

[jrpross]

Overall Tatum is definitely better right now. And probably in his one year of college too. He just knows the game of basketball very well. However Gabriel has blown up over the last 6 months. It's not impossible that he eventually becomes the better prospect. Time will tell.

 

[Smashcat]

Gabriel may have more upside but Tatum is outstanding. Can play four positions and is a born leader. Yeah, he shoots poorly from beyond the arc but can hit everything a couple of feet closer in for some reason.

 

[Backdoorcut11]

Please don't do this.

Don't respond. Don't look dumb. Gabriel is good. But Tatum is and will be better.

/thread.

 

[Backdoorcut11]

Jk.

Idk who will be better in five years.

Team Gabriel doe.

 

[5iveStarRecruit]

Lmao lets be real, If Gabriel went somewhere else, OP wouldn't think comparing him to Tatum.

+ Gabriel is a PF. Not a wing player like people have been suggesting. Too many people assume a big who shoots + is mobile can make it as a SF.

 

[Supafuzz75]

Lmao lets be real, If Gabriel went somewhere else, OP wouldn't think comparing him to Tatum.

+ Gabriel is a PF. Not a wing player like people have been suggesting. Too many people assume a big who shoots + is mobile can make it as a SF.

He may be,, but he came here to play on the wing.. That's how Cal got him here.. Everyone else was selling him on the 4 spot,, Cal sold him on the 3,, his desired position..

 

[5iveStarRecruit]

He may be,, but he came here to play on the wing.. That's how Cal got him here.. Everyone else was selling him on the 4 spot,, Cal sold him on the 3,, his desired position..

Now thats interesting. You have a source for it?

 

[Jkwo]

Now thats interesting. You have a source for it?

He said it in some interview, not sure where, but I can corroborate.

 

[Supafuzz75]

Now thats interesting. You have a source for it?

If you follow recruiting,, you'd know it.. It's been discussed for awhile.. Gabriel wants to play the sf in the league,, UK was one of the only ones offering that spot..

 

[RC_Texas]

Both are going to be good at the next level...Tatum is a prototype Duke BIG. Likes to play facing the basketball, likes the ball 15 foot from the basket. Might be asked to play more of a stretch #4 at Duke. Gabriel is tougher in the paint but has the skills to play away from the basket too. With the UK BIGS could see more action at the #3.

Gabriel turned a lot of heads this summer with his AAU play.

 

[Supafuzz75]

Now thats interesting. You have a source for it?

Here,, so you can have your source.. Read the Kentucky part.. There's more out there besides this..

http://zagsblog.com/recruiting/ahea...gabriel-meets-with-john-calipari-kevin-ollie/

 

[mj2k10]

Lmao lets be real, If Gabriel went somewhere else, OP wouldn't think comparing him to Tatum.

+ Gabriel is a PF. Not a wing player like people have been suggesting. Too many people assume a big who shoots + is mobile can make it as a SF.

I think this is right.

Gabriel might have as much upside (long-term) as Tatum, but right now, they're totally different players, and Tatum has way more advanced skills. Tatum is a perimeter based wing, a guy who can play the 2 through 4 because he's 6'8", but legitimately handles the ball like a guard. He can comfortably bring the ball up the court, even against pressure, he can initiate the offense, and he's a threat to drive from anywhere on the court. Gabriel is really a 4 who can face-up, make moves off 1 or 2 dribbles, and is becoming a threat with his jumpshot. But his real gifts are rebounding and shotblocking, because he's tall, long, and gets off the ground incredibly quickly (which is how he put up his freak rebounding numbers at Adidas Nations).

I understand why Gabriel wants to be seen as a 3- he's very skinny, and given that his background is Sudanese, there's a good chance he stays that way. I just don't know if he realistically is a 3, at least in college, any more than Trey Lyles was. You can use him there, but you're sacrificing perimeter/ballhandling ability to gain big guy stuff on the boards and D.

 

[Aike]

Now thats interesting. You have a source for it?

Also, KUbasketball23 said so. That should be enough for anybody.

 

[kentucky_wildcat_#1]

I always find it funny when fans seem to get offended if you think someone could turn out to be a better player in the future than a more well known/higher rated kid. Who knows how this could turn out. This kid has came so far in just a matter of months and with big kids like this, they seem to develope a lil later than others. This kid is rising up the rankings fast. He's obviously getting better and hasn't seen the finished product yet. I know I'm going to get many comments saying I'm crazy, but every time I've watched Tatum play, I haven't been as impressed as I thought before watching. I know he's been hyped for a long time now, but I haven't seen any signs of getting any better. Hes still the same type of player and has the same game be had his SO year of highschool. I know the group response is supposed to be "superstar", but I just don't see it with this dude. Maybe I'm wrong and he's a future NBA hall of fame, but I doubt it. He's good. A really good player. I just don't see the upside that everyone else seems to spot out.

 

[Willy4UK]

Although I'm guessing Tatum is ahead of Gabriel offensively. I like Gabriel's motor for defense. Looks like he will be nightmare on defense.

 

[Cat Ballou]

I always find it funny when fans seem to get offended if you think someone could turn out to be a better player in the future than a more well known/higher rated kid. Who knows how this could turn out. This kid has came so far in just a matter of months and with big kids like this, they seem to develope a lil later than others. This kid is rising up the rankings fast. He's obviously getting better and hasn't seen the finished product yet. I know I'm going to get many comments saying I'm crazy, but every time I've watched Tatum play, I haven't been as impressed as I thought before watching. I know he's been hyped for a long time now, but I haven't seen any signs of getting any better. Hes still the same type of player and has the same game be had his SO year of highschool. I know the group response is supposed to be "superstar", but I just don't see it with this dude. Maybe I'm wrong and he's a future NBA hall of fame, but I doubt it. He's good. A really good player. I just don't see the upside that everyone else seems to spot out.

Exactly, With Gabriel however, you see a guy who has only scratched the surface of his potential.

Will he be anywhere near the overall player Tatum is next year? No - but 5 years from now? There is a reason Cal has been all over this kid and personally recruited him. Anyway, I started this thread because assuming Cal does play this kid at the 3 next year, he would be matching up against Tatum if we play them.

Wenyen has the speed to keep up with Tatum, and he is all arms - I think he would give him fits on defense. If he gets in foul trouble, rotate him with Matthews.

 

[Son_Of_Saul]

I know Cal partially sold WG on being a three, but I feel that it will be highly unlikely that Cal uses him there in late March 2017 when he has two guys like Matthews and Mulder waiting to check into the game - guys who possess a skillset that are crucial to March success (shooting for Mulder and perimeter defense for Matthews). In fact, I think Charles Matthews starts next to Monk on the wing next year - assuming Kentucky doesn't land another stud like Alkins and assuming UK lands Monk.

Gabriel looks like he could flourish as a college 4. Lyles would have if UK had not possessed a plethora of quality bigs last year.

 

[stenchymouse]

Gabriel does seem to have something that you can't teach and that's a high motor.

With his athleticism and high motor, his ceiling appears to be VERY high!

 

[FFWhite]

Positionless basketball. Are you not drinking the cool aid?

 

[stenchymouse]

Positionless basketball. Are you not drinking the cool aid?

I totally understand the concept of what Cal is selling but I don't understand your "kool aid" comment...

 

[Aike]

There's no kool-aid involved, as the traditional ideas about what is a 3 or 4 don't necessarily hold.

Trey Lyles was usually a "3" for us last year, because he was typically on the court with 2 other bigs. But his function in our offense was completely different than a MKG, for instance.

Different still was the role of Aaron Harrison if he found himself sharing the court with his brother and Ulis.

In a dribble-drive set, you play 4 out and one in, with all 4 out guys being expected to knock down jumpers as well as penetrate. Roles are interchangeable.

I know some people think the dribble drive is more kool-aid, but Cal certainly ran it at Memphis when it fit his personnel.

Based on Cal's history, I expect him to give Wenyen every opportunity to play on the wing. Very hard to say how he takes to it until he gets here.

As for Wenyen vs. Tatum? Hopefully Wenyen does a good job staying in front of him on D if they matchup. Not concerned about the comparison beyond that.

 

[Bluegrass79]

don't worry about Tatum. I seen him play and he wont be very dominate as a freshman. Watch and see.

 

[W_Heisenberg]

 

[qwesley]

Tatum has a great feel for the game, natural scorer. Gabriel is such a wildcard due to his late development, impossible to compare other than he is, at worst, going to be an elite defender.

 

[Willy4UK]

Tatum has a great feel for the game, natural scorer. Gabriel is such a wildcard due to his late development, impossible to compare other than he is, at worst, going to be an elite defender.

Becoming defender-ready in college can take awhile. The fact Gabriel appears to be defender-ready due to his high motor has me uber excited.

 

[JFCats22]

Tatum is the elite of the elite in this class. Gabriel may get to that level someday but to compare the two of them right now is silly.

 

[RamHard]

Gabriel is a solid baller, but Tatum is the real deal. Tatum will be special, he is the kind of player that can put the team on his back.

 

[Cat Ballou]

I know Cal partially sold WG on being a three, but I feel that it will be highly unlikely that Cal uses him there in late March 2017 when he has two guys like Matthews and Mulder waiting to check into the game - guys who possess a skillset that are crucial to March success (shooting for Mulder and perimeter defense for Matthews). In fact, I think Charles Matthews starts next to Monk on the wing next year - assuming Kentucky doesn't land another stud like Alkins and assuming UK lands Monk.

Gabriel looks like he could flourish as a college 4. Lyles would have if UK had not possessed a plethora of quality bigs last year.

Wenyan is going to play a lot of 3 next year. If we play a team that has a smaller, quicker guy at the 3, that's when you bring in Matthews or Mulder. Wenyen will match up well against a bigger SF like Tatum however.

Matthews and Mulder will split a lot of time at the 2/3. If Cal lands Fox/Monk, I think we're done at the 1-2-3.

I think Cal tries to add another PF/C in the Spring if Lee looks likely to jump to NBA.

 

[Untouchables22]

Real talk....RIGHT NOW can Gabriel dribble better than either Young or Poythress could??? Because having perimeter players that can't dribble more than twice without traveling is maddening!!!

 

[TUL]

A few thoughts:

As several people have said, Tatum is considered just about the best prospect in one of the stronger classes in ages. He has performed on every stage, including internationally, and been unstoppable on all of them. He has been a top player for a good long time.

Weynan is a lot more of a recently developing guy, and a guy with a different body and skill set. Very athletic, great motor, great length, but doesn't have the same basketball skills or IQ as Tatum.

At this point just about every expert on Earth rates Tatum as the better player. Obviously that doesn't mean Gabriel ISN'T good, or won't BE good, or might not even end up a better player overall in a few years. But right now, it seems Tatum is the better player, excitement aside

As for positions in college, Tatum is not expected to be a "big," although K has spoken about ignoring the traditional roles for years. Most people expect him to slot into the SF role, which should work well given his size, athleticism, shooting ability, and ability to break down a defender off the dribble. This is especially true if Duke lands Giles, as that brings in a traditional PF while allowing for a traditional C (Jeter, Obi, Vrank, and possibly Bolden.)

Gabriel has expressed interest in being a 3, especially in the League, and in college to prepare. Some players are definitely able to do that. Others with similar bodies/skill sets, however, have taken some time to adjust... think Jon Henson and Alex Poythress. While Gabriel has excellent skills for a player his size, we obviously won't know how he will play at the 3 until he does so He could very well succeed, and succeed wildly, or he could take a little time to adapt.

 

[Cornered Weasel]

don't worry about Tatum. I seen him play and he wont be very dominate as a freshman. Watch and see.

I agree, I saw Tatum play three times at the Nike tournament in Lexington this summer. I walked away disappointed & underwhelmed by what I saw.

 

[endicott]

don't worry about Tatum. I seen him play and he wont be very dominate as a freshman. Watch and see.

Is this a parity post?

 

[Jkwo]

I know Cal partially sold WG on being a three, but I feel that it will be highly unlikely that Cal uses him there in late March 2017 when he has two guys like Matthews and Mulder waiting to check into the game - guys who possess a skillset that are crucial to March success (shooting for Mulder and perimeter defense for Matthews). In fact, I think Charles Matthews starts next to Monk on the wing next year - assuming Kentucky doesn't land another stud like Alkins and assuming UK lands Monk.

Gabriel looks like he could flourish as a college 4. Lyles would have if UK had not possessed a plethora of quality bigs last year.

The kid is what, 16/17 now? Nobody has any idea what his skill set as a 3 could potentially be 1 1/2 years from now.

Not to mention the CBS cbb guys recently called him one of the "all time" late bloomers.

And no, I'm not saying he'll be as good as Tatum by then. I doubt very much he will be - but I don't think it's at all unreasonable to say that he could have developed his skill-set by then to be high-level for a college 3.

 

[Mark Gastineau]

don't worry about Tatum. I seen him play and he wont be very dominate as a freshman. Watch and see.

I guess every national analyst was wrong about him then...

 

[Maubris]

I understand why Gabriel wants to be seen as a 3- he's very skinny, and given that his background is Sudanese, there's a good chance he stays that way.

I agree that he will probably stay Sudanese.

 

[Jkwo]

I agree that he will probably stay Sudanese.

What kind of odds you think I can get on that?

 

[Cat Ballou]

I think I read somewhere that Gabriel was 6'1" as a freshman, so he's had an immense growth-spurt. Can't wait to get him here this Summer and let Harris work on him.

I guarantee you that Cal is immensely excited about having an opportunity to work with him.

I also like that he is yet another very smart, well-spoken kid like SKJ and all the other guys we have on the team now.