SIAP: New Thon Maker Mixtape
- Thread starter JWat_
- Start date
Mixtapes don't highlight the holes in player's games. But if you watched that video and don't see the potential of what could be, I don't know what to tell you.
He has deficiencies. But to be more than 7 ft tall, in high school, and that skilled, he's special.
Coming up, he was repeatedly compared to KD, and it's not too difficult to see why.
He has deficiencies. But to be more than 7 ft tall, in high school, and that skilled, he's special.
Coming up, he was repeatedly compared to KD, and it's not too difficult to see why.
It's not difficult to see why he would casually be compared to KD - he's a 7 footer with a crossover who takes jumpers.
But being able to do something passably is slightly different than being the best in the world at it.
High school Kevin Durant was the best high schooler in the world at scoring the ball, including all the 6'6 shooting guards and SFs out there. It wasn't "he's good for a big", it was "he's the best wing out there, and he happens to be as tall as an NBA big".
High school Thon Maker superficially resembles a wing with his dribbling and shooting, but he's not even close to as dangerous scoring outside the paint as the top SGs and SFs.
The times I've watched him I haven't been all that impressed. Nice mix-tape though.
Looks good in youtube mixtapes, but I thought he looked soft and hesitant when I saw him in actual games.
Had he signed with this group..........we would be set for 9 . we could still get it. But his def would be stellar.
Who was that one PG's mixtape that everyone freaking out over when BCG was coach?? Those were the days!
Hunter McClintock baby! We could still land him! He's an under the radar second coming of Pistol Pete! Check out these moves!
I think he's worth a scholarship and hoping Cal can make him tougher and more aggressive in games. Has crazy potential.
Looks, yeah. But plays? Ehh...
Kevin Garnett was skinny, but he was an elite rebounder and defender almost from the second he hit the pros. And within a few years, he was one of the best passing big guys in the league. Can Maker do any of that?
As for the other Kevin some people want to compare Maker to, is Maker going to come into the college game and shoot 82/203 from 3? Maker "can" hit some 3's, whereas Kevin Durant could shoot better than almost anyone.
Maker certainly has a lot of potential, but there's a reason that scouts are rating him behind the obvious studs of the 2016 class, and why they're not tripping over themselves to proclaim him the next coming of Garnett or Durant.
It's not a good comparison in terms of either talent or style.
I understand the distinction you're making, and you're right that two players don't have to be of equal skill for a style comparison to be made.
But Thon is mediocre at most of the essential skills that define KD by wing standards. The novelty is that he doesn't totally blow at them, unlike most bigs.
To have a style comparison to KD, you don't have to have the best wing skills of any player in the country at 6'10. But you have to be at least worthy of comparison to nationally ranked wings in these areas - and Thon isn't.
He's a super-mobile big with some ball skills whose money will come as a post player who is capable of stretching defenses. And there's nothing wrong with that description - AD is the ultimate form of the player I just described, and is dangerous from every range. He can cross people over, etc, but he doesn't play like KD or T Mac, both of whom are around his height. And Thon won't be able to, either, against top level competition.
While I don't personally consider him KD-esque, I still think it was an easy comparison when he came into high school for those reasons that you mentioned. He has handles, a jumpshot, and a ridiculously long, skinny, and athletic frame.
In his defense, I will say that that Thon is taller than 7 ft without shoes, while T Mac is likely 6'7 and KD 6'8 - though KD does freakishly have longer arms.
And as far as him not being able to do that against elite competition, you know that is Bam Adebayo that he puts on his ass before nailing a step back three at 2:30 in that vid, right?
There's no chance he stays in college for more than one year. But if WCS went from where he started to 6th overall pick in 3 years, imagine what Kenny Payne could do with Thon in 2.
I don't know the combine numbers for T Mac, but KD was 6'9 in bare feet at the pre draft camp and most people agree he has grown at least an inch since then - so if he's not 7 foot on the court, he's not more than an inch off.
But yeah, I'd agree that Thon is probably a little taller. So it would be very tantalizing if he did have wing skills comparable to an elite HS wing...
But him taking a high school big (even a high level one) off the dribble is exactly the distinction I'm talking about.
Would any wing in the country brag about crossing over Bam Adebayo? Of course not. Bam is a great big. And Thon is a great big who is too quick for most high school level bigs to guard consistently, but:
high school is not college is not pro (totally possible Bam doesn't make the league or is a scrub), and
crossing over a big =/= crossing over a wing.
On the other hand, KD can cross over anybody on the planet, including the likes of MKG.
Look at the ball skills of the players from Thon's class - we can start naming the players who will eventually be able to take MKG or Tony Allen or Iguodala type defenders off the dribble. Monk, Fox, Tatum, Jackson, etc - Thon would be absolutely embarrassed in a skills comp with these guys. Even an average perimeter defender in the league is 20x better than Bam will ever be in that aspect. That's why if he makes it to the league (and probably even in college), coaches are gonna stick him under the basket and develop his post moves, and let him wander out only when it makes sense (eg. taking advantage of a big, lumbering seven foot defender).
That's all definitely true. He definitely doesn't have guard skills in that highest regard, and especially not compared to NBA competition at 18. But, college wise, I think he could become a deadly option in PnR situations due to his ability to make a play/create his own shot - having the wingspan of a small plane helps too.
I don't think he is one of the best players in the class, but I do think he is one of the better prospects.
My biggest thing though, everyone is talking Jarrett Allen and Bolden right now for our last push at landing another big in the 16 class - writing off any hopes at Giles/Bam. And while I think those two would be good, I really don't think they hold a candle to Thon, solely because of the upside of that skill set.
He's also a Junior who can do those things.
Some of you are insane. This is a 7'....so it is a big deal. He can keep improving it. Of course that's assuming right guidance and coaching. This video shows otherworldly potential, which doesn't mean he'll achieve it. It just means it's there.
Some of you are insane. This is a 7'....so it is a big deal. He can keep improving it. Of course that's assuming right guidance and coaching. This video shows otherworldly potential, which doesn't mean he'll achieve it. It just means it's there.
It looked like most of his dunks and break aways were against 10 year olds. Of course being 7ft everyone looks short. However at the next level he will be fighting amongst trees most nights so easy points will be hard to come by.
Also 1/4 of his blocks in that video will be called Goal tending in collage.In his little back to the basket drop step spin, he uses that chicken wing to get by the defender, again that will be a foul here. All of those threes and outside shots he takes will not be used here, Cal makes his bigs play inside for most of the season, so while it's nice he can shoot from 20ft, it will be under utilized here.
So while I want all of the talent possible I don't agree that he is the missing piece to #9. If this is his spruced up mixtape then I see
him more as a project than potential #1 player in the class.
BTW that crossover will be eaten alive in college. As a 7 footer the ball travels to far in a single dribble for the fast hands of defenders at this level not to interfere.
To end on a positive note however. He doesn't seem to foul when blocking shots so he has nice body control and he is a willing/good passer.
Also 1/4 of his blocks in that video will be called Goal tending in collage.In his little back to the basket drop step spin, he uses that chicken wing to get by the defender, again that will be a foul here. All of those threes and outside shots he takes will not be used here, Cal makes his bigs play inside for most of the season, so while it's nice he can shoot from 20ft, it will be under utilized here.
So while I want all of the talent possible I don't agree that he is the missing piece to #9. If this is his spruced up mixtape then I see
him more as a project than potential #1 player in the class.
BTW that crossover will be eaten alive in college. As a 7 footer the ball travels to far in a single dribble for the fast hands of defenders at this level not to interfere.
To end on a positive note however. He doesn't seem to foul when blocking shots so he has nice body control and he is a willing/good passer.
