First Look - Terrence Ross
by wolfen on Jan 15, 2012 9:49 PM CST
Email
PrintYou're thinking it's ridiculous to write about a potential draft pick just a few weeks into the NBA season. I think it's ridiculous that the Timberwolves still need a two guard, but David Kahn and those before him in the front office have jacked up the position situation so badly, that all possibilities need to be explored. It's reaching desperation time folks.
Just got done watching the good old Apple Cup - Washington U vs. Washington State. May I just say that the Husky crowd ranks right up there with the best of them. Non-stop energy and enthusiasm. For a second there I thought I was watching a wolves game ;-) But I digress. Terrence Ross. Learn it. Know it. It was my first look at the kid and I came away very intrigued. He went off for 30 points (26 in the 2nd half) and 14 rebounds. I came away thinking that THIS is what Wes Johnson SHOULD be. A 6-6 (6-7 in shoes) kid weighing 200 pounds, jumps out of the gym, shoots the lights out. I saw a couple of parallels - physique and athleticism. After that the comparisons end. After Tony Wroten refused to pass the ball to Ross in the first half, he and others turned the tables in the 2nd and decided to hand things over to the talented sophomore. Ross' main weapon is the long ball, and man is it a thing of beauty. Great elevation on the shot, great rotation, so unlike Wes Johnson's crazy knuckle ball. Ross is crafty at using screens to get open, but he can also just rise up and nail one in your face. He even posted up at the elbow and did a humongous step back 3 fade away, nothing but net. Had an awesome dunk on an alley-oop, finished the play, got fouled, and scored 3 the old fashioned way. WSU played a lot of zone so he wasn't given the chance to really take a guy off the bounce. He is a player that needs to be watched in order to determine what kind of defender he is, as well as if he does have some ability to take his man off the dribble.
Right now Terrence Ross goes #15 on the nbadraft.net mock. DraftExpress has him at 14, and they have some very good things to say about the kid. One thing I really liked from DE is this:
Ross may have knocked down some big-time shots as a freshman, but he was at his best using his athleticism at the basket. The Huskies ran more than a few set plays to free up Ross for backdoor lob passes and the talented guard earned himself some easy buckets by getting up the floor in transition and cutting to the basket. An explosive leaper, Ross can finish plays above the rim when he has any sort of space and is capable of finishing acrobatically around defenders as well. Converting 63.8% of his finishing opportunities according to Synergy Sports Technology, Ross backs up his style with substance.
What a nice combo he and Rubio would be in my opinion. A great above the rim finisher with a (at least for the one game I watched) great perimeter shot. I need to watch more of him, as well as other 2 guards that will likely be in the draft, but if one game is an indicator, if the Wolves can somehow get a pick in the 10-15 range either from some sort of trade or from Utah making the playoffs (they won again tonight), nabbing Ross could be huge.
10 comments
|
1 recs |
Do you like this story?
Comments
I honestly believe
Ellington has been playing better and better every game. And the flashes of his play reminiscent of his NC days have shown me why he was picked 28th overall. He’s coming off the screen strong and quick, and he has been very strong with the ball. His shot and release look great, and he should get the start over ridnour.
I agree that
Ellington should be starting. When everybody is healthy we SHOULD be in better shape with more options at the 2 (Webster, Lee, even Barea). Hopefully things will shake out and those players play well enough for us to deal Ridnour and other pieces for a competent wing, whether it’s a 2 guard or a SF. I like Barea as the back up point anyways. Luke’s stock should be pretty high right now you would think…
Elly probably should start over Ridnour
If only for the fact that I am likely Ridnour with Rubio less and less each game. Might be better to let Rid come off the bench as a PG/SG. Maybe this all changes when Barea gets back though.
I don't watch much college ball
the only person I’ve even watched who was intriguing was Royce White and the way he handles the ball I gotta wonder if he can play the 3 in the NBA =)
*based on a minuscule 20 minutes of Cyclone basketball and I do expect he’s probably another PF.
I've seen nearly every one of his games both this season and last
As my girl is a huge Husky basketball fan (Husky Alum) and we live in the Seattle Area.
Ross had the best game of his career yesterday. He was hitting his threes, and Wroten and Gaddy were both passing the ball. I think the game yesterday is indicative of his skills as a player. He’s a great shooter. He’s atheltic. He’s a good finisher at the rim. His weekensses which have showed throguhout his two seasons are effort on defense, creating anything off the dribble, and contributing when his shot isn’t falling. For example, in the first half, when he only had 6 points, he can become extremely passive at not looking for his shot (confidence) and because he can’t create off the dribble, dissappear for long stretches.
I think Wroten is the better pro prospect. He needs to work on his free throws and he needs to learn not to make both lazy and stupid passes at times, but he can get to the basket whenever he wants to and is a muscular 6-4 or 6-5. I would be fine with drafting him as a shooting guard to be honest. He’ll probably get drafted before Ross though, and before the Wolves would pick if the Jazz make the playoffs.
He is a lot like what Wes Johnson should be, I agree, but has the same limitations. He’s not a great a ball handler, and can’t create off the dribble, just like Wes, which is why Givony has called him more of a SF than a SG. He does have a good skillset to fit next to Rubio. As a guy who’s seen nearly all of his games, I would be comfortable taking him with the Jazz pick and seeing how he develops, but I don’t think he’s going to creep into the lottery and I don’t think he’s a savior.
Michael Beasley is a Small Forward. Derrick Williams is a Power Forward.
by Ebomb on Jan 16, 2012 9:30 AM CST up reply actions 1 recs
haven't seen him play
but that sounds dangerously like Wes Johnon.
Excellent
This is what I was looking for. Someone who has seen a lot of his games. Thanks Ebomb. My thoughts are that there are a decent number of starting 2 guards in the NBA that aren’t great shot creators, but are more shooters, rebounders, and slashers. I will be watching him intently the rest of the year to see what he can do with his handles and his defense. I will admit that watching the first half, I wasn’t that interested. Then the 2nd half came around and it was a 360. As I watched the game I was trying to like what I saw in Wroten, but he came across as a ball hog with a bad outside shot. Yes he could get to the rim, but he didn’t finish that well IMO. Wroten needs a LOT of seasoning and needs to stay in school a couple more years. Ross has a skill that can probably translate right now. Again thanks for the info.
Wroten is the Husky to get
Ross is too much like Wes.
He might even be a better Wes but still will have the same problems Wes has (getting to the basket/ball handling) which are abilities we really need out of a 2 guard
Tony Wroten is the real deal. Super big time athleticism/talent, pretty raw still, good kid, kinda like a better-person Tyreke Evans….
I don't know what an art house is, I don't know what goes on in an art house, I have never been in an art house, and I can't imagine it's any place I ever want to be.
Comments For This Post Are Closed
Secondary Sidebar
User Tools
NBA Playoffs Content Module
FanPosts
Community blog posts and discussion.
Recommended FanPosts
Recent FanPosts
In Association With
Ball Don't Lie - NBA - Yahoo! Sport
- Jrue Holiday needs to shoot more for Sixers to win, according to Doug Collins
- Create-a-Caption: Jeff Pendergraph scares his Pacers teammates
- James Harden is a cake now
- Mike Miller loses shoe, plays two possessions without it, Pacers don’t score (VIDEO)
- Larry Bird calls his Indiana Pacers ‘soft’ following the team’s physical Game 5 loss to Miami
