Everything Derozan

[Axel]

Never say never. Demar used to fling his 3s above the break from behind his head with a giant leg kick, now it's looking more like a natural extension of his closer shooting form. Same thing happened with his corner shot previously.

I said never. You bring me crow if it ever happens, cause I say never.

Hitting above the breakline at or above league average for his position. He can hit corner 3s, but until he stops shooting the above the break three, his %s are stunted. He could make better choices but I'm not hopeful.

[iblastoff]

Sure, but some are a whole lot more impressive than others. DeMar is a great trick-dunker in this type of setting, but there's more going on here - handles, explosiveness, mid-season form, and the long-ball.

Defense aside, a 3-pointer is a 3-pointer, especially shooting off the dribble. Pretty key for a guy everyone (except my sig/avatar-bet victim, muhahaha) is praying for to extend his range, .

a 3 pointer in a real game vs not a real game is a HUGE difference. ask dwight howard where he easily nails FTs in practice but can't shoot for shit when it actually matters.

not even sure what footage of 'handles' you're even talking about. his handles looked great in walmart too. who cares.

[Joey]

Demar has been using #ProveEm for years. Still waiting...

Not sure why you have such a problem with the #ProveEm hashtag. Lol I mean if it helps to motivate kids and his fans to beat the odds (which it does if you go and check out all the references to it on Twitter), then I say all the power to him. I think Demar has played with a chip on his shoulder the last little while, and #ProveEm is simply a "Shoulder Chip" in hashtag form.

Not to mention that since he started using it he has been named to the All-Star Team by the Coaches, Team USA Gold Medal Squad, Player of the Month, and helped lead his team to more wins over those 2 seasons than any other Raptor in History... but I really don't want to get into why those are really actually not even that special or impressive, as some are wont to do.

[JWash]

I will gladly eat the crow if DD does it. He could get his 3P% up if he solely took corner threes but he will never develop above the breakline range.

Shot selection is the issue more than mechanics.

Think you should be careful with that statement as it has happened before with other players.

However I agree that shot selection is huge for DD, along with his role. But as I said earlier he needs to take a page out of Bruce Bowen's book and start shooting ~90% of his 3s from the corners. It would turn him into a 35+% 3PT shooter right away. Then exchanging some of those mid-range Js for passes/drives/corner 3s would only help to further increase his efficiency.

[JWash]

Not sure why you have such a problem with the #ProveEm hashtag. Lol I mean if it helps to motivate kids and his fans to beat the odds (which it does if you go and check out all the references to it on Twitter), then I say all the power to him. I think Demar has played with a chip on his shoulder the last little while, and #ProveEm is simply a "Shoulder Chip" in hashtag form.

Not to mention that since he started using it he has been named to the All-Star Team by the Coaches, Team USA Gold Medal Squad, Player of the Month, and helped lead his team to more wins over those 2 seasons than any other Raptor in History... but I really don't want to get into why those are really actually not even that special or impressive, as some are wont to do.

Yeah I think DeRozan has #ProvedEm to an extent. Obviously he has some flaws, but the reason I like him and think he's very much worth keeping is because those flaws aren't actually related to a lack of skill so much as a combination of at times bad decision making as well as a poorly designed offensive scheme.

[Axel]

Everything Demar Derozan

Not sure why you have such a problem with the #ProveEm hashtag. Lol I mean if it helps to motivate kids and his fans to beat the odds (which it does if you go and check out all the references to it on Twitter), then I say all the power to him. I think Demar has played with a chip on his shoulder the last little while, and #ProveEm is simply a "Shoulder Chip" in hashtag form.

Not to mention that since he started using it he has been named to the All-Star Team by the Coaches, Team USA Gold Medal Squad, Player of the Month, and helped lead his team to more wins over those 2 seasons than any other Raptor in History... but I really don't want to get into why those are really actually not even that special or impressive, as some are wont to do.

From what I see, the hashtag is used as both a motivational spin (good) and a line to throw at "haters" as if it proves anything.

Maybe I'm just too old, but if DD focused on maximizing his talents (better shot selection #1) rather than proving the world with stupid Walmart videos, then he would be a much better player.

To help demonstrate my old manness, I also hate it when athletes trademark poses, sayings or anything like that. Stop worrying about your "brand" and actually win something. To me, the hashtag is similarly stupid.

Demar has talent. That's why I hate watching him play; he wastes so much of his talent with stupid decisions over and over. Since most of his stupid decisions are defended with "#ProveEm", I hate it too.

[S.R.]

Not sure why you have such a problem with the #ProveEm hashtag. Lol I mean if it helps to motivate kids and his fans to beat the odds (which it does if you go and check out all the references to it on Twitter), then I say all the power to him. I think Demar has played with a chip on his shoulder the last little while, and #ProveEm is simply a "Shoulder Chip" in hashtag form.

Not to mention that since he started using it he has been named to the All-Star Team by the Coaches, Team USA Gold Medal Squad, Player of the Month, and helped lead his team to more wins over those 2 seasons than any other Raptor in History... but I really don't want to get into why those are really actually not even that special or impressive, as some are wont to do.

Not saying this about DeMar (maybe a little), but I've never been a fan of a #ProveEm or "Haters Gonna Hate" mentality for basketball. What I see with that is young guys who haven't learned how to be teachable, they've grown up with the "me vs. the world" survival mentality and it may have gotten them through some tough life experiences or past some big obstacles, but it doesn't help much in the adult world imho (Kyle Lowry has had to learn this re: his coaches). You can be hyper competitive and be still be teachable and humble about your game. Some criticism is baseless and just haters hating, but sometimes the critics have a point. For example when you think math facts = hate e.g. DeMar - your favourite shots are your lowest percentage shots. That's a fact. That's not hate. But he (and Casey) get defensive about his game instead of adapting. "That's who he is" "Usually makes those shots" etc.

[iblastoff]

Yeah I think DeRozan has #ProvedEm to an extent. Obviously he has some flaws, but the reason I like him and think he's very much worth keeping is because those flaws aren't actually related to a lack of skill so much as a combination of at times bad decision making as well as a poorly designed offensive scheme.

skill is only half of your game. if you dont actually know when you should shoot/pass/whatever, then skill is absolutely useless. and it shouldnt take someone 6+ seasons to figure that out,especially the amount of playing time hes accumulated. that could be the 'system' or just DD being really dumb, who knows.

[Axel]

Not saying this about DeMar (maybe a little), but I've never been a fan of a #ProveEm or "Haters Gonna Hate" mentality for basketball. What I see with that is young guys who haven't learned how to be teachable, they've grown up with the "me vs. the world" survival mentality and it may have gotten them through some tough life experiences or past some big obstacles, but it doesn't help much in the adult world imho (Kyle Lowry has had to learn this re: his coaches). You can be hyper competitive and be still be teachable and humble about your game. Some criticism is baseless and just haters hating, but sometimes the critics have a point. For example when you think math facts = hate e.g. DeMar - your favourite shots are your lowest percentage shots. That's a fact. That's not hate. But he (and Casey) get defensive about his game instead of adapting. "That's who he is" "Usually makes those shots" etc.

Plus this. It's the Iverson mentality without the Iverson game to back it up.

[S.R.]

From what I see, the hashtag is used as both a motivational spin (good) and a line to throw at "haters" as if it proves anything.

Maybe I'm just too old, but if DD focused on maximizing his talents (better shot selection #1) rather than proving the world with stupid Walmart videos, then he would be a much better player.

To help demonstrate my old manness, I also hate it when athletes trademark poses, sayings or anything like that. Stop worrying about your "brand" and actually win something. To me, the hashtag is similarly stupid.

Demar has talent. That's why I hate watching him play; he wastes so much of his talent with stupid decisions over and over. Since most of his stupid decisions are defended with "#ProveEm", I hate it too.

Can I jump on the old man vent wagon? As well as brands, I hate hearing guys talk about their "legacy" now. Some 22 year old on his rookie scale deal is talking about his legacy. All the ESPN talking heads are talking about his legacy. WTF. You are paid millions of dollars to put a ball in a hole. The average person has no idea who you are. Unless you're one of the top 5 players in the league right now, the average hoops fan will no longer be thinking about you within a few years of your retirement. That's your legacy. You're not founding a religion, writing War and Peace, or emanicpating slaves. Now go back to practicing all the different ways you can put the ball in the hole! The next 82 games are coming and we demand entertainment! You're an entertainer! Legacies smh.

[JWash]

I will say this. Casey is about one of the worst coaches who could've been brought in DD's 3rd year to develop him. Has an antique understanding of the game and already had a bond with DeRozan. Has allowed him to develop a lot of bad tendencies as a player and drift away from the analytical side of the game.

I still think he's become a very good player, but more of an emphasis on the analytical approach to the game could probably put him into the top 15-20 players in the league.

[S.R.]

I will say this. Casey is about one of the worst coaches who could've been brought in DD's 3rd year to develop him. Has an antique understanding of the game and already had a bond with DeRozan. Has allowed him to develop a lot of bad tendencies as a player and drift away from the analytical side of the game.

I still think he's become a very good player, but more of an emphasis on the analytical approach to the game could probably put him into the top 15-20 players in the league.

One of my biggest hopes for a new coach this summer was the chance to see DeMar under someone else before his 2016 free agency. Oh well.

[Axel]

Can I jump on the old man vent wagon? As well as brands, I hate hearing guys talk about their "legacy" now. Some 22 year old on his rookie scale deal is talking about his legacy. All the ESPN talking heads are talking about his legacy. WTF. You are paid millions of dollars to put a ball in a hole. The average person has no idea who you are. Unless you're one of the top 5 players in the league right now, the average hoops fan will no longer be thinking about you within a few years of your retirement. That's your legacy. You're not founding a religion, writing War and Peace, or emanicpating slaves. Now go back to practicing all the different ways you can put the ball in the hole! The next 82 games are coming and we demand entertainment! You're an entertainer! Legacies smh.

We need an old man thread. Preferably on a porch with rocking chairs.

[Axel]

I will say this. Casey is about one of the worst coaches who could've been brought in DD's 3rd year to develop him. Has an antique understanding of the game and already had a bond with DeRozan. Has allowed him to develop a lot of bad tendencies as a player and drift away from the analytical side of the game.

I still think he's become a very good player, but more of an emphasis on the analytical approach to the game could probably put him into the top 15-20 players in the league.

I dunno if he could ever reach that but he could be an efficient scorer on a good team if he learned to play off ball move (use cuts). Really, DD should be able to score 15-18 PPG on fewer shots if he had done it right. Instead, he developed dribble pump pump pump pump shoot fade away jumper.

A Richard Jefferson type career (never top dog but valuable contribution) makes more sense than Top 15 player.

[SkywalkerAC]

skill is only half of your game. if you dont actually know when you should shoot/pass/whatever, then skill is absolutely useless. and it shouldnt take someone 6+ seasons to figure that out,especially the amount of playing time hes accumulated. that could be the 'system' or just DD being really dumb, who knows.

Casey really has NEEDED DeMar's production over his tenure though, even last year with the most talented roster thus far. It's only now that both have the luxury of a genuinely deep, talented roster. I think DD's a lot more coachable than he's being given credit for, you know Casey has been giving him the 'primary scorer' role for years now, and I think all that responsibility and struggle will actually pay dividends as he gets reigned in and surrounded by better players.