A year and a half ago I set up a draft game for the 2012 draft that omitted the name of the draftee and focused on the skill sets that different websites and scouts were highlighting. Andre Drummond was winner of the "Would you rather" tournament pick'em and the thread closed with my comment:
Although we picked Drummond, I remember a bunch of us being really high on Ross because of what he brought on paper (didn't have the high profile name that Rivers had, but could shoot, defend, pass). It seems others are taking notice now after the 51... here are some clips from a recent article from Realgm:
Here's the rest of the article: link It's a decent read, with a tad bit of over-optimism for me.
I remember at the time of the draft someone on Raps Republic compared him to Latrell Sprewell (sans attitude). What are the comparisons now?
Could be dynamic (refering to JV and Drummond together)... but it looks like Drummond will be going a lot higher than 8th.
Coming into the draft, while he was well-regarded by many talent evaluators, his name never rung out among even hardcore NBA fans. After Florida made a run to the Elite Eight, freshman Bradley Beal was widely seen as the top 2-guard available. Ross had less profile than Austin Rivers, who played for Duke, had a famous father and hit a buzzer-beater over Tyler Zeller on national TV. Ross was just another name in one of the best crops of SG’s in many years.
Every member of their 9-man rotation, as well as Dwane Casey, deserves some credit for that, but Ross has more than done his part. In 18 games as a reserve, he averaged six points and two rebounds on 41 percent shooting. In 27 games as a starter, he is averaging 13 points, four rebounds, one assist and one steal on 42 percent shooting. While most players get less efficient in a bigger role, Ross’ efficiency has increased, an indication he is getting more comfortable in the NBA.
And while Ross is shooting 41 percent from deep on 4.7 three-pointers per game, he is more than just a shooting specialist. He has the quickness to beat his defender off the dribble and he is one of the best finishers in the NBA, as Manimal found out on Friday. Unlike most scoring guards, Ross is unselfish enough to move the ball and not hunt for shots. He takes what the game gives him; he’s Kyle Korver with the ability to put the ball on the ground and a 40’ vertical.
Ross gets points as easy as any guard in the NBA, although you wouldn’t always know it even from his breakout season, since he still shares the ball with DeRozan and Kyle Lowry. It’s no coincidence that his break-out game last week, when he dropped 51 points on the Los Angeles Clippers, came on a night when DeRozan was limited after rolling his ankle. Ross needed only 29 shots to get 51, scoring from every part of the floor with absolute ease.
Ross gets points as easy as any guard in the NBA, although you wouldn’t always know it even from his breakout season, since he still shares the ball with DeRozan and Kyle Lowry. It’s no coincidence that his break-out game last week, when he dropped 51 points on the Los Angeles Clippers, came on a night when DeRozan was limited after rolling his ankle. Ross needed only 29 shots to get 51, scoring from every part of the floor with absolute ease.
Over the last generation, many of the league’s best shooting guard prospects have been undone by getting too much too soon. Ross has been the exact opposite, an All-NBA talent forced to pay his dues and learn the game at every stop of the way. Now after a three-year apprenticeship, he is starting to come into his own. In three years, when he’s 25, he will be one of the best SG’s in the NBA. He’s Paul George in 2011, a young role player on the cusp of stardom.
I remember at the time of the draft someone on Raps Republic compared him to Latrell Sprewell (sans attitude). What are the comparisons now?
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