Tweet
• Much has been made of 19-year-old Thon Maker, who successfully petitioned the NBA to allow him in this year's Draft after he completes a year of prep school in suburban Ontario. Maker argued that his high school class graduated last year, and since he was thus a year removed from high school, he should be eligible for the Draft.
In doing so, Maker turned down offers from college basketball's elite teams (Kentucky, Kansas, Indiana, etc.), thinking the direct pipeline to the NBA would be easier than a year of college or playing abroad. But he's going to be a long-time, long term project. He's listed at 6-foot-11, 240 pounds. Very few believe the 240 part.
"He plays like a small forward, he runs like a gazelle, but he just doesn't have the skills to be effective at this level now," an Eastern Conference executive said. "The biggest thing he could have done was prep school or get a year of college under him. He's just too physically weak to compete. It's going to be more than a couple of years. I think guys forget, that even though guys have size, how skilled the guys are that have that size."
Maker, of course, has been sought after for the last several years, since he and much of his family emigrated from South Sudan via Australia when he was a boy to try and make a better life for themselves. Maker has worked very hard the last couple of years, and is getting bigger and stronger every day in Orangeville, about 45 minutes outside of Toronto.
But he will have to show NBA types that he can hold his own physically.
Maker would seem tailor made for a team with its own NBA D-League team in a nearby suburb, where he could practice with the NBA team during the days, then play with the D-Leaguers at night. This is a kid that needs to play, and play a lot, against grown men for money.
"He really has not played against top competition the last few years," a Northwest Division man said. "He's got to learn the game as well as get his body better. It's going to take him years, I think. He may not be able to get on the court and get significant minutes until his rookie contract is up, if he's a first-round pick. That's three years. I think it's going to take him a long time. Now, for a seven footer, he plays hard, and he runs the floor extremely well. The next best thing is he steps out on the floor very well and shoot jump shots. He can become a better shooter. He can become a better rebounder, shot blocker, rim protector. A team's got to have patience with him and a good strength and conditioning department."
In doing so, Maker turned down offers from college basketball's elite teams (Kentucky, Kansas, Indiana, etc.), thinking the direct pipeline to the NBA would be easier than a year of college or playing abroad. But he's going to be a long-time, long term project. He's listed at 6-foot-11, 240 pounds. Very few believe the 240 part.
"He plays like a small forward, he runs like a gazelle, but he just doesn't have the skills to be effective at this level now," an Eastern Conference executive said. "The biggest thing he could have done was prep school or get a year of college under him. He's just too physically weak to compete. It's going to be more than a couple of years. I think guys forget, that even though guys have size, how skilled the guys are that have that size."
Maker, of course, has been sought after for the last several years, since he and much of his family emigrated from South Sudan via Australia when he was a boy to try and make a better life for themselves. Maker has worked very hard the last couple of years, and is getting bigger and stronger every day in Orangeville, about 45 minutes outside of Toronto.
But he will have to show NBA types that he can hold his own physically.
Maker would seem tailor made for a team with its own NBA D-League team in a nearby suburb, where he could practice with the NBA team during the days, then play with the D-Leaguers at night. This is a kid that needs to play, and play a lot, against grown men for money.
"He really has not played against top competition the last few years," a Northwest Division man said. "He's got to learn the game as well as get his body better. It's going to take him years, I think. He may not be able to get on the court and get significant minutes until his rookie contract is up, if he's a first-round pick. That's three years. I think it's going to take him a long time. Now, for a seven footer, he plays hard, and he runs the floor extremely well. The next best thing is he steps out on the floor very well and shoot jump shots. He can become a better shooter. He can become a better rebounder, shot blocker, rim protector. A team's got to have patience with him and a good strength and conditioning department."
Comment