Sullinger : Steal of the 2012 draft

[kozlodoev]

If he can make that 3pt on a constant basis, I think he will become a similar player to Antoine Walker

1-5 last night, it is not his shot just yet.   Seems to be his pattern one hot night and few cold ones.

I think he is a better player than AW already.  Sully is much more efficient.

BTW, AW was a career .325% from 3P land if that is what you think is consistent I feel for you.

Yeah... let's not go there. His second season, Walker averaged 22/10/3 with 1.7 steals as a 21 year old -- while playing 40 minutes a night. The team had 33 wins with a roster where the second and the third most important players were Ron Mercer and Walter McCarty. Remember, that was the year in which Andrew DeClercq got 49 (!!!) starts.

Toine took way too many threes for his own good, and is entirely responsible for his slow regression in playing style and attitude, but Jared Sullinger will never be confused for Antoine Walker in terms of talent.

Let's not ignore how inefficient he was though, 42 FG%, 48 TS%, 45 eFG% while taking 20 shots a game.

Sully is vastly more efficient, coming off a back surgery no less. PER 36, his numbers are better across the board, except points per game which is just 1 point less.

And his 3 point shooting doesn't equate for his inefficiency, maybe in later years, but not early on. As it was, he was shooting the 3 nearly at the same rate that Sullinger was... well, maybe even a less rate if you consider the percentage of FGA that were 3 pointers.

Yes, because let me repeat -- Ron Mercer and Walter McCarty were #2 and #3 in minutes played on this team. Sullinger may be more "efficient" (whatever that's supposed to mean, since Sullinger is clearly not as dynamic defensive presence or offensive facilitator as Walker), but this year's team has better talent than the 97-98 Celtics, and may end up with fewer wins.

[Birdman]

Got to stay healthy

[BudweiserCeltic]

If he can make that 3pt on a constant basis, I think he will become a similar player to Antoine Walker

1-5 last night, it is not his shot just yet.   Seems to be his pattern one hot night and few cold ones.

I think he is a better player than AW already.  Sully is much more efficient.

BTW, AW was a career .325% from 3P land if that is what you think is consistent I feel for you.

Yeah... let's not go there. His second season, Walker averaged 22/10/3 with 1.7 steals as a 21 year old -- while playing 40 minutes a night. The team had 33 wins with a roster where the second and the third most important players were Ron Mercer and Walter McCarty. Remember, that was the year in which Andrew DeClercq got 49 (!!!) starts.

Toine took way too many threes for his own good, and is entirely responsible for his slow regression in playing style and attitude, but Jared Sullinger will never be confused for Antoine Walker in terms of talent.

Let's not ignore how inefficient he was though, 42 FG%, 48 TS%, 45 eFG% while taking 20 shots a game.

Sully is vastly more efficient, coming off a back surgery no less. PER 36, his numbers are better across the board, except points per game which is just 1 point less.

And his 3 point shooting doesn't equate for his inefficiency, maybe in later years, but not early on. As it was, he was shooting the 3 nearly at the same rate that Sullinger was... well, maybe even a less rate if you consider the percentage of FGA that were 3 pointers.

Yes, because let me repeat -- Ron Mercer and Walter McCarty were #2 and #3 in minutes played on this team. Sullinger may be more "efficient" (whatever that's supposed to mean, since Sullinger is clearly not as dynamic defensive presence or offensive facilitator as Walker), but this year's team has better talent than the 97-98 Celtics, and may end up with fewer wins.

Yet, his efficiency throughout pretty much his entire career remained largely unchanged irrespective of the roster, with few outliers.

Well, I guess 42 FG%, a 48 TS% is something to root for... I'll take my chances with a 49 FG% and 55 TS% player, who's a better rebounder and who's defense I don't care to underrate (and I'll take over Walker's any day of the week).

[DarkAzcura]

If he can make that 3pt on a constant basis, I think he will become a similar player to Antoine Walker

1-5 last night, it is not his shot just yet.   Seems to be his pattern one hot night and few cold ones.

I think he is a better player than AW already.  Sully is much more efficient.

BTW, AW was a career .325% from 3P land if that is what you think is consistent I feel for you.

Yeah... let's not go there. His second season, Walker averaged 22/10/3 with 1.7 steals as a 21 year old -- while playing 40 minutes a night. The team had 33 wins with a roster where the second and the third most important players were Ron Mercer and Walter McCarty. Remember, that was the year in which Andrew DeClercq got 49 (!!!) starts.

Toine took way too many threes for his own good, and is entirely responsible for his slow regression in playing style and attitude, but Jared Sullinger will never be confused for Antoine Walker in terms of talent.

Let's not ignore how inefficient he was though, 42 FG%, 48 TS%, 45 eFG% while taking 20 shots a game.

Sully is vastly more efficient, coming off a back surgery no less. PER 36, his numbers are better across the board, except points per game which is just 1 point less.

And his 3 point shooting doesn't equate for his inefficiency, maybe in later years, but not early on. As it was, he was shooting the 3 nearly at the same rate that Sullinger was... well, maybe even a less rate if you consider the percentage of FGA that were 3 pointers.

Yes, because let me repeat -- Ron Mercer and Walter McCarty were #2 and #3 in minutes played on this team. Sullinger may be more "efficient" (whatever that's supposed to mean, since Sullinger is clearly not as dynamic defensive presence or offensive facilitator as Walker), but this year's team has better talent than the 97-98 Celtics, and may end up with fewer wins.

Eh the NBA was very meh in general in the late 90s despite popular belief. The late 90s into around 2003 is some of the weakest NBA ball there has been probably. Lots of chuckers and teams trying to emulate MJ and the Bulls. Expansion teams still getting their feet wet. Poor management across the board. So basically you can't just equate talent from '97 and now to try to compare the teams. We have more talent than that '97 team but relative to the league? Probably about the same.

I dunno, though. I could be wrong because the East was much stronger than what it is nowadays.

[GreenWarrior]

like Charles Barkley says by the end of the season, no matter who you are you're going to shoot 35% from 3 pt. range AT BEST.

to me that's not a big enough pay off with sullinger shooting 3's.

brad stevens encouraging this is the 1st flaw in his coaching that I see. sullinger is our best rebounder and he's out on the 3 pt line? it seems like common sense to have him down low.

[Tr1boy]

Very interesting quote I stumbled upon. This was quoted just before the draft last year...

When asked to compare his game to that of a current professional, Sullinger had the following to say:

“Elton Brand,” he told HoopsWorld.com. “But I think I’m different because I like to play with my back to the basket more.  I love to play back to the basket.  But I can face up and shoot the jumpshot as well.”

Despite the differences in their games, Sullinger would be thrilled to put together a career that mirrored that of the longtime Clipper and Sixer.

“Elton Brand was 6-8,” he said.  “People said he couldn’t jump, people said he wouldn’t be able to adjust to the NBA.  All of the sudden, he’s an all-star, he’s developed a jump shot, he’s averaged 20 and 10 some years.  Elton Brand is a great basketball player.”

Elton brand was also drafted the 1st pick overall. Cmon sully lol. Well if bcomes anywhere good and consistent as brand , danny hit a jackpot

[Smitty77]

Here are the current efficiency ratings for most of the 2012 first round, excluding Meyers Leonard (who is a +21 but has ONLY played in 3 games and a total of ONLY 21 minutes) and where they were drafted is in parentheses:

1. Anthony Davis (1) - 28.40
2. Andre Drummond (9) - 21.30
3. John Henson (14) - 19.80
4. Jered Sullinger(21) - 19.30
5. Terrence Jones (18) - 19.10
6. Damian Lillard (6)- 18.60
7. Andrew Nicholson (19) - 17.60
8. Miles Plumlee (26) - 15.30
9. Jeremy Lamb (12) - 14.90
10. Dion Waters (4) - 14.20
11. Bradley Beal (3) - 13.70
12. Harrison Barnes (7) - 13.20
13. Thomas Robinson (5) - 12.80
14. Austin Rivers (10) - 12.60
15. Michael Kidd-Gilchrist (2) - 12.30
16. Moe Harkless (15) - 11.30
17. Terrence Ross ( - 11.20

As you can see, Houston would have a close argument with Jones, especially since he just began starting recently and I believe that the Suns might have a strong argument with Plumless who was drafted at 26.

Smitty77

[kozlodoev]

Well, I guess 42 FG%, a 48 TS% is something to root for... I'll take my chances with a 49 FG% and 55 TS% player, who's a better rebounder and who's defense I don't care to underrate (and I'll take over Walker's any day of the week).

Not that you have much choice. No-one is offering you a swap of the 98-99 Walker for Sullinger.

Of course, your argument is also applicable for Jeff Green vs Paul Pierce circa 02-04, and we all know how this turned out.

[BudweiserCeltic]

Well, I guess 42 FG%, a 48 TS% is something to root for... I'll take my chances with a 49 FG% and 55 TS% player, who's a better rebounder and who's defense I don't care to underrate (and I'll take over Walker's any day of the week).

Not that you have much choice. No-one is offering you a swap of the 98-99 Walker for Sullinger.

Of course, your argument is also applicable for Jeff Green vs Paul Pierce circa 02-04, and we all know how this turned out.

Yeah, not really that applicable.

[hwangjini_1]

Rarely have seen him getting blocked downlow now.

"Rarely" as in "only" three times on 18 shots today? That's 17% of his shots. For comparison, Glen Davis got blocked on 11% of his shot attempts last season.

and for more info (but only a little since i dont have time to do much research right now) sully stats on being blocked are:

13% of his jumpers are blocked.
18% of his "close" shots are blocked.

for comparison, league wide for all centers:

6.9% of jumpers are blocked
15.4% of "close" shots are blocked.

so, actually it is sully's jumper that is being whacked around by opponents so far. his percentage of "close" shots is higher than the league average, but not dramatically so.

given that the league average center is 6'10" and sully is at best 6'9" and doesnt jump very high i really expected a higher percenetage of his close shots to be swatted away.

i suppose this is the price to pay for a center who is like sully. but worth it given his over all skills.

[Interceptor]

Sullinger may be more "efficient" (whatever that's supposed to mean, since Sullinger is clearly not as dynamic defensive presence or offensive facilitator as Walker)

Sully also doesn't have an embarrassing FT%. He's just in "raised eyebrow" LBJ territory. AW was more like Rondo is now.

[hwangjini_1]

like Charles Barkley says by the end of the season, no matter who you are you're going to shoot 35% from 3 pt. range AT BEST.

to me that's not a big enough pay off with sullinger shooting 3's.

brad stevens encouraging this is the 1st flaw in his coaching that I see. sullinger is our best rebounder and he's out on the 3 pt line? it seems like common sense to have him down low.

i see your point, but there is another way to consider this besides percentages alone.

for example, in 2012-13 for the nba average teams made 45.3% of their field goal attempts. meaning, for every 100 fg they shot, they scored 90.6 points. (2 x 45.3)

in 2012-13 for the nba the average team made 35.9% of their three pointers. meaning, for every 100 3 pts they shot, they made 107.7 points. (3 x 35.9)

right now this season, sully is shooting 3 pointers at a 31.8% clip, or, 95.4 points per 100 shots taken. i think stevens believes that sully can probably do even better than that and wants him to improve this year by gaining experience.

by the way, this is why today in the nba long 2 point attempts (think bass and bradley) are considered the LEAST efficient way of scoring and teams practically invite other teams to take them.

[BballTim]

Rarely have seen him getting blocked downlow now.

"Rarely" as in "only" three times on 18 shots today? That's 17% of his shots. For comparison, Glen Davis got blocked on 11% of his shot attempts last season.

  Sullinger's a more efficient shooter/scorer than Davis. Davis struggled significantly with being blocked when he was younger as well.
 

[Celtics4ever]

No matter who you are you're going to shoot 35% from 3 pt. range AT BEST.

This isn't even remotely true based on what?    I call BS on this one and here is the proof:

http://www.basketball-reference.com/leaders/fg3_pct_career.html

There are 180 guys who shot better than .35% for their career.  There are numerous bigs on this list.

[Tr1boy]

Reading his wiki profile, some interesting accomplishments and ranking

He was rated as the number 2 player in the class of 2010 in the ESPNU 100[1] the number 4 player by Scout.com,[2] and the number 5 player by Rivals.com.[3] In his senior year, Sullinger led Northland High School to a 21-0 season and a #1 national ranking. He averaged 24.5 points and 11.7 rebounds for the season.[4] Sullinger played in the 4th annual Boost Mobile Elite 24 Hoops Classic.[5]
Sullinger was selected to play in the 2010 McDonald's All-American Game in Columbus, Ohio,[6] where he was named co-MVP with Harrison Barnes.[7] He was also selected to play in the 2010 Nike Hoop Summit at the Rose Garden in Portland, Oregon[8] and the 2010 Jordan Brand Classic at Madison Square Garden in New York.[9]
On March 10, 2010, Sullinger won the James A. Naismith Award, which goes to the boys basketball player of the year.[4]

Before college he won a ton of crap i didn't know about it. In college he helped his team to the final 16 in his freshman year and final 4 in his sophmore year.  The kid is a winner. I hope he helps us get back to being a contender soon.