Aaron Gordon or Noah Vonleh?

[BleedGreen1989]

I suppose to answer the question though, I prefer Gordon.  I loved Chad Ford's comparison to Andrei Kirilenko with Gordon.  I think it's right on.  He is a 3/4 who can always defend the other teams scoring forward, and he is a very versatile offensive player who will keep getting better.  He needs to fix his shot, but I think that can happen.

My draft day prediction based on absolutely nothing is that Aaron Gordon will begin to slide. He won't "wow" anybody with tantalizing "upside".

He will fall and a playoff team will trade into the 9-12 range and nab him up.

Kawhi Leonard 2.0

[Chris]

I suppose to answer the question though, I prefer Gordon.  I loved Chad Ford's comparison to Andrei Kirilenko with Gordon.  I think it's right on.  He is a 3/4 who can always defend the other teams scoring forward, and he is a very versatile offensive player who will keep getting better.  He needs to fix his shot, but I think that can happen.

My draft day prediction based on absolutely nothing is that Aaron Gordon will begin to slide. He won't "wow" anybody with tantalizing "upside".

He will fall and a playoff team will trade into the 9-12 range and nab him up.

Kawhi Leonard 2.0

Are you kidding?  He has AMAZING upside.  He is one of top 3 or 4 athletes in the draft (could be #1 even), has great ball skills, and is an elite defender.  He also plays for one of the top teams in the country, and is in good shape to be a major impact player in the tournament. 

Combine that with the fact that a lot of GMs LOVE his mental makeup, and I think he could actually rise on draft day. 

[footey]

neither. Gordon can't shoot. Vonleh has no post game and is poor defender against bigs.

[Tr1boy]

I suppose to answer the question though, I prefer Gordon.  I loved Chad Ford's comparison to Andrei Kirilenko with Gordon.  I think it's right on.  He is a 3/4 who can always defend the other teams scoring forward, and he is a very versatile offensive player who will keep getting better.  He needs to fix his shot, but I think that can happen.

My draft day prediction based on absolutely nothing is that Aaron Gordon will begin to slide. He won't "wow" anybody with tantalizing "upside".

He will fall and a playoff team will trade into the 9-12 range and nab him up.

Kawhi Leonard 2.0

Are you kidding?  He has AMAZING upside.  He is one of top 3 or 4 athletes in the draft (could be #1 even), has great ball skills, and is an elite defender.  He also plays for one of the top teams in the country, and is in good shape to be a major impact player in the tournament. 

Combine that with the fact that a lot of GMs LOVE his mental makeup, and I think he could actually rise on draft day.

He is so young also. Some ppl have crazy expectations.

[SHAQATTACK]

Been watching Duke steady


Would take R. Hood off Duke before either of these two.

[footey]

Vonleh's game at this stage of development = Lamarcus Aldridge

Not even close. Aldridge was much better around the hoop at Texas.

[BleedGreen1989]

I suppose to answer the question though, I prefer Gordon.  I loved Chad Ford's comparison to Andrei Kirilenko with Gordon.  I think it's right on.  He is a 3/4 who can always defend the other teams scoring forward, and he is a very versatile offensive player who will keep getting better.  He needs to fix his shot, but I think that can happen.

My draft day prediction based on absolutely nothing is that Aaron Gordon will begin to slide. He won't "wow" anybody with tantalizing "upside".

He will fall and a playoff team will trade into the 9-12 range and nab him up.

Kawhi Leonard 2.0

Are you kidding?  He has AMAZING upside.  He is one of top 3 or 4 athletes in the draft (could be #1 even), has great ball skills, and is an elite defender.  He also plays for one of the top teams in the country, and is in good shape to be a major impact player in the tournament. 

Combine that with the fact that a lot of GMs LOVE his mental makeup, and I think he could actually rise on draft day.

Eh, I think the accurate comparisons thrown around are Shawn Marion and Andrea Kirelinko.

Very solid players, even made some Allstar games, but I don't think a lousy team is gonna say "thats who I want to build my team around!"

[Chris]

I suppose to answer the question though, I prefer Gordon.  I loved Chad Ford's comparison to Andrei Kirilenko with Gordon.  I think it's right on.  He is a 3/4 who can always defend the other teams scoring forward, and he is a very versatile offensive player who will keep getting better.  He needs to fix his shot, but I think that can happen.

My draft day prediction based on absolutely nothing is that Aaron Gordon will begin to slide. He won't "wow" anybody with tantalizing "upside".

He will fall and a playoff team will trade into the 9-12 range and nab him up.

Kawhi Leonard 2.0

Are you kidding?  He has AMAZING upside.  He is one of top 3 or 4 athletes in the draft (could be #1 even), has great ball skills, and is an elite defender.  He also plays for one of the top teams in the country, and is in good shape to be a major impact player in the tournament. 

Combine that with the fact that a lot of GMs LOVE his mental makeup, and I think he could actually rise on draft day.

Eh, I think the accurate comparisons thrown around are Shawn Marion and Andrea Kirelinko.

Very solid players, even made some Allstar games, but I don't think a lousy team is gonna say "thats who I want to build my team around!"

Teams shouldn't be saying that about any player taken outside of the top 4-5 picks, even in a good draft like this.

After the top 4 guys, everyone has pretty significant questions and flaws, and you start weighing risk and reward.  Getting a guy like Kirilenko (who I think is a closer comparison than Marion, because of his ball skills), without the crippling injuries would be something most teams would LOVE to have at that point in the draft.  And if Gordon hooks up with a shooting coach before workouts, and can show any suggestion that he could improve his shot, then he has the potential to be even better than that.

He doesn't have the potential guys like Wiggins and Embiid have, but neither do the other guys on the board when Gordon will be.  He isn't THAT far behind though. 

[BleedGreen1989]

I suppose to answer the question though, I prefer Gordon.  I loved Chad Ford's comparison to Andrei Kirilenko with Gordon.  I think it's right on.  He is a 3/4 who can always defend the other teams scoring forward, and he is a very versatile offensive player who will keep getting better.  He needs to fix his shot, but I think that can happen.

My draft day prediction based on absolutely nothing is that Aaron Gordon will begin to slide. He won't "wow" anybody with tantalizing "upside".

He will fall and a playoff team will trade into the 9-12 range and nab him up.

Kawhi Leonard 2.0

Are you kidding?  He has AMAZING upside.  He is one of top 3 or 4 athletes in the draft (could be #1 even), has great ball skills, and is an elite defender.  He also plays for one of the top teams in the country, and is in good shape to be a major impact player in the tournament. 

Combine that with the fact that a lot of GMs LOVE his mental makeup, and I think he could actually rise on draft day.

Eh, I think the accurate comparisons thrown around are Shawn Marion and Andrea Kirelinko.

Very solid players, even made some Allstar games, but I don't think a lousy team is gonna say "thats who I want to build my team around!"

Teams shouldn't be saying that about any player taken outside of the top 4-5 picks, even in a good draft like this.

After the top 4 guys, everyone has pretty significant questions and flaws, and you start weighing risk and reward.  Getting a guy like Kirilenko (who I think is a closer comparison than Marion, because of his ball skills), without the crippling injuries would be something most teams would LOVE to have at that point in the draft.  And if Gordon hooks up with a shooting coach before workouts, and can show any suggestion that he could improve his shot, then he has the potential to be even better than that.

He doesn't have the potential guys like Wiggins and Embiid have, but neither do the other guys on the board when Gordon will be.  He isn't THAT far behind though.

Speaking of shooting coaches, Ron Adams has widely been touted as improving players shots like Avery Bradley and Derrick Rose.

[Mr October]

After starting this thread 3 weeks ago, i am finally ready to vote. vonleh is my guy. He is effective on both ends of the court, and is oozing with offensive potential. I think his scoring stats would be higher if his teammates actually looked for him.

Gordon on the other hand hasn't shown much on offense at all. Andrei Kirilenko was a 75% free throw shooter out of the gates and immediately scored 10.7 ppg as a 20 year old. In his young prime he was blocking 2-3 shots per game, season after season.

Gordon is a poor man's Kirilenko. Meanwhile vonleh is a bosh, horford hybrid.

[PickNRoll]

I wouldn't take either of these guys, but with a gun to my head I'd choose Vonleh based on size alone.  With some luck, he'll turn into Leon Powe.

[Fafnir]

I wouldn't take either of these guys, but with a gun to my head I'd choose Vonleh based on size alone.  With some luck, he'll turn into Leon Powe.

With luck he'll shrink 4 inches, lose the ability to shoot, and become a leaper?

[PickNRoll]

I wouldn't take either of these guys, but with a gun to my head I'd choose Vonleh based on size alone.  With some luck, he'll turn into Leon Powe.

With luck he'll shrink 4 inches, lose the ability to shoot, and become a leaper?

2 inches
Powe was never a leaper after the early injury.  Pure position rebounder.
I concede he's a much better shooter than Powe.

[Dog_Lover106]

Gee, I am on a Boston Celtics blog. I am assuming that some of you are likely from the area and are real basketball fans?

Noah Vonleh has probably played over 1000 games in the general geographical area over the last 4 years. Total gym rat.

Strangely, it appears that I am the only one on this board who has actual gotten my lazy behind in a car to go watch him play?

One of the bonuses of actually doing this are:
-It is free
-There are other really good players where Noah is playing.
-You would actually know what the heck you are talking about with regard to Noah Vonleh's game and the draft. 

Some of this player analysis is just pathetic. Sorry.

[kozlodoev]

Gee, I am on a Boston Celtics blog. I am assuming that some of you are likely from the area and are real basketball fans?

Noah Vonleh has probably played over 1000 games in the general geographical area over the last 4 years. Total gym rat.

Strangely, it appears that I am the only one on this board who has actual gotten my lazy behind in a car to go watch him play?

One of the bonuses of actually doing this are:
-It is free
-There are other really good players where Noah is playing.
-You would actually know what the heck you are talking about with regard to Noah Vonleh's game and the draft. 

Some of this player analysis is just pathetic. Sorry.

I don't watch non-pro basketball, and I'm certain there are many other people who will not go out of their way to see a random high school game (in the interest of full disclosure, I also find it ridiculous and a bit disturbing that Little League finals are on national TV).

This being said, I also find that what Vonleh did against high school players that likely go up to his shoulder is highly irrelevant. But do feel free to share some "non-pathetic" player analysis, and thanks for all the fish.