Kelly growing up

[rondohondo]

currently among NBA Centers KO is...


#11 PPG        (13.3)
# 5  fg %       (60%)
# 1 3pt FG % (53%)
# 5 FT %        (83%)

He is clearly a very skilled offensive player . I think his defense is improving, at least his team defense , as he appears to be in the right position on D. However, he still gets push around much to easily under the hoop . Hope he develops a mean streak . I think in an Ideal situation, he is the first big off the bench .

[Beat LA]

KO showed something last night. He is much more mobile than either Noah or Gasol and is not afraid to mix it up underneath. I really like to see him on the break where his PG skills are effective.  Oh, and he DOES have a low post game just didn't see it much last night. He can do an up-and-under move and a Dirk-like turnaround fadeaway.  You can see he hit the weight room this offseason as his guns are noticeably bigger.  He still needs to work on two things in the weight room: (1)more lower body strength so he can hold his own in the defensive low post and (2) more hand strength so he can hold onto loose balls and also not get stripped so much.

We were all just thinking the last few games that this team does better against weaker front lines (for example the Toronto game with both Valencunis and A.Johnson out) but that is not really true if Stevens does the matchups right.  He finally put KO with Zeller to match up with Noah/Gasol and it worked. I know this is a KO thread but don't you just love the Pressey-Zeller connections?  Tyler never seems to miss if he gets the ball near the rim.

Well, I'm sure that he does have those moves after watching clips of him from when he played at Gonzaga, but I can't remember him posting up more than 2-3 times during THE ENTIRE SEASON LAST YEAR lol .  I can't be the only one on here who wants to see him post up, because he might as well be a better passing version of Raef right now haha .  Get dat bootay inside .

[Bingbangbarros]

It drives me nuts how he's basically left with the scraps. He's been our most efficient shooter going back to the all-star break yet no one really seems to look for him unless he's wide open. Our offense relies on ball movement and he does a great job with that but often times he's passing up a good shot to worse players/looks. On many occasions,  players will force up a shot or not make the extra pass when he's wide open.

Maybe he's not the shooter I think he is, otherwise it's inexplicable how they really don't look to get him more shots. If he's scoring more his D won't be as much of a concern although I don't think he's nearly as bad as people think.

[D.o.s.]

His passing is more valuable than his shooting.

[Mazingerz]

Bill Walton look.....needs beard ....more tuff ness

Kelly has skills and nice balance for a 7 ft man, but some of the WNBA centers would push him around

He needs more big man attitude around the rim .   Call for the ball in the low post.  Catch and turn and dunk.  Stop with the little flips every time around the rim, that's guard play,  make their players understand ....respect me or I'll dunk on you. 

Noah has the mental tuff ness KO lacks and KO has the fine basketball touch NOAH lacks .

They need to have a lovechild 

[clover]

currently among NBA Centers KO is...


#11 PPG        (13.3)
# 5  fg %       (60%)
# 1 3pt FG % (53%)
# 5 FT %        (83%)

He is clearly a very skilled offensive player . I think his defense is improving, at least his team defense , as he appears to be in the right position on D. However, he still gets push around much to easily under the hoop . Hope he develops a mean streak . I think in an Ideal situation, he is the first big off the bench .

He's also tied (with 9 other centers) for #6 in double doubles (2) and he's #7 for steals. But I still think of him as a PF playing out of position.

[SHAQATTACK]

Very high IQ basketball player. And very skilled .

Needs truck load of self confidence to reach the next level.

Wouldn't hurt for him to just ...let go .....try out the superman cape ....for a few minutes in a game , to build up his confidence.  Call for the ball.......throw down a dunk .......establish position .

[clover]

All very encouraging. He just needs to take five more shots a game. He's our most efficient scorer, but too often he passes up open shots to give the ball to Marcus Smart, Phil Pressey, et al for lower percentage 3-pointers.

Yes.

[Meadowlark_Scal]

KO needs major CENTER training from a pro center....like Robert parrish or someone.....he plays like a 6 footer, has no idea of who or how to box out or when...doesn't know how to body.....no inside center post moves or confidence....avg rebounding....yes he got two GREAT ones last night...I know.....

[ImShakHeIsShaq]

Finally, people on board with what I have been saying most of last season!


I keep saying no one can keep shooting the way KO is, I mean, it is true if you look at the history of it BUT even when KO was putting up like 16 shots last few games of last season he was still shooting lights out. The last few games he looks less passive than he had been early this season. I think he can take as many shots as he wants to but it's on him if he does. He has a team oriented style to his game (PG) so I think getting his first doesn't come naturally to him. Someone must have told him (again) to stop being so passive b/c he looks like he's doing it. I still want him to take at least as many shots as Sully.

60%FG is nothing new for a big but it is if he's not a paint big. 53% from 3 for a 7ft IS GREAT, it would be for ANY player... we will see if it's just a long streak but he has been shooting around 50% from 3 since last mid-season. Just a beautiful stroke.

I hope he becomes the best shooting 7ft of all time. Lol but really, I just want his confidence to keep growing.

Now, someone say something to take this jinx we all put on him off of him! 

[vjcsmoke]

I love KO's game so far this season.  I think his shooting is deadly and to go along with that he has really great passing skills.  Against the Bulls he held his own against Noah and even showed some rebounding chops that really helped seal the game.

Really, I would not mind trading Jeff Green in a package to land a rim protector.  Then we could let KO focus more on scoring and perhaps becoming one of our top 2 shooting options.  I feel he could become someting special as an outside scoring big.

Yes KO still needs to improve his strength and boxout/defense technique.  But I see the Dirk-lite comparisons have a ring of truth to them these days.

http://www.basketball-reference.com/players/o/olynyke01.html

http://www.basketball-reference.com/players/n/nowitdi01.html

[Beat LA]

I love KO's game so far this season.  I think his shooting is deadly and to go along with that he has really great passing skills.  Against the Bulls he held his own against Noah and even showed some rebounding chops that really helped seal the game.

Really, I would not mind trading Jeff Green in a package to land a rim protector.  Then we could let KO focus more on scoring and perhaps becoming one of our top 2 shooting options.  I feel he could become someting special as an outside scoring big.

Yes KO still needs to improve his strength and boxout/defense technique.  But I see the Dirk-lite comparisons have a ring of truth to them these days.

http://www.basketball-reference.com/players/o/olynyke01.html

http://www.basketball-reference.com/players/n/nowitdi01.html

Aside from copying Dirk's fadeaway on one sequence in Cleveland last year, I honestly don't see the comparison.  To me, and I know that a few other people have mentioned this as well, he looks like Luis Scola with 3 point range.

[D.o.s.]

Bill Walton look.....needs beard ....more tuff ness

Kelly has skills and nice balance for a 7 ft man, but some of the WNBA centers would push him around

He needs more big man attitude around the rim .   Call for the ball in the low post.  Catch and turn and dunk.  Stop with the little flips every time around the rim, that's guard play,  make their players understand ....respect me or I'll dunk on you. 

Noah has the mental tuff ness KO lacks and KO has the fine basketball touch NOAH lacks .

They need to have a lovechild 

Olynyk's hair in Noah's bun with Noah's free throw shooting and Olynyk's facial hair.

Plz science, make this happen.

[Celtics4ever]

Post where is among defensive players, guy is horrible on D.  Nice offensive player.

He could not hold Bill Walton's jockstrap.  Bill played on both ends, and his career was marred by injuries, when he was healthy he was a top five to ten center all time.  We won't be saying that about KO.

Noah is an elite defender too, something KO is not.  That being said, he gets some steals with his basketball IQ, does the best he can, with his limited athletic ability and t rex arms.  I get a sense he is trying which I can live with.

[krumeto]

Finally, people on board with what I have been saying most of last season!


I keep saying no one can keep shooting the way KO is, I mean, it is true if you look at the history of it BUT even when KO was putting up like 16 shots last few games of last season he was still shooting lights out. The last few games he looks less passive than he had been early this season. I think he can take as many shots as he wants to but it's on him if he does. He has a team oriented style to his game (PG) so I think getting his first doesn't come naturally to him. Someone must have told him (again) to stop being so passive b/c he looks like he's doing it. I still want him to take at least as many shots as Sully.

60%FG is nothing new for a big but it is if he's not a paint big. 53% from 3 for a 7ft IS GREAT, it would be for ANY player... we will see if it's just a long streak but he has been shooting around 50% from 3 since last mid-season. Just a beautiful stroke.

I hope he becomes the best shooting 7ft of all time. Lol but really, I just want his confidence to keep growing.

Now, someone say something to take this jinx we all put on him off of him! 

My grandma used to call me "ugly" apparently to protect me from jinxes. So...

"Ugly Kelly, keep using this ugly 3p stroke of yours. Your rebounding has also been uglier lately."