Thon Maker: The forgotten unicorn

[slightly biased bias fan]

I don't know if many people on here has been paying attention to Thon Maker since he blew up on YouTube or the Draft but this kid is going to be special.

Maker was expected to be a long term project (didn't start playing till 15) when he was drafted but has forced Kidd to play him already with his extremely hard work ethic. Maker’s best performance of the season, thus far, came against the Utah Jazz, with the big-man finishing with a career-high 12 points, five rebounds, and three blocks, while shooting 3-for-4 from beyond the arc. (Against Gobert)

https://youtu.be/NZWWUJrWEyw Maker - Jazz highlights

He entered the NBA at 205 lbs (93kg), but his incredible diet is seeing him pack on weight fast. The Australian rookie, who was selected by the Milwaukee Bucks with the 10th overall pick, has added 10 lbs (4.5kg) of muscle since joining his new team in the Summer, and that growth is expected to continue.

In a feature from Howard Beck for B/R Mag, Maker’s caloric intake was revealed as 6,000 to 7,000 a day, which is more than double what the average male consumes.

The massive caloric intake doesn’t affect Maker as much as one would assume, because of what Zell describes as ‘one of the fastest metabolisms I’ve ever seen'. According to the Bucks’ director of performance Troy Flanagan, who was previously based in Australia, Maker has the highest aerobic capacity of any player on his team.

Here is a quote from Jabari Parker about how good he thinks Maker can be; https://youtu.be/bzu2boLbgo0

Guard Jason Terry, now in his 18th NBA season, says Maker speaks with the authority of a 12-year vet. "Very rare," Terry says.

Forward Michael Beasley immediately invokes Maker's "good energy"—the kind of spirit that lifts everyone in his midst—then adds, "He's smart as hell."

And confident.

"I'm going to be an All-Star," Maker says. "I'm going to be a champion. Not just one, multiple times. I'm going to be an MVP. I'm going to be Defensive Player of the Year. Not just once, multiple times. … And the rings part is the biggest one for me. And the Hall of Fame part."

[Monkhouse]

Speaking of Unicorns...

Dragan Bender is out for the season

[DrJasper]

Man I wish we could have picked him #16 last draft, I think not alot of teams would have drafted him that early. But the Bucks had the guts, because it worked out for them with Giannis. 

[mr. dee]

He's still raw but he should make an impact once his body develops. Nevermind the age issues.

[Denis998]

Speaking of Unicorns...

Dragan Bender is out for the season

He hasn't shown much of anything anyway.

[Monkhouse]

Speaking of Unicorns...

Dragan Bender is out for the season

He hasn't shown much of anything anyway.

Neither have.

I remember talking about Thon Maker, and praising his intensity similarities on the court akin to KG, but maybe I was jumping the gun a little bit. Maker seems like a smart, and well spoken player on and off the court, but he still needs a helluva way of road to go.

[moiso]

It's great that he's a nice guy with good energy but I haven't been all that impressed with his basketball skills.

[Denis998]

Speaking of Unicorns...

Dragan Bender is out for the season

He hasn't shown much of anything anyway.

Neither have.

I remember talking about Thon Maker, and praising his intensity similarities on the court akin to KG, but maybe I was jumping the gun a little bit. Maker seems like a smart, and well spoken player on and off the court, but he still needs a helluva way of road to go.

I never put it past the bucks to draft good players, for now it just seems hes stuck on the bench being a backup to the backup

[slightly biased bias fan]

It's great that he's a nice guy with good energy but I haven't been all that impressed with his basketball skills.

You've got to remember he's played basketball for a total of 4 years in a continually growing body, that is what makes it remarkable, the fact he is even getting minutes, let alone holding his own against the best defensive centre in the league.

[IDreamCeltics]

I don't know if many people on here has been paying attention to Thon Maker since he blew up on YouTube or the Draft but this kid is going to be special.

Maker was expected to be a long term project (didn't start playing till 15) when he was drafted but has forced Kidd to play him already with his extremely hard work ethic. Maker’s best performance of the season, thus far, came against the Utah Jazz, with the big-man finishing with a career-high 12 points, five rebounds, and three blocks, while shooting 3-for-4 from beyond the arc. (Against Gobert)

https://youtu.be/NZWWUJrWEyw Maker - Jazz highlights

He entered the NBA at 205 lbs (93kg), but his incredible diet is seeing him pack on weight fast. The Australian rookie, who was selected by the Milwaukee Bucks with the 10th overall pick, has added 10 lbs (4.5kg) of muscle since joining his new team in the Summer, and that growth is expected to continue.

In a feature from Howard Beck for B/R Mag, Maker’s caloric intake was revealed as 6,000 to 7,000 a day, which is more than double what the average male consumes.

The massive caloric intake doesn’t affect Maker as much as one would assume, because of what Zell describes as ‘one of the fastest metabolisms I’ve ever seen'. According to the Bucks’ director of performance Troy Flanagan, who was previously based in Australia, Maker has the highest aerobic capacity of any player on his team.

Here is a quote from Jabari Parker about how good he thinks Maker can be; https://youtu.be/bzu2boLbgo0

Guard Jason Terry, now in his 18th NBA season, says Maker speaks with the authority of a 12-year vet. "Very rare," Terry says.

Forward Michael Beasley immediately invokes Maker's "good energy"—the kind of spirit that lifts everyone in his midst—then adds, "He's smart as hell."

And confident.

"I'm going to be an All-Star," Maker says. "I'm going to be a champion. Not just one, multiple times. I'm going to be an MVP. I'm going to be Defensive Player of the Year. Not just once, multiple times. … And the rings part is the biggest one for me. And the Hall of Fame part."

Interesting take and a good write up.  I don't agree on Maker but I can still appreciate a quality contribution to the conversations on this site.

Even though I'm not at all sold on him, I will say you did put a small - and now festering - fear in me that he's Giannis all over again.

[Boris Badenov]

"I'm going to be an All-Star," Maker says. "I'm going to be a champion. Not just one, multiple times. I'm going to be an MVP. I'm going to be Defensive Player of the Year. Not just once, multiple times. … And the rings part is the biggest one for me. And the Hall of Fame part."

Seems like a nice story, but I wonder whether he's aware that the only players in NBA history to win MVP and DPOY are Jordan, Olajuwon, David Robinson and KG.

[moiso]

"I'm going to be an All-Star," Maker says. "I'm going to be a champion. Not just one, multiple times. I'm going to be an MVP. I'm going to be Defensive Player of the Year. Not just once, multiple times. … And the rings part is the biggest one for me. And the Hall of Fame part."

Seems like a nice story, but I wonder whether he's aware that the only players in NBA history to win MVP and DPOY are Jordan, Olajuwon, David Robinson and KG.

Something must be a little off with him.  Remember when he said he was a 90% free throw shooter in high school and many celticsbloggers ran with that.  But when someone did some fact checking it was more like 70%.

[celticsclay]

I don't know if many people on here has been paying attention to Thon Maker since he blew up on YouTube or the Draft but this kid is going to be special.

Maker was expected to be a long term project (didn't start playing till 15) when he was drafted but has forced Kidd to play him already with his extremely hard work ethic. Maker’s best performance of the season, thus far, came against the Utah Jazz, with the big-man finishing with a career-high 12 points, five rebounds, and three blocks, while shooting 3-for-4 from beyond the arc. (Against Gobert)

https://youtu.be/NZWWUJrWEyw Maker - Jazz highlights

He entered the NBA at 205 lbs (93kg), but his incredible diet is seeing him pack on weight fast. The Australian rookie, who was selected by the Milwaukee Bucks with the 10th overall pick, has added 10 lbs (4.5kg) of muscle since joining his new team in the Summer, and that growth is expected to continue.

In a feature from Howard Beck for B/R Mag, Maker’s caloric intake was revealed as 6,000 to 7,000 a day, which is more than double what the average male consumes.

The massive caloric intake doesn’t affect Maker as much as one would assume, because of what Zell describes as ‘one of the fastest metabolisms I’ve ever seen'. According to the Bucks’ director of performance Troy Flanagan, who was previously based in Australia, Maker has the highest aerobic capacity of any player on his team.

Here is a quote from Jabari Parker about how good he thinks Maker can be; https://youtu.be/bzu2boLbgo0

Guard Jason Terry, now in his 18th NBA season, says Maker speaks with the authority of a 12-year vet. "Very rare," Terry says.

Forward Michael Beasley immediately invokes Maker's "good energy"—the kind of spirit that lifts everyone in his midst—then adds, "He's smart as hell."

And confident.

"I'm going to be an All-Star," Maker says. "I'm going to be a champion. Not just one, multiple times. I'm going to be an MVP. I'm going to be Defensive Player of the Year. Not just once, multiple times. … And the rings part is the biggest one for me. And the Hall of Fame part."

I thought there was concern he went through high school twice and was 4 years older than his claims?

[Surferdad]

Man I wish we could have picked him #16 last draft, I think not alot of teams would have drafted him that early. But the Bucks had the guts, because it worked out for them with Giannis. 

Yeah, I wanted him at #16 too.  Heck I researched him for #3 but clearly was too raw which is why I liked Buddy Hield.

[celticsclay]

http://www.complex.com/sports/2016/06/reddit-prove-thon-maker-older-19