TJD made six of eight shots from the field, and his season field goal percentage dropped.
- Thread starter Bippy
- Start date
He was absolutely brilliant against Xavier.
I have no doubt that he will be a first team AA and perhaps the best college player this year. As a college player he is unstoppable, and scores at will. Why should he even attempt to expand his game away from the basket? He has improved, you don’t see him missing bunnies any longer (though he has not faced the type of post defenders that gave him issues last year)
Ironically, the longer he plays college basketball, the better he is as a college player and the further he may be from the NBA. I see the possibility that he is a much better college player and his draft stock slips. I will predict he’s back next year, making another $ million plus from IU boosters.
I have no doubt that he will be a first team AA and perhaps the best college player this year. As a college player he is unstoppable, and scores at will. Why should he even attempt to expand his game away from the basket? He has improved, you don’t see him missing bunnies any longer (though he has not faced the type of post defenders that gave him issues last year)
Ironically, the longer he plays college basketball, the better he is as a college player and the further he may be from the NBA. I see the possibility that he is a much better college player and his draft stock slips. I will predict he’s back next year, making another $ million plus from IU boosters.
Why would his draft stock slip if he's showing better shooting touch and more aggressiveness on the offensive boards? He's a better version of the player who was projected to be on the margin of the first round last year.
I was telling someone the same thing. Why would you leave? At this point he is what he is and he can likey make more at IU for one more year.
given his circumstances, that guy can really play.
Purdue trolls will stay say "he can't shoot outside 5 feet" and that he is the same player as he was as a freshman and it couldn't be further from the truth. True he hasn't developed that patented mid-range jump shot, but his face up game has not only improved ten-fold, it's problematic. His ability to take defenders off the dribble with his athletic ability, will allow him to play at the next level. He's also become a lot better passer and has played his way out of double teams tremendously this year. He's an all-world defender and easily the best two-way player in college basketball in my opinion. He is a lock for first team All-American in my opinion barring injury and will absolutely be on the short-list for NPOY. If IU can win the B10 and earn a 1 or 2 seed, he has a very real chance at winning it.
yep he did show some good moves in the post. Always amazes me, you see it across the NFL, huge 300lb+ guys with lightning quick feet.
People who talk about him not developing should listen to Sean Miller's post game interview after the Xavier game. It's obvious they thought they could contain him with double teams and he was left shaking his head and talked about how much better he's gotten at handling double teams. Even with his limitations on jumpshots, if he continues to put up #s like he has, and is anchoring the paint, blocking shots and rebounding, I don't think there is anyway he isn't a first rounder and I think will be mid round or fringe lottery. I also don't think there's anyway if most of that transpires that he'd come back. It only takes one team and with his NBA connections, I think he'll probably have an agreement in place that if he's available at a certain pick that team X will take him.
First round might be a stretch, but there’s definitely a spot for him in the NBA. I’ve always compared his skill set to Bam Adebayo who is one of the better 5’s in the NBA despite only being 6’9. Has only hit 7 career 3 pointers (in 6 NBA seasons) but he’s got a great face up game and a very good rim runner. More importantly, he’s an excellent defender.
I don't think so. It only takes 1, and if he has the season you and I described, I think some team will recognize he's a much safer pick and more likely to stick with and help a team than someone who might have a higher ceiling but is not nearly as proven.
Really agree with this. My biggest complaint the last couple years with TJD has been his ability to draw double and triple teams followed by his inability to find the open man out of them. We rarely seemed to get a good shot either because he forced something, hit the wrong guy, or made an inaccurate pass to the right guy out if them. It’s early but he seems night and day better so far. I don’t know how much or little this helps his draft but he is better.
Side note, the passing and unselfishness of all 4 freshmen really seems contagious to our team. I know we might lose 5-6 guys this year but even if we do, if these are the types of kids Woodson is targeting, the future looks bright…. Man I wish we had had Woodson the last 20 years.
So you are comparing him to Bam who was drafted 14th, but you don't think TJD is a first round talent? I'm not saying he is today, but if he has the year you described (1st team AA and we win the B10 and are a 1 or 2 seed) I think someone will take a chance on TJD as they did with Bam.
Although we got that elusive road win vs Xavier, it was a bit of a downer because after TJD, XJ and to a lesser degree Malik, it was a concerning performance because we got so little out of everyone else. Last night was just a very good all around performance, which surely had something to do with the competition and essentially a home-cooking crowd, but almost everyone who played meaningful minutes showed some positive signs. Xavier made you worried about our depth and how a 2nd unit might perform but Miami made that look viable and think about the possibilities this team has!
Bam was also a one and done who was drafted at 18 years old. He's only 2.5 years older than TJD and has played 6 NBA seasons. That factors into the equation. Not many teams willing to gamble on a 23 year old especially in the lottery. Age will definitely play a factor in TJD's draft stock.
He's elite in the following areas...running the floor, finishing in transition, face up game against other teams bigs, defensive rebounding.
He has his moments on the offensive boards, but I wouldn't say he's ever been a guy that attacks outside his own area. Adopting that mentality would make himself a lot of money alone.
I don't think he'll ever be any sort of outside shooter. He can be a successful NBA player without it, but it does limit his potential a little bit.
Defensively, I think he's excellent at the college level, I might worry a bit on his abilities to switch and guard NBA level perimeter players.
All in all...he'll be an All American this year. And he'll end up on an NBA roster, with a contract next year. How successful he can be in the NBA, I think, will end up determined by how good of a defender and rebounder he can become.
He has his moments on the offensive boards, but I wouldn't say he's ever been a guy that attacks outside his own area. Adopting that mentality would make himself a lot of money alone.
I don't think he'll ever be any sort of outside shooter. He can be a successful NBA player without it, but it does limit his potential a little bit.
Defensively, I think he's excellent at the college level, I might worry a bit on his abilities to switch and guard NBA level perimeter players.
All in all...he'll be an All American this year. And he'll end up on an NBA roster, with a contract next year. How successful he can be in the NBA, I think, will end up determined by how good of a defender and rebounder he can become.
That's scary, but probably true. If you had the opportunity to win a NC and retire at like 22, work on your outside shot for a year and just start going to NBA workouts as that, would you not do that than get in a shitty non-guaranteed contact? Seems crazy, but might be the smart move
