Overview: A lock down defender who can shut down a teams best player while putting up very good scoring numbers most nights. Capable of playing three positions. Average height, but elite physical strength for either wing position. Can push some power forwards off the block. Good lateral quickness. Not super fast, but has quick feet. Passable leaper. Can put up big numbers offensively, even if hes more known for his defense. Probably the best perimeter defender in the game today. Gets in done on both ends at very high levels. Unique player in that way. Put up good numbers across the board during his two years at St. Johns. Has developed significantly throughout his career. One time All-Star and Defensive Player of the Year Award winner. Well known for his antics on and off the court, which will detract significantly from his legacy as a player. Fiery competitor, but will let that go too far at timescausing him to lose control of himself. Has been a distraction in the past, and is unpredictable moving forward. Will be on his best behavior when he wants to be, but his mood swings violently and unexpectedly. A great basketball player, but his baggage has lost him a significant amount of money and success.
Offense: A scorer who can beat a defense in a number of ways. Gets a third of his touches in one-on-one situations. Also functions as a spot up shooter and a back to the basket scorer in the post. Pretty versatile as a scorer. Displays a compact stroke that he may not shoot with great touch, but will knock it down consistently. Shoots the three ball rather wellsomething hes improved on. Also effective as a midrange shooter. Can shoot off the dribble, but falls in love with this shot way too much. Lack of touch is more apparent when he takes jumpers off the dribble from inside the three point line. Sound ball-handling skillstends more to overpower his man than he does explode past him. Much better going left than he is going right. Good perimeter passer when he wants to be. Decent finisher at the rim, doesnt have the explosiveness to be great. Gets sent to the line at a high rate. Shoots a decent percentage from the charity stripe. Tremendously effective in the post. Will make a killing with his strength and love of physical contact. Can knock down turnarounds when he doesnt have a big advantage, or simply bully his way to the rim against smaller players. Tough to stop since he can always get position. Shot-selection is highly questionable at times, particularly on the perimeter. Takes bad shots early in possessions, which kills his teams rhythm. At times seems more interested in winning personal battles than playing an effective team game. Can shoot his team out of a game in the blink of an eye. Takes quite a heavy load on himself offensively, particularly going one on one.
Defense: Arguably the best perimeter defender in the game. Can lock down the best of the best. So strong and tenacious that he can easily defend some power forwards in spurts. Very tough to get by off the dribble in half court situations. Isnt the fastest player, but knows what kind of angles he needs to create to deny penetration. Contests every shot his man takes. Displays great anticipation and hand quickness when deflecting passes and stripping ball handlers. One of the best in the NBA at picking up steals, year in and year out. Will suffocate less athletic players. Blocks shots by virtue of his positioning and fundamentals. Knows all the little tricks to get his man off his game. Good defensive rebounder. Gives a lot of hard fouls. Plays with a chip on his shoulder and bring unmatched intensity to the defensive end.
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