What's up with DeMar DeRozan?

AQuintus · Post #1 » by **AQuintus** » Tue Dec 2, 2008 5:51 am

With his combination of size, athleticism, and high school production, I expected DeRozan to come in and immediately dominate the college game, but thus far he's been extremely dissapointing.

So for anyone who has been able to see him this year, what's up?

Is it a lack of team play?
Is it poor coaching?
Or was he just overhyped?

Post #2 » by **NO-KG-AI** » Tue Dec 2, 2008 8:56 am

He was overhyped, and much like OJ Mayo, he just sucks, and you'll see when he gets to the NBA that it was foolish to blame the coaching....

Wait....

AQuintus · Post #3 » by **AQuintus** » Tue Dec 2, 2008 10:02 am

NO-KG-AI wrote:He was overhyped, and much like OJ Mayo, he just sucks, and you'll see when he gets to the NBA that it was foolish to blame the coaching....

[snipped for space]

Wait....

I'm not trying to downplay him like he's terrible. In fact, he's still my favorite prospect in this draft, and I really, really hope the T-Wolves draft him. But still, based on the pre-season/ high school hype, I expected him to come in and be a near 20 point per game scorer with good percentages who could get to the line at will, and so far, he hasn't been anywhere close. I want to know why.

Edit: I take it from your post that you think it's the coaching that's holding him back, correct? If so, what's the coaching staff at USC doing to him? Are they trying to turn him into a jump shooter? Are they trying make him create too much? Are they completely ignoring him in the offensive sets?

I haven't been able to watch him so far this year (no national tv games yet), so this topic is for me to be able to get opinions from people that have seen him.

Edit 2: Another question for the people who have seen him play: Based on box scores, he's been getting like 3 shots a game. Is this a product of him being too passive, or are his teammates just not passing to him?

PeeDee · Post #4 » by **PeeDee** » Tue Dec 2, 2008 3:37 pm

I'm under the impression that he is defering to teammates. He's not being treated like THE MAN like OJ was.

Further investigating his stats, he isn't doing poorly (he could keep those TOs down though), he's simply not doing enough. At least not enough to obtain the gaudy stats we all expected. To me, it reaks of deference.

Post #5 » by **UGA Hayes** » Wed Dec 3, 2008 10:45 pm

I think he talking about how awful Tim Floyd's offense was last year, man it was bad.

Post #6 » by **BigSlam** » Thu Dec 4, 2008 2:53 pm

I don't think he's nearly physical enough.................yet. Maybe spending a whole lot of time in the gym will help?

He tends to be a little sloppy with the ball and frantic too. It's only early though. In 6 months time with some maturity and experience he might be a super stud.

Cammo101 · Post #7 » by **Cammo101** » Thu Dec 4, 2008 4:07 pm

Some players take more time than others to adjust to the college game. Not all great prospects are instant contributors.

Give the kid some time.

AQuintus · Post #8 » by **AQuintus** » Fri Dec 5, 2008 1:34 am

I'm watching the USC/Oklahoma game right now, and I think I've got some answers.

1. The system USC runs. Way too many plays that don't really have any focus or point, just passing around the perimeter for no real reason. I think that just getting out on the break consistently would help DeRozan a ton.

2. DeRozan needs to work on his ballhandling... a lot. You can tell by watching him that he has very little confidence in his dribble and this is greatly effecting his ability to go one-on-one and attack the rim.

3. He also needs a bit of work on his jumper. That combined with his poor handle has forced him f to be passive on offense, because, unless he gets the ball close to the hoop, he can't really do anything with it.

4. He hasn't seemed at all as quick as I thought he would be, but I would imagine that's mainly because of 2 things. The first is all of the half-court sets, DeRozan hasn't needed to get up and down the floor quickly, so it looks like he's kind of coasted there. Two, his lack of ballhandling, again, his bringing him down.

One thing I really liked from him, though, is that he seems to have pretty good footwork. He's had a couple of nifty, Kobe Bryant-esque spinning fade away jumpers that he, unfortunately hasn't been able to finish. And another thing, is that although he's really only been able to show case it once (the alley-oop), he seems to be as explosive a leaper as was advertised.

Edit: I forgot to say before, but his defense has also impressed me. I don't think that he's been defending the other team's best perimeter scorers or anything, but he's still looked better on D than I thought he would.

yungal07 · Post #9 » by **yungal07** » Fri Dec 5, 2008 2:30 am

His ballhandling stinks and he's soft. He doesn't possess a superstar mentality as of yet.

A.J. · Post #10 » by **A.J.** » Fri Dec 5, 2008 5:36 am

He is just struggling. He will come around. I expect him to dominate in conference play, cause that is when he will really need to step his game up.

Hendrix · Post #11 » by **Hendrix** » Fri Dec 5, 2008 12:43 pm

Yeah I watched him in the Oklahoma game, and he just looked so far away, and was pretty much invisable out there. He can sure jump high, but he doesn't have the slightest clue how to use it other then in the open court. Nothing special about this kid right now at all, he's just not a good basketball player. but Griffin, Wow!

old rem · Post #12 » by **old rem** » Fri Dec 5, 2008 5:26 pm

Hendrix wrote:Yeah I watched him in the Oklahoma game, and he just looked so far away, and was pretty much invisable out there. He can sure jump high, but he doesn't have the slightest clue how to use it other then in the open court. Nothing special about this kid right now at all, he's just not a good basketball player. but Griffin, Wow!

Some guys make a lot of their size vs HS players when 6-7 can be the big guy in the game. In college 6-7 is not intimidating and a 6-7 guy needs skills, smarts,hustle, because now 6-7 is just average and a lot of guys have hops. It wa inevitable a few of these freshmen who were supposed to be fast track to the lotto would turn out not so ready.

Cineast · Post #13 » by **Cineast** » Sat Dec 6, 2008 5:29 pm

As I recall it Mayo also struggled a bit early on last year for USC, and improved his performance as the season went on. And Mayo was more advanced in terms of ballhandling and shooting than DeRozan is right now.

Didn't it take a couple of years for Vince Carter to become an effective college player as well?

TAI8 · Post #14 » by **TAI8** » Sat Dec 6, 2008 7:50 pm

Frankly, I see more Iggy in him than Vince.

some_rand · Post #15 » by **some_rand** » Sat Dec 6, 2008 8:51 pm

whats stopping him from just becoming jr smith?

celtsmon3y · Post #16 » by **celtsmon3y** » Sun Dec 7, 2008 6:02 am

His game is pretty raw right now. He needs to work on his ballhandling a lot and he doesn't have great range on his jumper. Some of his issues are probably just adjusting to the college game, and I'd expect him to improve over the course of the year, but yeah he's no freshman phenom. If I were him I'd stay in school a year or two more. The superstar potential is there, it just needs to be polished

Post #17 » by **jman3134** » Sun Dec 7, 2008 6:48 am

I don't mean to put a curse on this guy, but James White 2.0? :lol:

Not a great comparison, but he has been underwhelming thus far.

Jonathan Watters · Post #18 » by **Jonathan Watters** » Sun Dec 7, 2008 7:58 am

I've barely seen DeRozan, but I did catch the Oklahoma game and can say that he is nowhere even close to where other ultra-hyped freshman NBA prospects of recent memory were at the same stage. Its not even a discussion - he may be athletic but he has little/no ability to utilize it and for a wing prospect thats pretty much as bad as not having it.

He's got time to turn things around, but he's certainly behind where he was supposed to be. If he doesn't dramatically, and I mean dramatically ramp things up in the next 10 or so games...it doesn't look good for him. There are certain things a legit prospect has figured out by this stage in their development, and if DeRozan is really as lost as he looks...

Zeitgeister · Post #19 » by **Zeitgeister** » Sun Dec 7, 2008 9:00 am

I've been really disappointed with Derozan so far this season. I hate to count the guy out but, he really does have a long ways to go to develop his skills. I don't understand these guys, do they not realize that they can have all the athleticism in the world but if they can't dribble the damn ball they won't be able to use it?

I saw the Oklahoma game as well, and I have to say he didn't look near as athletic as advertised either. Sure, he had the jumping ability but he didn't move up and down the court near as well as I expected him to.

Derozan will have to really turn it on pretty soon here if he wants to remain a lottery pick. Otherwise it might be a good idea for him to stay in college a little longer to refine his skills.

Cineast · Post #20 » by **Cineast** » Sun Dec 7, 2008 2:43 pm

TAI8 wrote:Frankly, I see more Iggy in him than Vince.

Another good example of überathletic wing players having to upgrade their skill level before being able to be successful at the college level. Once the scouts are convinced that the player has shown/will keep on showing improvement in his skills, he'll be a bonafide NBA prospect.