Robbie "College Jokic" Avila

[amcoolio]

I think with his recent performances this guy has actually played himself into NBA draft contention.

Yes, he is very unathletic, slow footed and will need a ton of work on defense. But his footwork in the post and passing at a guy his size is elite for the NBA level and he's a decent shooter. Obviously models his game after Jokic.

Some team should take a chance on him and see what a few years in the NBA training room can do.

Watch on YouTube

[babyjax13]

He needs another year in school and improving his body. As-is, I think he is certainly skilled enough to be an NBA player, but not athletic enough. If he can be passable as a center athletically (think Daniel Theis level) I'd like him, but he has to demonstrate to teams that he can improve his body, IMO.

[shangrila]

He'll be interesting to watch for the rest of the college season, including hopefully the tournament.

For the NBA he'll need to measure 6-10 at absolute minimum and hopefully closer to 6-11 or even 7-0. Anything below that, with his physical tools, will be a death sentence.

[JustBuzzin]

Cmon guys this dude is not athletic at all. He wouldn't survive at the NBA level.

It's disrespectful to NBA players to actually think this kid can have a impact at the next level.

[Chuck Everett]

It's the Missouri Valley, so you know he's probably 6'8. Nope. Like Cam Krutwig, he can have a nice career playing basketball overseas.

[babyjax13]

It's the Missouri Valley, so you know he's probably 6'8. Nope. Like Cam Krutwig, he can have a nice career playing basketball overseas.

He's way better than Krutwig. If he is really 6-10 his path is getting in much better shape, and then an NBA team is hoping he is something like Sengun. Now, he's quite far from Sengun athletically right now, and I'm not sure he can be a functional NBA athlete, but if he can get even close I'd easily take a flier in the late first. All huge ifs.

[BigGargamel]

Absolutely zero chance he gets an NBA sniff LOL. Come on guys. There are three or four guys like this playing at mid major schools putting up numbers every year. You all know better.

Fun college player but that's it.

[Colbinii]

Absolutely zero chance he gets an NBA sniff LOL. Come on guys. There are three or four guys like this playing at mid major schools putting up numbers every year. You all know better.

Fun college player but that's it.

Playing like what? Displaying elite vision and playmaking at his size?

I doubt there are 3-4 players like that.

There is typically 1-2 per year, but most of them are older than Avila.

I agree it's a long shot he makes it to the NBA, but he shows a lot more NBA Caliber skills than Luka Garza (Plays in the NBA) and Zach Edey (Projects as a late 1st).

Avila is a very good shooter and passer. Both of those skills transfer exceptionally well to the NBA, especially at his size.

[Colbinii]

It's the Missouri Valley, so you know he's probably 6'8. Nope. Like Cam Krutwig, he can have a nice career playing basketball overseas.

He's way better than Krutwig. If he is really 6-10 his path is getting in much better shape, and then an NBA team is hoping he is something like Sengun. Now, he's quite far from Sengun athletically right now, and I'm not sure he can be a functional NBA athlete, but if he can get even close I'd easily take a flier in the late first. All huge ifs.

Not comparable to Sengun. Sengun was essentially a DPOY caliber defender in the Mena Professional League in Turkey, which is why I was so high on Sengun. Sengun was averaging nearly 1.5 Steals/1.5 Blocks as a 17/18 year old in a professional league. That's incredible and way beyond what Avila has shown on that end.

I don't think Avila is 6'8". He looks huge.

[babyjax13]

It's the Missouri Valley, so you know he's probably 6'8. Nope. Like Cam Krutwig, he can have a nice career playing basketball overseas.

He's way better than Krutwig. If he is really 6-10 his path is getting in much better shape, and then an NBA team is hoping he is something like Sengun. Now, he's quite far from Sengun athletically right now, and I'm not sure he can be a functional NBA athlete, but if he can get even close I'd easily take a flier in the late first. All huge ifs.

Not comparable to Sengun. Sengun was essentially a DPOY caliber defender in the Mena Professional League in Turkey, which is why I was so high on Sengun. Sengun was averaging nearly 1.5 Steals/1.5 Blocks as a 17/18 year old in a professional league. That's incredible and way beyond what Avila has shown on that end.

I don't think Avila is 6'8". He looks huge.

Do you not think his path to success is as an offensive hub a la Sengun? It's pretty obvious Avila's defensive upside is really poor but I think that Avila's style of passing resembles Sengun much more than it does say, Jokic, as does his footwork and ability to operate on the high or low post. Idk, I think my meaning was pretty obvious when I said his athletecism is extremely poor. If he can transform his body his path to being a passable defender is also to emulate Sengun - not much rim protection but smart positioning and good hands (though his upside is not an impactful defender, and Sengun is).

Comparisons are never one to one, but the idea that he is 'nothing like Sengun' is wrong, IMO. As an offensive player they share quite a few traits. Obviously Avila is a better shooter and Sengun is better at...right now, everything else on that end, but Avila's path to NBA success is replicating that offensive role. I'm not super confident he can because his athletecism and conditioning are so poor *relative to NBA standards.*

[Colbinii]

He's way better than Krutwig. If he is really 6-10 his path is getting in much better shape, and then an NBA team is hoping he is something like Sengun. Now, he's quite far from Sengun athletically right now, and I'm not sure he can be a functional NBA athlete, but if he can get even close I'd easily take a flier in the late first. All huge ifs.

Not comparable to Sengun. Sengun was essentially a DPOY caliber defender in the Mena Professional League in Turkey, which is why I was so high on Sengun. Sengun was averaging nearly 1.5 Steals/1.5 Blocks as a 17/18 year old in a professional league. That's incredible and way beyond what Avila has shown on that end.

I don't think Avila is 6'8". He looks huge.

Do you not think his path to success is as an offensive hub a la Sengun? It's pretty obvious Avila's defensive upside is really poor but I think that Avila's style of passing resembles Sengun much more than it does say, Jokic, as does his footwork and ability to operate on the high or low post. Idk, I think my meaning was pretty obvious when I said his athletecism is extremely poor. If he can transform his body his path to being a passable defender is also to emulate Sengun - not much rim protection but smart positioning and good hands (though his upside is not an impactful defender, and Sengun is).

Comparisons are never one to one, but the idea that he is 'nothing like Sengun' is wrong, IMO. As an offensive player they share quite a few traits. Obviously Avila is a better shooter and Sengun is better at...right now, everything else on that end, but Avila's path to NBA success is replicating that offensive role. I'm not super confident he can because his athletecism and conditioning are so poor *relative to NBA standards.*

Jokic is so large and so smart that he is always 1 step ahead of the opposition, so he utilizes his size to get into positions to be successful. He then uses his size to disrupt the offense in a way where he doesn't sacrifice his size to rebound and/or protect the rim. It's similar to Shaq in the sense that they had weaknesses but they aren't as easy to exploit as they would appear on paper [though I think Shaq would be even worse defending in space than Joker, especially 2000-2004 Shaq].

Sengun is much smaller than Jokic but still has a length/size advantage on Avila. Sengun utilizes his size in a way more similar to Jokic than a complete defensive sieve.

If these guys were Luka Garza level defenders, they would be much worse off, and I am afraid that is where Avila currently lies on the spectrum. Time will tell if he can improve on that front with better conditioning, but his reaction time and quick-decision making, combined with his patience to see players open up, is a bright spot few players possess in a single draft.

[babyjax13]

Not comparable to Sengun. Sengun was essentially a DPOY caliber defender in the Mena Professional League in Turkey, which is why I was so high on Sengun. Sengun was averaging nearly 1.5 Steals/1.5 Blocks as a 17/18 year old in a professional league. That's incredible and way beyond what Avila has shown on that end.

I don't think Avila is 6'8". He looks huge.

Do you not think his path to success is as an offensive hub a la Sengun? It's pretty obvious Avila's defensive upside is really poor but I think that Avila's style of passing resembles Sengun much more than it does say, Jokic, as does his footwork and ability to operate on the high or low post. Idk, I think my meaning was pretty obvious when I said his athletecism is extremely poor. If he can transform his body his path to being a passable defender is also to emulate Sengun - not much rim protection but smart positioning and good hands (though his upside is not an impactful defender, and Sengun is).

Comparisons are never one to one, but the idea that he is 'nothing like Sengun' is wrong, IMO. As an offensive player they share quite a few traits. Obviously Avila is a better shooter and Sengun is better at...right now, everything else on that end, but Avila's path to NBA success is replicating that offensive role. I'm not super confident he can because his athletecism and conditioning are so poor *relative to NBA standards.*

Jokic is so large and so smart that he is always 1 step ahead of the opposition, so he utilizes his size to get into positions to be successful. He then uses his size to disrupt the offense in a way where he doesn't sacrifice his size to rebound and/or protect the rim. It's similar to Shaq in the sense that they had weaknesses but they aren't as easy to exploit as they would appear on paper [though I think Shaq would be even worse defending in space than Joker, especially 2000-2004 Shaq].

Sengun is much smaller than Jokic but still has a length/size advantage on Avila. Sengun utilizes his size in a way more similar to Jokic than a complete defensive sieve.

If these guys were Luka Garza level defenders, they would be much worse off, and I am afraid that is where Avila currently lies on the spectrum. Time will tell if he can improve on that front with better conditioning, but his reaction time and quick-decision making, combined with his patience to see players open up, is a bright spot few players possess in a single draft.

I completely agree.

[SNPA]

Need height and agility numbers to make any type of determination.

[Big J]

Come on guys. He’s simply not an NBA level athlete. Best case scenario for him is play a few years in Europe then open a bar in French Lick.

[amcoolio]

Come on guys. He’s simply not an NBA level athlete. Best case scenario for him is play a few years in Europe then open a bar in French Lick.

When has "not an NBA level athlete" stopped players before from being drafted. I get the NBA now is a different time but look at all the tall or fat stiffs that have been drafted over the last 30 years. I mean Jake freaking Voskuhl got drafted. This guy has the same build as Marc Gasol at the same age (albeit a little shorter)

[eminence]

Looks like he can play.

Would want to see measurements, but he looks more athletic than the vibe in this thread paints him as. His footspeed isn't good by any means, but I don't think it's outlier bad either. No vertical pop. Strength toughest to judge in prospects imo.

[Big J]

Come on guys. He’s simply not an NBA level athlete. Best case scenario for him is play a few years in Europe then open a bar in French Lick.

When has "not an NBA level athlete" stopped players before from being drafted. I get the NBA now is a different time but look at all the tall or fat stiffs that have been drafted over the last 30 years. I mean Jake freaking Voskuhl got drafted. This guy has the same build as Marc Gasol at the same age (albeit a little shorter)

Jake Voskuhl was miles ahead of this kid defensively.

[Blaze the Nugz]

Change the title of this thread to Robbie "Cream Abdul Jabbar" Avila

[SeattleJazzFan]

Change the title of this thread to Robbie "Cream Abdul Jabbar" Avila

Larry Blurred

[azcatz11]

It's crazy there's actually a thread for this guy lol. He's a fat, out of shape big. He does have great hands but if a guy like Tubelis can't sniff the league there's 0 chance this dude can.