Yi highlight dunk on Pau...

[TroyMcClure]

kind of. He takes him off the dribble. He goes up with two hands a bunch. I like that.

[D.R.P.]

How about I put up the link of Marvin Williams dunking over Josh Smith. I mean taking Yi at 3 is the equivalent of taking Marvin all over again since he is a project with the P word (potential that is).

[TroyMcClure]

Here's a 9 minute highlight mix. It's all in slow mo. Can't really see how he runs the floor or defends. I've seen him take maybe 5 j's in the 20 or so minutes of highlights. I like that. He hangs around the low block waiting for entry passes to dunk on. Or he gets it on the wing at about 17ft and drives hard. Have no idea of his free throw shooting. He is a 4 on defense and offense, I think. He plays more like one on offense than anyone we have. He dunks everything with two hands almost. There is a very nice one handed dunk in this mix. The competition over there seems to be better than we want to admit. I say pick Yi and Critt. Trades need to be made regardless of who we select.

We might even get on TNT at the back end of a west coast double header against Yao. When was the last time we were on national tv?

The music is a little better here. At least to start.

[BusBoyIsBack]

Hey are you going to post all 9 videos in different threads?

[DavidSomerset]

Picking Yi would do GREAT things for our Center and PG position.

Not to mention, he would get SO much playing time behind Marvin, Childress, Smoove, and Shelden.

*sarcasm off*

Yi would be an awful, awful pick...Maybe the worst pick of BK's career if he does it...Given our current personnel strengths.

[TroyMcClure]

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Hey are you going to post all 9 videos in different threads?

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Hey man, that's AtLaS and Ex's job!

If that will take the talk away from Conley at 3, then yeah.

No, I'm going to put most of them here, I think. How is Yi more of a project than anyone else in this draft?

[BusBoyIsBack]

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Hey are you going to post all 9 videos in different threads?

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Hey man, that's AtLaS and Ex's job!

If that will take the talk away from Conley at 3, then yeah.

No, I'm going to put most of them here, I think. How is Yi more of a project than anyone else in this draft?

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Im just giving you a hard time.

Trust me Im sold on Yi. I laugh at those who say Yi can't play downlow in the NBA. The man is 7 feet 245 pounds!

Then they say well it's not about height?

Then what is it about? STyle of play? That's funny because Yi has a tendency to take his game AROUND THE BASKET.

Sounds like a guy who can be a post player to me.

[DavidSomerset]

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Hey are you going to post all 9 videos in different threads?

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Hey man, that's AtLaS and Ex's job!

If that will take the talk away from Conley at 3, then yeah.

No, I'm going to put most of them here, I think. How is Yi more of a project than anyone else in this draft?

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Im just giving you a hard time.

Trust me Im sold on Yi. I laugh at those who say Yi can't play downlow in the NBA. The man is 7 feet 245 pounds!

Then they say well it's not about height?

Then what is it about? STyle of play? That's funny because Yi has a tendency to take his game AROUND THE BASKET.

Sounds like a guy who can be a post player to me.

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Your logic is terrible.

Yes, it's about style of play.

Just because he is 7 feet tall and 245 does NOT mean you can just insert him at center and have him bow up with an NBA center.

Every scouting report I've read has said there are serious doubts whether he's strong enough to play PF.

[BusBoyIsBack]

Terrible logic?

I said not only is he 7 feet but his style of play is attacking the basket?

Why do you Yi haters keep conveniently leaving out that aspect?

Of course any 7 footer can't play downlow if they just hang out at the 3 point line.

Yi doesn't! He attacks the basket by taking his man off the dribble just like an Amare or Bosh.

Not every big man uses sheer power to score like Howard.

[TroyMcClure]

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I laugh at those who say Yi can't play downlow in the NBA. The man is 7 feet 245 pounds!

Then they say well it's not about height?

Then what is it about? STyle of play? That's funny because Yi has a tendency to take his game AROUND THE BASKET.

Sounds like a guy who can be a post player to me.

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I really like what I saw. He wants to be around the basket. There are some big boys over there, too. Let's face it, the NBA grows softer by the day. I think it's a culturalism thing with Yi. No one has seen him, so they assume he is really soft. He attacks the rim pretty hard and I really like all the two handed dunks.

[TroyMcClure]

Check out this practice highlight mix! It shows all of his skills. He goes to his left. Nice jab step. Has a very nice j with 3 point range. He can shoot free throws. He is the best prospect outside of the top 2.

[TexasPete]

You have seen clips of the kids game and you think you know him? They are clips! Anybody with a modicum of basketball sense knows you need to watch games. Plenty of games.

A mans position is certainly not based upon just offense either. In fact, his defense is more important on his position than his offense. Can he guard a 3? Is he quick enough to match up with NBA 3's? Is he strong enough to take on PF's?

If someone is sold based on clips on Youtube they are completely ignorant in the ways of basketball. There is a lot more to know about the kids game before you tout him as the pick.

I will tell you that he is a forward and we need a PG. Because he does not have the game to DEFEND our paint we cannot use him. But, Busboy, defense is a big part of the game. The part that wins titles. The fact that you are already sold ona player you have never watched play a game speaks to your basketball IQ.

[DavidSomerset]

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Terrible logic?

I said not only is he 7 feet but his style of play is attacking the basket?

Why do you Yi haters keep conveniently leaving out that aspect?

Of course any 7 footer can't play downlow if they just hang out at the 3 point line.

Yi doesn't! He attacks the basket by taking his man off the dribble just like an Amare or Bosh.

Not every big man uses sheer power to score like Howard.

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Ummm...I posted TWO scouting reports in another thread about this that said Yi had a very WEAK game with his back to the basket and he gets pushed around in the post...They also mentioned that the perimeter game IS HIS STRENGTH!!

Like I said...SCOUTS AREN'T EVEN SURE THIS GUY HAS THE STRENGTH TO PLAY PF...And you want to put him at CENTER??!?!!?!?

Get off the Yi kool-aid...He's a 7 foot small forward who could be a very good player there.

But, WE DON'T NEED SMALL FORWARDS!!

P.S. I will gladly post the scouting reports (one from ESPN.com and the other from nbadraft.net) if you'd like to prove my point.

[TroyMcClure]

Just watch them, TP. He's a better 4 than Shelden and Lo right now. He can help us. None of these other guys can. Who do you want at 3? We already have 15 point guards. If we get Critt at 11, why not? He is as good as any big in this draft after the 2nd pick.

[TexasPete]

Ive watched them and I say BIG DAMN DEAL. I don't fall for clips. EVERY PLAYER at this level can put together clips. How's his defense other than getting dunked on? Have you seen it? Where are his defensive clips?

Troy, I thought you knew more than to buy this hype. Until you know his defense you don't know him. And that is what ails the Hawks. That and a PG.

Enjoy your clips.

[TroyMcClure]

You would honestly rather have Mike Conley? Not me. I totally here you about the defense. I saw none. This makes me a little leery. That may speak to the knowledge of the person making the clips. It is what it is. He has nice form. He can shoot. He goes strong with two hands. He hangs around the basket. Seriously though, who are you going to vouch for among the bigs?

[TexasPete]

Yi will get pissed on all over the defensive side of the court. He will be an open door. We have forwards and need no more. This is where we take care of needs and especially when there are ZERO forwards that our intriguing.

Conley will be a great NBA PG. If we pass on Conley I hope we trade the pick to address our NEEDS. A forward at 3 makes as much sense as taking Shelden Williams last year. Yi will have a huge adjustment to the league and we have need for him anyway unless we trade Childress or Marvin.

The truth is NOBODY has enough information on Yi to even talk about it. The only thing we know is he is a forward. We don't need any more of those. Clips are useless because it's like basing your opinion on the first chapter of a book. Prudent and logical people don't form opinions with as little info as we have on Yi. They just don't.

[BusBoyIsBack]

Who cares if his back to the basket game isn't great?

Which one of these three can you teach?

Back to the basket game?

Being 7 feet tall?

Having elite athleticism for 7 feet tall?

Yi has all the tools you can't teach in size and athleticism.

You can get away without a solid back to basket game if you can blow by your defender which he most definitely will be able to do to take his man off the dribble.

He shows a few post moves and can definitely learn some more. He's got a fade away jump shot which is also something difficult to teach.

I don't understand why people doubt this guy so much

They say, "Mike Conley can develop a jump shot"

But Yi can't develop post moves?

Please.

[DrReality]

This is the old debate of bpa vs what we need. And he is not what we need. We need a big and a pg and he is neither.

[Guest Walter]

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Picking Yi would do GREAT things for our Center and PG position.

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1) jdu...please tell me how we improve our center position without trading?

We HAVE to trade if we want to significantly improve the center position. I'd rather have Yi and trade MW/SW for a star center than draft Hawes (if he's still there).

2) Crittenton has more upside and Law is more NBA ready than Conley. At least ONE will be available at 11. While we cannot afford not to fill the Pg position this draft, we also cannot afford not to get value for our picks and a star talent. Face it, we're the 4th worst team in the league. We have to draft like we've got nothing to lose with the 3rd pick.

W