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Also, Looney has never been bouncy, to put it mildly, so I believe his concentration is on his timing and positioning rather than jumping at ball handlers which gets so many defenders in trouble.

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Nov 26, 2021Liked by Eric Apricot

If Wiseman can acquire even a partial of that defensive discipline it’s going to be a problem for opposing offenses. The hope is that James’ struggles were “lack of installing of the playbook” variety. Being able to rotate two bigs allows Dray to save his legs for crunch the time minutes he specializes in. Going to be fun to watch!

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Even though he hasn't been in games, Wiseman has been getting the best coaching of his life. In a sense, it's like with Looney who came into the league as an injured project for a team with patience. I think Wiseman has excellent prospects.

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I was thinking the same thing about Looney’s passes, picks and offensive rebounding in Wiseman’s body.

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Nov 26, 2021Liked by Eric Apricot

Certainly no guarantee there. Damian Jones and Jordan Bell never really got much of that skill. Very few guys in the league have the defensive acumen Kevon has had for years now.

Not sure how Loon does it; maybe there's some detail to how he sees the plays that makes him better at sniffing out fakes, or maybe he's just naturally cool-headed so he remembers his training when he needs it. But credit where it's due, he's a rare player and still underrated. It's a shame his elbow jumper still hasn't become reliable, since that would give him a bit more of a threat rating on offense. But he also has that calm, collected attitude and very rarely attempts bad shots. (Unlike, say, Bell or Cauley-Stein.)

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For sure Looney’s savvy is a high bar. I guess Bell and Cauley-Stein are the cautionary tales of ultra-athletes that don’t end up moving the needle much in the NBA. Wise seems like a pretty different guy than them, so here’s hoping the work ethic is there!

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I think that Loon simply knows who he is and learned to make the most of what he has. The super-athletic guys tend to rely on their physical skills and rarely learn the kind of discipline he has. Somewhere in the Book of Barnett it says "leapers love to leap."

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Nov 26, 2021Liked by Eric Apricot

That makes the most sense as G-Dub was thrown into the deep end practically straight out of HS. JuKo has picked it all up much faster, but he played in G league for a year.

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Nov 26, 2021Liked by Eric Apricot

Awesome breakdown as always Mr. A! The defensive tone he sets seems to continue even after he has left the court. I've been focusing on Loons Wormesque rebounding too. Great season he is having!

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Blake is trash and has to find any dirty or loophole play just to have any effect on the court.

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