I recently read a comment on a website that I thought you guys would like:
“Let me help you guys jump on the Hayward bandwagonI read this and wanted to do more than just Hayward.
I was putting in some stats into basketball reference, and what I found was really interesting
I put in:
Players who were between 6′4 and 6′11
players who scored 16 or more a game
Players who had 4 or more rebounds a game
players who had 3 or more assists a game.
Players who shot at least four FT’s a game.
Players who shot at least 37% from behind the line (Gordon shot 42% post all star game)
Now just a to reiterate, This is what Gordon Hayward did after the all star break. This is when we saw him make “the jump”, and I think this is what he’ll be able to sustain throughout his career.
You know what other players had at least these numbers?
James Harden
Kevin Durant
Joe Johnson
If you take out the 3pt%, (allowing for worse 3pt shooting to be considered), the players you get are:
Harden, Durant, Joe Johnson, Griffin, Wade, Pierce, Josh Smith, Lebron James, Carmelo, Kobe, John Wall, Tyreke Evans.
Now I know that these others players also excelled at other parts of the game or did better at these stats, but this is still a pretty awesome list. I think if Hayward sustains the play he had last season (and most likely getting a few more ppg, my guess is 18 or so), he’ll be a top 25 player in the NBA, as his defense is already pretty good.”
I decided to do Favors first:
When I watch Favors play I see a TON of potential and when I compare his stats to others I see the same thing. I wanted to see every player in history that was 20 or younger, in their second season, and the method of per 36 minutes averaged: 1.7 blocks, .495 fg%, 14.9 points, and 1 steal. These were the Names that showed up:
Andrew Bynum
Dwight Howard
Eddy Curry
Tyson Chandler
Kevin Garnett
Andris Biedrins
Jackie Butler
Robert Swift
Olumide Oyedeji
These are very good players and an even better stat is that when I sorted these players by Block % Favors showed up at 5 ahead of Biedris, Jackie Butler, Howard, Curry, and Oyedeji. And so indeed, the future is bright for Favs!
Next was Burks:
I love Burks, He is just a Workhorse, I decided to do in rookie season; from age 18 to 21; played G or G-F; requiring Free Throw Pct greater than or equal to .725 and Field Goal Pct greater than or equal to .425 and Points greater than or equal to 16.3 and Total Rebounds greater than or equal to 5.1.
The players that showed up were good but there were too many no names; namely:
Rashad McCants
Ron Mercer
Harold Miner
But the good players in the Pack were:
Ray Allen
Micheal JordanMagic JohnsonChris Paul
Derrick Rose
Clyde Drexler
These players can play and although you can’t judge a career off of one season, he looks like he has a great future
And Last Enes Kanter:
I put in: The players had to be in their rookie season; age 19 or younger; 6-9 or taller; requiring Total Rebounds over 11.4 and Points over 12.4 and Blocks over 0.8 and Field Goal Pct over .495
The only players to average these numbers before were:
Dwight HowardDarius MilesDerrick Favors*******Tyson ChandlerEddy CurryKosta KufosAndris BiedrinsKendrick PerkinsThat is a strong group and the Jazz’s future frontcourt is in it.
**********So in short:**********
Player Comparisions:
Hayward: James Harden
Favors: Dwight Howard
Burks: Chris Paul
Kanter: Tyson Chandler
Our Future Is Bright
