I had the pleasure of watching a college player actually make two polished post moves that caused Kevin McHale and Jack Sikma flashbacks.
The first was a drop step, spin move. The next, a counter spin, pump fake jump hook that countered off of the first move.
Thank you Yancy Gates.
Gates made national headlines and was sincerely apologetic after this ugly incident against Xavier… a black eye for himself, his university and the game of college basketball.
But a player cannot and should not be defined by one incident.
Gates has an NBA body and tremendous hands and footwork. He also showed take over ability today against a scrappy Texas team and was a force in leading the Bearcats to the Big East finals.
My biggest issue with Gates is how he translates defensively. He’s too small to defend 5s and may not have the foot speed and athleticism to defend quicker 4s. Pardon this analogy but he reminds me of Mike Sweetney in his Georgetown days. Sweetney was a tremendous post player who struggled with the pace at the next level, among other issues. Gates is more athletic.
Strengths:
– polished array of post moves.
– sound footwork.
– plus hands.
– NBA body.
Weaknesses:
– Defensive projection at NBA level.
– Plays below the rim.
– Lower Field Goal % this season.
Tommy Dee is the founder of TheKnicksBlog, editor of CHARGED Magazine and is a regional scout for Marty Blake and Associates. Follow him on Twitter.