A Developing Situation…
Got an email from a reader yesterday with a really good question that I thought everyone would like the answer to. Here’s the question-
Firstly, I just wanted to let you know that I think WFNY is an absolutely phenomenal sports blog. You guys do a fantastic job, and I have recommended you to all of my sports friends at one point or another. I have question for you as well. People continue to talk about J.J. Hickson needing to “develop.” I’m not the most knowledgeable sports guy, so I have to ask, what does this mean exactly? When I think of guys like Brandon Roy and Emeka Okafor, they seemed to have an impact almost immediately. Is it just Hickson’s defense, or is there just a difference in talent level between him and a guy like Roy? If you guys could do a piece on this, or just on Hickson in general, I’d appreciate it. Keep up the fantastic work. -Ted
Well Ted, we appreciate the kind words, the recommendations, and the question. I thought about this for a little while and realized that instead of giving you my opinion, I would ask someone a little more qualified to answer. Jon Cook has been a head coach at the high school level, and an assistant coach at Bluffton University. He also assisted with the Ohio Northern University squad that won a National Championship in 1993. He is currently the athletic director at Upper Scioto Valley High School, and was happy to answer this question for us.
As to your question about JJ Hickson’s needed development, I think you bring up an interesting point that sometimes buzz words like “potential” & “development” or “seasoning”, can be a little nebulous and leave fans wondering exactly what it is they should be looking for as a a way to gauge true progress. However, in JJ’s case I think development is exactly the right word to use. Clearly he has an immense amount of talent and God-given ability that can make him an outstanding player, yet just as clearly he is not producing at a consistently high level.
It is interesting that you would choose players like Okafor and Roy as points of comparison to JJ. Acknowledging that all are world-class talents, we must then ask, “What is the core difference between them and JJ?” The most obvious answer is that Roy and Okafor each played 3 or 4 years of substantial minutes at major DI universities. This simple fact means that each received extensive coaching at much higher level than JJ did by only playing 1 year of college basketball. There are lots of good high school coaches, but by and large that type of coaching cannot come close to what gets done by the nations best coaches in leagues like the Pac 10, Big East or ACC. It is also hard to overstate the importance of 3 or 4 years competing against the players in those leagues. JJ had a great freshman year at NC State, but he was surrounded by very good players, and was able to play largely on instinct and raw athleticism, without carrying a lot of responsibility.
Finally, JJ is a little bit of a “tweener”. He really doesn’t have true position. He isn’t quite big enough to play strictly with his back to the basket, and he must become a more consistent shooter and better ball handler if he wants to be able to play on the perimeter. And by the way, he does also have to become a better defender. Right now he can play and contribute by running the floor hard, by getting to the offensive glass and getting extra possessions for the Cavs.
He is going to get coached up. He is going to have a chance to improve the areas I mentioned above. He is going to gain a greater and greater understanding of the NBA game (which barely resembles high school or college). He is going to be a very good player in the league, but first he has to DEVELOP physically (strength, agility),in his skill level (post moves & perimeter skills) and mentally (understanding the nuances of the game).
Thanks again Ted. I hope this helps.
And thank you Jon…
January 23rd, 2009 at 10:40 am
As always, great article. JJ defientley needs to develop. I think he’s coming along nicely, and having a great coach, and players like LeBron, Mo, and Z helping out sure can’t hurt. I see flashes of brillance in JJ’s game, but the majority of the time, he shows his true rookie colors. I’m not knocking him, or his game at all, I just think with a little time, JJ can become one of the leagues shining stars.
January 23rd, 2009 at 10:44 am
Brian Windhorst, who presumably gets the opportunity to closely see J.J.’s interaction with the team, said yesterday on his podcast that the team feels he never previously had to give 100% effort and intensity all of the time because of his great physical abilities. This is an aspect they are trying to impart to him – that he’s in a man’s league now where everyone is very talented.
BTW, I would like to join Ted in thanking all you guys. Can only imagine how much time and effort producing this blog takes, and I know it’s no real income producer, either. Hope you guys enjoy doing it as much as I like reading it.
January 23rd, 2009 at 10:56 am
lebron just makes everyone better. i bet jj was thrilled to be picked by the cavs and is now committed to earning that covetted pay raise on his second contract (ie boobie gibson)
January 23rd, 2009 at 11:34 am
I think a better comparison in terms of experience and raw skills coming into the NBA might be Dwight Howard. The first few seasons he leaned on pure athletic ability, but watching him last year and this year you can tell he’s added some additional NBA-level skills and the experience of being a veteran.
January 23rd, 2009 at 11:42 am
No offense to Brad or JJ Hickson, but Howard is on another level than Hickson. I don’t think they have even close to the same ceiling, or body type.
January 23rd, 2009 at 11:52 am
jj does need to develop, he’s still raw in terms of talent, the guy is only 20 years old.
sure, brandon roy and emeka okafor were contributors right away, as were a bunch of other guys, but you’re talking about borderline superstars there..
hickson is a bit out of control on the floor. if you started him, he’d be in foul trouble off the bat, he doesn’t quite get brown’s system yet, i think he’s a 2-3 year project
he’s not going to be kevin garnett, or dwight howard, or some ridiculously gifted power forward, but what i think he can turn into, is an antonio mcdyess/joe smith kinda player, a solid rotation guy, who can get you points, and not be a liability at the other end of the floor.
and you need those guys to win championships.
January 23rd, 2009 at 12:58 pm
I guess the person asking the question wasn’t familiar with Andrew Bynum
January 23rd, 2009 at 1:32 pm
Rick-I think you nailed it. JJ is a 19 year old with only one season of college basketball behind him, thus he is definitely a project-albeit one with tremendous athletic ability. Roy and Okafor both played 4 years of big time college ball prior to hitting the NBA-if JJ stated at NC State he’d be more developed by the time he hit the NBA, but then the Cavs wouldn’t have had the opportunity to get him.
January 23rd, 2009 at 2:26 pm
We could only hope JJ comes anywhere close to Howard. To clarify my point I thought Howard would be a better example than Okafor or Roy. Bynum was also a good name to throw out as an example (good call dan) of someone that is “developing” and blooming into their prime. Now in year 3 or 4 of their NBA careers those draft picks look smart. Of course, for every Howard, Bynum & hopefully Hickson, you could also end up with a Darko, Darius, or Kwame.
January 23rd, 2009 at 2:53 pm
Thanks for the excellent post and feedback!
January 23rd, 2009 at 3:25 pm
@Dan – Excellent point… Bynum was nothing special his first two years in the NBA, then he blossomed into a guy who can put up 42 points in a game. Hickson could very well do the same thing, although he’s not going to turn into Bynum because Hickson isn’t a center. He could certainly turn himself into an Andre Iguodala type of player, or Antawn Jamison during his prime. When Iguodala came into the league, he was just a stunningly athletic guy. He couldn’t shoot. He couldn’t really defend. He developed into the player he is now (and he basically carries that 76ers team now).
January 23rd, 2009 at 5:01 pm
Howard could jump flat-flooted and touch the top of the backboard with ease. JJ needs at lease one drop step and momentum to realize his true “hops”.
Dwight Howard is a complete freak and I think people need to realize he has all the tools to be one of the “top 50 talents”. He is really in that special elite class and I hope he progresses b/c it’d be great to watch a Howard-led team battle Lebron’s Cavs.
That said, JJ can be a stud in his own way but needs some significant work before he can either be a stud or elite player.