An interesting article from NBADraft.net website about the two playmakers.
http://www.nbadraft.net/content/will...s-derrick-rose
http://www.nbadraft.net/content/will...s-derrick-rose
By Adi Joseph
Thu, 05/06/2010 - 4:29pm
Since Magic Johnson was drafted No. 1 overall by the Los Angeles Lakers in 1979, just one other true point guard has been taken with the top pick.
That player was an unbelievable athlete with endless highlight-reel plays and the kind of upside that rivaled Johnson's. He was a product of John Calipari's dribble-drive offense, and the star of a team that didn't seem to lose, loaded with NBA talent. He was a freshman when he entered the NBA Draft, disproving the ideology that lead guards only ripen with experience.
It's only natural for John Wall to continuously be compared to Derrick Rose, the top pick in the 2008 NBA Draft. Wall is the clear favorite to be drafted first overall in 2010 after a marvelous freshman season under Calipari's guidance at Kentucky.
Wall and Rose share the gift of the spectacular, consistently dazzling opponents with show-stopping dunks and passes and crossovers that would make Tim Hardaway proud.
These are special players. What they aren't, then, are identical twins. Despite the common traits and despite the inevitable comparisons, Wall is not Rose, a mistake no team drafting him should make. And maybe that's not such a bad thing.
Rose is, as Denny Green would say, who we thought he was. The Chicago kid landed in his hometown destination, and his performance this past season made it clear: Derrick Rose is a star. He averaged 20.8 points per game in the regular season, then 26.8 and 7.2 rebounds per contest in a five-game playoff series with the Cleveland Cavaliers. His teammates were overmatched, but he belonged.
We've always known Rose to be a prime-time player. His high school team became the first in Chicago public league history to win consecutive state titles. He then carried Memphis to the NCAA Championship game, the alpha dog on a team loaded with college stars. In his two Final Four games, Rose put on a clinic, scoring 43 points with 15 rebounds and 12 assists.
Wall shrugged. In his one year at Kentucky, he put up better numbers (16.6 points and 6.5 assists per game to Rose's 14.9 and 4.7) and led a similarly dominant squad to a similarly impressive record, 35-3 with an Elite Eight loss to a more experienced West Virginia squad.
At this point, there's little doubt Wall deserves to be the No. 1 pick in the NBA Draft. His upside is much greater than Ohio State star Evan Turner's, and he's simply better now than anyone else in the draft. Similarly, Rose might not have been as good a college player as Michael Beasley, but he was probably better than anyone else available, and he trumped Beasley in most other regards.
But these are two different players. Wall dominates with his speed. Rarely can one find a player who operates at such a high level while running at full speed. No one can catch this kid on a break, and he may instantly become the fastest player in the NBA, at least with the ball. More impressive, he keeps his peripheral vision broad and is a brilliant passer in the open court.
He's longer and taller than any player who could hope to stay in front of him, and when he is challenged, he generally can simply leap over an opponent. There's no doubting Wall's natural ability. To be precise, Wall can unquestionably do things Rose simply can't.
But Rose was a more polished player coming out of college. While he's got a lot to learn at the defensive end, he's always seemed more interested in it than his younger counterpart. His turnover rate was significantly lower than Wall's, and he operates much more effectively in a half-court set. The NBA is speeding up again, but the remnants of the 1990s remain. You can't win a title on the fast break.
Wall's game reminds me more of Russell Westbrook than Derrick Rose. He's a more natural playmaker than Westbrook, to be sure, but he similarly thrives in the open court. Westbrook's made a case for himself among the NBA's elite point guards, but it's difficult to imagine him carrying a team on a consistent basis, the way Rose lifted the Bulls to the playoffs after a rocky, injured start.
There's nothing John Wall can't do on a basketball court. His length and athleticism indicate that, with the proper focus, he could become an elite defender in the Gary Payton mold. His speed and court vision suggest he may run the fast break with the smoothness and precision of Jason Kidd. His jump shot is smooth enough to suggest he will improve on his 32.5 percent shooting from 3-point range in college.
Still, West Virginia beat Kentucky by playing the Wildcats into a physical scrum. Wall suffered. Unable to use his athleticism to his advantage, he shot just 7-of-18 from the field and committed five turnovers. He appeared visibly frustrated at times, a trait Rose simply does not possess.
Wall's greatest asset, his athleticism, has provided him an overused crutch. Every player in the NBA is athletic, and Wall will not be able to blow by every opponent at the next level.
There is no question John Wall has the talent to dominate in the NBA for years to come. The question is, will he slow down enough to figure it all out?
Thu, 05/06/2010 - 4:29pm
Since Magic Johnson was drafted No. 1 overall by the Los Angeles Lakers in 1979, just one other true point guard has been taken with the top pick.
That player was an unbelievable athlete with endless highlight-reel plays and the kind of upside that rivaled Johnson's. He was a product of John Calipari's dribble-drive offense, and the star of a team that didn't seem to lose, loaded with NBA talent. He was a freshman when he entered the NBA Draft, disproving the ideology that lead guards only ripen with experience.
It's only natural for John Wall to continuously be compared to Derrick Rose, the top pick in the 2008 NBA Draft. Wall is the clear favorite to be drafted first overall in 2010 after a marvelous freshman season under Calipari's guidance at Kentucky.
Wall and Rose share the gift of the spectacular, consistently dazzling opponents with show-stopping dunks and passes and crossovers that would make Tim Hardaway proud.
These are special players. What they aren't, then, are identical twins. Despite the common traits and despite the inevitable comparisons, Wall is not Rose, a mistake no team drafting him should make. And maybe that's not such a bad thing.
Rose is, as Denny Green would say, who we thought he was. The Chicago kid landed in his hometown destination, and his performance this past season made it clear: Derrick Rose is a star. He averaged 20.8 points per game in the regular season, then 26.8 and 7.2 rebounds per contest in a five-game playoff series with the Cleveland Cavaliers. His teammates were overmatched, but he belonged.
We've always known Rose to be a prime-time player. His high school team became the first in Chicago public league history to win consecutive state titles. He then carried Memphis to the NCAA Championship game, the alpha dog on a team loaded with college stars. In his two Final Four games, Rose put on a clinic, scoring 43 points with 15 rebounds and 12 assists.
Wall shrugged. In his one year at Kentucky, he put up better numbers (16.6 points and 6.5 assists per game to Rose's 14.9 and 4.7) and led a similarly dominant squad to a similarly impressive record, 35-3 with an Elite Eight loss to a more experienced West Virginia squad.
At this point, there's little doubt Wall deserves to be the No. 1 pick in the NBA Draft. His upside is much greater than Ohio State star Evan Turner's, and he's simply better now than anyone else in the draft. Similarly, Rose might not have been as good a college player as Michael Beasley, but he was probably better than anyone else available, and he trumped Beasley in most other regards.
But these are two different players. Wall dominates with his speed. Rarely can one find a player who operates at such a high level while running at full speed. No one can catch this kid on a break, and he may instantly become the fastest player in the NBA, at least with the ball. More impressive, he keeps his peripheral vision broad and is a brilliant passer in the open court.
He's longer and taller than any player who could hope to stay in front of him, and when he is challenged, he generally can simply leap over an opponent. There's no doubting Wall's natural ability. To be precise, Wall can unquestionably do things Rose simply can't.
But Rose was a more polished player coming out of college. While he's got a lot to learn at the defensive end, he's always seemed more interested in it than his younger counterpart. His turnover rate was significantly lower than Wall's, and he operates much more effectively in a half-court set. The NBA is speeding up again, but the remnants of the 1990s remain. You can't win a title on the fast break.
Wall's game reminds me more of Russell Westbrook than Derrick Rose. He's a more natural playmaker than Westbrook, to be sure, but he similarly thrives in the open court. Westbrook's made a case for himself among the NBA's elite point guards, but it's difficult to imagine him carrying a team on a consistent basis, the way Rose lifted the Bulls to the playoffs after a rocky, injured start.
There's nothing John Wall can't do on a basketball court. His length and athleticism indicate that, with the proper focus, he could become an elite defender in the Gary Payton mold. His speed and court vision suggest he may run the fast break with the smoothness and precision of Jason Kidd. His jump shot is smooth enough to suggest he will improve on his 32.5 percent shooting from 3-point range in college.
Still, West Virginia beat Kentucky by playing the Wildcats into a physical scrum. Wall suffered. Unable to use his athleticism to his advantage, he shot just 7-of-18 from the field and committed five turnovers. He appeared visibly frustrated at times, a trait Rose simply does not possess.
Wall's greatest asset, his athleticism, has provided him an overused crutch. Every player in the NBA is athletic, and Wall will not be able to blow by every opponent at the next level.
There is no question John Wall has the talent to dominate in the NBA for years to come. The question is, will he slow down enough to figure it all out?
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