# Batum vs Pippin



## HispanicCausinPanic (Jul 2, 2005)

I know it's way too early, but I think Pip and Nic share a lot of the same traits on the court. Stat page fillers. A little of this, a little of that. Long arms, same height.


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## King Joseus (May 26, 2003)

HispanicCausinPanic said:


> I know it's way too early, but I think Pip and Nic share a lot of the same traits on the court. Stat page fillers. A little of this, a little of that. Long arms, same height.












Versus Pippin, you say? :biggrin:


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## HAAK72 (Jun 18, 2007)

...who is







?!?!?!


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## <-=*PdX*=-> (Oct 11, 2007)




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## HispanicCausinPanic (Jul 2, 2005)

Wow! Just wondering if anybody else thought his style was similar to a young Pip? Sorry to bug you guys.


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## alext42083 (Nov 7, 2003)

I don't know about Pippen as I don't think Batum will have the leadership or point forward type skills that Scottie had.
They both fill up the stat sheet, but sort of in different ways.

Maybe Batum will be a Travis Outlaw, with a much higher basketball IQ.


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## Webster's Dictionary (Feb 26, 2004)

I think if Batum lives up to his potential, he'll end up a lot like Prince. Same freakish wingspan and slender frame. I would be ecstatic if that was the case in a few years.


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## BenDavis503 (Apr 11, 2007)

I hope he ends up like Pippen!!


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## B-Roy (Feb 12, 2008)

I think he resembles Prince more.


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## Yega1979 (Mar 22, 2003)

Pippen was one of the best SFs in NBA history. People seem to ask if every long armed chap that comes into the league will be the "next Pippen", just like they ask if every unathletic white guy with a good jump shot will be the "next Larry Bird".


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## Boob-No-More (Apr 24, 2006)

alext42083 said:


> Maybe Batum will be a Travis Outlaw, with a much higher basketball IQ.


Actually, I see Batum as the anti-Outlaw (we should give him the nickname The Sheriff). Their games are totally opposite. The ONE thing Travis does well is shoot jump shots - that's Batum's one weakness (although he seems to improved that already). Travis does everything else below average - rebounding, defense, passing, etc. Travis is a one-dimensional scorer. Batum is a defensive stopper, who does all the "little" things well. 

It's not just an IQ thing (although Batum wins there, too). It's also instincts. Batum seems to always be around the ball and seems to just automatically do the right thing. Outlaw, if he tries to do anything more than one dribble and elevate for a jumper, is a nearly automatic turnover.

I wouldn't put him at Pippin status, or anywhere close, but he's already a much more versatile player than Travis Outlaw - and if he keeps playing defense like he did yesterday, he will get more minutes than Outlaw while Webster is out. With his willingness and ability to play defense, he already seems to have established himself as a "Nate Guy".

BNM


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## dkap (May 13, 2003)

> we should give him the nickname The Sheriff


I was thinking something more along the lines of Gumby. Dude seriously needs to shave his head.

As for the Pippen comparisons, keep in mind how raw Pippen was at Batum's age. He was a 6' college walk-on/waterboy, as I recall.

Dan


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## wizmentor (Nov 10, 2005)

Boob-No-More said:


> Actually, I see Batum as the anti-Outlaw (we should give him the nickname The Sheriff). Their games are totally opposite. The ONE thing Travis does well is shoot jump shots - that's Batum's one weakness (although he seems to improved that already). Travis does everything else below average - rebounding, defense, passing, etc. Travis is a one-dimensional scorer. Batum is a defensive stopper, who does all the "little" things well.
> 
> It's not just an IQ thing (although Batum wins there, too). It's also instincts. Batum seems to always be around the ball and seems to just automatically do the right thing. Outlaw, if he tries to do anything more than one dribble and elevate for a jumper, is a nearly automatic turnover.
> 
> ...


They have another thing in common, they're both inconsistent right now. However, that may change.


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## Redeemed (Feb 2, 2008)

I think his game is more like Rudy Gay


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## HispanicCausinPanic (Jul 2, 2005)

DienerTime said:


> I think his game is more like Rudy Gay


I like that comparison.


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## Boob-No-More (Apr 24, 2006)

DienerTime said:


> I think his game is more like Rudy Gay


I disagree. Gay is a much more polished offensive player (altough he did have an ugly jump shot his rookie year, that he corrected prior to his second season), but is definitely NOT a good defender.

When Gay was a rookie he got minutes becuase he could score. Batum, as a rookie, will get PT becuase of his defense. Any offense he contributes will be a bonus.

BNM


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## HispanicCausinPanic (Jul 2, 2005)

Is Gay not that good of a defender? I have to admit I haven't seen him play much. Maybe he just played good D against us.


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## Boob-No-More (Apr 24, 2006)

HispanicCausinPanic said:


> Is Gay not that good of a defender? I have to admit I haven't seen him play much. Maybe he just played good D against us.


He gets a few steals and blocks due to his athleticism, but he's not a very good 1-on-1 defender.

BNM


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## B-Roy (Feb 12, 2008)

Gay = Better Outlaw + IQ.


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## malarky (Dec 18, 2006)

I think AK47 is the best comparison for Batum. They are both extremely long and athletic. Both play good, active defense. Both can pass the ball and both struggle with shooting from range. Batum is not nearly the player AK47 is now but I see them as having very similar skill sets.


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## meru (Jul 2, 2003)

HispanicCausinPanic said:


> Is Gay not that good of a defender? I have to admit I haven't seen him play much. Maybe he just played good D against us.


He made an all-defensive team of one kind...


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## PorterIn2004 (Jan 1, 2003)

I'd still go with Pippen, albeit still very much a "poor man's" version compared to where Pippen ended up. But even at the peak of his career, Pippen was only a modest scorer -- it was everything else he had down. In that, Batum seems similar -- scoring is the weakest part of his game. He's already better than Outlaw and/or Webster at virtually everything else; ball-handling, vision, passing, defense, etc. Scoring and maybe rebounding go to the senior SFs on this team but otherwise it's either really close or goes to Batum.

Gay's not bad either, but one of Gay's biggest strengths is scoring. While Pippen, at his best, was enough better a player than Gay is now that even with scoring as a short-coming, Pippen might've been a better scorer than Gay. But if you rated all these guys on a scale to 10 for ball-handling, scoring, rebounding, etc., I'd bet that the shape of Batum's chart would look more like Pippen's than Gay's.


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