# Can someone explain why McRoberts slipped so far?



## 2k (Dec 30, 2005)

I thought he was going to be an overachiever at the 17th pick and now the guy falls to the second round. The knock on him seems to be that he lacks fundamentals in the post, he is too small to play the 5 and that his athleticism wont transfer to the next level. I don’t see many NBA power forwards with his versatility and athleticism. His post game isn’t that bad either. Did we really get lucky or am I missing something?


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## wizmentor (Nov 10, 2005)

2k said:


> I thought he was going to be an overachiever at the 17th pick and now the guy falls to the second round. The knock on him seems to be that he lacks fundamentals in the post, he is too small to play the 5 and that his athleticism wont transfer to the next level. I don’t see many NBA power forwards with his versatility and athleticism. His post game isn’t that bad either. Did we really get lucky or am I missing something?


I don't know, his youtube video (linked from nbadraft.net) looked pretty good.


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## GMJigga (May 23, 2006)

We've been debating this guy over at the Nets board for some time now; we had 17 and most mocks had us taking this guy all year till late. While obviously the debate on the board didn't cause him to slip, we probably picked up on some of the reasons. All in all most people who are against McRoberts think he's too soft of a player, and not assertive enough physically or psychologically. There's also popular belief that his skill level allowed him to get by at the college level (his last year was a bit of a disappointment), but none of his skills (besides passing) will translate to the NBA. 

He was quick enough in college, he could out rebound college players, he was athletic with respect to other college players, but he won't be able to perform at the same level with NBA players. And if none of your skills work in the NBA what do you do? ...you certainly don't draft him at 17 and you don't spend a first round pick on him.


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## BenDavis503 (Apr 11, 2007)

I think we lucked out. For real. I got high hopes for this guy.


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## PorterIn2004 (Jan 1, 2003)

Oden certainly speaks well of his game, though it's hard to imagine him saying anything else I suppose.

It's a little hard to see him getting much time with guys like Aldridge, Frye and potentially still Outlaw ahead of him in the rotation. Then there's also Freeland, who's drawing comparisons to Dirk. And then, still keeping a bench warm somewhere in Portland, is LaFrentz. Presumably it'll all work out in the wash, so to speak, and it's good to know that even without Randolph the team won't be lacking for depth at the 4 spot.


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## alext42083 (Nov 7, 2003)

For the value of the No. 37 pick, this was one of the bigger steals of the draft.

McRoberts will definitely be on this team and be a high energy, crowd favorite type of guy off the bench. A perfect player for this team.
I'm excited to see what this guy can do.


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## Draco (Jun 28, 2003)

Yeah low risk, mediocre reward pick. I don't mind at all. A taller luke walton would be great as the 3rd PF.


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## Sambonius (May 21, 2003)

Slower version of Brad Miller perhaps?


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## alext42083 (Nov 7, 2003)

I think McRoberts is a little bit quicker and more athletic than Brad Miller. McRoberts was in the McDonald's slam dunk contest out of HS.

I don't know if he has the shooting touch like Miller either.
The only comparison I see is they're both white and tall.


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## PorterIn2004 (Jan 1, 2003)

alext42083 said:


> I think McRoberts is a little bit quicker and more athletic than Brad Miller. McRoberts was in the McDonald's slam dunk contest out of HS.
> 
> I don't know if he has the shooting touch like Miller either.
> The only comparison I see is they're both white and tall.


They're both supposed to have high basketball IQs and they're both supposed to be good passers. I'd say both _are_ (or at least have been) true of Miller. At the NBA level, I think the jury's still out on McRoberts.


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## alext42083 (Nov 7, 2003)

Perhaps a little more athletic Nick Collison without as polished post moves? That's the only real comparison I see from some of his highlights.
Seems like he had a lot of dunks in college, whether on the break and taking it to the hoop by himself or on alley-oops.


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## yuyuza1 (May 24, 2006)

I think a poor Duke showing the tournament lowered his stock. Also, he was put in a situation where he was uncomfortable in college. He's a SF/PF and a hustler, not a C or a scorer like Duke hoped. 

I think he'll be a great fit here.


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## PorterIn2004 (Jan 1, 2003)

alext42083 said:


> Perhaps a little more athletic Nick Collison without as polished post moves? That's the only real comparison I see from some of his highlights.
> Seems like he had a lot of dunks in college, whether on the break and taking it to the hoop by himself or on alley-oops.


I wouldn't put too much stock in the highlight films one way or the other. With enough footage, nearly anyone can be made to look good and, unless your name is Nash or Kidd, the people putting the film together are likely to skip over nice passes or plays where you're setting someone else up. Enough people are high on him that I'm all kinds of ready to check him out... with high hopes and low expectations.


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## hollaback33 (Jun 30, 2007)

duke fan here,

you guys got a steal here at 37. 
anyways i thought id try and give yall a breakdown of the weaknesses... or well the ones i saw from his two years here.
basically, josh cannot be a go-to guy. i don't think he will ever be that guy, but thats good for him here in portland bc he doesnt have to be that guy. he's a little immature emotionally. that whole crying during and after games thing was not a good sign... at times, well no most of the time, people questioned his attitude. he can get really down on himself during games, and let's be honest... he has a bit of finishing problem. he's not a great scorer. not a great leader.r
he can be a great role player for portland. he's got a great bball IQ, he's a great passer, can play solid defense, has a great handle for 6'11". hopefully getting drafted at 37 will give him the chip on his shoulder that he needs to WANT to get better (his work ethic was questioned at times). 
off-season back surgery probably didnt help his development at duke.
honestly, duke just wasnt the right fit for him. coach k gave him the keys to the duke offense last season and he just couldnt cut it. as long as he doesnt have to be the main scoring option/leader, he can be very effective and solid. 
i hope that portland utilizes him and helps him become the great player i know he has the potential to be. 

sorry that was long... ha im sure many didnt read it all.. quick question though for anyone who reads down here - im on the east coast, are there many portland games on regular cable? my area doesnt offer us nba tv...


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## Gunner (Sep 16, 2005)

hollaback33 said:


> im on the east coast, are there many portland games on regular cable? my area doesnt offer us nba tv...


I have a suspicion that they'll televise a few here and there nationally. And of course all the playoff games will be. :biggrin: 
Welcome to the boards!


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## Spoolie Gee (Feb 3, 2005)

hollaback33 said:


> duke fan here,
> 
> you guys got a steal here at 37.
> anyways i thought id try and give yall a breakdown of the weaknesses... or well the ones i saw from his two years here.
> ...


Good break down. You summed up pretty much what I thought of his game from the few times I watched Duke last year. I think playing off of Oden will help him a lot.


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## Minstrel (Dec 31, 2002)

Is Troy Murphy a good comparison for McRoberts? Murphy was a pretty good scorer and rebounder at the power forward spot, but the knock against him at the NBA level (other than durability) has been that he's too soft for a power forward.

Getting someone like Murphy in the second round would be pretty good value.


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## LameR (Jan 4, 2004)

hollaback33 said:


> duke fan here,
> 
> you guys got a steal here at 37.
> anyways i thought id try and give yall a breakdown of the weaknesses... or well the ones i saw from his two years here.
> ...


Thanks for the input, and welcome to the boards!

Only thing I disagree about is the crying. Just shows he cares about his performance and his teams. At least you know the game truly matters to him. Now, playing with/for his buddy Oden, maybe he'll play with even more fire.


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## Oldmangrouch (Feb 11, 2003)

As a 2nd rounder, he is a good gamble.

The key now is going to be his personality. He seems to be a smart kid with modest talent. If he has a "pitbull" attitude, he can contribute. If he tries to coast, he will fail.


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## sabas4mvp (Sep 23, 2002)

if his NBA game doesnt work out his mom can come to portland and BBQ for Oden.


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## ilPadrino (May 23, 2003)

Minstrel said:


> Is Troy Murphy a good comparison for McRoberts?


Murphy is a much better outside shooter than McRoberts. Murphy also put up more impressive numbers in college than McRoberts.


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## mediocre man (Feb 24, 2004)

Bilas
Ferry
Laetner


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## HKF (Dec 10, 2002)

And Murphy wasn't a 2nd round pick and has averaged a double double as a professional.


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## jwhoops11 (Nov 26, 2003)

I might be wrong, I didn't watch a lot of Blue Devil basketball, but McRoberts kind of reminded me of Mark Madsen when Mark was Stanford. Although I think Madsen was a better scorer at the college level, and McRoberts the better ball handler. I would say that both players seem to share the same intensity.

Hopefully the Blazers didn't draft Madsen Lite...


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## ASDQWE (May 31, 2007)

McRoberts has all the physical tools to be a good player... highly athletic, excellent passer, good post player - it's just the desire that many people question, and why, for all his talent, didn't he play a more significant role for Duke last season. 

Commbine this with the terrible season Duke had (compared to their regular seasons), then you have some idea why Josh fell the way he did.


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## Dan (Dec 30, 2002)

Joel Freeland draws comparisons to Dirk because he's tall and white. Thats the only thing they have in common.


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## Oil Can (May 25, 2006)

At 37 he is a steal. He will make the roster somehow.


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## Minstrel (Dec 31, 2002)

HKF said:


> And Murphy wasn't a 2nd round pick and has averaged a double double as a professional.


I wasn't asking whether they were drafted at the same place, just whether they were comparable as players. As I said, if they were, a Murphy-type of player would be a nice value where Portland got McRoberts.


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## Utherhimo (Feb 20, 2005)

can mcroberts play the sf? if he can in spots not all the time then at 37 he is a steal, at least oden doesnt have to deal with conley jr anymore!


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## hogey11 (Aug 30, 2002)

I wouldn't be surprised if he was picked up purely as an "Oden comfort". It was well documented that those two got along really well, and I could see him getting the 15th spot (if not a higher spot) completely based on his relationship with Oden. I'm assuming Portland wants to start off on the right foot with the big man, and bringing in a friend of his to help get used to his surroundings will help a lot in that respect, i think.


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## VolcanoSounds (Jun 30, 2007)

I think his relationship with #52 was a nice bonus reason for the pick and a big reason he will stick around. Here is what #52 said about him on http://www.yardbarker.com/users/gregoden:

Young McRoberts!!!!!!!
submitted by gregoden 19 days ago
I am staying in Carmel, Indiana, which is north of Indianapolis. In this area lots of people know high school basketball. When you ask someone about it, the first name that pops in their minds is not Greg Oden, Michael Conley Jr., or Eric Gordon. It's JOSH MCROBERTS, one of my favorite people in the world. He is one of the funniest people I have met, and the one person in high school basketball that I dreaded playing, because I had to guard him and he is a monster. He uses both hands on the court. That gives him an edge on everybody else. He was here for a day so I got to hang out with him. It was one of the greatest days. Him and a couple of his friends and I laid out at his pool, played horse in the pool, stayed in too long, hands got wrinkled and when we got tired of being in the pool his mom came and grilled some hamburgers and teriyaki chicken with macaroni salad and cookies. It was the BOMB! Then we just chilled later on with some of his friends from high school and it was cool. The next day he left for Chicago to work out. He is a great player and I hope him well this year in the draft. I hope they invite him to go to the draft cause he will probaly have me laughing the whole night. I don't want to brag, but we were on one of the best AAU teams ever with 1. Michael Conley Jr, 2. Eric Gordon, 3. Deaquan Cook, 4. Josh McRoberts, and 5. little ol me. We also had Aaron Pouge, Curtis White, Mark Titus, Reese Cheatem, and Devin Williams coming off the bench. Those years were fun. 

---

It is a plus that he has some nice role player skills too, those that complement #52 very, very well.


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## ilPadrino (May 23, 2003)

Utherhimo said:


> can mcroberts play the sf? if he can in spots not all the time then at 37 he is a steal, at least oden doesnt have to deal with conley jr anymore!


No, he isn't an NBA small forward in any way.


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## mgb (Jun 26, 2004)

Ok, I'll show my ignorance, what is AAU?


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## VolcanoSounds (Jun 30, 2007)

I believe AAU is a league of teams composed of HS standouts from a particular region.


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## benfica (Jul 17, 2002)

I just don't get it that he slipped to 37, a 6'11" with a long wing span, better than average athlete, great passing skills and defender..can play all front court positions..

I didnt get how David Lee slipped either and knew he would be a great pro..Every team now calls the Knicks to see if they
can trade for David Lee, but he is now untouchable. I remember when David Lee slipped,looking back David should have been
a lottery pick as he is a rebounding machine.

Josh M has all the tools of David Lee and more, if he puts the effort he will be a better David Lee. Face it white american players will always be questioned and be risk picks.


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## 2k (Dec 30, 2005)

benfica said:


> I just don't get it that he slipped to 37, a 6'11" with a long wing span, better than average athlete, great passing skills and defender..can play all front court positions..
> 
> I didnt get how David Lee slipped either and knew he would be a great pro..Every team now calls the Knicks to see if they
> can trade for David Lee, but he is now untouchable. I remember when David Lee slipped,looking back David should have been
> ...



Its not like he is trying to play CB in the NFL.


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## PapaG (Oct 4, 2004)

If Mark Madsen can last 7 years and counting in the NBA, Josh McRoberts will find a place and be more productive than "Mad Dog!".

He's an absolute steal in the second round.


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## barfo (Jan 2, 2003)

mgb said:


> Ok, I'll show my ignorance, what is AAU?


Stands for Amateur Athletic Union. And no, that's not a porn site.

AAU

barfo


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## wizmentor (Nov 10, 2005)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mtE1I_zV94w


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## PapaG (Oct 4, 2004)

wizmentor said:


> http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mtE1I_zV94w


The double behind-the-back dribble he does against Wake in that video is absolutely sick. Plus, he is hitting jump shots out to 21'. Throw in the various drives to the basket from behind the 3 pt line, and it appears he has a well-rounded game that will stand up in the NBA.

Am I missing something here? How in the heck did this guy last until the 37th pick? I had no idea he possesses such a high-level of athleticism.


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## Dan (Dec 30, 2002)

barfo said:


> Stands for Amateur Athletic Union. And no, that's not a porn site.
> 
> AAU
> 
> barfo


actually, if you go to the right page, it is.


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## Five5even (Jun 15, 2007)

papag said:


> Am I missing something here? How in the heck did this guy last until the 37th pick? I had no idea he possesses such a high-level of athleticism.


after watching that video i found myself thinking the exact same thing.


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## PapaG (Oct 4, 2004)

Five5even said:


> after watching that video i found myself thinking the exact same thing.


I had to watch it a second time to make sure this was the same guy drafted 37th.

Portland drafted Josh McRoberts of Duke, right?  

I will say that I think all five of his three point makes from last year are in that video. That said, it looks like he has a good stroke that could make him a decent NBA shooter.


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## BBert (Dec 30, 2004)

Definitely a steal where he was picked. We are lucky to get him. I think he'll make the team and definitely before Freeland will, if nothing else because he is so much more advanced as a player.

Q: Were those all freshman highlights? I kept hearing announcers mention Reddick.


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## PorterIn2004 (Jan 1, 2003)

That's a pretty fun video, and better put together than a lot of video highlights. Sure there are still a bunch of dunks but it shows more of an overall game than most highlight films. That said, I'm not sure how much of it will translate well to the pros, when nearly all of the opponents are bigger, faster, and smarter than they were in college.


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## majic_sean (Dec 22, 2004)

Watch out Travis, McNasty is coming to get your minutes and your highflying highlights. Some of those dunks were amazing. In the video one of the announcers says he is left handed but he finishes with the right on some dunks and shots pretty naturally looking too around the hoop. His shot looks good too. However his post moves seemd kind of unpolished. How many players are on the roster now? I wonder who will not get minutes..


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## BlazerFan (May 26, 2005)

Here's another!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D-9-VJNbnEE


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## VolcanoSounds (Jun 30, 2007)

Check this out - McRob in 2005 McD HS All American Dunk Contest, see him at the :35 mark with a between the legs and then an absolute beauty - behind the back pass + reverse dunk at the 2:10 mark.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WJemla9Pd38&mode=related&search=

He's obviously well-coordinated and athletic, plus is quite possibly the best passing and handling big in the draft. If he puts his mind to it (being a 2nd round pick and having his old friend #52 around should help his motivation), he will be a steal and a rotation guy for years to come, no doubt.


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## ilPadrino (May 23, 2003)

papag said:


> Am I missing something here? How in the heck did this guy last until the 37th pick? I had no idea he possesses such a high-level of athleticism.


I was really high on McRoberts after his freshman season. He showed flashes of potential that were tremendous. I watched Duke play several times last year and just wasn't impressed by him. It isn't surprising his stock plummeted. That being said, I think it is worth taking a chance on him in the second round. Hopefully he can bring the type of energy to the Blazers that he brought to Duke as a freshman.


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## PorterIn2004 (Jan 1, 2003)

Good as he is, I'm not sure he beats out Frye for minutes, though maybe -- by all means, play the best guys. Some have talked about Frye playing center some, though that seems like a serious case of small-ball if that's done. 

I _do_ agree, though, that McRoberts probably beats out Outlaw, at least at PF. I'm thinking Outlaw's probably still a better choice at SF, though more and more I question whether or not the Blazers are really going to try very hard to keep him.

There certainly seem to be some interesting pieces coming on board, though the team is awfully young. It'd be interesting to see if there are any teams in the league with an average younger age in their top, say... 10 rotation players, or even across the entire roster.


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## Talkhard (May 13, 2003)

Holy Cow!! I had no idea the guy was this good. Those highlights are absolutely amazing. Something tells me we may have gotten the steal of the draft.


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## DamDweller (Jun 7, 2007)

If you guys haven't gotten a chance you should give his interview after their first practice a shot. He sounds like a good guy that wants to do anything to help the team win.

http://blog.oregonlive.com/blazers/2007/07/mcroberts_070107.MP3


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## wizmentor (Nov 10, 2005)

stupid homage to barfo...



> Can someone explain why McRoberts slipped so far?


uh... a banana peel?

More seriously, I think he's considered a tweener.


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## PapaG (Oct 4, 2004)

wizmentor said:


> stupid homage to barfo...
> 
> 
> 
> ...


He averaged 14 pts, 8 boards, and 3.5 assists last season as Duke's only option on offense. He's 6'10" and 240 lbs. How is he a "tweener"? He seems like a PF who can put the ball on the floor.


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## graybeard (May 10, 2003)

papag said:


> He averaged 14 pts, 8 boards, and 3.5 assists last season as Duke's only option on offense. He's 6'10" and 240 lbs. How is he a "tweener"? He seems like a PF who can put the ball on the floor.


 He looks and sounds like a nasty power forward that has skills to me.


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## WhoDaBest23 (Apr 16, 2003)

I've never really liked McRoberts, but I don't know how he slipped to the 2nd round. Figured someone was going to bite on him in the 1st, but guess not. 

I think he compares well with David Lee (Yeah I know, athletic white guy comparison). Not as great a rebounder, but maybe more skills.


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## ilPadrino (May 23, 2003)

I think part of reason McRoberts didn't play as well last season compared to what was expected from him after his freshman season is that he appeared to gain weight and, at least to me, didn't seem to be as athletic and energetic as he did as a freshman.

At the pre-draft workouts, McRoberts had the second highest body fat percentage (13.7%) out of all the players tested. Only Aaron Gray had a higher percentage. Judging by McRoberts' highlights as a freshman, I would also have expected him to show a better max vertical. He jumped 31.5" while the relatively unathletic Aaron Gray jumped 32.5".

Anyway, I think the key for McRoberts might be to get into a little better shape.


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## wizmentor (Nov 10, 2005)

papag said:


> He averaged 14 pts, 8 boards, and 3.5 assists last season as Duke's only option on offense. He's 6'10" and 240 lbs. How is he a "tweener"? He seems like a PF who can put the ball on the floor.


The criticism is that he doesn't have a good back to the basket game, and he can't go around small forwards. So, is he "Brad Lohaus?"

I like the guy, and think he'll do well. I'm just telling you the criticisms as I understand them.


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## Spoolie Gee (Feb 3, 2005)

He's a PF that plays in the high post. A good compliment with a true center like Oden.


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## Dan (Dec 30, 2002)

wizmentor said:


> The criticism is that he doesn't have a good back to the basket game, and he can't go around small forwards. So, is he "Brad Lohaus?"


The only thing that Brad Lohaus dunked was donuts.


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## PapaG (Oct 4, 2004)

wizmentor said:


> The criticism is that he doesn't have a good back to the basket game, and he can't go around small forwards. *So, is he "Brad Lohaus?"*
> I like the guy, and think he'll do well. I'm just telling you the criticisms as I understand them.


I don't recall Brad Lohaus ever being in a dunk contest.

I do recall Brad Lohaus being on an NBA championship team.

If McRoberts is Brad Lohaus with athleticism, he is clearly a steal at 37. Lohaus managed to stick in the league for 11 years and his per/48 numbers validate his tenure.


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## Public Defender (May 5, 2003)

I don't like Dukies, but as I recall from games this season and last, McRoberts was a very good college basketball player. Perhaps there's a little bit of having high expectations out of him this past year that weren't realized, but I don't think that means he'll fall flat. Still, I think he's an excellent example of a player who needs to show the Blazers something in Summer League.


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## BlazerCaravan (Aug 12, 2004)

If he's Outlaw with the other half a brain and handles, he's as good as gold. The kid can run, catch alley-oops, and dribble on the break. He'll be a great sparkplug off the bench as backup PF.


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## alext42083 (Nov 7, 2003)

If McRoberts can simply mix it up inside, provide non-stop energy off the bench, get boards, dive on the floor for loose balls and hit the occassional jumper and get putbacks, I'd be ecstatic.


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## Oldmangrouch (Feb 11, 2003)

I think part of the issue, is that Duke went thru a spell where they tried to make McRoberts their "go to" scorer...and he flopped. He is more suited to a be a blue-collar, complimentary player. 

When people were projecting McRoberts in the 15-20 range, I though that was a mistake as he will never be a "star" player who can carry a team. At #37, he was an excellent value and should be a valuable reserve.


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## PorterIn2004 (Jan 1, 2003)

I'm a bit worried about how PT is going to shake out. Once again, it seems like there are a bunch of guys stacked up at one position (this time PF) who are likely all roughly equal in skill and talent: Frye, McRoberts, Outlaw, maybe even Freeland, and that's three or four even before including Aldridge or LaFrentz (LaWho?). Meanwhile at center, there's Oden, Przybilla, Aldridge when he's not busy being the starting PF, and...?

Maybe the plan is that, while Aldridge starts at PF, half of his minutes come at center? Or maybe they're thinking Frye can get by at center some? I could see some additional moves made that might balance it out a bit better, though it seems like the Blazers really like McRoberts, Frye, and Freeland -- all young guys who are almost Zach-like in their PFness (and with some ability to stretch toward center but not really small forward).

It'll be interesting to see what the roster looks like by the time the season starts. It's tempting to start a "# of moves made before the season strikes midnight" poll/pool.


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## Iwatas (Aug 3, 2003)

My guess is that Freeland is more of a SF, but I guess we really don't know yet. He seems to be a good shooter.

iWatas


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## different_13 (Aug 30, 2005)

Well, you've gotta figure Aldridge and McRoberts are staying.
So Frye's the odd man out.
I say he'll probably get some decent minutes, to try and bring his trade value back up to what it was in his rookie year.
Then, bam, he's out of here (a promising young player like him would make taking on Darius Miles ((or another horrible player/contract)) a lot more bearable for most teams).


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