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ESPN NBA Draft Analyst: Payton Sandfort has a Ready-Made Skill for the NBA. Invited to May 12-19 NBA Draft Combine

joelbc1 said:
The game constantly evolves. Nothing is static in sport. Korver played when he played, dictated by his birth certificate, And he played in the League for many years…. Much longer than anyone ever predicted. And he wasn’t there to play defense. Korver was a premium 3 point shooter with a great work ethic. Who knows where the game will be in another 5 years?
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It's interesting how the 3 point shot changed everything, both in the pro and college ranks.

Kareem Abdul Jabbar first attempted a 3 point shot in the 1979-80 season (he missed). In 10 seasons, from 1979-80 until he retired (1988-89), he was 1-18 (6%) from three.

Karl Anthony Towns, another center, in 9 seasons with the Timberwolves, is 975-2,452 (39.8%) from three.

Hopefully Payton can find his niche with a team.
 
fivecardstud14 said:
Kareem does have the 37th best eFG% of all time. But the top 12 eFG% of all time are centers. Coincidentally, the guy who wouldn’t be able to play in the NBA today according to rockenrollerdouche is 24th all time. He’s the third non-center, behind Steph Curry & Joe Ingles.
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Stat doesn't take into account whether a player was a go-to scorer, or a guy that got a lot of easy shots because the defense wasn't geared to stop them.
 
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Franisdaman said:
It's interesting how the 3 point shot changed everything, both in the pro and college ranks.

Kareem Abdul Jabbar first attempted a 3 point shot in the 1979-80 season (he missed). In 10 seasons, from 1979-80 until he retired (1988-89), he was 1-18 (6%) from three.

Karl Anthony Towns, another center, in 9 seasons with the Timberwolves, is 975-2,452 (39.8%) from three.

Hopefully Payton can find his niche with a team.
Click to expand...
Kareem was not an outside shooter, and I am surprised he even took 18 in his whole career. At least 90% of his shots were his sky hook. I think I read that he only had a shot blocked about 6 times in his long career. Kareem was so good coming out of HS, the college BB banned dunking for a few years out of fear for what he would do.
 
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HoustonREDHawk said:
Kareem was not an outside shooter, and I am surprised he even took 18 in his whole career. At least 90% of his shots were his sky hook. I think I read that he only had a shot blocked about 6 times in his long career. Kareem was so good coming out of HS, the college BB banned dunking for a few years out of fear for what he would do.
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In all fairness to the old timers, there wasn't a big man in the league from the 60's-90's who could/would shoot from 3 point distance. Kareem & Wilt were both very good to great athletes. If the 3 point shot was a thing while they were growing up, I'm sure they would've adjusted their games & offensive repertoire to adapt.
 
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LukaDuka said:
In all fairness to the old timers, there wasn't a big man in the league from the 60's-90's who could/would shoot from 3 point distance. Kareem & Wilt were both very good to great athletes. If the 3 point shot was a thing while they were growing up, I'm sure they would've adjusted their games & offensive repertoire to adapt.
Click to expand...

51AZ9sOjL-L._UF1000,1000_QL80_DpWeblab_.jpg
 
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LukaDuka said:
Probably more of a power forward than center.
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You are right, he spent twice the amount of minutes at PF than C. Was just thinking about big men in that era who could shoot. Laimbeer is another one, but he didn’t have the volume of threes that Perkins did.
 
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Sam Perkins was a great clutch shooter. Although he could play minutes at center if needed depending on the lineup, he was really a power forward. His wing span is reportedly 7'6"; big help on D and also with getting his shot off.
 
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Still amazing to think of that 81-82 UNC team with Jordan, Worthy and Perkins. Incredible to have 3 guys with that level of talent displayed over decades (40+ years among the three) in the NBA coming from one college team. A guy who is in the GOAT conversation, another who is a hall of famer and a guy who played 18 seasons in the league including 3 NBA finals appearances.
 
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HoustonREDHawk said:
Kareem was not an outside shooter, and I am surprised he even took 18 in his whole career. At least 90% of his shots were his sky hook. I think I read that he only had a shot blocked about 6 times in his long career. Kareem was so good coming out of HS, the college BB banned dunking for a few years out of fear for what he would do.
Click to expand...

No, I agree with you. Kareem was incredible mid-range and with that sky hook. As we know, Garza has the sky hook in his aresenal. But now things are very different; centers pretty much are expected to be able to hit the 3 point shot
 
HoustonREDHawk said:
22" is incredibly bad for a top BB player, and more like us normal folks. I am sure Payton also rates very low on lateral quickness. He is a smart player, which helps him compensate for his physical limitations. That is how he averaged 6 boards/game. Payton can make good money playing overseas, but not so sure he will ever make and stay on an NBA roster. With all that negativity, he sure would help the Hawks chances of being a really good team next year.
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That and having poorer rebounders around you mean more are available.
 
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Franisdaman said:
No, I agree with you. Kareem was incredible mid-range and with that sky hook. As we know, Garza has the sky hook in his aresenal. But now things are very different; centers pretty much are expected to be able to hit the 3 point shot
Click to expand...
Yep. Whole different game that will keep evolving. Then, if you took the ball to the basket, you had to be tough enough to withstand the punishment. Now, there is almost no such thing as traveling or carrying the ball... Different skills required. Garza has nothing like Kareem's sky hook. Most only remember Kareem after he went to the Lakers and was only a shadow of what he was with the Bucks. Wilt had even less of his peak athleticism when he went to the Lakers. Both still contributed to championships.
 
HoustonREDHawk said:
Yep. Whole different game that will keep evolving. Then, if you took the ball to the basket, you had to be tough enough to withstand the punishment. Now, there is almost no such thing as traveling or carrying the ball... Different skills required. Garza has nothing like Kareem's sky hook. Most only remember Kareem after he went to the Lakers and was only a shadow of what he was with the Bucks. Wilt had even less of his peak athleticism when he went to the Lakers. Both still contributed to championships.
Click to expand...

Kareem was the MVP of the league in his first 2 seasons with the Lakers (and a 3rd two seasons later). His FG% went up in LA as well. His scoring dropped a little because he took less shots. He eventually dropped off in LA due to age.
 
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HoustonREDHawk said:
Yep. Whole different game that will keep evolving. Then, if you took the ball to the basket, you had to be tough enough to withstand the punishment. Now, there is almost no such thing as traveling or carrying the ball... Different skills required. Garza has nothing like Kareem's sky hook. Most only remember Kareem after he went to the Lakers and was only a shadow of what he was with the Bucks. Wilt had even less of his peak athleticism when he went to the Lakers. Both still contributed to championships.
Click to expand...
No idea what you’re even talking about with Kareem and the Lakers. He was far from a shadow of himself on the Lakers.
 
Good story.

How Payton Sandfort's measurables stacked up at 2024 NBA Draft Combine​

Tyler Tachman
Des Moines Register
May 17, 2024


CHICAGO — Iowa men's basketball's Payton Sandfort has been in Chicago for the 2024 NBA Draft Combine this week, offering him a chance to get in front of league decision-makers.

Sandfort is going through the NBA Draft process while maintaining his college eligibility. The Iowa sharpshooter averaged 16.4 points, 6.6 rebounds and 2.7 assists per game last season while making 37.9% of his attempts from deep. All of those statistics were career-highs for Sandfort.

Here is a look at Sandfort's testing results at the 2024 NBA Draft Combine. For most categories, 72 prospects were measured. Sandfort's approximate ranking among the field is in parentheses.

  • Height without shoes: 6 feet 6.25 inches
  • Weight: 212 pounds
  • Wingspan: 6 feet 8 inches
  • Pro lane drill: 11.57 seconds (62nd)
  • Shuttle run: 2.84 seconds (Tied-4th out of 71)
  • Three-quarter court sprint: 3.43 seconds (Tied-70th)
  • No-step vertical jump: 22 inches (72nd)
  • Maximum vertical jump: 28 inches (71st)
  • Shooting off the dribble: 56.7% (Tied-39th)
  • 3-point star drill: 12/25 (Tied-40th out of 70)
  • Spot-up shooting: 64% (Tied-24th)
  • Side-mid-side shooting: 67.9% (unofficial)

Sandfort also participated in two games of five-on-five action. Over both contests, Sandfort combined for four points on 2-of-9 from the field, including 0-of-7 from 3-point range. He grabbed a total of four rebounds. That production came in roughly 33 minutes of action combined across those two games.

“It’s a major growth experience going through this whole week,” Sandfort said Tuesday. "The game feels different. Better athletes, people are a lot longer. It kinda feels like when you go from high school to college. The game's a lot faster and you have to adjust. I remember like the first year I was in college, like the first month I was horrible. Couldn’t adjust. And that’s a little bit of what it feels like right now. But I know eventually, I will adjust.”

It's worth noting that Sandfort has been dealing with a minor cut on the pointer finger of his shooting hand. While this might seem insignificant, it is actually a big deal. Shooting is a major part of Sandfort's arsenal, so having irritation in an area where the ball is released isn't ideal. It's comparable to a baseball pitcher having a blister on a finger.

Sandfort's showing in Chicago was far from his best. It was a chance for him to directly measure up with other prospects in the draft class, and he didn't exactly separate himself in a positive way. But it's also difficult to gauge how much it might hurt his draft stock — if at all. The Combine is a fairly isolated event. Sandfort's entire body of work at Iowa speaks louder than his performance over just a few days.

Not all of what Sandfort can bring to the next level is quantifiable, either. That has been a selling point for him during this pre-NBA Draft process.

“Obviously, everyone talks about the shooting and obviously I think that’s very NBA-ready,” Sandfort said Tuesday. “I didn’t shoot it the best (Tuesday). But that’s kinda how it goes. I’m gonna be in there, be really enthusiastic. Play as hard as I can to win every game. And do literally whatever it takes on the team, whatever they need me to do to get it done.”

Before the Combine, Sandfort had workouts with the Atlanta Hawks and Boston Celtics. His looming decision of whether to return to Iowa for his senior season or continue his professional pursuits is a big one. The Hawkeyes have done good work this offseason, retaining key pieces such as Owen Freeman and Josh Dix, while bringing in a couple of intriguing transfers. Sandfort's decision, though, could swing things drastically for better or worse.

Sandfort's decision hinges more on who he could be drafted by as opposed to when he could be drafted.

“For me, it’s really just finding the right fit to be a place where I can contribute,” Sandfort said. “Be in a winning culture. And if I can find the right fit and that’s how it works out, then I think that’s what I’ll be willing to take.”

The deadline for his decision is May 29.

................................

Follow Tyler Tachman on X (@Tyler_T15), contact via email at ttachman@gannett.com

www.hawkcentral.com

Iowa basketball: How Payton Sandfort's measurables stacked up at 2024 NBA Draft Combine

Iowa men's basketball's Payton Sandfort is in Chicago for the 2024 NBA Draft Combine. Check out how his measurables compare to other prospects.
www.hawkcentral.com
 
Franisdaman said:
Good story.

How Payton Sandfort's measurables stacked up at 2024 NBA Draft Combine​

Tyler Tachman
Des Moines Register
May 17, 2024


CHICAGO — Iowa men's basketball's Payton Sandfort has been in Chicago for the 2024 NBA Draft Combine this week, offering him a chance to get in front of league decision-makers.

Sandfort is going through the NBA Draft process while maintaining his college eligibility. The Iowa sharpshooter averaged 16.4 points, 6.6 rebounds and 2.7 assists per game last season while making 37.9% of his attempts from deep. All of those statistics were career-highs for Sandfort.

Here is a look at Sandfort's testing results at the 2024 NBA Draft Combine. For most categories, 72 prospects were measured. Sandfort's approximate ranking among the field is in parentheses.

  • Height without shoes: 6 feet 6.25 inches
  • Weight: 212 pounds
  • Wingspan: 6 feet 8 inches
  • Pro lane drill: 11.57 seconds (62nd)
  • Shuttle run: 2.84 seconds (Tied-4th out of 71)
  • Three-quarter court sprint: 3.43 seconds (Tied-70th)
  • No-step vertical jump: 22 inches (72nd)
  • Maximum vertical jump: 28 inches (71st)
  • Shooting off the dribble: 56.7% (Tied-39th)
  • 3-point star drill: 12/25 (Tied-40th out of 70)
  • Spot-up shooting: 64% (Tied-24th)
  • Side-mid-side shooting: 67.9% (unofficial)

Sandfort also participated in two games of five-on-five action. Over both contests, Sandfort combined for four points on 2-of-9 from the field, including 0-of-7 from 3-point range. He grabbed a total of four rebounds. That production came in roughly 33 minutes of action combined across those two games.

“It’s a major growth experience going through this whole week,” Sandfort said Tuesday. "The game feels different. Better athletes, people are a lot longer. It kinda feels like when you go from high school to college. The game's a lot faster and you have to adjust. I remember like the first year I was in college, like the first month I was horrible. Couldn’t adjust. And that’s a little bit of what it feels like right now. But I know eventually, I will adjust.”

It's worth noting that Sandfort has been dealing with a minor cut on the pointer finger of his shooting hand. While this might seem insignificant, it is actually a big deal. Shooting is a major part of Sandfort's arsenal, so having irritation in an area where the ball is released isn't ideal. It's comparable to a baseball pitcher having a blister on a finger.

Sandfort's showing in Chicago was far from his best. It was a chance for him to directly measure up with other prospects in the draft class, and he didn't exactly separate himself in a positive way. But it's also difficult to gauge how much it might hurt his draft stock — if at all. The Combine is a fairly isolated event. Sandfort's entire body of work at Iowa speaks louder than his performance over just a few days.

Not all of what Sandfort can bring to the next level is quantifiable, either. That has been a selling point for him during this pre-NBA Draft process.

“Obviously, everyone talks about the shooting and obviously I think that’s very NBA-ready,” Sandfort said Tuesday. “I didn’t shoot it the best (Tuesday). But that’s kinda how it goes. I’m gonna be in there, be really enthusiastic. Play as hard as I can to win every game. And do literally whatever it takes on the team, whatever they need me to do to get it done.”

Before the Combine, Sandfort had workouts with the Atlanta Hawks and Boston Celtics. His looming decision of whether to return to Iowa for his senior season or continue his professional pursuits is a big one. The Hawkeyes have done good work this offseason, retaining key pieces such as Owen Freeman and Josh Dix, while bringing in a couple of intriguing transfers. Sandfort's decision, though, could swing things drastically for better or worse.

Sandfort's decision hinges more on who he could be drafted by as opposed to when he could be drafted.

“For me, it’s really just finding the right fit to be a place where I can contribute,” Sandfort said. “Be in a winning culture. And if I can find the right fit and that’s how it works out, then I think that’s what I’ll be willing to take.”

The deadline for his decision is May 29.

................................

Follow Tyler Tachman on X (@Tyler_T15), contact via email at ttachman@gannett.com

www.hawkcentral.com

Iowa basketball: How Payton Sandfort's measurables stacked up at 2024 NBA Draft Combine

Iowa men's basketball's Payton Sandfort is in Chicago for the 2024 NBA Draft Combine. Check out how his measurables compare to other prospects.
www.hawkcentral.com
Click to expand...
Tachman has been such a breathe of fresh air for basketball coverage. It's nice to have someone who understands basketball at high level actually cover the sport for us for once. We were severely lacking good hoops beat writers for a while there (which I get since football is your main money maker.)
 
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The physical skills numbers being poor is not surprising.
The shooting numbers aren't great for a guy whose shooting is his one and only reason for a team's interest.
Some team could still make a head scratching move and take a second round flyer on him, but it looks like the odds of Payton returning for another season of college ball are high.
 
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littlez said:
No idea what you’re even talking about with Kareem and the Lakers. He was far from a shadow of himself on the Lakers.
Click to expand...
You see him play with the Bucks? He was still a very good center with the Lakers, but he was by far the best center, at least offensively, in his years with the Bucks.
 
hawkirugged17 said:
Kareem was the MVP of the league in his first 2 seasons with the Lakers (and a 3rd two seasons later). His FG% went up in LA as well. His scoring dropped a little because he took less shots. He eventually dropped off in LA due to age.
Click to expand...
Until the Big O went to the Bucks at the very end of his career, Kareem didn't have a lot of help playing with the Bucks. Old teammate/guard from UCLA was probably the next best player.

In LA, Kareem was in his prime his first few years, then after that, he had Magic, James Worthy, etc. around him. Those last years are the ones most fans, except older ones like me, will remember.
 
Last edited:
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HoustonREDHawk said:
Yep. Whole different game that will keep evolving. Then, if you took the ball to the basket, you had to be tough enough to withstand the punishment. Now, there is almost no such thing as traveling or carrying the ball... Different skills required. Garza has nothing like Kareem's sky hook. Most only remember Kareem after he went to the Lakers and was only a shadow of what he was with the Bucks. Wilt had even less of his peak athleticism when he went to the Lakers. Both still contributed to championships.
Click to expand...
I think you win an award for this comment. Kareem played 6 years with the Bucks & had very little talent on the team until Big O showed up. He had to carry the load. With the Lakers he had all stars all around him.
HoustonREDHawk said:
Until the Big O went to the Bucks at the very end of his career, Kareem didn't have a lot of help playing with the Bucks. Old teammate/guard from UCLA was probably the next best player.

In LA, Kareem was in his prime his first few years, then after that, he had Magic, James Worthy, etc. around him. Those last years are the ones most fans, except older ones like me, will remember.
Click to expand...
Lucious Allen is the UCLA guard you're thinking of. And Bobby Dandridge was one of the better/underrated small forwards in the league at the time. John McGlocklin & Boozer weren't too shabby either. But Kareem carried the scoring load for sure 30+ points & 14+ rebounds in Milwaukee.
 
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HawkHoops80 said:
22 inches, which according to one site is in the 0.4 percentile of the history of the combine.
I'm not some bastion of athleticism as a 6'2 white dude from small town Iowa who played NAIA ball, and my vertical my senior year in high school was 24 inches.
Click to expand...

22 inches 🤯

I had a 30 inch vertical in college. That is pathetic.
 
Franisdaman said:
The above image gets cut off.


GOHINltWIAISQ3G
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Honestly. This is not a surprise to anyone that follows iowa basketball. I have been highly critical of his athleticism and building an offense around him. He's a phenomenonal role player at the college level and would be an asset on most teams. He's just slow and plodding.
 
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Yeah, you have to think there is zero chance that he remains in the draft. Welcome back to another year at CHA! The team will be solid.
 
ichawk24 said:
Yeah, you have to think there is zero chance that he remains in the draft. Welcome back to another year at CHA! The team will be solid.
Click to expand...
Fran should lower his NIL amount... no portal, no NBA... just come back and play at Iowa for the minimum NIL wage. All kidding aside, he should've at least put his name into the portal to have some NIL leverage. A little negotiation power. I know he said he's loyal & I love that. But he lost any ability to score a larger payout from Iowa or elsewhere.

comedy central GIF by Workaholics
 
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