Darryn Peterson

[hoopsaustin]

Yeah, I would guess Peterson has a better career, but he's not a better prospect. Simmons was one of the best prospects in a long time but fell apart mentally.

I wouldn't say that, but I'm highly biased in favor of shooting..

 

[Eielson]

Most NBA people consider Peterson the best guard prospect in a generation.

Yes, but that's irrelevant for this conversation, as all the best prospects play forward or center. There's absolutely no way he gets drafted above Flagg or Wemby, and perhaps not even Dybantsa. Also depends on how you define generation.

 

[Eielson]

I wouldn't say that, but I'm highly biased in favor of shooting..

The guy's draft comps were Magic and Lebron. Obviously that didn't work out, but his shot was the only question mark about his game.

 

[WichitaSooner]

Yes, but that's irrelevant for this conversation, as all the best prospects play forward or center. There's absolutely no way he gets drafted above Flagg or Wemby, and perhaps not even Dybantsa. Also depends on how you define generation.

You just said he wasn't a better prospect than Ben Simmons in the post I was responding to. Last I checked, Ben Simmons was a guard, so I'm not sure how my response is irrelevant.

As far as generation, the names people have mentioned as far as the most recent guard who was this good a prospect are D Rose and Kobe. So 18 years for Rose and three decades for Kobe. I think either would count as a generation. I think that term gets overused and misused, but it fits here going off what the people who do this stuff for a living have said.

 

[MJSooner]

crazy that this is where ben simmons career started in the nba

3× NBA All-Star (2019–2021)
All-NBA Third Team (2020)
2× NBA All-Defensive First Team (2020, 2021)
NBA Rookie of the Year (2018)
NBA All-Rookie First Team (2018)
NBA steals leader (2020)

he was not a great shooter .. but he was a star nba player ..


then the FT thing got in his head .. and he was pretty much worthless ..

As a Sixers fan, it wasn't the FT thing only. It was shooting. Period. He refused to take a clutch shot. Or any shot. Teams would lay off of him and double Joel, or stick with Reddick, daring him to shoot. He made 5 3s in 4 years with the Sixers. Never shot a 3 with any other team after he left. Great on the break, and as your awards show, great on D. But he was SOFT. Hated criticism. And he was playing in the wrong city to be soft, and for the wrong coach. All of that, along with FTs did get in his head.

His ultimate collapse was mostly due to the FT issue. He was never the same after G7 against Atlanta, when he passed up on a bunny or dunk because he thought he MIGHT get fouled by Trae. Sounds funny now. He never recovered mentally, and IMO, didn't want to play basketball anymore and used injuries as a reason.

In that way, not having a strong passion for the game and being a little mentally soft, I can see the comparison to Peterson. But Simmons never dreamed of the offensive game that Peterson has. On the flipside, Peterson will never have the defensive skills and rebounding ability Simmons had. Could put up a triple double without a shot.

Peterson has the ability to be as good as anyone on the court RN and as good as he wants to be. So far, that is the question- how much does he want it.

 

[Eielson]

You just said he wasn't a better prospect than Ben Simmons in the post I was responding to. Last I checked, Ben Simmons was a guard, so I'm not sure how my response is irrelevant.

He was listed as a forward. Not a 6'10, 240 lb guard.

https://www.espn.com/nba/draft/rounds/_/season/2016

As far as generation, the names people have mentioned as far as the most recent guard who was this good a prospect are D Rose and Kobe. So 18 years for Rose and three decades for Kobe. I think either would count as a generation. I think that term gets overused and misused, but it fits here going off what the people who do this stuff for a living have said.

Kobe wasn't even considered the best prospect in his own class. He was like the 5th guard taken, behind Kerry Kittles. Truly bizarre to pretend he was the best prospect of the last 30 years.

Kobe is obviously a great comp to have, but that's not as good as Magic and Lebron. Peterson has also been comped to Brandon Roy and Devin Booker, which is clearly not generational.

Peterson is a great prospect, but there's a good chance he doesn't even go number 1. And he's not even close to multiple guys drafted in the past 3 years (Flagg, Wemby).

 

[Sooner04]

I readily admit that I don't know the intricacies of scouting for NBA talent. There are red flags galore surrounding Peterson if you care to look. I feel like there are 2-3 guards like him coming out every year. It's what's the between the ears that separates the dudes at that level.

On the other hand, I was inside the Maravich Center when the top-ranked Sooners traveled to Baton Rouge in 2016. Ben Simmons was a man among boys. I thought I was watching a transcendent player. We were the #1 team in the country, had been solidly in the top 5 for months, and he was light years ahead of every player we had, including the eventual Wooden Award winner who was wearing crimson and cream (no anthracite in sight). The dude drove baseline right in front of me, continued under the basket, and then threw down a dunk from underneath while never bothering to turn his body toward the hoop. Just a single fluid motion right back over his head. Words do not do it justice. Again.....the space between the ears told the tale.