SoUjazzfan
Well-Known Member
Doesn't have to have the ball, willing passer and hustles. Great role player who still has some developing to do but isn't in Hardy's dog house so I like him.
Shutdown all discussion on every Jazz player outside of Rudy Gay.I love how some people think 23 years old is over the hill. I am old enough to remember when 23 was the standard rookie age. If he was 27 to 32 is supposed to be prime. Let's talk then.
lol douchebag all you have to do is look at the improvements over 4 years of college and coach confidence in him, every season from under recruited frosh freak dunker to concensus 1st team All American and the winnier of the highly coveted Big 12 POY. Not to mention 2022 NCAA tournament most outstanding player and Champion.making a judgement on a dude who's a handful of games into his career is nuts. But he does have some real positive attributes. The big thing is does he have the drive and mentality to make big improvements
He shoots when he's way less open than Royce usually did, at least. One thing I really like is how quickly he gets off those corner-threes.I've heard Tim MacMahon say a couple of times that Will Hardy has told him that Ochai reminds him of Norm Powelll, and I don't really see it. He reminds me more of a Danny Green type.
He seems to be trending towards being just like Royce O'Neale offensively...one of the lowest usage rates in the entire league and only shoots when absolutely wide open. I think he's going to be very efficient and likely shoot over 40% from 3 for his career, but he needs to find other ways to contribute and make a mark on the game. He needs to become a really good defender or like Royce, a good rebounder for his size, get some steals, just do something besides shoot open shots.
I like him, but I don't think he's established himself as a key piece on the next contending Jazz team quite yet, the way Lauri and Kessler have. There is definitely a chance he gets there but he still has a way to go.
lol douchebag all you have to do is look at the improvements over 4 years of college and coach confidence in him, every season from under recruited frosh freak dunker to concensus 1st team All American and the winnier of the highly coveted Big 12 POY. Not to mention 2022 NCAA tournament most outstanding player and Champion.
Yeah I think he will continue to get it done. He is also so ****ing humble, some think he is charmin, but imo he is a badass waiting to hand out beat downs but his coach is forcing him to find greatness.
I thought the coach said he finally had no choice but to start playing him because of how hard he works in practice and how well he defends. Maybe im remembering wrongNo he doesn't.
That's a truly bizarre take.
He was unplayable for the 1st half of the season due to his nonexistent defense.
There's just... something missing.
Ochai is probably the softest, most contact-averse player I've ever seen get rotation minutes in the NBA. He has the size, the strength and the length, but plays like a ghost.
He makes Beasley look like PJ Tucker.
You know how some players are quicker than they look? Ochai is the opposite, he's slower than he looks. He pretty much has the ideal wing/SG body for the modern NBA, but can't really stay with any of the quicker guys at his position. I'm having trouble deciding if he has bad lateral movement or if his footwork just sucks. Might be the latter, since he generally looks like he's never played defense on any level before coming to the NBA.
I still have hope for him but the clock is ticking. He'll be 23 in a few months and shouldn't be looking like a clueless rookie at this point.
What a bizarre statement. He didn't play the first half of the season because Hardy was being Hardy. The front office stepped in and demanded he start seeing some minutes.No he doesn't.
That's a truly bizarre take.
He was unplayable for the 1st half of the season due to his nonexistent defense.
tremendous upside has been down on ochai since day one. his opinion should be immediately discarded in any discussion on OA. he has never shown any ability to be objective as it relates to agbaji.I thought the coach said he finally had no choice but to start playing him because of how hard he works in practice and how well he defends. Maybe im remembering wrong
yeah, he was never a great shot creator at kansas either. that was the biggest knock on him and sure enough we are seeing it be an issue with him now.The game has become so offense oriented it is difficult to guard anyone, especially perimeter players, without soft foul calls. Ochai played good college D, but there is a big adjustment to the NBA.
I think his man on man defense has been good for a rookie, but his help defense is often a step behind and he needs to rebound better.
I was worried about his handle having watched him in college, and I can see he has clearly been working on it. I think he is going to be a great piece for the Jazz. I worry there will be an expansion draft in the near future that could cause us to lose a needed piece like him.