To have hands like that at 7-3 there is no one else like it. What a rare combination of mobility power size and length. Also in other videos he looks like he has a soft 8 footer and a nice jump hook

Last year in Euro 2013

Stats 8.4 points 5. 4 rebounds 1.9 blocks 72% in 21 minutes

Taveras 7-3 265 7-9 wingspan draft grade 88
23 years old
Stats 8.9 points 7.8 rebounds 1.9 blocks 72% in 21 minutes

callmened wrote:does Taveras have the same heart, intelligence and motivation as Gobert?

It may take 2-3 years but when he is all set--he will be a load on the defensive side of the ball as he can cover a LOT of ground--he can dismantle pick and roll and get back to cover the rim. Hes got bigger hands than Okafor and he snatches rebounds--he shoots his FTs well too-- pretty good for a guy who started playing at 18 at 70%. He has a soft hook small J but where he will do well is right around the basket--like Gobert he can dunk on his feet. I think Gobert might be more stable physically when I watch them both run. He has less weight and he runs the floor more fluidly but this guy hustles up and down the court as well. Ive read a lot about Atlanta the last week and I like everything they say about how they will develop players. The downside is they have a 60 win team--they will probably bring back most of their players as they have substantial cap space and the PT will be limited for him.

WaltLongmire wrote:

callmened wrote:does Taveras have the same heart, intelligence and motivation as Gobert?

I would also question his instincts at this time.

He still seemed raw in the video Briggs posted in another thread on him.

He still might be a player who eventually matures into a fine player, but he is still an unfinished product at this time. I think Jackson wants a well-rounded player at the 5, and Taveras is definitely a project, with limited range and passing ability at this point.

For Briggs- what are you willing to give up for him? Seems like Atlanta has a nice situation with him playing against quality opponents overseas and learning the game. Maybe he plays for them in SL and they decide to sign him, maybe they let him play another year overseas. You would have to overpay for him and then hope that his potential is realized by 2017. Phil might want Taveras on the cheap- don't think he would gamble by overpaying for him.

Listed at 220cm (a hair under 7-3), Tavares has fantastic size to go along with a huge wingspan and extremely large hands. He moves well for a player his size, running the floor awkwardly but effectively, showing nice agility in his ability to set screens and dive to the rim, and also being extremely mobile defensively.

Tavares' biggest appeal as a NBA prospect lies in his ability to protect the paint. He blocks shots at a very nice rate, ranking #1 overall in the ACB on a per-game basis and third-best per-minute. He does a great job of hedging pick and rolls and recovering, something you rarely see from a player this size, and is still able to be very effective as a weakside rim-protector due to his mobility, length, terrific timing and instincts.

Tavares is also an excellent rebounder on both ends of the floor, which is unique considering the work he does as a weak-side shot-blocker. The 12.8 rebounds he averages per-40 minutes ranks fourth in the ACB, with a good share of them coming on the offensive end (4.5 per-40). He boxes out well, shows a high activity level, and uses his incredibly long arms, huge hands and excellent timing to clean the glass effectively, despite not being very vertical.

From DraftExpress.com http://www.draftexpress.com/#ixzz3YFC057Y7
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