Cole Aldrich a Timberwolf?

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march madness

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Watching Kansas I was very impressed with how far Cole has come. I have been definitely used to the Twolves screwing up there draft picks. They need a real center. I had posted alot about Brook Lopez being the third best player in last years draft, and a true center. Now I like Love but Jefferson is our power forward. Rumors of the twolves love for Thabeet has scared me. He is a bust! I hope Cole stays another year, but if not, I think he will be an excellent pro. Big white guys have bust written all over them. But I feel he has excellent length, quickness, hands, and feet. What do you think?
 

I think they should try and get Latner back. After seeing him in that commercial with Rick Pitino, he looks like he's in top shape.
 

I was at the Kansas-Dayton game on Saturday and I was blown away by Aldrich. It was amazing. He was like a monster- everytime the ball came anywhere near him on offense or defense he just totally took over. He is ready for the pros NOW.
 

Handsome Pete said:
I was at the Kansas-Dayton game on Saturday and I was blown away by Aldrich. It was amazing. He was like a monster- everytime the ball came anywhere near him on offense or defense he just totally took over. He is ready for the pros NOW.
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No, he's not.

He is tremendous, but he has played two undersized, undermanned clubs thus far in the tourney. He needs to develop a game outside of the post area because its not that easy to get the ball down there in the pros. He will be in the pros, but if you think he could step on to a random NBA team right now and start or play more than 20 minutes, you are smoking some good shit.
 

Handsome Pete said:
I was at the Kansas-Dayton game on Saturday and I was blown away by Aldrich. It was amazing. He was like a monster- everytime the ball came anywhere near him on offense or defense he just totally took over. He is ready for the pros NOW.
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I was there.
 



march madness said:
Watching Kansas I was very impressed with how far Cole has come. I have been definitely used to the Twolves screwing up there draft picks. They need a real center. I had posted alot about Brook Lopez being the third best player in last years draft, and a true center. Now I like Love but Jefferson is our power forward. Rumors of the twolves love for Thabeet has scared me. He is a bust! I hope Cole stays another year, but if not, I think he will be an excellent pro. Big white guys have bust written all over them. But I feel he has excellent length, quickness, hands, and feet. What do you think?
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Defensively (and I emphasize DEFENSIVELY) he reminds me of Chris Andersen. Very long, very athletic and someone who can take over a game on the defensive end. I haven't seen enough of him to have an offensive player to compare him to.

Does Blake Griffin remind anyone of Kris Humphries? Just physically so much better than everyone he plays against...
 

I haven't seen much of Aldrich so take this with a grain of salt. He appears to be developing nicely, however the one time I saw him go against a quality opponent it was not pretty. Jordan Hill of AZ absolutely abused him. Hopefully he will continue to progress.

I also have to say he has one of the ugliest free throw strokes I have ever seen. That is Shaq level ugly.
 

Frink said:
I also have to say he has one of the ugliest free throw strokes I have ever seen. That is Shaq level ugly.
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Agreed. However, his % is ridiculously better. Aldrich is shooting 80% from the free throw line this year.
 



Aldrich could easily play 20 minutes a game for the t-wolves. Aldrich will be an NBA center, so yes when he plays someone as small and fast as hill, a small power forward it is a mismatch. Just looking ahead to the draft and realizing the t-wolves still have no center or real point guard...who do you want them to draft? Obviously if they get the #1 pick...Griffin is a no brainer. But if they get 3-7 then what? The roster is filled with forwards and shooting guards.
 

Good to know SIGL. Big, agressive and able to hit from the free throw line is always a winning combination.
 

march madness said:
Aldrich could easily play 20 minutes a game for the t-wolves. Aldrich will be an NBA center...
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i always root for the local kid, whether he stays home and plays for the gophers, or departs for another university...

cole aldrich is certainly an impressive college sophomore hoops player...

but the thought of him (or anyone similar to him) playing 20 minutes per game for the t-wolves...anytime soon...highlights one of the major problems with the nba...and would surely cement the t-wolves dwelling place...in the cellar...for years to come...

i don't fault cole for opting early for the nba, if he so chooses...since he's got a fat, guaranteed, multi-year contract waiting for him...on the table...as a lottery pick...but he either sits on the end of the bench for a few years, or he gets pt and has his lunch handed to him on a nightly basis...

let's hope this situation gets corrected with the nba's next collective bargaining agreement...:D:D
 

Aldrich - Przybilla comparison?

Does anyone else see similarities between Aldrich and Przybilla, beyond their Minnesota roots? From my admittedly superficial perspective, I think they have much in common: Outstanding size and athletic ability; well developed defensive skills and instincts; good passers, decent shooting touch, and occasional scoring outbursts but still more of a work-in-progress on the offensive end. It took Joel awhile, but he has developed into a very competent, if not dominant, NBA center when healthy. Does anyone see a different career arc for Cole?
 



That's a very fair comparison. Both offer a dominating defensive presence, but (two years in at KU) I'd give the nod to Cole offensively. Watching Cole at the Dome, it reminded me (of Przybilla, remember game @ Fresno State?) how nice it is at the college level to have a true shot blocker to clean up other defensive mistakes. It's a rarity in today's college game.
 

ofergopher said:
Does anyone else see similarities between Aldrich and Przybilla, beyond their Minnesota roots?
It took Joel awhile, but he has developed into a very competent, if not dominant, NBA center when healthy...
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question...does anyone remember what phil jackson said publicly a while back about joel pryzbilla, even after joel had been in the nba for a few years??

answer....'his only asset...is that he has 6 fouls a night to use...' :eek::eek::eek:

jackson may have exaggerated at the time, but it took pryzbilla (and would take aldrich, and others like him) quite a while to reach a certain level of competency in the nba...

pryzbilla was 1-1/2 and done...looks like aldrich will be 2 and done...

college basketball, in general, would be a significantly better 'game'...as would pro basketball...if players such as these would stay in college for 4 years...:D:D:D
 

Dinkything, you must not follow the NBA very much then..

Brook Lopez left after his Sophomore year last year.. and he's having a great rookie year. Love, Gordon, Rose, Westbrook, etc. all left early and are having spectacular rookie years. I watched Lopez a LOT last year, and he wasn't any further along at this point than Cole, he was probably a step behind him even.

To say Aldrich would need to sit at the end of the bench is hilarious. He's a 6'11 C with a 7'6" wing span, and great defensive instincts. He certainly wouldn't come right out of college and be a superstar, but he would be the best C on a lot of teams in the NBA right now. The Wolves don't even have a C, Jefferson and Love are both PF..

Cole is further along right now than Hasheem Thabeet is at UConn. Thabeet will likely be drafted higher because he's 7'3, but Cole is a better player right now.

I think Cole will be a better overall player than Pryzbilla, and he'll take far less time to become a solid pro. I think he'll become a 15-12 player in the NBA, with a good amount of blocked shots.
 

Aldrich - Przybilla comparison?

Watching Cole at the Dome, it reminded me of Przybilla, (remember game @ Fresno State?)
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The what-might-have-been in me reduces Przybilla's Gopher career to two games: the 8 blocks against Fresno State, and the 30 points against Indiana. The fact that I don't remember a particular rebounding outburst may give the nod to Aldrich in that category.
 

I hope Aldrich stays one more year. He's come a long ways this year already and could be an All-American next year if he stays.

I haven't followed the Wolves too closely this year so maybe I'm wrong, but isn't their greatest need a true PG?
 

Aldrich is better

Aldrich is better at this point than Pryzbilla ever was at the U. Joel could dunk and block shots. He didn't rebound well (other than those that his size provided), had no offensive game, and is/was VERY stiff. Aldrich moves so much better, gets off the floor quicker/better, is much more physical, and he would start at center for the Twolves right now, if you don't think so you are fooling yourself. He wouldn't start for every other team, but the Wolves need defense, not offense. By the way Jordan Hill is a power forward, not a center and they wouldn't be matched up against each other in the league.
 

Cole will be an NBA starting center within 2 yrs of being in the league. When that is and how good he is then is yet to be determined. He has a nice mid range J but needs to develop his back to the basket moves. He has a bit of an edge to him though which I love and is one of the main reasons Kansas s having a great year with so little experience. Cole could've been a first round pick last year after playing only like 7 mns a game and it was already assumed by many that he could be a lottery choice this year even before the season started. If he stays in school another year and improves offensively he'll be a top 5 pick.
The Pryz comparisons are scary but accurate. What seperates them is that Cole is tougher and has better offensive potential
 

TubbyTime2009 said:
Dinkything, you must not follow the NBA very much then..

I think Cole will be a better overall player than Pryzbilla, and he'll take far less time to become a solid pro. I think he'll become a 15-12 player in the NBA, with a good amount of blocked shots.
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tubbytime2009,

you think cole will become a 15-12 player in the nba?? :eek::eek: do you know what you are saying??

12 boards per game...at any level...is sayin' somethin'...:clap:

cole, for all his rebounding prowess as a sophomore in college this year...while playing teams like the ndsu bison, dayton, u-missouri, kansas city (umkc), florida gulf coast u, coppin state, jackson state, albany, etc. etc....he averaged 10.97 boards per game...

do you think this number willl improve to 12 rpg in the nba? :eek::eek::eek:

i decided to check on where averaging 12 boards per game would stack up in the nba during this decade...

--2008-09......2nd place
--2007-08......3rd place
--2006-07......4th place
--2005-06......3rd place
--2004-05......3rd place
--2003-04......tied for 4th place
--2002-03......4th place
--2001-02......4th place

12 rpg is a rather impressive number :eek::eek::eek: and gets you among the top 4 rebounders in the nba year after year after year...:cool02::cool02::cool02:

especially tough when fighting for rebounds against the likes of nba greats shaq, kg, dwight howard, yao ming, ben wallace, tim duncan...night in and night out...:cool::cool:

throw in the 15ppg that you suggest, along with all that great defense he plays, and cole ought to be going to the nba all-star game with regularity... and will surely land himself in the basketball hall-of-fame...

others on these boards have compared cole to the following players:

--rasho nesterovic...7.0 ppg, 5.3 rpg, in 762 career games...salary = $8.4 million/yr
--joel pryzbilla.........4.2 ppg, 6.3 rpg, in 476 career games...salary = $6.3 million/yr
--kris humphries......4.2 ppg, 3.0 rpg, in 288 career games...salary = $3.2 million/yr

i'm not sayin' that cole can't do what you indicated...but what you indicated will get him a $15 million per year contract, and more:eek::eek::eek:

just tryin' to keep expectations 'round here real...:):):)
 

Dinky is shriveling...

I agree on the Pryzbilla comparisons. Pryzbilla was a slighly more dominant shot blocker. But did you ever notice he went after so many shots his man had an easy put back if joel didnt get the block. Cole is a much better offensive player and rebounder in my opinion. He also is stronger that Joel was as a Sophmore. If Collins and Cardinal can get time, Cole could start with jefferson at pf and bring love and his energy off the bench. I am just saying if he comes out and we have pick 3-7, I would rather take him than thabeet. I am not sure there are any pure point guards who is worth taking that high.

In two years I could see Cole averaging 12-15 pts, 9-11 boards, and 2+ blocks per game. Plus he is a defensive pressence next to jefferson.

You can rip on the NBA draft and how they go on potential...but when you do, tell us who would be a better choice. It's easy to crap on someone's idea..but come up with your own.
 

march madness said:
You can rip on the NBA draft and how they go on potential...but when you do, tell us who would be a better choice. It's easy to crap on someone's idea..but come up with your own.
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cole aldrich (or anyone else, for that metter) entering the nba after 4 years in college is mucho better than cole aldrich entering the nba after only 1 or 2 years in college :D:D:D

the 'solution' exists in the upcoming nba collective bargaining agreement...all parties (commissioner's office, player's union, management, the college coaches, athletic directors, et al.) already agree that '1 and done'...or '2 and done'...is harmful to both college basketball and to the nba...

as a side note...if you wanted to 'weaken' both college football and the nfl...as well as fan interest in both...then allow the 1 and done...and 2 and done nonsense that you have in basketball...

no doubt, the nfl gm's would draft on 'potential,' but you would wind up with a bunch of highly-touted, under-developed, over-paid 19-and-20-year-olds who would sit on the end of the bench and contribute next to nothing to their respective teams...
and the college game of football would be reduced to the 'lesser' product that is now college basketball :eek::eek::eek:
 

He's averaging 11 rebounds a game in 29 minutes. In the NBA, he would be playing a good deal more than 29 minutes a game, considering the games are 8 minutes longer and most have smaller rotations in the NBA.

15-12 would be best case, but I think he'll be a double double guy for sure. 15-11, 15-10 maybe, but 15-12 certainly seems attainable. He's one of the best rebounders in CB this year, and unlike Griffin he's not going to "shrink" at the next level. Griffin is 6'8 at best, (despite being listed at 6'10) so when he gets to the next level there will be players a lot taller than him. Cole is 6'11 (probably closer to 6'10 1/2) and has a 7'6 wing span. There's certainly taller players and longer players, but Cole would still be among the tallest players in any given game..

Also, the NFL/NBA comparison is comparing apples and oranges. The NBA has a slotted system for rookies, so they draft on potential because even if someone busts the salary/guaranteed money isn't remotely close to the NFL draft picks. College Football HAS to have the rules they do, because they are guaranteeing kids far more money immediately out of college. Youngsters can come into the NBA and excel almost immediately. Rose, Beasley, Love, Lopez, Gordon, Mayo, etc have all had great years. Football players take longer to adjust, and being fully developed means a LOT more in football than in Basketball.
 

TubbyTime2009 said:
15-12 would be best case...certainly seems attainable
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You honestly think he'll be getting 15 and 12 in the NBA anytime soon? I know you said you were a Jefferson grad and friends with Cole, but come on now.

To give you an idea of the guys that don't even average those kind of numbers (15/12) this year:

Kevin Garnett (16/9), Jermaine O'Neal (14/6), Carlos Boozer (17/11), Elton Brand (14/9), Luol Deng (14/6), Tayshaun Prince (14/6), Ron Artest (17/5).

Now, maybe you think Cole Aldrich will be better than those guys in a year or two...but IMO, that's quite a stretch.
 

What Up Guy said:
No, he's not.

He is tremendous, but he has played two undersized, undermanned clubs thus far in the tourney. He needs to develop a game outside of the post area because its not that easy to get the ball down there in the pros. He will be in the pros, but if you think he could step on to a random NBA team right now and start or play more than 20 minutes, you are smoking some good shit.
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Yes, he is. It's amazing that you think the measure of whether an NCAA player is ready for the pros is whether they will "start or play more than 20 minutes." That is patently absurd. "Ready for the pros" does not mean "ready to dominate the pros." If Aldrich leaves school, he will be a top 5 lottery pick. That is, he will not be selected by some "random NBA team" but a terrible team that needs help NOW.

And how many American post players in the NBA have "a game" outside the post? What does that even mean? Do you even follow the sport of basketball at any level?
 

ShowinGoldyLove said:
You honestly think he'll be getting 15 and 12 in the NBA anytime soon? I know you said you were a Jefferson grad and friends with Cole, but come on now.

To give you an idea of the guys that don't even average those kind of numbers (15/12) this year:

Kevin Garnett (16/9), Jermaine O'Neal (14/6), Carlos Boozer (17/11), Elton Brand (14/9), Luol Deng (14/6), Tayshaun Prince (14/6), Ron Artest (17/5).

Now, maybe you think Cole Aldrich will be better than those guys in a year or two...but IMO, that's quite a stretch.
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Did I say anytime soon? I said in his prime I could see him averaging 15-12. KG's stat line is way down because he's been hurt, and his minutes have dropped dramatically since he got traded to Boston.

Obviously it would depend where he ends up.. but Brand gets 9 rebounds on a team with Sam Dalembert and Thad Young putting up solid rebounding numbers as well. Deng, Prince and Artest aren't comparable players to Cole, since Cole will be a C and those 3 players are all Small Forwards..

You listed 4 PF and 3 SF to prove your argument? Really?

If I had to bet my life on Cole's stat line, I would do a safer 13 and 10 projection, but the potential is absolutely there to be a 15-12 guy.

And.. the funniest part about you calling me out on being friends with Cole.. you're the guy who has sat here on this board and said Hopkins does nothing wrong, the transfers they get come to Hopkins without any recruiting.. and you're the one who defends Blake Hoffarber no matter how crappy he plays. If Cole was crappy, I would have no problem admitting it.
 

TubbyTime2009 said:
And.. the funniest part about you calling me out on being friends with Cole...
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I'm not calling you out negatively at all, sorry if you got that impression; just noting your affiliation with him. And in regards to defending everything about the Hoff, you obviously haven't read all of my posts over the past 4 years. I've made it known that I've always been a fan of the kid since I watched a number of his games in high school, but have called him out on what he needs to improve upon as well (aka on-the-ball defense after his freshman season, putting it on the floor and creating a shot both years, not disappearing in games, etc.). Also, I'd encourage you to point out some posts where I defended him where he played extremely poorly (Michigan, MSU, Illinois just off the top of my head)...I don't think you'll find any. I generally try to hold back from criticizing any players if they play badly; I don't think it helps anyone (the only posts I recall being down on in a couple of posts were Westbrook after some terrible TO's and Bostick after losing his man a number of times). But then I defended Westbrook against lawrence21 after he ripped on him saying, "I disagree that he's "laid a goose egg as a Big 10 player." He's the leading scorer on a team playing in the NCAA tourney. He's not Talor Battle, but he's still had a pretty good career so far, so cut the kid some slack."

And in regards to Hopkins, you're right, I don't think they "recruit" players. I think the program recruits itself in that kids want to play there so they transfer there, but that's another issue for another day.

Don't take my opinion of Cole's future NBA numbers personally, I just don't ever see him being a 15/12 player. I'd love to be wrong, but I just don't see his offensive game improving that drastically in the NBA.
 

dinky reply

My post deals with the current situation of the world, not how the world should be. Most everyone would agree if 99% of players were required to stay in college longer, both college basketball and the NBA would be better off.

Until that time comes, if Cole decides to come out, what was your opinion on the Timberwolves drafting him? No one would argue he would be better in 2 years from now. But would you not take him at picks 2-10 over someone like Thabeet? I love College ball and can hardly stand the NBA, but if the wolves ever could make some sound decisions I would still occasionally watch them. And hey, nothing wrong with a hometown kid on the roster.
 

Schlic,

>>Does Blake Griffin remind anyone of Kris Humphries? Just physically so much better than everyone he plays against...<<

I think Humprhries dominated because he peaked early. I sense that Griffin's game will continue to improve. Note the enormous improvement from HS senior to college frosh and again from frosh to soph. Besides skills, he's a physical beast with passion for the game, emotional self-control, and an excellent work ethic.

TubbyTime,

>>Griffin is 6'8 at best, (despite being listed at 6'10)<<

I'll have to disagree with you, having stood beside Blake a time or two. Plus, he's barely 20 and perhaps still growing. If Blake is only 6-8, that would make his older brother only 6-5 and that isn't the case.
 

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