Friday, October 24, 2014

Your choice

So if you are Sean Miller at Arizona, which big do you prefer to sign to conclude your 2015 class -- Caleb Swanigan, Stephen Zimmerman or Ivan Rabb?

Thanks to Point Guard U:

6-foot-9 Caleb Swanigan
A true under the basket and above the rim player, 2015 post Caleb Swanigan is a cerebral menace on both the offensive and defensive end combining elite low-post footwork with a vertical defensive game few players can rival.... Reels in rebounds on either side of the glass, positions himself like he has concrete in his shoes and works feverishly to supplant potential board thieves.... Grown man's body, plays like he is bigger and taller than his competition but allows opposing post players to outwork his motor.... At 265 lbs he has trouble with his conditioning as he has never had time to fully grow into his body.... Will benefit greatly from a college conditioning program.... Nowhere near athletic as he should be, working on building some of the excess fat on his body into muscle will provide strides in his physical acumen.... Swanigan has it all in terms of a low-post prospect, size, skill and the physical wherewithal to dominate opposing centers and forwards but he will need to improve his physical conditioning to log more significant minutes against high level competition in 2015.
7-foot Stephen Zimmerman
The best shooting post player in his class, Zimmerman is one of the most unique 2015 prospects..... Excellent touch and a feathery jumpshot make his offensive game quite advanced for his age...... Has a reliable midrange shot and can even hit from the three point line..... Has good timing as a shot blocker, doesn't leave his feet too early..... Plays within the team concept and rarely tries to do too much, appears to be a high IQ player who takes to coaching well..... For a 7 footer, has great quickness..... Can be stiff/mechanical at times, but has appeared more fluid as he continues to develop physically..... Added lower body strength will do wonders for his inside game..... Zim's shooting ability is what sets him apart from other prospects, his range will pose major problems at the college level as long as he can defend more physical players in the post.
6-foot-11 Ivan Rabb
Rabb is one of the truly special players of the 2015 class. A mobile post player, Rabb is an elite shot-blocker and has great defensive instincts..... His offensive game has improved drastically over the last year or so, making him possibly the best overall player in the 2015 class..... Plays with intensity and fire...... Has added significant muscle to his lanky frame, allowing him to be a stronger inside presence..... Is a springy jumper, making him a shot blocking threat as well as a dunking machine, loves to use his athleticism down low to score off dunks..... Has shown the ability to face up, though his handle and decision making with the ball are still improving..... Needs to work on reliable post moves, as do all HS level post players..... Has great length, but narrow shoulders limit his frame..... In a rigorous S&C program Rabb will become a physical specimen...... Overall Rabb is the best post player and possibly the best player in his class, and has been improving at a dramatic rate since his sophomore year, giving him one of the highest ceilings in the country.
+++++++

Having zero insight into the minds of these players, their parents and assorted others, Swanigan seems like the perfect Michigan State guy (Tom Izzo is recruiting him). There's no doubt he is an in-the-paint talent and playing in Lansing will both get him in shape and rev up his motor...or else.

Zimmerman and Rabb playing on the court together did neither any favor, even though the former can be a menace from outside. Of late, Zimmerman's motor was being lauded but it wasn't always that way during the summer. The most serious goal for him is getting stronger and wider so that he can match up defensively with the most physical of opponents at the next levels. It certainly appears he is a one-and-done (ready is a valid question without a solid weight gain) and the guess here is Arizona. This would allow family to see him play in person plus Zimmerman possesses certain plus talents lacking in the other bigs on the Tucson roster.

With Rabb, there certainly is a well-developed pathway from the Bay Area to Tucson but the gut says that isn't going to be a favorable factor in Rabb's decisionmaking. He is going to carve out his own road and go the bluegrass way, thereby instantly becoming a member of state royalty. For one season.

Disclaimer: all predictions get to looking better and better the later it is at night.

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