How far is cliffs game away from being a 1st round NBA draft prospect?

[superfan01]

He has superior athleticism but no doubt is raw on the offensive side.

I def see him in the NBA when he is done at RU. Curious though what he lacks on being a 1st round pick? Is his offensive rawness that lacking RIGHT now or has it improved enough. What does he need to improve most on going forward?

 

[Westcoast]

He should study that former Rutgers guy who left for Oregon. If he worked on his post moves like that guy did he'd be first round material. Right now he just relies on straight athletic quickness instead of true post moves and his pivot foot.

 

[ImBadRU]

He needs more strength, offensive moves, box out big guys, and block shots. Another year prolly.

 

[Greene Rice FIG]

I am far from an NBA expert. I feel right now he is far away from helping a NBA team

 

[JudgeSmails56]

No expert, but not that polished yet.

 

[Arizona Knight]

Fortunately for us, he’s not ready yet. He should be back next year to play another go around with Paul. Simpson should be a stud next year. Gavin added to the mix. That’s a big boy core.

Then Cliffs is ready for the draft as a more complete player as others have mentioned.

 

[zappaa]

He needs more strength, offensive moves, box out big guys, and block shots. Another year prolly.

His body type is strong, sinewy, explosive quick twitch.
I don’t know if he can get much bigger or stronger.
He’s already both.
Kevin McHale tapes are tremendous for post moves

 

[MV9000]

Very far from even a second rounder.

Not great on D and has limited post moves. Shooting range is almost there. Another season and he’s in the league in my opinion.

 

[Yeah Baby]

So far he has only gone against smaller quicker players and teams are packing it in on him. When he plays some bigger guys his post moved will all of the sudden look much better like they did last year. He’s quick. He has a decent touch. He’s freakishly athletic. He would be worth taking a chance on IMO but I selfishly hope he comes back for one more.

 

[Mbash93]

He’s far from even being drafted at this point.

He is a great player but he is not a dominant player yet. To get drafted with his skill set you gotta be able to dominate at this level.

He needs to improve

Ft shooting
3pt shooting
Post control and finishing
Low post defense.

He is really good at

Being athletic
Finishing above the rim
Help defense and side to side mobility defensively

 

[Rufaninga]

Hopefully about 18.months away

 

[NickRU714]

A time machine.
He'll be 22 before the next NBA season starts.

Why do this every year and fixate on 1st round pick status?
Didn't you all learn enough with RHJ.

 

[BillyC80]

I’d like to see him put a little more arc on his turnaround shot from the low post,

Also, he needs to focus on boxing out his man first before going after a rebound.

 

[SBP]

Other than blocks, which are great of course, but overall low post defense is not great...but do they really play low post D in the League? No. Also misses too many free throws, and needs more moves other than dunks for sure ..footwork, pivot foot, etc. That said, I say he will be back. Ron came back because he wasn't ready, and still barely made it. Cliff will return, he would be silly not to. Look at how improved the Michigan kid is...Cliff should take note.

 

[Nycrusupporter]

He is still very raw and his fundamentals are awful. 3 point shooting doesn’t matter, don’t listen to anyone who says that, lots of NBA centers don’t take 3s. Exhibit A Jarrett Allen, Exhibit B Nic Claxton. He hasn’t improved as much as you hoped he might in the off-season. His moves around the basket when he is not dunking have looked awkward, and he isn’t good at passing the ball back out to guys on the perimeter. His defense so far has been pretty poor, and he leaves his feet way too quickly. He doesn’t box out on rebounds and just tries to outjump people. He is probably a couple inches shorter than he is listed and would have trouble guarding true centers in the NBA. At this point I expect to see him back next year, which honestly is good for us.

 

[B0ski]

He needs to develop an offensive game between 4-10 feet. Take away his dunks, his shot within 10 feet of the basket is really bad.

 

[Rutgers25]

Not sure another year of college helps him. I expect to see him in G league next year.

 

[Nycrusupporter]

Not sure another year of college helps him. I expect to see him in G league next year.

The G league isn’t really a very good developmental league, it is more about learning your team’s system and your role in that system. If Cliff leaves this year he may be better served going overseas to develop his game. I think he might be better off coming back another year, but he originally from Africa, so maybe he would adapt well going to a Europe to polish his game.

 

[Shell21]

He is still very raw and his fundamentals are awful. 3 point shooting doesn’t matter, don’t listen to anyone who says that, lots of NBA centers don’t take 3s. Exhibit A Jarrett Allen, Exhibit B Nic Claxton. He hasn’t improved as much as you hoped he might in the off-season. His moves around the basket when he is not dunking have looked awkward, and he isn’t good at passing the ball back out to guys on the perimeter. His defense so far has been pretty poor, and he leaves his feet way too quickly. He doesn’t box out on rebounds and just tries to outjump people. He is probably a couple inches shorter than he is listed and would have trouble guarding true centers in the NBA. At this point I expect to see him back next year, which honestly is good for us.

excellent points all around. definitely not an nba player right now. Probably a poor man’s Claxton and he would be lucky to develop into him at this point

 

[Knight Ed]

He's a 20 foot jump shot away.

 

[Mbash93]

excellent points all around. definitely not an nba player right now. Probably a poor man’s Claxton and he would be lucky to develop into him at this point

Oh that’s interesting. I’ve said other places, he needs to raise his shooting percentages up about 10 pts to 60-65/27-30/65-70

If he does that he’s a top 45 pick

 

[RUPsyched]

Being a little old school, I think he plays a lot like Marcus Camby did during his days at UMASS. Also a tweener who was dominant against anyone not named Bryant Reeves. Realized he needed that Senior year after that Big Country beat down in the NCAAs. Developed outside shot in the NBA and had a long fine career

 

[jakeknight]

His footwork and positioning needs serious work, Needs to learn how to box out, and square up to the rim defensively He is not a big body, so body positioning is huge for him.
Really needs to work court awareness and positioning. Many of his fouls are positioning related.
With his athletic ability he should be a doninent double digit rebounder. Definitely needs another year. On the other hand, his game and court awareness has improved greatly over the last two years

 

[RUBigFrank]

Needs to learn how to use the glass on shots that are not dunks

 

[billgumpper]

He has superior athleticism but no doubt is raw on the offensive side.

I def see him in the NBA when he is done at RU. Curious though what he lacks on being a 1st round pick? Is his offensive rawness that lacking RIGHT now or has it improved enough. What does he need to improve most on going forward?

His defense, rebounding and post game still need work.

 

[Rutgers25]

Being a little old school, I think he plays a lot like Marcus Camby did during his days at UMASS. Also a tweener who was dominant against anyone not named Bryant Reeves. Realized he needed that Senior year after that Big Country beat down in the NCAAs. Developed outside shot in the NBA and had a long fine career

Camby was a prolific shot blocker. Basically you didn’t dare take anything into the paint against him. Cliff not even close in that department.

 

[itsRtime]

I don't think I've ever seen him make that turn around hook shot he loves. That would be a start.

 

[bitnez]

NBA doesn’t care about low post moves or even if you a have a jumper. That league is all about potential. If some team thinks they can develop him he gets drafted.

IMO, he has NBA athleticism and that’s why he’ll be drafted.

 

[zappaa]

NBA doesn’t care about low post moves or even if you a have a jumper. That league is all about potential. If some team thinks they can develop him he gets drafted.

IMO, he has NBA athleticism and that’s why he’ll be drafted.

This only applies to centers correct?

 

[80RU]

Camby was a prolific shot blocker. Basically you didn’t dare take anything into the paint against him. Cliff not even close in that department.

Camby was blocking about 2.5 times as many shots as Cliff at this stage of their careers. Cliff is now rebounding at about the same rate as Camby at this stage. Camby was also much craftier around the basket. Cliff is not at the same place in his development that Camby was at this stage. But he got a later start. And I think he can catch up in every department except blocked shots. But if he stays another year, he might even surprise us with that. look at how Roy Hinson exploded as a shot blocker in his last year.

 

[bitnez]

This only applies to centers correct?

Not really. There are 8-10 guys that get drafted every year who are marginal basketball talents but elite athletes. But, yes, at the modern center position teams really just need a guy who can run pick and roll and be a rim protector. Those skills can be taught provided the athleticism is there. Cliff may not end up going in the first round but he’ll play in the league.

 

[RUInsanity]

So many NBA scouts on this board.....who knew?

I honestly don't know where/if he will be drafted but will guess at a minimum that he will test the waters for the draft after this season. Cliff is agile, fast, has very long wingspan and huge hands.....he has the raw materials. He may already be 22 but he came to basketall late and is still learning. Efftective big man who can defend can have a nice professional career well into their 30s even if not the NBA.

 

[BellyFullOfWhiteDogCrap]

I suspect Cliff spent way too much time working on his outside shooting in the offseason rather than his post moves. His quickness is off the charts for a big, but I think that works as a double edge sword. His post moves seem awkward, rushed, and off balance with little touch. If he just slowed down a tiny bit, he'd still have enough quickness to shoot over/around a defender, but take a more balanced/soft shot.

Defense, rebounding, and shot blocking remain a work in progress too. 1 on 1, he can't handle a crafty, skilled big in college, let alone the pros. Don't let the TJD stat line fool you. We were sending 2 and 3 guys at him all night.

He's not ready.