[YoungKINGSParticipant]

I see the mock draft has him at #3 now which I have no problem with. The kid can flat out play the game and he makes everybody around him better unlike most stars who only care about themselves. With that being said would Kansas have won that game against Kentucky in the championship? Will never know but that team definitely would’ve been a problem in the NCAA but man! That’s just crazy what the team could’ve been if he didn’t have to sit out for academics. I’ve missed out on some comparisons on the site. Who do yall compare him to?

[JoeWolf1]

This game vs CO going on right now is his best half of basketball he’s played all season. You can tell he has confidence and hustles on the court, but he’s beginning to figure out how effective on offense he can be if he gets in the lane more. I can see a little Ray Allen in his game, but aside from any comparisons I feel he can be a 20+ ppg scorer in the NBA.

[SiggyParticipant]

I don’t think he would’ve been the difference b/t them winning and losing. Ben was pretty raw coming out of HS. He’s certainly not as good as he’s looking now. He could run and jump and had a nice looking shot form-wise, but he has really come a long way in terms of understanding the game since then. I think he learned a lot about the game under Self just watching and practicing. He’s also improved a lot physically during that year.
J-RIch was my original comparison, but McLemore is more fluid and quick, both in straight lines and laterally.

[Jdean24Participant]

I agree he might not have changed the outcome because even though I’m a die hard Ku fan that Kentucky team was so talented when they played at there best I can’t think of a team in the past decade that could have matched up with them.

[Official]

Paul George smaller

[SiggyParticipant]

McLemore is explosive though. One of George’s biggest problems as a scorer is that he lacks a first step. That’s why he has to settle for so many tough jumpers.

[Lebron’s HairlineParticipant]

Huge fan of this guy, I don’t like the Ray Allen comparison for any shooting guard prospect(blame Bradley Beal), he reminds me of Jason Richardson2.0

[SiggyParticipant]

At least Ben moves like Ray Allen. The comparison never fit for Beal because he’s not light on his feet.

[SexualFavorsParticipant]

Ray Allen isn’t a terrible comparison. He seems more physically built than Ray ever was, plus was Ray ever considered a good rebounder? Ben is averaging 5.7 rebounds from the SG spot. That’s pretty salty. I may be crazy, but he reminds me of Clyde Drexler.

[SiggyParticipant]

Ray av’ged 6 rebounds a game in college. Almost 7 his sophomore year.

[SexualFavorsParticipant]

Hmm. That’s good to know. I still feel like Ben’s frame will allow him to rebound better than Allen did in the NBA. Allen is a career 4.2 rebounder in the pros which is better than I thought.

[ReekoParticipant]

His fluidity moving around the court and his elevation remind me of a smaller Rudy Gay.

[FritzParticipant]

Call me crazy, but I would not be surprised if this kid is the number one pick this year. He has not earned it yet, but if he continues to improve through out the year it could definitely happen. He has star potential. Self said LAST year the Ben had more pro potential than Thomas Robinson, and that is saying something. I am not sold on Zeller and not yet sold on Shabazz for the first pick. This draft seems extremely weak at the top compared to previous years and Ben has all the opportunity to steal the show and be the top prospect this year. The sky is the limit, he just needs to continue to work hard and show everyone that he could be the next star young SG that we have not had since B Roy got hurt.

[Taylor Gang MikeParticipant]

Mclemore looks and plays like a player i would build around. B Mac could go number 1 overall. I would compare him to a taller JR Smith or Clyde Drexler. He needs to be able to create off the dribble more, but he looks like a great player

[SportsDudeParticipant]

Ben is a prototypical NBA SG. He’s better than any SG that came out of the draft last year including Waiters and Beal. He has the size, athleticism and shooting stroke to be a legit #1 pick. If Kansas makes a deep tournament run, he’ll be the #1 pick in the draft.

[SportsDudeParticipant]

The only other freshman that shows similar natural scoring ability to McLemore is Jordan Adams at UCLA, but he’s getting overlooked in favor of his over-hyped teammates. Plus it doesn’t help his cause that UCLA sucks. He was leading the team in scoring until Shabazz came back and killed his vibe.

[joecheck88Participant]

The only problem I have with the Ray Allen comparisons is Ray was a very good ball handler and passer. I think Ben lacks in those areas. Now his smooth and quick release on his jumper reminds me of Ray Allen.

[SiggyParticipant]

He may not be a good ball-handler but he’s a surprisingly good passer. One of the biggest concerns I had with Ben coming out of HS was that he was a bit of a late bloomer. He was athletic but didn’t have a good feel for the game. I can’t stress how far along he’s come with his floor game. It just goes to show what happens when top prospects play under good teachers. They don’t just hide the player’s weaknesses, good coaches try to eliminate them.

[SexualFavorsParticipant]

Ben doesn’t have the best handle yet, but he’s not like Brandon Rush who had the weird broken elbow as a kid that prevented him from being a good ball handler. Like everyone says, Ben was a bit of a late bloomer and his ability to pass and rebound is very good. I’m sure with time his ballhandling skills will improve, and that is really the only thing that is preventing him from being an elite slasher. He has the explosive first step and once he cleans up his handle he’ll be fine.

Another thing I like about Ben is he is averaging 1 block and 1.3 steals a game. He’s a very well rounded player with his only weakness being the aforementioned ball skills.

[RUDEBOY_Participant]

McLemore is 1 of the Top 10 or even Top 5 prospects for the draft..

But to say he might be Number 1 is GOING OVERBOARD!! You want the guy that goes that High to at least have the ability to Create his own shot…McLemore has trouble creating off the dribble,most of his offense comes thru teammates…..

He’s now getting into the lane,has improved his passing and blocks shots..When he has to attend Draft Workouts, Scouts and GMs will be looking at how performs in certain drills..And his negatives will way in on their decision…..

[Dale WorthingtonParticipant]

RB, who is that herculean young fellow in your avi?

[RUDEBOY_Participant]

@ Dale, that be ME…All 6’6 220lbs Of Me Laminated…Were U SCARED?!!! lol

[Dale WorthingtonParticipant]

My good sir, that is one enviable physique, to say the least!

You’ve got a steel physique that make young ladyfare weak at the knees!

[Dale WorthingtonParticipant]

B-Mac looks hunky but he’s shooting 31% from downtown. A comparison to Ray Allen seems a bit naughty.

[JoeWolf1]

It’s weighted by a poor game against St. Louis, where he went 0-7. KU still doesn’t have a true point guard and they do a good job of moving the ball on the perimeter, so the Jayhawks, as a team, are prone to launching a bunch of 3’s when their offense isn’t going as planned.

If you exclude that game he’s shooting 39%. I’m fairly confident he’ll be right at 40% by the end of the season, when a poor game doesn’t have as much influence over season statistics. His mechanics and general shot selection are very solid for a young player, it’s just that he hasn’t figured out how to really take over a game ( although his first half against Colorado looked like a great first step towards that) so he’s still prone to, in my opinion, settling for too many 3 pointers.

[Dale WorthingtonParticipant]

Good to hear, JDubs! I am looking forward to seeing this young man on display.

[Dale WorthingtonParticipant]

Great call mah man!

Big Ben is already up to 39.5% from long distance!

[JoeJoParticipant]

I don’t get the Ray Allen comparison not only because it’s hard to compare any shooter with Ray but also because McLemore doesn’t move off the ball to get a lot of his shots. I also haven’t seen McLemore run many pick and rolls/pops which Ray is really good at. Stylistically they’re not similar.

McLemore reminds me more of Jason Richardson. Similar size and athleticism, although McLemore is a more graceful athlete than Richardson was.

[Champzilla21Participant]

I think ray allen is a pretty fair comparison. I think most of the people here are remembering the Celtics ray and not the one in Milwaukee and Seattle. He created for himself far more then and had a very underrated handle and athleticism, i mean he averaged 21 shots a game one year, that would be one heck of a feat for a pure run around picks jump shooter. Mclemore doesnt look like hes forcing the issue either either which ray was excellent at but when i see Ben rise up it always looks clean and like its going to go in just like Ray

[JoeJoParticipant]

Yeah Ray was more than an off the ball shooter; he was really good and still is at pick and rolls and pops. Right now McLemore doesn’t do either of those things. I don’t see how they’re similar at all.

[JoeWolf1]

KU doesn’t run hardly any pick and roll. How do you know he isn’t good at it, or just flat out can’t do it if his team doesn’t incorporate it much in their offense. They feed the post, swing the ball around the perimeter and run a lot of back screens out of timeouts and in bounds.

[JoeJoParticipant]

I don’t know. I just think it’s foolish to make a comparison based on skills he hasn’t demonstrated thus far or had a chance to. How does McLemore bring to mind Ray? Ray was a very good athlete when he was young but not elite like McLemore is. Ray has been a very multifaceted player but when I think of Ray, I think about moving off the ball and running pick and rolls. It’s true McLemore hasn’t been afforded those kind of opportunities but then what is the comparison based on then? That McLemore is the same size and has a nice but different looking shooting stroke? A lot of guys are like Ray then?

If his shooting numbers pick up, McLemore looks more like Anthony Morrow than Ray.

[JoeWolf1]

I’m not in love with the Ray comparison either, I think McLemore does things that remind me of quite a few guys, but I was mainly commenting on his ability to run the pick and roll/pop. He’s demonstrated a good mid-range game, good passing insticts, and great athletic ability when getting in the lane. Those are the tools needed to run the pick and roll game, I’ve seen all his games, he hasn’t failed at the pick and roll game, he has the tools to run it, just hasn’t gotten the chance.

[PureshooterParticipant]

Best case scenario – Ray Allen

Worst case scenario – Anthony Peeler

Just my opinion.

[kobyzParticipant]

just remember i’m the first who has been on his bandwagon, very early in the season got impress by him, i said he would challenge Shabazz for the no 1 wing player in the draft, remind me prime Jerry Stackhouse!

[Official]

Anyone who saw him the first game of the season was impressed by him, he dropped 24 5r 2a and looked incredible. I had never seen him before and I said he was a lotto pick right there and then… It all went up hill from there…

[cliwantengParticipant]

Ray av’ged 6 rebounds a game in college.

[For_Never_EverParticipant]

I’ve seen only one game, but he reminds of Demar Derozan not just physically the style he plays and skill level as well.

[Official]

I think he’s gonna be a great ‘catch and shoot’ shooter hence the ray allen comparison, he has a flawless, consistent, in-motion release. Then you combine that with his physical tools as he can effortlessly take off for dunks and ability to Not settle and attack on straight line drives, all while showing little flashes of pull up game… #lotto pick
I would like to see him develop some more ISO skills, which can mostly be improved by practicing on his handles.

[For_Never_EverParticipant]

He looks like very good shooter, but I wanna see one more game before I judge that and his shot selection. He is a better all around athlete then Shabazz Muhammad in my eye’s. Shabazz can dunk from the distance and doesn’t need to jump up very high on a stand still because of his crazy arm length.

[caliwaoParticipant]

At least Ben moves like Ray Allen.

[apb540Participant]

I’ve read all these posts and still don’t have a good comparison for Ben. Unique prospect given the skills/size combo. I’m thinking someone before my time is probably a perfect comparison.

[JoeJoParticipant]

Unique? That’s a little much. Kevin Durant is unique. So is Lebron and Garnett. McLemore is a 6’5 shooting guard who is very athletic and has a better looking shooting stroke than shooting numbers right now against what’s been weak competition. It’s not insulting him to say he’s not unique.

Part of the difficulty with finding a comparison for McLemore is that there isn’t much to go on yet so it’s his deficits or skill level that he hasn’t shown that rules out comparisons. He could be compared to Wade but Wade, in his first season after an academically disqualified season, already showed he was a fabulous playmaker in addition to a prolific scorer. It’s what McLemore isn’t that makes the comparison weak. Same with a comp to Ray Allen.

[Official]

He’s really more like a smooth athlete. Shabazz is stronger and built like a tank, he can take contact better and bully his way to the paint. His no step vert is also much better.
I don’t really know who the better athlete is tbh.

[SexualFavorsParticipant]

I’ve had a friend tell me he reminds him of Len Bias. Bias was before my time, so I can’t vouch for that .

[A Lil EnglishParticipant]

Your friend is wrong. Bias had a great jumper but he wasn’t a perimeter player.

[JNixonParticipant]

Hes extremely talented, its crazy how much better he’s gotten since HS too. He really is like a young J Rich who’s lighter on his feet. Bill Self said hes the most talented guy he’s ever coached….big compliment

[JoeWolf1]

Jesus, were calling dibs now? Ben McLemore is a talented young player, but refer to EVERY scouting report I’ve ever done. I literally watch every KU game, and for every 25 point game…he disappoints during another settling for outside shots. He will be an NBA shooting guard, probably more, but calling dibs? He’s special, he moves ( and moves alone ) like a young Mike, but his true test is conference play. Well see what he’s made of then.

[SexualFavorsParticipant]

Ben is playing well against a good Belmont team tonight. 4-5, 2-3 from 3, 11pts 3ast, 2rbs, 1blk at the half.

[SexualFavorsParticipant]

Kid looked really good against Ohio State today. His dribble penetration looks better and it seems he’s getting more confidence in his handle. He is continuing to shoot well from outside, 3-6 today, one of the misses was on a half court shot at the end of the first half. He had an absolutely sick dunk off a banana loop on a in bounds play . The announcers raved about him and said he was by far the best player on the floor for both teams. Overall, he ended up with 22 points, 6 rebounds, 2 assists, 1 steal, 1 block.

[Author]

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