Unicorns Are A NBA Myth

UNICORNS ARE A NBA MYTH

The 2022 NBA draft has ended and the number 2 selection was Chet Holmgren. The draft gurus labeled him a "unicorn" and his draft status shot up immediately. The moment I heard the "unicorn" tag the caution sign popped up in my brain, and I realized that a NBA team was about to buy some ham, for the same price as filet minion steak.?

In basketball a "unicorn" is a player that posesses the unique physical gifts and talent needed to be above the rest. The NBA has had three players that were given this label; Shawn Bradley, Kristaps Porzingas, and now Chet Holmgren. All were lottery picks, 7 feet or taller, excellent shot blockers, and on paper "can't miss" prospects.

Unfortinately, most guru are doo doo, and the odds of OKC getting extreme value from Chet Holmgren are slim and none. Think about it. Where is the "come up" in getting a 7 foot (or taller) player that plays smaller??

Seven foot players have an advantage when rebounding, shot blocking, and getting their shot off in theory. In high school, and college the height advantage stands out. In the NBA it is a common, and only a guarantee of an opportunity, not success.?

With that being said, the previous NBA "unicorns" (Bradley and Porzingas) have had extensive yet unimpressive NBA careers. They were/are good shot blockers, weak rebounders,?and unremarkable inside presences offensively.?In addition, they were not even regular playoff participants, and definitely not champions.?

Sooner or later scouts will realize that being tall with the ability to dribble or shoot from outside does not automatically give a bigman guard skills. The abilty to dribble & shoot are basketball skills that all professional players should have mastered. Furthermore, dribbling ability makes a big player "guard like" even less than dunking makes a small player an inside threat.

Finally, none of the "unicorns" were dominant on the collegiate level, so expecting them to dominate on the professional level is kind of ridiculous. Chet Holmgren averaged 14 ppg and 9.9 rpg for a team that had made the NCAA championship game the year before his arrival. They did not do as well with him on the team. In fact, his older and more experienced teammate, Drew Timme, is actually a better player, and more NBA ready.?

* The Golden State Warriors never consider "unicorns", and they pick good players instead for a reason.??