Why can't Nate Mason play in the NBA?

[bga1]

I'd even argue Andre Hollins had more NBA potential than Mason. I love everything he is doing here but if he played for a different school we wouldn't even consider him a NBA player

Mason is a better point guard and craftier on finding shots than Hollins but Hollins is the far better shooter. Shooting is Mason's weak spot-37% FG%

 

[GopherPlaya]

Mason is a better point guard and craftier on finding shots than Hollins but Hollins is the far better shooter. Shooting is Mason's weak spot-37% FG%

Exactly but that shooting will be the biggest factor for a guy Nate's height and Nate's a score first non explosive PG and Andre is more athletic also.

 

[Plinnius]

Ever consider what Mason's FG% would be if he didn't have the responsibility of being team's go to scoring option?

That didn't stop Lawrence Westbrook or Vincent Grier from having a 2P% well above 38.4%. Mason has better teammates than last year but his 2P% has actually significantly regressed this year.

 

[GophersInIowa]

I keep seeing it mentioned that Mason is a good finisher at the rim? Is he really THAT good though? He's shot 38% on 2 point attempts this year. That has to seriously improve.

I think he's a good college player, but I don't think he's NBA talent good.

I think part of this is because of his shot selection. He takes some really bad shots sometimes. The entire team does.

 

[oleboy41]

Yogi Ferrell has settled into a nice role with the Mavs. If Mason gets in the right situation, he could spend some time in the NBA.

Yogi Ferrell is also very very quick which is why he was a 5 star recruit

 

[oleboy41]

I probably sound like a broken record but I think products of the recent 1 and done system have exposed lots of talented players as immature duds who end up getting lost in the shuffle wasting away their talent, potentially opening door to new norm of kids with serious NBA aspirations to elect playing 3-4 years in NCAAs

I don't really follow NBA but it looks as if most lottery picks generally go on to accomplish one of three things. Either become irrelevant/out of the league after two seasons, go on to become average players on quality teams or high stat guys on garbage teams. The worst attitude young talented athletes can have is entering professional level assuming everything is going to just come natural to them.

You see it a lot in NFL with high failure rate among first round draft picks as most players that earn a 2nd contract are guys drafted after the 2nd round. You hand a kid a multi million dollar pay check their rookie season and suddenly they lose their drive and determination, stunting their development along the way.

First rookie contracts are 4 years. Hard for a lottery pick to be out the league in 2. Second the assumption that these kids expect things to come natural is incorrect. These rookies and young players bust their tails, its just very hard to stick in the NBA and the numbers are no better for older players with more college experience. The 1 and done system isn’t ‘exposing’ kids as immature. It is simply allowing kids to get paid earlier and more. Even if kids couldn’t enter the NBA until 22 you’d still have the same number of busts because there are a limited amount of roster spots and limited minutes. Not everyone can be great or above average. Also your NFL analogy is off as there are 32 first round picks and about 300 other rookies so of course most guys on 2nd contracts are non first rounders. They are also cheaper which plays a role too.

 

[GopherPlaya]

First rookie contracts are 4 years. Hard for a lottery pick to be out the league in 2. Second the assumption that these kids expect things to come natural is incorrect. These rookies and young players bust their tails, its just very hard to stick in the NBA and the numbers are no better for older players with more college experience. The 1 and done system isn’t ‘exposing’ kids as immature. It is simply allowing kids to get paid earlier and more. Even if kids couldn’t enter the NBA until 22 you’d still have the same number of busts because there are a limited amount of roster spots and limited minutes. Not everyone can be great or above average. Also your NFL analogy is off as there are 32 first round picks and about 300 other rookies so of course most guys on 2nd contracts are non first rounders. They are also cheaper which plays a role too.

I don't think enough people really understand this and come up with lazy arguments without any knowledge

 

[60's Guy]

Ever consider what Mason's FG% would be if he didn't have the responsibility of being team's go to scoring option?

Ever think he absolutely would not be 1st team All Big Ten if he wasn't the team's go to scoring option. Ever think how many points he'd average if he shot half as much? Even you wouldn't be advocating your premise if he didn't have that responsibility.
There are too many taller, more athletic, quicker, better passing, better shooting candidates to make it likely.

 

[march madness]

Yogi is a better and quicker athlete, and in the NBA of the last 20 years Speed and athleticism at the pg position easily trump slower players with more skill. You cannot coach someone to be athletic but you can suggest someone work on their skills or lose their jobs. PG's nowadays are expected to be big scorers.

 

[Mulligan]

He certainly could, but he's going up against long odds. His margin for error is incredibly thin. For the overwhelming majority of players in the NBA, they need to meet a baseline requirement of height/weight/vertical/quickness etc. just to get a spot on a roster. Mason doesn't really come close from that aspect. It can be overcome with supreme skill, but as I stated his execution would need to be essentially perfect in order to overcome his natural shortcomings. Trey Burke and Tyus Jones are good comps from an athleticism standpoint, but both were far more skilled as college players than Mason. By far the most likely scenario is that he earns a decent paycheck for a decade somewhere in Europe and hopefully for his sake never has to sit in a cubicle for 40 hours per week.

Explains a lot about GH.

 

[wdgold]

Forgive me if this has already been brought up I haven't read all the posts on this thread. I remember very clearly when the so called experts during the Gophers 1997 run were saying Bobby Jackson was not NBA material either. Now, I know however Nate is not Bobby.

 

[UpAndUnder43]

Forgive me if this has already been brought up I haven't read all the posts on this thread. I remember very clearly when the so called experts during the Gophers 1997 run were saying Bobby Jackson was not NBA material either. Now, I know however Nate is not Bobby.

Saying people were wrong on Bobby Jackson does not mean they are wrong on Nate Mason. There are guys who make the NBA, stick around and have productive careers when no one expects it. But for everyone of those guys, there is 1000 playing in Europe, Australia, China, etc who people thought would have good NBA careers.

 

[oleboy41]

Forgive me if this has already been brought up I haven't read all the posts on this thread. I remember very clearly when the so called experts during the Gophers 1997 run were saying Bobby Jackson was not NBA material either. Now, I know however Nate is not Bobby.

That was 20 years ago, man

 

[wdgold]

That was 20 years ago, man

I think you missed my point

Sent from my E6782 using Tapatalk

 

[Costa Rican Gopher]

I know he's never going to be a star but I don't see any reason why 2-4 years after he graduates he doesn't find himself a starting role on an NBA team. I think if makes a name for himself in the NCAA tournament over the next two year could have him as a projected non-drafted out of college into a potential lottery pick. The reasons I believe he can play at next level:

-He's undersized(he's probably 6'1 tops), but there are plenty NBA PGs under 6'3
-He's great slashing/finishing around the basket
-High level passer
-Has proven to hit deep 3s when left open
-Does an excellent job not turning the ball over
-He can create his own shot from both outside the perimeter and inside the paint
-Has high percentage FG rate when left open with his feet planted
-High basketball IQ
-Excellent FT shooter
-Competes against some of the best defenses in the NCAA(Big Ten)
-Puts up 17+ PPG in Big Ten play despite not being surrounded by anyone top 100 talented

What aspects does he need to improve on the most to get drafted?
I only really care because I want an NBA team to follow/root for and it's going to take a Gopher to get me back into it.

I think it's fair to compare Nate with guys who have been around the league for years like Jameer Nelson(6'0), Ty Lawson (5'11) or Patty Mills (6'0)

I think Nate has a higher upside than Amir and I think Amir be a very passable starting SG in the NBA some day

I have not been into the NBA since Pierce/Walker/Battie/Anderson/Williams/McCarty Boston Celtics lost to the Nets in the '02 Eastern Conference playoffs.

Mason isn't quick enough to play PG in the NBA. He's a classic case of a guy who's a really good 4 year college player, but not an NBA player. I could definitely see him having a nice long career in Europe somewhere though.

 

[jamiche]

I probably sound like a broken record but I think products of the recent 1 and done system have exposed lots of talented players as immature duds who end up getting lost in the shuffle wasting away their talent, potentially opening door to new norm of kids with serious NBA aspirations to elect playing 3-4 years in NCAAs

I don't really follow NBA but it looks as if most lottery picks generally go on to accomplish one of three things. Either become irrelevant/out of the league after two seasons, go on to become average players on quality teams or high stat guys on garbage teams. The worst attitude young talented athletes can have is entering professional level assuming everything is going to just come natural to them.

You see it a lot in NFL with high failure rate among first round draft picks as most players that earn a 2nd contract are guys drafted after the 2nd round. You hand a kid a multi million dollar pay check their rookie season and suddenly they lose their drive and determination, stunting their development along the way.

You are correct. You don't follow the NBA.

 

[jamiche]

Ever consider what Mason's FG% would be if he didn't have the responsibility of being team's go to scoring option?

Mason is a good college player, partially because Pitino has allowed him to be ball dominant. You will see him be less effective without Springs because he doesn't move the ball that well. (He played a lot of me ball during the five game losing streak and then Pitino put Springs into to starting lineup which created more scoring options. During the Mich game Mason, and others, went back to me ball. Balance is a very delicate thing. I'd put Coffey at the point and Mason at the 2 now because Coffey sees the court better and likes to pass.) Mason wants to score more than assist.

 

[Winasota Gopher]

I probably sound like a broken record but I think products of the recent 1 and done system have exposed lots of talented players as immature duds who end up getting lost in the shuffle wasting away their talent, potentially opening door to new norm of kids with serious NBA aspirations to elect playing 3-4 years in NCAAs

I don't really follow NBA but it looks as if most lottery picks generally go on to accomplish one of three things. Either become irrelevant/out of the league after two seasons, go on to become average players on quality teams or high stat guys on garbage teams. The worst attitude young talented athletes can have is entering professional level assuming everything is going to just come natural to them.

You see it a lot in NFL with high failure rate among first round draft picks as most players that earn a 2nd contract are guys drafted after the 2nd round. You hand a kid a multi million dollar pay check their rookie season and suddenly they lose their drive and determination, stunting their development along the way.

Source on any of this absurdity?

For the 2nd contract bs claim, if you mean by sheer volume, no ****, 2nd through 7th round is what? 180-190 players? 1st round is 32 picks.

Mason is a good college player, partially because Pitino has allowed him to be ball dominant. You will see him be less effective without Springs because he doesn't move the ball that well. (He played a lot of me ball during the five game losing streak and then Pitino put Springs into to starting lineup which created more scoring options. During the Mich game Mason, and others, went back to me ball. Balance is a very delicate thing. I'd put Coffey at the point and Mason at the 2 now because Coffey sees the court better and likes to pass.) Mason wants to score more than assist.

What does the point do in our offense?

You want Coffey to run the high pick n roll?

 

[kiedro]

Mason isn't quick enough to play PG in the NBA. He's a classic case of a guy who's a really good 4 year college player, but not an NBA player. I could definitely see him having a nice long career in Europe somewhere though.

I love Nate Mason. He is a great college guard. But, as Costa Rican Gopher points out, Nate lacks the quickness to play in the NBA.

 

[UpAndUnder43]

This thread is getting a ton of run.

I want Mason to be a lottery pick. I'll spend 2 hours a day rebounding for him if he wants. I'll print every negative thing ever said about the guy in gopherhole and put them into fortune cookies if it helps the team.

Unless he grows a couple inches, gets more athletic and becomes a significantly better shooter AND defender...he isn't an NBA player (there, this can be fortune cooloen#1)