If You Think Blake Griffin Won't Be A Great Pro...

...You are stupid.

With the NCAA men’s season officially over, we will now be treated to a solid two months of NBA draft speculation.

In mere days, we will be introduced to a foreign player who is allegedly leaps and bounds better than anyone we have in the states. A few players will miraculously ascend the draft board while an undersized forward or two (or seven) will plummet.

But this year is the most sure I have been about the #1 since 2003 and LeBron James. His name is Blake Griffin and he is going to dominate the pro game.

I know there are some doubters out there; but there really shouldn’t be. Blake Griffin is the kind of raw talent that can be polished; because the primary tools that he already has will make for a quick progression to the pro game.

If you don’t believe me, I have created a checklist to confirm that Blake Griffin will be not only the lock at #1, but an immediate contributor on the pro level.

1. Is he the appropriate size for his position?

-At 6’10”, with a very athletic build, Griffin is a prototype NBA power forward in terms of size and strength.

2. Does he have the appropriate abilities for his position?

-Griffin has been the best rebounder in college ball for the last two years. His flashes of a mid-range game makes a good fit for any NBA team that uses a screen and roll as their primary option (about 90% of the league). But most important is the fact that Griffin does most of his damage in the paint, where he can get to the rim under any and all circumstances.

3. Is there anything that makes him unique at his position?

-Blake Griffin has a surprisingly decent handle, and has shown the ability to create his own shot. On a pro level, when the focus will be nearly exclusively on building his jumper, Griffin’s handle will prove to be one of his most important assets. Rebounding and scoring are more or less expected from any NBA power forward, but Griffin’s sheer athleticism is what immediately makes him elite. It’s also noteworthy that Blake Griffin has posterized more people on the collegiate level than anyone I can remember.

4. Does he jump so high that he accidentally hits his head on backboards?

-Yes.

5. Do his pros overwhelmingly outweigh his cons?

-I have managed to find two weaknesses in Griffin’s game. His poor free throw shooting is obviously one, and his second one is a little more nit-picky. When Griffin sees an open lane, he essentially gets tunnel vision. While his eagerness to dunk so hard that it hurts you is both fascinating and scary, it also will draw him a number of offensive fouls on the pros. Savvy veterans will happily flop every time a young Griffin gets the ball.

Here is the thing about that though. If I am a coach, and you tell me a player’s biggest weakness is that he is too intense with the basketball, I’m not too concerned. No one knows what his jumper will be like on the pro level, but as a friend of mine said, it’s basically equivalent to criticizing LeBron James for not shooting threes well in high school…because he was too busy dunking on the universe.

Every single one of Griffin’s weakness can be easily polished away on the pro level. And anyone who says otherwise just wants you to read their article.

Blake Griffin will not only be good on a professional level, but he will be a perennial all-star.

Any questions?