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SF/PF Keita Bates-Diop (Phoenix Suns)

Keita is going to be a good one. He's a bit more bouncy & gets more elevation on his shot than some of the guys that OSU has had on the wing lately. He looks like he's got some polish offensively and can create his shot, which is really going to help him.
Very first thing that jumped out at me on the highlights. That elevation, rotation and arc on his jumper? It's pretty.

Means so much to the the overall jumper- no, you don't want to "jump" shoot to the point that it makes things un-repeatable, but having that kind of rhythm and bounce on a jumper can pay huge dividends, provided the base stays consistent on the lift. KBD's looks beautiful to me.
 
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COLUMBUS, Ohio – Keita Bates-Diop lined up his shot from the corner and buried a three on the game’s first possession. A few minutes later, he made two more. None touched the rim before going through the hoop.

Playing before an Ohio crowd last month, Bates-Diop had a point to prove, and the game wasn't midway through the first quarter at the Flyin' to the Hoop Invitational in Kettering before he made it.

"Most of those (Ohioans) haven't seen me play," said Bates-Diop, a signed member of Ohio State's 2014 recruiting class. "I wanted to give them a taste of what they're going to be seeing."

It was more than a taste.

Though Bates-Diop's team lost to St. Vincent-St. Mary, he finished with a game-high 31 points. He knocked down six threes, had a consistent mid-range jumper and earned points by driving to the rim and getting to the free-throw line. Bates-Diop, a five-star small forward, was the whole package, one coach Thad Matta probably wishes he could overnight to Ohio State.

Today, the No. 22 Buckeyes are in Bates-Diop's state on Saturday to face Illinois, coming off a 70-60 loss to Michigan on Tuesday in which they went 3-for-20 beyond the arc. If only the Buckeyes could add Bates-Diop to this year's roster.

"I hope they could use me," he said.
http://www.cleveland.com/osu/index.ssf/2014/02/i_wanted_to_give_them_a_taste.html
 
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Keita had 10 points in the Derby classic. The box score says he had 3-10 shooting (0-2 on 3s, 4-5 on FTs). I watched the live stream, it did not seem like he had 10 shots but he did botch a couple easy ones at close range and I saw him miss a couple jumpers (one 3 and one step-back). Keita was not one of the more selfish players in the game so he naturally didn't pad his stats as much as he could have, actually made a few good passes. He really needs to work on his handle, though. And of course with his strength being shooting, it's not good to see him missing his jumpers, especially considering how poorly OSU has shot lately. But he has a good looking stroke, solid height and very long arms. To compare him to all the players that Matta has had at OSU, I would say he is most similar to William Buford.

https://twitter.com/DerbyBBClassic/status/457330490983190528/photo/1
 
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Why did he lose the "-Diop" part of his last name on the thread title?

Anyway, I came here to say that now, after seeing him play in person a couple times, I believe Keita could be the best NBA prospect on the OSU team. He has better height and length than you might think, and he is a good athlete with a nice stroke. Russell obviously will be a big piece of the team moving forward, but him joining the team is kind of overshadowing the addition of Keita, which I don't think is right. Watch out for this kid, he will be a big time player at OSU.
 
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i agree, dz. he has all the tools to be a great one.

offense, defense, inside, outside, mid-range, jumpshot, dribble-drive, low post moves, athleticism, etc...

it would not surprise me if kbd enters his freshman season as the best overall player of the matta era.



and, yes, i recognize turner's accomplishments and abilities, but i think kbd will prove to hold the edge when comparing arrivals.
 
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