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This year's combine darling? Nevada forward Luke Babbitt.

Babbitt measured around 6-9 in shoes with an 8-9 standing reach. That doesn't blow you away. However, he had an impressive 6-11 wingspan and essentially measures up with Griffin (6-10 in shoes, an 8-9 standing reach and a 6-11 wingspan).

But Griffin is way more athletic, you say? Not according to the combine numbers.

Babbitt had a 37.5-inch max vertical, a 3.2-second sprint and an impressive 10.98 lane agility score. Griffin's numbers were 35.5, 3.28 and 10.95, respectively.

Griffin clearly had the strength advantage, benching a 185-pound bar 22 times to Babbitt's 15. But 15 reps is still an impressive number.

What about production on the court? Griffin clearly had Babbitt bested here. Griffin averaged 22.2 ppg and 14.1 rpg in 32 mpg his sophomore season. Babbitt averaged 21.9 ppg and 9.0 rpg in 37 mpg as a sophomore. However, Babbitt does bring two things to the table that Griffin doesn't -- 3-point shooting and ball-handling ability. Babbitt shot a blazing 43 percent from beyond the arc this past season and showed excellent ball-handling skills for a big man in the combine.

Of course, Babbitt isn't as good of a prospect as Griffin was. That's why we've had Babbitt No. 12 on our mock draft for two straight weeks. However, we might have him too low. Based on what I'm hearing, Babbitt could be in play as high as No. 9 to the Jazz.

ESPN Insider

almost 2 years ago Tiny SilverClip 25 comments 0 recs  | 

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#9 to the Jazz, you say...

If you’re going to bring up a small forward and compare him to Griffin, and then bring him down to #9, why not take the extra baby step and suggest #8? It’s pissing me off a little: ESPN will do anything to avoid mentioning the Clippers, especially if it has anything to do with a potentially positive development.

"i know huh........freakin clippers man.....its like a wild ride rooting for this team....gotta love em....(sometimes) lol" In GrIfFin We TrUsT

by SilverClip on May 28, 2010 1:03 PM PDT reply actions  

paranoid much?

Heck ESPN hired KA who is the most well known Clipper Blogger. I would hardly call then anti-clippers.

Anyone know why George didn’t do any of the exercises? I thought he would excel in those.

FA in 2010.

by ClipperChuck on May 28, 2010 1:28 PM PDT up reply actions  

If it's not a bias, then it's just kinda dumb

If Babbitt is a legit #9, then he’s also a legit #8. Utah is probably looking for a big to replace Boozer, so why not bring Babbitt in a draft spot that actually makes sense?

In any case, it’s cool that the Clips have another good option.
 
I don’t know why George didn’t participate. I’m disappointed.

"i know huh........freakin clippers man.....its like a wild ride rooting for this team....gotta love em....(sometimes) lol" In GrIfFin We TrUsT

by SilverClip on May 28, 2010 1:38 PM PDT up reply actions  

Wouldn't the answer be that Ford thinks Hayward > Babbit ?

Or that Ford thinks the Clippers view Hayward > Babbit.

If he thought the Clips would take Babbit at 8, that would make Babbit a legit 8. All he’s doing is projecting his mock draft through the narrative.

I’ll admit, Babbitt is definitely intriguing to me.

by Michael White on May 28, 2010 1:55 PM PDT up reply actions  

Maybe so with Ford's reasoning

Beyond his narrative, it would be intriguing to see Babbitt, George, Hayward, and Aminu all side by side. Maybe a little 2 on 2? Whichever way it’s done, if the Clips determine that any two of them are legitimate top talents, then we’re looking good in the draft. I hope we’re doing our homework.

I know I’ll be watching all four of them next year, on their respective teams. It’ll be relatively easy, then, to measure our draft success.

"i know huh........freakin clippers man.....its like a wild ride rooting for this team....gotta love em....(sometimes) lol" In GrIfFin We TrUsT

by SilverClip on May 28, 2010 3:11 PM PDT up reply actions  

I think PG got injured in earlier workouts.. I think.

"look, you can find any coach you want, bring him in here and run the situation. But I don't think they are going to do as good a job as I do." -Mike Dunleavy Sr.

by CLiPPz WeRD 12 on May 28, 2010 5:10 PM PDT up reply actions  

Chad Ford is DEFINITELY biased

Anyone who reads his stuff regularly (I do) knows he constantly rips the Clips at every opportunity. He openly despises the organization.

I don’t blame him really…but he can be a little less obvious about it.

by madglove on May 28, 2010 5:25 PM PDT up reply actions  

My thoughts exactly...

If he’s a possibility for the Jazz (who still have options at small forward) then it stands to reason he’s a possibility at 8 for the Clippers, who have a gaping hole at the 3. If he’s the best SF after Evans, Aminu and Johnson (as Ford seems to suggest, then he’s obviously a possibility at 8. Hell, Ford had the Clippers drafting Hayward in his last mock draft, but it’s Babbitt he’s raving about. Go figure.

In this world, you must be oh so smart or oh so pleasant. Well, for years I was smart. I recommend pleasant. - Elwood P. Dowd

by Steve Perrin on May 28, 2010 2:00 PM PDT up reply actions  

He could have easily said that it clouds the picture for the Clips, and that it's a good problem to have

I suppose I’m still irritated by how ESPN has done backflips to avoid bringing the Clips into the Lebron discussions. Sure we should have to earn respect, but too often I get the feeling that we’re invisible.

"i know huh........freakin clippers man.....its like a wild ride rooting for this team....gotta love em....(sometimes) lol" In GrIfFin We TrUsT

by SilverClip on May 28, 2010 3:49 PM PDT up reply actions  

ESPN doesnt like the clippers. simple as that. So many of their writers are biased. broussard, ford, simmons (but he's a season ticket holder if i recall correctly or maybe just hates donald sterling

either way, i’ve noticed that they dont really mention the clippers. Even when we landed the #1 pick last year, we barely got coverage compared to other teams they boast. And to add insult to injury, i was watching Around the horn today and the last subject was the clippers so i was sitting there excited to see wat they would say about the parade yesterday and completely skipped us and finished the show. I’ve been sick of the crap espn has given us for awhile now. Sadly, im used to it.

"Put the icing on the cake ladies and gentlemen" - Ralph Lawler vs. The Grizzlies

by In GrIfFin We TrUsT on May 28, 2010 6:53 PM PDT up reply actions  

Simmons

does have season tickets (he’s had them for awhile now too) but he usually just goes to watch the other teams.

FA in 2010.

by ClipperChuck on May 28, 2010 7:18 PM PDT up reply actions  

Why wouldnt utah

want a white guy thats like the only nba team to have more than a couple of non black guys on the team.They have to keep the mormon base happy hell both of there best players are half white. Leave it to utah to have half white guys as their best guys. If he’s good he’s good but just like i said before bring him in another guy and have them play 2 on 2 or 3 on 3 with blake eric and bdiddy or kaman bring in babbit, aa, wesley,monroe,george, and who ever else they want and make them play against some nba talent. That’s what the lakers did when they brought in showbe he killed cooper,scott and who ever else they threw at him. If they cant hold their own agianst a rookie a 3rd year player and a couple of old guys or deandre they shouldnt be on the team.

by clip shot on May 28, 2010 2:06 PM PDT reply actions  

What are you a one trick pony?

Your comments are getting pretty racist. First your comment about never drafting a white guy, now you think Mormons are inherently racist and would only be kept happy by drafting white players.

by Michael White on May 28, 2010 2:16 PM PDT up reply actions  

I agree

we could do without the racial commentary. Besides I seem to recall some guy named Karl Malone being there for a couple of seasons…

FA in 2010.

by ClipperChuck on May 28, 2010 2:31 PM PDT up reply actions  

yeah and boozer isn't so squeaky clean either

this is really getting quite annoying.

LeBron or Bust !!!!

by bestclipfan on May 28, 2010 2:46 PM PDT up reply actions  

who said anything about them being racist

And if you finshed reading what i said if he’s good he’s good it doesnt matter if he’s white or black. And i never said dont draft a white guy i said the ones taken as lottery picks who werent euros didnt pan out. And i asked somebody to name one that did besides mike miller. The ones that have the hype dont pan out it’s just over magnified becaue their white.I said black guys didnt pan out either. So hold on there mr whiteie I never said mormons are racist either. But they seem to draft horrible non euro white players like chirs bodcart. Hell my son is half white so no one trick pony here. I just think its funny that in some of the draft boards they have them taking the guy from kansas and now babbit the only other guy i saw them taking was monroe. And let not forget that utah is pretty out there on bad race relations. So no sense in you getting your tidey whiteies in a bunch. Not once did i ever say they hate black people or any other race for that matter. I was just stating they seem to have a prefrence in players. Lets not forget the orginal steve nash jeff hornaceck ,stockton,matt harpring, ostertag, Mark eaton todd fuller, googs,adam keffe kris humphries lou admundson etc. All i was trying to say is it’s not shocking that they would like a guy like the kid from nevada or butler. And for my last comment on white players it wasnt negative at all. I said the ones in the latter part of the draft seem to do better like korver who was a second round pick or troy murphy or david lee. Get what i said before you go on the attack and last but not least i forgot about the only pistol pete. And i was the one who said we should go after ty corbin cause jerry sloan is one of the greatest coaches alive. Hows that for a rebuttle to your nonsense

by clip shot on May 28, 2010 3:07 PM PDT reply actions  

im sorry but i kinda agree and i see the point clipshot is making. I've always found that somewhat ackward with how they always happen to have draft / stack white players on their team.

I know i probably sound crazy and icould go in depth with my answer but im out the door. I dont think its racis but i see clipshot’s point and he isnt the only one. Couple friends of mine noticed that too.

"Put the icing on the cake ladies and gentlemen" - Ralph Lawler vs. The Grizzlies

by In GrIfFin We TrUsT on May 28, 2010 6:47 PM PDT up reply actions  

I really don't want to speculate about Utah's motives

I just want us, the Clips, to pick the best player in terms of skill and athleticism. So I’m all for clip shot’s idea of holding workouts and having prospects go up against our regulars. But that’s all that needs to be said. Racial success ratios among past lottery picks is a strange, unproductive, and potentially inflammatory thing to bring up.

Meanwhile, is there any real reason to think the Clips would base their pick partially on race, in an effort to please their fan base? We might all agree (as fans) that would be stupid and outrageous.

"i know huh........freakin clippers man.....its like a wild ride rooting for this team....gotta love em....(sometimes) lol" In GrIfFin We TrUsT

by SilverClip on May 28, 2010 7:24 PM PDT up reply actions  

Wow.

Whoever wrote that blurb hasn’t seen Blake handle the rock. In fact, BG has great handles for a big.

Stuck in limbo.

by PaperClip on May 28, 2010 9:14 PM PDT reply actions  

I bet his ball handling skills only got better since the injury

because the only things he could work on while injured was his handles and free throws/ mid ranged shots.

LeBron or Bust !!!!

by bestclipfan on May 28, 2010 11:16 PM PDT up reply actions  

WOW

Babbitt killed the shooting drills too. Okay I’m a fan now. Pick him 8th guys.

http://www.nbadraft.net/nba-draft-combine-shooting-drill-results

FA in 2010.

by ClipperChuck on May 30, 2010 11:56 PM PDT reply actions  

Great link. Very nice break down.

Their scouts are saying what others say, that Babbitt lacks lateral quickness and will likely be a defensive liability. But his numbers at the trials contradicted this. It would be terrific if we could say confidently that he won’t be a defensive liability. The guy sure can shoot.

Overall, if you click on their names, Babbitt and Hayward each rank a 92, while George ranks 93. I’ll be pissed if we don’t work them all out.

"i know huh........freakin clippers man.....its like a wild ride rooting for this team....gotta love em....(sometimes) lol" In GrIfFin We TrUsT

by SilverClip on May 31, 2010 12:24 AM PDT up reply actions  

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