While this may be a bit redundant coming hours after At The Hive wrote their Mock Draft explanation, I've been a fan of redundancy for years so all 8 of you will just have to deal. Pretty Boy Pat Patterson's return to Madison Square Garden will reportedly be his first trip back since he defeated Sgt. Slaughter in the 1981 Alley Fight. In other news, wrestling is still cool.
Sinbad Memorial Skill Set: Think of Patterson as a young Elton Brand. He's got a nice mid-range game especially on the baselines, whereas Elton is more comfortable around the elbows. PP (pronounced pee-pee) has plenty of explosiveness around the basket, and soft hands to compliment his capable post game. Hanging around UK for another year to babysit John Wall, DeMarcus Cousins, Daniel Orton and Eric Bledsoe, Patterson worked on his outside shot, trying to add another dimension to his game. It turned out relatively well, shooting a shade under 35% from deep on the season. While his defensive rebounding, ball-handling and perimeter defense leave much to be desired, his wide frame and high basketball IQ make him great value for a lottery team looking for an immediate contributor. Also, he can beat box, which should help him distract the opposition.
More after the jizzle.
UPSIDE: Patterson is your Typical Chazz low ceiling/high floor prospect. Unlike Derrick Favors, Hassan Whiteside, and his beatboxing mate Daniel Randy Orton, Patrick will be able to play a valuable role on a contender off the bat. Defensively, he's capable of handling guys on the low block, but could be a bit more physical, especially considering how strong he is (17 reps on the bench makes him 7th in the Combine) and his height being a bit of an issue. But considering the success smaller 4's have had recently, Patterson should fit in well at the next level, even without many plays run for him.
Feelings of Former School: Via Ken Howlett of SBN's Kentucky Wildcats blog A Sea of Blue, he says basically the same things I say but with more unnatural maturity and focus:
Patrick Patterson's unnatural maturity and focus on winning allowed him to battle through a stress fracture in his foot his freshman year, and come back for his sophomore campaign stronger than ever. Patterson's unnatural maturity and focus on winning allowed him to play eight-games of his second season with a heavily bandaged middle finger on his shooting hand. And while his shooting percentage sagged a bit, Patterson's rebounding numbers remained static. Patterson's unnatural maturity and focus on winning allowed him, during his junior year, to adapt ... adapt to playing alongside not one, but two "wunderkinds" down on the blocks, in the form of DeMarcus Cousins and Daniel Orton. But, instead of pouting about the decrease in the number of shots he took, and minutes he played, Patterson went about the business of perfecting a new weapon which to add to his arsenal (the three-point shot), and leading by allowing others (John Wall) to lead.
Yes, Patrick Patterson was a great rebounder, defender, and scorer, but the tangible leadership he displayed during his time in a Kentucky uniform will be his lasting legacy.
Looks: He certainly looks the part of a bruising power forward, but his kind face and impressive interviews display a more gentler side of the West Virginia native. While he may show a bit too much armpit at times, a right arm the size of a sorority girl, and a propensity to deflate basketballs, Patrick's got the style to look the part. Preference: no fro. Although this could present a problem.
Finishing Move: Atomic Tomahawk Throwdown Suplex
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