Your current thoughts on MKG

[fan_of_a_fan]

The referees are unkind to MKG. That's all.

[DashGlobal]

bro, people like you are the worst, always think players right out the draft are supposed to be complete players lmao. Give him some time man, with work ethic like he has there's no telling what he'll develop. Dude can't become a superstar his first game man, cut 'em some slack.

I am not expecting him to be a superstar. I dont ever see MKG being a superstar. I expect him to be a nice glue guy doing all the little things.

But it isnt to much to ask for a dude to have a some what decent looking form on his jumpshot. That is something than can be re-tooled fairly quickly with the proper instruction and repetition.

Forget changing the form, lets just start with getting rid of that god awful hitch.

[CampNightmare8]

I am not expecting him to be a superstar. I dont ever see MKG being a superstar. I expect him to be a nice glue guy doing all the little things.

But it isnt to much to ask for a dude to have a some what decent looking form on his jumpshot. That is something than can be re-tooled fairly quickly with the proper instruction and repetition.

Forget changing the form, lets just start with getting rid of that god awful hitch.

Yeah I agree i'm sure they have addressed that, maybe we'll see it in the future. HOPEFULLY.

[Bosnian-Bobcats-Fan]

he played really good D in his debut...hustled like crazy...anyone else love watching his intensity on defense? yeah he didnt get calls but that's expected... ( i still got mad lol) but he'll get better he's only 19...and anyone else notice MKG on the bench? dude was cheering the ENTIRE game and getting hype after every play...man i love seeing that

[teej]

He showed me a lot more than I was expecting.

He's a faster, wing version of Biz at this point. Great on and off ball defender, rim defender and unlike Biz, MKG will be able to drive and dish or layup/dunk the ball. Once he gets calls, I'd expect his shot attempts and makes to go up.

But, like Biz, his one-on-one offense needs a lot of work, but that's expected from a teenager. I don't think Kobe was super polished as a rookie either...

[QC Thundercats]

So this kind of debate is shaping up exactly how I thought when I made up that poll last week about the different categories of fans. The optimistic fans would be battling with the critics and call them haters, with the critics saying the optimists are blind to reality, etc.

Dash, I'd say you'd definitely fall under #4, "The Critic," someone who prefers to be blunt in their assessment, feelings be damned. I think most of us can agree that a 2-point outing would normally be very disappointing for a #2 overall pick, but its all about context here. There were enough good things that he brought to the table tonight that helped confirm what his reputation was, especially defensively, and so most people were excited to see that.

So having an off night offensively for a 19 year old rookie in his debut, I think we all are willing to cut him some slack, especially since its a work in progress. Nobody is saying it doesn't matter at all, just that we can wait and see how he progresses instead of calling his work ethic and abilities into question right off the bat.

Anyway, regarding MKG's jumper, there was a more detailed article in the Charlotte Observer this summer that covered this.

As you stated:

For someone with that is pegged for having such a work ethic, he hasnt really worked to change his awful form on his jumpshot. Cant stand seeing that hitch.

MKG has been doing exactly what he's been asked. The coaches know the problem, and are working on it:

Over the summer new coach Mike Dunlap approached Kidd-Gilchrist about fixing the glaring hole in his game – a jump shot with a hitch and an awkward follow-through

Dunlap and the staff broke down his shot in a high-school gym

But the coach is gratified how receptive Kidd-Gilchrist is to change. That isn’t automatic, even for rookies.

“He listens. When you ask him to do it, it’s without reservation,” Dunlap described.

Read more here: http://www.charlotteobserver.com/201...#storylink=cpy

Then again:

You mentioned his work ethic, well people with a hard work ethic generally work hard and improve issues with their game. Dribbling, shooting, turnovers, ect.

MKG has had the same hitch in his shot for years that people have been telling him he needs to fix.

But it isnt to much to ask for a dude to have a some what decent looking form on his jumpshot. That is something than can be re-tooled fairly quickly with the proper instruction and repetition.

Forget changing the form, lets just start with getting rid of that god awful hitch.

And what actually happened:

“He has a hitch in his shot, so we’ve tried to smooth that out,” Dunlap described. “And then, too, when he was behind the 3(-point line), he was jumping very high. So we were trying to smooth it and make it a one-piece shot or set shot, or more of a set shot.”

Not everything is off. Dunlap doesn’t want Kidd-Gilchrist changing anything inside 18 feet. The high arc of Kidd-Gilchrist’s shot offers some compensation for the flaws, providing “shooter’s roll” at the rim.

Read more here: http://www.charlotteobserver.com/201...#storylink=cpy

Again, he's listening to instruction. Now if its a critique of the coaches' methods of wanting to keep his jumper the same inside 18 feet, thats a different matter. But its not because he's refusing to acknowledge his issues and not willing to work hard. Quite the contrary.

Then about how much time it takes:

I am not sure a week or 1 year will do much offensively until he fixes that jump shot.

This is still a work in progress. Dunlap figures it entails a year of hands-on coaching and maybe three years until Kidd-Gilchrist maxes out as a jump-shooter.

Read more here: http://www.charlotteobserver.com/201...#storylink=cpy

“It was frustrating at first,” Kidd-Gilchrist said of reinventing his jump shot. “But I learned, and I’m getting better and better at it.
He thinks for a second and adds for emphasis, “very frustrating.”

Read more here: http://www.charlotteobserver.com/201...#storylink=cpy

Changing something thats been a habit for an entire lifetime isn't going to fully take within a season, let alone a week. I think its best for him to develop a set shot for corner threes, the easiest shot to make, then work on spotting up around the perimeter. This should greatly open up his penetration game.

But questioning his work ethic and his priorities altogether is very nitpicky, and comes across as doubting who he is. I'm sure thats not what you meant, but sometimes things written online come out differently than what you're trying to say.

[CampNightmare8]

^ good find..

[DashGlobal]

That has to be the stupidest thing I ever heard. They want him to not change ANYTHING inside of 18ft but change his 3pt shots?!?!? WTF

[Plowright]

We won a game... The Charlotte Bobcats won a game... can we not just enjoy this without knocking MKG? It doesnt happen very often

[dnbman]

In order to make a significant change in something you've done for years, you need someone to help you undo habits and reconstruct it. You can't just tell a guy to go work harder: he ends up practicing and reinforcing the same bad habits most times.

As QCT said, the staff is working with MKG, and he has a nice touch closer to the basket, where you're not necessarily taking a straight up shot with a standard release. I don't think the coaching staff wants him to be overthinking when he's closer to the basket: they want him to naturally use his talent to make plays.