Jordan Bell – Unconventional Superstar

    There’s little doubt, when it comes to the traditional view of a basketball stat-sheet, the first category most gravitate to is Points per game. Makes sense, given the team with the most points scored, Wins. Most Coaches and scouts however, are quick to point out success in other statistical categories feeds into success in Points Scored and limiting Points Allowed. Long Beach Poly’s Jordan Bell need only look to the Kentucky Wildcats Anthony Davis for the value Rebounding, interior Defense, and the 14.2 pts a game the future NBA lottery-pick put up during his Player of the Year campaign, as to the potential impact his skill-set can bring to bear. Bell’s progression (table below) from Sophomore to Junior, and continuing through the Junior campaign, was significant and may be just a small window to what’s on the horizon.

Jordan Bell		PTS	REB	BLKS	ASST	STEALS	FG%	FT%
Soph.	10-’11	2.8	3.8	1.1	0	0.4	.500	.310
Junior	11-’12	8.4	8.8	4.7	2.2	1.5	.561	.397

 

    Jordan’s offensive game is similar to that of many athletic and defensive-minded big men. Bell lives on put-backs, transition dunks, and the occasional short jumper. The jump in FG% (.500 to .561) is encouraging, and Bell looked much more fluid with the ball in his hands during his Junior campaign. If he can develop, and become comfortable with, 1-2 go to moves, and build consistency out to the 10-12 foot range, he will be an extremely productive two-way player. He accomplishes the previous, gets his FT% to a livable 60-65%, and keeps the Turnovers to a minimum (approx 2 per game in ’11-’12) there may not be a more dynamic 3/4 player on the West Coast. Safe to assume Long Beach Poly’s offense will continue through Roschon Prince (21.7ppg), but establishing himself as a more viable second option will propel Bell’s stock and create a lethal 1-2 combination for the Jackrabbits.

    On the defensive side, Bell is nothing short of a force. As a Junior he displayed superb timing when it came to blocking opponents shots and snaring defensive boards. As with most young shot-blockers Bell tends towards the huge swat as opposed to the more consistent and controllable redirection. The most effective shot-blockers (Olajuwan, Abdul-Jabbar) not only swatted shots, they also managed to control the block over to a teammate or were able to gather themselves. Although a huge crowd-pleaser, a swat into the stands only serves to give the ball right back to the opponent. If Bell gets to 6’9-6’10 and refines his technique, he will soon make SoCal bball enthusiasts forget the name Angelo Chol. Jordan managed, for the most part (2 DQ’s in 33 games), to stay out of Foul trouble despite his imposing defensive style. This speaks to a controlled aggression and bodes well for continued development.

    No doubt there is room to polish and refine the offensive game. There’s also opportunity to shore up the technique side of Rebounding (boxing out, playing angles). Jordan Bell puts in the work, and by all accounts he’s the type to do so, there’s little doubt in my mind his game continues on the upswing and that’s nothing opponents want any part of. Jordan’s one of the rare High School Juniors who may already have the physicality necessary for the college game, but another 10-15lbs in muscle should only help. If, at 6’7, he’s maxed out his height, his work on the offensive leads to a reliable 10-12 foot jumper, and he takes his FT% north of 60, Bell projects as a solid contributor at the mid-high major level. If however, he grows to 6’9 or so, takes that same jumper out to the 12-15 foot range, and the FT rate trends closer towards 70%, there’s scary upside here. Anthony Davis was the clear leader of his Kentucky squad, and despite scoring just (6) points, AD was the clear-cut Championship Game MVP. Too early to entertain such lofty comparisons, but Jordan Bell does impact a game in a similar fashion. Serious work, solid coaching, and continued health, and Jordan Bell could be a future, albeit unconventional, superstar.

Dan Kottman – Tip of the Spear

It’s 4th down and 13 with just 25 seconds remaining in regulation. Longview High (TX) is poised to pin the Denton Guyer (TX) squad deep in their own end and set up a Longview vs. Cibolo Steele (TX) battle for Texas 5A Division 2 State Championship. A moment of hesitation by the Punter and an oncoming freight train in the form of DT Dan Kottman however, changed everything. Kottman blocked the Punt leading to a recovery by Kamrhan Jones at the Longview 15 yard line. Denton went on to drive for a last second TD and kicked the PAT to secure a 28-27 come from behind victory and a place in the State Championship. Players make plays.

Listed at 6’1 255lbs Dan Kottman anchored a stingy run defense for his Denton squad and wrecked havoc on opposing Offensive lines from his Defensive Tackle spot. Although Kottman enjoyed great success playing DT in High School his 4.68 speed will most likely afford him the opportunity to make better use of his pass rush skills and foot speed via a Linebacker role. As a ’12 signee for Coach Rocky Long and the San Diego State Aztecs the comparisons to recent Aztec great Miles Burris are not unexpected. Similar to Burris it appears Kottman has the ability to maintain an eye towards the ball while shedding and/or avoiding would be blockers. There’s an explosiveness to his tackling form and his speed/strength combination could force Coach Long and staff to find early playing time for the Freshman. Most notable from game film is how quick Kottman is off the snap. Larger blockers struggle coping with his quick first step and foot speed, and smaller more agile blockers struggle combating his strength. When asked as to a preferred position within the Aztecs 3-3-5- scheme Kottman replied ” I am not exactly sure as to the position, (but) I will be ready to perform in whatever spot they see fit for me”. Expect that opportunity “to perform” early in the ’12 season.

 

Given his 6’1 stature my guess is Kottman settles into a LB role. If this is the case his biggest challenge(s) may come in pass coverage and in transitioning out of a 3-point stance. A college weight/conditioning program may lead to increased foot-speed without compromising strength. If that’s the case Kottman could look to take over the SDSU LB to NFL torch previously held by Kirk Morrison, Freddie Keiaho, and the aforementioned Miles Burris. If Coach Long and staff value Kottman more on the DL my guess is his 6’1 stature will be better-suited for DT and Strength and Conditioning Coach Adam Hall will look to get Kottman up to the 275-285lb range. Not lacking for confidence Kottman appears ready for either challenge, ” I’ve been up against the All-State, All-American, and some of the up and coming top performing college athletes, and was able to be a threat against their teams”.

Dan Kottman      

Kottman appears to carry many of the physical attributes necessary for success at the D1 level. His ceiling may depend upon his ability to assimilate Coach Longs hyper-aggressive 3-3-5 scheme and to grow adapt to the increased speed and physicality of the college game. The move from Texas to Southern California is of significance and certainly adds to the upcoming transition. Having replaced future Texas Longhorns Defensive Lineman Taylor Bible, Kottman’s play led his Coaches to label him every bit as dominant as the HS All-American Bible. Although his 3-star ranking doesn’t speak to that claim, his productivity (107 Tackles, 11 Sacks, 26 Tackles for Loss) in the ultra-competitive and talented Texas HS football scene gives the impression he’s coming a bit under-ranked. Playing a bit out of position (given his frame) may have caused some recruiters and talent evaluators to lose track of the Denton product or to under-project his potential impact at the D1 level.

Based solely on tangible attributes Kottman projects as a productive D1 player. Mix in his high-level motor and the mean streak with which he appears to play, he may prove a stalwart in the SDSU defensive scheme. Early playing time will most likely come the Special Teams route, but strong practice efforts and a quick grasp of the scheme could land Kottman significant ’12 playing time. Granted highlight reels are edited so as to “highlight” the best the player has to offer, no doubt they are to be taken with multiple grains of salt. Striking however, in watching Kottman’s reel, the editor’s decision to “circle” the DT prior to the start of each play is all but wasted effort. Without prompting or foreshadowing Kottman’s play highlights itself. Blockers appear more distraction than obstacle and ball carriers more target than elusive. Plenty of work/development need to transpire and there will undoubtedly be bumps along the way, but on paper, the Kottman-Long-SDSU combination appears a good fit. Early prediction; Kottman is a full-time starter no later than the beginning of his Junior season, and garnering All-Conference attention soon there after. In securing the services of the Denton,Texas star the San Diego State squad may have also secured the future tip of their Aztec spear.

Special thanks to Dan Kottman for agreeing to contribute to this piece. To follow Dan via twitter @DKottman