Who would you rather have?

[mexicobufan]

Would you rather have Taylor Brown or Osiris Eldridge?

PPG... OE-20.3
TB-16.8

FG%... OE-50%
TB-56.8%

FGA per game... OE-13.7
TB-7.2

Rebounds per game...OE-3.3
TB-6.2

I was a little surprised how well Taylors stats compared to Osiris when looking at them today. The final point is, Taylor is a Sophomore and Osiris is a Junior. Can you make a case that Taylor is the best player in the MVC right now? One way or the other I am glad we have him at Bradley!!!

[TheHeemyMonster]

while OE is a better scorer and a more explosive player, I rather have TB on this particular team because we are stronger at the guard position then we are at the 4/5 position. Having OE on this team instead of TB would not make this team any better IMO

[doug shank's crossover]

Before it's all said and done, TB is going to be a much better all around player than OE. OE does two things well: handle the ball with great quickness to create his own shot; and score. TB scores, rebounds and has the length to be a good defender if he works on it.

[jeffsu]

Taylor is a Sophomore and Osiris is a Junior.

This is the reason I'd stick with TB. Other than "King O" needs to get over himself, and his ego alone would make me a little unsure. But TB is performing at a similar level (not the same as OE... yet) as a SOPHOMORE. Osiris is actually a senior, not a junior, so this is it for him. TB gets two more years!

[Beninator]

Before it's all said and done, TB is going to be a much better all around player than OE. OE does two things well: handle the ball with great quickness to create his own shot; and score. TB scores, rebounds and has the length to be a good defender if he works on it.

My thoughts exactly!!!!

[tornado]

difficult comparison...but I'll try...
I'd be curious how they'd do if facing comparable opponents...
OE has built a career of decent stats against powder puff non-conference schedules

When ISU faces decent opponents like in their post season..here's what we see...
and I know a guy can have a bad game, but you decide..

Example #1-- ISU vs. Kansas State in last year's NIT-
ISU loses, King O was a horrible 6-23 (3-11 from 3-pt), playing all 40 minutes, jacking up every conceivable shot, and hurting his team big time.
Meanwhile, Eldridge's counterpart, Jacob Pullen went 10-23 (6-13 from 3-pt), scoring 32 pts, and humbling Osiris and the Redbirds.
Kansas State was a decent team, but not NCAA caliber - which was why they were in the NIT - and they went right from this win to getting killed 70-52 by San Diego State, where Lo Wade on SDSU held Pullen to 0-4 and just 3 pts!!!!!

Example #2 - 2007-2008 NIT game
ISU loses to Dayton 55-48..ISU scoring only 48 as Eldridge jacks up 20 shots and hits only FOUR of them...(2-9 on 3-pt),
only 10 pts, and a little foul trouble, as his Dayton counterpart was again, the player of the game with 16 pts

Example #3 - The other NIT game OE played in 2008, a narrow win over Utah State,
Osiris went 4-17 (1-8 from 3-pt) and 14 pts, USU's Jaycee Carroll had 15.


so in his THREE post-season (NIT) games...the only decent out-of-conference evidence we can find, OE is a combined...
14-60 (23%), 6-28 from 3-pt (21%)

Taylor has also played in the postseason...
and although he was only a sub as a freshman, his numbers are actually better!
Against Austin Peay, ODU, Oakland, Pacific
overall, Taylor was 5-13 in very limited minutes...but may well have helped his team more than OEs bad shots and weak defense!

[cpacmel]

For those who don't think Eldridge is a good defender, he was ALL Defensive team for the MVC last season. (Voted on by the coaches)

https://www.nmnathletics.com//pdf5/382926.pdf?ATCLID=3683318&SPID=2901&DB_OEM_ID=7600&ATCLPID=1&SPSID=38948

[Da Coach]

For the record, here is what NBA experts and scouts say about Osiris and his defense-
NBADraft.net grades his defense a 6 out of 10- lower than any facet of his game other than his small size for an NBA 2-guard-

http://www.nbadraft.net/players/osiris-eldridge

Draftexpress.com says has these scathing words about his defense after he was scouted at the NBA tryout camps last summer-
One of the best things about Eldridge as a prospect is the toughness and aggressiveness he brings to the floor...
Unfortunately this same scrappiness does not seem to translate itself to the defensive end, at least not in the games we saw. His fundamentals appear to be fairly poor here, looking very upright in his stance and seemingly exerting very little effort into staying in front of his man. He gambles excessively for steals and often looked out of position in the possessions we observed, something that will have to change significantly if he??™s to stand any chance at making the NBA down the road. Considering his lack of size, most teams would likely be able to project him defending both guard spots eventually, while right now he doesn??™t seem to be able to guard even one.

http://www.draftexpress.com/article/Top-NBA-Draft-Prospects-in-the-Non-BCS-Conferences-Part-Four-21-26--3045/

There are also other subscription sites that are also not so kind in evaluating King-O's defense or his NBA chances.

[dogsrus]

Any way we can have BOTH....its tough to see OE waste his time against that patsy schedule. Bring him over to BU....play some big boys and have some fun.

Guys...we were real close to having OE as a Brave.....I think he saw more immediate PT at ISU and went with that. Can't blame him IF that was the reason. Sure he's the enemy now but we would have loved him as a Brave.

[amckillip]

Sure he's the enemy now but we would have loved him as a Brave.

"ERRONEOUS, Erroneous on all accounts!"

Really though, I wouldn't have liked King O. I do not like selfish players with questionable decision making and bad attitudes. And I'm not a guy who is afraid to not like a BU player. Some people here will get on me for this but I DID NOT like DRuff, and he was far less selfish than OE...

[amckillip]

I guess he has MVC coaches fooled then. Since they voted him on the All-defense team. I am sure Jim Les even had him in his top 5.

Come on Cpacmel, where O placed last year isn't very relevant when comparing a new full-time player and King O, and if as an ISU fan, if you don't see that he has terrible form on D, you're as bad as many of the BU fans redbirds despise. And on top of that, good offensive players are regularly voted to all-defensive teams just because of their names, as was the case with OE, IMO. OE is a very good scorer, and for the MVC, a good player. But he has many holes in his game, and his ego will most definitely get in the way if he goes to the NBA, because he will be an end of the bench player, and teammates and coaches won't like an ego from that type of player.

[DannyCooksey]

For the record, here is what NBA experts and scouts say about Osiris and his defense-
NBADraft.net grades his defense a 6 out of 10- lower than any facet of his game other than his small size for an NBA 2-guard-

http://www.nbadraft.net/players/osiris-eldridge

Draftexpress.com says has these scathing words about his defense after he was scouted at the NBA tryout camps last summer-
One of the best things about Eldridge as a prospect is the toughness and aggressiveness he brings to the floor...
Unfortunately this same scrappiness does not seem to translate itself to the defensive end, at least not in the games we saw. His fundamentals appear to be fairly poor here, looking very upright in his stance and seemingly exerting very little effort into staying in front of his man. He gambles excessively for steals and often looked out of position in the possessions we observed, something that will have to change significantly if he??™s to stand any chance at making the NBA down the road. Considering his lack of size, most teams would likely be able to project him defending both guard spots eventually, while right now he doesn??™t seem to be able to guard even one.

http://www.draftexpress.com/article/Top-NBA-Draft-Prospects-in-the-Non-BCS-Conferences-Part-Four-21-26--3045/

There are also other subscription sites that are also not so kind in evaluating King-O's defense or his NBA chances.

Exactly what does this report, this site you reference, or his NBA chances have at all to do with the (laughable) comparison of OE to this Brown guy? I mean wasn't that the title and purpose of the thread? What does your post have to do with the title of the thread?

Having NBA scouts question his defense is pertaining only to the NBA right?? As far as the Valley is concerned he was one of the 5 best defenders in the league. Isn't his status in the Valley the basis of the discussion?

I wonder if there was a Valley draft who would be the 1st selection? OE or Brown? hmmmmm.

In any case I look forward to watching Brown become a Top-3 player in the league for his final 3 seasons. Making 1st team all-Valley twice (going on 3 times) making the all-defense team once (going on twice), leading his team to Top-3 league finishes, becoming the Valley's top NBA prospect. Looks like brown has a lot of work to do. But I will enjoy watching him try.

If brown is better than OE where is his name in draft reports? I see a ton of freshmen and sophomores names listed so please don't use the excuse that he's only a sophomore. Funny......I see no mention of a Taylor Brown. Why is this?

[amckillip]

Exactly what does this report, this site you reference, or his NBA chances have at all to do with the (laughable) comparison of OE to this Brown guy? I mean wasn't that the title and purpose of the thread? What does your post have to do with the title of the thread?

Having NBA scouts question his defense is pertaining only to the NBA right?? As far as the Valley is concerned he was one of the 5 best defenders in the league. Isn't his status in the Valley the basis of the discussion?

I wonder if there was a Valley draft who would be the 1st selection? OE or Brown? hmmmmm.

In any case I look forward to watching Brown become a Top-3 player in the league for his final 3 seasons. Making 1st team all-Valley twice (going on 3 times) making the all-defense team once (going on twice), leading his team to Top-3 league finishes, becoming the Valley's top NBA prospect. Looks like brown has a lot of work to do. But I will enjoy watching him try.

If brown is better than OE where is his name in draft reports? I see a ton of freshmen and sophomores names listed so please don't use the excuse that he's only a sophomore. Funny......I see no mention of a Taylor Brown. Why is this?

Where was POB in draft lists? And he went far higher than OE will even dream of going... Like I said above, OE is a good player, but has many holes in his game, and defense is most definitely one of them.

[Da Coach]

It was a legitimate response to cpacmel who posted about Osiris' defense.
Why such vehement objection? If you have a problem with what the NBA evaluators say, take it up with them. This is not my opinion, it is objective reports from NBA draft evaluators.

And Danny, you are really being ridiculous if you expect the NBA draft sites to list a sophomore (Taylor Brown) who has not put his name into the NBA draft, not is projected to go into the draft this year by anyone.

[lefty]

I think it's really hard to compare as well. They seem to fit their respective team's pretty well..

I do however like that OE can shoot from anywhere and doesn't need much space or time when you need the quick game ending shot.....

I seem to remember a few three's last year at the CC by him that were pretty awsome shots.