The Damian Lillard trade situation continues to roll on with no real updates. Training camp is inching closer, but it’s not here. And game one of the Portland Trail Blazers regular season isn’t until the end of October.
That lack of excitement on the September NBA calendar gives Rip City fans time to focus on what they should be focusing on – Shaedon Sharpe’s potential sophomore leap, Anfernee Simons taking over as Portland’s go-to scorer and Scoot Henderson’s debut as the franchise’s point guard of the future.
Speaking of Scoot – one former Blazer had some pretty nice things (that’s an understatement) to say about the 2023 draft’s third overall pick.
Mychal Thompson made a wild claim about Blazers’ Scoot Henderson’s game
Thompson, who was taken No. 1 overall by Portland in the 1978 draft, is clearly a fan of Scoot and his NBA potential, claiming in an interview with Sportskeeda that Henderson is a mashup of two MVPs, a former Rookie of the Year and a current Hall of Famer.
"“Scoot is good. If Portland trades Damian Lillard, that means the team is in his hands. He’s legit and fun to watch. He’s a combination of Derrick Rose, Russell Westbrook, Ja Morant, and Dwyane Wade.”Mychal Thompson on Blazers’ rookie Scoot Henderson"
The 19-year-old’s physical attributes point to a sky-high potential, and he does have pieces of all of those guards’ games. He has the speed and explosiveness to get to the rim and finish emphatically like Rose, Westbrook and Morant and the creative finishing ability and playmaking of Wade.
Those are some high expectations, for sure. Scoot would have to overtake super-prospect Victor Wembanyama just to win Rookie of the Year, let alone take home MVP trophies and earn a spot in the Basketball Hall of Fame, to prove Thompson right.