Sam Hinkie Loved Wing Span, Does Bryan Colangelo?

Sam Hinkie loved undervalued players with large wing spans. In the 2016 NBA Draft, Brandon Ingram fits the bill, Ben Simmons does not. Who will Bryan Colangelo Choose?

We mentioned it recently in an expose about the detractors of selecting Ben Simmons… his 6’11” wing span is not only 4″ shorter than his competitor, Brandon Ingram, for the first overall draft pick, but if he plays his projected power forward role in the NBA, that short span is actually below average for a power forward. That doesn’t mean he is an automatic bust, but it does define the path he will need to take in the NBA to perfect his defensive skills to be a steeper slope than average.

And there is the gamble.  We’ve already discussed the questions about Ben Simmons work ethic, but if you are truly after an elite player you either focus Simmons on another role on the basketball court (hey, we think he’d make a dandy point guard).

But let’s tether on the wing span concept.  What is it and why is it so very important in the NBA?

Wingspan is the term used to describe the length of a basketball player’s arms and hands (think of an airplane’s wings). The player stands straight with both arms fully extended out to his sides; the measure from fingertips to fingertips is his “wingspan.”   It’s one of the measurements taken at the NBA Predraft Camp each year, along with height (with and without shoes), weight, standing reach and body fat percentage.

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A longer wingspan is a coveted in basketball players — longer arms allow players to “play taller” than they actually are, which is particularly helpful on defense: blocking shots, rebounding, reaching into passing lanes for steals, even the nagging reminder to the dribbler that a defender is shadowing him.

For comparison sake, here are some wingspans of current Philadelphia 76ers players:
Joel Embiid – 7′ 5.75″
Nerlens Noel – 7′ 4″
Jahlil Okafor –  7’3.5″
Jerami Grant – 7′ 2.75″
Carl Landry – 6’11”
Richaun Holmes – 7′ 2″

Brandon Ingram – 7’3″
Ben Simmons – 6’11”

And so, the consensus so far is that the Philadelphia 76ers are leaning towards Ben Simmons.  It’s a perspective with some pretty wise names in favor as well. Check out this viewpoint of the man Simmons is often compared to:

But the great equalizer in the NBA are the measurables. You can be coached how to shoot and defend. You can spend countless hours in the gym training and retraining your body how to perform automatically. But you cannot undo mother nature’s genetic coding of your physique. No exercise, no sleep, no hydration, no nutrition can change the wingspan. It either is, or it isn’t.

Wingspan is one such measurable.  It’s not a golden stat, in that a large wing span is not a guarantee of NBA success.  John Riek, Saer Sane,  and Chris Marcus are examples of players with larger wingspans  of greater than 7’8″ who did not become basketball stars.

But it’s a measurable statistic that is gaining popularity in the NBA.  Sam Hinkie, former president of the Philadelphia 76ers, embraced wingspan, athleticism, and three point shooting as characteristics he sought for in a new prospect.

Now the decision falls to Bryan Colangelo. We don’t have a track record on which to base an opinion, merely translating what he has shared with media.    It could be that he wants the potential upside of Ben Simmons, believing that the coaching staff can instill the work ethic to overcome a shorter wing span, develop perimeter and jump shots, and upgrade his defense to a hounding incessant nuisance to the opposition.

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It could also be that he prefers the refinement of Brandon Ingram, a shooting wing who fits a gaping hole in the Sixers current roster, and whose presence would add desperately needed offensive punch to a team that struggles to close out games.  It could be that he believes that the arrival of Dario Saric fills enough of a “pseudo-Simmons” role and brings a good perimeter shooter that he can include Ingram in his plans to build the best roster for the 2016-2017 season.