Knicks Rumors: Reasons To Love The Maurice Ndour Signing

3. Athleticism

A player doesn’t need to run like Russell Westbrook or jump like Blake Griffin in order to be an NBA-caliber athlete. Maurice Ndour can jump out of the gym and run better than most players his size, but his greatest athletic strength is his fluidity.

Ndour has an undeniable level of explosiveness, but he’ll make his mark as a smooth athlete who moves as well with and without the ball as anyone could ask a 4 to move.

Standing at 6-foot-9 with a 7-foot-4 wingspan and a 9-foot-1 standing reach, Ndour has a long and muscular build for a power forward. He easily plays above the rim, has no trouble getting up and down the court, and has the length to contest shots from a vast majority of opponents.

Most importantly, he has the lateral quickness and agility to get from spot-to-spot without dragging his feet—arguably the most important gift for a 4.

When games slow down, players must be able to move without the ball and rotate properly on defense. Ndour has the physical capacity to do both, which makes him a prototypical athlete at power forward.

Ndour is quite explosive for a player his size, but it’s his ability to move his feet in the half court that has him equipped to face all challenges.

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