Do you guys remember when Leonard first got drafted? We were all excited to get a mobile, athletic center that would block shots, run the floor, and use his athleticism to get us some buckets inside. We knew he was a raw prospect with confidence issues, but he had a great frame and a lot of potential.

His first games in a Blazer uniform, during the Summer League, his potential was looking AMAZING!! He didn't play perfect BUT his athleticism was shown on full display. I remember so many pick and rolls were he would dive HARD toward the rim with NO FEAR and DUNK EVERY SINGLE CHANCE HE GOT.The Lillard-Leonard connection was looking like it was going to be a real option and I could not wait to see Leonard work him-self to the starting line up during the season and be a real centerpiece for our future.

If you didn't catch those SL games, heres some highlights and just LOOK AT MEYERS!! He looks like the player we all wanted him to be when we drafted him. He reminds me of a Willey Cauley Stein type player (Who is someone that WE ALL would LOVE to have on the roster) Less explosive, but high IQ and the potential to even hit a jumper! (hmmmmm)

Here are some of the articles that I remember reading around the time of the draft.

http://www.draftexpress.com/profile/Meyers-Leonard-5756/

http://www.nbadraft.net/players/meyers-leonard

I was really excited when I saw Lillard and Leonard get drafted at the Rose Garden at the Draft show. I always wanted Lillard after watching his work out videos prior to the draft. I actually wanted John Henson at 11, but I warmed up to Leonard real quick thanks to his great physique and ability to run the floor.

THEN EVERYTHING CHANGED ABOUT THIS MEYERS LEONARD!!!!!!--------------------

NO ONE thought, back then, that he would be the player he is now. We did see flashes of him being scared of contact and getting pushed around. BUT his career took a nose dive after his rookie years. As the years went on, seeing him change his ENTIRE game BROKE MY HEART!

When we all started seeing him shooting 3s (Lightskin!) many thought it was a result of him being scared of contact. MANY of us wanted to see him continue to work on his inside game, finishing plays at the rim, and just focus on grabbing rebounds BEFORE testing your range from deep!

But wait, turns out he actually shoots 3s well! But lets just look at his shot chart from his ROOKIE SEASON vs his infamous "50/40/90" season

http://www.basketball-reference.com/players/l/leoname01/shooting/2013 (Rookie)

http://www.basketball-reference.com/players/l/leoname01/shooting/2015 (50/40/90)

从新秀年到第三年,他从taking 135 shots AT THE RIM. This was the majority of the shots that he attempted, all at the rim. Where in his 3rd season he only attempted 55 SHOTS AT THE RIM!!!

He went from taking 7 3pointers that season to taking 125 3s two seasons later!!!

Some will argue tho, that he shot historically efficient and that they would rather have him shoot since he shown to be such a sniper. BUT has he ever reached this efficiency since??? Yes, he is shooting 35% but he is AFRAID TO SHOOT. No stretch big man, wait, no 3 point shooter has ever been more afraid to shoot more than Meyers. Hes afraid of banging inside and hes afraid of shooting 3s!!

And does the mechanics on his 3pt jumpshot look like someone who can put up close to a 50/40/90???? NOPE

His shot release is extremely slow and he shoots with a different form most of the time. He is no Ryan Anderson that can pull up from wherever in any defenders face. He is no Bill Lambiier either, he just isn't THAT good of a jump shooter where he can make a significant impact on the court with his shooting. YES, he does help out there being able to space the floor out. I know you guys are going to say that I probably am just stuck in the traditional center era (even tho im 19 lol) BUT am I the ONLY one that would have liked to see what kind of player Meyers Leonard could have been if he never started shooting 3s?

Wouldn't you guys rather have the player that he was turning out to be in his early career? With all the jump shooters we have had since 2012, I would much rather have the WCS type of Meyers. The one that finished lops, rolled HARD to the hoop, was working on his post game, and blocked shots.

Lot of people overrate his rim protection in my opinion, okay he does a decent job but he has yet to block more shots than he did his ROOKIE SEASON. Is that not crazy?! Ill admit that is kind of a nit pick tho since his rim protection advanced #s have been good. But remember how we all always wanted a shot-blocker? Meyers was suppose to be that (Yes, rim protection is actually not as big of an issue and this team is actually good in that area) BUT MANNNNNN!!!

Im not saying that Leonard hasn't improved since his rookie year. But his play style has changed 100%. I can't think of any other player that has changed his game during the beginning of his career so much besides Meyers.

I believe that he had a long stretch where he shot really good from 3 and that saved him from completely being out of the league. He got really lucky because those efficiency #s and his play vs Memphis gave him another contract. Yes, he has a great touch but his form is sooooo SLOW!! If he didn't shoot so well then he would have looked really bad. I know that doesn't make sense since he has shown to actually be a good shooter. But I think that has really KILLED his potential. Guys like Aldridge and Rasheed people love to say "MAN if they just went inside in the post more that they could have been even better! I think they settle for the jumper way too much!" The same thing applies to Meyers but his shooting isn't THAT impactful in the first place. I believe that the player he could have been if he kept working towards being a traditional center, would have been FAR better than any player he can be now. He doesn't use any of the skills and athleticism that he had him so highly excited for coming into the league

I am being really hard on him but I JUST MISS THE OLD MEYERS! The one I fell in love with and I thought he had all the potential in the world. He has done a complete 180.

I miss you man, maybe you can watch those old clips and realize what you were going to be. Yeah ur jumper is pretty nice, but maybe go back to the old you THEN add in outside shot.