These are John Wall's rookie season clips to the song "Put It on the Line" by CIU.
Washington has a lot of good, young players and added three more prospects in the draft last month.
And they have new uniforms. Things are getting interesting in DC.
Comment or e-mail: thenbaoutsider@yahoo.com
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Showing posts with label John Wall. Show all posts
Showing posts with label John Wall. Show all posts
Wednesday, July 20, 2011
Thursday, April 14, 2011
ROOKIE REPORT CARD
I learned a lot in my first year covering the NBA.
I was way too cocky when I started HBIQ.
Not only did I want to tell you which rookies would be great in the NBA, I wanted to tell you which ones would be terrible as well.
And Derrick Favors, Cole Aldrich and Ed Davis were pegged as the three rookies who would do nothing in the NBA.
Right or wrong, it should have never been written.
Anyone can do almost anything they put their mind to, and I should have never written these guys off without giving them a chance to make it in the association.
Since that time, I've been able to put together a full view of what it takes to succeed in the NBA (which goes far beyond what can be learned from viewing college highlights, games and statistics) and follow it up with a look at some late bloomers to stop fans from freaking out when their prized rookies don't look to be panning out early on.
Needless to say, we've come a long way. So let's take a look at some rookies and how they did in their first year on the NBA stage.
John Wall, Washington: Wall has a long way to go.
He plays bad defense, can't run a team, can't shoot and is more out of control than Russell Westbrook.
Like many young point guards, you wonder if he'll ever get it. And right when you think he never will you look up, and he's there.
Evan Turner, Philadelphia: Turner is ahead of almost all of the rookies because he is contributing to a playoff team.
He got off to a slow start but was able to turn the corner mid-way through the season and show the all-around skills which made him the second pick.
His jumper has to get better going into next season.
Wes Johnson, Minnesota: He shot Minnesota out of as many games as he shot them into with his questionable shot selection.
Johnson has the same issue now that he had coming in, the inability to put the ball on the floor and drive to the rim for easy dunks and layups. Without any dribble-penetration moves, he was forced to rely only on his outside shot, which was streaky at best.
Otherwise, he showed a good floor game with lots of versatility.
DeMarcus Cousins, Sacramento: You could say that Cousins lived up to everything people who said he was the top player in the draft thought he would.
His remarkable passing ability was a sight to behold, and his jumper rained down on opponents from coast to coast.
He was a tough-guy who led Sacramento to big wins over some the league's top teams and gave the team hope for the future as a key building block.
Cousins had a nice rookie season.
Ekpe Udoh, Golden State: Udoh had his breakout game in a home win over Chicago, where his defense on Carlos Boozer helped turn the game in Golden State's favor.
He missed the start of the season with a wrist injury but came on as the season went along. He learned to pass the ball without turning it over and is getting more and more comfortable with his outside shot and making moves in the post.
Udoh is turning out to be a nice pick.
Greg Monroe, Detroit: Monroe showed no signs of being soft in his first season in Detroit, one of the concerns about him coming in.
And his motor looked fine.
As he got more comfortable and more playing time, he started making the shots around the rim that he used to miss and developed into a consistent big man.
There are still more aspects of his game which haven't been shown which should come out in due time.
Al-Farouq Aminu, Los Angeles: The best thing you can say about Aminu is that he no longer looks lost.
Some time in March, things just started to click for him; and you could start to see the No. 8 pick coming out.
At one point it was looking like the Clippers were going to have a hole to fill at small forward in the off-season, but he (or Jamario Moon) may be the one to fill it.
Gordon Hayward, Utah: G-Time saved his best for last, scoring a career-high 34 points on the last day of the season.
But it was his game against Kobe Bryant in a win at Los Angeles a week earlier which signaled his official arrival to the NBA.
His official HBIQ arrival came in a blowout loss at New Orleans in mid-December. That was where he showed he could play NBA defense and showed flashes of the game that became more consistent late in the season.
Hayward has serious game and skills and knows what he has to work on to get better.
Paul George, Indiana: George is another guy who is well ahead of the other rookies due to him contributing to a winning team, or at least a playoff team.
Indiana has been a winning team since he recently moved into the starting lineup.
Sometimes, a rookie is going to be a rookie. But you can see that Indiana has something in Paul George.
Ed Davis, Toronto: Oops!
It looks like this guy can play after all. He has a knack for hitting the offensive glass and for scoring in general, even without many post moves.
His defense leaves a lot to be desired and should be the thing looked to improve on heading into next season.
Larry Sanders, Milwaukee: Sanders is another guy who is as green as his uniform.
But when you tune in to Milwaukee games, you hear phrases like "unlimited potential" thrown around quite often when Sanders is mentioned by the team broadcasters, the words reported back from the coaches.
Sanders is a legit 6-11 and with Andrew Bogut can provide the scary type of interior defense which wins a lot of important games.
He has a good offensive game too, with much more versatility than you would expect from a guy his size.
Luke Babbitt, Portland: Like Anthony Randolph, Babbitt is another highly-talented player wasting away at the end of someone's bench for no good reason.
Portland had plenty of opportunity to work him in early in the season when the team was struggling to find something which worked.
The only reasons I'm not absolutely killing Nate McMillan for this poor coaching decision are because the team is winning and because the guys ahead of Babbitt played relatively well in the end.
Still, there is no excuse for limited amount of playing time Babbitt averaged.
Eric Bledsoe, Los Angeles: With Blake Griffin getting all of the headlines, it's hard for many other Clippers to get any love.
Bledsoe had a strong start to his rookie season but fizzled out at the end.
He has tremendous speed and can do a lot of things, but his defense needs work.
The rookie wall may be the best way to explain what happened.
Trevor Booker, Washington: This was part of my learning experience, tweeners.
At 6-7, Booker is just going to have a hard time matching up against some power forwards.
But he can play and more than hold his own against them all.
With powerful, high-flying dunks and a well-rounded game, Booker was a bright spot for Washington before he got injured.
He is one of the many pieces Washington now has in place for what looks like a bright future.
Landry Fields, New York: The final draftee putting in work for a playoff team.
Fields was rolling before New York traded for Carmelo Anthony. Since then he has sort of gotten lost.
He can beat you in many different ways and is a nice complement to a cast of stars.
New York had a lot of big games this year, and Fields showed up for most of them, contributing in ways which don't usually generate a lot of headlines but are no less important to winning.
Jeremy Lin, Golden State: Lin had early trouble stepping up to the big stage of the NBA but eventually settled in offensively.
His defense was there all along, and he should have received more playing time for his defense alone.
In the season finale against Portland, Lin showed every aspect of his game; and there are plenty of them.
More than anything, he is a playmaker. And he is a point guard.
His jumper has to be improved along with his ability to finish with his left hand.
But Lin is a baller.
I've learned the secret of some NBA coaches: wait until the last game of the season and see what the rookies can do.
It's a shame because these guys can play and should have gotten minutes a long time ago.
Comment or e-mail: thenbaoutsider@yahoo.com
Tweet
I was way too cocky when I started HBIQ.
Not only did I want to tell you which rookies would be great in the NBA, I wanted to tell you which ones would be terrible as well.
And Derrick Favors, Cole Aldrich and Ed Davis were pegged as the three rookies who would do nothing in the NBA.
Right or wrong, it should have never been written.
Anyone can do almost anything they put their mind to, and I should have never written these guys off without giving them a chance to make it in the association.
Since that time, I've been able to put together a full view of what it takes to succeed in the NBA (which goes far beyond what can be learned from viewing college highlights, games and statistics) and follow it up with a look at some late bloomers to stop fans from freaking out when their prized rookies don't look to be panning out early on.
Needless to say, we've come a long way. So let's take a look at some rookies and how they did in their first year on the NBA stage.
John Wall, Washington: Wall has a long way to go.
He plays bad defense, can't run a team, can't shoot and is more out of control than Russell Westbrook.
Like many young point guards, you wonder if he'll ever get it. And right when you think he never will you look up, and he's there.
Evan Turner, Philadelphia: Turner is ahead of almost all of the rookies because he is contributing to a playoff team.
He got off to a slow start but was able to turn the corner mid-way through the season and show the all-around skills which made him the second pick.
His jumper has to get better going into next season.
Wes Johnson, Minnesota: He shot Minnesota out of as many games as he shot them into with his questionable shot selection.
Johnson has the same issue now that he had coming in, the inability to put the ball on the floor and drive to the rim for easy dunks and layups. Without any dribble-penetration moves, he was forced to rely only on his outside shot, which was streaky at best.
Otherwise, he showed a good floor game with lots of versatility.
DeMarcus Cousins, Sacramento: You could say that Cousins lived up to everything people who said he was the top player in the draft thought he would.
His remarkable passing ability was a sight to behold, and his jumper rained down on opponents from coast to coast.
He was a tough-guy who led Sacramento to big wins over some the league's top teams and gave the team hope for the future as a key building block.
Cousins had a nice rookie season.
Ekpe Udoh, Golden State: Udoh had his breakout game in a home win over Chicago, where his defense on Carlos Boozer helped turn the game in Golden State's favor.
He missed the start of the season with a wrist injury but came on as the season went along. He learned to pass the ball without turning it over and is getting more and more comfortable with his outside shot and making moves in the post.
Udoh is turning out to be a nice pick.
Greg Monroe, Detroit: Monroe showed no signs of being soft in his first season in Detroit, one of the concerns about him coming in.
And his motor looked fine.
As he got more comfortable and more playing time, he started making the shots around the rim that he used to miss and developed into a consistent big man.
There are still more aspects of his game which haven't been shown which should come out in due time.
Al-Farouq Aminu, Los Angeles: The best thing you can say about Aminu is that he no longer looks lost.
Some time in March, things just started to click for him; and you could start to see the No. 8 pick coming out.
At one point it was looking like the Clippers were going to have a hole to fill at small forward in the off-season, but he (or Jamario Moon) may be the one to fill it.
Gordon Hayward, Utah: G-Time saved his best for last, scoring a career-high 34 points on the last day of the season.
But it was his game against Kobe Bryant in a win at Los Angeles a week earlier which signaled his official arrival to the NBA.
His official HBIQ arrival came in a blowout loss at New Orleans in mid-December. That was where he showed he could play NBA defense and showed flashes of the game that became more consistent late in the season.
Hayward has serious game and skills and knows what he has to work on to get better.
Paul George, Indiana: George is another guy who is well ahead of the other rookies due to him contributing to a winning team, or at least a playoff team.
Indiana has been a winning team since he recently moved into the starting lineup.
Sometimes, a rookie is going to be a rookie. But you can see that Indiana has something in Paul George.
Ed Davis, Toronto: Oops!
It looks like this guy can play after all. He has a knack for hitting the offensive glass and for scoring in general, even without many post moves.
His defense leaves a lot to be desired and should be the thing looked to improve on heading into next season.
Larry Sanders, Milwaukee: Sanders is another guy who is as green as his uniform.
But when you tune in to Milwaukee games, you hear phrases like "unlimited potential" thrown around quite often when Sanders is mentioned by the team broadcasters, the words reported back from the coaches.
Sanders is a legit 6-11 and with Andrew Bogut can provide the scary type of interior defense which wins a lot of important games.
He has a good offensive game too, with much more versatility than you would expect from a guy his size.
Luke Babbitt, Portland: Like Anthony Randolph, Babbitt is another highly-talented player wasting away at the end of someone's bench for no good reason.
Portland had plenty of opportunity to work him in early in the season when the team was struggling to find something which worked.
The only reasons I'm not absolutely killing Nate McMillan for this poor coaching decision are because the team is winning and because the guys ahead of Babbitt played relatively well in the end.
Still, there is no excuse for limited amount of playing time Babbitt averaged.
Eric Bledsoe, Los Angeles: With Blake Griffin getting all of the headlines, it's hard for many other Clippers to get any love.
Bledsoe had a strong start to his rookie season but fizzled out at the end.
He has tremendous speed and can do a lot of things, but his defense needs work.
The rookie wall may be the best way to explain what happened.
Trevor Booker, Washington: This was part of my learning experience, tweeners.
At 6-7, Booker is just going to have a hard time matching up against some power forwards.
But he can play and more than hold his own against them all.
With powerful, high-flying dunks and a well-rounded game, Booker was a bright spot for Washington before he got injured.
He is one of the many pieces Washington now has in place for what looks like a bright future.
Landry Fields, New York: The final draftee putting in work for a playoff team.
Fields was rolling before New York traded for Carmelo Anthony. Since then he has sort of gotten lost.
He can beat you in many different ways and is a nice complement to a cast of stars.
New York had a lot of big games this year, and Fields showed up for most of them, contributing in ways which don't usually generate a lot of headlines but are no less important to winning.
Jeremy Lin, Golden State: Lin had early trouble stepping up to the big stage of the NBA but eventually settled in offensively.
His defense was there all along, and he should have received more playing time for his defense alone.
In the season finale against Portland, Lin showed every aspect of his game; and there are plenty of them.
More than anything, he is a playmaker. And he is a point guard.
His jumper has to be improved along with his ability to finish with his left hand.
But Lin is a baller.
I've learned the secret of some NBA coaches: wait until the last game of the season and see what the rookies can do.
It's a shame because these guys can play and should have gotten minutes a long time ago.
Comment or e-mail: thenbaoutsider@yahoo.com
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Sunday, October 31, 2010
Saturday Night NBA
There were nine games in the association last night and several more big performances. Some of the developments were expected. Others came out of nowhere in another interesting night in the NBA.
HAWKS SOARING
New coach Larry Drew and his new offensive system have Atlanta playing like a different team. The Hawks (3-0) are sharing the basketball like never before.
They put on another impressive passing display in a win against a Washington team which didn't lay down for them.
JOHN WALL GAME 2
After struggling in his NBA debut, John Wall took some time to work on his game. It paid off. He came out against Atlanta and looked like an All-Star.
Watching Dennis Scott break down some plays from the game on NBA GameTime, you could tell that from game one to game two the game has already slowed down for him.
After putting in the previously-mentioned work on his game, Wall shot 9-17 from the field (2-3 from three) and had 28 points and nine more assists. He is scary good.
THE BEST POINT GUARD IN THE NBA
Chris Paul led New Orleans to a victory on the road against San Antonio with 25-7-5-2. The best part is that Paul had to play only 31 minutes to keep the Hornets unbeaten at 3-0.
His double-crossover on George Hill (2:00) was a work of art, and the runner off the glass over Hill and DeJuan Blair which followed iced the game with 27.1 seconds remaining.
Paul is going to excel playing on a deep team where he can rest and doesn't have to do everything all the time.
New Orleans has done a great job building this team, and Monty Williams is doing a great job coaching it.
TYLER HANSBROUGH
Power forward Tyler Hansbrough was huge in Indiana's back-to-back wins Friday and Saturday nights, hitting clutch shots and free throws, hustling for loose balls, providing energy off of the bench and showing a good floor game.
TJ Ford has also been crucial, with good floor leadership and spectacular defense.
Indiana wouldn't be 2-1 without them.
Watch Hansbrough and Ford help Josh McRoberts welcome Evan Turner to the NBA.
Comment or e-mail: thenbaoutsider@yahoo.com
Tweet
HAWKS SOARING
New coach Larry Drew and his new offensive system have Atlanta playing like a different team. The Hawks (3-0) are sharing the basketball like never before.
They put on another impressive passing display in a win against a Washington team which didn't lay down for them.
JOHN WALL GAME 2
After struggling in his NBA debut, John Wall took some time to work on his game. It paid off. He came out against Atlanta and looked like an All-Star.
Watching Dennis Scott break down some plays from the game on NBA GameTime, you could tell that from game one to game two the game has already slowed down for him.
After putting in the previously-mentioned work on his game, Wall shot 9-17 from the field (2-3 from three) and had 28 points and nine more assists. He is scary good.
THE BEST POINT GUARD IN THE NBA
Chris Paul led New Orleans to a victory on the road against San Antonio with 25-7-5-2. The best part is that Paul had to play only 31 minutes to keep the Hornets unbeaten at 3-0.
His double-crossover on George Hill (2:00) was a work of art, and the runner off the glass over Hill and DeJuan Blair which followed iced the game with 27.1 seconds remaining.
Paul is going to excel playing on a deep team where he can rest and doesn't have to do everything all the time.
New Orleans has done a great job building this team, and Monty Williams is doing a great job coaching it.
TYLER HANSBROUGH
Power forward Tyler Hansbrough was huge in Indiana's back-to-back wins Friday and Saturday nights, hitting clutch shots and free throws, hustling for loose balls, providing energy off of the bench and showing a good floor game.
TJ Ford has also been crucial, with good floor leadership and spectacular defense.
Indiana wouldn't be 2-1 without them.
Watch Hansbrough and Ford help Josh McRoberts welcome Evan Turner to the NBA.
Comment or e-mail: thenbaoutsider@yahoo.com
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Friday, August 20, 2010
The Next Iverson Moment
It was the end of the 1996-97 season. The Chicago Bulls were on their way to another NBA title, and the Philadelphia 76ers were on their way to another lottery appearance, but something happened along the way which will live forever.
Allen Iverson happened.
Very few players in the NBA ever stood up to Michael Jordan after he won his first title in 1991. Jordan defeated most opponents with a psychological advantage well before the game even started.
It was the most frustrating part about rooting against Michael Jordan, the realization that the league was full of punk-bitch players afraid to challenge Jordan out of a legitimate fear of being publicly embarrassed.
Then along comes this cocky little snot-nosed punk named Allen Iverson, a rookie, six-feet tall and all of 165 pounds "soaking wet," as they say.
A baby by NBA standards (you might have been able to see his pamper through his uniform at the time), in one moment Allen Iverson showed he had more heart and courage and was more of a man than 99.9% of the players in the league at that time.
Philadelphia was playing Chicago in Philadelphia.
Iverson got the ball. Michael Jordan switched out on him. The crowd rose to its feet. And the scene was set.
Allen Iverson vs Michael Jordan, man to man (8:22).
Here is more for those who want to enjoy it in slow motion.
Unlike Byron Scott and many others before him, Allen Iverson didn't punk out when he got his chance to go toe-to-toe with Michael Jordan.
Iverson "gave him a little cross to see would he bite on it," he says.
He then hit Jordan with his patented crossover and splashed cotton in Jordan's eyes from about 17 feet away. It is one of the most classic rookie moments of all time.
No one did this to Michael Jordan.
No one, especially not a player in his first year in the NBA.
But Allen Iverson did it.
He went up against the "greatest player of all time" and didn't back down. Not only that, he succeeded, and in a big way.
It was unheard of at the time.
This year, there is another crop of rookies entering the NBA who will be looking to establish themselves and show signs of their future greatness.
Here are some of their games and matchups from the first month of the season.
JOHN WALL
Wall probably has the easiest time of all rookies to start the season. It was hard to find many good matchups for him, but there are some games to look out for.
Individual Matchups: at Derrick Rose (Nov. 13); at Rajon Rondo (Nov. 17).
Big Games: vs Evan Turner (Nov. 2); vs Evan Turner (Nov. 23); at Miami (Nov. 29).
EVAN TURNER
Evan Turner probably hasn't slept since the schedule came out.
That is because his first game (Oct. 27) is at home against Dwyane Wade, LeBron James and the Miami Heat.
Good thing he has Andre Iguodala to help him. Here are some of his other matchups.
Turner and Iguodala: at Paul George and Danny Granger (Oct. 30); vs Paul George and Danny Granger (Nov. 3); at Dwyane Wade and LeBron James (Nov. 26); vs Brandon Roy and Luke Babbitt (Nov. 30).
Big Games: vs Milwaukee (Nov. 19); at Oklahoma City (Nov. 10).
WESLEY JOHNSON
Wesley Johnson and Corey Brewer form one of the youngest and most exciting wing combinations in the NBA.
When Jonny Flynn comes back from injury, look out! Things will be really exciting in Minnesota.
The only question is can they win? Wesley Johnson's key matchups from the first month of the season are small in number but large in impact.
Individual Matchups: at Gerald Wallace (Nov. 15); at Kevin Durant (Nov. 22).
Johnson and Brewer: at LeBron James and Dwyane Wade (Nov. 2); at Ron Artest and Kobe Bryant (Nov. 9); vs Ron Artest and Kobe Bryant (Nov. 19).
GORDON HAYWARD
As John Wall has the easiest, Gordon Hayward has the hardest start to the season.
The league didn't do Hayward any favors with the slate of tough individual matchups they gave him out of the gates. Like Turner starting off against Wade and James, it will only make him stronger.
Individual Matchups: at Carmelo Anthony (Oct. 27); at Kevin Durant (Oct. 31); at LeBron James (Nov. 9); at Gerald Wallace (Nov. 13); vs Kevin Durant (Nov. 15); at Luke Babbitt (Nov. 20); vs Ron Artest (Nov. 26);
PAUL GEORGE
It is always nice to have help, and Paul George has a pretty good running mate in Danny Granger. They could turn out to be the most exciting and entertaining duo north of Miami.
Take a look at some of George's not-previously-listed games during the first month of the season.
Individual Matchups: vs Vince Carter (Nov. 20).
George and Granger: at Dwyane Wade and LeBron James (Nov. 22); at Kobe Bryant and Ron Artest (Nov. 28).
Big Games: vs Milwaukee (Nov. 5).
LUKE BABBITT
Luke Babbitt landed in one of the best situations of all of the rookies. He is surrounded by so many talented teammates that he won't be the focus of another team's defense probably all season.
On top of that, Portland is going to win a lot of games. Plus, he has minutes waiting for him. All he has to do is perform. He'll get a chance to do that in the following games.
Big Games: vs Phoenix (Oct. 26); vs Oklahoma City (Nov. 4); at Lakers (Nov. 7); at Oklahoma City (Nov. 12); vs Denver (Nov. 18); at Boston (Dec. 1), had to slip that one in.
Rookies are my favorite players in every sport. There is just a certain magic to rookies which can't be explained. They are talented, inexperienced, young, fun, energetic, naive, fresh, new, funny and more.
It will be interesting to see whether or not one of the current rookies can establish himself and make his mark in the NBA by putting on a big performance in a big moment, one like Iverson in 1997 or maybe even better.
Tweet
Allen Iverson happened.
Very few players in the NBA ever stood up to Michael Jordan after he won his first title in 1991. Jordan defeated most opponents with a psychological advantage well before the game even started.
It was the most frustrating part about rooting against Michael Jordan, the realization that the league was full of punk-bitch players afraid to challenge Jordan out of a legitimate fear of being publicly embarrassed.
Then along comes this cocky little snot-nosed punk named Allen Iverson, a rookie, six-feet tall and all of 165 pounds "soaking wet," as they say.
A baby by NBA standards (you might have been able to see his pamper through his uniform at the time), in one moment Allen Iverson showed he had more heart and courage and was more of a man than 99.9% of the players in the league at that time.
Philadelphia was playing Chicago in Philadelphia.
Iverson got the ball. Michael Jordan switched out on him. The crowd rose to its feet. And the scene was set.
Allen Iverson vs Michael Jordan, man to man (8:22).
Here is more for those who want to enjoy it in slow motion.
Unlike Byron Scott and many others before him, Allen Iverson didn't punk out when he got his chance to go toe-to-toe with Michael Jordan.
Iverson "gave him a little cross to see would he bite on it," he says.
He then hit Jordan with his patented crossover and splashed cotton in Jordan's eyes from about 17 feet away. It is one of the most classic rookie moments of all time.
No one did this to Michael Jordan.
No one, especially not a player in his first year in the NBA.
But Allen Iverson did it.
He went up against the "greatest player of all time" and didn't back down. Not only that, he succeeded, and in a big way.
It was unheard of at the time.
This year, there is another crop of rookies entering the NBA who will be looking to establish themselves and show signs of their future greatness.
Here are some of their games and matchups from the first month of the season.
JOHN WALL
Wall probably has the easiest time of all rookies to start the season. It was hard to find many good matchups for him, but there are some games to look out for.
Individual Matchups: at Derrick Rose (Nov. 13); at Rajon Rondo (Nov. 17).
Big Games: vs Evan Turner (Nov. 2); vs Evan Turner (Nov. 23); at Miami (Nov. 29).
EVAN TURNER
Evan Turner probably hasn't slept since the schedule came out.
That is because his first game (Oct. 27) is at home against Dwyane Wade, LeBron James and the Miami Heat.
Good thing he has Andre Iguodala to help him. Here are some of his other matchups.
Turner and Iguodala: at Paul George and Danny Granger (Oct. 30); vs Paul George and Danny Granger (Nov. 3); at Dwyane Wade and LeBron James (Nov. 26); vs Brandon Roy and Luke Babbitt (Nov. 30).
Big Games: vs Milwaukee (Nov. 19); at Oklahoma City (Nov. 10).
WESLEY JOHNSON
Wesley Johnson and Corey Brewer form one of the youngest and most exciting wing combinations in the NBA.
When Jonny Flynn comes back from injury, look out! Things will be really exciting in Minnesota.
The only question is can they win? Wesley Johnson's key matchups from the first month of the season are small in number but large in impact.
Individual Matchups: at Gerald Wallace (Nov. 15); at Kevin Durant (Nov. 22).
Johnson and Brewer: at LeBron James and Dwyane Wade (Nov. 2); at Ron Artest and Kobe Bryant (Nov. 9); vs Ron Artest and Kobe Bryant (Nov. 19).
GORDON HAYWARD
As John Wall has the easiest, Gordon Hayward has the hardest start to the season.
The league didn't do Hayward any favors with the slate of tough individual matchups they gave him out of the gates. Like Turner starting off against Wade and James, it will only make him stronger.
Individual Matchups: at Carmelo Anthony (Oct. 27); at Kevin Durant (Oct. 31); at LeBron James (Nov. 9); at Gerald Wallace (Nov. 13); vs Kevin Durant (Nov. 15); at Luke Babbitt (Nov. 20); vs Ron Artest (Nov. 26);
PAUL GEORGE
It is always nice to have help, and Paul George has a pretty good running mate in Danny Granger. They could turn out to be the most exciting and entertaining duo north of Miami.
Take a look at some of George's not-previously-listed games during the first month of the season.
Individual Matchups: vs Vince Carter (Nov. 20).
George and Granger: at Dwyane Wade and LeBron James (Nov. 22); at Kobe Bryant and Ron Artest (Nov. 28).
Big Games: vs Milwaukee (Nov. 5).
LUKE BABBITT
Luke Babbitt landed in one of the best situations of all of the rookies. He is surrounded by so many talented teammates that he won't be the focus of another team's defense probably all season.
On top of that, Portland is going to win a lot of games. Plus, he has minutes waiting for him. All he has to do is perform. He'll get a chance to do that in the following games.
Big Games: vs Phoenix (Oct. 26); vs Oklahoma City (Nov. 4); at Lakers (Nov. 7); at Oklahoma City (Nov. 12); vs Denver (Nov. 18); at Boston (Dec. 1), had to slip that one in.
Rookies are my favorite players in every sport. There is just a certain magic to rookies which can't be explained. They are talented, inexperienced, young, fun, energetic, naive, fresh, new, funny and more.
It will be interesting to see whether or not one of the current rookies can establish himself and make his mark in the NBA by putting on a big performance in a big moment, one like Iverson in 1997 or maybe even better.
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Sunday, July 25, 2010
Golden State Signs Warrior Jeremy Lin
The troubled franchise known as the Golden State Warriors may finally be headed in the right direction. With one playoff appearance in the past 16 seasons, things look to be turning around.
The Warriors signed free agent point guard Jeremy Lin this week.
Not to go all Bill Walton here, but this might be the greatest transaction in the history of the franchise because the Warriors literally stole a lottery pick off of another team's summer league roster.
Jeremy Lin should have been the second point guard taken in the 2010 NBA Draft, maybe the first.
He went toe-to-toe with No. 1 overall pick John Wall in summer league in Las Vegas and at the very least held his own. Lin is a better defender and has a much higher basketball IQ than Wall does at this point.
I never heard of Jeremy Lin before summer league, but looking at his incredible highlights and statistics from Harvard, there is no way he should have fallen past pick number 20, much less gone undrafted.
And pick number 20 is being conservative.
Here is video from the fourth quarter of Lin's game against John Wall, and this is video of Lin against Sacramento.
Two plays should be pointed out here: In the college highlights Lin steals a pass from and scores over Georgetown center Greg Monroe (2:37); and in the Sacramento highlights Lin gets a steal and scores over Kings big man DeMarcus Cousins (1:59).
Cousins and Monroe were the 5th and 7th picks in the draft.
Jeremy Lin also stole the ball from and scored over No. 15 pick Larry Sanders of the Milwaukee Bucks (:26), who averaged 3.2 blocks per game in summer league. He later takes the ball away from Sanders again (1:22).
In short, Lin makes play after play on four of the top 15 picks in the draft and three of the top seven.
There is no doubt that Jeremy Lin is NBA-ready.
He has everything a team should look for in a basketball player, and with Stephen Curry and Monta Ellis, he gives the Warriors one of the best guard rotations in the NBA.
To play with franchise players Curry and Ellis, the Warriors acquired power forward David Lee from the New York Knicks and signed free-agent small forward Dorell Wright from the Miami Heat.
Wright had some big moments for the Heat in the playoffs last year against the Celtics, particularly in Game 3.
Signing Wright might not be the same as Orlando plucking Tracy McGrady from the Toronto Raptors, but it could come close. And David Lee is one of the most underrated players in the league.
Golden State looks to be headed in the right direction and might make the playoffs this season.
This is video of a news story about Lin by a local TV station and his interview for the team website.
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The Warriors signed free agent point guard Jeremy Lin this week.
Not to go all Bill Walton here, but this might be the greatest transaction in the history of the franchise because the Warriors literally stole a lottery pick off of another team's summer league roster.
Jeremy Lin should have been the second point guard taken in the 2010 NBA Draft, maybe the first.
He went toe-to-toe with No. 1 overall pick John Wall in summer league in Las Vegas and at the very least held his own. Lin is a better defender and has a much higher basketball IQ than Wall does at this point.
I never heard of Jeremy Lin before summer league, but looking at his incredible highlights and statistics from Harvard, there is no way he should have fallen past pick number 20, much less gone undrafted.
And pick number 20 is being conservative.
Here is video from the fourth quarter of Lin's game against John Wall, and this is video of Lin against Sacramento.
Two plays should be pointed out here: In the college highlights Lin steals a pass from and scores over Georgetown center Greg Monroe (2:37); and in the Sacramento highlights Lin gets a steal and scores over Kings big man DeMarcus Cousins (1:59).
Cousins and Monroe were the 5th and 7th picks in the draft.
Jeremy Lin also stole the ball from and scored over No. 15 pick Larry Sanders of the Milwaukee Bucks (:26), who averaged 3.2 blocks per game in summer league. He later takes the ball away from Sanders again (1:22).
In short, Lin makes play after play on four of the top 15 picks in the draft and three of the top seven.
There is no doubt that Jeremy Lin is NBA-ready.
He has everything a team should look for in a basketball player, and with Stephen Curry and Monta Ellis, he gives the Warriors one of the best guard rotations in the NBA.
To play with franchise players Curry and Ellis, the Warriors acquired power forward David Lee from the New York Knicks and signed free-agent small forward Dorell Wright from the Miami Heat.
Wright had some big moments for the Heat in the playoffs last year against the Celtics, particularly in Game 3.
Signing Wright might not be the same as Orlando plucking Tracy McGrady from the Toronto Raptors, but it could come close. And David Lee is one of the most underrated players in the league.
Golden State looks to be headed in the right direction and might make the playoffs this season.
This is video of a news story about Lin by a local TV station and his interview for the team website.
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Wednesday, July 21, 2010
Wall, Johnson, Babbitt, Booker And Whiteside Leave Las Vegas
The final members of the Spectacular Seven completed summer league play on Sunday.
John Wall, Wesley Johnson, Luke Babbitt, Trevor Booker and Hassan Whiteside all competed in the Las Vegas Summer League.
They too had their ups and downs, but like Evan Turner, Gordon Hayward and Paul George, there wasn't anything which would cause any concern by the teams which drafted them.
Number one overall pick John Wall probably had the most spectacular performance of anybody.
He went off in his very first outing, putting up 24 points, 8 assists, 2 steals and 1 block, shooting 7-15 from the field and going 10-11 from the foul line. His shooting percentage fell to .377 through four games, but he attempted an astounding 47 free throws and made 41 (.872).
Like other players in summer league, Wall had a problem keeping his turnovers down. He had two 8-turnover games and averaged 5.2 turnovers overall.
The best thing Wall has going for him is Sam Cassell, who could be seen talking to Wall from time to time. Wall even did Cassell's patented pull-up jumper at one point and knocked down a shot just to the side of the foul line.
The Wizards went 4-0 in his games, and Wall concluded by scoring 31 points in his finale. He averaged a sizzling 23.5 points, 4 rebounds, 7.8 assists and 2.5 steals and sat out the final game.
Wesley Johnson of the Timberwolves had the most disappointing summer league of any player, not because of his play but because he didn't play. The Matrix: Reloaded pulled a hamstring in his first game and didn't play again after that.
He shot 4-7 and scored 10 points 22 minutes and recorded one block. Even though his playing time was severely limited, it would have been nice to see him get at least one defensive rebound or an assist.
In an interview with a local paper where Johnson talked about lots of things, it was interesting to read how his favorite cartoon growing up was Tom & Jerry and how he still regrets losing a game all the way back in high school.
This is a great article for those who want to get to know Wesley Johnson.
Portland Trail Blazer Luke Babbitt had an interesting summer league. He came out on fire in his first game and lit up the scoreboard for 13 points in no time flat and was also showing a well-rounded game.
After that he struggled for a few games before finding himself in the fifth and final outing. This article from The Oregonian almost perfectly summarizes Babbitt's performance through the first four games.
Babbitt went off in his final game, scoring 22 points on great shooting to go along with 3 assists, 4 steals and 1 block in a Portland win over Chicago.
There was one troubling sign for Babbitt though.
Trailing by two points against the Clippers, Babbitt had a chance to tie the game with 10.5 seconds left. All he had to do was make two free throws. He missed the first.
After making the second free throw, Babbitt got another opportunity when Portland got the ball back on a turnover.
He got a clutch offensive rebound with about 3 seconds to play but missed a shot from about eight feet away which would have won the game.
Success in sports is all about performing in the clutch, and the Trail Blazers should be concerned about Luke Babbitt missing two of three highly-makeable shots when it mattered most.
This is even more disturbing when you consider that Babbitt shot .917 from the foul line last year in college and .891 in two seasons.
For those who think too much is being made of clutch performance in a summer league game, the name Dwyane Wade should be immediately brought to the forefront.
When Dwyane Wade was a rookie in 2003, long before he was a star, back when he was merely some guy who got drafted after LeBron and Carmelo, he hit a game-winner over LeBron James in summer league in Orlando.
He has been doing it ever since--video 1, video 2.
So while it is not time to panic, it is something the Trail Blazers should be concerned about because winning and losing, especially in the playoffs, frequently comes down to plays like those Babbitt didn't make against the Clippers.
The Wizards' Trevor Booker spent summer league in the shadow of teammates John Wall and JaVale McGee.
Booker got a chance to show what he can do only in the final game when the two players didn't play. With Wall and McGee out of the way, Booker put up respectable numbers in a loss against the Knicks.
He averaged 1.4 steals and 1 block in five games and shot over 50 percent from the field.
Hassan Whiteside of the Sacramento Kings left Las Vegas with heavier pockets than he came with.
The Kings must have liked what they saw out of Whiteside because they signed the second-round pick to a four-year deal worth $3.8 million.
On the court, Whiteside talked about some of his adjustments in going from Marshall to the NBA.
He said he has to get used to not being in the paint and mentioned how teams are designing plays to put him in pick-and-rolls to keep him away from the basket to minimize his shot blocking.
The fact that opposing teams already are forced into designing game plans to adjust for Whiteside's dominant shot-blocking ability is a good thing, and the fact that he recognizes what they are doing is an even better one.
What teams did made perfect sense and was quite necessary considering that Whiteside came out in his first game and had 5 blocks, the same number he averaged in college.
The most he had in any game after that was 3. He averaged 2.8.
Like the others, Whiteside has to continue to work on his game and get better in all aspects. We'll see how things develop as the off-season moves along.
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John Wall, Wesley Johnson, Luke Babbitt, Trevor Booker and Hassan Whiteside all competed in the Las Vegas Summer League.
They too had their ups and downs, but like Evan Turner, Gordon Hayward and Paul George, there wasn't anything which would cause any concern by the teams which drafted them.
Number one overall pick John Wall probably had the most spectacular performance of anybody.
He went off in his very first outing, putting up 24 points, 8 assists, 2 steals and 1 block, shooting 7-15 from the field and going 10-11 from the foul line. His shooting percentage fell to .377 through four games, but he attempted an astounding 47 free throws and made 41 (.872).
Like other players in summer league, Wall had a problem keeping his turnovers down. He had two 8-turnover games and averaged 5.2 turnovers overall.
The best thing Wall has going for him is Sam Cassell, who could be seen talking to Wall from time to time. Wall even did Cassell's patented pull-up jumper at one point and knocked down a shot just to the side of the foul line.
The Wizards went 4-0 in his games, and Wall concluded by scoring 31 points in his finale. He averaged a sizzling 23.5 points, 4 rebounds, 7.8 assists and 2.5 steals and sat out the final game.
Wesley Johnson of the Timberwolves had the most disappointing summer league of any player, not because of his play but because he didn't play. The Matrix: Reloaded pulled a hamstring in his first game and didn't play again after that.
He shot 4-7 and scored 10 points 22 minutes and recorded one block. Even though his playing time was severely limited, it would have been nice to see him get at least one defensive rebound or an assist.
In an interview with a local paper where Johnson talked about lots of things, it was interesting to read how his favorite cartoon growing up was Tom & Jerry and how he still regrets losing a game all the way back in high school.
This is a great article for those who want to get to know Wesley Johnson.
Portland Trail Blazer Luke Babbitt had an interesting summer league. He came out on fire in his first game and lit up the scoreboard for 13 points in no time flat and was also showing a well-rounded game.
After that he struggled for a few games before finding himself in the fifth and final outing. This article from The Oregonian almost perfectly summarizes Babbitt's performance through the first four games.
Babbitt went off in his final game, scoring 22 points on great shooting to go along with 3 assists, 4 steals and 1 block in a Portland win over Chicago.
There was one troubling sign for Babbitt though.
Trailing by two points against the Clippers, Babbitt had a chance to tie the game with 10.5 seconds left. All he had to do was make two free throws. He missed the first.
After making the second free throw, Babbitt got another opportunity when Portland got the ball back on a turnover.
He got a clutch offensive rebound with about 3 seconds to play but missed a shot from about eight feet away which would have won the game.
Success in sports is all about performing in the clutch, and the Trail Blazers should be concerned about Luke Babbitt missing two of three highly-makeable shots when it mattered most.
This is even more disturbing when you consider that Babbitt shot .917 from the foul line last year in college and .891 in two seasons.
For those who think too much is being made of clutch performance in a summer league game, the name Dwyane Wade should be immediately brought to the forefront.
When Dwyane Wade was a rookie in 2003, long before he was a star, back when he was merely some guy who got drafted after LeBron and Carmelo, he hit a game-winner over LeBron James in summer league in Orlando.
He has been doing it ever since--video 1, video 2.
So while it is not time to panic, it is something the Trail Blazers should be concerned about because winning and losing, especially in the playoffs, frequently comes down to plays like those Babbitt didn't make against the Clippers.
The Wizards' Trevor Booker spent summer league in the shadow of teammates John Wall and JaVale McGee.
Booker got a chance to show what he can do only in the final game when the two players didn't play. With Wall and McGee out of the way, Booker put up respectable numbers in a loss against the Knicks.
He averaged 1.4 steals and 1 block in five games and shot over 50 percent from the field.
Hassan Whiteside of the Sacramento Kings left Las Vegas with heavier pockets than he came with.
The Kings must have liked what they saw out of Whiteside because they signed the second-round pick to a four-year deal worth $3.8 million.
On the court, Whiteside talked about some of his adjustments in going from Marshall to the NBA.
He said he has to get used to not being in the paint and mentioned how teams are designing plays to put him in pick-and-rolls to keep him away from the basket to minimize his shot blocking.
The fact that opposing teams already are forced into designing game plans to adjust for Whiteside's dominant shot-blocking ability is a good thing, and the fact that he recognizes what they are doing is an even better one.
What teams did made perfect sense and was quite necessary considering that Whiteside came out in his first game and had 5 blocks, the same number he averaged in college.
The most he had in any game after that was 3. He averaged 2.8.
Like the others, Whiteside has to continue to work on his game and get better in all aspects. We'll see how things develop as the off-season moves along.
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Friday, June 25, 2010
The Spectacular Seven: NBA Draft 2010 Wrap Up
In my last article I projected the 2010 NBA Draft.
I did it by taking only the best players available, the "Spectacular Seven," and putting them onto rosters according to my own analysis of where they should go based on winning now, team needs and real player analysis minus hype.
Now that the draft is over, it is time to discuss where the players actually landed and look forward to the upcoming NBA season.
The members of the Spectacular Seven are John Wall, Evan Turner, Wesley Johnson--The Matrix: Reloaded, Gordon Hayward, Paul George, Luke Babbitt, and Hassan Whiteside. Trevor Booker was also a sleeper added to the list.
Click the link on the players' names to see their highlights.
Only one of my projections was accurate, Johnson to the Timberwolves, but as I stated in the article, it was never my intent to predict the draft, only to give my thoughts on where the players should go using the above method of thinking.
So let's take a look the Spectacular Seven and their new digs.
1) Washingtion Wizards--John Wall, Kentucky
This was expected months ago. The "experts" have been telling us all along how great John Wall is and how he is the undisputed best player in this draft and how it is not even close.
Either the Wizards believed the hype, they plan to get rid of Gilbert Arenas or they think Wall and Arenas can play together in the same back court.
I have a lot of respect for Wizards' GM Ernie Grunfeld from the Sprewell-Camby team he built with the New York Knicks, a team which went to the Finals in 1999.
He is a great evaluator of talent, so it is hard for me to believe that he bought into the John Wall hype.
It is equally hard for me to believe that he thinks Arenas and Wall can play together in the same back court. That leaves only one conclusion: The Wizards plan to get rid of Gilbert Arenas.
This is supported by the fact that Washington also acquired point guard Kirk Hinrich from the Chicago Bulls on draft day.
I can't say that I blame Grunfeld.
As much as I love Arenas, I wrote in my last article that when healthy and not involved in antics from the OK Corral, Arenas is one of the best players in the NBA. The problem is that his health and his Wyatt Earp shenanigans have kept him off the court basically for the last three seasons.
That is a very long time, and when you have the number one pick in the NBA Draft, you can't wait around for your superstar, no matter who he is, to get his act together.
Arenas is no longer dependable, and the last thing anyone wants is to have to depend on someone who can't be depended on. Grunfeld had to make a move.
The Wizards also got my 2010 sleeper, Trevor Booker from Clemson (23). Booker has a chance to start right away at power forward for Washington because the team desperately needs a rebounder and Booker's toughness.
I like both picks, but I won't know how good the the team will be until they finish making their moves and clear the logjam at point guard (Arenas, Kirk Hinrich, Wall).
2) Philadelphia 76ers--Evan Turner, Ohio State
The worst part about the Wizards' selection of John Wall is that the Sixers don't get the point guard they need.
Jrue Holiday is about as fast as Mark Jackson.
I've never liked slow point guards, so I desperately wanted Philadelphia to end up with Wall. That way, Holiday could be moved to shooting guard.
Unfortunately, it didn't work out that way.
Fortunately for them, Evan Turner was available. He is as good as any player in this draft, and Philadelphia is lucky to get him.
I've continued to watch video on Turner over the past several days and have come to the conclusion that he is even better than I thought he was.
He has a level of cleverness to his game which is very sneaky and gives him even more of an edge beyond his skills and athleticism, and his streetball dribble moves, incredible at his size, make him almost unstoppable.
The Sixers have many bodies at the two and three spots, and with a mediocre coach like Doug Collins, all that does is increase the likelihood that he will make the wrong playing-time decisions.
I see Holiday as more of a two than a one, so I'll still say that the Sixers need a point guard to reach their ultimate potential.
As it stands, they look like a team which can make the playoffs.
4) Minnesota Timberwolves--Wesley Johnson, Syracuse
One of the most beautiful things in the world is when exactly what you need falls right into your lap. That is what happened with Minnesota and Wesley Johnson.
Minnesota needed a small forward who could put the ball in the basket, and that is exactly what they got.
They now have four magnificent pieces in place--Johnson, Jonny Flynn, Kevin Love, Corey Brewer--not counting Ricky Rubio, and are ready to take the next step by competing to make the playoffs.
Johnson will improve their defense as well.
In order to become the best player he can be Wesley Johnson will need work on his dribble-penetration moves.
When he develops the ability to put the ball on the floor and dribble past opponents for dunks and layups, he will be a complete player and an unstoppable force in the NBA.
9) Utah Jazz--Gordon Hayward, Butler
I wrote that there weren't ten players in this draft better than Gordon Hayward, and the Jazz apparently agreed with me.
I had him going to Indiana (10) because I had hometown syndrome and wanted to see him play for the Pacers, but I knew all along that Utah or the Clippers could throw a monkey wrench into the program.
I felt that Utah would be a great fit for him but had the Jazz taking Luke Babbitt so each player could play close to his hometown.
Although it didn't work out as I had hoped, it still worked out perfectly.
Hayward gets to play with Deron Williams, who will help Hayward improve his much-too-talked-about sophomore season three-point shooting by getting him the ball where he needs it to get good shots.
Hayward shot 44.8% from three as a freshman and 29.4% as a sophomore, and much has been made about this decline.
This is much ado about nothing.
What makes Hayward a great player is the fact that he is gritty. Whenever there is a loose ball on the floor, Hayward is diving all over it. Add that to his skill and basketball IQ, and you begin to understand what all the fuss is about.
He reminds me of Larry Bird in that sense, known for the glamour plays; but when you look closer you see someone who loves to mix it up and just makes whatever play is necessary to win the basketball game, be it a steal, a save, a rebound, a pass or whatever.
What was great about the Butler basketball team was the fact that they competed for every inch. Their whole team was like this. They were a bunch of bulldogs, and Hayward was right with them, making him the perfect kind of player for coach Jerry Sloan and the Jazz.
As far as his shot goes, he has great form and technique. It will come around.
This was a great pick by the Utah Jazz.
10) Indiana Pacers--Paul George, Fresno State
With Gordon Hayward off the board, Larry Bird and the Indiana Pacers took the best available option in Paul George.
Hometown sentiments aside, this looks like a better fit for Indiana. They now have a team which is ready to go to the playoffs.
George and Danny Granger are a great look. Jordan and Pippen?
With George, Granger and Roy Hibbert, the Pacers have drafted their way to future success. TJ Ford happens to be one of my favorite players.
Indiana is easily playoff team with those four players starting and playing long minutes.
Ford may not fit in coach Jim O'Brien's offense though. He seems to like three-point shooters, something Ford is not. Ford is a playmaker, a playmaker now with many exciting options and possibilities.
All they have to do is come to some sort of agreement between coach and point guard, and Indiana will be a playoff team for many years to come and may even have a NBA title in their future.
16) Portland Trail Blazers--Luke Babbitt, Nevada
This was easily one of the steals of the draft.
Luke Babbitt couldn't have landed in a better situation. He gets to play with a fantastic point guard in Andre Miller and play off of an established offensive threat in Brandon Roy ... not to mention LaMarcus Aldridge.
Babbitt will probably be wide open all season long.
All he has to do is beat out Nicolas Batum, which shouldn't be hard, and he'll be in the starting lineup.
Portland was already in the playoffs last year, and this pick elevates them to another level.
In order for Babbitt to get the most time in coach Nate McMillan's lineup, he is going to have to play defense.
Nothing makes coach McMillan angrier than when one of his players allows someone to drive past them for an easy basket. So the first thing Babbitt has to dedicate himself to is keeping his man in front of him at all times.
This will maximize his time on the court because Babbitt's offensive game is there and can't be questioned.
This was a great pick by the Blazers, a trade to be specific, and Babbitt should advance them at least one round further in the playoffs. He is going to be a rock star in Portland.
33) Sacrament Kings--Hassan Whiteside, Marshall
I suggested that Golden State draft Whiteside at number five and still say that is the move they should have made rather than Ekpe Udoh from Baylor.
Instead of being the big man on campus for the Warriors, Whiteside now enters a crowded frontcourt in Sacramento with DeMarcus Cousins, Jason Thompson and Samuel Dalembert.
He and Stephen Curry could have played together for a long time.
There aren't any players for the Kings who I am excited to see play. They are a long way from being a real NBA team.
This looks like nothing more than a development opportunity for Whiteside. We can only hope the Kings continue to build their roster and become competitive sometime soon.
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I did it by taking only the best players available, the "Spectacular Seven," and putting them onto rosters according to my own analysis of where they should go based on winning now, team needs and real player analysis minus hype.
Now that the draft is over, it is time to discuss where the players actually landed and look forward to the upcoming NBA season.
The members of the Spectacular Seven are John Wall, Evan Turner, Wesley Johnson--The Matrix: Reloaded, Gordon Hayward, Paul George, Luke Babbitt, and Hassan Whiteside. Trevor Booker was also a sleeper added to the list.
Click the link on the players' names to see their highlights.
Only one of my projections was accurate, Johnson to the Timberwolves, but as I stated in the article, it was never my intent to predict the draft, only to give my thoughts on where the players should go using the above method of thinking.
So let's take a look the Spectacular Seven and their new digs.
1) Washingtion Wizards--John Wall, Kentucky
This was expected months ago. The "experts" have been telling us all along how great John Wall is and how he is the undisputed best player in this draft and how it is not even close.
Either the Wizards believed the hype, they plan to get rid of Gilbert Arenas or they think Wall and Arenas can play together in the same back court.
I have a lot of respect for Wizards' GM Ernie Grunfeld from the Sprewell-Camby team he built with the New York Knicks, a team which went to the Finals in 1999.
He is a great evaluator of talent, so it is hard for me to believe that he bought into the John Wall hype.
It is equally hard for me to believe that he thinks Arenas and Wall can play together in the same back court. That leaves only one conclusion: The Wizards plan to get rid of Gilbert Arenas.
This is supported by the fact that Washington also acquired point guard Kirk Hinrich from the Chicago Bulls on draft day.
I can't say that I blame Grunfeld.
As much as I love Arenas, I wrote in my last article that when healthy and not involved in antics from the OK Corral, Arenas is one of the best players in the NBA. The problem is that his health and his Wyatt Earp shenanigans have kept him off the court basically for the last three seasons.
That is a very long time, and when you have the number one pick in the NBA Draft, you can't wait around for your superstar, no matter who he is, to get his act together.
Arenas is no longer dependable, and the last thing anyone wants is to have to depend on someone who can't be depended on. Grunfeld had to make a move.
The Wizards also got my 2010 sleeper, Trevor Booker from Clemson (23). Booker has a chance to start right away at power forward for Washington because the team desperately needs a rebounder and Booker's toughness.
I like both picks, but I won't know how good the the team will be until they finish making their moves and clear the logjam at point guard (Arenas, Kirk Hinrich, Wall).
2) Philadelphia 76ers--Evan Turner, Ohio State
The worst part about the Wizards' selection of John Wall is that the Sixers don't get the point guard they need.
Jrue Holiday is about as fast as Mark Jackson.
I've never liked slow point guards, so I desperately wanted Philadelphia to end up with Wall. That way, Holiday could be moved to shooting guard.
Unfortunately, it didn't work out that way.
Fortunately for them, Evan Turner was available. He is as good as any player in this draft, and Philadelphia is lucky to get him.
I've continued to watch video on Turner over the past several days and have come to the conclusion that he is even better than I thought he was.
He has a level of cleverness to his game which is very sneaky and gives him even more of an edge beyond his skills and athleticism, and his streetball dribble moves, incredible at his size, make him almost unstoppable.
The Sixers have many bodies at the two and three spots, and with a mediocre coach like Doug Collins, all that does is increase the likelihood that he will make the wrong playing-time decisions.
I see Holiday as more of a two than a one, so I'll still say that the Sixers need a point guard to reach their ultimate potential.
As it stands, they look like a team which can make the playoffs.
4) Minnesota Timberwolves--Wesley Johnson, Syracuse
One of the most beautiful things in the world is when exactly what you need falls right into your lap. That is what happened with Minnesota and Wesley Johnson.
Minnesota needed a small forward who could put the ball in the basket, and that is exactly what they got.
They now have four magnificent pieces in place--Johnson, Jonny Flynn, Kevin Love, Corey Brewer--not counting Ricky Rubio, and are ready to take the next step by competing to make the playoffs.
Johnson will improve their defense as well.
In order to become the best player he can be Wesley Johnson will need work on his dribble-penetration moves.
When he develops the ability to put the ball on the floor and dribble past opponents for dunks and layups, he will be a complete player and an unstoppable force in the NBA.
9) Utah Jazz--Gordon Hayward, Butler
I wrote that there weren't ten players in this draft better than Gordon Hayward, and the Jazz apparently agreed with me.
I had him going to Indiana (10) because I had hometown syndrome and wanted to see him play for the Pacers, but I knew all along that Utah or the Clippers could throw a monkey wrench into the program.
I felt that Utah would be a great fit for him but had the Jazz taking Luke Babbitt so each player could play close to his hometown.
Although it didn't work out as I had hoped, it still worked out perfectly.
Hayward gets to play with Deron Williams, who will help Hayward improve his much-too-talked-about sophomore season three-point shooting by getting him the ball where he needs it to get good shots.
Hayward shot 44.8% from three as a freshman and 29.4% as a sophomore, and much has been made about this decline.
This is much ado about nothing.
What makes Hayward a great player is the fact that he is gritty. Whenever there is a loose ball on the floor, Hayward is diving all over it. Add that to his skill and basketball IQ, and you begin to understand what all the fuss is about.
He reminds me of Larry Bird in that sense, known for the glamour plays; but when you look closer you see someone who loves to mix it up and just makes whatever play is necessary to win the basketball game, be it a steal, a save, a rebound, a pass or whatever.
What was great about the Butler basketball team was the fact that they competed for every inch. Their whole team was like this. They were a bunch of bulldogs, and Hayward was right with them, making him the perfect kind of player for coach Jerry Sloan and the Jazz.
As far as his shot goes, he has great form and technique. It will come around.
This was a great pick by the Utah Jazz.
10) Indiana Pacers--Paul George, Fresno State
With Gordon Hayward off the board, Larry Bird and the Indiana Pacers took the best available option in Paul George.
Hometown sentiments aside, this looks like a better fit for Indiana. They now have a team which is ready to go to the playoffs.
George and Danny Granger are a great look. Jordan and Pippen?
With George, Granger and Roy Hibbert, the Pacers have drafted their way to future success. TJ Ford happens to be one of my favorite players.
Indiana is easily playoff team with those four players starting and playing long minutes.
Ford may not fit in coach Jim O'Brien's offense though. He seems to like three-point shooters, something Ford is not. Ford is a playmaker, a playmaker now with many exciting options and possibilities.
All they have to do is come to some sort of agreement between coach and point guard, and Indiana will be a playoff team for many years to come and may even have a NBA title in their future.
16) Portland Trail Blazers--Luke Babbitt, Nevada
This was easily one of the steals of the draft.
Luke Babbitt couldn't have landed in a better situation. He gets to play with a fantastic point guard in Andre Miller and play off of an established offensive threat in Brandon Roy ... not to mention LaMarcus Aldridge.
Babbitt will probably be wide open all season long.
All he has to do is beat out Nicolas Batum, which shouldn't be hard, and he'll be in the starting lineup.
Portland was already in the playoffs last year, and this pick elevates them to another level.
In order for Babbitt to get the most time in coach Nate McMillan's lineup, he is going to have to play defense.
Nothing makes coach McMillan angrier than when one of his players allows someone to drive past them for an easy basket. So the first thing Babbitt has to dedicate himself to is keeping his man in front of him at all times.
This will maximize his time on the court because Babbitt's offensive game is there and can't be questioned.
This was a great pick by the Blazers, a trade to be specific, and Babbitt should advance them at least one round further in the playoffs. He is going to be a rock star in Portland.
33) Sacrament Kings--Hassan Whiteside, Marshall
I suggested that Golden State draft Whiteside at number five and still say that is the move they should have made rather than Ekpe Udoh from Baylor.
Instead of being the big man on campus for the Warriors, Whiteside now enters a crowded frontcourt in Sacramento with DeMarcus Cousins, Jason Thompson and Samuel Dalembert.
He and Stephen Curry could have played together for a long time.
There aren't any players for the Kings who I am excited to see play. They are a long way from being a real NBA team.
This looks like nothing more than a development opportunity for Whiteside. We can only hope the Kings continue to build their roster and become competitive sometime soon.
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Saturday, June 19, 2010
2010 NBA DRAFT: THE SPECTACULAR SEVEN
I'm not going to sit here and try to project the entire 2010 NBA Draft. In any given draft, there ends up being only a handful of players who turn out to be great or even very good; and that is if the league is lucky.
That being the case, after researching almost every player projected to be drafted in the 2010 NBA Draft, I have narrowed my focus down to only the players who I feel will go on to have long, productive careers in the NBA, the best of the best.
I call them the "Spectacular Seven."
These players will be projected onto teams where they will fit in nicely. Many of these projections will differ greatly from mock drafts. That is because I am not doing a mock draft.
What I am doing is offering my analysis of where each member of the Spectacular Seven should go based on my estimation of how good he is compared to others in the draft and how much better he will fit in with the team than other players projected to go there.
To get right down to it, teams are being informed that they should not pass on a particular Spectacular Seven member should he be available when it is their turn to select, despite what all the "experts" think.
1) Washington Wizards--Evan Turner, Ohio State
Don't let anybody tell you that John Wall is a better basketball player than Evan Turner. While Wall has one of the greatest hype machines of all time, there is really no difference between the two players.
What separates the two is the needs of the team selecting. The Wizards already have Gilbert Arenas, one of the best players in the NBA, so they have no need for another point guard.
That makes Turner the best available player at a position of need and really makes this selection a no-brainer.
Here is Evan Turner's highlight reel. And another is here.
This is my win-now projection for the Wizards, which is all I have to go by.
I have no idea what goes on in private meetings between team executives and what their plans for the future are concerning Arenas. This projection is based on the Wizards' roster as it is currently constructed.
The Wizards have several nice pieces and are not far away from being back in the playoffs. JaVale McGee has a future in the NBA; other than his defensive rebounding, Andre Blatche is a nice player; Nick Young looks like he's ready to break out at any moment and become a star; and when healthy and not involved in antics from the OK Corral, Gilbert Arenas is one of the best players in the NBA.
That leaves the small forward position as the only hole in the Wizards' starting lineup, which means they should draft Evan Turner and leaves no question about it.
Turner teamed up with the four Wizards mentioned above is a solid, NBA starting five.
All the Wiz would have to do from there is add two more players off the bench to go with Randy Foye and Al Thornton, and they'll be ready to compete with anybody and go deep into the playoffs.
2) Philadelphia 76ers--John Wall, Kentucky
This is another no-brainer selection. The Sixers need a point guard, and John Wall is a point guard, end of story.
With all due respect to Jrue Holiday, Philadephia would be a much better team with Wall at the point and Holiday at the two.
Check out John Wall's highlights.
This pick doesn't take much explaining. Everyone already agrees that John Wall is Bob Cousy, Isiah Thomas, Kevin Johnson, Rajon Rondo, Jason Kidd and Chris Paul all rolled into one; so him "falling" into Philadelphia's lap here at the two spot would make this an easy selection.
I admit that the draft probably won't go in this direction, but this is how the draft should go based on team needs, winning now and real player analysis minus hype.
By the way, I do believe John Wall is a great player.
3) New Jersey Nets--Paul George, Fresno State
This is my first real stretch here. Nowhere have I seen Paul George projected to go this high, but that is why I am the NBA Outsider.
I was this close to ranking George ahead of Evan Turner, but I watched Turner's highlights one more time and decided against it. But it was really close.
Paul George is better than all of the clowns projected to go ahead of him. I've watched their highlight reels and studied their game logs and gathered as much information as I possibly can, and Paul George is just better. It is really that simple.
And the New Jersey Nets should not pass on him when they draft.
The Nets are still a long way away from their glory days in the early 2000s, and no matter who they draft won't change that. The biggest hole in the New Jersey starting lineup is at small forward.
Even with the George pick, the Nets will need to add several more players to get back to the playoffs.
For those of you who think this is too high a position for George to be drafted, check out his highlight reel, where he looks like a cross between Bernard King, Michael Jordan and Kobe Bryant.
The most interesting part of George going to New Jersey would be that with George at the three and Terrence Williams at the two, the Nets will create a brand of basketball more exciting than their glory days nearly ten years ago.
For teams which can't win, the least they can do is be entertaining.
4) Minnesota Timberwolves--Wesley Johnson, Syracuse
I'm not going to sit here and waste my time writing about what Minnesota needs to do to win a championship because I don't believe they really want to win a championship.
They had Kevin Garnett in his prime and surrounded him with a championship caliber team only two (2003-2005) out of his twelve seasons there. They then traded him for peanuts and haven't been heard from since.
On the bright side, the Timberwolves do have Jonny Flynn, Kevin Love, Al Jefferson and Corey Brewer; so Johnson would seem to be a perfect fit. The team would then have to solidify the bench and see what happens.
Wesley Johnson looks like Shawn Marion with a jump shot, so I have nicknamed him The Matrix: Reloaded.
Here are his highlights.
6) Golden State Warriors--Hassan Whiteside, Marshall
This may be my most controversial projection, and Whiteside may be the most controversial member of the Spectacular Seven. All that aside, this is who the Warriors should select with their pick.
The most idiotic criticism I have read about Whiteside is that it can't be determined how good he really is because he played in a weak conference against inferior competition.
That dog don't hunt.
I watched LeBron James play one high school game against a bunch of six-footers and knew he was ready to play in the NBA, and I knew it mid-way through the first half.
The competition Whiteside played against at Marshall was much better than the players James played against on national television that night, so I would say he can be judged accurately, despite this so called lack of competition.
The other thing which makes this criticism ludicrous is the fact that Whiteside dominated the competition. Had he been average against average competition, that would be one thing; but average he was not.
Whiteside averaged more than five blocks per game, an impressive number by any measure. He also has a mid-range jump shot, yet critics still question his ability to score and call his offensive game "raw."
I don't see it, but you can judge for yourself by watching his highlights.
The bottom line is this: Whiteside can be only half as good as he was at Marshall and not improve one iota his entire career in the NBA, and he would still be two times better than every center the Warriors have had since Robert Parish.
Whiteside should be the Warriors' pick because he addresses the team's biggest need: defense/shot blocking.
No one in the draft does it better, and the Warriors better not select anyone other than Hassan Whiteside.
9) Utah Jazz--Luke Babbitt, Nevada
I sure do hope that the Jazz don't pass on drafting Luke Babbitt for some of the players I have seen them projected to take. Some of them won't last one minute in the NBA.
Babbitt, on the other hand, may have a long and storied career ahead of him, especially if he winds up in Utah and gets to play with Deron Williams and Carlos Boozer.
Luke Babbitt can score, and anyone who watched the Jazz get their butts kicked by the Lakers knows that what the team needs is someone who can put the ball in the basket, particularly in the last five minutes of the game.
During the final minutes of each of the first two games against the Lakers, Utah had the ball with a chance to take control of the game and change the series.
All they had to do was make a shot, and each time, the shot missed. Or there was a turnover or some otherwise bad execution. Deron Williams also missed a game-winner at the end of Game 3.
I'm not saying Luke Babbitt is the next Robert Horry and will make those shots.
I am saying that with his ability to score and pass and rebound and with him being an outstanding and highly-skilled basketball player, he will fit in perfectly with the team; and there is no one the Jazz should select ahead of him.
Take that into the playoffs and see what happens.
The preposterous criticism I've read about Babbitt is that he won't be able to guard anyone in the NBA. Anyone who puts their mind to it can be a good defensive player.
He may not make First Team All-Defense, but there is no reason why he can't be good.
Even more, for every great scorer at small forward like Carmelo Anthony there is a Shane Battier who can't score.
As for the great scorers like Anthony, other than a few players like Ron Artest, no one can guard them. So Babbitt won't be any different than anyone else in the NBA.
And let's not forget that this guy can score. In time he'll be able to go basket for basket with most of these guys, so at the very least the Jazz will break even in his matchups.
Here are his highlights. Watch for the ankle-breaker at 3:10.
10) Indiana Pacers--Gordon Hayward, Butler
I don't know what's wrong with the NBA. I don't see ten players better than Gordon Hayward.
The funny thing about Hayward is that his projections are all over the place, from top ten to the twenties. I have no idea what all of the questions are about?
Hayward is a baller.
With Gordon Hayward on the outside with Danny Granger and Roy Hibbert on the inside with Troy Murphy and TJ Ford at the point, the Indiana Pacers will be an extremely dangerous team.
They also have the beginnings of a nice bench, and Jim O'Brien isn't a bad coach.
With the selection of Hayward, things will definitely be looking up in Indiana; and the Pacers won't be far away from their glory days with Reggie Miller.
I am sure that Larry Bird has an appreciation for the type of player that Hayward is and may see a little of himself in Hayward, and he almost certainly won't pass on Hayward at number ten.
Here is Gordon Hayward's highlight reel.
SLEEPER
15) Milwaukee Bucks--Trevor Booker, Clemson
Truth be told, Trevor Booker is every bit as good as the members of the Spectacular Seven.
The only reason why he wasn't included is because I discovered him after I had already named the group and liked the name so much that I didn't want to change it to the something eight.
He was also projected to go in the second round, and I felt it was too much of a stretch, even for me, the NBA Outsider, to put him where he should be based on my evaluation of his ability.
Since discovering him about a month ago, I see that he has crept into the end of the first round on at least one mock draft.
That being the case, I am more comfortable in projecting him where I feel he should be.
Trevor Booker is a beast, and any team which passes on him is going to seriously regret it.
Here are his highlights.
Watch the hustle play at 2:28 and tell me who wouldn't want this level of effort and desire on their squad.
He blocks shots, rebounds, plays defense, dunks ferociously and competes at an extremely high level. He can also score a little.
Him playing power forward next to Andrew Bogut will revolutionize the entire Milwaukee Bucks' team and the city of Milwaukee itself.
They will no longer be a soft, finesse team which can't defend, or score in, the paint.
Booker is an intimidator who will make opponents think twice about coming down the lane, especially in the playoffs when hard fouls become more common and acceptable.
With a healthy Michael Redd on the outside along with Brandon Jennings, the Bucks would be ready to go toe-to-toe with anyone.
On the Bucks' team website they have a motto which says, "Work Hard. Play Hard."
No motto better captures what Booker would mean to the identity of this team and the city of Milwaukee.
Milwaukee hasn't had this type of presence in the paint since the days of Bob Lanier, and I am sure the city will quickly fall in love with Booker and his hard-nosed style.
THE OTHERS
I am trying to keep a straight face here, but I can't help but laugh out loud when I see some of the players projected to be drafted highly in the 2010 NBA Draft.
Some of these guys couldn't carry water in the NBA, but some team is going to waste a pick on them; so I guess I have to say something about them.
Here are the players who I have looked at, and though they may be highly drafted, I just don't see it: Derrick Favors, Georgia Tech; Cole Aldrich, Kansas, I'm peeing in my pants with laughter over here; Ed Davis, North Carolina.
Here are the players who didn't blow me away but who I want to see more of before drawing a final conclusion about what type of players they will be in the NBA: Greg Monroe, Georgetown; DeMarcus Cousins, Kentucky; Daniel Orton, Kentucky; Larry Sanders, VCU; Eric Bledsoe, Kentucky.
Back to the Spectacular Seven, I am sure they will be receiving all sorts of advice on how live up to their potential become the player everyone expects them to be.
I also have some advice on how to accomplish this, and it is really simple: Go hard!
*I have to give credit to Jeff Fox at SLAM Online here. He was the first person who I saw rank Paul George and Luke Babbitt highly.
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That being the case, after researching almost every player projected to be drafted in the 2010 NBA Draft, I have narrowed my focus down to only the players who I feel will go on to have long, productive careers in the NBA, the best of the best.
I call them the "Spectacular Seven."
These players will be projected onto teams where they will fit in nicely. Many of these projections will differ greatly from mock drafts. That is because I am not doing a mock draft.
What I am doing is offering my analysis of where each member of the Spectacular Seven should go based on my estimation of how good he is compared to others in the draft and how much better he will fit in with the team than other players projected to go there.
To get right down to it, teams are being informed that they should not pass on a particular Spectacular Seven member should he be available when it is their turn to select, despite what all the "experts" think.
1) Washington Wizards--Evan Turner, Ohio State
Don't let anybody tell you that John Wall is a better basketball player than Evan Turner. While Wall has one of the greatest hype machines of all time, there is really no difference between the two players.
What separates the two is the needs of the team selecting. The Wizards already have Gilbert Arenas, one of the best players in the NBA, so they have no need for another point guard.
That makes Turner the best available player at a position of need and really makes this selection a no-brainer.
Here is Evan Turner's highlight reel. And another is here.
This is my win-now projection for the Wizards, which is all I have to go by.
I have no idea what goes on in private meetings between team executives and what their plans for the future are concerning Arenas. This projection is based on the Wizards' roster as it is currently constructed.
The Wizards have several nice pieces and are not far away from being back in the playoffs. JaVale McGee has a future in the NBA; other than his defensive rebounding, Andre Blatche is a nice player; Nick Young looks like he's ready to break out at any moment and become a star; and when healthy and not involved in antics from the OK Corral, Gilbert Arenas is one of the best players in the NBA.
That leaves the small forward position as the only hole in the Wizards' starting lineup, which means they should draft Evan Turner and leaves no question about it.
Turner teamed up with the four Wizards mentioned above is a solid, NBA starting five.
All the Wiz would have to do from there is add two more players off the bench to go with Randy Foye and Al Thornton, and they'll be ready to compete with anybody and go deep into the playoffs.
2) Philadelphia 76ers--John Wall, Kentucky
This is another no-brainer selection. The Sixers need a point guard, and John Wall is a point guard, end of story.
With all due respect to Jrue Holiday, Philadephia would be a much better team with Wall at the point and Holiday at the two.
Check out John Wall's highlights.
This pick doesn't take much explaining. Everyone already agrees that John Wall is Bob Cousy, Isiah Thomas, Kevin Johnson, Rajon Rondo, Jason Kidd and Chris Paul all rolled into one; so him "falling" into Philadelphia's lap here at the two spot would make this an easy selection.
I admit that the draft probably won't go in this direction, but this is how the draft should go based on team needs, winning now and real player analysis minus hype.
By the way, I do believe John Wall is a great player.
3) New Jersey Nets--Paul George, Fresno State
This is my first real stretch here. Nowhere have I seen Paul George projected to go this high, but that is why I am the NBA Outsider.
I was this close to ranking George ahead of Evan Turner, but I watched Turner's highlights one more time and decided against it. But it was really close.
Paul George is better than all of the clowns projected to go ahead of him. I've watched their highlight reels and studied their game logs and gathered as much information as I possibly can, and Paul George is just better. It is really that simple.
And the New Jersey Nets should not pass on him when they draft.
The Nets are still a long way away from their glory days in the early 2000s, and no matter who they draft won't change that. The biggest hole in the New Jersey starting lineup is at small forward.
Even with the George pick, the Nets will need to add several more players to get back to the playoffs.
For those of you who think this is too high a position for George to be drafted, check out his highlight reel, where he looks like a cross between Bernard King, Michael Jordan and Kobe Bryant.
The most interesting part of George going to New Jersey would be that with George at the three and Terrence Williams at the two, the Nets will create a brand of basketball more exciting than their glory days nearly ten years ago.
For teams which can't win, the least they can do is be entertaining.
4) Minnesota Timberwolves--Wesley Johnson, Syracuse
I'm not going to sit here and waste my time writing about what Minnesota needs to do to win a championship because I don't believe they really want to win a championship.
They had Kevin Garnett in his prime and surrounded him with a championship caliber team only two (2003-2005) out of his twelve seasons there. They then traded him for peanuts and haven't been heard from since.
On the bright side, the Timberwolves do have Jonny Flynn, Kevin Love, Al Jefferson and Corey Brewer; so Johnson would seem to be a perfect fit. The team would then have to solidify the bench and see what happens.
Wesley Johnson looks like Shawn Marion with a jump shot, so I have nicknamed him The Matrix: Reloaded.
Here are his highlights.
6) Golden State Warriors--Hassan Whiteside, Marshall
This may be my most controversial projection, and Whiteside may be the most controversial member of the Spectacular Seven. All that aside, this is who the Warriors should select with their pick.
The most idiotic criticism I have read about Whiteside is that it can't be determined how good he really is because he played in a weak conference against inferior competition.
That dog don't hunt.
I watched LeBron James play one high school game against a bunch of six-footers and knew he was ready to play in the NBA, and I knew it mid-way through the first half.
The competition Whiteside played against at Marshall was much better than the players James played against on national television that night, so I would say he can be judged accurately, despite this so called lack of competition.
The other thing which makes this criticism ludicrous is the fact that Whiteside dominated the competition. Had he been average against average competition, that would be one thing; but average he was not.
Whiteside averaged more than five blocks per game, an impressive number by any measure. He also has a mid-range jump shot, yet critics still question his ability to score and call his offensive game "raw."
I don't see it, but you can judge for yourself by watching his highlights.
The bottom line is this: Whiteside can be only half as good as he was at Marshall and not improve one iota his entire career in the NBA, and he would still be two times better than every center the Warriors have had since Robert Parish.
Whiteside should be the Warriors' pick because he addresses the team's biggest need: defense/shot blocking.
No one in the draft does it better, and the Warriors better not select anyone other than Hassan Whiteside.
9) Utah Jazz--Luke Babbitt, Nevada
I sure do hope that the Jazz don't pass on drafting Luke Babbitt for some of the players I have seen them projected to take. Some of them won't last one minute in the NBA.
Babbitt, on the other hand, may have a long and storied career ahead of him, especially if he winds up in Utah and gets to play with Deron Williams and Carlos Boozer.
Luke Babbitt can score, and anyone who watched the Jazz get their butts kicked by the Lakers knows that what the team needs is someone who can put the ball in the basket, particularly in the last five minutes of the game.
During the final minutes of each of the first two games against the Lakers, Utah had the ball with a chance to take control of the game and change the series.
All they had to do was make a shot, and each time, the shot missed. Or there was a turnover or some otherwise bad execution. Deron Williams also missed a game-winner at the end of Game 3.
I'm not saying Luke Babbitt is the next Robert Horry and will make those shots.
I am saying that with his ability to score and pass and rebound and with him being an outstanding and highly-skilled basketball player, he will fit in perfectly with the team; and there is no one the Jazz should select ahead of him.
Take that into the playoffs and see what happens.
The preposterous criticism I've read about Babbitt is that he won't be able to guard anyone in the NBA. Anyone who puts their mind to it can be a good defensive player.
He may not make First Team All-Defense, but there is no reason why he can't be good.
Even more, for every great scorer at small forward like Carmelo Anthony there is a Shane Battier who can't score.
As for the great scorers like Anthony, other than a few players like Ron Artest, no one can guard them. So Babbitt won't be any different than anyone else in the NBA.
And let's not forget that this guy can score. In time he'll be able to go basket for basket with most of these guys, so at the very least the Jazz will break even in his matchups.
Here are his highlights. Watch for the ankle-breaker at 3:10.
10) Indiana Pacers--Gordon Hayward, Butler
I don't know what's wrong with the NBA. I don't see ten players better than Gordon Hayward.
The funny thing about Hayward is that his projections are all over the place, from top ten to the twenties. I have no idea what all of the questions are about?
Hayward is a baller.
With Gordon Hayward on the outside with Danny Granger and Roy Hibbert on the inside with Troy Murphy and TJ Ford at the point, the Indiana Pacers will be an extremely dangerous team.
They also have the beginnings of a nice bench, and Jim O'Brien isn't a bad coach.
With the selection of Hayward, things will definitely be looking up in Indiana; and the Pacers won't be far away from their glory days with Reggie Miller.
I am sure that Larry Bird has an appreciation for the type of player that Hayward is and may see a little of himself in Hayward, and he almost certainly won't pass on Hayward at number ten.
Here is Gordon Hayward's highlight reel.
SLEEPER
15) Milwaukee Bucks--Trevor Booker, Clemson
Truth be told, Trevor Booker is every bit as good as the members of the Spectacular Seven.
The only reason why he wasn't included is because I discovered him after I had already named the group and liked the name so much that I didn't want to change it to the something eight.
He was also projected to go in the second round, and I felt it was too much of a stretch, even for me, the NBA Outsider, to put him where he should be based on my evaluation of his ability.
Since discovering him about a month ago, I see that he has crept into the end of the first round on at least one mock draft.
That being the case, I am more comfortable in projecting him where I feel he should be.
Trevor Booker is a beast, and any team which passes on him is going to seriously regret it.
Here are his highlights.
Watch the hustle play at 2:28 and tell me who wouldn't want this level of effort and desire on their squad.
He blocks shots, rebounds, plays defense, dunks ferociously and competes at an extremely high level. He can also score a little.
Him playing power forward next to Andrew Bogut will revolutionize the entire Milwaukee Bucks' team and the city of Milwaukee itself.
They will no longer be a soft, finesse team which can't defend, or score in, the paint.
Booker is an intimidator who will make opponents think twice about coming down the lane, especially in the playoffs when hard fouls become more common and acceptable.
With a healthy Michael Redd on the outside along with Brandon Jennings, the Bucks would be ready to go toe-to-toe with anyone.
On the Bucks' team website they have a motto which says, "Work Hard. Play Hard."
No motto better captures what Booker would mean to the identity of this team and the city of Milwaukee.
Milwaukee hasn't had this type of presence in the paint since the days of Bob Lanier, and I am sure the city will quickly fall in love with Booker and his hard-nosed style.
THE OTHERS
I am trying to keep a straight face here, but I can't help but laugh out loud when I see some of the players projected to be drafted highly in the 2010 NBA Draft.
Some of these guys couldn't carry water in the NBA, but some team is going to waste a pick on them; so I guess I have to say something about them.
Here are the players who I have looked at, and though they may be highly drafted, I just don't see it: Derrick Favors, Georgia Tech; Cole Aldrich, Kansas, I'm peeing in my pants with laughter over here; Ed Davis, North Carolina.
Here are the players who didn't blow me away but who I want to see more of before drawing a final conclusion about what type of players they will be in the NBA: Greg Monroe, Georgetown; DeMarcus Cousins, Kentucky; Daniel Orton, Kentucky; Larry Sanders, VCU; Eric Bledsoe, Kentucky.
Back to the Spectacular Seven, I am sure they will be receiving all sorts of advice on how live up to their potential become the player everyone expects them to be.
I also have some advice on how to accomplish this, and it is really simple: Go hard!
*I have to give credit to Jeff Fox at SLAM Online here. He was the first person who I saw rank Paul George and Luke Babbitt highly.
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