Some prospects aren't getting enough respect on draft boards. PLEASE DRAFT ME aims to change that.Every year, some stud prospect drops down the lottery because of his "motor." We usually hear the name "Stromile Swift" waved around.
Last year, the heartless player was Rudy Gay. (Gay finished third in Rookie of the Year voting.) Two years ago, it was Charlie Villanueva. (He finished second behind Chris Paul for Rookie of the Year.)
Both Rudy and Charlie were top three talents who fell out of favor because they didn't go hard every possession in college. Villanueva, of course, was picked much higher than anything figured at #7 (he had fallen really hard), and Gay slipped to #8.
Rightthissecond, Brandan Wright has fallen from surefire top five to possibly as low as #10. Why? Yep, his motor.
My argument for Wright will be short. Here's a comparison for you:
Player A: 27 minutes per game, 15 points, 6 rebounds, 1 assist to 1.6 turnovers, a steal and 1.8 blocks per game with 65% shooting. Player B: 31 min, 16 points, 9 rebounds, 1.2 assists to 2.3 turnovers, a steal and 2.1 blocks per game with 56% shooting.
Player A: Brandan Wright, freshman, UNC. Player B: Chris Bosh, freshman, Georgia Tech.
Bosh went #4 in the best draft in a decade, and delivered. Wright - a comparable player, at the least - could slip to #10? I don't get it. (And yes, I know Bosh has a jump shot and was a better rebounder. But adjust for minutes and Wright was a better scorer despite no range. And Wright plays next to a tremendous rebounder in Tyler Hansbrough... versus Luke Schenscher for Bosh.) Everyone seems so concerned about Brandan's lack of desire while ignoring what he just did as an 18-year-old big man in the loaded-with-bigs ACC. Damn, if he can score 15 points a game on 65% shooting without trying all the time?
Everyone needs a scoring threat at power forward, right? Yet all of these teams are going to watch Wright slide on by? Hey, I pray he falls right down to #10. I'd love to watch this kid drop unblockable hooks as run the floor with Kevin Martin as the Black Gumby to Brad Miller's Pokie for the next few years. Sign me up.
Personality tests and scouting a player's character and motivation... that's all great. But at some point you need to actually pay attention to the player's ability at the game of basketball. Wright's game is practically unmatched. Stop outsmarting yourself.
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
6-27-2007 @ 2:38PM
aanderso said...
I know he's very LONG and very athletic, but he is SOFT and has absolutely no range. He also doesn't have nearly the inside game that Bosh had. The boy needs some more skills to go along with all that length. There's a reason his agent wouldn't let him work out against anybody. He's not ready (yet), and he knows it.
"Wright's game is practically unmatched"? Maybe in college (I guess), but the NBA is full of long, skinny athletic guys. How much different is Wright from Hakim Warrick or Marvin Williams or any other number of 6-9 guys who tease you with their athleticism, but are too slight of frame to play down low efficiently. Wright got a ton of easy shots playing at UNC because they had a reallly good point guard and all they do is run (Bosh had to create his offense more by himself at G.Tech). I don't see him being all that effective until maybe his fourth year. He'll probably be good, but him slipping a little in the draft isn't some sort of travesty. Wouldn't you be concerned about giving all that high pick money to a player with limited skills who doesn't seem to play all that hard and won't work out against anybody. Especially with guys like Noah, Horford, and Brewer around, all of whom were willing to go balls-out and play through injuries to impress teams at their workouts.
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6-30-2007 @ 4:54AM
bob said...
can we say Chris Wilcox?! only took him 4 years to became a semi half decent nba player. its not all about size,strength and athleticsm. wright could be pretty good, but it will take atleast 3 years.
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