What has the NBA Draft become nowadays? How many teams are actually figuring on getting a player who can help them right now? Lets think about this. Emeka Okafor out of UConn is probably the best player in the draft. How good is he really? I don't doubt his defensive skills because thats a given. I remember in the national semi's he had a block that was out of this world. Yet, I dont see his offensive skills outside a ten foot jumper....and thats what I see. A ten foot jumper and nothing else. Is he worthy of the number 1 pick?
If not, who is? Dwight Howard, the high schooler, from outside of Atlanta? Another youngin just out of the preps in Peoria, IL, Shaun Livingston? Both great high school players, but wouldn't you want to see them playing for Georgia Tech and Duke respectively next year? Lord knows I would.
We know that in this day and age of the NBA, the teams draft for the future for the most part. Obviously, there are some high school players that have stepped in and helped recently. Lebron James obviously but didnt most of us realize when he was a 9th grader he was a phenom. I remember watching shows 4 years ago, seeing him play and realizing this kid is different; much, much different than any other high schooler I've seen.
I just look at the early entry list of high schoolers for the draft this year and laugh. Howard, Livingston and JR Smith (a pure shooter who can hit from anywhere which is something nobody is able to do it seems...) have the chance to be good players. The rest? Bring on the CBA. I know some high school basketball. I watch the high school all-star games and I can see a good player. Dick Vitale keeps me updated during the McDonald's game. How many high schoolers in recent years do you know who have turned out to be solid NBA players with the chance of being All Stars? Name me more than seven. Kobe, KG, Lebron, Rashard Lewis, Tracy McGracy, Jermaine O'Neal....and um.....Al Harrington? He's so so and not looking like an All-Star anytime in the near future.
What can't KG do?
The list of players who have not been drafted or are sitting at the end of the bench is astounding. Players who were amazing, first team all america's in high school who have gone no where in the NBA. Korleone Young, Leon Smith, Ellis Richardson, Taj McDavid, etc etc etc. Does it surprise me? No. Do any of these kids realize that college is there to help them? To not only educate, but to also make them solid basketball players.
What upsets me, being the college basketball fanatic that I am, is that the NCAA's talent level is dropping like a rock in the bath tub. I will always watch college basketball; always. I can't get enough of it, but I'm also a realist and I see what is going on. Many of these guys need the money for their families. But what happens when they don't get drafted and they end up in the CBA or overseas? Do they think the CBA is going to pay them like the NBA? What are they being told by agents that makes them turn pro when nearly all of them wouldn't start for Duke?
I just don't understand. Financially for Dwight Howard and Shaun Livingston this is a good deal for them. They will be drafted in the top 5 next week but what happens to the rest? Sit on the bench for 3 years and hopefully turn out like Jermaine O'Neal I guess. The chances of that happening are slim to none.
My Top 8 High Schoolers in the NBA
1. Lebron James -- Whats not to love? The smile and the game wrapped into one. Cav's are set for the future.
2. Kevin Garnett -- Didn't take him long to be a star. Who else remembers his high school teammate Ronnie Fields? Yeah, he was supposed to be the 'next Jordan.' Thanks for listening Ronnie. You have not and will never get closer to the NBA than Rockford, Illinois and the CBA's Lightning.
3. Tracy McGrady -- Great offensive player. I think he is a cry baby who wants his own way and nothing else. What happened in Toronto when he couldnt be the start? He cried until he was in Orlando. Grow up already.
4. Jermaine O'Neal -- He was not happy in Portland. Turned out he had good reason to be upset. He might have been young, but I'm sure he could have helped the Jailblazers (get it jail...all of them have been arrested at list once....) instead of being on the end of the bench. Hindsight is always 20/20 but they should have disbanded that team 5 years ago and kept this guy.
5. Rashard Lewis -- He has just blown up in the past couple years. If they can get a front court in Seattle watch out.
6. Kobe Bryant-- As most of you know I don't like Kobe. It has nothing to do with his on-court abilities that's for sure.
7. Moses Malone -- hey...if not for him, there wouldn't be a list.
8. Darius Miles -- I'm really scraping the bottom of the barrel now. I honestly thought Elton Brand, Quentin Richardson, Andre Miller and Miles could take them places...guess not.
Another high schooler drafted last year with the chance of going somewhere? Ndubi Ebi is one. Good read below.
http://sportsforum.ws/showthread.html?s=51cb7402e4e507b5e46b683ac170176f&p=1008500#post1008500
2 comments:
As a Wizards fan, oh how I wish Kwame Brown was good enough to be even be mentioned in this entry. I hope they don't make the same mistake this year w/ the 5-pick and select a seasoned NCAA vet like Ben Gordon or Jameer Nelson.
What about Shawn Kemp? Didn't he come right out of high school, back in the day when it wasn't so common? He was pretty good stuff at that time when he did that.
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