any odd balls in the draft that rudy wants

[Rocket Fan]

any players expected to be in like 2nd round that crazy rudy will spend top pick on? can we expect him to pick like a high school sensation out of australia or indonesia or china?

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Shane
"Save Our Rockets"
"Life without basketball in Houston........without an arena that is what it will be"

[HOOP-T]

Rudy typically has not gone after HS prospects. He could have gotten Rashard Lewis, a homegrown product, but went after KT instead. He also has not budged on Leon Smith's interest in playing in Houston either. I am not sure what Rudy will do, but it is usually a surprise. This year, however, with us having a possible high pick, I see us going after the best player at that first pick. The latter ones are where you may see Rudy gamble.

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HOOP-T

Hey Shaq, Acme called, and they want their bricks back!

[JuanValdez]

I don't understand why some here think that Rudy has a penchant for wasting picks. It is true that he often surprises people with who he picks, but he does not waste a first round pick on someone he can get in the second round. Look at Mobley: he was picked 41st even though the Rockets had 3 first round picks they could have used on him. He knew that there was a good chance Mobley would still be there, and he was right (though he may have taken Lewis instead if Seattle didn't get him first). Also, Rudy T seems very reluctant to take HS players and does not seem to have any sort of unusual affection for international picks (Turckan not withstanding).

I expect that, while he might not take the guy everyone thinks he's going to take, he's going to take someone projected to go in the lottery. When you have a pick as high as we will have, it isn't an issue of diamonds in the rough or over-looked talent. The superstar skills should be fairly obvious.

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[Achebe]

HOOP-T:

those were two different years (KT vs. Rashard Lewis)

Rashard got overlooked for:
Mich(ae)l Dickerson
Bryce Drew &
now a future first rounder from Detroit (somewhere, to Philly, to Detroit)

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[HOOP-T]

I stand corrected, thanks Achebe.....Rashard was indeed drafted in 1998.....my mistake.

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HOOP-T

Hey Shaq, Acme called, and they want their bricks back!

[HOOP-T]

Juan Valdez,
Who said anyone thinks Rudy has a penchant for wasting picks????

Just checking, I didn't see that in this thread anyway.

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HOOP-T

Hey Shaq, Acme called, and they want their bricks back!

[JuanValdez]

Hoop-T, I was referring to Rocket Fan's: "any players expected to be in like 2nd round that crazy rudy will spend top pick on? can
we expect him to pick like a high school sensation out of australia or indonesia or china?" Am I jumping to conclusions in inferring that Rocket Fan thinks Rudy has a penchant for wasting picks? Rocket Fan, I'm sure you can give us a definitive answer to that question.


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[HOOP-T]

Point taken Juan Valdez....

Rudy has surprised over the years, but I can't remember a time when he has picked a complete bust....except maybe Rhodes. But he played ok for Houston. He just fell off the map after he left.

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HOOP-T

Hey Shaq, Acme called, and they want their bricks back!