"The dunk is a high percentage shot." -Guy V. Lewis, UH Basketball head coach 1956-1986 When Olajuwon came out of UH, he was a giant ball of raw talent. He could dunk. He had the right moves to fake. He could fight. He had a serviceable jump shot. But he wasn't the player we think of him as today. Carroll Dawson took Olajuwon and taught him a simple spin towards the baseline and the options that go with it. He taught Olajuwon to combine that with the array of fakes he learned from playing handball and helped a much more polished version of Dorsey to create the Dream Shake and win an MVP and a couple of titles. Not bad. I am not saying CD will make Dorsey into Olajuwon. Hakeem had a set of skills that were very, very raw. He had a set of very specific talents and skills that CD could mold into something new. Olajuwon took himself to another level first by learning from Moses Malone in college and next from CD in the NBA. The point is that while Dorsey doesn't look great, I have confidence that CD can help him get the best out of his game. He's not going to become a dominant offensive force, but I do think he's got a legit shot to end up better than Kelvin Cato 2. He was drafted as a long term project, and he IS a long term project. He came as a part of draft day deals; there was no guarantee the Rockets could've gotten Chalmers. The good thing about Dorsey is that they can keep working on him without having to satisfy his ego. They can put him on the inactive list for seasons and keep signing the players they need to. They can stash him in Rio Grande while he improves his game. The hope is that he will eventually become a serviceable backup to Yao... or whatever center replaces him. Also, the jazz hands suck.
Dawson has a deep understanding of how to coach a big man and a reputation around the league as one of the masters of that aspect of the game. I think that the casual fans of the Rockets think of him as the old GM who seemingly made some erratic moves in that role, although I don't think he had the authority to make trades that some GMs have. But CD and coaching big men? Look at the success of arguably the best Big Man ever, Hakeem. Look a bit harder and the guy behind the scenes that had a huge influence on Dream's development was none other than Carroll Dawson. Dorsey is in good hands. Does he have what it takes to make the most of it? Not only is the jury out, but they've gone to Jamaica on an extended vacation.
Didn't Patrick Ewing spend a lot of time working with Yao? Any idea how much he and CD spent with Yao, which had more influence?
I haven't seen that much of Dorsey, but I have seen that much of Hayes. Hayes, and I love the Chuckwagon, but he blows some shots just unjustifiably bad sometimes. It is pretty sweet when he makes a couple though. Maybe he needs Scola to teach him some of those underhand layup moves that he's got. Or at least how to make a simple shot look 10X more difficult. Luis is the king at that
I don't know. 4 yrs of college, undersized, and were deemed nba ready and wassent to the d-league doesn't sound good. Plus, I'm not hyped about a 6'6 backup either. I just wish the rox would start looking at guys with size for their position. Especially when you get in the 2nd rd and its potential picks. Like I said, I thought the older teams lke Boston,Sa, and Houston shouldve taken a guy like jordan and just have him come in for 15mins and do a few things, rebound,dunk the ball, and run the floor. That's it, but it would give those teams some much needed athleticism on the 2nd team.
Leeb, But he is a great athlete......I mean he HAS to be better than Scola, right? GOTCHA !! BTW - this is clearly the organization trying for the athletic type of player......ala last year's Carl Landry. DD
It's a pretty sad report on the truth of college (and NBA) basketball right now. Recruiting means more than teaching, except for certain schools. It was clear to me watching Memphis-Michigan St at Reliant that Memphis was killing teams on talent alone. Their bball IQ was for crap. Dorsey had an NBA-ready body, but it was plain and obvious last year that he was clueless and had no idea what to do on offense outside of gimme jams. His best case scenario is that he can become a 6-9, red meat, version of Hayes. But I don't know that I'd expect to see that happen. 6-6 C/Fs get by because they learn early on they've got to be crafty and smart and play the game better than the next guy. Unathletic small white guys usually focus on shooting the hell out of the ball from deep and how to put themselves in the right places on defense. Uberathletic bigs that murder the competition without having to try? They tend to become Stromile Swift types. You've got to have physical tools to make it in the NBA, but those tools alone aren't enough. Evan
It's kinda funny how so many people are ragging on him for spending time trying to get better, when he's on a team that is already overloaded with talent at his position (pf, he's not a C) for the next few years anyways. Give him time to develop, he's a rookie, he should be working on polishing his defense and learning a little offense.
man joey dorsey is built like a tank...i dont' know what you guys are talking about but this guy may not be a star but i see him as definitely having a role in nba other than full time bench warmer
i thought he be much more polished on his defense. But his shot blocking is nothing to brag about. And he cant even box out a player properly for a defensive board. I be happy with him as a Ben Wallace type of a player. Powerful and quick. Grab rebounds, block shots and just finished everything with a dunk. No need of a hook, jumper, back up post move etc. Just take the ball, bounce the ball once, take 2 steps, and put the ball in the rim hard.
I cant lie, Scola has proven to be better than i thought if the goal is to canel out the other teams 4 man. I mean he gives up as much as he scores which is a upgrade from the chuck hayes days. DD- You know i'm not that big on undersized athletic guys for their position, but i've said if they're going to be undersized, at least be athletic. Maybe i'm a gambler or something, but when the Rox where sitting with the early 2nd, i was thinking high upside, athletic, johnson/blatche type that might take 3 or 4 yrs, but in the mean time could be a 15min backup to yao. In 2 yrs he could cut into someone else time at the 4. Then in 4 yrs, still 23 yrs old and yao is 33 or so, they have the shotblocking,rebounding,floor running 4 man yao really needs at his side. Thats what i thought about Jordan. Not saying he will ever become that, but i'd much rather miss big than small.
Man, he looks like he's a LONG, LONG ways away. But if anyone can teach him some offense it'll be CD.
Maybe they were weary of Jordan's reputation of being a poor worker? Either way, a 2nd round pick is rarely a difference maker..... DD
if he could do with all the stuff hayes do and a more offensive skills, maybe a few dunk in there lol
Well, for a 2nd rd pick, u hope the best. I remember u pubbing amir johnson a few yrs ago. I like amir, i'd rather take a guy like that over a 4yr dorsey type. Dorsey if he was worth anything should at least push hayes for scattered minutes. It took maxiel 2 yrs, but after that, he been at least in the rotation.
I have no problem with Amir Johnson types, but how many are now out of the league? I guess you take the best player available and they liked Dorsey. I said before the year that Dorsey would probably not spend any time on the floor in the NBA and would more than likely be NBDL material. Nothing has changed, and he looked average went sent down..... To me, he looks like a guy that needs to learn offense or he will be out of the league in a couple of years. DD
Do we really need his offense game? His job is most likely to give 6 hard fouls and dunk a couple. RA should've assigned Chuck to be his tutor.
i'm in agreement...if they're actually gonna have individualized instruction, a young athletic long 6'11 guy in a NEED position would have probably been more sensible for develoment. And Dorsey is 25...will be 26 next year. And hopefully he'll have an impact for someone supposedly NBA ready. I say you might as well stash a guy overseas if you're wanting to get producation at 26, or just sign the best free agent. I do think Dorsey can be a Danny Fortson/Reggie Evans type (poor man's), but it wasn't a real need on this team
I don't know that anyone is bothered about him working and trying. I think it's more shock at how terrible his offensive game is, as a 4-year college player and NBA pro. It's like Sarah Palin's first couple of interviews. It's alarming. We'll see how he goes. I'm not going to declare him a waste just yet. He's a roll of the dice, though. Evan
