Apologies if this has been posted already. Any comments? http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/inside_game/phil_taylor/news/2002/05/20/hot_button/ Big lessons The Rockets should beware the allure of Ming's height Posted: Monday May 20, 2002 11:42 AM Sports Illustrated senior writer Phil Taylor touches on a Hot Button issue each Monday on CNNSI.com. After you read Phil's take, give us yours. You can't teach height, as the saying goes, but there's a corollary to that cliché -- you also can't teach NBA people not to be obsessed with height. The Houston Rockets, winners of Sunday's draft lottery, will probably be the next team to fall into the trap of letting a tape measure do their thinking for them. The Rockets are likely to take 7-foot-5 Chinese center Yao Ming with the first pick of the draft next month, and if they do, it probably won't be long before the congratulations are replaced by condolences. The Rockets won't take Ming because he's the most skilled player available; he's not. They won't take him because he dominated high-caliber competition; he didn't. They won't take him because they're certain he's going to be an All-Star; they aren't. They'll take him because 7-foot centers, regardless of their skill level, make NBA coaches, general managers and scouts go weak in the knees. It's always been that way. The league has a long tradition of teams drafting towering stiffs over more talented smaller players -- and soon coming to regret it. Call it the Shawn Bradley Syndrome. In 1993, the Philadelphia 76ers, convinced that the 7-foot-6 Bradley was a franchise player, chose him with the second pick of the draft, leaving players like Penny Hardaway and Jamal Mashburn on the board. That may be the most memorable flub, but there are plenty of other examples. If you don't remember when Indiana took Steve Stipanovich with the second pick while Clyde Drexler and Byron Scott were still available in 1983, you'll surely recall 1998, when the Los Angeles Clippers grabbed Michael Olowokandi with the No. 1 pick, passing up Mike Bibby, Vince Carter, Dirk Nowitzki and Paul Pierce. In 1985, the league really loaded up on big lugs who couldn't play. The Clippers took Benoit Benjamin at No. 2, Atlanta chose Jon Koncak at No. 5 and Sacramento selected Joe Kleine at No. 6 -- three 7-footers who didn't amount to a hill of beans. The trio of clubs also passed over a future Dream Teamer named Chris Mullin, but how were they to know? Mullin was only 6-foot-7. When in doubt, NBA personnel people go big, especially at the top of the draft, even though there's plenty of evidence that it's far from a fool-proof philosophy. The taller a player is beyond seven feet, the more willing teams are to overestimate his strengths and overlook his shortcomings. Ming, for instance, has drawn raves for his outside shooting touch, as if anyone wants a 7-foot-5 center to step out and take jumpers. As for the fact that he seems passive, has a relatively short wing-span and comes with all sorts of strings attached courtesy of the Chinese government -- well, did we mention Ming was 7-foot-5? Granted, it's next-to-impossible to win an NBA title without a quality big man, especially in the age of Shaq, but does anyone really see the slender Ming doing anything against O'Neal other than getting body-checked into the fifth row? Maybe three years from now Ming will be a monster, but the betting here is that Jay Williams of Duke, Drew Gooden of Kansas, or my pick for next season's Rookie of the Year, Caron Butler of Connecticut, will all turn out to be better pros, and the Rockets will kick themselves the way the Sixers did over taking Bradley. By the way, Philadelphia didn't start to recover from that flub until three years later, when they had the good sense to choose 6-foot Allen Iverson with the top pick over 6-foot-11 Marcus Camby. It's a good thing for Philly that Camby wasn't an inch taller, or the Sixers might not have been able to resist him.
Feeling sorry for the Knicks and the Bulls, Phil? Take 2 Advil and go to bed... you'll feel better in the morning.
The guy's on the Knicks' payroll. Gotta be. I don't trust this. We'll let RT and CD do their homework and let them make the move. If we go with Ming, then I'll say, Good, we need the center, we need the TV time, we need butts in the seats. Ming will be way better than Bradley.
The list continues: Joe Barry Carroll, Manute Bol, Olawakandi... You aren't going to beat the Lakers with Ming. I think the key to competing with them is to have enough athleticism and scoring at the other positions to neutralize Kobe somewhat. Trade down and pick Caron Butler, and then get a decent 7 footer by trading up from 15.
Could some post a list of high drafted non 7 footers??? I'd bet that list is twice as long Rocket River
I touched on some of the same things in the "My Problem with Ming" thread. I see people doing the same thing with Ming as they did with Ralph. All I ever heard was, "why didn't he get that rebound? He's 7'4" for crying out loud. Why didn't he get that bloack. How could he let that guy score? He's 7-4!" In the end, we had to realize that 6'11" of Hakeem Olajuwon was more valuable than 7'4" of Ralph Sampson because of the warrior mentality that he brought to the table. Don't expect a guy to be a force just because he's tall. He has to want to be a force - NEED to be a force. I see so many people posting with confidence that Ming will be WAY better than Bradley or way better that Smits. All he needs to do is bulk up, get more physical, and adapt to the NBA game and he will dominate. And all Cato needs to do is get in better shape, learn better timing on his blocks and develop a great hook shot. What if Ming CAN'T add more weight? Most people that tall can't gain weight no matter what they do. What if he just ISN'T a physical player? Some people just aren't physical. They don't like it in the trenches. Not something that can be just switched on. So many players NEVER adapt to the NBA. So many talented college guys that could never adapt to the pros. If adapting were easy, no college star would ever be a bust. DON'T DRAFT THIS GUY JUST BECAUSE HE IS TALL! If you wouldn't take him at 7'1 then don't take him at 7'5.
OK he's convinced me. Now someone, start a new thread and convince me back. Let's take Jay Williams. No wait, he shoots worse than Shaq. OK, how about Dunleavy. No wait, he might not want to play for us and go back to school. OK, Caron Butler. No wait, he's only 6'5"...
"If you wouldn't take him at 7'1 then don't take him at 7'5." That's the best thing I've seen all day on this guy. And, the answer is obvious, we wouldn't. So what we should do is play him up as much as possible and trade for something of more certain value. I'm not so sure Cato would beat him out anyway. He is a rookie with no U.S. practice time or even NCAA "big school" experience. It is highly likely NBA level players, and even much shorter ones, will tear him up. Charles Barkley and Hakeem weren't tall for their positions and look how they excelled. Trade down and get Butler (he's 6' 7" and plays tall for a small forward ) and a quality big man at No. 15
Who cares if we would draft Ming if he were 7'1"? He's not 7'1". He's 7'6", 296 lbs, and he's not going to shrink overnight.
Probably we should politely let Mr Taylor know that he is talking to the Houston Rockets. What does that mean? The Houston Rockets has a tradition with centers that is only matched by probably the Lakers. We in the last twenty years have been to the NBA finals four times and there are no more than about 5 teams that can say the same. And the rockets did that on the backs of centers. The Lakers won on the backs of centers. So you, Mr Taylor just do not know enough to come and advise us on the wisdom or folly of picking a center in this league. You should remember that before there was a Yao, there was a Riks Smits and before that there was a Ralph Sampson, the original ball handling, long distance shooting 7ft+ center which we drafted. Three of our centers to date are either in Springfield or on their way there. So talk to Gary St Jean. By the way, did MR Taylor see Todd Mac. last night? The rockets are not starting to rebuild. That process is well on its way. It is not our fault that Shaq is not there for us to pick. So because he is not there CD must go and pick a Jay Williams or Dunleavy or Woods, and leave a highly skilled 22 year old 7-5 center who is said to have a lot of fire; while knowing that we have a lazy 7ft manning our post. Get real folks. The only way we pass on Ming is based on politics which has nothing to do with height.
Puedlfor, You said it. Would you take Shaq if he were 6'2? How about Mobley if he were 5'11? Being 7'6 is a quality. he has an advantage over lots of people. It makes post moves much easier, and getting rebound much easier too. It helps in shotblocking too. Would you go to the rim if you saw a guy standing there with his head very near it? A guy who can block some people with his HEAD? Don't doubt his abilities. Doubt whether he'll be here to play/practice enough.
DearRock just gave the truth... and Ralph was a great center brought down by bad knees. I saw him eliminate the Lakers on our way to the Finals against Bird's Celtics. We took 'em to 6 games, people, and scared the hell out of them. We have a great history with centers. I can't believe some of us have to type this stuff HERE. Absurd.
People take it to Shawn Bradley all the time. And he's near the same height with longer arms. So, actually he should be a better shot blocker than Ming just going on height and wingspan. Would you take Shaq #1 if he were 6'11"? I sure would. Would you take Cato #1 if he were 7'4"? I wouldn't. That's my point.
<i>I touched on some of the same things in the "My Problem with Ming" thread. I see people doing the same thing with Ming as they did with Ralph. All I ever heard was, "why didn't he get that rebound? He's 7'4" for crying out loud. Why didn't he get that bloack. How could he let that guy score? He's 7-4!" </i> If Ming can be another Sampson, then by all means take him. In today's sad world of NBA centers, I'll take a shot blocking, 20 & 10 guy, rookie of the year and all-star starter (and all-star MVP) in a second. Now if Ming's career is curtailed by an injury, then it would suck, just as it did for Sampson. If you're going to pass on guys just because they aren't as good as Hakeem, then you're going to be waiting along time for a center. Forget what fans say or what their expectations are. Fact of the matter was that Ralph Sampson was an incredibly productive player prior to his knee injury.
This is for all of you asking to trade Cato for Olawakandi in some form, or those of you who will call Donald Sterling cheap for not "keeping this team together" because he lets Olowakandi go rather than pay him a max salary. The guy (finally) had a decent year, but overall is considered a bust.
