KPJ and NBA players who struggled with being professional

I'd be willing to bet that if you gave these guys an average working man's salary and dangled a carrot of the contract they make now, every NBA player would be shooting over 90% on free throws. I remember playing with other kids years ago who could hit 10 in a row. This is their career for Christ's sake. It's all they do. There's really no excuse.

 

What is your criteria for professionalism? I think you are conflating personal issues or being outspoken, or anger directed towards refs?
Most of those guys you mentioned were still great teammates. Some were leaders or led by example of their on court play. Say what you want about Barkley or Rodman or Draymond but their work ethic and on court play was at a very high level. They still had a love and purity of spirit for the game. They competed and were focused on the tasks at hand and objectives. KPJ is not in this category. His play on court and work ethic inspires no one. He is not a leader. He has shown to he about himself and not the game by asking to be subbed out after missing shots or giving up on plays or walking out of a game. Self. Selfish. Impure of spirit. Perhaps that’s the biggest difference. Self vs team.

 

Yeah I don’t quite understand what his criteria is for “professionalism”. A lot of those players were great teammates and leaders like Draymond. Absolute warrior you would want on your team. Absolute professional. You may not like his personality or maybe think he is a dirty player but he works hard, leads, plays great basketball, does what is asked and uplifts teammates. How would he be unprofessional then?

 

Most of those guys mentioned never walked out on the team. Let’s not forget that.

 

I’d rather my franchise player look like harden over jalen green. Harden zero tats, JG look like he just got released from tdc

 

You're a weirdo

 

Add Rick Barry and Greyson Allen. Lol

 

I can remember some of those guys sulking and flying off the handle, all the top 4 has done it one time or another under way better circumstances.

I am not trying to call you out because I think you are looking at this with no bias, but a lot of guys on that list have done stuff way worse than KPJ.

 

Barkley had a terrible work ethic, it's why both Jordan and Pippen called him out.

You have no idea if KPJ is in that category it's especially funny that you are using Rodman as a symbol of anything when he was probably the most selfish player at that time and was in it for himself and partied far harder than Harden ever did.

Everything I bolded has been said about Rodman and Barkley was never considered a great team player, it's amazing how some people try and recreate history to dump on a guy.

You are comparing guys that had long careers to a 3 year guy and Moses Malone had to tell Barkley to get his fat self in shape and even then it would always be an issue for him.

What exactly has KPJ been selfish with vs team?

 

Yeah, fair enough. Rodman famously checked out on the Spurs during the playoffs, while Artest was of course at the center of one of the most violent incidents in NBA history.

So, Porter's antics are extremely small potatoes compared to those players.

But even though they's relatively trivial and can be easily overlooked, it feels to me like these little incidents where he loses his composure are happening pretty regularly.
And it's more of a red flag to me because he's the starting point guard, the player who should be keeping a handle on the team and dictating the pace.

 

I don't agree they happen pretty regularly, I am surprised with all of this losing the last 2 years they have not happened more frequently and then you realize he has real mental issues and IMO the results have been far more favorable than not.

Let's not forgot our god and savior Kobe refused to shoot during a playoff game just to prove a point, but somehow these flareups mean something in the grand scheme of things?

For the record, I think this latest incident is way overblown and shows how people have been itching to say see I told you so.

 

I agree about the latest incident, and I don't care too much about it. I watched the highlight and I was actually more annoyed by Wood's careless play than anything Porter did.

I just think there are a few too many little spurts when Porter seems to lose focus and have poor body language because things aren't going his way. Maybe it's just because he's young, and all this losing is getting to him, but then again, maybe not.

And I can't remember that playoff game by Bryant, but my guess is that it didn't happen because he lost his composure and focus. He probably just decided he would be an a**hole that day, and as a star player, he knew he could get away with it.

 

Deciding you want to be an ahole that day and refusing to shoot as a star player is losing composure, I don't know why you think that makes it better.

Just google Kobe refuses to shoot and you can read a lot.

This is my point KPJ is being judged by different standards than a lot of these other guys, I can name half the NBA who seem to lose focus and have poor body language.

 

I didn't say it was better. But I'm saying Bryant's actions were probably willful and intentional, done to make a point. That's different from what I see from Porter.

And to be honest, I wouldn't compare Porter to Bryant, Barkley or any of those established guys on the list.

The comparison that randomly comes to mind right now is Von Wafer, the Rockets role player from way way back. Porter is more talented obviously, and Wafer just had a very minor role off the bench. He also did not have any big flareups as far as I can remember. But he was another young Rockets player who ran hot and cold and let emotions get the best of him sometimes.

 

Before you get even more worked up and argumentative in an unnecessarily aggressive tone I will calmly explain. I am Not sure what information you’re citing but my point is simple. Barkley still had a great work ethic to get to the level of play he was at. He was still in the NBA top 75 and Top 50 at the time. That still took a considerable amount of focus and work. You seem to discount this but instead maybe cite a few things about Jordan who had a notoriously higher standard than most players. Did sixer and sun team mates say Barkley wasn’t a team player or was this coming from Jordan or Pippen as you say?

And again our definitions of professionalism all differ. I also mentioned explicitly on court performance. I mentioned doing what is asked and filling that role at a high level. KPJ has not played at a high level. His on court antics and locker room antics have been disruptive and selfish. Walking out of the arena is a purely selfish act. Not running back to defend but instead getting in his own feelings for missing an easy layup and not getting the ball and asking to be subbed out is a selfish act.

And about Rodman. Again what does his off court partying have to do with being professional? On the court he did his job. I would say that’s the ultimate professional. So what I see here is judgement from you more than fact. Btw I didn’t compare anything. I responded to the premise given to me by the OP which included all these players as unprofessional relative to KPJ.

 

Barkley did not have a great work effort and he has stated that himself several times I don't know why you keep ignoring what he has said himself.

Just google Barkley fat and lazy and there are articles and videos about it.

And they are from a lot more people that Jordan it's from his own mouth.

I am not the discounting anything, and you don't think KPJ has worked hard to get where he is?

That shows your bias.

Anyway, if you want to **** on KPJ go right ahead but at least know that a lot of those guys on that list had issues just like JPJ if not worse.

 

like who? And is it a consistent pattern. Like I say having a good name goes a long way. Character goes a long way. I assess KPJ by his actions. Somehow this bothers you.

 

Is KPJ a top tier player? Has he improved professionally? His job is a professional basketball player and that is his craft. Would you hire an employee like him in any industry? Let’s not even talk about sports. Is this someone who fits in with organization goals and objectives?