I'm sick of hearing about this guy. I've followed his career at Duke, and the guy is a great college player, but will amount to nothing more than role player status as a pro. Best defensive player my ass. He is a good team defender, which he can get away with in college, but will be exposed a pro to his lack of foot speed and athleticism. Alot of people have said that he would be "perfect" for the Rockets, but I just don't see it. Pro Scouts have even said it, but these announcers just won't accept it. Shane Battier is not that good. He is Wally Szcerbiak without the shot. He can shoot the set shot, but he won't be able to find that many open set shots in the league. On a side note, Jason Williams is a punk. The guy's got talent, and a sweet jumper, but he's just being a b**** slapping away the defenders hand when they play good D on him. I can't wait till he gets to the league, and gets hit with a dose of the harsh reality that he's not as good as he thinks he is. ------------------
Battier is awesome-he will instantly become one of the most solid, consistent nba players around. He's an unbelievable defender and i dont know where u get this about wally without a shot, because the man has j, hes a leader, has taken more charges than anyone in ncaa history, was naismith player of the year and is the best player on duke and will be a great player for years to come in the nba. Jason Williams is flat out THE BEST pg in the whole country. Thats pro and college. He does it all. He has yet to be shut down by anyone or anything close to it. He gets his own shot, is a great penetrator, hits the open man, and pretty much never misses beyond the arc. You clearly must be a steve francis fan, but sorry bud, steve has nothing on JDUBB.
Jason Williams is overrated. He takes too many chances on defense and I'm dissapointed by his lack of lateral movement on defense. With the ball in his hand, there are few players in NCAA who are better offensively, but when he doesn't have the ball on offense he loafs around, he looks like he should play for Tennessee. He's good, but he could get a lot better. As far as Shane Battier, he's overrated by some, but he'll make a very good NBA player. His jumper is actually pretty good, and he's a good passer and can finish when he gets to the rim. He won't be able to camp under the basket and draw charge after charge like in college, but he is fundamentally sound and has excellent defensive instincts, which more than make up for his perceived lack of footspeed. ------------------ The Rockets will be the NBA champions. Believe. [This message has been edited by Puedlfor (edited March 17, 2001).]
better than francis? And you say Jason Williams is the best guard in college OR PROS? Better than Payton or Kidd? Allen Iverson? Dang, that must be some good stuff youre smoking. And I also think Battier is gonna be a decent player in the pros. I can see him being an above average power forward in the pro ranks. He has size, has very good basketball smarts, can hit the occasional jumper and is willing to learn. I see him being sort of like a Juwan Howard-type player only he wont have that dang 100 million dollar price tag with him. And as for that Jason Williams remark, all i got to say is...damn! ------------------ Don't EVER underestimate the Heart of a CHAMPION!
EB42 u feelin ok? that had to be the stupidest thing ive ever heard. if u cant see that the college game is wayyy diff. from the nba gmae. then well.. ------------------ --TEX
EB42's moniker immediately tells me he's moron. He wants to be associated with the sad, excuse for a team , Chicago Bulls. I just can't wait for Williams to get smacked with a dose of reality, that he's not as good as he thinks he is. Dominating at the college level, doesn't equal success at the pro level. The guy has a great jumper, but all he does is shoot 3's, and most of his offense is predicated off the pick and roll. I hardly see him create for himself. He'll find out he's not as quick as he thought he was when he becomes a pro. ------------------
Like him or hate him, Battier is the most complete player in college... As well as the most NBA ready... Most solid fundamentals since Tim Duncan... ------------------ "Awesome baby!" Dick Vitale
It didn't hurt that Tim Duncan was 7 feet tall either. I don't hate the guy, I just think he won't make a big impact as a pro. ------------------
What will help Battier's offensive game is that he has a GREAT mid-range pullup J... This will definitely help him in being able to drive past his defender... The defender will have to play close on him to prevent him from shooting... ------------------ "Awesome baby!" Dick Vitale
I agree with TPL, Shane Battier is way overrated , but he doesnt suck. He will have an average career. He wont be a star or an all star but a nice player off the bench. I dont see his college game mixing with the nba game. But Jason Williams will have a good nba career, him and francis I see as the PG matchups of the future. ------------------ "Break off the block like Maurice Green" --- Steve Francis President of the Moochie Norris fan club.
shane battier will probably be as good as trajan langdon. maybe a little better ------------------ http://www.democrats.com mgh 1925-2001
Has anyone heard of this guy, Tarvis Williams? He is number 72 on the NBADraft.com list of small forwards, but look at the stats in the school write-up. http://nbadraftreport.rivals.com/default.asp?sid=633&p=2&stid=8122649 http://hamptonupirates.rivals.com/default.asp?sid=832 ------------------
Yea, out of Hampton.He's very athletic, but needs to bulk up. A guy who I really like is Joe Johnson out of Arkansas, who would play the 3. He would fit right into the rockets system.I'm not sure how good his shot is though. He might be one of the guys the rockets look at. ------------------
tpl-Joe Johnson is a TREMENDOUS 3-pt shooter... 45.5% in fact... I too was wondering about Johnson, and after looking up his stats the other day, I realized that he is more than just a 6-9 body... Nice rebounder too... Come to think of it, he would be a great fit for us... ------------------ "Awesome baby!" Dick Vitale
kidrock--I had no idea Johnson shot the 3 ptr that well...what I do know is the guy has MAD handles...really quick with ball, which has made a lot of people make the Magic comparison, or as I like to call it, the curse of Steve Smith They say he'll probably come out, but if he does he might get snatched up before we can get him...look at how far Jamal Crawford moved up, and Joe Johnson is built much better for the NBA than Crawford. ------------------ P.S. This is what part of the alphabet would look like if Q and R were eliminated.
If he is as good as Steve Smith . . . HE'S OUR MAN!! Rocket River If Steve Smith was so d*mn Passive Portland would be NBA Champs ------------------
You get exactly what you see with Shane Battier..... A guy that is going to work his tail off, play hard-nosed defense, and can score some as well. If he keeps his mentality and desire in the pros, he will be successful. An all star? Hard to say, but he will be a solid NBA player, even if just a role player. ------------------ There is a very fine line between "hobby" and "mental illness."
I used to think Williams would turn into just another Anderson Hunt, or just like the shooter from Arkansas a few years back, but the more I watch that kid the more I think he is going to be a great player. His shots aren't just accurate, they are damn near perfect. He's going to score in the NBA. You can bet on it. Battier is a small version of Tim Duncan. He's worth drafting. At worst he's an average player. At best you've got one of the dominant forwards in the game. Worth the gamble for a team like the Rockets...but I don't think we have a chance at him. ------------------ humble, but hungry.
Maybe at this point I would take Johnson over Battier... Simply because athleticism... I'm also assuming that Johnson plays decent d... We need a SF who can run with Stevie... But then again, we need a SF who can play D, especially if we lose Shandon... I'm having trouble deciding b/t the two... Let's hope the Rockets do everything they can to get one or the other! ------------------ "Awesome baby!" Dick Vitale
Battier will be a nice pro, and provide the intangibles. He won't be a star, but he's smart, versatile, and seems to be a good chemistry guy. Joe Johnson, on the other hand, has a chance to be pretty special. Nice size, athleticism, skill-level. Would look great in a Rockets' uni. ------------------
