i've wanted shelden williams since last year. i wanted him to enter the draft then fall to us....it didn't happen and now people have caught on. he's going lotto.....but WAIT. we just might be lotto material. it's going to work out OOOOOTAY!!!!
I know Kurt Thomas is still going strong. The past tense was because I didn't want to write a different sentence for both of them to explain that both of them have had or are having long and productive NBA careers. And yeah, what the other guy said. Chapman was in the league for 12 years. I'd take a young Rex Chapman or Kurt Thomas in a heart beat, not with a number one over-all pick, but from pretty much #3 on up I'd be more than satisified with the production either of those guys gave the league over their careers.
Duke players like Reddick are GREAT college players, they are molded by coach K to be the best college player in the nation, but they usually don't amount to anything more than role players in the NBA. Kind of an old article, but it makes some valid points. http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/fantasy/basketball/news/2003/04/02/off_glass/
I think you are all missing a very important point about the JJ and Sheldon in the NBA: 1.)Sheldon Williams can't hit a 15-20 footer like Kurt Thomas can. Trust me. All the Duke games I've watched, I don't even think I've ever seen him try. Nor should he. 2.) Reddick can't dunk like Rex Chapman could (who used to throw down). Trust me. All the Duke games I've watched, I don't think I've ever seen him try. Nor Should he. Both will be solid role players however. Stop hating on Duke too. I guess its the price you pay when you win though.
Reddick would be nice on the Rockets. They could use his shooting, he is not going to be a All-Star, but he is atleast on the same level as Jon Barry. Only 10 years younger.
A good starting point for an analysis of a player's potential contribution to the NBA would be spelling the name right. It's Shelden, not Sheldon It's Redick, not Reddick My best guess is that Redick will develop into a Michael Redd type player; and Williams will be closer to Dale Davis
Quick question, didnt people say the same thing about Kirk Hinhrich? No one know how he is going to turn out either, but he's doing pretty well for himself. Fact is NO ONE knows how these guys will turn out or anyone for that matter, thus making almost any argument irrelevant on how they will do. It takes the right combination of talent, timing, luck, environment, and and insane amount of variables for somoneone to "predict" on how a player will do. Unless you're an NBA scout, or have analyzed every single aspect of that person, the "this player = that player" is just dumb guessing. Im not saying that is isnt fun, becuase its very entertainingand hiilarious to read, but the best you're doing is just throwing crap on the wall and hope one piece sticks .
I haven't seen much of Redick but my understanding is that Kirk is/was more athletic and has a better court vision so he could play PG in the NBA. Who knows, maybe Redick shows he can play PG too since he is smallish for 2 in the NBA but that is still up in the air.
Obviously I would stop short of saying that it's "dumb guessing", as I would imagine that most people who have posted in this thread have watched their share of NBA games and Duke games. If that premise is conceded, and assuming that the poster who makes a guess has a threshold understanding of basketball, it's fairly safe to assume that a player projection is an "educated guess" in most cases Well, as stated in the above retort, it's not exactly "crap." I would guess that for someone like me who has seen hundreds of NBA games, and watched (nearly) every game that J.J. Redick and Shelden Willams have played in during their Duke career, I would hope that what I'm throwing on the wall doesn't stink to the high heavens.
BTW, no NBA coach will ask his players to set double or triple screen to free ReDick for a 3. The better NBA 2s can easily lock him down on D and kill him in offense.
They did the same for Reggie, and do the same for Rip and Redd today, Van Gundy actually does it for David Wesley a few times a game, 2 points is 2 points man.
Excellent post. Although, I must say, what becomes clear is how much posters are responding on prejudice. As in pre-judgeing, based on emotional preference. Both are excellent players, very good. Either would be a good selection, at the right spot. Redick is a winner, clutch, a 4 year player, and a shooting specialist. We could use that. A lot of teams can. Williams is tough, smart, dependable, coachable, and plays within his skills. He can board and put back. We can use that, too.
Imagine how many more games we would have won this year if we had Redick shooting open 3s in place of Wesley, Head, or Alston. He wouldn't need to come off of staggered screens to get open, just park himself in the corner and wait for his man to leave him on a help or rotation.
I have no doubt that Redick can score in the NBA. He has a lightning trigger, (reminds me of Michael Redd) and he seems to have ridiculous range. Plus he's developed a more all around game that will allow him to survive in the NBA Most scouts, however, aren't really concerned with his offense. The question is whether he can play defense and I'm not convinced that he'll be even an average defender. He's not particularly quick and certainly lacks size and isn't the athlete that say heinrich is. However, we'll see during the NCAA tournament what JJ is really made of.
