Francis - Does he have the "Stuff" of Olajuwon and Others?

Nick-
That quality is impossible to judge until a person gets their chance. You can measure ability and usually heart, but to judge wheter a player can "step up" in big games in immeasurable. Even if a player does it in college doesn't mean he can do it in the pros (remeber Christian Laettner was a machine in the clutch at Duke). Besides being a big game player they also need to make their teammates better, and at the same time have the supporting cast around them to let them win.
I hope Stevie can do this, but until we make the playoffs next year, no one will really know.

 

Franchise has the "stuff". He needs to learn to use the "stuff" for the good of the team. Hakeem had the "stuff". Barkley had the "stuff"(even though it nevercame to fruitition for him). Drexler had the "stuff", even though it isnt necessarily working him for him rite now ...

Francis just needs to have the rite people around him to optimally bring out his "stuff" to win a champ.

I'ts not about the money, it's about the "stuff"

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"Whooaa." - Ted

 

The STUFF refers to a SUPERSTAR. I have been calling Francis a Star, but he has not shown the STUFF that separates Star from SuperStar.

Vince Carter is showing the STUFF. I am not sure that Steve has it, but we will give him a year or so to see.



DaDakota

 

As in the movie "The Matrix", he can only prove he's "The One" when he's put to the test.

Jordan and Dream certainly proved that they are, while guys like D. Robinson and Snottie Quitten are definitely not even though they won championships.

Sailor

 

Stuff is such a vague term. Shanna put it best in the previous post. I think the stuff is more mental than physical. Drive, determination, motivation, maturity, and sacrifice are some keys to possessing the stuff.

Thieves are not born, they are made. Some have the stuff earlier than others. Stevie is young, and may not realize he has the stuff until it innately comes out in a test of his will.

 

Yes, stuff is subjective and I might start I fight with this one, but I don't think Hakeem had that great of stuff (I call it mental tenacity and win-at-all costs passion to the bone). Hakeem in my mind is the most physically gifted athlete (I'll call this non-stuff) since 70s, and don't get me wrong had very good stuff too. This combination made him a fantastic player. But Jordan, though I always routed for him to lose, I have to admitt had incredible stuff packaged with great physical gifts too (but less in this department than Hakeem's). It is because of the "stuff" part is why he was a little more successful than Hakeem, IMHO. John Stockton has fantastic stuff (maybe equal to Jordan's), but had more modest physical abilities that limit him being as good as the before mentioned guys.

 

Sir, I don't think Hakeem is any more physically gifted than anyone else in the NBA. For one, he's been measured at 6'10", which is small for a center. I wouldn't say his leaping ability is all that great. He killed people with his finesse game -- you have to develop an outside shot to have a finesse game, that is not a physical gift. He has tremendous footwork, but that is often attributed to him playing soccer as a youth; again, not a physical gift. David Robinson is tons more physically gifted than Hakeem ever was, as is Shaq.

 

THEFREAK , Mr. Olajuwon had the stuff.

ALL TIME LEADING NBA SHOT BLOCKER

LED TEAM TO 2 CHAMPIONSHIPS (HE CARRIED THEM)

VOTED ON THE 50 GREATEST PLAYERS LIST

2 TIME MVP OF FINALS

WAS RESPONSIBLE FOR GETTING CLIDE A JOB AFTER RETIREMENT (GREAT ACCOMPLISHMENT!!)

OK ,,maybe not the last one but dream had the stuff and he certainly showed it...
And your comment "tremendous footwork, but that is often attributed to him playing soccer as a youth; again, not a physical gift."

WHAT THE????!!!!!!!!

I played soccer as a youth and umm,,, I could never move like dream.

DIKEMBE played soccer as a kid,,,,plays like he is wearing cement shoes!!!!

Dream is a freak of nature and is one of the most athletic players the NBA has ever seen.

Only downfall that gives ppl things to throw at him is he decided to play past his prime.

I had to vent.


[This message has been edited by Rocket101 (edited March 08, 2000).]

 

TheFreak, I am not saying he didn't work tremendously hard on his game, but man was he talented (even if unskilled) from the get-go. It was obvious within 1 year of Akeem first picking up a basketball that the guy was just phenomenally gifted. The combination of being 6' 11' with his agility and strength was just about unheard of, and made him immediately the best defensive presence in the college game (this was all due to natural instincts and agility, because he had no time to learn the game). In fact the moment he took his first steps on the court (without knowing one iota about the game) he was better than all but a hand full of centers in college at the time (who had played all their lives). In just a short 3 years of work or so he was far superior to any competitor, and became the first pick in the draft. That is not a typical learning curve.

As far as Shaq and D-Rob, maybe Shaq if you equate strength with talent (fair enough) but not Robinson. Robinson has worked just about as hard as anyone but just didn't have Hakeem agility and body control. Again, Robinson isn't bad in this regard, but almost no one the size of Hakeem can match up with him in this regard. And Shaq, like Chamberlain and Russell, I don't think has the hand eye coordination or whatever it is that results in poor shooting outside of 10 feet. I don't think it was lack of effort, lord knows these guys have tried a lot of things to improve. Hakeem does have that talent.

 

You could replace "stuff" in every post with "the force". A mysterious power that jedi knights could use. It's all about mental focus.

 

"stuff" the magic dragon, lived by the sea...

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If you tell a joke in the forest, but nobody laughs, was it a joke?--Steven Wright

 

Depends on whether this "stuff" really exists. Olajuwon took 10 years to win the title. Did he not have "the stuff" before that? Same with Jordan -- he took 7 years to get there.

Tim Duncan has "the stuff" in his second year. If he doesn't win another title in his NBA career, does that mean he lost "the stuff"? If Shaq wins a title this year, did Phil Jackson give him some of his "stuff"? Since Stockton and Malone haven't won a title, do they not have any "stuff"? What if they win one this year, do they magically get "the stuff"?

I think the "stuff" you're referring to are better known as teammates, good chemistry, and a little luck.