4. Ron Artest, Houston: You don't have to like him to like his game. He's a strange one, but his arrival in Houston could be the spark the Rockets need to get them out of the first round and salvage McGrady's reputation. He isn't what he once was, but Artest still can average 20 points and shut down the opposing small forward. ------------------ Read the rest of the article here: http://www.sportsline.com/nba/story/10984434 -> Was Artest ever better than he is now? I don't know what the author means when he says that Artest 'isn't what he once was'.
i felt that caron butler could've been higher but ron is right where he should be, as are the players ahead of him. i just can't wait to see how they play on the court.
Putting Melo ahead of Paul Pierce is nutso. Artest being #4 is about right assuming he doesn't flake out.
I thought about that, too, but then looked at the list of players. That is a pretty solid group of SFs. If anything, he should get the 20th spot over Yi. The author also probably tried to avoid putting two SFs from the same team in the top 20. Plus, these kinds of lists almost always favor players that put up gaudy stats.
He may not be able to "opt to do it" but if there is any player out there at this point that has a chance it's him. Kidd has come reasonably close and LeBron is a far better athlete who still hasn't hit his peak. I think averaging 10+ assists will be his biggest challenge but it's not that hard to see him doing it. Most superstars assist numbers go up over the years and he has already averaged 7+ apg. The rebounding depends on where he is playing on the court. He could easily average 10 rpg in the right situation.
The problem with KD is he established a reputation as an unconscious gunner most of last season. Few saw how much he improved the last 2 months. Now that's he figured things out, I expect him to be much more efficient all of next season even as his scoring goes up. His rebounds and assists should also increase a little. Don't forget he hasn't even turned 20 yet (29Sep).
"He's not what he once was" ............ WHAT?! Dude is around the same age as Yao and T-Mac when most players peak in their early 30s. And he has definitely continued to improve his game. They write about him like he's 35.
I too am confused by this statement of "He isn't what he once was", but they rank him 4th, moving up 7 spots from last year. I mean if you are ranked that high, they must be basing it on something they've seen in the last year. Second, I got a serious problem with Gerald Wallace being ranked 18th!!!?? Granger, Durant, Howard, Miller are not better than him. The guy does everything, he's getting punished for a crappy team... just my two cents..
I thought Gerald Wallace and Shawn Marion were both rated too low. They don't score, like some of the other players, but they are better all-around players than most of the ones ahead of them. Better defenders, rebounders, and more versatile.
I don't get the "not what he once was" statement either. 28 years old, stays in fantastic shape and has never had any major injuries. Not to mention he got nearly a whole season off several years back (brawl suspension) so he has less wear and tear on his body than most 28 year old star players. He also relies on footwork and strength to be effective not quickness or explosive leaping ability. I would say that he is in his prime and should remain there for 3-4 years.
I think I have an idea where that "he isn't what he once was" comment comes from...I had Artest in ESPN Fantasy Basketball a few years ago when he was with the Pacers, before he got suspended. His numbers before that were just insane. Classic case of "sell high to a n00b", which obviously out of sheer luck proved to be an even better decision after he got suspended. So maybe the author is thinking of that span when he was playing out of his mind when he says he "isn't what he once was".
