One exec says the guy likes soccer and that's all half the people on this board need to hear to call him completely disinterested in basketball. I truly am glad to be placed in 50% that can think for myself and apply logic. Believe it or not, these players are regular humans too, and shockingly, have interests outside their occupation. Maybe he was uninspired, maybe he was sulking, maybe he was caught in a bad situation....maybe he just plain sucks. But if you turn on the rationale thinking part of your brain - you realize that one year ago every team in the league would have drafted him after Blake Griffin, he isn't a stiff as anyone who watched him play college ball can attest and he, at one point, loved the game (find interviews and tape of him in college). I choose to believe that a 7'3" man with good athleticism and at one point a drive for the game will find it again and be productive. I don't let one year of being on a deplorable organization and some tweets destroy the obvious signs that he can be a piece.
You would think that's all half the board here needs to hear to call him the second coming of Olajuwon.
I remember when Olajuwon first came to U.H., they just told him to block everything that came near the basket. Get Deke to work on Thabeet's defensive game, CD can teach him a few offensive moves and then we send him to Hakeem.
If the possibility of a max contract cannot entice a player to give 100% effort, both in game and in practice, then nothing will.
I want Chuck to steal his lunch money every day until he quits basketball or gets tired of it and unleashes THABEAST
Speed isn't the problem, he runs the court very well and has excellent overall athleticism. The problem is his like of defensive fundamentals.
That's the one thing I don't know about Thabeet. Heck I'm an athlete but I don't know if I could work NBA hard. Thabeet is like an open book, if he sees other players working hard he will too. I just hope what he experienced as a member of the Grizzlies was that of good hard work and motivation.
Send him to the D-League with a full-time coach. Make him work his butt off and play big minutes every game. Let's see what we have to work with.
I think the guy is intimidated by the skill level,strength and speed/quickness required in the NBA. His hands are bad,probably worse than Hill's/Cato's.
Blessed with more size than Hakeem. Hasheem please save us. How I wish he could realize his potential by the end of the year.
