Hey, newb, welcome to the forum! Here's a tip; if you want to build up your reps, you should bring us all donuts! I wouldn't tell just anybody that, but you seem like such a nice kid... :grin:
I know athletes like to major in communications, but never heard of leadership development. But it does show why he can come across as such a mature, heady guy. Quite frankly, I don't care if he majored in watching-grass-grow. For a lottery-level NBA talent to spend the effort to earn any college degree, much less in 3 years, is an insanely difficult feat. And one which showed Patterson's dedication to school rather than partying in his off time.
He looks like a solid pick. One of those types of rotation type guys you need to win in this league, Carl Landry/Al Horford type player. Everyone keeps bringing up Carl as a comparison because of the jump shot but to me the best thing about Carl was his toughness. You could sense a loss of toughness on our team once Carl left. Hopefully this guy will be ready for the type of dirty play he's going to see when we play those b****es from Utah.
All I can think is guys like Tim Duncan, Kevin Garnett and Dirk Nowitski have skewed their ideas of how big a power forward is supposed to be. Those guys are freakishly big power forwards.
This is from his sophomore year, pre-Cousins: <object width="480" height="385"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/jwjCSvE1ngk&hl=en_US&fs=1&"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/jwjCSvE1ngk&hl=en_US&fs=1&" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="480" height="385"></embed></object> Another: <object width="480" height="385"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/YXamJlm17yo&hl=en_US&fs=1&"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/YXamJlm17yo&hl=en_US&fs=1&" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="480" height="385"></embed></object>
Agreed. Dirk, Duncan and Garnett are franchise players, because they are giants at PF compared to the rest of the league. Besides the franchise saviors, Duncan and Nowitzki, only Aldridge and Gasol are 6'11"+. Starting PFs in the West 6'11-7'1" w/shoes SAS Duncan DAL Nowitzki POR Aldridge LA Gasol 6'9'-6'10" w/shoes Phx Amare Den Martin Uth Boozer Nor West LA Griffin MN Love Mem Randolph Under 6'9" w/shoes SAC Landry GSW Tolliver
In a response to a comment on his blog, Chronicle's Jonathan Feigen explained how Landry and Patterson are different. (I was referring to similarities in their style of play. They are both competitive, though Carl really is not a fierce competitor defensively. Both seem to be class acts in many ways, from good families. Carl has a highly developed low post game and explosive first step one-on-one. Patterson is better working off others. Patterson is a good deal longer with a thicker build. Carl is a poor defensive rebounder, but outstanding on the offensive boards. Patterson is a strong defensive rebounder, not as good on the offensive boards. Patterson seems to be an extremely disciplined defender in a team's scheme. Carl never developed that, at all. Carl is able to run the floor well, but rarely does. Patterson is not as fast, but runs much, much more reliably. Their touch from mid-range might be fairly considered similar, but that's why I said there are 'almost" no similarities. -- Jonathan) http://blogs.chron.com/nba/2010/06/rockets_try_to_trade_up_fail_a.html So just to repeat: -physically, Patterson is longer with a thicker build. (that's what she...) -Landry has the better low post game and first step. -Patterson is the better complementary offensive player. -Landry is the better offensive rebounder; Patterson is the better defensive rebounder. -Patterson is the much better team defensive player. -Landry is faster, but Patterson runs the floor more consistently. -Both have decent mid-range jumpers. Also, given their differences, it will be interesting to see next season how the Kings will get Landry to mesh with Cousins, Patterson's Kentucky teammate.
Love the pick. This guys is a smart, athletic, hardworking man that will help our front line if anyone is to be traded. I think he was honestly a steal for us at 14 given all the skills he possesses. He can block shots, rebound, face up, D up, hustle what else could you ask for in a player? He fits perfectly with our squad. Even though I woulda liked to have Ed Davis fall to us I believe Patterson was the best player available and was a fantastic choice. If there were any sleepers in the lottery look for him to be one. You guys overreacting are gonna regret it, just like everyone regreted calling Aaron Brooks a stupid pick.
The part I highlighted stuck with me. One of the things I love about Scola is that he always runs the floor. He never coasts, never takes a play off at either end of the court. If Patterson is similar to Luis in that aspect of their game, it's a huge plus.
Patterson's been high on our big board (No. 6 in the final rankings) for three years, and he's a wonderful value pick at No. 14. Leave it to Daryl Morey, without a doubt a top general manager, to ignore need and take the best available player when he sees it. Patterson will have to fight for playing time with Luis Scola, Jordan Hill and Chuck Hayes, but he's so ready for this level he could easily force Hill to center and Scola to the bench by season's end. It's a shame we didn't get to see Morey work his second-round magic, as he did last year in nabbing Chase Budinger. A- http://www.nbadraft.net/2010-nba-draft-grades
hmmm.. could he replace Shane Battier as our new Mr. Intangibles? smart, hardworking, high BB IQ, great understanding on the game plan, know limitation, leader.. overall, i loved the pick.. definitely fits our character as a hardworking team..
I know teams usually compliment their own picks, but the Rockets' language seems especially supercharged about this one. It's interesting. personally, I would love the pick even if he never panned out b/c it upset all three knowledgeable basketball fans in Utah.
That's what I thought too. People assume that if you are fast and athletic, you are good at the running game. Not true. Running is a lot more about mentality than physical abilities. Athletic guys we've had that don't run much: Francis, McGrady, Landry. From what I have read so far, quickness is the only thing Landry is better than Patterson. Quickness makes Landry a good 1-on-1 scorer and a good offensive rebounder. Patterson is at least as good a shooter as Landry. And he is bigger and more disciplined, and more importantly, understands the team game much better. It bodes well with Adelman's system. I love Landry's toughness and attitude. Looks like Patterson has those too. He is going to be Mr. Intangible v.2.0.
Agreed. I have not seen the Rockets this excited about a draft-day addition since they made the Shane Battier trade. I haven't seen them this excited about a draft pick since Yao Ming. I just get the feeling that Patterson is a guy they want to hold onto, as opposed to this all being just bluster to bolster his trade value. I think Hill and maybe even Budinger go out the door before Patterson. If I've learned one thing since 2007, it's that the best response when Morey gets excited about a team addition is to follow suit and get excited myself.
Yeah it didn't surprise me to see "undersized" thrown around within the first 10 postings... they love that word around here. Just because people with more height are applying themselves to the game and we're getting larger at positions 1-3 doesn't mean that the average for human size is going to go up just as fast. Not everyone is going to turn into a talented 7 footer with a post up game.
It isn't because he is undersized, compared to many PFs. It is because everyone compared their frontlines (especially the 4 and 5 spot) to the Lakers 4 and 5. Which should be the correct comparison; I mean, they ARE the NBA champs. You could argue that Patterson is NBA ready, but how NBA ready is he, when he is called on to defend the likes of Gasol / Bynum? Also, aside from Gasol, many GOOD starting PFs are taller than P-Pat: KG, Duncan, Nowitzki, etc. Just hope this first year, that he can learn to defend those guys.
Laker's roster changes. They 3 championships before that they had 6'9" Samaki Walker, 6'9" Horry, 6'10" Grant. Horry contributed to the Rockets, Spurs and Lakers. Without his crazy last second shots, the Lakers and Spurs wouldn't have won crucial games.
It isn't like 7 foot power forwards who can shot block, defend and what not fall out of trees everyday....
Don't even worry about Dirk. 1st seed, 2nd seed. It doesn't matter. The Mavs will lose to the 7th and 8th seed team, no matter what the size of the opposing team's front court. They lost to the Warriors. Doh! Rockets had an even smaller lineup against the Lakers in the 2009 playoffs, when we took them to 7 games. Chuck Hayes at C, Scola and Landry at PF. Yao and Jordan Hill are bigger than Hayes/Scola(C). Scola and Patterson are bigger than Scola and Landry.
