The value of a Franchise 3 All-Star starts show Francis' national appeal By JONATHAN FEIGEN Copyright 2004 Houston Chronicle LOS ANGELES -- This is not how it is supposed to be, not for All-Stars three times over. This should be a time to accept the embrace of membership in an exclusive club and to revel in whatever amounts of glory, praise and stardom satisfy. Perhaps Steve Francis feels all that. For whatever else is said, whatever else he is or is not, he is an All-Star again and a starter for the third consecutive season. But he returns to this spot as the center of a storm of opinion and speculation. He is asked about his relationship with Rockets coach Jeff Van Gundy, about trade speculation and the quality of his play. He is asked why his numbers have fallen so, about criticism in Houston. He is asked if he really is an All-Star. "I knew it was going to come eventually," Francis said. "It took five years for it to happen, but it has happened. Hey, I always knew the way it would be. If we win, they're going to say my name sometimes, but if we lose, it's my fault. I'm willing to step up and be that man. If I don't score enough or Yao (Ming) doesn't score enough, it's because of me. "Really enjoying it is when you fulfill some of the things you want to do. But I definitely enjoy playing basketball. Everything else that comes with it, that's stuff you have to deal with. That's life. That's how it is. Five years ago, I knew I would eventually be in this position." But in many ways, Francis is an enigma. Popular enough nationally and internationally to have become an automatic All-Star starter in the realm of Tim Duncan, Vince Carter and Kobe Bryant, he is the lightning rod for debate and criticism in Houston. Still a major part of the Rockets' plans, he is the one All-Star whose name has suddenly been volleyballed in trade speculation, most recently a deal that would exchange Francis for New Orleans Hornets All-Star Baron Davis. Rockets general manager Carroll Dawson put a stop to that. Asked about the rush of media reports that have the Rockets considering or at least open to trading Francis before Thursday's deadline, Dawson laughed and then took the unusual step of answering the rumors. "I don't know how these things get started," he said. "I haven't talked to anybody about anything involving Steve." But Francis' place in the league, his reputation -- outside the frustration in Houston with his failure to so far deliver on the promise he has showed since joining the league -- is considerably less critical, if not entirely dissimilar. Tell almost any NBA scout or coach about the criticism that Francis inspires, and most will spend the night questioning the veracity of the report as if such a thing cannot be true. Peers have come to accept and assume his All-Star status as much as voters have. But there is also a sense -- without the aggravation -- that he has not delivered a post-season appearance, never mind actual playoff success, to the team that brought him the nickname "Franchise." "Steve is viewed as a very, very talented player," said former NBA All-Star and coach Doug Collins, who has broadcast Rockets games for TNT this season. "I think he's at a stage of his career right now that it is important that his team starts making the playoffs. He's a young man who has played terrific basketball for Houston over the past four years, but they've never made the playoffs. To me, his next step to being considered one of the top guards in the league is to lead ... Yao Ming and Cuttino Mobley into the playoffs." But Francis, making his third-consecutive All-Star start today, might be considered "one of the top guards in the league." But Collins said he can maintain that status only if he excels in the postseason. "The great players, their notoriety is made in the playoffs," Collins said. "They're in a position to be a playoff team and maybe win in the first round. But you know, Michael Jordan got great criticism early in his career because he was a great player but he didn't go anywhere in the playoffs. Isiah (Thomas), the same way. Then these guys led their teams to championships. "But Steve Francis is a terrifically talented player. I don't think he's a true point guard. If he had a top-flight point guard with him, would this move him off the ball to score and maybe do some of the things that are easier for him to do? From his position, you have to lead your team, know when to score, know when to distribute. They need to get the pieces around him. It will be interesting to see where they go with this team, Jeff being there for a year, coaching them, seeing what changes to make." That obvious athletic talent, however, seems to demand worthy accomplishment and commitment, as if to live up to the blessing of his potential. "His next big thing is -- and he's talked about that -- not just being an All-Star, but being an All-Star type player, a productive playoff player and to play for a championship," said Western Conference All-Star coach Flip Saunders of the Timberwolves. "That's what he wants. "But the players I consider All-Stars are the ones that, as we go through the season and we prepare to play that team, a lot of our preparation is `How are we going to stop this guy?' When we play Houston, there's no question that Stevie is maybe the No. 1 thing -- him and Yao -- but really him more than anyone else we feel we have to stop to have an opportunity to win." But his peers seemed part surprised that Francis' All-Star worthiness would be questioned and angry that it was an issue. "I view him as an All-Star, I do," Sam Cassell said. "The zone has helped stop Steve Francis. Take the zone rule out, and Steve is unstoppable. But Steve has got to understand, he can be a playmaker. Does their offense suit Steve? I don't think so. He can adjust. It takes times. But he's an All-Star." Other guards said the adjustment and the reduction in production do not reduce his status. "If you understand the game, do you want to have him average 25 and lose or average 17 (points) and six (rebounds) and six (assists) and play better defense, and become a proven winner and leader," Davis said. "That's what it comes down to. It's not about numbers. Everybody gets so caught up in numbers. I mean, even the worst team in the NBA, somebody is the leading rebounder and leading scorer. Somebody is averaging 20 points. It's not about the stats. It's about making your team win. That's what he's doing. He's winning basketball games. "I think the fans understand that. He's popular, and a superstar in this league." Francis' average of 16.9 points per game is tied for 18th among the 24 All-Stars. His shooting percentage of 40.3 percent surpasses Davis, Allen Iverson and Jason Kidd. "Steve is an All-Star," Pistons guard Chauncey Billups said. "He's a phenomenal talent. He's sacrificing things this year, having a coach like Jeff Van Gundy and learning his system, and learning what it takes to be a more cerebral point guard. In past years, it was a lot of isolation and score one-on-one. Now, it's not as much isolation. It's a lot of pick-and-roll, a lot of drop it down to the big man, more conventional basketball. I think he's doing a great job. He had to sacrifice some things about his game that are probably some of the best things he can do." But fans would not seem likely to have taken such things into consideration. "No, you got a lot of kids that vote," Billups said. "They like to see slam dunks and crossovers." In that case, Francis said, "I'm surprised they still love me because I don't dunk that much anymore. "But for our team, the Rockets, it's not just scoring for me. It has to be everything. I think fans know basketball. I've always said that no matter how many points I've scored, it's not about scoring. It's about all the intangibles that come with it. I think people respect that -- if they know basketball." http://www.chron.com/cs/CDA/ssistory.mpl/sports/2403667 Not sure if this has been posted. Good to see a bit a different POV when it comes to Steve. If you only read here, you would think Steve is the worst player in the history of the league. Glad to see that his peers and others around the NBA recognize his abilities as a player if most Rocket fans don't.
I can hear it now... countodwn to the posts claiming that those guys were saying those things about Francis to keep his trade value high. it is good to see that guys who *really* know their ball are saying things about his abilities that some around here dont want to hear.
Juugie. Where in the hell do you get your information from? When I listen to Steve's peers, various media, and ex-coaches discuss the Rockets, I hear nothing but doubt from them as to whether the Rockets can be successful with Francis as their franchise player. Furthermore, they all seem to agree that Yao and Francis can't co-exist and that Francis should be the odd man out. The only support I see for Steve Francis comes from the fans.
All-NBA Teams Voting by a 118-member panel of local and national pro basketball writers and broadcasters. 1999-2000 All-NBA First Team Player, Team, Position Points Shaquille O'Neal (L.A. Lakers) C 605 Tim Duncan (San Antonio) F 460 Kevin Garnett (Minnesota) F 495 Gary Payton (Seattle) G 541 Jason Kidd (Phoenix) G 445 All-NBA Second Team Player, Team, Position Points Alonzo Mourning (Miami) C 354 Karl Malone (Utah) F 409 Grant Hill (Detroit) F 342 Kobe Bryant (L.A. Lakers) G 411 Allen Iverson (Philadelphia) G 420 All-NBA Third Team Player, Team, Position Points David Robinson (San Antonio) C 91 Chris Webber (Sacramento) F 254 Vince Carter (Toronto) F 194 Eddie Jones (Charlotte) G 125 Stephon Marbury (New Jersey) G 53 2000-2001 All-NBA First Team Shaquille O'Neal (L.A. Lakers) C 581 115 Tim Duncan (San Antonio) F 608 115 Chris Webber (Sacramento) F 596 109 Allen Iverson (Philadelphia) G 612 120 Jason Kidd (Phoenix) G 423 54 All-NBA Second Team Player, Team, Position Points 1st Team Votes Dikembe Mutombo (Philadelphia) C 238 0 Kevin Garnett (Minnesota) F 424 25 Vince Carter (Toronto) F 287 11 Kobe Bryant (L.A. Lakers) G 411 36 Tracy McGrady (Orlando) G 318 21 All-NBA Third Team Player, Team, Position Points 1st Team Votes David Robinson (San Antonio) C 165 0 Karl Malone (Utah) F 197 0 Dirk Nowitzki (Dallas) F 56 0 Gary Payton (Seattle) G 117 1 Ray Allen (Milwaukee) G 105 3 2001-2002 All-NBA First Team Player, Team, Position Points 1st Team Votes Shaquille O'Neal (L.A. Lakers) C 626 125 Tim Duncan (San Antonio) F 626 124 Tracy McGrady (Orlando) F/G 513 80 Kobe Bryant (L.A. Lakers) G 507 72 Jason Kidd (New Jersey) G 601 115 All-NBA Second Team Player, Team, Position Points 1st Team Votes Dirk Nowitzki (Dallas) C/F 358 22 Chris Webber (Sacramento) F 339 21 Kevin Garnett (Minnesota) F 391 31 Allen Iverson (Philadelphia) G 272 12 Gary Payton (Seattle) G 284 11 All-NBA Third Team Player, Team, Position Points 1st Team Votes Dikembe Mutombo (Philadelphia) C 105 - Jermaine O'Neal (Indiana) F/C 78 - Ben Wallace (Detroit) F/C 195 3 Paul Pierce (Boston) G 230 9 Steve Nash (Dallas) G 96 1 2002-2003 All-NBA First Team Player, Team, Position Points 1st Team Votes Shaquille O'Neal (L.A. Lakers) C 593 112 Tim Duncan (San Antonio) F 603 120 Kevin Garnett (Minnesota) F 596 115 Tracy McGrady (Orlando) G 578 107 Kobe Bryant (L.A. Lakers) G 599 118 All-NBA Second Team Player, Team, Position Points 1st Team Votes Ben Wallace (Detroit) C 307 5 Dirk Nowitzki (Dallas) F 360 5 Chris Webber (Sacramento) F 310 1 Jason Kidd (New Jersey) G 355 16 Allen Iverson (Philadelphia) G 350 8 All-NBA Third Team Player, Team, Position Points 1st Team Votes Jermaine O'Neal (Indiana) F - C 165 2 Jamal Mashburn (New Orleans) F 63 - Paul Pierce (Boston) F 91 - Stephon Marbury (Phoenix) G 141 1 Steve Nash (Dallas) G 85 -
Those players have played against Steve Francis. You guys don't even play in the NBA. These players know how good Steve is because they have played him. Look what Baron Davis said it is not about the numbers it is about the team winning. Now is the Rockets losing? No, this have been the best 1st half of a season out of Steves five years, but his Numbers don't show it. Look at T-Mac he is having great numbers, but their team isn't winning because no one is helping him. Steve doesn't need to get the numbers when he has other helpful people. How can you guys judge how good steve is if you guys don't even even play professional basketball? I bet if you guys switched places with steve you would have worst numbers right.
I love it! I love the fact it is this way. I love the fact that Francis will get blamed for *most* of what goes wrong with this team. Why? Because it forces him to change. He brings good things to the table, but he also brings a lot of baggage. And it's that *baggage* that is proportional to the players on the team. Yao flaws will diminish as time goes on. And Francis will have to keep pace with Yao, or else his flaws will start showing up like a sore thumb; unless he improves (lower turnovers, higher FG%, etc...). The presure will get greater if he doesn't improve. Becaues we know that Yao will....So, "tick, tock, tick, tock....tick, tock".....time is running out... But kids don't notice things like turnovers. But when you do dunk or cross-over, the kids will be sure to notice that...thus....they vote. Hmmm, even Francis is using the term "intangibles" now... It's about time!
If I am Steve Francis, there are two things I have to learn to accept: 1. Houston fans have high expectations of him...and the team. Nothing personal. The harshest criticisms will always be directed at elite players: Charles Barkley, Tim Duncan, Tracy McGrady, Shaquille O'Neal. 2. The best championship teams had complementary, star players: Boston: Bird, McHale, Parrish Chicago: Jordan, Pippen Detroit: Aguirre/Dantley, Dumars, Johnson, Thomas Houston: Cassell, Drexler, Olajuwon LAL: Jabbar, Johnson, Worthy San Antonio: Duncan, Robinson Houston Comets: Arcain, Cooper, Jackson, Swoopes, Thompson LAS: Byears, Milton, Leslie That said, Houston has to make some tough decisions: 1. Move SF to shooting guard, bring in a tall point guard, and Mobley needs to be content with coming off the bench in a three-guard rotation. 2. Run a three-guard rotation with SF, CM, and JJ; bring in a tall forward who can distribute the ball. 3. Move KC to backup center and bring in an athletic forward -- a tight end, maybe -- to play next to YM. (MT and KC have complementary games.) University (Growing Pains) Blue
WOW! I need to frame that! Well said! It's the only way...unless Francis starts to lower his turnovers and shoot better. Then, we can kee him at PG. But that's not likey to happen. Thus, Big PG, SF at SG, Cat off the bench, and KC at backup center is the best options.
I would like to add an option 1b. Bring in a tall point guard or another playmaker at 1-2-3 and start him with Steve AND Cat. Instead, JJ moves to the bench.
Great article. I love to hear what other players have to say. It was a good read, and made me feel better about having Steve Francis on our team. Sam Cassell, B. Davis, C. Billups......good quotes.
Commentary Hall of Famer Oscar Robertson decries today's 'vertical' game ADVERTISEMENT Sunday, February 15, 2004 The question I am asked most frequently by youngsters who submit questions to my Web site is: "What can I do to increase my vertical leap?" It doesn't matter what age they are; everyone wants to dunk. I think this question captures in a nutshell the state of basketball today and the influence of the NBA on the game as it is played everywhere else. Professional basketball has been trivialized and dumbed down to the level of a highlight reel. Marketing and entertainment rule the day rather than putting the best product on the floor. Basketball is not a vertical game. The game is won between the foul line and the basket, an area where so few players today choose to, or are able to, operate. Dunking is such a tiny part of the game. My answer to these youngsters is always the same: concentrate on mastering all the fundamentals and becoming a complete player. I'm sure that's not the answer they want to hear. NBA basketball is mostly muscle and flash. Stylin' all the way to the hoop. Dunks and three-pointers, with nothing in between. Shooting percentages continue to plummet. When people tell me scores are lower today because defenses are better, I have to laugh. Once I resisted the idea of the NBA permitting zone defenses. Anymore, what does it matter? Defenses can't guard anyone properly, and offenses can't score. One guy freelances while the other four stand and watch. There's no movement, no creation of an open shot on the weak side, no positioning for an offensive rebound. I pity coaches at any level who believe in and want to teach fundamentals, when youngsters see players on TV with no fundamentals being paid huge sums of money. Why be concerned with traveling, double dribbling, palming or carrying the ball, or failing to box out under the hoop when there are no consequences in the NBA for such behavior? Players today are bigger, faster, stronger and more agile. But many of them can't dribble, can't shoot from outside, can't create shots off the dribble, can't guard anyone and are lost without the ball. Or even with it. I can already hear the cries of protest: I'm "old school" and out of touch. You've got that right. Many of my colleagues and I who were fortunate to play during the golden age of the NBA -- the mid-1960s to the early '70s -- are saddened by what the game has become today. And it's not about the money. I believe an athlete should be able to earn whatever the market will bear. But I also believe he or she actually ought to earn the money by delivering true value in return, i.e., a level of play that advances rather than diminishes the game. And why has the game of professional basketball changed so radically? Other pro sports haven't. To become a position player in major-league baseball, you still need most or all of these skills: hitting, hitting with power, speed, defense and a strong arm. In football, offensive and defensive strategies come and go, but the basic attributes required to play each position haven't changed all that much. Once upon a time in basketball, regardless of your position, you were expected to be able to dribble with either hand, master all the basic passes, play aggressive defense whether man or zone, at least be able to guard and contain an opponent to some degree, at least box out your opponent if not rebound, command at least three or four reliable shots from various distances, and execute basic offensive maneuvers like running routes without the ball, setting screens, running the pick-and-roll, and creating a shot off the dribble. Most of today's so-called star NBA players have fairly one-dimensional games. Why? Potential stars skilled in one or two areas of the game are identified at a very early age and coddled and wooed from middle school on up. Few coaches will require them to develop a complete game or warm the bench until they do. So they reach the NBA, often after only a year or two of college if at all, without more than a minimal concept of the overall game of basketball. The exceptions like Kobe Bryant, Kevin Garnett, LeBron James and Carmelo Anthony are a distinct minority. Thus, just as America imports cheap labor from other countries to do the jobs Americans don't want to do, the NBA turns increasingly to foreign players who do have fundamental skills and an all-around approach to the game that fewer and fewer American players -- even though they may be superior athletes -- can be troubled to learn. The NBA has made a conscious decision to function as a marketing and entertainment organization, and seems much more concerned with selling sneakers, jerseys, hats and highlight videos than with the product it puts on the floor. The league wants to extend its footprint worldwide, which is good, but only to the extent of creating individual heroes who can drive sales of licensed products in their countries, a shortsighted approach that does nothing to grow the overall level of play. Team play is no longer considered sexy. Individual showmanship is. But one player, no matter how gifted, does not build and sustain a championship franchise. I always thought that the game itself was the product and that team success took precedence over the achievements of individual stars. Such thinking today is passe. The NBA has bet the farm on marketing those players it believes appeal to the hip-hop culture, which has the same relationship to true culture as NBA basketball does to real basketball. Even if basketball people were allowed once again to influence the strategic direction of the NBA, it would take them years to reverse the damage. As we take a break for another All-Star weekend, which is basically a made-for-TV mini-series, the focus is more on artificial contests created especially for television -- the only thing missing is a three-legged race -- than on the teams on the court, and on getting certain individual players onto the floor rather than creating teams that match up well against each other. Now All-Star voting is in the hands of the fans and extended worldwide via the Internet. Thus we have the spectacle of Yao Ming, already an international marketing icon if not quite yet a fully developed basketball player, starting at center for the West instead of Shaquille O'Neal. Personally, I think voting should be returned to the players. Even if we don't have marketing degrees. Basketball Hall of Fame member Oscar Robertson averaged a triple-double in the 1962 season. http://www.statesman.com/sports/content/auto/epaper/editions/sunday/sports_04f27217174170451062.html The above link comes from "The Austin American Statesman" web site which requires a password so I'm not sure the link will work. I, too, think the players are a higher authority than the media, just not this generation of players.
man, that oscar robertson article. i haven't had a laugh that good in a while. classic "back in my day" ramblings. hey oscar, how come bob cousy didn't know how to dribble with both hands in that one famous highlight of him dribbling out the clock. how come everyone had the ability to guard their man and play defense, but no one could actually be bothered to play defense? there were game that regularly outscored the rookie challenge we just saw and they were purposely not playing defense in that game. apparently, not only are offenses worse now, they are actually so bad that they are doing worse against even worse defense. hilarious. the golden age, the late 60's and early 70's? LO-freaking-L. yes, the golden age of tape delayed finals. lets try the 1980's for the golden age. try everything but the 70's for the golden age for that matter. and maybe europeans are finally making the nba b/c they finally started playing basketball? they have different skill sets, no better, no worse, now they've finally had some time to catch up. just like we have finally started to catch up in soccer after giving everyone else a huge headstart. at least he admitted he's out of touch though.
Gotta love Oscar. He complains about NBA players' lack of fundamentals and yet questions why Yao Ming is starting over Shaq. The same Shaq who relies solely on his strength and quickness and cannot make a jumpshot or a FT to save his life.
American players (mid-level and role players and some 1st picks) are loosing their jobs because the International players are actually leaning the offensive game. Defense today is just an excuse for "if I can't score on a team level, then I'm not going to let you score." Sure, some players are doing work on the defensive end. But the coaches are in a catch-22. They have to teach exclusive defense because of their rosters; lack of over-all offensive knowledge. So, they have to find a way to get the wins. Somehow. It's done out of necessity of the current situation. I'm not talking about those child stars like Melo and Lebron. Those guys will be taking for "potential" reasons alone. But the next level of players. The ones that make the bulk of the 450 players, are going to be more and more foreign. And this will improve the game because at least they ARE working on their offensive fundamentals. I mean, do we really have a problem league wise with defense today? I think not. The international players will adjust to this defense. Will the American players improve their offensive games on a team scale? Hmmm? Could it be that merely working dunking and jumping could be the problem? I mean, where are the young players priorities? Free-Throws? Shooting skill? Passing? No. Working on looking cool for the dunks. I find it curious that you actually defend this type of play when it wont equate to a championship. That's why Phil/Shaq/Kobe and Duncan/Robinson have won the last few titles. There's a reason for that. And it's not because of the "dunk" for the sake of the "dunk." In the end, it will have to be a merge of current athletic ability AND fundamentals. And the team that harnesses that the best will be successful. Just wait until next years draft. Count how many International players are taken.
