They were no brainers UNLESS they sucked. Brad Dougherty was a no brainer. So was Derrick Coleman and Danny Manning. There were a lot of guys who qualified but were not successful. Many of them failed because of injuries or squandered potential. Some did live up to the hype. Others didn't. The point is that you just can't know for a fact going in. It is a risk. That doesn't mean you don't take the risk. It just means you need to know it going in.
Aelliott,that was a fantastic post. I would be absolutely crestfallen if The Rockets took Dunleavy with the 1st pick. Jay Williams is the most NBA ready player but we need a top notch center if we want to give ourselves a chance to become NBA Champions again.Ming may never turn out to be that player but if he has the potential and fire to become that player I say go for it.
This article may clarify some of the issues surrounding his arrival, and from the sound of it, it's looking good for the pro-Ming contingent.
I concur with this thread, you have to risk to get the reward, and Yao is a chance at the brass ring. Take Yao, even if he misses all of training camp at least he has a chance to be in more games next year then Mo Taylor. DaDakota
This is my first post! I'm going to be at Rice next year as a freshman and I definitely want to see Ming as a Rocket next year. I've "lurked" around this BBS for about one year now and its been great. I've finally come around to becoming a member of this board because the BBS went down for guests. I've actually watched video clips of Ming (as I'm sure many of you have) and want to say that TheCabbage is absolutely right. Even with the extra risks, one thing I seriously doubt is that Ming will bust, and even so, the potential payoff is too great for us to pass on Ming. I watch b-ball all year long and even though it really doesn't support my case with "solid" evidence, from what I've seen of CBA games and NCAA games (including tourney), the level of play in the NCAA seems to not be significantly greater. The risk of Ming coming back to haunt us is so much greater than the risks of selecting him that I think the Rockets would be crazy to pass up on him. Dare TO BE GREAT! Sry... havent come up with something to put down here yet
Even that still doesn't get us there. Sounds like the formula for the JailBlazers. Lots of 'almost great' talent that can never get it done. Look at the great championship teams, you always have 2 'GREAT' ones. Shaq/Kobe, Duncan/Robinson. Hakeem was so great we got away with just 1 in that rare instance - but he is a center. If you look back historically if your 'great one' is a center - you are in good shape. Roll the dice, Ming could be it. If we must make deals lets do it without the #1 pick.
Just outstanding posts. Does anyone think that Ming could develop a game similar to Sampson? A 7 foot- 6 inch big man who has handles, can run the foor, blocks shots, rebounds and SCORES.
This is my favorite thread. A front court of Yao Ming and Eddie Griffin just gives me goose bumps all over. Defense wins championships and this duo has all the potential to become the best Twin Towers the game has ever seen. I also would not trade the pick unless something ridiculous is offered (Duncan, Gasol, Garnett, or some other low post superstar). We can still get a small forward some other way. We have the 15th pick and KT as trade bait. I believe that would land us an adequate 3 (Ron Artest perhaps). A team of Ming/Cato Griffin/Taylor Artest/Rice Mobley/Torres Francis/Moochie would be absolutely sick. Plus I want the Rockets to be popular again. I am tired of being dissed by TNT, NBC and everybody else. Not that we deserved any hype last year. But with Yao Ming, Rockets would become one of the most popular teams WORLDWIDE!
Fuzzybear, I envy you as I'll be leaving Houston in the fall to spend a year in Taiwan (I know, boo hoo for me. ) Still, that's going to be annoying being halfway around the world while Yao Ming plays here instead and I won't be able to watch. Fortunately, there's always ClutchCity. This is off-topic, but do you know what college you will be in?
Thnx Relativist for replying to me, you made my day(night). You are my first response, but I tend to ramble so I'll stop and get to it. It sucks that you're going to be in Taiwan next year. It will be good if Ming comes to Houston because then Taiwan will almost definitely air Rockets games to Taiwan and you'll be able to watch games. I'm not sure what college I'll be in, the colleges are determined by lottery (Hope I have Francis's luck). Sry... havent figured out what to put here yet... ehehehe i'll steal Relativist's for now How's my rambling? Call 1-800... I think that's it at least
Doc, please don't get political on us. I was in the midst of reading your post, in the midst of agreeing with you and then you dropped something conspicuously off topic. It's the sort of thing that makes me remind myself "oh yeah, but when has Doc Rocket ever posted anything of merit. When has Doc Rocket ever been right about anything. When has doc seemed like something other than a disinformation medium for the rox". Looking forward to your next basketball post...
<b>AELLIOT</b>: Well written! I wish I'd written that! You explained it exactly as I feel it. Ming HAS to be the pick, and has far and away the most potential in this draft, or any other since Duncan, in my opinion. If everyone else believes that, we MIGHT be able to get a trade we want, and I do believe we SHOULD listen. But I wouldn't make that trade unless it was incredible, and gave us the same potential in return, and perhaps got us to a championship quicker.
you know Fuzzybear, despite the talk about Yao drawing more attention to the NBA in East Asia, I totally didn't consider the possiblity of Taiwan showing NBA games of the team that drafts him. Add another reason for me to hope the Rockets draft him. Woo hoo! I'm flattered to have made your day(night). Welcome to the board. Hope you have fun at Rice. I know I did. Let me know when you find out what residential college you get in. Maybe I'll see you at Beer-Bike (if you don't know what that is, don't worry; you'll learn soon enough.) Doc, I know you will, but when you do find out, please assure us Rudy isn't going to pass on Yao for Dunleavy, and if you can't, then please convince us that it's the right decision. I'm already back into scanning for Doc Rocket/Clutch/Oeilpere threads/posts.
Damn, I cannot believe you guys elbowed your way in front of the first aelliott thread in a long time. I would say thecabbage is allowed to steal a thread from aelliott, but dude, this is your second thread in one day.
<i>Damn, I cannot believe you guys elbowed your way in front of the first aelliott thread in a long time.</i> HP, I think that you're forgetting about the ballet/tennis/footwork discussion thread...that was mine.
that's it!!!!! Cabbage did it....I am in 100%. my decision is made and to celebrate I am going to PF Chang's today....... he is dead on....the science can be nauseum....sometimes you have to take risks... I think for a 7'5" guy with his scoring skills, the worse case scenario has to be at least 10 and 5...and you know Cato is our worse case right now, so I will take that bet!!! how often do you get a 7'5" athletic, shooting guy in your lineup.....just stand there and make someone score over you...the only teams that can pose a real threat are the lakers and SA right now...... plus, the exposure would be huge!
Whoa there...don't get ahead of yourself quite yet. Hakeem and Sampson were really good. Robinson and Duncan won a championship. In either case, from a defensive standpoint, I'd be just as excited as possibly seeing Eddie get some time at SF, and play Ming and Cato as well at C and PF. Cato isn't great defensively, but he does get a fair share of blocks. That lineup's interior defense would rock.
