Does everyone like in NY and other cities hate our guts?? Just because we got Ming and they didn't.....they booed our ass!!! And then when Jay Williams and Dunleavy come up, they are praised like crazy?!!? That's just sad!! And then you have the writers and other analysts saying that Ming is going to suck and take time to develop, blah blah blah....I'm really hoping Ming swats the $&%# out of J Williams!!! I can't wait for the Rockets to get good w/ this squad, w/ the additions of Maddox and Nachbar.....
I like Kenny, but he blew it bad last night. He is right, however, that it's a wakeup call for American players. As has already been said, the NBA marketing machine (and I'll add ESPN and all the other "highlight" sports shows) have made it all about the dunk. Jordan was all about the rest of the fundamentals as well, not just the dunk, but that's been lost in the translation to all the players who think they are trying to "be like Mike". So, wake up, American Ballers -- LEARN TO FREAKING SHOOT!! The reason all these foreign guys are being taken is because of how low shooting percentages in the NBA have fallen. And nWo34Life: People who speak before they think and who speak prejudice rather than looking at the person behind the body ALWAYS try to put down the guy who's bigger than everybody else. Wilt didn't get his props at the time. It took a long time for Kareem to become the well-loved, well-respected player he finished his career as -- and he didn't even realize how much the transition had occurred. He was AMAZED at the reception people gave him on his farewell tour. And it's taken Shaq moving to LA and getting rings before he's started getting his props. (Of course, as with everything else, now that he's getting them, people are going a little too far and calling him the "best ever", but the latest greatest is always better than the previous greatest, right?!) People will always put down the guy who's bigger than everybody else, especially if he's an unknown, until he proves himself and until people start respecting him enough to listen to what he has to say instead of to their own prejudices! I only hope Yao realizes this and doesn't take it too personally.
Well about Charles, I thought he was entertaining as usual but made some good points. Is the college system supposed to be for education or basketball development. It's obviously not education when most of the players aren't even graduating and do joke majors anyways. Europeans are taught the fundamentals and have a better system the work on their game. Quin Snyder basically said the current system puts too many blocks on working with players so it's no surprise that foreign players get picked. Charles does have a point about the money because the NCAA makes TONS off the players and still treat them like crap. They're just bitter because more and more players are leaving. They are imposing more sanctions and regulations every year to hold players back. About Kenny: Yes he was very annoying repeating same things over and over such as Yao not being able to speak and we need a wake-up call. However, we DO need a change to the system. We need a better way to develop our players because fundamentals have been gone for awhile and now we have one-dimensional flashy players while Europe is producing versatile and knowledgeable players who already have 5 years of respectable experience by age 21. I think Kenny has slight xenophobia because he sees the game as American even though he won championships with international players such as Hakeem and Herrerra. He doesn't like all these foreign players stealing proven college players spots but the point is alot of these players can be great in college but it doesn't translate.
Well I watched maybe all but 5 minutes of the Draft last night. Correct me if Im wrong dont they usally try to make the situation alil more dramctic, by usally addign a "back story"....heck they had 2 living breathing "back stories" commentating. I expected Kenny, and or Charles to at least mention they played for Houston, but neither one did. I was saddened by that! Also on the "NBA Tonight" CD said that Ming has no problem understanding english.....He said it is better than most would think.
I hated how the "reject Rockets" would go off on us and tell us that Ming wasn't this and that...and that Nachbar was an ok pick, etc. etc. All I heard about us was just negative aspects on our picks. I know they are jealous, but w/ the NY crowd booing, the writers going off saying it was a bad deal for Houston to pick up Ming....it just made Houston look like crap!
They both came across as immature, uninformed xenophobes that are unable to grasp the importance to basketball that more and more players are elevating their game to the level of the NBA. This just in: It's a good thing! It simply means that basketball is being taken seriously in that many more countries and that the NBA product will be that much better as a result.
I missed a lot of what Kenny said, but toward the end of the broadcast, Charles offered repeated warnings to underclassmen/high schoolers with NBA dreams: Don't come out unless you're a lotto pick. He harped on this point over and over and over again. That, to me, is sage advice.
I like Kenny and Charles, but lately they have been dumb a** on T.V. To be ex- Rocket players they have not said anything positive about the Rockets. And to think Kenny had the nerves to play on the Rockets team at the all-star game!!!!!! (Got his eyes shot out) This yr. the Roxs got to put up , cause this team could be dangerous.
