Looking and watching Donyell Marshall come along as a player, I tend to see alot of similarities to Eddie Griffin. Even though Marshall is a better athelete and was more polished , this is what i think Eddie game will resemble. Like it or not, I think Eddie will be a solid, but none superstar type player. I found this article about Marshall. Donyell Marshall was one of them. He was the No. 4 pick of the draft and averaged a somewhat meager 10 points per game to go along with 4.9 rebounds for the Minnesota Timberwolves. They dumped him midway through the season where he finished at 14.8 points and 6.5 rebounds per game for the Golden State Warriors. The very next year, he was down to 5.5 points and 3.4 rebounds, and 7.3 points and 4.5 rebounds the next. He was starting all over. Again. The following year, he averaged 15.4 points and 8.6 rebounds per game before dropping to 11 points and 7.1 rebounds per game the next season. Again. Another year, another team ... "He was a bust," said one of the scouts. "But somewhere along the line the light came on. He grew up and matured as a player and a person. A lot of credit has to go to Utah for seeing something there and bringing him along." While in Utah, he was back up to 14 points per game where he's been for the last four seasons even after signing with Chicago during the latest off season. He's shooting 47 percent from the field, 41 percent from long range and 76 percent from the line, more than a steal and a block per game to go along with nearly 10 boards. "Mentally, he caught up with the physical aspects of his game," said the scout. "And now he's having the best years of his career." Even if it is nine seasons after he thought they'd come. Check his numbers also. 1994-95 Minnesota-Golden State 72 2086 345 876 .394 147 222 .662 69 243 .284 906 12.6 1995-96 Golden State 62 934 125 314 .398 64 83 .771 28 94 .298 342 5.56 1996-97 Golden State 61 1022 174 421 .413 61 98 .622 35 111 .315 444 7.32 1997-98 Golden State 73 2611 451 1091 .413 158 216 .731 63 201 .313 1123 15.4 1998-99 Golden State 48 1250 208 494 .421 88 121 .727 26 72 .361 530 11.0 1999-00 Golden State 64 2071 331 840 .394 199 255 .780 49 138 .355 910 14.2 2000-01 Utah 81 2326 427 849 .503 205 273 .751 41 128 .320 1100 13.6 R E B O U N D I N G O T H E R YEAR TEAM OFF DEF TOT RPG AST APG ST BLK TO PF TF 1994-95 Minnesota-Golden State 137 268 405 5.6 105 1.50 45 88 115 157 1995-96 Golden State 65 148 213 3.4 49 0.84 22 31 48 83 1996-97 Golden State 92 184 276 4.5 54 0.93 25 46 55 96 1 1997-98 Golden State 210 418 628 8.6 159 2.22 95 73 147 226 0 1998-99 Golden State 115 227 342 7.1 66 1.42 47 37 80 123 1 1999-00 Golden State 189 448 637 10.0 167 2.65 68 68 123 180 7 2000-01 Utah 172 394 566 7.0 133 1.69 85 78 128 196 6 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Hopefully it doesn't take Griffin 7 yrs before he starts to get it, but i think his game and career, besides the 5 ppg will be his calling. Would Rocket fans and coaching be happy with 14pts 10rebs and 2blks a night? Time will tell.
Well, to be honest, we don't have to like what you think is true. Personally, I think he'll be a notch above Marshall, but not a superstar. He may make the All Star team once or twice in his career the same way Mason made it. Surprising season on a team with lots of exposure.
I mean if he was tabbed by Rudy and company as the most talented player in the draft, they were off by a long shot. The question was asked, if they had the #1 pick that yr, who would they have taken? The answer was griffin. Didn't see it then and don't see it now, but if he turns out to be like Marshall, it may still turn out to be ok.
you're right, he was 4th pick, sorry, for some strange reason i thought he was selected first by golden state.
Personally, if Griffin managed to grow into a Donyell Marshall type mold, I would be very happy because at this point I can't see him getting even that far. I know it is pessimistic, but until I see Eddie improving in at least one facet of his game, I can't imagine he is ever going to be any better than he is now. Please prove me wrong, Eddie.
Joe Smith was picked at number 1 by Golden State. I get the feeling that Griffin might become as good as Marshall in the low post and that his shooting will improve with time but his ball handling will remain a weak point for him.
Marshell is definitely a good player who has really improved over the years (as the article you read said). If Eddie is another Marshell-type, that's good, but honestly, I would be just a little dissapointed considering how we (the Rockets' org.) raved about him abd made that trade to get him on draft day. Hopefully he turns out to be MUCH better; but we'll see. How long do we have to wait? How long do the Rockets have to get pounded by the other great PFs in the West b/4 we give up on Eddie? Where Eddie could improve: Strength, better low-post moves, aggressivness, and more consistent shot (from the free-throw line as well as the field).
I think Eddie just really needs to get stronger. I hope after that everything else just falls into place.
Eddie is probably the worst passer on the team and I would like to see him be able to take at least two dribbles in a given direction.
Well I think the best he can become into is SOMETHING like Robert Horry. I think everyone on our team has been improving...Eddie has actually been doing good...not excellent....but all right. If he can improve his shooting and get stronger and earns how to dribble the ball, he would be a perfect role player for the Rockets.
Can't help but notice your use of the word probably (the worst passer). Is that becasue you have never actually seen Catino pass?
Griff is improving and at last he is having courage to make his shots count. I still expect great things from this young man. He needs to spend training time with someone like Moses Malone, his court presence and positioning would improve to astound his critics.
In his prime he we have the stats of either Sheed or Walker ( that include all the three pointers att. these players take.
We picked Yao Ming at 22 years old, and Griffin was 20 this year. He has till 2 years, and THEN the test for bust/not bust will begin. Right now, we DO need him, but we would be silly to think he'd be doing more than he's currently doing while he weighs barely anything, and has had no fundamental coaching. Think of it this way: He was a highschooler when we picked him. So first year, ZERO expectations with some flashes. CHECK. Second year, work on NBA conditioning and show some improvement. Check. Third year, must have consistency, while continuing to improve in the offseason. Check. You have to understand one thing, Eddie has a GREAT work ethic and JUST THIS YEAR began training on post moves, and really, how succesful can he be with post moves when he's LEARNING them and his body is not ready to make the work in real games yet? He shows the effort. He has the work ethic. He has the potential. He improved in his first offseason. He does the basic things he should/can do: rebounding, blocksing shots, and scoring off putbacks. He also hits 3's at 30% which is GREAT for a PF. Here's what I see: Eddie is learning about post moves this season. This is obvious as he has shied away from the 3-pter a little bit, and has tried a few post moves, but has obviously been unsuccesful and uncomfortable with it. What I'm hoping will happen is that he's established exactly how much strength he needs to make those things happened, and has the experience of WHAT he did wrong when trying them. So he'll go into the offseason and lift weights like crazy, and hopefully, will get those post moves down. He's got a turnaround, and a nice little baby hook, and a normal hook shot. He needs to polish those off, and possibly add a face-up, fade-away jumper. LOTS can be achieved in the offseason for Eddie. I think that he'll be ready for next season, and will come back stronger than previous seasons and surprise us.
Thank you. Please stop hating on him. He has been improving gradually. We have been giving him plenty of playing time. He just needs to get stronger and practice and work on learn the game. He will turn into a great role player.
All this fuss over how Eddie Griffin has all this potential reminds me of what was being talked about Horry when he was here.
Marshall is a better player than Eddie right now 'cause he did not shoot that many threes. Marshall is a better three point shooter than eddie.
