Hassan Whiteside is a character. For some reason, he showed up for measurements wearing sandals, meaning that his 6'11.5 height with shoes is deceiving. But don't worry, Whiteside says he'll make it up and then some by always wearing two pairs of socks at the next level. There are many questions surrounding Whiteside as the draft approaches and teams are trying to get a good read on the big man out of Marshall. While he is one of the most unproven players in this class, his potential and upside has lottery teams taking a hard look at him. He can score inside but also step out and knock down a jumper. He is a dominant shot blocker, averaging 5.4 blocks per game last season with the Thundering Herd. He is raw but teams believe with some work he could be a great center. So why does Whiteside keep doing things to hurt his stock? Showing up in sandals wasn't his only head scratching moment during the Pre-Draft Camp in Chicago. He opted not to participate in the basketball portion of the Combine, choosing instead to just work out for individual teams in private. "Yeah, I was wanting to do it but my agent advised me not too since I'll have workouts with the teams that are already looking at me," Whiteside told HOOPSWORLD. "Most of the teams, I'm going to set up workouts. I'm going to set up workouts with them anyway." But several teams in the lottery were not thrilled and felt that his decision not to compete points to several other eyebrow raising red flags that have surrounded Whiteside throughout this process. When asked what is the biggest misconception about his game, Hassan pauses for a second. "Probably that I look like I don't love the game sometimes or I don't have intensity, that's probably the biggest misconception," he says. While he acknowledges this, he doesn't want to hear that he doesn't work hard or doesn't want this. "I don't know. They say I don't work hard, I guess. I don't really know. Averaging five block shots a game, I must have been working hard at some point. I think early in the season, I didn't really bring it as much as I did later on. It came up like once or twice [in interviews] but I don't really know where they got that from" he says defiantly. Rather than slipping out of the lottery altogether, there is a good chance that the Houston Rockets grab him at fourteen if he's available. After spending a week working out with Hakeem Olajuwon, the legend gave his approval. With Yao Ming's health and future in question and the Rockets are looking for a young replacement and there's a good chance that Whiteside is their guy. MORE BY ALEX KENNEDY Notebook: Boston's Banged Up Bigs: The Cetics will have to adjust after injuries to their big men ... Dwight... -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Courtside: Magic Gaining Momentum: The Orlando Magic got the physical win against the Boston Celtics tonight... -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Trevor Booker: Breaking The Mold: Trevor Booker is trying to prove to teams that he can still contribute as... -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- View Alex Kennedy Archive This is why Whiteside hasn't scheduled any workouts with teams outside of the lottery and is confident that he won't free fall on draft day. The situation in Houston may be exactly what Whiteside is looking for. When asked if he'd rather be on a young team with an opportunity to compete for the starting job or a veteran team where he can play a smaller role in the immediate future, Hassan says he prefers the latter. "I want vets around me that can help me and really teach me the ropes," he says. But don't get him wrong, he still wants to play and impact games behind the veterans. "It's just being on a team, being able to make an instant impact, and being able to contribute," says Whiteside when asked what he's looking forward too. When you start talking to the young man about his game, he gets very comfortable and opens up, describing his game. "A mobile four or five, an outside shooter who can play inside and out, and a defensive presence," he says. "I really think basketball is about skill and my heart is big so I'm going to come in and play hard." There have been some comparisons made to Marcus Camby, which Whiteside scoffs at, and some believe he resembles JaVale McGee. But ask Whiteside who he plays like and he smiles. "Probably Kevin Garnett without all of the cussing and stuff, without all of the craziness." Like Garnett, Whiteside believes he can win Defensive Player of the Year at the next level - something Dwight Howard scoffs at – and change games with his size and ability on that end of the floor. "Just with my length and athleticism, I don't think anybody can play defense like me and defense is the biggest key in basketball," he says. The potential is there and with some work, Whiteside seems like he could be a great NBA center. His athleticism and raw skills are just waiting to be developed and there's no question that someone will take a chance on him early. He may be a work in progress but the final result could be worth it. Some believe he still has some maturing and growing up to do but there's no question that he has the tools and ability to take over games and be a dominant player. That is, as long as he doesn't show up on game day wearing sandals. Link http://www.hoopsworld.com/Story.asp?story_id=16355
I think Rockets will stick at 14 unless of course Morey works his magic.I actually have a good feeling about Whiteside. Could be Camby with a jumper!!!!!!!!
Obviously Whiteside is sabotaging his own draft stock to make sure he falls to 14th so he can join the Rockets.
Camby was poy in college and took his team to the final four. If whiteside is as good as camby I would be ecstatic.
I would bring him in along with alabi and jordan and work them out against each other. If drafted, i would send them to the nbdl for the season and assign carrol dawson to them. When the nbdl season is over, i would bring them up.
How does one purport to be professional and newsworthy, yet allow such volumes of syntax and grammatical error? Are there no more editors available? Is Spellcheck too (not the "too" that was incorrectly used in that "article") much to (proper usage) ask? Is ending a story with a fragmented sentence acceptable journalism now? Seriously, with the explosion of this information generation, the English language has been absolutely obliterated. I hope I'm not the only one who has trouble even finishing these "articles" with egregious errors.
As far as Whiteside is concerned, he reminds me a lot of Eddie Griffin in that he is a long shotblocker with a questionable motor and an early penchant for shooting the J.
Morey likes to use his bait to get even more assests...at the end of 2 or 3 moves that were really one big one, he ends up with a buy one get 1 free type of deal. I think he realizes Whiteside could be there at 14, but that would be his max position and is more likely to go around 10....so he can use bait to get the number 3 or 4 pick, then use that to trade down, but still stay top 10. Then he'd end up with whiteside and whatver else they gave him to trade down, possibly a late first rounder? so the deal could be something like Hill + #14 for the #3 + early 2nd rounder, then flip the #3 for Whiteside and late first rounder.....so basically hill +14th end up being whiteside, late 1st rounder, and early 2nd rd. It may seem like a bad move since Hill has a lot of potential, but it all would depend on who Houston thinks they can get late in the 1st and early 2nd. Players always fall and they could end up with 3 first round talents while giving up 2......I know you're thinking this is quantity over quality, but the talent involved would be outside the top 8, so the quality involved isn't too fat apart.
lolwut? If they are struggling and not getting any playing time sure send them to the dleague. Don't just send him to the dleauge for the sake of sending him, Hassan could be a solid backup Center for us. If theres one thing he will do is protect the basket and run the floor for easy baskets. I prefer Whiteside over Alabi
Great news, he was already at the top of my wishlist. If he has the approval of the Rockets management and Dream then that makes it all the better.
