I don't know where this comes from. "so negative towards him" Some of you guys are way out there left field giddy about him, based on pure speculation. If I don't think he's Amare at equal age, or Hakeem at equal age, that doesn't mean I'm "negative towards him." I'd call it more not being overflowing with expressing HOF potential for guy. I don't make guesses about potential. I'll leave the predictions to you guys. Right now...<b>today</b>....Ebi looks significantly better. Have you seen him play? But go ahead. If you need to remember me as being negative and saying he sucks...and will never amount to anything...go for it. But your memory will be wrong.
Ok, heypartner, not really negative. Let's face it he was an unknown to all of us and we were just reacting on a gut or perhaps abstract rational level based on a few articles written before he was drafted. You did reasonably say: He can't be that good. He was chosen deep in the second round. Other scouts passed on him after a try out. The average deep second rounder never makes it in the league. Would you care to make some comments on Badiane's play last night.? Didn't you see any reason why he is better than the average deep second rounder? Come on. Specific comments regarding Badiane's game would be welcome. After all there is no right or wrong at this stage. We were all just going on hunches or gut feeling regarding the guy.
This is brilliant commentary. You mention that oversea guys dont suit up for the Rockets, then you try to show your point by naming a player that played at UT. Nice logic.
you know glynch. I never would have spoken my mouth about Badiane if you guys weren't comparing him to Hakeem and Amare. I was attempting to show respect to the ROY, than I was talking about Badiane. Your question above now assumes I said he couldn't be a better than average deep second rounder. How do you go from comparing him to a monster ROY to "better than ave 2nd rounder." I only compared him to Amare and a 19yr Hakeem. That's all I ever did. Would you call Amare an average deep second rounder. All you are trying to do is say that I predicted something. I did not predict anything. You guys did. You compared him to Amare. And no, I saw little to make me think he was Amare. So far, I'd agree with your assessment that he is an above average second rounder. btw: I did give you an assessment. I said that Ebi was more impressive. I'd also say that Hilario is better. You see. This statement makes no sense to me. There is a right and wrong. The wrong way of scouting "is going on hunches or gut feeling regarding this guy." that is for you to do. I really, honestly, try to avoid hunches. I place ceilings and bottoms on players. I called Ginobili's ceiling below ROY and All-Star, that got twisted into the ceiling Mobley placed on Rigadeaux ("garbage"), which I agreed with. Gino is showing up good, but less than the hype (on par with my ceiling after seeing his WC, Euroleauge Final Four games and NBA preseason game). Rigadeaux proved to be garbage, just as Mobley said. Don't confuse a ceiling with saying someone sucks. People say all the time that such and such guy is no star. That doesn't mean he sucks. ok, now that that is out of my system: You want my honest assessment? Sometimes you draw a blank. Badiane is about what I hoped. The footwork is what I'm looking at; the largely unteaching ability of holding your man then closing on the driver without giving up the little dish while going for the block (taking the direct path); the timing...I need to see more to say whether he falls into the Cato category of rebounding/blocking based on sheer height and athleticism...or a more skilled version like Ben Wallace. Ebi's block on Tayshun Prince is in that category. Although, we saw many of those by Eddie, and look what we are ending up with...all potential and no abilty to hold his ground. His speed without the ball is nice--as advertised. The arms/shoulders are bigger than I expected (or from the photos). For me, he falls into the category of hard to judge at 6'11 not facing equal athleticism. I can't tell if he can hold his ground, yet...but at least he is making contact rather trying to avoid it like Eddie. bottomline: I like to scout by first getting a feeling for a ceiling and a bottom...it is easier to do that with guards and SFs. I don't expect to have much of an assessment until I see him going for boards against Cato or someone that big, or guarding someone faster like Kenny/Prince, or with moves like Gasol, or strength like Zach Randolph/MoT.
Okay...I took another look at the game, and a few more things I observed: Yeah, he's got mitts. He got loose hold of balls a few times, but still maintained control and redirected the ball where he wanted. Definitely not a weakness so far, if not a strength. His footwork is loose. He sort of has happy feet, and that gives him a loose base, and I saw him totally blown off the block more than once, and it wasn't because he didn't have bend or strength. I think, but because he wasn't anchoring, he was hoping, and the other guy caught him mid hop and shifted him about 5 feet. He is very aggressive at specific times, namely when he has the ball, or when the ball is loose or in the hands of the opposition. But when his teammates have the ball, he is totally passive until they relaease the shot... he allows himself to be screened off with little attempt to open a passing lane, he sort of floats waiting for the shot. When he posts up he doesn't get enough of the C stance ( ie providing anchor and arms out for ball ) but seems to have his arms back and/or straight up. Also he doesn't set up and provide a target, but again hops around a lot, and I think I would be reluctant to thrown an entry pass to him if I'm a guard...he moves around too much. That could have been just excitement last night. His athleticism is, on second viewing, extremely good. He really flies, he really leaps, and he hardly seems to tire. He stands out, and he is very, very active when the ball is around the rim. He would be interesting to pair with Yao, though, because like Yao he seems to feel that over the back is just fine. He didn't get called for it last night, like Yao seems to get away with it a lot, but he should have. Someone to watch.
thx macbeth for rewinding for us. i was watching via computer over my tv set, and didn't bother to fiddle with piping that through the vcr. Another Keon Clark would be a huge pick, although Cato is better when fired up, imo. Keon had those dancing-feet-with-no-purpose, too. Much of that athleticism will go to waste if he can't control his feet...like you say. I remember him getting bounced out of the lane, too. That reminded me of seeing Fizer's own teammates bouncing him around in the NCAA tourny. You're right...he must anchor, or learn leverage. Compare that athleticism to Kenny Thomas. When you watch Kenny, you can see that the guy cannot be budged. With that speed and footwork, Kenny has arms of steal. When his arms are extended, you rarely see someone able to pull one down or push it out of the way. And when you have an iron wingspan like that that blocks paths rather than needing to push, you can block-out people with a greater circumference and not get called for the foul. And Kenny also uses his "hopping" (as you put it) to dislodge you and gain ground. That has to do when "feeling" your opponent and knowing at the right time when you have leverage over them...then m o v e with a hop into their weak spot. man, i love this game.
