Tinsley was supposed to be a lock from #11- #23, why did everyone pass on him? Especially the nets, who also passed up the center they really need in Loren Woods 4 TIMES! Woods ended up going to the Wolves, who end up getting a guy they probably would have taken with the #18 anyways. ------------------ One of the newest members of the New Jersey Nets fan club.
You shouldn't be too surprised. I've never really been a big Loren Woods fan. I like watching Tinsley play, but I could see how a lot of teams could be scared how he would project on the next level. Ever since Loren Woods stepped on the Wake Forest campus in 5 years ago in Fall of 96, he was suppose to be the next David Robinson. The Demon Deacons tried to play Woods along side Tim Duncan, hoping their interior presence would lead them to the promise land. It was kind of obvious Woods couldn't step up to the expectations. The guy has a nice touch around the basket. Decent jumper. Virtually no low post moves. Below average footwork. He's long, a great help defender. Mediocre low post defender. Slightly above average athlete. His outside touch, shotblocking and height peeked a lot of people's interest. But that wasn't enough to compensate for the lack of attitude and intensity necessary to be an effective interior presence. Tack on the leary questions about his back, and you have a 2nd rounder. Tinsley is a creative/slick ballhandler who likes to look for his shot. Penetrates and finishes effectively. He's deceptively quick in a Sam Cassell kind of way. Suspect outside jumper. Work ethic is a huge question. He's outspoken about not being a big fan of conditioning and it shows. Hey, but his playground moves are fun to watch. Those two guys dropping shouldn't have been too big of a surprise. ------------------
I was a bit surprised at Tinsley but not Woods. Like Da Man said Woods never developed after his freshman year. He has to play the 5 spot but can't seem to beef up. His frame is simlar to Camby. And Camby has trouble staying heathly each year. Plus Camby was a much better player than Woods in college. Woods seems to take plays off during the games as well. I never understood why people were so high on him. The second round is where he should've gone and did. A tad lower than I expected though. ------------------
From today's ESPN Insider: Two league sources told Insider that concerns about Woods' "mental health," not his physical health, caused his stock to drop. According to the sources, Woods had several shaky workouts where he broke down emotionally. During one Western Conference workout, Woods left before the workout was over. Word quickly spread through the league and teams began to question whether he had the mental toughness to survive in the NBA. All of this took place despite some excellent workouts that got rave reviews. ------------------
I think Indi stole Tinsley. Atlanta will regret letting him go. He is an excellent penetrator who draws lots of fouls. He's very strong in the upper body, and 6'3. His shot is not yet what it should be, but he has hit some big shots with the game on the line, showing the mental toughness that Woods apparently lacks. He does have Cassell-like quickness, but his strength makes me think of a very quick Mark Jackson. The Pacers will love him, and maybe move Travis Best eventually if they keep Rose at the point. ------------------ KanHoop "Rarely is the question asked: Is our children learning?" -- George W. Bush, Florence, S.C., January 11, 2000
Eric Musselman, one of the Hawk assistant coaches was on the Fox Regional Sports Report last night. He said something like this. One of the Hawk scouts or coaches was talking with Michael Jordan about Tinsley. Jordan's appraisal was that the guy could become either Sam Cassell or Dwayne (Pearl) Washington. Remember how Jordan was supposedly so enamored of Tinsley, jockeying for a mid first-round pick to select him? I guess the Hawks took him for Indy... don't know the details. ------------------ "How far you go in life depends on you being tender with the young, compassionate with the aged, sympathetic with the striving and tolerant of the weak. Because someday you will have been all of these."
Getting Morris instead of Woods will be the mistake of the draft, imho. I don't care how much Steve likes him, he has enough friends on the team. Not only would Woods be a good center, but a competitor for Cato might get him to improve as well. I just hope we are not reduced to a Cato/Collier rotation at center, especially considering the Rockets recent track record with center injuries. ------------------ What's a Nubian?
If taking Woods instead of Morris is the mistake of the draft, then a hell of alot of teams made a mistake passing on Woods. The whole Francis/Morris angle works for the Rockets, but it doesn't explain why other teams passed on him. I don't buy the excuse that "teams weren't prepared, and never expected him to fall so they passed on him". Something is wrong with Woods mentally or physically, most likely both, and he's a known quitter. I'd be willing to bet he failed the Psych tests pretty badly. Maybe Woods becomes a decent center, maybe he doesn't, but I feel the Rockets took care of the small forward spot for years with this draft, and depending on Hakeem's situation, will adress the center position within the next 2 drafts. There is a plan. ------------------ The Smurfs were Communists
