zilches, its not racism, its just that White players are not atheletic enough to be considered "Raw". If a white player is entering the draft with great atheletic ability but lacks fundamental skills and organized basketball experience, he will be considered raw. But thats never happened because there just isnt any white players that are athletic enough to get by on atheltic ability alone. Shawn Bradley is one white player who may have been considered raw at the time because he did not start playing organized basketball till late and he was not skilled in fundamentals but he did get by on size and a uncommon athletic ability for that size.
Whew! Although this racial bent certainly was not my intent, I think I exposed a "raw" nerve. No, gang, I just want to understand the extent of the lack of skills (for want of another way of expressing it) that will keep him off the roster.
raw adj. raw·er, raw·est Uncooked: raw meat. Being in a natural condition; not processed or refined: raw wool. See Synonyms at crude. Not finished, covered, or coated: raw wood. See Synonyms at rude. Not having been subjected to adjustment, treatment, or analysis: raw data; the raw cost of production. Untrained and inexperienced: raw recruits. Recently finished; fresh: raw plaster. Having subcutaneous tissue exposed: a raw wound. Inflamed; sore: a raw throat. Unpleasantly damp and chilly: raw weather. Cruel and unfair: a raw punishment. Outspoken; crude: a raw portrayal of truth. Powerfully impressive; stark: raw beauty; raw talent. nude; naked. There you have it, Badiane is naked.
Let me make this real simple........................................................................................................He Sucks basically
Shawn Bradley was described as Raw. Gheorge Muresan was described as raw, Todd McCullough was described as raw, Mark Eaton was described as Raw, Chuck Nevitt was described as raw........what a bunch of racist garbage. If a white guy made that comment about blacks he would be hammered......racism is ignorance......and zilch has proven he is as ignorant as they come. Idiot !!! DD
I guess I should rephrase my original statement... Instead of "go-to move", replace with "only move."
Regarding racist posters...they need to keep their unsubstantiated nonsense to themselves. Even in the '03 draft there were white players who were drafted who are consider "raw", like S. Vranes. As for the NBA definition of raw, I think it's pretty simple. A player who displays natural potential to be a real player in the NBA, but has not been taught "the fundamentals" is usually considered "raw". Boxing out, proper positioning & spacing, footwork in the post on O & D, timing on weak-side help, making cuts, setting picks...these are just some of the abilities a polished player should already be good at. Most players coming into the NBA w/ the "raw" label end up as specialists in one or two NBA skills like shot-blocking or rebounding, but that doesn't mean a player can't go from "raw" to "star". You never know. Shaq quite possibly has the best low-post footwork in the league. Anyone who thinks he isn't among the best in that department must not have seen him play much over the years. I've been following his game since he was at LSU, & must disagree w/ those who wrongfully claim O'Neal just "bullies" his way to the basket using his size and not skill. Shaq is at least as polished in the post as Stanley Roberts, a guy who has always been known for his great post footwork & his horrible weight problem. O'Neal may not have the 'Dream Shake', but he does improve the skill aspect of his game every year. While his size helps him keep his position once he gets into the post, it's his footwork that gets him the buckets. Last season more than ever, the guy had to use pure skill to score, since his opponents were allowed to triple-team him without the ball. He has had a very good up-&-under move, a very smooth spin move, & his baby hook since his Orlando days. He has expanded that low-post arsenal, adding an increasingly more effective fade-away shot (within 8-10ft), along with more effective left & right jump-hooks. He has been getting fewer & fewer dunk opportunities over the years as he has gotten slower and less athletic, & he has made up for that by improving his shooting further from the basket and by out maneuvering opponents in the post.
Newb, we are trying to define "raw:...not "awe". The second part paragraph of your unedited post was on target, though.
If the white folks named were described as "raw", then I stand corrected. And DD, geez, I think you have damaged my self esteem! One of the few times I have been labeled an idiot. I'm a big Boki supporter. But I never heard him described as raw. Just not good enough to get on the court I guess.
I think in terms of on court polish and experience. Most high school players and early entry college players are described as raw. Guys like Pavel and Pauchilia were also described as raw from the international standpoint. Guys who have the "p" word attached but hasn't put it together are also raw. More times than not, its a guy who has great leaping ability or athletic prowess, but odesn't have the experience like Amare. last yr, he got by on raw potential like Kemp did in his earlier yrs, but now its up to him and the most important thing, work ethic to decide if he's going to take that next step. If Badiane is as raw and agressive as Amare was last yr, then that would be cool with me. If he has the work ethic they say he has, thats an even better reason to like the guy. We'll see.
Sorry if this has already been covered... Raw, in terms of athletics, would seem to indicate two things; 1) Lack of accute action muscle memory. 2) Lack of mental understanding of the game. They are often, but not always, connected. The first comes from basic repetion, coupled with an innate ability to absorb conditioned response muscle memory and apply it to a specific activity when demanded. That is to say, you have put your muscles through a specific sequence of actions, say squaring your feet for a shot, cocking your wrist, tucking your elbow in, bending, releasing the bend, etc. until it becomes 'instinctive'. Often what we see as a player being instictive, like say Bird, was at least in part due to the fact that he had rehearsed the actions so often, under so many conditions, that they came quicker to him, and seemed more 'natural' than they would to others. Your muscles, over time, become accustomed to a specific series of actions, and not only get better at doing them, but operate as their own regulator, ie going through the actions properly without having to consciously think " Square up...elbows in' etc...So a raw player would be one who has the requisite athletic ability, but not the accute action muscle memory specific to the sport. The second is pretty self explanatory, and no one in here needs me to elaborate...but I think that the first os more on point with the actual question, whereas the second can continue for long after a player has gotten used to the game.
