Yes, because a player slips in the draft and vows to make teams pay means they will do so. I myself have vowed to make every team that passes on me pay-- all 30 of them. As opposed to my argument, which is that you cant compare Butler, who was an excellent player in college, to Gay, who has been built on hype. Gay is a bit younger and has time to improve on Butler, but who knows. It looks like the Rox werent willing to wait to find out.
What do you think of the 11th pick of this draft? We passed on several potentially good/great players. I guess there was nobody that CD and CO. felt was an instant contributor, except maybe Roy. Hell, if we had the 5th pick I wouldn't be surprised if that was traded away too. JVG wants starters, and he didn't feel that at number 8, we'd get that...His words.
Maybe the Rockets are building for a run in the next season, the next draft is gonna be deeper, if they get a lottery pick again this coming season, they might end up on top.
It's not just hype. Gay was the best player and leading scorer on one of the most talented teams in the history of college Bball (UNLV with LJ, Michigan with Webber). Butler was more polished coming out of Uconn, but at the same time Gay is a much better athlete. Both players have very strong fundamentals and both had excellent jumpers at Uconn. Aside from the make teams pay comment. Jim Calhoun also said that Gay has written greatness all over him.
He actually said the greatness thing about Gay, Butler and Donyell Marshall. I wouldnt say Butler or Marshall is anything close to being great. Also this Uconn team was not one of the most talented teams in history. Not even close. They werent even the most talented team in Uconn history. As for Gay being the leading scorer, he only outscored the legendary Rashad Anderson by about 2 points a game. Not exactly a sure sign of NBA dominance.
Most talented teams in the history of college basketball? Is that why the made it to the NCAA final game.. oh wait. This isnt even one of the most talented UCONN teams of all time, or even the past 5 years! I would argue the Okafor and Hamilton graduating teams were easily superior. But saying UCONN was one of the most talented teams in the history of college of basketball is an exaggeration that seems to be quite common (UNLV, Michigan, Duke, UNC, and even UCONN have all had teams that would wipe the floor with Gay's UCONN team) in people thinking Gay was also the most dominant player in college last year... I mean, do people even watch college basketball before posting? Gay wasnt even as good as Battier was his sophomore year in college... And Calhoun has not been exactly complimentary of Gay, and the greatness thing seems like a canned line he uses for all his players.
WTF? Shane Battier was just what he is as an NBA player as a sophomore. He was a 9ppg role player. Shane Battier emergence in college was a Dick Vitale hypefest in response to the first Duke players to leave college early. Remember, Shane Battier was a role player on a team that included Elton Brand, William Avery, Trajan Langdon, Corey Maggette, and Chris Carawell. BigSleep, you need to wake up.
Yeah, and that talented team didn't win until all of those guys bolted. Duke finally won in '01, the same year that Battier was the consensus player of the year. Write about Battier as if he were neither a Grizzly nor a Rocket, and I think you may present a fair opinion.
