Who is the better player, Aaron Brooks or Steve Francis?

Well since Brooks is in his third year, I'll compare him to the third year Francis. So Francis is better.

Why? Because Francis who is very quick, fast, and he was EXPLOSIVE. Brooks sometimes lose the ball when he drives in because he's small and much weaker than Francis was. Francis was very strong for a point guard, and he can dunk on almost everyone in the league at that time. His hops got him high enough where he can dunk or maneuver the ball for a lay in.

Francis overall stats are better in his third year. Francis was averaging 20 points, 5 rebs, and 5 assist. Though Brooks was a much better shooter, Francis was a better finisher at the rim. Francis doesn't rely on shooting as much as Brooks. When Brooks is having an off shooting night, he struggles. With Francis, he just drives in for contact and finish with a dunk or get a foul.

Francis is very similar to Derrick Rose right now but much more explosive. The only thing that makes Rose a better player is his IQ. Francis makes too many mistakes and he often force bad shots. If his head was screw on correctly, Francis would be on of the elite point guards in the league. Talent wise, he's up there in the top of the list of point guards. But his decision making is very questionable along with his ego and attitude problems.

Brooks is an undersized player but his quickness makes up for it. Francis was a big point guard, 6'3, and his strong frame makes him hard to guard. His crossover was very deadly. Even with Brooks quickness, he can be shut down easily with a stronger more physical guard like Rose. But Rose would have a hard time guarding a young Francis. Stevie isn't as quick as Brooks but his ball handling skills, size, strength and his ability to slash makes him a tough cover. Francis doesn't get strip as often as Brooks does.

So overall, Francis was a better player. He's a better all around player and a more superior passer. But Francis downfall was because his ego and attitude stop him from reaching his full potential. Francis was an All Star player and he started for the All Star team a few times while if Brooks even makes it to the all star team, he would be the 12th man. Brooks is a good player but Francis just has a upper hand. More potential, more gifted, more athletic, stronger, bigger body but a bad ego.

 

Yeah Brooks is a much better shooter and he doesn't make bone headed decision like Francis does. But Francis was still better. Francis is a better all around player and still get the Rockets 20 points. Brooks sometimes dribble into the trap but he's fast enough to get out of it.

Francis has just as much handles as Brooks, maybe even better. His crossovers were deadly and he can get to the rim at will. Brooks yesterday against Rose was completely shut down. When his shots aren't falling, he can't do anything else. But if his shots are falling, then he's pretty much a hard cover for anyone.

Both are different players. Brooks use his speed and shooting touch to score. That's his strength. Is scoring. Francis is an all around player. He can score, rebound and assist. Francis was a walking 20/5/5 guy. Francis was more talented than Brooks but it is his ego and attitude problems that got the best of him.

Kyle Lowry on the other hand makes better decisions than Brooks and Francis put together. That's why Lowry is so valuable to this team.

 

Disappointing post, DD. :-( Remember Stevie in his prime?!

 

are you serious? lol

Steve Francis in his prime drew debates on ESPN on who was the better player out of he and Ivesron

Stevie was the #2 overall pick in the 99 draft for a reason

 

pay dd no mind, hes a massive Franchise hater and has a blind eye to AB's flaws, therefore his judgement is flawed

 

Brooks consistently makes boneheaded passes and turns the ball over with regularity

AB drives to the hole and either trips and falls or gets stripped or passes it away or gets blocked.. hes been doin better lately but lets not get it twisted

when Francis drove to the rack somebody was gona be in his latest poster

Francis also did not get raped when he played the other top PG's in the game like AB does, Stevie consistently won those marquee PG battles, only player that gave him some trouble was Nash but who didnt nash get the better of?

AB is good but no way was he better than a prime Stevie, NO WAY any1 disputes that is an idiot

 

Its easily Steve Franchise but if you were to ask who the best value was for where they got drafted, it would be a little more split. SF3 at 2nd overall or for... Well we ripped the Grizz. What about AB0 at 26? I think AB is more valuable for where he was picked. SF3 fell in what was supposed to be his prime.

 

Actually, DD is one of my favorite posters, up there with durvasa. I just figured he'd some a lil more love towards Stevie for some of the awesome things he did.

 

I meant to quote this one.^ My bad.

 

My thoughts exactly, well sorta, well I really haven't given it much thought since my first post, but if I did I'm sure it would be the above. :grin:

(spreading green)

 

Francis 2nd tour was diff cuz he was basically black balled the way they did tracey, if u had any knowledge of how the situation was youd know Francis was doomed from the beginning by RA.. if he doesnt like you hes gona hide u on the bench.. Joey Dorsey the same way altho he is not that great jus an example

 

regardless of whos ur fave posters hes a Francis detractor so his answer doesnt surprise me.. u dont have to defend to me who u like

 

When Francis returned, he lost his athletisizm and explosiveness due to knee unjury. That was his best attribute. If he was younger and healthy, I don't think he'd ever have a problem taking over Rafer immediately.

Look at current Tmac and the Tmac a few years back. It's night and day. You needed to put two guys on himbefore, now you can somewhat leave him semi open because he isn't nearly as explosive as before. Same thing happened to SF3.

Brooks had made a lot improvement, but he is far from Francis in his peak.

 

you've lost all credibility here. In no way was Francis blackballed, truth is he had nothing left and quite frankly didn't work hard enough to get better. Steve had all world athleticism but once that went away he had nothing left. He had his moments in a Rocket uniform for sure, it was very exciting at times, I just don't think it was winning basketball.

Yes AB turns it over attacking the paint on occasion and it can be frustrating at times, but he's getting better pulling up with the midrange shot. Brooks has much better handles than Francis, shoots far better from outside and his passing is better than what people give him credit for. Yes Francis was the better rebounder.

I'll take Brooks over Francis anyday, I just think he's a winner and more complete player. Stats are onot everything. Look at what AB did against Portland in the playoffs, Francis ever do that?

 

Agree except one thing. Francis wasn't much slower than AB， and his first step might be even faster. He got to the rim even quicker than AB.

 

Fro real, it was Yao/Scola who killed Portland. Yao even called out AB for his way of play after game 5. So please don't give AB too much credit for that 1st round win.

In SF3's only playoff series against Lakers, he was average something like 20/8/8 on 40% 3pt shooting plus several clutch shots. That's Superstar like stats.

I just don't think AB can ever do that no matter how he develops.

 

Was Steve Francis in his prime an overrated player? Probably so.

Was Stevie's basketball IQ "less than stellar"? I suppose.

Does that mean that he wasn't better than Aaron Brooks is now? Definitely not.

I think people are taking the "overrating" of Francis during his prime years and skewing that perception to translate into Francis "not being good", when the reality is that Francis was a VERY good player. Just not quite as good as many made him out to be. Plus, while his basketball IQ was not off-the-charts, his natural ability still made him an All-Star caliber player.

Meanwhile, Brooks is one of the leading scorers on a CURRENT Rockets team that is overachieving. This tends to skew perception in the opposite direction. By overachieving, Brooks is then viewed as perhaps better than he really is.

I loved Francis when he played here. I love Brooks now.

But Steve Francis in his prime/third year is a better basketball player than Aaron Brooks.

 

I voted for Francis, but it's getting closer all the time. And I was halfway tempted to go with Brooks just because at least he doesn't always run down the clock.

 

I'll take Steve he may not have had the highest IQ on the basketball court, but dude could get the job done. Anytime a player can avg 20 5 5 hes doing something right.

 

AB averaged 16.8 in the playoffs last year and shot .422 from 3pt while only starting what 30 something games last year. But like I said, stats are not the end all.

Francis was a good player and exciting, not knocking him, I just think Brooks plays a better brand of basketball