Just for grinds, Since we owned last years number one pick, and let's say that LeBron decided to leave HS early, who would you pick between the three knowing what you know Now?
Still Yao for me too. Always take the quality big man. They are much harder to find. Besides, I've had just about enough of LeBron.
Ok to change this topic up a bit. Who would have picked between 1. Tim Duncan 2. Lebron James 3. Yao Ming 4. Hakeem Olajuwon What order do you think they would have been drafted. I was going to try it but i think i will think about it for a while. Its a little tough for me.
1) James - too much hype to be passed 2) Ming - the unknown big man with reported "game altering" skills 3) Duncan - acomplished big man out of Wake who should have come out after his junior year 4) Olajuwon - a defensive minded center out of UH with ALOT of room for growth
This topic has been done before, with other players involved with Hakeem. Again, it's impossible and unfair to compare a rookie with a retired HOF bound player. But if you ignore their subsequent accomplishments and just look at what they were as a draftee coming out of college/HS/CBA, then this is the order I would take: 1. Duncan: most NBA ready big man 2. James: a total package but untested 3. Olajuwon: raw with great potential 4. Yao: great potential but too many questions and unknown factors
How could you put any of those above Hakeem... such blasphemy on these boards... While all of those gentlemen are or may become exceptional talents they are not Hakeem. As great a career as MJ had no one in the league would have passed on Hakeem for him... And you dare to mention these all stars are future all stars with one of the greatest players of all time... That being said if Hakeem is not on that list... Duncan is clearly the best... but do not underestimate James even if he is as talented as MJ I doubt he has the hunger and desire to win like him... hell I doubt anyone has... Amare forget about... He is just an exceptional athlete but nothing more than an all star at best... No MVP for him... So knowing what I Know now I would definitely still take Yao then James and then Amare.
I think it's improtant to remember that he wasn't asking to rank Duncan, Hakeem, Ming, and LeBron, just if you had only seen their pre NBA careers what order would they be drafted in. I think it would go Duncan, Hakeem, James and Yao.
Let me repeat myself . The year Michael Jordan came out no one in the league would have taken him over Hakeem. And Amare and James or no MJ
i don't know if calling hakeem raw when he came out is right. sure he wasn't as polished and fluid as the championship days but the rockets and all nba scouts knew exactly what he was and that's a friggin beast. he dominated immediately and would still be taken first against all those guys. as for the 3 mentioned in the thread title i easily would choose yao.
There is no way Duncan goes ahead of Akeem. Akeem dominated and went to the championship game twice (Final 4 all 3 years) when college ball was much tougher. Here's what would happen, IMO: 1) Akeem 2) James 3) Duncan 4) Yao
