Okok, this is kinda shameless. But I was reading another of Dickie V's articles today, and remembered his submission from way back on June 21st (well, less than 4 months ago). Re-reading that article comparing Yao/Jay brought a smile to my face. I thought I'd post it here and see if you guys enjoy it as much as I do. Yao over Jay? Rockets will regret it By Dick Vitale SPECIAL TO ESPN.COM June 21 It looks like 7-foot-5 Chinese center Yao Ming will be the top choice of the Houston Rockets in the upcoming NBA draft. Rockets coach Rudy Tomjanovich and the Houston entourage visited China, and they were impressed enough to want to make Ming their center in a lineup that includes Steve Francis and Cuttino Mobley in the backcourt. But I have a gut feeling the Rockets are making a mistake. I think they'll be sorry they passed on Duke's Jay Williams. There's no doubt in my mind that he will be a superstar and that people in Chicago will be ecstatic about getting him at No. 2. Think about this Chicago Bulls lineup: Williams at point guard, Jalen Rose at shooting guard, and Tyson Chandler, Eddy Curry and Marcus Fizer up front. Bulls coach Bill Cartwright will love having Rose's experience and knowledge together with Williams, the young phenom. Williams is a lock for stardom. If I were the Rockets, I would pick him No. 1 and package Francis in a deal for experienced help inside. That says something about how I view Williams' potential. As for Mr. Ming, he has loads of potential, skills and finesse at 7-foot-5. He has great touch, but it's a different world in the NBA compared to starring for the Shanghai Sharks. It's more physical in the NBA, with the banging inside from bigger, more athletic guys. There are lots of "ifs" with Mr. Ming, but none with Mr. Williams. It's the big guy vs. little guy debate, but point guards are so vital in the NBA today. Just look at Jason Kidd and Michael Bibby and their playoff performances! The point-guard position is so important on all levels, be it high school, college or the pros. Point guards are the quarterbacks on the court. To me, Williams is another Isiah Thomas. A player like him is a rarity. Look at the championship banners flying in Detroit, thanks largely to Isiah. That's the kind of success I see ahead for Jay Williams. I know Rudy T has made his mind up, and I love his competitiveness. But if he doesn't want to trade Stevie Franchise, he could package Williams in a deal. I still feel that Yao Ming could be the second coming of LaRue Martin, the big man who was a first-round bust of the Portland Trail Blazers in 1972. My gut feeling tells me the Rockets are making a mistake, baby, in evaluating their overall No. 1 pick. Still, Rudy T could shock America by having NBA commissioner David Stern announce Williams' name as the top pick. Then Houston would be moving toward the winner's circle.
for some reason, my favorite part of it was where he forced the word "Baby" into it because he's known for saying it.
Jay Williams: FG % 0.390 FT % 0.551 "There are lots of "ifs" with Mr. Ming, but none with Mr. Williams." Thank you Sir. You can retire NOW.
You forgot the fact that he can only manage 10 points and 5 assists on the BULLS. He's got a long way to go, but Yao has arrived!!
Dick Vitale main selling point since he retired from coaching has been the personality. No one pays serious attention to him. I thought he was crazy in 1983.
People still care what Duke Vitale thinks?? Dude's tongue is as blue as a Chow's from all that Blue Devil **** he sucks...
go to dicky V's espn homepage and let him have it!!! http://espn.go.com/dickvitale/vmail/index.html hahaha hehehe Yao Ming could be another LaRue Martin By Dick Vitale SPECIAL TO ESPN.COM May 22 The Houston Rockets have the No. 1 pick in the NBA draft, and Rockets fans are getting excited about the possibility of improving their frontcourt. The Rockets have a talented backcourt with Stevie Franchise -- I mean Steve Francis -- and Cuttino Mobley. Now coach Rudy Tomjanovich and company can pick up a big man. Will Yao Ming be a slam-dunk NBA success? Or will he be another LaRue Martin? Do I hear the name Yao Ming in Houston's future? Can you see another big man in that Rocket uniform at 7-foot-5? To me, this has the potential to be a pick just like one the Portland Trail Blazers made 30 years ago. That's right, back in 1972, the Blazers drafted a young big man named LaRue Martin from Loyola of Chicago. The selection was based on potential. Boy, did that pick fail to pan out. My gut feeling watching Ming is not positive. Maybe I'm not being fair, but I see a player who won't have the body strength to endure the kind of physical contact that takes place on the interior. He will face superb athleticism day in and day out in the NBA, especially if he's in the Western Conference. I feel he will be abused inside. Some say Ming can handle the basketball well and shoot 15-foot jumpers. But is that what you really want from a player his size? Hey, could this be another Sam Bowie? It seems like I'm picking on those Blazers, but Martin and Bowie were two big men who didn't make the impact desired for such an early draft pick. Even if Ming develops, it could take several years and he could end up as a free agent by the time he becomes a star. He's also a risky proposition because of contract negotiations with his Chinese team. Will the Rockets or someone else (if Houston trades the top pick) make a mistake by passing on J-Will? Jay Williams has superstar written all over him. Fans of the Chicago Bulls, who have the second pick, must be hoping and praying that Williams becomes their point guard for the next 10 years. With J-Will, the Bulls would have no problem at the point-guard slot, and that's an area where every team needs consistency. In last year's draft, Chicago selected Tyson Chandler and Eddy Curry, two high school kids with potential. GM Jerry Krause figured the Bulls wouldn't win for a while, but these two big guys could develop into potential stars in the long run. The people of Chicago deserve better. Look at what has happened since Michael the Magnificent, the great Michael Jordan, left. It's sad. I firmly believe they need some instant help to get to the winner's circle. Remember, the Eastern Conference is not as strong as the West, so the Bulls could get healthy in a hurry. It will be interesting to see what happens with the first pick of the draft. Will the Rockets trade down and get some help with veterans? The top pick is truly desired, and not just for Ming. To succeed in the NBA these days, point-guard play is so important. You'd better excel in that area if you want to excel as a team. Look at what the Nets have done with the addition of Jason Kidd, baby! And Jay Williams will be a dominant point guard. Would Houston trade Stevie Franchise to get help in the frontcourt and then use the top pick on Williams? Imagine getting a lot of help on the baseline in a deal for Francis! There are many intriguing possibilities. The NBA draft should be interesting. But something tells me Mr. Ming could be another LaRue Martin.
Wait a minute now. You can slam Vitale all you want, but Jay Williams is\will be a good NBA player. He may be struggling a bit with the adjustment to an entirely different system and role, but the kid can PLAY! Give him time. Apples and oranges, my friends.
The hilarious thing was that he was so obsessed with Duke that he was literally BEGGING the Rockets to make Jay Williams the #1 pick. Even going as far as calling Ming a bust even though he obviously had never seen him truly play. So he wants the Rockets to packaging Francis for an ok to above average big man, instead of keeping Francis who is clearly better then Jay Williams and is young himself, and Yao Ming who has a ton of talent. How about that Dick Vitale!
