JOE HAMMOND ... WHAT IF?

[Sedale Threatt]

^ Nice post ... however ... you basically described Allen Iverson in your first couple of paragraphs and the guy is a sure-fire HOF'er.

True, but 99.99999 of the playground legends aren't as gifted as Allen Iverson. For his litany of shortcomings, he's still one of the best little men to ever play the game.

As for Joe Hammond ... there doesn't need to be any mythology, the true stories about the guy are enough.

If they can be believed. But I wasn't picking on Hammond. Like I said, if Dr. J and Kareem are giving you proper respect, that speaks for itself. Rather, the notion that the NBA overlooks deserving playground prospects in favor of lesser-talented players.

While not perfect, the bottom-line nature of pro sports make it one of the few true meritocracies -- or about as close as you can get to one. If you can truly play, chances are good they're going to give you a look.

[The_Trade_Seer]

True, but 99.99999 of the playground legends aren't as gifted as Allen Iverson. For his litany of shortcomings, he's still one of the best little men to ever play the game.

I agree.

If they can be believed. But I wasn't picking on Hammond. Like I said, if Dr. J and Kareem are giving you proper respect, that speaks for itself. Rather, the notion that the NBA overlooks deserving playground prospects in favor of lesser-talented players.

Come on man, Brian Scalabrine? Brian Cardinal? Those guys would get killed by many, many street ballers. However I do understand that locker room chemsitry is also important and if that would be improved by signing a goofy, red-headed white boy with no game rather than a cocky street baller, I can live with that.

While not perfect, the bottom-line nature of pro sports make it one of the few true meritocracies -- or about as close as you can get to one. If you can truly play, chances are good they're going to give you a look.

At least, now-a-days it does ... the same couldn't be said 60-70 years ago ... Earl Lloyd, Jackie Robinson, Fritz Pollard, Bobby Marshall, Willie O'Ree and the guys did good.

[Sedale Threatt]

Come on man, Brian Scalabrine? Brian Cardinal? Those guys would get killed by many, many street ballers.

If we were talking about 1-on-1, that would be pertinent. Let's see Hot Sauce or whoever lead the league in 3-point shooting, like Matt Bonner did. Hell, even Scalabrine, as bad as he is, is nearly a 40 percent career 3-point shooter. That's not an easy skill to replicate.

At least, now-a-days it does ... the same couldn't be said 60-70 years ago ... Earl Lloyd, Jackie Robinson, Fritz Pollard, Bobby Marshall, Willie O'Ree and the guys did good.

Absolutely. But racism is much less an issue today than it was for a lot of those guys. If today's playground legend could legitimately help an NBA team, I have a hard time seeing them not picked up. The stakes are too high to just blatantly ignore legit players like they used to.

BTW -- I found an good Hammond article by the NY Times. Very much supports that he could have been an excellent NBA player. With all his obvious character flaws, however, it seems like far from a lock. Who's to say he wouldn't have ended up like Michael Ray Richardson?

http://www.nytimes.com/1990/11/11/sport ... tml?src=pm