What if Jose Calderon GRADUALLY Becomes the Next Steve Nash?

[Oden Rules]

Possible? You have to admit its possible.

Both players have improved every year they've been in the league, arguably. Both players have proven themselves outside the NBA and both are considered amongst the very best point guards in international basketball.

Jose is 26.


Steve Nash at 26:
9 points, 2 rebounds, 5 assists in 27 minutes
FG: 48%
3PT: 40%
FT: 88%


Jose Calderon at 26:
9 points, 2 rebounds, 6 assists in 21 minutes
FG: 49%
3PT: 42%
FT: 92%


Think it's crazy? Both players have the best intangibles you could possibly ask for. Rare intangibles. The kind of intangibles you will see from 1 in 100 players.

The kind of intangibles that cause a player to cheer for his team and raise their spirits when they're down by 40 - only to help them get back in the game.

The kind of intangibles that cause a player never to put his head down, mope or give up on his teammates.

Jose's only going to get better...and you and I both know that this comparison wouldn't be valid with other young points because it's more than just a statistical comparison; both players have the same character in them.

[-SDU-]

dont get me wrong, calderon is nice, but in no way will he ever be as good as steve nash

its crazy to suggest that because they were similar at 26 they will be similar in the future

nash is one of the only players in NBA history (especially PG) to improve statistically in each season after the age of 30, thats just ludicrous that he has actually done that

to think calderon will do the same is wishful thinking as this is the sort of thing we will only see once in a blue moon

all that aside, calderon is a great young player, i would love to have him here learning from nash to take the reigns afterwards

i guess we will have to settle for signing him as a FA when he reaches his peak

[eastsidecrossover]

You can say What if all you want. Can Jose be good, of course, but I hardly think he will be a back 2 back mvp like nash either. I guess we just will have to wait and see how the kid ends up.

[TASTIC]

I love Calderon, I think he's going to put up huge numbers once he secures a full on starting spot - not a 'replacement' type as he is at the moment. A team is going to throw big money at him, and TOR will have a big decision to make

[BK1Jammin]

Impossible.

Why? Because Calderon is the league leader in Assists-To-Turnover ratio, and Nash is 3rd in the league in turnovers. haha, but really...

Calderon will NEVER be able to take over a game, and control a team as Nash is doing right now. Sure, his stats are similar, but honestly, if Nash wanted to average 25 points and 9 assists, he could. He just doesn't because he is the sole reason for this teams success.

If you can say Calderon is the reason for the Raptors success this year, then I don't know what you're thinking.

He COULD prove me wrong though. He is a talented player, great shooter, and a great leader, but from what I've seen so far, he's just a solid PG, not a MVP-type player.

[TASTIC]

Man if you'd seen Nash back in his early Mavs days, the guy was lucky he didn't turn into a journeyman. He was the slowest, most unathletic and inconsistent guy around. I NEVER thought he'd develop into what he has, and anyone who says they saw it coming is a flat out liar.

Calderon will be a real player in this league, not in the Iverson/Wade hoopla star type, but a guy like Paul who isn't overhyped and just goes out and delivers night in and night out. The GM's know who these types of guys are, like Brand, Bosh etc - guys who don't get the national limelight, but do the business nightly.

I'm not saying he'll be an MVP or even a candidate, but he'll raise eyebrows and saying right now that he'll "NEVER" do this or that is foolish. Look at his numbers right now at age 25 in his 3rd season, they're crazy efficient and he's improving rapidly.

[KJ7]

Nash is certainly unique in that he peaked at a weird time in his life. So to make age comparisons is a bit misleading.

I think I've said this before but the thing that Nash *always* had was a unbelievable work ethic and I think that's what really got him to improve year in year out regardless of how old he is.

I like Calderon. He certainly has a unique blend of shooting and play-making ability that not many PG's have these days. The thing about Nash compared to Calderon is that Nash had to bide his time behind some of the best PGs in the last 10-15 years before being plagued by some injuries and eventually breaking thru. Calderon is fighting it out with TJ Ford and hasn't had any real significant injuries that I know of. I'm not exactly sure what to make of that.

While Nash's breakthru came as a result of opportunity + health, Calderon really has both those things going for him but still hasn't made that jump yet. Hopefully he can soon.

[Ryoga Hibiki]

Man if you'd seen Nash back in his early Mavs days, the guy was lucky he didn't turn into a journeyman. He was the slowest, most unathletic and inconsistent guy around. I NEVER thought he'd develop into what he has, and anyone who says they saw it coming is a flat out liar.

one person saw it for sure: Don Nelson. Nash signed a 36M extension after being traded, and that's close to a 60M contract for today's numbers.
Nash looked good in Phoenix and was injury plagued at the beginning of his Dallas time.
I remember him at the Sydney olimpics, I couldn't believe such a player wasn't even considered a top 25PG. Then he had his breakout year.

[Hendrix]

fyi Oden rules is a Raptors troll that's been copying the OP here from someone elses thread that was made in November, and posting it on different boards. Pretty much just spends his time bashing every
Raptors player.


To the question. His stats look good. +.500% fg, +.400% 3pt, +.900% ft. Which are similar to Nash. 8.2 assits, 11.7 ppg in 30 minutes (op's #'s are from November). As a starter 13.7ppg 9.7 apg in 37 minutes on 50%+/40%+/90%+.

But he plays the game in a completly different way. His style of play in his rookie year was more similar to Nash getting into the lane, throwing behind the back passes etc... Now he doesn't really get into the lane and create the wayt Nash does. His high a/to ratio is pretty much because he plays the game in a safe way. Not really wheeling around in the lane keeping his dribble alive and breaking down defences. The only things that are the same about them is they get a lot of assists, and shoot good percentages. Their style of play is completly different. Nsh push's the ball in transition and runs the highest paced team in the league. The Raptors are 27th in pace this year.

[tkb]

Nsh push's the ball in transition and runs the highest paced team in the league. The Raptors are 27th in pace this year.

Raptors play at a slow pace which is no match to the pace you play at, but to be fair it's 3 years since the Suns have been top 2 in pace (tied for 4th with us (Lakers) this season). You guys do have the most efficient offense though, and it's incridible to watch Nash get better every year and how amazing a passer and shooter he is.

[Hendrix]

-= original quote snipped =-



Raptors play at a slow pace which is no match to the pace you play at, but to be fair it's 3 years since the Suns have been top 2 in pace (tied for 4th with us (Lakers) this season). You guys do have the most efficient offense though, and it's incridible to watch Nash get better every year and how amazing a passer and shooter he is.

Ah my bad. I'm actually a Raps fan that has watched a lot of Suns games, so I figured I could chime in since I've seen a lot of the two. Just kind of assumed the Suns were the highest in pace, but don't follow all their stats. Thanks. Still diferent ends of the spectrum as far as pushing the ball between the 2 pg's.

[tsherkin]

I'd say Calderon is more Stockton than Nash, since Nash reminds me more of Magic as a passer.

His turnovers come from him taking more chances with iffy passes that he knows he can make. Calderon makes the fundamental play, doesn't push very hard in transition (almost ALWAYS waits for the secondary break and the trailers) and isn't as good a shooter as Nash, though he's making marvelous improvements.

He's a very controlled player and Nash is a much more imaginitive and loose player.

I think Calderon can and WILL become a very good player but he's really not stylistically similar to Nash except that he's 6'3 and white.

[Illuminati_]

I cant believe this thread was ever made.

[Kerrsed]

I cant believe you bumped this thread.

In B4 lock.

[NYK 455]

Best thread ever.

[Miklo]

Clearly a great poster who ultimately got waived