Trevor Booker

[BruceO]

I know everyone has their heart set on the maxiell comparison, but question, was maxiell ever this fast or this athletic? I wonder about Trevor Booker and whether he can actually be a Ron Artest Type player. I don't see the limitations. Artest was 6 7ish player who was wide bodied and weighs about 240, tough, good rebounder, not fluid scorer ( only in isolation) plays a PF posting type game offensively utilizing his strength.
With his speed I don't see how he can't be able to defend the big SF's like Lebron who are typically hard to defend. He will also be able to help on the boards, defend and help on fast breaks.

Here's artest DX right up on defense.

Defense: Arguably the best perimeter defender in the game. Can lock down the best of the best. So strong and tenacious that he can easily defend some power forwards in spurts. Very tough to get by off the dribble in half court situations. Isn’t the fastest player, but knows what kind of angles he needs to create to deny penetration. Contests every shot his man takes. Displays great anticipation and hand quickness when deflecting passes and stripping ball handlers. One of the best in the NBA at picking up steals, year in and year out. Will suffocate less athletic players. Blocks shots by virtue of his positioning and fundamentals. Knows all the little tricks to get his man off his game. Good defensive rebounder. Gives a lot of hard fouls. Plays with a chip on his shoulder and bring unmatched intensity to the defensive end.

A skilled PF like Gasol and a player like Artest have worked for an NBA championship lineup. I think it can work with Blatche and Booker. Also I am a proponent of bringing josh howard back because he also fits the profile of the players we currently have. He is tough, he is athletic, he is good in defense and he is a scrapper. He can defend the SG's gil will have trouble with or the smaller faster small forwards.

[doclinkin]

I know everyone has their heart set on the maxiell comparison, but question, was maxiell ever this fast or this athletic? I wonder about Trevor Booker and whether he can actually be a Ron Artest Type player. I don't see the limitations. Artest was 6 7ish player who was wide bodied and weighs about 240, tough, good rebounder, not fluid scorer ( only in isolation) plays a PF posting type game offensively utilizing his strength.
With his speed I don't see how he can't be able to defend the big SF's like Lebron who are typically hard to defend. He will also be able to help on the boards, defend and help on fast breaks.

...

A skilled PF like Gasol and a player like Artest have worked for an NBA championship lineup. I think it can work with Blatche and Booker.

Good call and that's my read as well. I was searching for an analogous player, Maxiell ain't it. JMax has silly long arms for his height and a bombproof safe as a torso. Booker has human proportions, though he's solid as concrete and by all rights should be playing linebacker or tight end. Or both. But like Artest coming out of St Johns you had no idea what role he would play in the NBA but you knew with his passion and obvious enjoyment of competitive rage he would find a way to get on the court and win. 'Course no one knew coming out of college exactly how crazed Artest was...

Booker seems far more level headed. Direct. No frills. No nonsense. I fully expect him to be able to defend at an NBA level, the Power Smalls as well as many larger Fours. I expect him to be able to D up on the perimeter as needed, with his game smarts and a decent scheme of force rules.

Mike Lee:

During the Wizards' interviews with draft prospects that either played in the ACC or faced Clemson, one name repeatedly came up as the player who defended them toughest. Booker is expected to be formally introduced on Tuesday - and no, there won't be a red carpet display or a proclamation from Mayor Adrian Fenty - but I spoke with him briefly in Chicago at the NBA combine.

"One thing that people can't take away from me is how hard I go on the court," Booker said. "With my energy, my passion. I'm going leave everything on the court. I'm going to get after guys. I'm going to make guys better in practice."

Booker is an above-average athlete with incredible speed. Wall's wheels have been well-documented, but did you realize that Booker is faster? At the combine, Booker recorded the fastest time in the three-quarter court sprint, measuring in at 3.10 seconds - or 0.04 seconds faster than Wall, Avery Bradley and Wesley Johnson. He's at least 30 pounds heavier than all of them. Booker's been compared to Paul Milsap, Carl Landry and Jason Maxiell, other undersized but gritty big men.

"We want to change our culture, of how people perceive our team. Change the culture of how we play," Coach Flip Saunders said. "The thing that Ernie [Grunfeld] and I [talked about], having been here and going through the process and having been in Detroit and Minnesota, where we had success, we had players, they were dogs. They were competitors and we didn't get pushed around a lot. I thought we had a tendency to get pushed around a little bit. We said we were going to get guys who were competitive and that were going to go after it. We can put ourselves in a situation where we're not going to get pushed around."

[DCZards]

I know everyone has their heart set on the maxiell comparison, but question, was maxiell ever this fast or this athletic? I wonder about Trevor Booker and whether he can actually be a Ron Artest Type player.

Funny you should compare Booker to Crazy Ron. A few days ago I was thinking the same thing because Booker's size, strength and toughness does indeed remind me of Artest. With his athleticism, speed and possible ability to defend perimeter players, Booker T may be more Artest than Maxiell.

[keynote]

Well, Booker obviously has a ways to go in terms of his ball handling and shooting skills to become a Sane Artest. But, before we anoint him our perimeter defensive stopper, I suspect that he'll have a bit of a learning curve on that side of the ball as well. Booker may have the physical tools to defend big SFs, but he's (presumably) been defending post players in college all this time. Perimeter defense isn't just about strength and lateral quickness; it's about spacing, awareness anticipation and technique. Let's see if our coaching staff has what it takes to show him how to develop those skills and that awareness.

[nate33]

I know everyone has their heart set on the maxiell comparison, but question, was maxiell ever this fast or this athletic? I wonder about Trevor Booker and whether he can actually be a Ron Artest Type player.

Funny you should compare Booker to Crazy Ron. A few days ago I was thinking the same thing because Booker's size, strength and toughness does indeed remind me of Artest. With his athleticism, speed and possible ability to defend perimeter players, Booker T may be more Artest than Maxiell.

Ron Artest has some absurdly long arms too. I don't know if Booker will be as effective out on the perimeter without arms like that.

I think Booker may be a pretty good perimeter defender who roughs opponents up a bit, but I'm not expecting elite, lockdown D against the league's best swingmen. That said, it's good to hear that Booker's ACC competition singled him out as the toughest defender to play against.

[mhd]

One thing to remember is that Booker played in a full court press defense. You know he's got expierence guarding peremter players.

[rockymac52]

Okay I haven't read this entire thread, and maybe someone's mentioned it elsewhere, but I just thought of the best nickname for Trevor Booker ever...

Booker T. Washington

It was meant to be

[thelocksmith]

Yeeeee marsh. Only its been mentioned about 12 times already.

[rockymac52]

Damn, I thought i was really clever with that one.

I don't see it in this thread though, I saw a couple Booker T references, but I'm talking about Booker T. Washington. Even more relevant, although slightly slightly slightly less intimidating.

[tontoz]

I haven't seen this guy play but i was just looking at his combine results. I haven't read the thread and i don't know if they have been posted or not.

His standing reach of 8'10" is the same as Josh Smith and only 1" less than Horford.

His athletic testing results were very impressive. Not only did he bench 185 22 times but he has a 36" vertical and his sprint time was the same as Wall.

http://www.nbadraft.net/nba-draft-combi ... st-results

[Zonkerbl]

Truly strange measurements. How can he have such a high standing reach with such a short wingspan?

Double jointed shoulders I guess?

[verbal8]

Truly strange measurements. How can he have such a high standing reach with such a short wingspan?

Double jointed shoulders I guess?

A short neck and narrow shoulders would give you a higher reach and a smaller wing span.

[tontoz]

Truly strange measurements. How can he have such a high standing reach with such a short wingspan?

Double jointed shoulders I guess?

A short neck and narrow shoulders would give you a higher reach and a smaller wing span.

In contrast is Shelden Williams with his long neck and 8-head. He measured 6'7.5" w/o shoes and had a wingspan of 7'4" but his standing reach was only 8'8".

http://www.draftexpress.com/nba-pre-dra ... os=0&sort=

[Hoopalotta]

In contrast is Shelden Williams with his long neck and 8-head. He measured 6'7.5" w/o shoes and had a wingspan of 7'4" but his standing reach was only 8'8".

But somehow, that made him irresistible to women, so it worked out for him in the end.

[doclinkin]

Nice sequence about 4 minutes into summer league Game One, TBooker picks up a guard on the perimeter. Guard jigs jags stutter steps, can't shake him, Booker is shuttling back and forth, feet active, anticipating each move and shutting the door.

The GState center, a 7 foot galoot thick in the middle, sets a pick and the guard shakes free. Booker is caught on the switch matched against the center. Figuring a mismatch the guard passes into the big guy, who leans on Booker... nothing doing. Shoves on him: not budging an inch. Booker in fact shoves the 'footer all the way back out near to the 3pt line where he's no good at all. Big guy gives the ball up, it swings to the other side, and the shot is missed.

Nice to see actual defense. I've missed that. But yeah Booker will have no problem playing 3 on defense, seems like.

[JonathanJoseph]

Nice sequence about 4 minutes into summer league Game One, TBooker picks up a guard on the perimeter. Guard jigs jags stutter steps, can't shake him, Booker is shuttling back and forth, feet active, anticipating each move and shutting the door.

The GState center, a 7 foot galoot thick in the middle, sets a pick and the guard shakes free. Booker is caught on the switch matched against the center. Figuring a mismatch the guard passes into the big guy, who leans on Booker... nothing doing. Shoves on him: not budging an inch. Booker in fact shoves the 'footer all the way back out near to the 3pt line where he's no good at all. Big guy gives the ball up, it swings to the other side, and the shot is missed.

Nice to see actual defense. I've missed that. But yeah Booker will have no problem playing 3 on defense, seems like.

Yeah, this guy will be a great defender but he clearly brings a "tough guy" attitude with him and brings consistent effort. He'll play more minutes at the 3 than anyone thinks, he's tough to define much like Carl Landry. Doesn't do anything well on offense but can do a little of everything (pass shoot).

[keynote]

I'm not to impressed with Booker's handle or his passing instincts. At least once, he looked pretty flustered at the top of the key and allowed the defense to force him into a bad pass.

That being said, I liked what I saw overall. He definitely has the lateral quicks to defend reserve SFs, and he showed enough hops and timing to contest - and sometimes block - shots via help side. He showed decent form on his jumper; with time, he should be able to consistently stick a wide-open 18-20 footer. He's not terribly assertive offensively, and I didn't see any post moves. But his defensive technique and effort should be enough to make his addition worthwhile.

[Halcyon]

I think Booker on offense will be a work in progress. I didn't see last night's game, but he spent most of his time in the post at Clemson. He would frequently be doubled by other teams but he wasn't really a good passer out of that position, so maybe his passing instincts aren't there yet. Same with his handles.

With that said at the very least he can improve his shot and keep up with the defense and tenacity. He may never be a full starter level player but he can be a key contributor for us.

[WizStorm]

Interesting nickname...
http://voices.washingtonpost.com/dcspor ... ass_m.html

Wizards scouts already have a nickname for Trevor Booker, the first-round pick out of Clemson whom the team traded for on draft night. "Grown-Ass Man."

"I guess because I'm just so tough out there on the court," said Booker, who is aware of the nickname. "Especially since I came to college, everybody's been telling me I'm so tough and aggressive. Maybe I get it from my dad; he's aggressive."

[WizStorm]

And I guess the Wizards are starting to sign their draft picks now...
http://www.independentmail.com/news/201 ... our-years/

Trevor Booker couldn’t wait to sign his first professional contract.

Sitting in a hotel room with manager Oliver Hill earlier this week, Booker got the news from agent Andy Miller that his contract with the Washington Wizards was ready to sign.

“We got the call that the deal was done, and basically, he ran out of the room, ran to the arena (Verizon Center),” Hill said on Thursday. “He didn’t wait on a car. He just ran down there.”

It was a six-block run from the hotel to the arena, Hill said, but one that was well worth it. Booker signed what could be a four-year deal with the Wizards.

Booker will be paid $1.24 million this season and $1.29 million in 2011-12. The deal has team options for the next two years at $1.39 million and $2.35 million, respectively.