Tim Thomas - maybe he was just badly coached

[Luv those Knicks]

I put forth this suggestion in a thread on the Knicks board and nobody seemed to agree with me, but it does happen that a player has skills, but he's not properly coached/groomed for the NBA.

Now, people say that TImmy had T-mac potential, ability to play inside and out - too fast for PFs, and too tall for SFs make him a difficult if not impossible cover. ANd that may be true. I'm not saying that TImmy wasn't an underachiever.


But he may have been in bad situations too often in his career.


His best season was his half season after he was traded to NY. With NY he averaged over 15 PPG, he shot 40% from 3 and he was our 2nd best player (once Houston got hurt) and he was sorely missed after Jason Collins bodyslamed him in the playoffs that year. What's more, Timmy wasn't a great fit on that NY team, Marbs is not a PG who makes people around him better, and Marbs is better with Pick & ROll guys or pure shooters (Kurt, KVH, Allan Houston) were actually pretty good Marbury players. Timmy wasn't. And still, TImmy had his best season on a new team, with marbs.

Also, in Timmy's defense, his rebound rate was actually at his highest over his last 2 seasons. I can't help but wonder if Nobody put the time into teaching Timmy to rebound, use his size, etc. His first year and a half in Philly he was basically a rookie, still learning the game, and in Milwaukee, he shared frontcourt duties with Glen Big Chihuahua Robinson, who's hardly what I'd call a good front court partner or guy to learn from.

So Tim's best season was after he gets traded from Milwaukee

and his 2 best rebounding seasons were his last 2, in phoenix & the LA clipers.

(yes, granted, he had that season in between Phoenix & his first year in NY where he has a bad year, but I think he had health issues that year and he still shot 40% from 3).


I think if Tim had played in a different situation (than being Glen Robinson's backup) he might have had a better career. Probably still an underachiever, but better.


(am I alone in this theory?)

[studcrackers]

you dont think he was ever all about the green?

maybe i just hate TT b/c he's an asswipe and a douche but he's an underachiever b/c he didnt want it as bad as others b/c he certainly had the ability

[JellosJigglin]

Stop calling him Tim or Timmy. There is only one player in the league named Tim who can be referenced by his first name, and he plays for the Spurs.

On that note, Thomas is just a contract player. Coaching is not his problem. His problem is all between the ears.

[toast]

The problem with your theory is that you are talking NBA coaches not some highschool in rural Alabama. Even the worst of NBA Assistant coaches are some of the best coaches in the world and know exactly what they are talking about can evaluate a player and develope a program to improve a players potential.

But said player has to actually listen to said coach and work hard on the program. He also has to put in work during the summer when their is time for sustained developement. Tomas is one of the many talented players that have too much ego and too little drive to make the most out of their talent.
Anyone with drive can improve with the talent of NBA coaches