#30 Pick in 2008 Draft
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chuckerz
- Bench Warmer
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It's always a risk picking someone who got injured in college. Look at how Danny Granger fell in the draft because of concerns about his knee. Kenyon Martin was drafted number 1 and he had a broken leg in one of his years in college, now look at him. He has so many injury problems and hasn;t played a complete season his entire career.
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threrf23
- RealGM
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chuckerz wrote:It's always a risk picking someone who got injured in college. Look at how Danny Granger fell in the draft because of concerns about his knee. Kenyon Martin was drafted number 1 and he had a broken leg in one of his years in college, now look at him. He has so many injury problems and hasn;t played a complete season his entire career.
Its funny though, many who have seen their stock fall due to injury issues have not since experienced such issues. Leon Powe is another example, as was Monta Ellis I believe. In the NFL, back in the day, Curtis Martin was a prime example.
This year Brandon Rush is one of those examples. Really the more I think about it and the more I read, the more I feel Danny needs to do whatever it takes to land him.
The other knock on Brandon Rush is he supposedly underachieves. I don't mind this for a list of reasons:
1.) He was the best defender and leading scorer this season for the best college team in the country. If thats underacheiving, what the hell is his ceiling.
2.) One thing Brandon Rush has done at Kansas has been to step up his skillset. His shot showed early improvement, and while I'm not sure how good a defender he was in high school, I think its clear to say his defense has improved. He must work at his game.
3.) Given the above bullet, and the fact that people seem to acknowledge, dating back to prep school, that his level of play seems to rise against better competition - it is at least worth considering the following analogy:
Put a genius in a lower level high school class and often he will underacheive. Its not because he's lazy or lacks a work ethic, or because he does't care, but because there is limited motivation where there is no challenge.
4.) It may or may not apply here, but its at least worth considering the posibility -
A truly great player is capable of dominating without appearing to dominate. Think Duncan and KG for example. Just like a truly great movie can be a great movie without immediately appearing to be a great movie. This is all meant simply to say that anything truly great isn't easily recgnized for what it is simply because it is above most people's heads.
Now, last year, had we kept the #5 pick, few would have criticized Danny had he drafted Corey Brewer - after all defense wins championships. Brewer was recognized as being the best defender on the country's best team. Though, he was also playing alongide the surefire #3 draft pick (Horford) and another likely top 10 pick (Noah).
Rush played alongside Arthur, a "possible" lottery pick.
Really, if I'm not mistaken, he is at least a slihtly better defender than Brewer, a better shooter, and overall just seems to play at least a slightly more efficient game. I am also inclined to think he has a bit more upside than Brewer, as I have never heard or seen anyone express the opinion that Brewer has ever had the potential to become the best NBA player coming out of his high school class. Some have in the past expressed that opinion regarding Rush.
So if Brewer made a decen #5 pick in a supposedly deep draft, shouln't that make Brandon Rush a surefire top 3 pick in this year's draft? Yet, he is currently expected to go mid-late first round?
Thats an opportunity to be had, folks, and I hope to see Danny get in on it come late June
