Sam Mitchell on the development of high draft choices

[dagger]

This is Koreen's new blog posted on National Post a few minutes ago.

A bit of this conversation was contained in some of the press coverage as it pertained to Bargnani, but his thoughts on high first picks in general is interesting enough to post separately. If the mods disagree, they can put it somewhere else.

http://network.nationalpost.com/np/blog ... picks.aspx

"If we draft a guy high, and if he's not platinum the day we get him, you all start writing that he was a bad pick. He was a bust," Mitchell said. "You all start killing the guy. Then you all start killing the guy who drafted him. Then you all start killing the coach because he hasn't developed him, instead of saying, some guys develop quicker than others. There's no patience with young players."

[Mack11]

tis true


patience is a virtue fellas

[Guy Smiley]

Thank you for sharing dagger.

Sam has shown on a number of different occasions that he is will to stick his neck out and defend his players.

It will be difficult for him to maintain this stance if Bargnani doesn

[Yuri Vaultin]

Thanks Dagger. I wonder if he was refering at all to Hoffa as well?


Sam is a " * player's coach"








* unless your name is Rafer Alston or Vince Carter

[Magic All The Way]

And all that killing hinder's the picks development in someways and sometimes it's our/media's fault the player doesn't develop.

[Mayo]

the only sad thing ist, that he is the 1st round pick with the badest 2nd year in the whole NBA history... even the italian press is starting to get less confident:

2006 - Andrea Bargnani - 9.0ppg, 3.5rpg, 1.0apg, 0.49bpg, 0,23spg, 37.9%fg
2005 - Andrew Bogut - 12.3ppg, 8.8rpg, 3.0apg, 55.3%fg
2004 - Dwight Howard - 15.8ppg, 12.5rpg, 1.5apg, 1.4bpg, 53.1%fg
2003 - LeBron James - 27.2ppg, 7.4rpg, 7.2apg, 2.2spg, 47.2%fg
2002 - Yao Ming - 17.5ppg, 9.0rpg, 1.5apg, 1.9bpg, 52.2%fg
2001 - *Kwame Brown - 7.4ppg, 5.3rpg, 1.0bpg, 0.7apg, 0.2spg, 44.6%fg
2000 - Kenyon Martin - 14.9ppg, 5.3rpg , 2.6apg, 1.7bpg, 46.3&fg
1999 - Elton Brand - 20.1ppg, 10.1rpg, 3.2apg, 1.6bpg, 47.6%fg
1998 - Michael Olowokandi - 9.8ppg, 8.2rpg, 1.8bpg, 43.8%fg
1997 - Tim Duncan - 21.7ppg, 11.4rpg, 2.4apg, 2.5bpg, 49.5%fg
1996 - Allen Iverson - 22.0ppg, 3.rpg, 6.2apg, 2.2spg, 46.1%fg
1995 - Joe Smith - 18.7ppg, 8.5rpg, 1.6apg, 1.1bpg, 45.4%fg
1994 - Glenn Robinson - 20.2ppg, 6.2rpg, 3.6apg, 45.4%fg
1993 - Chris Webber - 20.1ppg, 9.6rpg, 4.7apg, 1.6bpg, 49.5%fg
1992 - Shaquille O'Neal - 29.2ppg, 13.2rpg, 2.4apg, 2.9bpg, 59.9%fg
1991 - Larry Johnson - 22.1ppg, 10.5rpg, 4.3apg, 52.6%fg
1990 - Derrick Coleman - 19.8ppg, 9.5rpg, 3.2apg, 1.5bpg, 50.4%fg
1989 - Pervis Ellison - 10.4ppg, 7.7rpg, 1.3apg, 21.bpg, 51.3%fg
1988 - Danny Manning - 16.3ppg, 5.9rpg, 2.6apg, 53.3%fg
1987 - **David Robinson - 25.6ppg, 13.0rpg, 2.5apg, 3.9bpg, 55.2%fg
1986 - Brad Daugherty - 18.7ppg, 8.4rpg, 4.2apg, 51.0%fg
1985 - Pat Ewing - 21.5ppg, 8.8rpg, 1.7apg, 2.3bpg, 50.3%fg
1984 - ***Hakeem Olajuwon - 23.5ppg, 11.5rpg, 2.0apg, 2.0spg, 3.4bpg, 52.6%fg
1983 - Ralph Sampson - 22.1ppg, 10.4rpg, 2.7apg, 2.0bpg, 50.2%fg
1982 - James Worthy - 14.5ppg, 6.3rpg, 2.5apg, 55.6%fg
1981 - Mark Aguirre - 24.4ppg, 6.3rpg, 4.1apg, 48.3%fg
1980 - Joe Barry Carroll - 17.0ppg, 8.3rpg, 1.7bpg, 51.9%fg
1979 - Magic Johnson - 21.6ppg, 8.6rpg, 8.6apg, 3.4spg, 53.2%fg
1978 - Mychal Thompson - 17.0ppg, 8.7rpg, 3.6apg, 2.2bpg, 49.4%fg
1977 - Kent Benson - 12.3ppg, 7.1rpg, 2.5apg, 51.8%fg
1976 - John Lucas - 12.4ppg, 3.1rpg, 9.4apg, 43.5%fg
1975 - ****David Thompson - 25.9ppg, 4.1rpg, 4.1apg, 50.7%fg
1974 - Bill Walton - 16.1ppg, 13.4rpg, 4.3apg, 1.6bpg, 47.1%fg
1973 - Doug Collins - 17.9ppg, 3.9rpg, 2.6apg, 48.8%fg
1972 - LaRue Martin - 4.9ppg, 3.6rpg, 0.4apg, 43.5%fg
1971 - Austin Carr - 20.5ppg, 4.5rpg, 3.4apg, 44.6%fg
1970 - Bob Lanier - 25.7ppg, 14.2rpg, 3.1apg, 49.3%fg
1969 - *****Kareem Abdul-Jabbar - 31.7ppg, 16.0rpg, 3.3apg
1968 - Elvin Hayes - 27.5ppg, 16.9rpg, 2.0apg, 45.2%fg
1967 - Jimmy Walker - 11.7ppg, 23.rgp, 3.2apg, 46.6%fg
1966 - Cazzie Russell - 16.9ppg, 4.6rpg, 2.4apg, 46.2%fg.



http://www.gazzetta.it/Sport_Vari/Baske ... nani.shtml

[Indiana Jones]

that list made me cry. but as much as sam is calling for patience, #1 picks make a lot of money, and he's producing like a late first/early second round pick...so you have to demand productivity at some point...

[Justina]

ppl need to stop writing off Bargnani, its getting pathetic.

Has everybody suddenly forgotten how good bargnani played last year? Obviously he wasn't a superstar, but he was a big reason for the raptors' success.

and let's get one thing straight (for "the sky is falling" fans): players don't suddenly "lose" talent. It's not that bargnani doesn't have the skill for the NBA, because he proved that he does. There's obviously something deeper and other factors you have to consider.

We should just wait patiently for him to get his groove back and be supportive, you know, when you offer support..

[PharoaheMonch]

ppl need to stop writing off Bargnani, its getting pathetic.

Has everybody suddenly forgotten how good bargnani played last year? Obviously he wasn't a superstar, but he was a big reason for the raptors' success.

and let's get one thing straight (for "the sky is falling" fans): ,players don't suddenly "lose" talent. It's not that bargnani doesn't have the skill for the NBA, because he proved that he does. There's obviously something deeper and other factors you have to consider.

We should just wait patiently for him to get his groove back and be supportive, you know, when you offer support..

Welcome to the NBA hun, there are tons of stories like that. There are tons of guys that have came in with tons of potential, shown flashes and have been up and down their entire career as 6-10th men. I.E Kwame, Tim Thomas, Darius Miles, etc etc. List can go on forever.

[Justina]

-= original quote snipped =-



Welcome to the NBA hun, there are tons of stories like that. There are tons of guys that have came in with tons of potential, shown flashes and have been up and down their entire career as 6-10th men. I.E Kwame, Tim Thomas, Darius Miles, etc etc. List can go on forever.

you don't need to convince me, tell that to the bipolar fans

[Sun Tzu]

What else is Sam going to say? What else is anyone with the organization going to say? That we should throw him into a pile and use him as kindling?

I don't see why this is being passed off as insight rather than pr (vis a vis both the pulic and his player). As though it is something that those savvy basketball guys know that us panicky observes - in our immaturity - don't. Like this it is some sort of old school wisdom that your play for the first year and a half of your career is essentially meaningless?

[Guy Smiley]

ppl need to stop writing off Bargnani, its getting pathetic.

Has everybody suddenly forgotten how good bargnani played last year? Obviously he wasn't a superstar, but he was a big reason for the raptors' success.

and let's get one thing straight (for "the sky is falling" fans): players don't suddenly "lose" talent. It's not that bargnani doesn't have the skill for the NBA, because he proved that he does. There's obviously something deeper and other factors you have to consider.

We should just wait patiently for him to get his groove back and be supportive, you know, when you offer support..

I respect your opinion but I think a lot of people are saying we need to start seeing the promise that got us excited in his rookie season. As time goes by expectations need to be raised or else you won't see any tangible improvement in a player.

Often I see the comment thrown around about fans forgetting just how good Andrea was last year and to be honest there will come a point where people will legitimately forget any positives from his rookie season because too much time has lapsed. Andrea needs to continue to build on the foundation that many believe he has. I won't get into how modest his rookie season was because that is off-topic but there is a certain amount of accountability that needs to be maintained in order for his progress to be properly judged.

After the draft each and every player needs to earn their minutes because if their level of play doesn't justify the time and money being invested in them then they will be out of a job.

I love your passion and I

[Sun Tzu]

The funny thing is, these guys can't even seem to decide, for the purposes of pr, whether Andrea has even been a dissapointment or not.

Not too long ago, Colangelo declared that he had already surpassed expectations because "everyone" thought he was going to be a bust.

If you take any of that seriously, he must be extremely confused at his coach's reaction (as well as that of the fans). This is a freaking cinderella story. "Kid who was never supposed to do anything actually plays in the NBA".

[Kordic27]

the only sad thing ist, that he is the 1st round pick with the badest 2nd year in the whole NBA history... even the italian press is starting to get less confident:

You know what's sad... I'm glad/surprised he's not the worst.

I still have hope!

[James Ballswin (Realizar)]

As soon as he starts moving towards the basket (instead of moving backwards) when a shot is taken on offense, he'll start getting he fair share of rebounds.

At the moment, he plays as if he's a SF.

[bakafool]

Andrea has to develop his in between game.

[bill russell]

the only sad thing ist, that he is the 1st round pick with the badest 2nd year in the whole NBA history... even the italian press is starting to get less confident:

2006 - Andrea Bargnani - 9.0ppg, 3.5rpg, 1.0apg, 0.49bpg, 0,23spg, 37.9%fg
2005 - Andrew Bogut - 12.3ppg, 8.8rpg, 3.0apg, 55.3%fg
2004 - Dwight Howard - 15.8ppg, 12.5rpg, 1.5apg, 1.4bpg, 53.1%fg
2003 - LeBron James - 27.2ppg, 7.4rpg, 7.2apg, 2.2spg, 47.2%fg
2002 - Yao Ming - 17.5ppg, 9.0rpg, 1.5apg, 1.9bpg, 52.2%fg
2001 - *Kwame Brown - 7.4ppg, 5.3rpg, 1.0bpg, 0.7apg, 0.2spg, 44.6%fg
2000 - Kenyon Martin - 14.9ppg, 5.3rpg , 2.6apg, 1.7bpg, 46.3&fg
1999 - Elton Brand - 20.1ppg, 10.1rpg, 3.2apg, 1.6bpg, 47.6%fg
1998 - Michael Olowokandi - 9.8ppg, 8.2rpg, 1.8bpg, 43.8%fg
1997 - Tim Duncan - 21.7ppg, 11.4rpg, 2.4apg, 2.5bpg, 49.5%fg
1996 - Allen Iverson - 22.0ppg, 3.rpg, 6.2apg, 2.2spg, 46.1%fg
1995 - Joe Smith - 18.7ppg, 8.5rpg, 1.6apg, 1.1bpg, 45.4%fg
1994 - Glenn Robinson - 20.2ppg, 6.2rpg, 3.6apg, 45.4%fg
1993 - Chris Webber - 20.1ppg, 9.6rpg, 4.7apg, 1.6bpg, 49.5%fg
1992 - Shaquille O'Neal - 29.2ppg, 13.2rpg, 2.4apg, 2.9bpg, 59.9%fg
1991 - Larry Johnson - 22.1ppg, 10.5rpg, 4.3apg, 52.6%fg
1990 - Derrick Coleman - 19.8ppg, 9.5rpg, 3.2apg, 1.5bpg, 50.4%fg
1989 - Pervis Ellison - 10.4ppg, 7.7rpg, 1.3apg, 21.bpg, 51.3%fg
1988 - Danny Manning - 16.3ppg, 5.9rpg, 2.6apg, 53.3%fg
1987 - **David Robinson - 25.6ppg, 13.0rpg, 2.5apg, 3.9bpg, 55.2%fg
1986 - Brad Daugherty - 18.7ppg, 8.4rpg, 4.2apg, 51.0%fg
1985 - Pat Ewing - 21.5ppg, 8.8rpg, 1.7apg, 2.3bpg, 50.3%fg
1984 - ***Hakeem Olajuwon - 23.5ppg, 11.5rpg, 2.0apg, 2.0spg, 3.4bpg, 52.6%fg
1983 - Ralph Sampson - 22.1ppg, 10.4rpg, 2.7apg, 2.0bpg, 50.2%fg
1982 - James Worthy - 14.5ppg, 6.3rpg, 2.5apg, 55.6%fg
1981 - Mark Aguirre - 24.4ppg, 6.3rpg, 4.1apg, 48.3%fg
1980 - Joe Barry Carroll - 17.0ppg, 8.3rpg, 1.7bpg, 51.9%fg
1979 - Magic Johnson - 21.6ppg, 8.6rpg, 8.6apg, 3.4spg, 53.2%fg
1978 - Mychal Thompson - 17.0ppg, 8.7rpg, 3.6apg, 2.2bpg, 49.4%fg
1977 - Kent Benson - 12.3ppg, 7.1rpg, 2.5apg, 51.8%fg
1976 - John Lucas - 12.4ppg, 3.1rpg, 9.4apg, 43.5%fg
1975 - ****David Thompson - 25.9ppg, 4.1rpg, 4.1apg, 50.7%fg
1974 - Bill Walton - 16.1ppg, 13.4rpg, 4.3apg, 1.6bpg, 47.1%fg
1973 - Doug Collins - 17.9ppg, 3.9rpg, 2.6apg, 48.8%fg
1972 - LaRue Martin - 4.9ppg, 3.6rpg, 0.4apg, 43.5%fg
1971 - Austin Carr - 20.5ppg, 4.5rpg, 3.4apg, 44.6%fg
1970 - Bob Lanier - 25.7ppg, 14.2rpg, 3.1apg, 49.3%fg
1969 - *****Kareem Abdul-Jabbar - 31.7ppg, 16.0rpg, 3.3apg
1968 - Elvin Hayes - 27.5ppg, 16.9rpg, 2.0apg, 45.2%fg
1967 - Jimmy Walker - 11.7ppg, 23.rgp, 3.2apg, 46.6%fg
1966 - Cazzie Russell - 16.9ppg, 4.6rpg, 2.4apg, 46.2%fg.



http://www.gazzetta.it/Sport_Vari/Baske ... nani.shtml

He's not the worst in history. He's kicking LaRue Martin's ass (1972).

[Guy Smiley]

He's not the worst in history. He's kicking LaRue Martin's ass (1972).

Now that is the way you defend Bargnani's honour.

[basketball royalty]

I mos def think he deserves more time before getting the bust label. He is trying to learn a new position and a completely different type of playing style than he is used to.

Last season the team just had him do what he could do. This year they want him to focus on things that do not come naturally to him and he is struggling. However, these growing pains are neccessary if we want to have both him and Bosh playing in the same frontcourt.

Give him time, and I am sure his talent will resurface when he is comfortable with all the added responsibility of being an NBA center.

[user name]

I was happy to give him time until I read that he was half-assing the drills that the team gave him to improve his play. Then I lost all patience. If he is working hard, I will give him time, but when I hear that he is not, then he deserves the negativity he has gotten.