*The Kwame Watch* - since Bynum Injury

[jimmywolfrey]

It's missing a stat: missed dunks/layups per game.

that is like 1-2 per game just like every other big man in the game.

[jimmywolfrey]

was this guy that good in high school to make him be the 1st draft pick?

Michael Jordan on high school Kwame:
"We don't know what he is capable of doing, and we don't know when to expect dividends, but it became apparent after we saw him work out that he has the skills and desire."

And don't quote me, but I've also heard he killed Tyson Chandler in their one-on-one workouts.

To the Wizards, he was a no brainer...Kwame actually told Doug Collins "If you pick me, you'll never regret it."

Its odd cause if you look at Kwame's early development, you could see his career going the way Bynum's and O'neal's went.

First couple years are rough cause they aren't quite ready, but you can see the growth and potential.

Even his moves and athletecism remind you of O'neal early on.

Then...all of sudden on the verge of breaking out, Kwame gets hurt and never becomes more than an 8 and 7 player.

Odd. Just odd.

Early on in his career, Kwame had all this athletecism and potential, but was known as a locker room cancer...to the point where he said he was going to punch Gilbert Arenas.

Then he comes to L.A., becames a favorite of his teammates, but seemingly loses his desire to become a great player, regresses, and puts on weight.

Kwame should see a therapist and a nutritionist (aka lose 20 pounds).

Jrob, he worked out with Tyson Chandler and abused him in the workouts...It is funny because Kwame was supposed to be OFFENSIVE force in the league. His 3rd year it was like wow..he is going to be good next year. Then the Wizards style changed basically, Eddie Jordan didn't use him that well.

He went downhill after the injury because the Wizards during his injury started to play well and when he came after starting early, did not start anymore due to getting back into game condition.

He definitely has gained weight and you can just tell all around. Its more to do with the injuries than anything else. The Lakers wanted him to transform into a center when they got him or power forward. He came into the league with a small forward's game really.

[J Rob]

^ Good info.

However, after reading that I'm still stumped.

I realize he had injuries, but I still can't help but believe something happened to him psychologically.

I realize Jordan's constant attacks hurt him, but even after his 3rd year if you watch his stats and style of play, he was ready to break out a la JO and Bynum.

I mean the dude dropped 30 and 19 in one game after all.

Then he gets injured in his 4th year and goes from being a cocky, athetic, starter to a timid, overweight, bench player.

I just don't get it.

As far as the Lakers go, I think they wanted to transform him into a center when they realized he couldn't do the things required of a PF (shoot the midrange, move without the ball, etc.).

Granted high lights make everyone look like a HOF, but watch some of his highlights from his Wizard years...he's thin, quick, athletic.

The Kwame mystery lives on...

[Sedale Threatt]

I don't think it's much of a mystery at all. He simply isn't wired to be great.

I fully believe that it wasn't as much natural ability, even though they're certainly blessed in that category, that put players like Jordan, Magic, Bird and Kobe over the top but intangibles -- qualities like work ethic, desire, confidence, competitiveness.

Few of us humans have them, to be sure. But those that do tend to be successful in whatever they do, regardless of the field or their actual abilities. Everybody's had a friend like that -- pulls girls that are out of his league, achieves beyond his means.

Some people ask, Why me? Those guys ask, Why not me?

Not only is Kwame deficient in those areas, he might be completely devoid. Maybe that's Jordan's fault. Or maybe Kwame simply wasn't ready to be a pro. Regardless, a true champion can be measure by how he handles adversity and criticism. He doesn't, as Kwame has, go into a shell or flatline, regardless of the circumstances.

[J Rob]

I don't think it's much of a mystery at all. He simply isn't wired to be great.

I fully believe that it wasn't as much natural ability, even though they're certainly blessed in that category, that put players like Jordan, Magic, Bird and Kobe over the top but intangibles -- qualities like work ethic, desire, confidence, competitiveness.

Few of us humans have them, to be sure. But those that do tend to be successful in whatever they do, regardless of the field or their actual abilities. Everybody's had a friend like that -- pulls girls that are out of his league, achieves beyond his means.

Some people ask, Why me? Those guys ask, Why not me?

Not only is Kwame deficient in those areas, he might be completely devoid. Maybe that's Jordan's fault. Or maybe Kwame simply wasn't ready to be a pro. Regardless, a true champion can be measure by how he handles adversity and criticism. He doesn't, as Kwame has, go into a shell or flatline, regardless of the circumstances.

I agree entirely with what you're saying about having "it".

But whether it was maturity, loss of confidence, whatever, Kwame went from being a punkass kid who challenged MJ to a game of 1 on 1, to a guy whose afriad to catch the ball.

I mean, I'm not even talking about him developing into an all-star, you can barely call the dude a basketball player anymore.

He was a better 3rd year player than he is as a 7th year player...in EVERY aspect of the game.

[Lost Angel]

why not run Kwame off the high post and Lamar off the low post?

[Taiwan Killa]

why not run Kwame off the high post and Lamar off the low post?

Because you can easily double team Lamar because you know Kwame won't hit a highpost jumper.

[will]

I actually feel bad for Kwame. Right when Bynum got injured, the Laker's hopes of a high playoff seed went out the window.

He was at least suppose to be doing what Bynum is/was doing until his injury. Kwame has his moments, but that's pretty much it. He's inept on the offensive end, save for wide open dunks and such.

He needs to come off the bench and let Ronny play center as the starter.

Kwame is a nice defender, but that's pretty much it.

[FukaX]

It is so obvious that kwame is out of shape or too heavy for his legs for him to jump in a trajectory motion where he can travel horizontally as he elevates for his dunk. Right now he only dunks when he is directly within 2 to 4 feet of the rim( iam being generous with 4 ft)

His court awareness is horrible in that he doesnt use parallel vision to see where his defender is and where the ball is going to.

When he running toward the rim, hes focused on running to a spot... totally unaware that a ball might be on its way toward him. Or a lob is comming right above him. When He does find out a sec or two later, his abrupt movement of hands most of the time meets the ball too late and would slap the ball away or bobble it.

To summarize his TO: he lacks proper anticipation when the ball is comming and where his defender will be.

Kwame would make a horrible baseball player


Lack of parallel vision also applies to his defense in which his weak side defense is nonexistant. Even if he cant block the ball, he can floor the guard with the massive body of his

His man to man defense is above average because he only focuses on his man when his man has the ball.

This is a problem that probably developed because he grew up having the ball in his hands all the time

( reports say kwame played point guard during his sophmore years in hs 10th grade before moving to the forward spot which he probably dominated the ball )

Seeing that he had worked with patrick ewing on the wizards and kareem on the lakers and he still has this problem in this area says alot about his mental capabilities.

Dumb players like stromile swift still play in this league because they can go for the offensive putback jams or the high flyign swats.

For kwame, without his lift on his legs, hes basically is garbage out there. If it werent for kobe drawign double teams for his wide open dunks under the hoop, he would be average close to 0-5 pts a game.

i have always been fascinated by his suckiness that seems to gets worse since being drafted so i decided to do alot of observation.

[flamboyant4lyf]

^^ pretty much

Kwame needs to lose weight and regain some athletiscm because thats what gave him any semblence of effectiveness

[realfung]

Lakers only have faith if Bynum is back.

[hermes]

Lakers only have faith if Bynum is back.

unless we trade kwame for gasol!

[idf469]

Hmmm i guess we can lock this thread now LOL

[hermes]

yes lets all sit back and watch kwame head off to memphis