4 of Thabeet's last 8 games

[Downtown]

Speaking from experience as a Sonics fan where we picked three centers in a row all I can say is that I wouldn't make any assumptions one way or the other. Thabeet is a very tall prospect, which in the NBA can get you drafted fairly high on that potential alone.

[BRIGGS]

Speaking from experience as a Sonics fan where we picked three centers in a row all I can say is that I wouldn't make any assumptions one way or the other. Thabeet is a very tall prospect, which in the NBA can get you drafted fairly high on that potential alone.

Any of those players break Alonzo Mourning's BE shotblocking or lead his team to a 24-7 mark? Are any of those players 7-3 270?

[riehldeal]

I'm certainly not proclaiming that Jordan will be a bad player. He has a good chance to be a good or very good player but he does need a LOT of work--as does Thabeet.

Question if Jordan is so good--why doesn't he start on his own college team and make some kind of impact? Uconn was only 17-14 last year but they were still THIRD nationally in opponents FG% and first in blocks shots. That was mainly because of Hasheem. Hasheem has only played basketball for 4.5 years. He never played before that. I bet Deandre has been playing since he was 5 years old. Hasheem played soccer and never touched a basketball until he was almost 16 years old. His progression from Y-Y and within this season has been excellent. I mean he broke Alonzo Mourning Big East shot blocking record as a sophomore. His offense is twice as good as last year and he has gained considerable strength. There is a HUGE HUGE difference in their touch. Thabeet has great form for a big guy--I mean he has hit his last 19-21 FT--he has shown a nifty left hand around the rim. He also displayed a medium range jumpshot a running hook. He still needs to work on strengthening his hands his core strength and continue just working on his skill sets.

When Deandre Jordan breaks his conference record in anything or shoots better than 40% from the FT line--or do anything other than a dunk--let me know.

And to make it worse, Jordan probably thinks he is ready for the league and that his coaches are fools.....

[MyGoatskates]

No one can deny the talent and potential both of these guys. It seems like everyone is overrating one and underrating the other. Both are great prospects and worthy of a lottery pick. i will say, however, that from watching both of them multiple times this year, Jordan is the one who should stay another year more. he has not impressed at all from what I've seen with anything else but his physical gifts. They both need time.

[MyGoatskates]

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And to make it worse, Jordan probably thinks he is ready for the league and that his coaches are fools.....

you're speculating how something thinks?

[Downtown]

Briggs, I'm not arguing with your point, and agree that Thabeet is going to be picked higher than some think. I'm saying that tall centers have higher draft value on size and potential alone.

[M-Town's Finest]

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cool, another 14 year old talking about a player they never saw in their prime, Thabeet could end up having more offensive skill than Mutombo (though very unlikely), but to say he does now is just stupid and shows a complete disrespect to Mutombo and his career.

Cool, another forum badass assuming too much. This is Mutombo's career.

http://sports.yahoo.com/nba/players/425/career

A career 9.9ppg (51.8% fg%) scorer in 31mpg or 1 point per 3 minutes played. Not exactly off the charts, I'll say. For comparison's sake, let's consider some other notably anemic offensive bigs.

Player ppg mpg fg% points/minute
Dikembe Mutombo 9.9 31 51.8 .319
Erick Dampier 8.2 25 48.0 .328
Bill Wennington 4.6 14 45.9 .329
Dennis Rodman 7.3 32 52.1 .228
Ben Wallace 6.5 32 47.3 .203
Charles Oakley 9.7 31 47.1 .313
Gheorghe Muresan 9.8 22 57.3 .445
Alonzo Mourning 17.1 31 52.7 .552

So here is a good mix of similar players to Dikembe (most of them much shorter than him by the way) along with another mediocre offensive player like Gheorghe Muresan and an example of a good one (Zo) just so that you can see how bad Dikembe's numbers are. What the numbers actually show (contrary to your faulty memory) is that Dikembe is one step above some of the worst offensive posts ever. He falls into a category with household names such as Erick Dampier, Bill Wennington, and Charles Oakley. All very, very skilled offensive players. Right.

[BRIGGS]

Briggs, I'm not arguing with your point, and agree that Thabeet is going to be picked higher than some think. I'm saying that tall centers have higher draft value on size and potential alone.

Thabeet is not the sexy pick like a Beasley a Rose a Mayo etc.. or even down the line with other players.


If Thabeet turns out to be a 9-13 point 12-14 rebound 4-5 block player--you made a darn good pick---I think there was a list below with guys like Rodman Ben Wallace... players who were raw offensively the entire careers yet also impacted multiple championships.

I happen to think that he has a much better offensive upside than what many think.

Im probably also alone that I would pick Chris Douglas Roberts VERY high compared to some of the other big name guys.

I still think you win with defensive and clutch/effecient type players. You don't need flash. Atlanta has a ton of flash all over their team and they also still stink.

Detroit filled their roster with blue collar players--they dont have much flash--and they have either won the title or been right there for it ever since they filled the roster up like that.

[dunkonu21]

Hasheem has only played basketball for 4.5 years. He never played before that. I bet Deandre has been playing since he was 5 years old. Hasheem played soccer and never touched a basketball until he was almost 16 years old.

This is a great point. I would like to argue that this is easily the first time DeAndre has been challenged. He prolly does not have a lot of time to think about it right now as it is in the middle of the season, but I would be surprised if he didn't go into next season (where ever he is) with a huge chip on his shoulder. For a player who could easily dominate any competition without hardly working, getting challenged is a new thing so this could almost be looked at as his first real basketball season. Know what I mean?

[Cammo101]

I'm guessing todays game will be one of those omitted games that never show up on these look how awesome Thabeet is threads. He sure did not show up today against a team he should have dominated inside.

[riehldeal]

I'm guessing todays game will be one of those omitted games that never show up on these look how awesome Thabeet is threads. He sure did not show up today against a team he should have dominated inside.

No.....I will comment on it......WVU employs a lot of "junk defenses" and this really showed Hasheem's issues with court awareness and positioning on the offensive end......and truthfully, not having someone anywhere near your size can throw an inexperienced player

Never proclaimed him to be a world beater and most others on here that sing his praises would at the same time probably admit that he does have these games between good ones.....its a process no doubt.....but I have him at 10 because I fail to see anyone else below that that has the same level of game changing ability and untapped potential (and not talking about skill development potential rather just plain old experience, an area where I see an advantage over D Jordan)

[Cammo101]

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No.....I will comment on it......WVU employs a lot of "junk defenses" and this really showed Hasheem's issues with court awareness and positioning on the offensive end......and truthfully, not having someone anywhere near your size can throw an inexperienced player

Never proclaimed him to be a world beater and most others on here that sing his praises would at the same time probably admit that he does have these games between good ones.....its a process no doubt.....but I have him at 10 because I fail to see anyone else below that that has the same level of game changing ability and untapped potential (and not talking about skill development potential rather just plain old experience, an area where I see an advantage over D Jordan)

I was talking more to Briggs, who will wait weeks for UConn players to finally have a good game so he can then post how awesome they are.

[BRIGGS]

I'm guessing todays game will be one of those omitted games that never show up on these look how awesome Thabeet is threads. He sure did not show up today against a team he should have dominated inside.

I'm disappointed that he didn't play well--as I'm disappointed in the whole team. I would like to see Hasheem follow through with consistent good play but we havent seen that yet. I think it's always an ongoing evaluation throughout the season. I mean Joe Alexander has looked like a top 10 pick in this years draft the last 5 games. It looks like he has one of the best mid range games in college basketball with a true 3 NBA body with great strength and athletic ability. Hasheem gave 3-4 minutes of good play and then looked lostfor long stretches. Not the best team to match up for him but that is no excuse--he was not good today and I think that hurts him on centerstage. The whole key is turning that 3-4 minutes into much longer stretches and getting those hands and core strength much stronger.

[DanTown8587]

Once again, Thabeet failed to show up against a good team. Can someone tell me how Thabeet is so great, but cannot dominate the post against a perimeter team?

[riehldeal]

Once again, Thabeet failed to show up against a good team. Can someone tell me how Thabeet is so great, but cannot dominate the post against a perimeter team?

As cheap of an answer it is, the reason was the match-up.....An inexperienced, raw player has enough trouble figuring out his own stuff let alone dealing with a team without a player in the paint on off and throwing out junk defenses to mess with flow

but yes it was still disappointing

and it's not that he is great, rather, like another thread discusses, this draft is lacking some punch and player like Thabeet begins to look awfully attractive a lot sooner than otherwise would

[UGA Hayes]

I wouldn't read too much out of that game, horribly officiated, not the sort of game I would use for or against a prospect.

[gwtaylor]

I wouldn't read too much out of that game, horribly officiated, not the sort of game I would use for or against a prospect.

Thabeet was non-existent in the first half as well and there weren't nearly as many fouls called in that half.

He pretty much sucked yesterday.

[Pistol Pete Vescey]

I need to mention that Mutombo was an 8-time all-star, 4-time defensive player of the year, the best defensive player of his era, and will be in discussion for the hall of fame. Please do not underestimate "Mount Mutombo."

*wags finger*

[bball_girl]

I have never understood why people think he's not worth drafting he's better than Peter John Ramos who everyone and there Momma was loving just last year. If memory serves me wasn't he listed by DX, and NBADraft as a top 20 prospect?

[DanTown8587]

I have never understood why people think he's not worth drafting he's better than Peter John Ramos who everyone and there Momma was loving just last year. If memory serves me wasn't he listed by DX, and NBADraft as a top 20 prospect?

I never said I wouldn't draft him, but his game is so raw offensively and he will struggle defensively at the next level as he adjusts (he goes to block EVERY shot, in college that can work, in the pros people go over or around you and you take yourself out of position) and his hands are god awful (something I all of the sudden dont see getting better). I just don't say how you can want Thabeet over Jordan, even though Jordan is a year younger and if he came back to school would have a MUCH better sophomore season than Thabeet is having. And finally, Thabeet struggles against good teams, something that as a scout would concern me.