OT: 30 For 30 - I Hate Christian Laettner

[OldSchoolNoBull]

Did anyone watch this tonight?

I thought it was pretty good. I was too young at the time to know what he was doing with Duke, and I only really became aware of him when he was on the Dream Team, but in retrospect, his college career is pretty remarkable. One wonders if his NBA career would've turned out any different if he had been drafted by a team with better management than the Timberwolves.

I appreciated his attitude about all the hate he gets - basically that he doesn't care, he doesn't think about it, and that the opinions he cares about are those of his family, friends, coaches, etc. Basically not taking it too personally. Seems like a healthy approach to take. I get why people would've hated him back then in the heat of it, but I don't really see what's to hate now. He seems like a good guy, good father, runs an academy where he teaches kids to play ball. The guy isn't hatable at this point. Bill Laimbeer is still hatable even two decades on. Laettner? Come on.

[Polynice4Pippen]

Another great 30 for 30. I remember Bobby Hurley being hated almost as much as Laettner back then too. Duke just had the image of this richy rich prep school with these obnoxious fans in the stands who got every call and always found a way to win. Funny because I'm old enough to remember when Duke was something of an underdog program on the rise in 1986 when Coach K made it to his first National Championship game. Then Laettner came a couple years later and was really the guy who made Duke "DUKE".

The best way I can think of to describe how Laettner was viewed during his Duke days was like a Justin Bieber; very much hated because he was smug, overexposed, overrated to some because he wasn't this athletic freak or intimidating specimen, and carried himself like he was better than everyone else, yet wildly popular and successful. And he just kept winning, kept hitting big shots, kept making those stupid arrogant faces because he knew he was better than everyone in college and there was nothing anyone could do about it. Damn that guy could play though.

[Ice Man]

He did a great job of building his brand, made the Dream Team and was drafted high. Give him credit, he accomplished more and is better remembered than he ever had a right to be, given his moderate level of talent. I salute him for that.

[gardenofsound]

He reminds me of Tyler Hansbrough. Hated and quite an awesome player in college turned into a mediocre (but still hated) NBA player.

[ATRAIN53]

another great 30/30.

4 Final 4 appearances. Odds of that ever happening again are pretty slim in the one and done era.

Even Noahs Gators with their back-to-back pales in comparison with what Duke pulled of back then.

I loved the rookie Shaq appearance when they asked him about Laetner being chosen for the Dream Team over him.
That's amazing to think the Dream team could have been even better than it was with Shaq....

I think the best point is when they said he continually wins any contest of the most hated college player yet he never has been part of any major scandal/issue. Guy seems to have done it the right way and should be more of a role model. Stay in school and good things happen.

Hate him a little less after this.
Can't wait to hate Duke again after all these local prod like Scheyer, Parker and Jah!

[dice]

He reminds me of Tyler Hansbrough. Hated and quite an awesome player in college turned into a mediocre (but still hated) NBA player.

laettner was a much better pro than hansbrough has been

[RedBulls23]

He reminds me of Tyler Hansbrough. Hated and quite an awesome player in college turned into a mediocre (but still hated) NBA player.

He was a MUCH better player than Hansbrough in college and the Pro's. It's not even close.

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I had asked in the around the nba thread if anyone thought Lattner would make basketball HOF because of his college career. P4P had a pretty good response to it:

Anyone think Christian Laettner gets into basketball hall of fame because of his college career?

Depends. Ralph Sampson got in based largely on his college career, but Sampson was a dominant NBA player for about 4 years before injuries kicked in. Grant Hill was another great college player who was a dominant NBA player for about 7 years, he'd have to get in before Laettner. Laettner was a solid NBA player but never dominant so I don't know if he'll get in. He's already in the College Basketball HOF though and is in the Naismith HOF as a member of the Dream Team. My guess is he won't get in the Naismith HOF. It doesn't help his case that most writers don't really like him for being a career douche anyway. Greatest college player I ever saw though. I was a little too young to remember Ewing's days at Georgetown.

[Ice Man]

He was a MUCH better player than Hansbrough in college and the Pro's.

Well yeah. Tyler was never going to make any Dream Team. Laettner had his moments as a player. For example, he outplayed Shaq in their college head-to-heads.

[kodo]

The Shot was 90% Grant Hill IMO.

A full court pass that hits Laettner in the hands without getting picked off? All Laettner did was shoot a FT line jumper.

[jumpstart]

Greatest college player ever, mediocre pro. What happened?

[Polynice4Pippen]

The Shot was 90% Grant Hill IMO.

A full court pass that hits Laettner in the hands without getting picked off? All Laettner did was shoot a FT line jumper.

Come on now. Laettner had to go up over two defenders and shield them both off to catch a 75 foot pass, catch it cleanly, get his balance, make his move, clear enough space to create a shot for himself in just two seconds, and then make the biggest pressure shot of his career, a turnaround, fadeaway 17-footer. If Laettner misses that shot his Duke career is over and his bid at back to back titles is done.

[Dan Z]

Greatest college player ever, mediocre pro. What happened?

I think it was injuries later on in his career. But he did well in the beginning and was an all-star with the Hawks.