OT: You, the Baller

[Miklo]

First of all TASTIC I'm not sure if posting OT threads here is still a convention - if not just lock it up

Since we have a lot of new members around, I wanted to bring something back which we did a ways back. Basically everyone tell about yourself as a baller. And be honest, its more interesting that way and nobody's gonna judge (just wait til you hear my "amazing" track record). So here's what to write...
Height/Weight
Position
Strengths/Weaknesses
Leagues you have played in (lets say since around high school (age 15-16)
Estimate of stats in each league
Comparison to a current NBA player (any talent level of player, just to compare your playing style

Here mine goes:
Height/Weight
6'2", 165 lbs (and trying to pack on some weight )
Position
PG/Point Forward if in short enough league
Strengths/Weaknesses
Strengths: Passing, blocks (if in short enough league), defense, crossovers
Weaknesses: Shooting (although I've been working on my touch A LOT this summer), especially 3 point shooting, stamina
Leagues you have played in (lets say since around high school (age 15-16)
High School BBall team:
some starts, around 6ppg, 6apg, 2rpg, 0.8bpg, 0.8spg in the few games I started
College BBall team:
it was Division 3, I played in all of 3 games and wasn't on the traveling squad! cut before end of first season
2ppg, 3apg, 0blks/steals, 1 TO/gm
Local leagues (rec, etc):
10ppg, 11apg, 2bpg, 6rpg
Comparison to a current NBA player (any talent level of player, just to compare your playing style
Can't decide.

[whambamslam]

Height/Weight
Position
Strengths/Weaknesses
Leagues you have played in (lets say since around high school (age 15-16)
Estimate of stats in each league
Comparison to a current NBA player (any talent level of player, just to compare your playing style

Here mine goes:
Height/Weight
6'1", 205 lbs
Position
Pf/C
Strengths/Weaknesses
Strengths: Rebounding, Defense, Passing
Weaknesses: Shooting I guess (but I have played for a couple of hours and taken a shot), Dribbling (I almost always get it stolen if I try taking someone to the hole.)
Leagues you have played in (lets say since around high school (age 15-16)
Never played in a league since like Junior high.

Comparison to a current NBA player (any talent level of player, just to compare your playing style
I would be compared to Kurt Thomas. I box out well, can hit the open 12-15 footer. I play solid defense and I play bigger than I actually am.

[stood-amire]

Height/Weight
Position
Strengths/Weaknesses

Leagues you have played in (lets say since around high school (age 15-16)
Estimate of stats in each league
Comparison to a current NBA player (any talent level of player, just to compare your playing style

Age: 16
Height: 5.91 feet
weight: 176 lbs
position: Preffer to play SF but I am too small.
Strenght: I can do everything, I am kinda all around player but dont stand out in anything. Maybe if I had to point it out, I get to the hole pretty good.
Weakness: I prrety much wrote it above but again if I had to point something out, I can play some realy bad D if motivation isn't there:D But can lock down people if I have motivation.
Leagues you have played in (lets say since around high school (age 15-16): I am training with my high school team but we have great team ( 3rd in Slovenia this year) so I dont get much playing time, I am kinda small too but still hoping i get more oprottunity next year:D
Comparison to a current NBA player (any talent level of player, just to compare your playing style: Boris Diaw with more range( European 3 is closer so...), not so good passing. But I play with much more fire than him just our playing stiles are close, although my friends tell me I play more like James but that was before tearing ACL and having surgery.

Remember that I wasn't talking about talent just style:D

[pidi]

Height/Weight : 5,8 ft / 180 lbs
Position : pg, sg, shooting forward
Strengths/ : good one on one, shooting with range, typical europe streetballer
Weaknesses : defense, passing, size
Leagues you have played in (lets say since around high school (age 15-16) bezirksliga, where i scored 16 points in a quarter and didn´t miss a free throw the whole season ( took about 30 in like 8 games )
Comparison to a current NBA player (any talent level of player, just to compare your playing style

i would love to play like charles barkley with the elbows, but i play like yuta tabuse on drugs -
a total waste of time... haha

[stood-amire]

Miklo are you serious about your weight?:D Yeah you definately should put some weight on(:

[NashtyNas]

Here mine goes:
Height/Weight
5"11 140
Position
PG or OFF GAURD
Strengths/Weaknesses
Strengths: Passing, ball hawking (on ball defense), hustle, slashing and a nice midrange game.
Weaknesses: Horrible 3pt shooting and need to improve a bit on freethrows (66% or so atm)
Leagues you have played in (lets say since around high school (age 15-16)
I am in highschool right now played for junior, gr10, and senior teams and im going to go to 11th grade.
Comparison to a current NBA player (any talent level of player, just to compare your playing style I believe my play is a lot like Rajon Rondo because i look like him, close to him physically, cant finish at the rim frequently, shooting isnt that good (except mid range), and i like setting up my teammates.

[Never Fear 33 Is Here]

Height/Weight
6'4" and a quarter/110kg (at the moment, but when I am not injured, and I have been for a while, my playing weight is under 100, about mid 90's)
Position
SF
Strengths/Weaknesses
Strenghts= Passing, Rebounding, Penetration, Mid Range J, D
Weeknesses= Shot blocking, Hops (derrrrrrrr white men can't jump ) These days lateral movement and being injury prone to an extent, but it has moreso just been one injury.
Leagues you have played in (lets say since around high school (age 15-16)
WOW, too many coz I feel old. I'll just list my district bball for mens, all approx. stats as they weren't kept when I played for two of the teams.
Div 3 - West Adelaide Bearcats
Div 2 - South Adelaide Panthers
Div 1 - South Adelaide Panthers
Estimate of stats in each league
Div 3= 18ppg, 7rpg, 4apg, 1.5spg
Div 2= 15ppg, 8rpg, 2apg (played PF and really didn't like it and was out of position)
Div 1= 2ppg, 3rpg (pretty non existent though as I didn't play there for long as that is when the injuries started)
Comparison to a current NBA player (any talent level of player, just to compare your playing style
I have always and if I ever can make a comeback will continue to model my game after Grant Hill, what can I say, I just love the way he plays. I do however have a more consistent 3-ball than him, but having said that the 3-point line is much closer than the NBA.

[stood-amire]

whar kind of injury do you have Never Fear?

[Never Fear 33 Is Here]

whar kind of injury do you have Never Fear?

To cut a long story short. When I first started playing Div 1 ball I developed stress fractures in my left leg and missed 9 months. I came back socially and 3 months later broke the 5th metatarsal in my left foot and missed a further 2 months. Then I came back to district and played for two season in Div 2, quite uncomfortably as mentioned before as I was playing out of position. Then one drunken night I severely hurt my neck only to end up having a C5-C6 fusion, which didn't work so I had to have more surgery. I am currently going through that at the moment and have a cat scan on Tuesday to see how it is coming along. The short of it is that it still doesn't feel all that great, but my fingers are still crossed.

[Miklo]

Miklo are you serious about your weight?:D Yeah you definately should put some weight on(:

tell me about it (in case you wonder why I got cut from my college bball team after appearing in only 3 games)

I only played junior year in college, and the reason I'm so damn skinny is Senior year of HS I got jumped/robbed and ended up getting surgery on the TFCC ligament in my wrist so I got lazy and didn't work out at all (resulting in atrophy in like every muscle!) then freshman year of college soon after i recovered from surgery I shattered my wrist by jumping out of a moving golf cart and again gave up on any type of exercise. after both of those incidents I was at like 155 and eased up to 165...now I'm eating over 3000 calories a day including a ton of protein so we'll see what happens.

[Miklo]

To cut a long story short. When I first started playing Div 1 ball I developed stress fractures in my left leg and missed 9 months. I came back socially and 3 months later broke the 5th metatarsal in my left foot and missed a further 2 months. Then I came back to district and played for two season in Div 2, quite uncomfortably as mentioned before as I was playing out of position. Then one drunken night I severely hurt my neck only to end up having a C5-C6 fusion, which didn't work so I had to have more surgery. I am currently going through that at the moment and have a cat scan on Tuesday to see how it is coming along. The short of it is that it still doesn't feel all that great, but my fingers are still crossed.

Holy crap...sounds like an absolute nightmare. Good luck on the CAT man sounds like you damn well deserve a shot at playing healthy.

[eastsidecrossover]

Height/Weight:
6’0”/ 170 lbs

Position:
PG

Strengths/Weaknesses
Weaknesses first: As of now, it is my lateral quickness has gone away to a point, same with my vert. Back in the day, it was consistency on the defensive end. (I usually did not give my all on the D side to save energy to score and running the team) but when I did, I had 6 steals in one game, and 3 blks in that game and held their pg to 2 pts, 6 TO's, and 2 ast. And after I broke my ankle my sophomore year after a dunk, I started, and still do get nervous at the beginning of the game. I wish I was stronger, and I have a bad back.

Strength:
For a white boy, I have always been blessed with athleticism. I could jump, had speed, and could cut with ease. In my prime, I had a 42” vert at 21 yrs old, 40” in HS. I could hit my head on the backboard and could touch 11’.

The way I play, well, it depends on what needs to be done. I love to pass the ball, love it. I also love shooting. I can be a scorer when I want, but love to get my points, but make the pass. I can be a pass first PG, and rather be that at times. In certain leagues, due to my athleticism, I would play a forward spot, and would rebound, block shots etc.

I am a shooter, always have been. I have range past 3 pt, I can come off screens, pull up Js, floaters and take it to the rim, and look for contact. I can shoot with both hands due to a rist injury when I was 14. I also played Volleyball, and made all state team my senior year.

Leagues you have played in (lets say since around high school (age 15-16)
Estimate of stats in each league

My Jr. year was my last year.
Fr. 16ppg, 7rpg, 5 apg, 1spg, and around a blk a game
So. 18ppg, 4rpg, 6 apg, 1 spg
Jr. 10ppg, 3 rpg 4 apg – (got hurt again this year, my last year of HS bball)

College, 1 yr at a Jr college, walked on to a private University. Had a practice squad spot, and was outplaying the starting PG of the school at the time. (I am not going to say the schools name) I had to quit b/c the school was hard to get into, and I did not qualify as a full time student.

I started the walk on process with ASU, but decided since I just had a son at the time, that it would be best to work and support the family and go to school full time

Comparison to a current NBA player (any talent level of player, just to compare your playing style

Pistol Pete Maravich. Obviously, not as good, but Loved watching film of him, and wanted to mimic him in how I played ball.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8Y5KAaercTI

[rsavaj]

Height/Weight
6'0", 220 lbs (yeah, I'm trying to slim down :/)

Position
For some reason I'm always slotted at PG even though I suck. Skills-wise, I'm definitely a Power Forward/Center.

Strengths/Weaknesses
Strengths:

1. Court-vision: I can generally see the floor well and I'm good at passing out of the post.
2. Rebounds, blocks(10+ regularly baby!)
3. My body mass: being heavier then anyone else on the floor makes me "unguardable"(not in a good way) in the post
4. A fantastic sense of humor!
5. Basketball IQ: I know what SHOULD happen, but I lack the skills to execute anything with any semblance of prowess.
6. Post moves: My slim, toned body allows me to maneuver deftly around the post.......and by that I mean I throw my unfortunate excess of weight around and fake people out with scary head fakes and loud noises.
7. One possession where I'm the best player on the floor: Humor me, if you will, for this is something that I take pride in. Since I'm an unathletic guy, I have to keep my energy level pretty low. But, when the time comes to step it up, I can do so; for one possession, at least, I put on the turbos, drive to the rim like a mad man(and occasionally finish rather spectacularly I might add), play lock-down defense like a mad man, or commit charging fouls with flair. After that one possession I'm pretty much pooped .
8. Physicality: I don't shy away from contact, since people usually bounce off me....
9. The ability to talk my defender into leaving me wide open by imploring him to realize just how bad I am. Once they do that, I have a clear path to the rim, and I suppose fate decides what happens from there

In reality, my game is below average, but with the group of friends that I play with(guy who was the leading scorer on his team for Cali's HS state champs a couple years ago, a marathon runner who never gets tired/is insanely athletic/is always smiling/lies to us when he says he can't dunk, my roommate who has one good leg and has turned into an absolute marksman to compensate, a Filipino guy who is a bit better than me, a girl who was the starting SG on her HS team in Utah who holds her own, a soccer player who plays harder than everyone else, and a white dude who owns us whenever he tries), I can get by.

Weaknesses: Where oh where do I begin.....

1. Shooting: I'm useless outside 5 feet. Seriously, completely useless.
2. Stamina: since I'm a heavy dude I have to pace myself a LOT, and since I'm almost useless on offense unless I'm in the post, people can leave me wide open without fear of retribution.
3. That "court-vision" I listed in my strengths? It's almost completely negated by the fact that A)I can't dribble with my left hand, and B)I'm always about 3 feet off in all of my passes. So basically, DON'T MAKE ME PLAY THE EFFING POINT GUARD POSITION!!
4. Perimeter Defense/Athleticism: I'm not athletic. I'm slow, I don't have hops, which means I can't keep up with my man if he's a guard.
5. Finishing under pressure: If I'm relaxed, I can get by in the post. But the minute someone starts jostling me around, I start missing gimmes.
6. B/c of my lack of offensive prowess, I feel as though my back to the basket game should be developed a lot more than it is, but I did have someone call me a "Fat Hakeem", so at least I have that going for me.
7. Ballhoggery: If I get scored on, I tap into my inner "Kobe complex" and won't pass the ball until I score on that guy in return. Sadly, this never works in my favor...

So there you have it: if you had to choose me in a basketball game, you'd choose me last, and even then you'd be scanning the courts for someone else to replace me .

[stood-amire]

Rsavaj you remind me of my friend he has other "demensions" but you have same playing style, and he has great sense of humor too. He is 6.3 and 280 lbs so that prrety much makes him ungardable I had a good laugh just reading your description because you do exactly the same thing that my friedn does hehe. I can see your sense of humor just by reading you post Keep it up man

[NashtyNas]

Height/Weight
6'0", 220 lbs (yeah, I'm trying to slim down :/)

Position
For some reason I'm always slotted at PG even though I suck. Skills-wise, I'm definitely a Power Forward/Center.

ARE YOU SERIOUS? Your league must be REALLY small becuase a 6'0 PF/C = crazy small. My school (highschools) league has 6"6 guys playing C... how old are you :S No offense i just wanted to know ohow

[walkingart]

Height/Weight
6', 235/240 lbs (trying to pack on some weight too, unlike all you other 200+ pounders)
Position
PG/SF
Strengths/Weaknesses
Strengths: Passing, Posting up, Shooting, Rebounding
Weaknesses: Lateral Quickness, Lack of Athleticism
Leagues you have played in (lets say since around high school (age 15-16)
High School BBall team:
Freshmen Team(SF): 18ppg, 7rpg, 5apg
JV Team(SF,PG)(Sophmore): 25ppg, 9rpg, 4apg
Varsity Team(SF)(Sophmore): only played a few minutes in a couple games, I know I scored some points, but I don't know how many.
AAU and BCI(PG)(throughout HS): 15ppg, 9apg, 6rpg
And then I said, F this Bball, I am too short, too slow, and I can't jump nearly high enough, and I focused on Football. First team All Region, All State honorable mention, 1 year of college before being put down with my 3rd ACL tear. No thank you on another rehab. And I only weighed about 190lbs when I played.
Comparison to a current NBA player (any talent level of player, just to compare your playing style
I always tried to pattern myself after Magic as a kid, I could even knock down the running hook through the lane with profeciency.

Hey Eastside,
Your name isn't Jason is it. You sound like this kid(haha he would be like 26/27 now) that I use to work with. He played at Mountain Ridge HS and on the Arizona Stars with Jefferson.

[rsavaj]

Height/Weight
6'0", 220 lbs (yeah, I'm trying to slim down :/)

Position
For some reason I'm always slotted at PG even though I suck. Skills-wise, I'm definitely a Power Forward/Center.

ARE YOU SERIOUS? Your league must be REALLY small becuase a 6'0 PF/C = crazy small. My school (highschools) league has 6"6 guys playing C... how old are you :S No offense i just wanted to know ohow

I'm 19, and I don't really play in a 'league' or anything, hence the height disparity. Just play in pickup games two or three times a week with my friends, and the tallest guys in that group are 6'7 and 6'8...the rest of us are <=6'2 haha.

[TASTIC]

Height/Weight
5'11 and a goddamn half...oh to be 6'0"...haha...and a whopping 180lb-ish (78kg)
Position
PG...all day...though I play SG when I'm on one certain team as the HS starter is a PG and he just TAKES PG whenever we play anyway!
Strengths:
I can hit 3s quite easy in practice and don't look awkward taking them like a lot of people do forcing them up there, but I tend to not take many in games. I'm ambidextrous - can dribble better with my left than my right and tend to go to my left more, but shoot with my right (must be the soccer thing, have played that since I was 5, b-ball only since I was abut 12). I've got pretty good court vision and passing with both hands definitely helps. I use a hop-step a hell of a lot and love playing the pick and roll with someone who knows how to use it.
Weaknesses:
Basically I'm impenetrable and am blessed with Barbosa's wingspan and JR Rider's vert....haha...Nah seriously my athleticism is sorely lacking. When I left HS at 17 I was same height but weighed around 150lb- a real stick, as I was playing cricket more than b-ball. I got no vert, am quite unfit at the moment (compared to HS) and can be tempted with money, beer and flesh of the female persuasion My lateral quickness sucks now as I wrecked my lateral collateral ligament TURNING AROUND on the court...my foot/knee stayed still and my body kept going...
Leagues you have played in (lets say since around high school (age 15-16)
We have very few organised leagues here...when I was 14 I was in a team called...The Lakers...ARRRGH hated it...was only 8 teams (Lakers, Celtics, Magic, Pistons, Bulls, Warriors, Blazers and Rockets) HS under16a then under 18a and they didn't keep stats..last year I played for a Div II local team called The Thrashers...I know 10 games we played last year I put up 9pts 5.5reb 7.5asst 2.5stl 1blk...almost had one triple double but missed out on POINTS...grrrr...I missed a free throw (only miss all season) and didn't get it...I only had 18 fta all season though haha...shooting stats were more difficult as the league didn't track them for some reason but our coach did. From memory I was 12-25 on 3s, 17-18 on FTs and shot about 50% fg - probably just under - seemed to get my layups blocked more than I'd like...I had 2x 12assist games last year and 8 steals in another. Once I hit Uni I concentrated on soccer, and wait for it- tabletennis! we had a table at the flat and we've always had one from when I was little, ended up winning the local title and making some decent $$$ (bet nobody saw that coming haha)...great party trick, start playing left handed then when someone challenges switch to stronger right hand

Comparison to a current NBA player
I TRY to play like Nash but probably look more like Diaw out there - too passive on offense to be honest...I'd rather make a flashy pass than take an open shot...

Am looking forward to coming to Phoenix next year and want a pickup game with all you lot! Sounds like some of the Aussies will be going over too....

[Frank Lee]

Height/Weight 5'9" 175
Position forward
Strengths Can guard bigger opponents, Non assuming appearance,
garbageman WHO CAN GET INTO YOUR HEAD. Will drain the trey if left open.
Team Player. Good Hands. Good at fouling without a call.
Devestating lane clearing gas with proper pregame diet of humas and hard boiled eggs.
Always F'n Open....DIDN"T YOU SEE ME????

Weaknesses Lost what little verticle I had. Injury prone. Sometimes too much smack talk. Uncoachable, Poor respect for officials. Technical fouls due to WGTS (wise guy terrette syndrome) Sometimes draw my teammates into uncomfortable situations requiring fast thinking or running. Been known to drink before ballgames.

Leagues you have played in (lets say since around high school (age 15-16)
Wrestled instead of BB in HS. ASU intramurals 4 yrs. Folly Beach Playground.
Estimate of stats in each league a solid 1/2 double double bench player
Comparison to a current NBA player Rick Mahorn (divided by 2)

Have recently turned into a H.O.R.S.E. player as knees, joints, and general , aging body breakdown have all but sapped my former abilities. Enjoy it while you can.

[BigDaddyPR]

Height/Weight
6'3 255
Position
SF/PF
Strengths
Great Post game, many moves with the back to the basket, nice fadeaway, great at finishing with a lot of contact. Good Rebounder, great fundamentals. Decent shot blocker fopr my sz.
Weaknesses
Long Range shot, No right hand at all (im a lefty), A little lazy and i get unmotivated if i dont touch the ball on offense. Shoot too much on ocations.
Leagues you have played in (lets say since around high school (age 15-16)
Div 3 College at UNE (Universidad del Este) Carolina, P.R. Played in the All star Game on my 3rd year, (Ponce, PR.)
Estimate of stats in each league
Around 12 - 15ppg 7 - 8rebs per depending on the year...
Comparison to a current NBA player (any talent level of player, just to compare your playing style
Im a Charles Barkley Clone... on purpose.. he was my idol... Shaq is now but my game is more like Barkley's. A lot of back to the basket game, fakes, I love the physical game... but i have a decent front to the basket game too... thats why i played some SF too.... all i need is to learn to dribble with the right hand!! i guess im a little late for that now... lol!!
Still play 3 or 4 times a week.. i still hang on to the rim and can dunk with a volleyball.. not with a reg basketball anymore...