buckeyejonross

March 31st, 2015 at 11:53 PM ^

I don't really care what he dabbled in. Or his background. You said he was a 2/3 star and lightly recruited. He was not. He was in the cream of the crop, an ESPN top 40 prospect and a 4 star recruit. Kentucky doesn't just toss fliers at 2 stars.

Joined: 07/27/2010

MGoPoints: 13808

getsome

April 1st, 2015 at 9:57 AM ^

you need thicker skin.  hes not "disparaging" anyone, hes an analyst paid to offer his opinion.  by the way, he happened to play in the nba for over a decade so hes at least as qualified as some short bald dude on espn propped up as the expert.

its the mans opinion.  hes entitled to his opinion.  and i assume they asked for it though it doesnt really matter (fyi i didnt listen).  i hope hes wrong, im sure hes a great kid and i think hes a hell of a defender - but either way hell get his chance and its great to see dudes make a living playing games, starter or not.  

are you a parent / child of the generation of 9th place ribbons or participation trophies for all kids?  

how is it "disparaging" for analyst to offer his opinion on a draft prospect?  has devin gardner been disparaged when analysts predict he wont make it as a pro QB?  or disparaging chatter re jameis winston on sports channels 24/7?  its their job.  

recruits are ranked based on ability / potential - is it disparaging to rank a kid as 3-star and predict hell be a solid player but never a star?  

opinions, not disparaging insults.  grow up

Joined: 09/07/2013

MGoPoints: 7386

orangeda

April 1st, 2015 at 10:56 AM ^

who just happens to still be playing for and NCAA team, but let's not act like this is some kid that needs to be protected from any and all criticism and opinions, especially if it's an opinion on his ability to play, but especially be a star NBA player(projected lottery pick). 

That's what he wants to be, I'm guessing, and Webber is a paid analyst, not just an "analyst", for both college and NBA bball, so why shouldn't he be able to give his opinion on whether or not WCS will be a good, great or average pro? 

Fact of the matter is that WCS, limited minutes or not, is a statistically average college bball player.  He isn't the first, second or third offensive option when he's on the floor(that's a red flag for his ability in and of itself, considering he's on a college team), and lacks any meaningful offensive skill for the game.  He's a terrific athlete for his size, and is good defensively, but as much as his offenive numbers are skewed negatively by playing with much better offensive talent than him, his defensive numbers are helped by the fact that he plays on a great defensive team. 

Oh, and WCS wasn't a 2-3 star kid when he came to UK, he was another highly regarded 5*, who's had to stay this long because he came in with no offensive game, and the development of his offensive game has been virtually non existent, a pretty consistent staple of Calipari players.  They are what they came in as, only now he's playing on an undefeated team and so he's getting a bunch of hype.

 

 

Joined: 06/25/2009

MGoPoints: 522

LSAClassOf2000

March 31st, 2015 at 10:50 PM ^

The comments on the ESPN piece are pretty much standard stuff for any article on that site - uninformed, uninsightftul, etc... - so there really isn't a reason to be upset much less care about it really. That, and, Chris Webber - member of the Fab Five and five-time NBA all-star - probably is looking at things that nearly all of the people currently engaged in a flame war with him are not and likely would not. 

Joined: 01/07/2011

MGoPoints: 130669

ShruteBeetFarms

March 31st, 2015 at 10:53 PM ^

probably hates UK anyway. I can't imagine this being a nation wide hate thing. It's more like the enemy of my enemy is my friend. Fan bases of other blue bloods are probably loving what Chris said.

Joined: 09/25/2010

MGoPoints: 63922

pdgoblue25

March 31st, 2015 at 11:23 PM ^

And I'm not one of the greatest power forwards ever. Cauley-stein didn't even have basic post moves to score on a defender who was a 6'5" SG. A simple shake, drop step, baby hook should have been 2 pts or a foul every single time.

Joined: 03/03/2010

MGoPoints: 19003

Everyone Murders

April 1st, 2015 at 8:44 AM ^

IU's hate of Sparty is primarily about the basketballs, and secondarily about the 1987 game where MSU beat IU to go to the Rose Bowl.  Bill Mallory gave the MSU team one of the classiest post-game speeches I've ever heard, but MSU was in general a pretty 'roided and loathsome team back then.

(Still loathsome now, but less 'roided - albeit hardly clean on that front.)

But I'll Roll with rob f's statement that "Sparty has arrived".  It's the sports equivalent of the rock-and-roll left-handed compliment that a band is "big in Japan".

Joined: 12/14/2010

MGoPoints: 65552

BIGBLUEWORLD

April 1st, 2015 at 12:05 AM ^

Do you really need to take shots at a college kid who's probably working hard to do his best?

At least he's not taking thousands of dollars under the table for playing college basketball.

Oh, excuse me!  Did you take that personally?  

It would be justified if Willie Cauley-Stein comes back to remind you how a lot of people, including your former teammates, are waiting for you to apologize for dragging the University of Michigan basketball program through the mud.  

Note: I'm not a Chris Webb hater.  But it is time for him to man up and set things straight.

Joined: 07/14/2012

MGoPoints: 4239

natesezgoblue

April 1st, 2015 at 12:49 AM ^

I didnt see it happen.  But isn that what the draft is?  He articulated what a lot of people think.  If he wouldve said Jordan Morgan has no shot to play in the NBA would everyone be mad?  Lets not get our panties in a bunch becasue someone controversial on this website doesnt take a top player on the best team in the country with the highest regard.

Joined: 05/24/2010

MGoPoints: 4772

6tyrone6

April 1st, 2015 at 12:58 AM ^

So if it is 7ppg in 26 minutes that equals 10.7 ppg in a 40 minute game and don't most players sit out a few minutes too? So yeah pretty average.

Joined: 02/18/2009

MGoPoints: 2027

mtlcarcajou

April 1st, 2015 at 1:37 AM ^

is probably what WCS could aim for with a lot more work on his athleticism. 

In today's pro game it's rim protect (he can certainly do that), set pick and roll, look for lobs.

His straight post game on O is pretty mediocre. Towns at least can back shorter guys in, use that shoulder-elbow bump effectively, and is murder at short range.

Joined: 02/19/2011

MGoPoints: 1024

Pit2047

April 1st, 2015 at 1:48 AM ^

WCS is Tyson Chandler. He'll be a great defender and pick and roll player and not much else, if he has the proper intangibles and conducts himself with class he's looking at a 10+ year career in the league as a role player. Deandre Jordan is leading the league in rebounding, is 4th in blocks, and has a legit case for DPOY. DJ is going to get a max deal this summer, WCS will never be DJ and there is absolutely nothing wrong with that. He should be a mid first round pick go to a good team possibly start in a few years and have a long productive career but he will not be a star in the NBA. Most of the Kentucky kids won't with the possible KAT or Booker.

Joined: 06/12/2013

MGoPoints: 4374

mtlcarcajou

April 1st, 2015 at 2:15 PM ^

Exactly. DJ is what WCS should aim to be. We dont know where the ceiling is but that should be his target type.

With the generally poor rebounding technique in the pros, it is not inconvievable that WCS can reach 9 or 10.

I'd be fine if my C's grab him. Excuse me, I just have to text them my approval.



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Joined: 02/19/2011

MGoPoints: 1024

Avon Barksdale

April 1st, 2015 at 9:22 AM ^

But I've watched Kentucky like ten times this year and I honestly don't think any of their guys are solid NBA'ers. They make a great college team - yes, maybe the best ever. But none of them are really great.

Cauley-Stein can't score (so he's Theo Ratliff except quicker); Booker is basically Nik Stauskas 2.0 - except he's only proven to be a shooter; neither Harrison shoots better than 39% from the field so they are 6'6 guards who can  do what exactly --- defend; Poythress might not be the same after the injury; Towns and Lyles disappear far too often for "sure fire NBA All Stars..."   

Maybe I'm just having flashbacks from last year's Elite 8 game, but the guy who impresses me the most as a future NBA'er is Marcus Lee (who barely gets to play most of the time). He has great energy, shoots 65%, grabs every board with his incredible wingspan, and still can alter shots despite only being 6'9. The thing that would hold him back is his 30% from the FT line and he needs to gain a little weight and develop a solid outside game if he's going to be a 4 in the NBA.

Joined: 04/27/2013

MGoPoints: 12859

bluesalt

April 1st, 2015 at 11:20 AM ^

Feels like you're mostly having the experience of watching a team that's 10-deep spread opportunities around in games where they get about 65 possessions as a team and are generally up by a lot. Collectively, they're obviously very good. It's going to be tough to stand out and look like the alpha dog on such a team. For better or worse, most NBA players that are successful don't have a huge impact in their rookie years, and many not until the end of their second year or into their third year. It's easy to look at a freshman or sophomore and think his game is lacking, which it probably is. But don't mistake flaws in a 20 year-old for lack of potential. I expect Towns, if he stays healthy, can be a superstar in the NBA for a decade. He's incredibly talented on both ends of the floor. Should be a perennial all-star in the LaMarcus Aldridge model. WCS can do a lot of the things that NBA teams ask of their center -- play both interior and perimeter defense, set picks, and run the court in fast break opportunities. I would be concerned with his hands, as that may be limiting both his rebounding and his half-court offense, but he's a rotation player on a winning from Day 1 in he NBA, and if his hands are not an issue, will be in the top half of starters at his position beginning at year 3 for the following 5-10 years assuming he's healthy. Successful NBA teams have realized that most players can't be great at everything, and so finding those players is rare. Instead they look for players with 1-2 elite skills who's strengths compliment each other. WCS gives you defense, Booker gives you shooting, and so on. There are a lot of players on that team who should be rotation players through the prime of their careers (although not the Harrison twins).

Joined: 11/02/2011

MGoPoints: 8586