Saturday, August 27, 2011

We Reminisce about the Future!

Let's have some fun reminiscing about the 90's while thinking about the future, Hakeem Olajuwon has been mentoring Dwight Howard and TheSportsBoys have been thinking, if they say the 80's had the best basketball and the 90's had the best players, we need a mix. Players from the 90's would make excellent mentors and here we're gonna write ceilings for each player and who should help them with their games, to be sure this is not what players should try and copy its who should help them.


DeJuan Blair:
 Dejuan needs to learn post moves from TD, if it weren't for TD TP would not be close to what he is today, Blair  has showed great potential as a center even though he has no knees. With Tim Duncan getting older DeJuan Blair should be a good replacement.


Ceiling: DeJuan Blair can be an one of the best post players in the league and can be one the best centers. Blair can also take pressure off Corey Joseph if he becomes a great post player by Joseph having someone to pass to, if Blair reaches his full potential Cory Joseph has a better chance of reaching his full potential and those two reaching full potential together could help win championship.




Mentor: Tim Duncan




Comparison: Anthony Mason




Rudy Gay:
 Rudy Gay needs to learn how to drive to the basket like a young Jerry Stackhouse. Stack was a beast when driving to the hoop, Rudy is already a good streak shooter and if he can add the Stackhouse drive tomahawk to his game he will be truly terrific, If he can meet with Stack and see how Stack played offense in the late 90's to 2003 he will lead the Grizzlies to a conference championship, with OJ Mayo, Conley, Randolph and Gasol around a player similar to Stackhouse will become a champion and one of the greats.


Ceiling: Gay could be a 27-5-4 guy with 1.4 steals and 0.9 blocks, he could be the difference between a 2nd round outing and a conference championship.




Mentor: Jerry Stackhouse




Comparison: Grant Hill


Jrue Holiday:
Jrue Holiday needs to hone his defensive skills by fouling less and trying to steal a bit more. He doesn't have top speed so he should learn from GP and gain a post game, with his outside shot and post up game defenses will be forced to play him honestly which will open up for the passing game. If Jrue reaches the level of defense that his intangibles allow he will become the premier defender of his era, a glove with less swagger and less scoring.


Ceiling: Jrue's Ceiling is an excellent defender who could put together 23-6-9 with 6 steals on a good night, he could become a true shutdown defender and rebound as well as any PG before him. his averages cold reach 19-6-9 if he does what I think he can.




Mentor: Gary Payton




Comparison: Sam Cassell




Terrence Williams:
Terrence needs to be more consistent in his shooting and use his speed to get open jump shots instead of driving to the hoop, if he doesn't add another style to his game he'll end up another Omar Gooding, a player excellent at his specialty (hood teenager) instead of someone who can play multiple roles (Taj Mowry). If T-WiLL adds a J as Pippen or Iguodala has he will become a master of the SF-SG-PG hybrid. Pippen can also help him learn to master his athletic style of defending which could result in Terrence ending up one of the greatest defenders ever.


Ceiling: T-WiLL is an excellent defender, great rebounder and amazing playmaker, if he fulfills his potential he can be better than Iguodala and throw up 19-8-7 nightly and on a good night hit you with a 21-11-13 that's right, T-WiLL has the potential to do that! T-WiLL can become a good scorer, not an excellent one as he doesn't have the mentality but a good one nonetheless, he has amazing athleticism and easily gets to the line, and T-WiLL is a triple double waiting to happen.T-WiLL is an excellent defender, great rebounder and amazing playmaker, if he fulfills his potential he can be better than Iguodala and throw up 19-8-7 nightly and on a good night hit you with a 21-11-13 that's right, T-WiLL has the potential to do that! T-WiLL can become a good scorer, not an excellent one as he doesn't have the mentality but a good one nonetheless, he has amazing athleticism and easily gets to the line, and T-WiLL is a triple double waiting to happen.




Mentor: Scottie Pippen




Comparison: Andre Iguodala




Marcus Thornton:
 Movement without the ball, something much needed by the Sacramento Kings scorer's, if Thornton can learn that he'll become the highest scoring guy and a player that the Kings will give big minutes compared to the others on the Kings roster. His details are biggest if he hits his ceiling, otherwise he'll be just another 18 PPG guy who can explode once in a while, hopefully he keeps putting a body on defenders on his way to the rim.Movement without the ball, something much needed by the Sacramento Kings scorer's, if Thornton can learn that he'll become the highest scoring guy and a player that the Kings will give big minutes compared to the others on the Kings roster. His details are biggest if he hits his full potential. Jamal Mashburn was an excellent handler, and had even better movement, if he could walk Marcus through it Thornton could be legendary.


Ceiling: Marcus is a very sweet shooter who can be deadly from anywhere on the floor, I think in his prime if he learns to move without the ball he could become the number one option on a team full of scorers and if he keeps using his body while driving he could one day average a 24-4-5 and become an unstoppable player while driving.




Mentor: Jamal Mashburn




Comparison: Jason Terry




DeMar DeRozan:
DeMar needs an outside shot, he is an unbelievably fast SG, with athleticism that wows the world... but that three point jumper is garbage, he spent his second year gaining a more consistent jumper inside the line but now he needs one outside. DeMar gaining an outside jumper will force defenders to play him honestly ( like they do for Derrick Rose) that will also open up for his quickness (again like Rose), DeMar could be an All-Star on a non All-Star team which cold lead to him scoring excessive scoring, the only thing that is slowing him down right now is his J, and that's where Dominique an help him.

Ceiling: DeMar's ceiling is pretty high, his speed helps him evade defenders and if he gains superior handles and an outside shot we could be looking at a potential All-NBA player, Dominique's help mentoring the kid could bring him to 28-3-3 and 47% from the field, but it might leave a hole in his D, let's hope he learns from Dominique, gets the proper O but learns from his mistakes and plays D. If DeMar masters what the great 90's scorers didn't he'll be All-Time.


Mentor: Dominique Wilkins


Comparison: Clyde Drexler





DeMarcus Cousins:
DeMarcus is a HUGE prospect, as in huge talent and huge player, he needs to learn to use his weight like Shaq, which i'm sure Shaq could teach him in-between
 many jokes and establish himself in the paint more, he needs to be a brute force the way Dwight Howard, Shaq and Shawn Kemp were, he also needs to keep working on his mid range game and his presence on defense, if he does that nothing will stop him.


Ceiling: There is nothing to say about Cousins future other than he could average a 28-11-3 on 57% shooting if he lives up to the hype.


Mentor: Shaquille O'Neal


Comparison: Chris Webber





Evan Turner:
Brandon Roy PT 2, the good thing is his knees are already surviving, the bad thing is he has an inconsistent outside jumper, Evan shows promise and with the help of Stevie Franchise could become an excellent handler who would fit as Philly's number one guy, drop points and dirty handling on any defender and help lead Philly to it's first basketball importance since Allen Iverson was kicked out.

Ceiling: look at Roy's stats from 08-09 and you'll see little difference, 21-4-3 and a nice 35% from deep is what I feel Evan Turner can bring to the table!


Mentor: Steve Francis



Comparison: Brandon Roy


Stephen Curry:
Curry and Hardaway both have/had quick hands, quicker releases and even quicker crosses, if Curry takes a note and learns how to use his crosses and hands effectivily a la Tim Hardaway we're looking at Golden State relevance outside a dunk contest, that's right!

Ceiling: Stephen Curry's ceiling is Tim Hardaways 1996-96 season just wait, you'll see!


Mentor: Tim Hardaway


Comparison: Tim Hardaway



Klay Thompson:
Klay is too hard to tell before we see an NBA game but as we did with other rookies I just wanted to list our ceilings and info so far.

Ceiling: A poor man's Miller, with that being said Reggie's 90-91 season will be a fine career best for this young man.


Mentor: Reggie Miller


Comparison: Mitch Richmond



J.R. Smith:
A deadly shooter from wherever needs to buckle down and play D, Dumars can help and if JR does what Dumars says I think he'll end up a perennial All-Star.

Ceiling: Does a 26-4-4 sound good? how about on 47 from the field and 46 from 3? Ladies and gentlemen J.R. Smith!


Mentor: Joe Dumars


Comparison: Jason Richardson



Russell Westbrook:


Ceiling:


Mentor: Gary Payton


Comparison: Kevin Johnson



Landry Fields:
A new age Starks with no anger problem should be an excellent 6th man and great starter, in a couple of year Landry will be at least that, shooting three's like Starks back in the day and proving he should've been picked higher he can hit consistently and just needs to learn to pass and defend like John, that's all there is to be said around the new John Starks

Ceiling: 19-4-3 that's something possible next year for him but a 20-4-4 is what I think he can give us in his prime!


Mentor: John Starks


Comparison: John Starks



Tristan Thompson:
Once again hasn't played

Ceiling: I'd say a 22-8-2 is in order for the lefty from Texas.


Mentor: Kevin Garnett


Comparison: LaMarcus Aldridge



Derrick Rose:
Little can be done to stop the reincarnation of NBA Kevin Johnson, all he needs is a new Charles Barkley and we're set for Chicago championships, Derrick Rose needs a more consistent jump shot and do what KJ did in 89-90 I fear he can't but with KJ's help who knows?

Ceiling: Derrick hitting his ceiling would bring us an unstoppable scoring PG who could give your team a 25-3-9 on 46 percent shooting and 32% from downtown, not to mention a ring.


Mentor: Kevin Johnson


Comparison: Kevin Johnson



 JaJuan Johnson:
A good post defender with a good chance of becoming an all-star with the veterans and coaches he's surrounded by.

Ceiling: Who knows?


Mentor: Dikembe Mutombo


Comparison: DeJuan Blair



Brandon Jennings:
A scorer who need efficiency he can learn from Mark Jackson and if he can pass like Jax we're looking at Young Money becoming a top tier PG, instead of a ghetto pride baller. Jennings needs to be less flashy and learn to get to the rim like Mark Jackson, Mark was able to get there on command and with his help Jennings could shoot over 39%!

Ceiling: 23-8-3 is nothing to sneeze at, especially when Jennings ups his percentages to 47% FG and 43% 3FG, now that's good!


Mentor: Mark Jackson


Comparison: Allen Iverson



JaVale McGee:
If McGee learns from Sampson he won't be in foul trouble he'll be excellent on the break and better in both posts, the thing is McGee is one of the most unsure prospects in the league.

Ceiling: nothing is clear for the young man, but I think he can bring around 3.7 BPG to a defense.


Mentor: Ralph Sampson


Comparison: Marcus Camby


Nick Young:
Nick can become an unbelievable shooter who can come of the smallest of screens and score, if Houston teaches him his without ball movement Young can become a great 2nd best player and maybe make a couple all-star teams.

Ceiling: Allan Houston's 02-03 season seems to be in order.


Mentor: Allan Houston


Comparison: Hersey Hawkins



Blake Griffin:
Blake has nothing to learn other than to learn from Shawn's mistakes, he needs to learn not to be ungrateful and to learn to be patient. One of the NBA's true franchise players does not need to be corrupt by money.

Ceiling: 27-14-4 on 55% FG...


Mentor: Shawn Kemp


Comparison: Shawn Kemp


Jordan Crawford:
One of the best young hybrid's in the league has an unbelievable upside, his D could use work and his O needs consistency but Jordan filled in as a solid PG for Wall and an excellent SG for Young, if he hones his talent we're looking at a huge trade chip, excellent player and top scorer. Jordan need's to be tougher and work on his consistency and we will see 39 point nights come up much more.

Ceiling: 27 PPG with 5 assists and 4 rebounds, that's pretty good, especially on 47% FG and a cold blodded 42% 3FG! Cold as Ice!


Mentor: Latrell Sprewell


Comparison: Jamal Crawford


 Kyrie Irving:
A nasty cross that can become anything from a rich man's Chauncey Billups to a poor man's Isiah Thomas, let's see where this goes!

Ceiling: ???


Mentor: Isiah Thomas


Comparison: Nick Van Exel


John Wall:

The best PG prospect since Chris Paul can become *GULP* better than Gary Payton, Gary is my favorite player and no one will ever be a better defender, but John Wall has the length, talent and athleticism to be better, he has the same length with smaller hands, same amount of talent, but his athleticism is off the charts (for those of you that didn't know GP was very athletic but didn't use it to dunk on opponents) as he's already almost a 1993-93 Payton with more turnovers and assists. John Wall has the weight to be a better post player than Payton if he learns Payton's moves, he can be as good a defender based on size, length, athleticism and determination, overall John Wall has the tool's to be a better PG than almost anyone before him, he can block, handle, steal, pass, score, if he gains a good jump shot as Payton did he can become unstoppable and with a young talented Wizards team like the one he's on he can evolve into something we haven't seen before. If John Wall and Gary Payton work together we could see five straight years of 99-00 Gary Payton, John Wall could become the greatest point guard ever (He may one day, unlikely but with his overall package maybe, I don't think he will but he may). John Wall has the tools to become a top 10 player ever, it's just a matter of if he'll use it or not.





Ceiling: John Wall's ceiling is higher than one of those rich people houses you see on MTV Cribs, Wall is already a great defender, an amazing passer, another triple double waiting to happen and he has the speed to cut through any defense, John Wall's ceiling could be a 24-12-7 on 45% shooting and 33% three point shooting, but he could also give you 2.3 steals and 2.9 turnovers which is excellent and almost unbelievable, John Wall is like a mix of Gary Payton and Kevin Johnson, he'll leave you in the dust on O draw a double team and kick it to the open man, and then he'll strip you of the ball on D sprint to the basket and then hang on the rim to show you who's boss! John Wall is what I've been waiting for since 2003, a player with swagger who will trash talk and then back it up, I don't know what else you could want from a PG!




Mentor: Gary Payton




Comparison: Gary Payton


1 comment:

Anonymous said...

out of all the articles so far this one is my favorite i wish the nba had a mentoring programwhere they could do this with youunger players but i think Hakeem Olajuwon would be a better mentor for javale!