Shelden Williams

[Packfill]

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So how come Rondo doesn't take it to the basket? All he does is swing it around the perimeter.

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Two reasons: (1) his outside shot is bad enough that defenders sag off of him which makes it harder to drive; (2) UK's offense has been so bad this year and has had so little movement that teams just collapse on him when he drives and he has been told not to force it.

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I have watched 3 Kentucky games and haven't seen him drive successfully one time.

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lol You haven't watched much UK basketball if you haven't seen him drive successfully one time.

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However I have seen him get routinely pushed around trying to guard the opposing pgs of unranked teams.

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Oh, never mind you must have seen a lot of his games. Or maybe not.

Rondo has actually underacheived defensively this year in part because he doesn't have the defensive support he had last year with Chuck Hayes and Kelenna Azubuike. He hasn't been able to pick as many passes off in the lanes, although he still has a great touch stealing the ball. Despite what I would consider overrated D from him this season, he has not gotten routinely pushed around by any stretch of the imagination.

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This is not good. If his shot is bad enough they can sag off him in college things won't get much better in the pros. And if he has a problem with the cat's stagnant offense, what will he do when he comes to Atlanta with out stagnant offense? Isn't the point guard supposed to help prevent stagnant offense?

And he is overrated on D because he doesn't have the support he had last year? What support will he have here in the pros where the opponents are bigger, faster and more experienced - and he would be coming to a terrible defensive team?

[AHF]

(1) You've already quoted that article before and if you'll notice it says:

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Tonight's game was shocking because Rondo was havving a terrific season thus far. His length and quickness are virtually unparalleled on the college level, and he truly does a great job running a team. you just don't find too many point guards with 6'10+ wingspans that have great vision, play great defense, and can run a team the way he does. Things will be a little bit easier on him in the NBA with teammates that can do more than just hustle and play defense, though, allowing Rondo to focus in on what he does best.

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(2) His defense is outstanding but I don't think as an individual defender that he is quite as good as people make him out to be and the other good defenders on the team last year helped make that a non-issue since they were so good (Hayes was SEC DPOY). Rondo is a little bit like Smoove in that he makes a big difference on the defensive end of the floor and a lot of it is with off the ball defense (which for him translated into a UK record for steals last season many of which came by playing the passing lanes - note that Rondo got as a freshman the single season steal record for every player in UK history not just a record freshmen). Rondo would be a huge upgrade over anyone we have on this team - I just wouldn't want people to expect someone like Gary Payton at his prime at this age and I think people like KB tend to overrate the impact his defense would have. He would not be someone who would totally shut his man down - he would represent a major upgrade.

(3) Rondo would have a lot more room to penetrate in the NBA because people would have to respect the outside shooting of JJ, Salim, etc. and the 3pt line gives players trying to penetrate more room. UK has no good 3pt shooters this year and teams crowd the lane. Also, UK has no competent inside players; at least they didn't before Morris returned and gave this team its first inside presence this year. The combination of less space and no one really spreading the floor with their shooting; sagging defender on Rondo; and the ability of opponents to crowd the lane on any drive without much fear of leaving their man is a bad combination.

[exodus]

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His defense is outstanding but I don't think as an individual defender that he is quite as good as people make him out to be

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That was my opinion too.

I keep reading about his great speed but the funny thing is i haven't seen it because he doesn't run. The times I watched he wasn't pushing it up the floor or driving.

It will be interesting to see how he does at the combine. If he measures/tests well then it will certainly help his cause. Plus from what I read he did well for the national team this summer.

Since BK has stated specifically that he is looking for a big and that getting a pg isn't a priority it is very unlikely that he will pick Rondo unless he trades for another pick.

[AHF]

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Since BK has stated specifically that he is looking for a big and that getting a pg isn't a priority it is very unlikely that he will pick Rondo unless he trades for another pick.

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I totally agree with this given where we are likely to draft.

[KB21]

I still have nightmares about that guy after he had 8 steals against Mississippi State last season and broke Kentucky's single season steals record as a true freshman.

The only thing he doesn't do well is shoot the ball. That's it. Everything else he does is great. His assists totals are down this year because no one on his team is shooting the ball well. The best alternative players on that team have been Ramel Bradley and Joe Crawford, and neither have shot the ball well. No one is hitting their shots.

I've seen this guy blow past people, pick their pockets clean, and just flat out run people till their tongue's hang out.

This summer, he dominated all of the point guards that was at the Team USA camp. Those included Darius Washington and several others. He proved then that he was the best point guard in the nation.

I love his speed, ability to jump, court vision, passing ability, and defense.