TEAM USA VINDICATES BILLY KNIGHT!

[Guest Walter]

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Any Falcons fan will tell you. That for awhile there they couldn't understand why Dan would draft TEs. I read Falcons fans would always bash and make fun of the the Falcons for drafting them similar to Hawks drafting SF. Now look at the league. NFL is all about the TE in today game. While Dan wasn't the greatest of coaches. He certainly saw a trend developing. Just as BK saw this trend developing. Even the Pacers are starting to move in that direction.

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People have always drafted TEs just like people have always drafted long and athletic, the difference is in the extent to which they do so. If that's the majority of what you draft in either case expect to miss out on alot of necessary components. I don't think Reeves could be accused of the abuse of drafting TEs like BK could with 6'8" players.

W

[KB21]

Uh, no. I'm not out of the loop.

Spencer Hawes is going to be a good player, but you shouldn't try to make him into something he isn't. He isn't a dominant big man. He's a Brad Miller type that has great range on his jump shot and is average in the low post.

I also like Joakim Noah, but he isn't the great prospect many of the so called internet draft gurus think he is. He's a Marcus Camby clone. Joakim is very active, hustles, and can block a lot of shots, but he has no offensive game outside of his ability to slash to the basket and get garbage points. He is also going to be a player that will be easily backed down when you isolate him in a one on one situation. Right now, he is being highly overrated if people are considering him for a top 3 pick. I personaly think Al Horford is a better NBA prospect. He's not a better college player at this point, but his game projects better to the NBA.

Greg ODEN is a complete stud. He is the one guy from this past high school class that I saw and felt was ready to step onto the NBA floor immediately and defend his position. This is the one seven footer that is in college that has the ability to be a dominant force both offensively and defensively. No one else is even close.

Like I said. Oden is the exception. There's a lot more Greg Monroe's out there than there are Greg Oden's.

[Packfill]

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......is the center of the future in the NBA. NBA teams are having to adapt to the talent that is currently in the league and coming up on the horizon. The true 7-footer that can run the floor, be a dominant offensive presence in the post, and defend is a dying breed. One may pop up every once in a while, but for the most part, the 7-footers of today are either going to be slow footed guys who are mediocre defenders, offensive players, and rebounders, or they are going to be extreme projects that may never pan out. Greg Oden may be the exception to this.

By and large, the centers of today and tomorrow are going to be the guys who are in the 6'9" to 6'11" range. These centers won't have great size, but what they bring will be increidible athleticism and an uncanny ability to run the floor.

Basically, the NBA is coming full circle. It's going back to the days when guys like the 6'9" Bill Russell, 6'9" Willis Reed, and 6'7" Wes Unseld were the dominant big men while the true 7-footer like Wilt Chamberlain was a once in a generation player.

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Too bad the Hawks don't have any of those PF/C hybrid players (with the possible exception of Solomon Jones experiment).

[Diesel]

I watched Ogden play in the MAAHSG and was not so impressed. Not as impressed as I was with others... (Hawes included)...

IF you think that Hawes is not going to be a low post C, then you definitely need to go back to the looney bin. Hawes is basically 2nd generation who has a ferrocious back to the basket game and a hook shot when all else fails. Ogden blocked Hawes shot, Hawes got the ball back and put up one of the prettiest hookshots I've seen since Magic. This kid is a throwback and he's in my top 4 of players I would want out of next years draft.

ABout Noah... What else do you want your C to do? I would be damn happy with a Marcus Camby Clone who is not injured every other day. I was lucky to see Camby carry UMASS... And you're right, there hasn't been many defensive studs like Camby since. However, if you watched UFl play LSU or UCLA, you saw another stud who dominated the defensive end. Anybody can play offense. Offense is 2nd nature for any player who has played more than 5 years competitively. However, Defense requires more instincts and natural ability. Give me Noah...

[KB21]

Uh, Shelden Williams is a PF/C hybrid.

[KB21]

Once again, you are all alone in your opinion of Spencer Hawes. No one else sees him play and believes he will be a dominant low post force in the NBA.

If you are basing your opinion on the McDonald's All-American game, then you are the fool.

[Packfill]

I see Sheldon as a classic power forward, with some scoring potential. Sort of in the mold of "pure" power forwards like Buck Williams, Charles Barkley, Charles Oakley, Karl Malone, Elton Brand, Zach Randolph, etc. All those guys are 6'9" or shorter, solidly built and broad. I don't remember anyone questioning what position those guys should play. I guess you could make the argument that Ben Wallace is a "center" but he is a somewhat unique player.

Sheldon does not seem to fit in with the tall, rangy uber athletes that most equate with the modern day power forward center hybrid (i.e., Garnett, Howard, Bosh, Duncan, Aldridge, R. Wallace, O'Neal, etc.). If you wanted to go back a little further guys like Hakeem, the Admiral, Larry Nance, Kevin Willis, Kevin McHale and others may may be considered the precursers to the modern day hybrids, but they all seem to have alot more length then Sheldon.

[Guest Walter]

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Uh, Shelden Williams is a PF/C hybrid.

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...at 6'71/2" is a Pf/C hybrid?!?

SW is clearly a pure-Pf in this league.

W

[Diesel]

Because right now, you're just talking about something you know nothing about dr. KB...

However, let me give you a little more to chew on to rebutt this silly statement.

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No one else sees him play and believes he will be a dominant low post force in the NBA.

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Read

[DrReality]

Yes it works great when you have all all-stars. ????

[Yeti]

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Once again, you are all alone in your opinion of Spencer Hawes. No one else sees him play and believes he will be a dominant low post force in the NBA.

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No he's not alone, there's at least two of us. I've been following Spencer for 2-3 years. (I've been curious because I played against his dad and uncle in high school - we got killed. Later Steve Hawes was an undersized center for the Hawks - Spencer is better.) I just hope he stays in college more than one year.

[Diesel]

Actually, I hope he stays in college for 2 years also... Because he needs to bulk up. However, I know there some pressure there with M. Webster already a pro and doing well.