Horford's nbadraft.net bio sounds alot like

[sturt]

...this player who, exactly like Big Al, also was listed at 6-9/245...

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Unbelievable physical specimen with intense desire and aggressiveness. Shotblocker/rebounder extraordinaire...

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Runs extremely well, able to beat most forwards down the court … Is blessed with an NBA ready body and good strength … Defensively Horford is a very strong post defender able to use his body strength to disrupt opposing players from setting up … Solid shot blocker thanks to his timing and great anticipation skills … Attacks the basket with aggression and power...

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Who is this person whose description is eerily similar?

Perhaps I shouldn't say... after all, so many who frequent this board expect a player to come into the league and perform as if he were 25 years old, regardless of the actual date of birth... (*roll eyes*)

[oiatlhawksfan]

Maybe Dwight? Or Amare Stoudamire?

[oiatlhawksfan]

It is Amare!

http://www.nbadraft.net/profiles/amarestoudemire.htm

[ncthompson11]

shelden

[vdunkndunk]

That was pretty cool to read that stuff on Amare. I was there for a couple of his summer league games before his rookie season - he was going against Drew Gooden, who had been taken before him - and I couldn't believe that anyone would pass on Amare. He was ridiculous - he was just destroying people, including Gooden. His athleticism was so obvious that I wondered how people could have missed it. But from that profile it sounds like no one missed it - he probably just had some character issues and was seen as raw and unproven against tougher competition. Turns out he could dunk on NBA players just as easily as high school kids and he should have gone number 1 or number 2.

[KB21]

Yes. The great Jerry West is the guy that took Drew Gooden over Amare Stoudemire. I can't even imagine why he would take Drew Gooden over Amare. Jerry is terrible in the draft though, and he proved it again this year by reaching for Mike Conley Jr.

Also, the Hawks would have had the 7th pick in that draft with Amare going 8th. The player they got in a previous trade for the 7th pick......Lorenzen Wright. The Hawks missed out on Pau Gasol, Amare Stoudemire, and TJ Ford in consecutive drafts because of picks they had traded for veteran players.

In addition, in the 2000 draft, the Hawks would have had the 18th pick but that pick was dealt for Lorenzen Wright as well. The Clippers took Quentin Richardson with that pick, the Hornets drafted Jamaal Magloire with the 19th pick, the 76ers took Speedy Claxton with the 20th, and the Raptors took Morris Peterson with the 21st.

Knowing full well that Pete likely wouldn't have made the right draft pick, the Hawks would have been in much better shape had the front office been patient and rebuilt the team through the draft.

[WraithSentinel]

West fired a scout that didn't notify him of Amare.

[Blunt91]

I don't think Horford is as athletic as Amare, but he does appear to be more physically stronger.

[KB21]

That just shows that Jerry doesn't get out himself and do the leg work. He likes to sit back in his office and believe that just because he is Jerry West, things will automatically happen. The guy is the most overrated GM in basketball, but you will never see any of the talking heads criticize him. He won with Billy's players, and after he traded them off, he had the worst season in the NBA.

[Packfill]

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That just shows that Jerry doesn't get out himself and do the leg work. He likes to sit back in his office and believe that just because he is Jerry West, things will automatically happen. The guy is the most overrated GM in basketball, but you will never see any of the talking heads criticize him. He won with Billy's players, and after he traded them off, he had the worst season in the NBA.

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You keep saying that West won with BK's players but that is a complete fallacy. Yes BK drafted Gasol and Battier but that team doesn't win anything without West coming in and righting the ship - he had to make over the rest of the roster.

Biggest thing he did was obviously hiring a competent coach. Then bringing in Posey (who had a career year that year), trading for Miller, etc. All these moves made it possible for Memphis to win games. If BK remained at the helm that team would not have won anything.

There is a reason BK has never presided over a winning team.

[sturt]

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I don't think Horford is as athletic as Amare, but he does appear to be more physically stronger.

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Too close to call, really, but if I had to judge, I'd rate it the other way around.

[sturt]

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There is a reason BK has never presided over a winning team.

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Can't let that one go by.

Balance, kids, balance.

Vancouver was the sink hole of the NBA for the short time that BK was there...

He moved from one reclamation project to another... so easy to forget just how bad off this franchise was after the Rider trade... practically overnight by NBA standards, we physically lost an entire core of a team very rapidly, and spiritually lost an entire soul of a team even faster.

ATL represented an opportunity for BK to build from the ground-up, with Donnie Walsh as mentor-in-chief.

Don't get me wrong, I'm not personally enamored with Walsh, but nonetheless, he's generally been a well-respected GM in this league for... by NBA standards... eternity. The man has done a few things right...

And in spite of all the loud shreeking noise to the contrary by people who, seemingly, must have had hyper-critical parents who modeled that way of being, or just an innate, deeply-held resentment for people in authority...

BK has done A LOT right... and will be vindicated very soon, assuming nothing incredible happens.

[KB21]

I couldn't agree more. There are a lot of GMs that would line up to get this job just based on the talent that BK has put into place and the flexibility he has given the team. Unlike other teams, you haven't seen Billy Knight go out and give these high priced contracts to players that will never be good enough to warrant those deals. Look at Cleveland. They are now regretting giving Larry Hughes that contract and are trying to trade him. Seattle is looking to deal Luke Ridnour one year after signing him to an extension because they want to get out from under that contract. Billy wisely waited to spend his money on a legitimate player, and he got Joe Johnson.

[Hoosier]

I agree with your assessment of BK, as well. It was interesting to hear BK get a little love on 680 the other day, I forget who it was, but it was about 1:45PM. The host said that he did not blame BK for not wanting to talk to the press or to anyone else for that matter, since everywhere you go in town he is the most hated, derided, and disrespected person we have had in Atlanta sports in years. He went on to say it was not deserved, and the result of a reactionary media and fan base. It will be fun to watch everyone have to change their minds. Well not everyone.

[frosgrim]

One caveat, I think the position of Hawk GM would be sought after if it wasn't for the legal quagmire the team is in. No one wants this job right now due to that, but I do agree BK has done a good job at getting players. IMO, his biggest mistake was the Speedy signing, but I can understand the motivation.

Sheldon was also understandable, but I still would have gone with Roy.

Childress seems to be a fine pick at his position, Deng might be slightly better, but lets see what Chill does w/ a real point now, like Deng has.

Marvin, I wasn't in the country at that point in time, so I really couldn't say who was better between the three choices AT the time of the draft.

This years draft, Horford might be what the doc ordered, I am still very intrigued with Yi. I really like the Law pick however.

Lets hope the ownership mess gets cleaned up and the club can really start making moves down the road. If we could get over the cap, I am sure there would have been other moves made before now.

[KB21]

On the Marvin Williams pick, let's just say that there are a lot of people on this board that are doing a little revisionist history. Marvin Williams was a CONSENSUS top two player in that draft. He was the guy everyone looked at and said he would be the best player from that draft down the road. The key phrase there? Down the road. People also like to forget that the Hawks weren't in a position to draft based on need then. They didn't have Joe Johnson at that time, and they wanted to draft a guy who had the ability to be a superstar. They took Marvin, and it is foolish to criticize them for it because the teams that were trying to get Atlanta to trade out of that pick were trying to get Marvin Williams as well.

[Packfill]

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I couldn't agree more. There are a lot of GMs that would line up to get this job just based on the talent that BK has put into place and the flexibility he has given the team. Unlike other teams, you haven't seen Billy Knight go out and give these high priced contracts to players that will never be good enough to warrant those deals. Look at Cleveland. They are now regretting giving Larry Hughes that contract and are trying to trade him. Seattle is looking to deal Luke Ridnour one year after signing him to an extension because they want to get out from under that contract. Billy wisely waited to spend his money on a legitimate player, and he got Joe Johnson.

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Luke Ridnour's contract is substantially similar to the one BK gave Speedy Claxton. Is Speedy good enough - or healthy enough - to warrant his contract?

[MemphisX]

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That just shows that Jerry doesn't get out himself and do the leg work. He likes to sit back in his office and believe that just because he is Jerry West, things will automatically happen. The guy is the most overrated GM in basketball, but you will never see any of the talking heads criticize him. He won with Billy's players, and after he traded them off, he had the worst season in the NBA.

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Actually, West was hired about weeks before the draft and Amare had already shut down his workouts but your story probably makes you feel better.

I wonder why Billy can't seem to win with Billy's players? More to being a good GM then drafting.