I still would pick Josh Smith at #6.....

[emeans]

Let me explain why Josh Smith dropped from the No. 2 or No. 3 spot to No. 17.

First let me say this....Printout and/or read all of the strengths and weaknesses of all of the players drafted before No. 17 and even after. The first thing you will notice is that they ALL (Every single player) has SEVERAL skills that they have to work on. One may have good footwork, but can't get his shot off. One may be able to dribble, but can't shoot. One maybe able to rebound but have no go to move. The list goes on and on and on.

I am really suprise these comments come from KB because I consider him a very knowledgeable fan on this forum. KB said he can't shoot or dribble but this scout says:

Quote:

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Strengths: A sweet shooting lefty combo forward. Josh is an excellent shooter with very good ball handling skills. He can shoot the lights out from down town or take the ball to the hole for a huge dunk. His unbelievable shooting touch is what separates him from the rest of the pack. A special talent.

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I respect what he brings to this forum because he brings a lot of good information, but for some reason he has the Jay Bilas syndrome about Josh Smith, which is wrong.

Back to why his stock dropped....It started with the High School and McDonalds All-American games and snow balled with one workout he had with the Charlotte Bobcats. He went with a very immature attitude and pouted (according to reports) about some of the drills they had him doing even in the practices at the all-american games. He took an "I don't give a damn attitude" in the workout. He had already signed a multi-year endorsement with addidas for millions. That really ticked off the Bobcats GM and he basically put a bad word out about the kid to the press and to other GMs. He did have some other good workouts, indicated by everyones assertion that he is the most athletic player in the draft, but when you pissed off respected brass in the NBA.....You can easily get blackballed and that is what happened.

He was basically an immature 18 year old kid that was put on a pedistal from the start of the offseason. Addidas praised him with millions and if you saw the ESPN special on him....he had sort of an attitude as if "I know I am the best". This is why his stock dropped drastically.

Then you know there are other politics behind things that we will never know. But for Jay Bilas to sit there and say that this kid could be the biggest bust on national television tells me Josh and/or his family really ticked someone off personally. That was a purely personal attack, not an objective attack on this kid.

He just has to be humbled and grow up and under Woodson and Knight and Co. as the coach and GM he will be fine. We landed on a Jewel people.

[Derek]

I very much want Josh to succeed, and I think what Jay Bilas said was very uncalled for. I think he could be an unbelievable player in this league, but I do realize that he could never live up to his potential. He does have bust potential... everyone has to face that fact.

[DominiqueWilkins]

The point is that everyone should understand is that Josh Smith still has everything in the world to prove he can make it in the NBA.

He is only in the summer leagues at the moment, and still hasn't stepped on the court with the big boys.

I like what Josh Smith has done so far in two summer league games, because he has shown he can work both sides of the court.