Re: Ben Pepper

[jumpshot@iniaccess.net.au (Karen J Davies)]

>Ben Pepper will never fit under Rick Pitino's up-tempo, in your face
>system simply because he is not NBA material, and his defense is terrible.
>This year he has played in Australia, and has not been able to establish
>himself as a force in the middle. His scoring, as well as shooting
>abilities have been mediocre at best, and he is awful from the stripe. He
>has trouble blocking shots.  I heard that in Australia, he might
>have to play backup center because of his work ethic, and his limited
>abilities. I have also observed that on top of the fact that Pepper has
>limited abilities, his attitude is also poor. He does not listen to his
>coach, and he is very uncooperative during strength and conditioning time.
>His attitude will not get by Pitino, because Rick disrespects players with
>a bad attitude, and guys that do not listen to their coach, and players
>that have no interest in staying in shape. 

Here are the stats on Ben Pepper for 1997

Played 30, FG 117/183 (64%), Ast 12, Blk 34, Stl 9, TO 39, Reb 178 (79 Off),
FT 66/90 (73%), Pts 300 (avg 10.0), Mins 20 pg.

So from 20 minutes per game he averaged 10 points, 6 boards, 1.1 blocks,
shot 73% from the line and 64% from the field with 1.3 turnovers.  Not bad
for his second season in the pros here....

Awards: 
NBL Most Improved Player
NBL 6th Man of the Year
NBL 1st in FG% (.64)
NBL 7th in Blocks (1.1)

As a Newcastle resident and Falcons fan here in Australia, there are several
comments that you made which are very untrue, leading me to believe that
your Melbournite cousin has misled you somewhat.  We here, including the
Falcons coach Shawn Dennis, were very disappointed to see another player
developed in our program stolen by a Melnourne team.  Shawn tried
desperately to keep this guy but to no avail, which is certainly not in
keeping with your questioning of his work ethic.  Nor is the fact that he
had worked hard enough on his game this year 
to earn a very well deserved MIP award (polling almost twice as many votes
as his nearest rival)  

Many clubs here were chasing him before he signed with the North Melbourne
giants. The Giants thought enough about him to basically give up a
championship winning centre in Paul Rees to get this guy. 

He certainly can play up tempo style ball and runs the floor very smoothly.
Just as one example, at the last game (v Perth Wildcats) I went to, he ran
the right wing with two guards at left and centre, kept pace with them up
the floor (he is a just-under-7-footer), got the rock at the block at the
full run and jumped from just inside the paint to finish with a huge two
hander...  

>We are rebuilding, and Pepper will
>not help us at all because he has nothing to give us.

All this being said, you are right to say that you will recieve no immediate
help from Ben.  Anyone would be mad to think that.  He is not NBA quality at
the moment, but whether he had the potential....I think he deserves a shot.
Contrary 
to what you have said, he has a great attitude and was often used as a spark
plug last season, particularly on the glass.  This is a guy who has a lot of
energy and athleticism.  He does need to work at his bulk for the Assoc. He
would be a project player but could be well worth it, within three years he
could be very solid.

>Pepper, also said in an
>interview that he wants to leave Australia because he hates the coach for
>getting on his case on getting into shape.

Gee, that one's news to me.  When I have seen and talked to him he has
always expressed great interest in working on his body to get in shape for
the Celtics. In his bio he has always listed LB as his basketball idol.

>Guys, what I say is 100 percent true because my cousin
>in Melbourne keeps me informed on their local basketball teams, and he is
>a avid basketball fan. He also is a Celtics fan 

I am an avid basketball and Celtics fan too and think that Ben might just
have what it takes.  There are no sure things in 2nd rounders in the NBA.
He deserves a shot as much as any of them.

JD