Re: walker

[j.hironaka@unesco.org]

RSMALL@clarku.edu wrote:

> >
> >     I'd love to see Walker stay, but if a so called 'professional' cannot accep
> >     t the instructions of his coach and mentor, well then he has got to shape u
> >     p or ship out!! If Pitino says Pass first shoot second....then at least try
> >     it!!!! If he says get in shape, at least try and maintain some sort of
> >     fitness regime during the off season!!! its not rocket science its B-Ball
> >
> >     Regards,
> >            John OByrne
>
> These are a lot of ifs.  This is the year for Walker to step up and mature.
> If he does I will get off his back, if he doesn't I think he is in for a
> miserable year from the fans.  That said, if the C's trade him for Dale Davis
> only I will be pissed, as they should be able to get more.

I agree that this is the year for Walker to mature, and it needs to be by a lot.  In
my own opinion:

If he shoots less than 45% FG, he's out of here.
If he shootes less than 70% FT, he's out of here.
If he gets less rebounds per game, he's dogging it (even at small forward he can
average 10 if he tries).
If he averages less than 3.5 assists, sorry he's out of here.

I can absolutely relate to what Rick Pitino said the other day, because I'm sick and
tired of constantly defending a guy who I don't even count among my favorite players
in the league by a long shot. When Pitino said he wasn't putting up with all this
crap anymore, I was like "YES!!"

Having said that, I will point out once again that in his best season Antoine Walker
led the Celtics in rebounds, steals AND was just 13 assists shy of being the team's
leading assist guy. The last thing any player with those numbers is is "selfish" or
not much into "hustling". Rebounding and assists are the ultimate "hustle/unselfish"
stats.

To say he's not THAT talented is false. To say Paul Pierce is as talented as him is
false.  Why? Well there are 12 players (Shareef, Garnett etc) I'd enthusiastically
trade Walker for right now to help the Celtics, but I don't believe there are ANY
(exception is Grant Hill) who can both pass AND rebound with Antoine Walker or Grant
Hill. And Walker is a MUCH tougher big game player than Hill.

Antoine Walker is a really, really, really uncommon talent by these measures. I hate
him sometimes, but I realize this fact. When I comment that Boston fans don't deserve
Antoine, I mean it. We need to stop making our town look like it's filled with such
sickening basketball idiots (the boo-ing, the actual rooting for him to fail, the
"I'd rather have Mercer than Walker" nonsense).

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