Re: Request

[W <titans@ihug.com.au>]

Gene Kirkpatrick wrote:

> When mentioning college players, please refer to their schools, since
> I don't know all the names.  Also, those who like Cleaves:  does he
> have the speed and body to play NBA ball?  I don't see it, but he may
> have it.  Certainly, he is a gifted leader and clutch player.

Gene,

Cleaves -- Michigan State.

This years version of Andre Miller. The same knocks against him, speed
and body. True, Andre was 6'2", but it was still speed and body that were
the main problems against him.

I personally think you go with the steady leader type point guard, rather
than the flash in the pan. More likely than not you'll end up with an
Andre Miller, Brevin Knight, John Stockton, Sherman Douglas type of
player.

On the other hand, if you take the gamble you can either get a dynamic
player Marbury, Payton type of all-star quality point guard, or
conversely with a bad gamble you get a player like Chauncey Billups,
Antonio Daniels, Rumeal Robinson where you've wasted a draft pick, though
Chauncey's flash definitely made him tradeable, he'll probably never live
up to the tag that many placed on him going into his rookie season.

This past seasons classic example could be comparing Charlotte's, Baron
Davis and Cleveland's Andre Miller. Had the Charlotte Hornets taken my
advice and selected Miller, perhaps they would be celebrating the fact
that they have two solid point guards instead of a flash in the pan who
could turn out to be a draft bust. If you can remember, I was talking up
Miller at draft time with a report on the Bob George site, while I may
have been wrong on what it could have taken to have acquired Miller, he
certainly has proven to be a worthy player.

W