Re: Walton, Jr.

["JSC" <jaimscastillo@xxxxxxxxxxx>]

I still have concern about TJ Ford's size though... Kenny is 6'1 and played
like Kidd in college, actually he was offensively polished and dished a lot
too... unlike Ford who's 5'10 and has really skinny features and seems
delicate (what more with the NBA-pounding), no question he can run a team
but Brevin Knight did that too, Tyus Edney did it too...but again, the NBA
pounding did them in.  my point is, TJ can play but i don't know if he can
apply and duplicate his skills in the NBA...or be as lethal as he is now in
college.  maybe or maybe not...

the only guy i like in this bunch is Emeka Okafor...

Jaims

----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Berry, Mark S" <berrym@BATTELLE.ORG>
To: <celtics@igtc.com>
Sent: Tuesday, April 01, 2003 2:29 AM
Subject: Re: Walton, Jr.


> I can't make up my mind on Luke Walton. Offensively, I think he could be
> effective as a Eric Williams deluxe-good post-up player against small
> forwards, much better rebounder and passer. He's a great passer and very
> unselfish. But I think he'd get abused by small forwards on the other end.
> But he's not big enough to be a true power forward. You're right that he
> sounds a lot like Antoine.
>
> I guess I come down on the side of he'll be pretty good. He knows how to
> play, he lacks any kind of personal ego and seems like the kind of kid who
> would find a way to help any way he could. Kind of like Shane Battier-not
a
> star by any stretch, but a valuable role player on a good team. I think
he's
> the kind of player the current BDT wouldn't touch with a 10-foot pole.
They
> seem to prefer the clueless, laid-back, athletic types over the smart,
> gutty, unathletic plodders.
>
> As for other draft thoughts after watching a lot of basketball the last
> couple of weeks...
>
> T.J. Ford. What can I say? The perfect fit, if they'd give him the ball
and
> ditch this dreadful offense. Moving up to get T.J. Ford and then trading
> Antoine for a legit power forward (a Stackhouse/Kwame Brown package?) are
my
> offseason dreams. Ford is built like Kenny Anderson but plays like Jason
> Kidd. I no longer have any concerns about his size. Like I said, he looks
> like Kenny physically, and Kenny has done fine. Texas would be an NIT team
> without Ford.
>
> Carmelo Anthony. Great player. He's a true small forward. Antoine-like
> skills, but applied better. He's out of our reach without trading Antoine
or
> Pierce to get him, and I just don't think he's worth it. He doesn't bring
> that much to the table that the captains don't already, and there's that
> element of the unknown. Oklahoma's coach Kelvin Sampson said he may be as
> good as or better than LeBron, and I'm not so sure he's wrong. I'll
probably
> look like an idiot for saying this, but I think LeBron's hype has exceeded
> his potential. He'll be great-maybe even Kobe great-but I've seen him
play.
> It's like watching a player with an NBA body and skills against the kids
> from Hoosiers. He's just on a different level physically. He'd probably do
> what Anthony has done in college. Of course, any GM would trade either of
> our captains for LeBron. I think there's a point in there somewhere, but
> I've lost track.
>
> Hinrich and Collison (Kansas). They look like solid pros, but nothing more
> than that. Collison reminds me of an undersized Christian Laettner. He'll
> have a long career, but never be much more than serviceable. Hinrich just
> doesn't do it for me. I may be wrong, but I'm just not seeing it. I don't
> think he sees the floor well. His effectiveness is dependent on his
jumper.
> I don't see him making other players better. Again, I don't seem him as
much
> more than OK. Maybe I haven't seen him enough. Tammo would know more about
> both these guys.
>
> Dwyane Wade. He's an undersized shooting guard, and I hate those guys. But
> for some reason, I think he might be able to make the adjustment. I see a
> little Steve Francis in him. He'll never be a point guard, but he handles,
> passes and rebounds too well to be a non-factor in the NBA. He's a good
> athlete and he knows how to play. I'm not sure I can come up with a great
> comparison. Quentin Richardson? Not exactly. I don't know. I think he
makes
> it, though.
>
> Emeka Okafor. Very interesting. The Mourning comparisons are pretty
> accurate, only he's slightly shorter (and that's significant). Not sure
he's
> a center in the NBA, but how many centers are there in the NBA? He's not a
> power forward. Maybe a Mourning/Theo Ratliff hybrid. I like him a lot.
>
> Chris Kaman. He's OK. Nice hands, nice touch, plays pretty hard. Puts up
> huge numbers against sub-par competition (the MAC is very sub-par; I've
seen
> a lot of MAC basketball). I remember Casey Shaw dominating at Toledo of
the
> MAC. Who's Casey Shaw? That's my point exactly. Kaman will be a decent
> player, but don't expect much more than that. He's not Ilgauskas. Cross
> Ilgauskas' game with Brad Miller's size and you're close. But that's not
> bad, is it?
>
> Raymond Felton. Love him. If we stay where we are and Ford is off the
board,
> Felton is my pick. Another natural point guard who can make teammates
> better. Not quite the dynamic playmaker Ford is, but a little better
> shooter. Only a freshman, so he's not as polished as Ford. He was the
single
> biggest factor in North Carolina's turnaround this year (although the end
> result still wasn't up to Carolina standards).
>
> That's about it. I know Ray takes a lot of heat, most of it deserved, but
> I'll give credit where it's due when it comes to the international
players.
> I appreciate the posts about these guys.
>
> Mark