Walllace's drafting...

[GuyClinch@xxxxxxx]

> First of all, kedrick can not play.  Walker was talking up vinny baker all
> year just as he was kedrick.  that scares me.  seems like kedrick has no
> confidence and no killer instinct.

Hmm we shall see..

But somehow I don't expect apologies out of you folks when Kedrick is scoring 
15+ a night with 8+ rebounds for the Denver Nuggets in 2005. Its interesting 
that folks like you think you have more insight then both Paul Pierce (who 
rated Kedrick #3 best defender against him) and Walker. These guys play with 
him every day..in practice. I will take the word of Paul Pierce. If he says 
he is tremendously talented and wants him to play, I believe him. Sorry if I 
don't favour the opinion of the Boston Globe hacks..who clamor for bad news 
and love to pin blame.

I don't live in the Boston area..and accordingly I am regularly amazed by the 
nonsense the local media prints up around here... Like the bashing that Nomar 
endured last year. <g> They knew they were twisting his words but indulged in 
nasty speculation because it was a good story. Sportswriters are a dishonest 
bunch.. It's folly to believe them.

Actually I don't blame you 100% I thought the same thing of McCarty for 
years..
A great athlete who can't "play". But it turns out he can play...pretty well 
in fact.
Tommy was right.

Its common in the NBA for young players to develop in a few years.

You don't have to look far to see examples of players written off doing well. 
 El Busto  is now a valued member of our team. He turns a so so defensive 
team into a seriously underrated defensive force. Outside of your star 
players the league is actually chock full of players who were pretty mediocre 
at first and then later blossomed. 

The thing about is this:
1) Confidence is EARNED at the NBA level. J.R. Bremer just looked awful 
during his mini preview.. But the coaches were raving about how he could 
start at the point. With more playing time he got comfortable and now is very 
good for an undrafted guy. 

2) Players develop their game - even at the NBA level.
Kedrick is a two year junior college player with some holes in his game..
I.E. he can't hit the spot up jumper yet.. He needs to improve his outside 
shooting. 
Like Bruce Bowen he is a "jumpshot" away from being a good NBA contributor. 
Since scores of other athletic players have improved their shooting Kedrick 
stands a good chance as well.

It's easy to second guess Wallace..but when you see an athlete like Kedrick 
with some basketball skills its hard to fault his decision to take him. I 
would have done the same thing. Thats why I defend him. 

He has more upside then most of the players who are currently "better" then 
him. There hasn't been an NBA superstar that's a mediocre athlete since Larry 
Bird. Wallace drafted what he thought was one 'safe' player and took a flyer 
on a risky player like Kedrick. When O'Neal, Garnett, and Kobe were drafted 
other GM's did exactly the same thing. They took unproved athletic players 
over 'safe' college stars.

That is the kind of risk taking we need out of a GM. Troy Murphy wouldn't 
have made this a great team..he would have gotten 5 minutes a game backing up 
Walker. <g>

We have two picks this year..
I suspect Wallace will do the same kind of thing. He will pick some safe fan 
favorite college star point guard like Hinrich, and take a flyer on some 
unknown foreign kid/junior college guy/High Schooler with some upside...

Pete