Re: Kendrick Perkins

["Dan Forant" <dforant1@xxxxxxxxxxxx>]

Hey Mark, it's just Baby Fat :>) Certainly sounds like an interesting
season. We'll all have to be patient for awhile, which I know we all
are..........

DanF

----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Berry, Mark S" <berrym@xxxxxxxxxxxx>
To: <celtics@xxxxxxxx>
Sent: Friday, October 10, 2003 10:34 AM
Subject: Kendrick Perkins


> I went back and watched parts of the Pistons game again last night to see
if
> I was overstating Kendrick's play. I came away even more impressed.
>
> The kid showed the raw ability to do the following things: 1. Score in the
> low post; 2. Block shots; 3. Pass; 4. Run the floor. That's a pretty darn
> good start for a big man straight out of high school. I can only assume
his
> lack of athleticism tempered the enthusiasm of scouts, because I'm not
sure
> what other skills you could possibly want in a young big man. This is no
> Dasagna Diop.
>
> And I don't think he's entirely unathletic. The kid moved laterally pretty
> well to make those blocks, and a couple of those post moves showed good
> athleticism. He ran the floor well. His body doesn't look athletic at all.
> He needs to lose some weight and tone up. But the kid isn't a stiff. Along
> with some of the raw ingredients - soft hands, broad shoulders, big rear
end
> - he possesses a seemingly natural feel for the game and aggressiveness
that
> many times is lacking in young big guys.
>
> In short, I couldn't be more excited about this kid's potential. And I
think
> a lot of people are underestimating just what kind of impact he can have
on
> this team in three years. A center who can do all the things I mentioned
> above makes you a contender. It's that simple. There just aren't many
> legitimate centers who can really play. I remember David Aldridge
predicting
> that in a few years, when Shaq is on his way out, the two best centers in
> the league would be Yao and Kendrick. Now I see why he said that. Isn't
> anyone else excited about that? I know Banks will play more this season,
but
> I think Kendrick is the guy who will get the Celts closer to No. 17.
>
> Of course, it was just one preseason game. I know that. And a lot can
> happen. Like I said, the kid needs to lose some weight and tone up. I
always
> worry about young guys who carry that much weight for two reasons: 1.
> Still-developing bones can break under that much weight, and foot and leg
> injuries could become chronic; and 2. If he's carrying extra weight at a
> time in life when his metabolism should be at its highest, what kind of
> problems will he have as he ages?
>
> So, I know there could be problems. But the potential is phenomenal. Think
> back to Eddy Curry, Tyson Chandler, Kwame Brown, Dasagna Diop and other
high
> school big men. So many of them looked lost on the floor when they entered
> the NBA. Maybe the best thing about Kendrick is he doesn't look lost. He
> looks like an NBA player and he has a clue about what to do. Is he a
> glamorous player? Nope. But he's the kind of player who could, three or
four
> years from now, transform this team from good to great.
>
> Does anyone else have any thoughts on Kendrick? Can we talk about the
> Celtics today since it's an off day for the Sox? I have a few hours before
I
> have to shift into all-Buckeyes all-the-time mode.
>
> Mark