Re: ProJo's Bill Reynolds on the C's

[Eggcentric@xxxxxxx]

< He's (Banks) the most NBA-ready point of all the rookies -- this year's 
tony parker. > - Josh

Their names are Chris Monter, Andy Katz, Sean Deveney, Sam Smith, 
Frank Burlison, Mike Kahn. Their specialty is basketball. They spend 
52 weeks of the year studying the subject. And like the Weather 
Channel in hurricane season, each year in the months leading up to 
the NBA draft, these experts swell in importance.  And we, their 
enraptured audience, follow their ever-changing mock drafts with 
uncommon interest. 

As of May 25th, not one of the above gurus placed Banks any higher than 
the 2nd round.  Nor did bible draft sites such as NBADraft.Net or
HoopsHype compare Banks to anyone more than a future Robert Pack.

But then a funny thing happened.  A rumor surfaced that the Celtics were 
definitely going to draft Banks.  So by June 22, most of the Gurus had 
promoted the defensively minded but offensively unproven 5'11'' Banks 
(listed at 6'2'') to #20 on their respective draft lists.  In their final 
mock drafts of June 26th, almost all had come to agree that Banks 
would be taken by the Celts at #16.  

And so I ask you, Josh - is your ''the most NBA-ready point of all 
the rookies'' based on you having personally observed all these rooks?  
For how else could you diss all these respected Bball minds initially 
overlooking Banks' talent?  Mostly, why do you think he was 
automatically placed behind Lebron, Ford, Wade, Hinrick, Ridnour, 
Gaines, Barbosa, Planinic, Diaw, even Mo Williams in just about 
all of the early mock drafts? Guess I am really asking you - what 
changed between his known history and your version of his 
present NBA-ready talent? 

I would also appreciate your best shot on this, too, Josh.  How is it 
that even in the end, Jerry West actually preferred Troy Bell to Banks?  
After all, West could have just kept Banks at #13 and still drafted 
sleeper Jones at #27, without the Celt trade.  And why does Ainge have 
so much faith in James that he truly believes he has a chance of beating
out Banks as our starting PG or at least our PG in crunch time?  Enter 
Delk when all else fails?

It will be very interesting to follow and compare the progress of the 
most hyped (over hyped?) group of rookie PG's in the last decade. 
I will especially be rooting for Tyler's beloved Steve Blake to prove the 
experts wrong.  I will also be closely following the progress of Hunter 
vs. Songaila, but that is the subject for another day. 

All fun and games.  Can't wait for the season to start... juicy stuff. 
We are now just playing for time; the best is yet to come.

Eggy