Post by Dave on Feb 23, 2008 23:49:19 GMT -5
If you do not know the legend of Biff's sports almanac I feel sorry for you being deprived of one of the best trilogies in American history. This is a look into the future of potential guys we could be seeing in upcoming draft classes and how going to college could and would affect the players development twisting their fate in BBS from reality.
First we'll take a look at 5 players who enjoyed the college scene and maybe pulled a Matt Leinart and stayed for the pussy and being treated like gods by everyone who graced the campus grounds. When they could have perhaps benefitted themselves with jumping ship a little earlier in their careers...
Mike Sweetney 6'8 PF Georgetown
Mike Sweetney was a player who dominated the Big East shooting over 50% for his collegiate career forgoing his senior season to declare for the NBA draft. Averaged 20 and 10 as a junior and dominated the college competition with his size and strength. Would you imagine this 18 year old declaring for the draft instead of the 21 year old? Scouts might be going ga ga over Sweetney and perhaps 2 years of BBS training could trim some of that baby fat and replace it with muscle instead of him gaining 15lbs with keg beer.
Francisco Garcia 6'7 SF Louisville
The lanky swing man was a dominating scorer the minute he stepped on the hardwood at Freedom Hall for the Louisville Cardinals putting Louisville back onto the national scene for coach Rick Pitino. Hmm a 6'7 swing man who can hit the 3 ball with consistency and play lockdown defense with steals and blocked shots. Could you imagine getting your hands on the 18 year old and sticking him into practice and more importantly the weight room?
Ryan Gomes 6'7 F Providence
Father Friar was rocking the Dunkin Donuts Center with his silky smooth jumpshot and his ability to take it to the rim. He got stronger through out college and like most Providence recruits were under the radar. He would be a very very raw spect coming out at and early age who would maybe thrive by playing against better competition like he did in the Big East or just never develop as the competition in BBS might be too high at a young age. None the less I wonder....
Craig Smith 6'7 F Boston College
Mr. Smith dominated two conferences in his collegiate career as BC moved from the Big East to the ACC during his sophomore season. Smith has incredible with and size posing major matchup problems as he is deceivingly quick at the 3 and so powerful at the 4 or 5. Smith at 18 would definitely get scouts excited in their jock about this kid playing for their team.
Randy Foye 6'4 G Villanova
This guard put small ball on the map for the Wildcats and he is no stranger to pro arenas often playing on the same court that Allen Iverson didn't practice on. Foye can handle the rock, shoot, and score off of penetration. He is a combo guard that has the basketball savvy that you can't teach.
Now lets a take look at 5 players who might have come out too early and could benefit in BBS by going to or staying in school to perhaps help their development. Maybe 2-3 years in college could make these guys into dominating or contributing players instead of being guys who never lived up to the hype or just players that have the dreaded P word....potential.
Maciej Lampe 6'11 C Poland
This kid was supposed to be the white Kareem Abdul Jabar but was more like the white Yinka Dare. He wowed scouts with his skills at 18 but obviously could never get them together. Unlike Polish stereotypes he was very smart and received many scholarships to play in college maybe he will decide to accept them and come out at 22-23 and be a better player for it.
Robert Swift 7'0 C California(HS)
Robert was an inspiration for gingers everywhere as he gracefully stood at 7' tall at 18 years old but was as skinny as Amy Whinehouse on crack and as awkward as Bambi. Swift could have went to a number of Pac-10 schools and enjoyed the tutelage of playing college basketball and perhaps he could have used that freshman 15 to his own advantage.
Sebastian Telfair 6'0 PG Brooklyn(HS)
Brooooooklyn is in the house. Everyone's favorite Marbury cousin was on the fast track to an And 1 sneaker deal going straight to the pros but Sebastian wasn't even smart enough to know how to take the safety off of his gat let alone how to handle the burdens of having a million dollar contract. Telfair would have enjoyed cutting class for at least a year or two in college and maybe he would have learned how to shoot the ball in the process. I"m sure Paul Hewitt the New York native would take Sebastian on his Georgia Tech team.
Trevor Ariza 6'7 SF UCLA
Ariza the crowd pleaza was taking his 40'' vertical and hopping right to the pros and it wasn't a bad idea for him to cash in but maybe staying at UCLA wouldn't have been so bad either as he would have seen close to 40mpg and he would have had his hands on the basketball a lot in that offense and would have improved his handle. If Trevor improves there he could be a high end lotto pick and option type player.
Chris Taft 6'11 PF Pittsburgh
Boogie down in the Bronx Taft was a hard nosed power forward that thought he could muscle his way right into the pros and his fellow New Yorker GM Chris Mullin took a chance on the kid and it hasn't panned out if Taft stays on that PItt team he would have faced some very tough competition in the Big East that would have helped him improve tremendously. Taft might not have the most upside but staying in school might make him a better overall contributor in BBS.
First we'll take a look at 5 players who enjoyed the college scene and maybe pulled a Matt Leinart and stayed for the pussy and being treated like gods by everyone who graced the campus grounds. When they could have perhaps benefitted themselves with jumping ship a little earlier in their careers...
Mike Sweetney 6'8 PF Georgetown
Mike Sweetney was a player who dominated the Big East shooting over 50% for his collegiate career forgoing his senior season to declare for the NBA draft. Averaged 20 and 10 as a junior and dominated the college competition with his size and strength. Would you imagine this 18 year old declaring for the draft instead of the 21 year old? Scouts might be going ga ga over Sweetney and perhaps 2 years of BBS training could trim some of that baby fat and replace it with muscle instead of him gaining 15lbs with keg beer.
Francisco Garcia 6'7 SF Louisville
The lanky swing man was a dominating scorer the minute he stepped on the hardwood at Freedom Hall for the Louisville Cardinals putting Louisville back onto the national scene for coach Rick Pitino. Hmm a 6'7 swing man who can hit the 3 ball with consistency and play lockdown defense with steals and blocked shots. Could you imagine getting your hands on the 18 year old and sticking him into practice and more importantly the weight room?
Ryan Gomes 6'7 F Providence
Father Friar was rocking the Dunkin Donuts Center with his silky smooth jumpshot and his ability to take it to the rim. He got stronger through out college and like most Providence recruits were under the radar. He would be a very very raw spect coming out at and early age who would maybe thrive by playing against better competition like he did in the Big East or just never develop as the competition in BBS might be too high at a young age. None the less I wonder....
Craig Smith 6'7 F Boston College
Mr. Smith dominated two conferences in his collegiate career as BC moved from the Big East to the ACC during his sophomore season. Smith has incredible with and size posing major matchup problems as he is deceivingly quick at the 3 and so powerful at the 4 or 5. Smith at 18 would definitely get scouts excited in their jock about this kid playing for their team.
Randy Foye 6'4 G Villanova
This guard put small ball on the map for the Wildcats and he is no stranger to pro arenas often playing on the same court that Allen Iverson didn't practice on. Foye can handle the rock, shoot, and score off of penetration. He is a combo guard that has the basketball savvy that you can't teach.
Now lets a take look at 5 players who might have come out too early and could benefit in BBS by going to or staying in school to perhaps help their development. Maybe 2-3 years in college could make these guys into dominating or contributing players instead of being guys who never lived up to the hype or just players that have the dreaded P word....potential.
Maciej Lampe 6'11 C Poland
This kid was supposed to be the white Kareem Abdul Jabar but was more like the white Yinka Dare. He wowed scouts with his skills at 18 but obviously could never get them together. Unlike Polish stereotypes he was very smart and received many scholarships to play in college maybe he will decide to accept them and come out at 22-23 and be a better player for it.
Robert Swift 7'0 C California(HS)
Robert was an inspiration for gingers everywhere as he gracefully stood at 7' tall at 18 years old but was as skinny as Amy Whinehouse on crack and as awkward as Bambi. Swift could have went to a number of Pac-10 schools and enjoyed the tutelage of playing college basketball and perhaps he could have used that freshman 15 to his own advantage.
Sebastian Telfair 6'0 PG Brooklyn(HS)
Brooooooklyn is in the house. Everyone's favorite Marbury cousin was on the fast track to an And 1 sneaker deal going straight to the pros but Sebastian wasn't even smart enough to know how to take the safety off of his gat let alone how to handle the burdens of having a million dollar contract. Telfair would have enjoyed cutting class for at least a year or two in college and maybe he would have learned how to shoot the ball in the process. I"m sure Paul Hewitt the New York native would take Sebastian on his Georgia Tech team.
Trevor Ariza 6'7 SF UCLA
Ariza the crowd pleaza was taking his 40'' vertical and hopping right to the pros and it wasn't a bad idea for him to cash in but maybe staying at UCLA wouldn't have been so bad either as he would have seen close to 40mpg and he would have had his hands on the basketball a lot in that offense and would have improved his handle. If Trevor improves there he could be a high end lotto pick and option type player.
Chris Taft 6'11 PF Pittsburgh
Boogie down in the Bronx Taft was a hard nosed power forward that thought he could muscle his way right into the pros and his fellow New Yorker GM Chris Mullin took a chance on the kid and it hasn't panned out if Taft stays on that PItt team he would have faced some very tough competition in the Big East that would have helped him improve tremendously. Taft might not have the most upside but staying in school might make him a better overall contributor in BBS.
