RE:The 2004 NBA Draft
Quote:
Originally posted by: madape
Quote:
|
No way Okafor slips past the 5th pick last year. Not with the premium the league places on big men. He's the real deal and will be a defensive force for years to come. I think he has the tenacity and defensive instincts to play center (ie. Zo Morining), especially if he ends up in the East. His offense is improving. He's a solid pick.
|
Perhaps. But you know he'll have a difficult time playing center in the NBA. His value comes from his shotblocking abilities. At 6'9" he's not going to be nearly as effective a shotblocker in the NBA as he is in college. In fact, he's going to have a tough time playing center, period. He's going to be forced to play the four most of the time. I like him a lot. I think he's probably the best of this year's class. But the fact that a 6'9" shotblocker with little offensive skills is considered to be the best of the class tells you something. Do you really think he'd be a top five pick last year? I have serious doubts. And let's say you're the team with the #1 pick this year. Can you really get excited about Okafor? You don't usually want "solid" guys with your #1. You want superstars, franchise cornerstones.
Okafor is never going to be mistaken for Tim Duncan, LeBron James, Allen Iverson, or Yao Ming. He's going to be a nice complementary player. He could end up being someone like Theo Ratliff or Etan Thomas. I'd compare him to Ben Wallace, but I don't think he has the rebounding tenacity.
If I'm picking a center with my #1 pick. I want him to be Olijuwan, Robinson, Yao, Duncan. I want him to be at least seven feet tall. I don't want Theo Ratliff, Etan Thomas, or Adonal Foyle.
|
I agree about Okafor. I think he'll be a great player at the 4 spot, but not the type of player you build a team around. Elton Brand is a great player, but he hasn't been able to lead the Bulls or the Clippers anywhere.
However, there are going to be some teams in the lottery this year that already have franchise-level players in the back-court. I'm thinking of the Magic with Tracy McGrady and the Cavs with Lebron. If one of those teams ends up with a top pick and gets Okafor, I think they will be very scary in a couple of seasons. McGrady/Okafor or Lebron/Okafor would be a great backcourt/frontcourt combination. I think either of those teams would be a solid pass-first PG away from being the best team in the East (although pass-first PG's are not too easy to come by...)
__________________
When asked after the Dallas Mavericks impressive game 3 win over the Sacramento Kings whether he thought the Mavs won because they played well or because the Kings played poorly, Nelson responded that it was hard to tell, much like a thermos. "How do it know?" queried the ever eccentric Nelson. When you put something hot in it, it stays hot. When you put something cold in it, it stays cold. "How do it know?"
|