Pop, please draft Greivis Vasquez

[Jimcs50]

I have been watching my Maryland's shooting guard for 4 years now, and I have been wanting him to replace Manu as Spurs top shooting guard, once Manu retires for a couple of years now. He is Manu revisited in every way. He plays with passion like no other, he can make any impossible play a spectacular success, and he can make any easy play a bone headed turnover :), but he wants to win and more times than not, he wills his team to victory when it looks like the odds are slim. He is only player in ACC history to have 2000 points, 700 assists and 600 rebounds.

His last game, he scored 41 pts had 7 rebs and 6 assists at Va Tech to help solidify their 2nd seed in ACC tourney.

Read the article:

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2010/03/02/AR2010030203836.html?sid=ST2010030300018

[Chieflion]

I got many issues with him, mostly potential wise. First, he is unathletic as heck which doesn't translate his game to the NBA, he doesn't have a long wingspan, which is worse because of his athletic ability or lack of. I got some questions about his fundamentals too. Mainly shooting and dribbling, keys to being a good guard. This is the kind of player that will slip in the draft.

[Siebzehn50]

What about George Hill? He's not going to be our PG.

[Jimcs50]

Tonight, you can watch him play against Duke on ESPN at 8:00 on senior night. I am looking for a great game from him, and there is a chance that if Maryland wins, they will win the ACC if the win at Va on Sat.

[Chieflion]

I am actually more interested in Xavier Henry as a prospect if we are picking a swingman because of his age, but he wouldn't fall to us.

[Jimcs50]

I got many issues with him, mostly potential wise. First, he is unathletic as heck which doesn't translate his game to the NBA, he doesn't have a long wingspan, which is worse because of his athletic ability or lack of. I got some questions about his fundamentals too. Mainly shooting and dribbling, keys to being a good guard. This is the kind of player that will slip in the draft.



Not athletic???

Vasquez had a career-high 35 points and 11 rebounds and 10 assists -- Maryland's first triple-double in 22 years -- and the Terrapins rallied from a 16-point deficit to shock No. 3 North Carolina 88-85 in overtime last year.

[Chieflion]

Not athletic???

Vasquez had a career-high 35 points and 11 rebounds and 10 assists -- Maryland's first triple-double in 22 years -- and the Terrapins rallied from a 16-point deficit to shock No. 3 North Carolina 88-85 in overtime last year.

He doesn't jump high, doesn't run fast, he is not what you call strong. You understand what athletic ability means? I am not questioning his nose to the ball and basketball instincts. And the way he pulled out of the 2009 draft speaks a lot of volume. This guy is a stretch to make it to the NBA, and even he knows it.

[Jimcs50]

Watch some of his unathleticness:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RQEa-glPE18&feature=related

[Chieflion]

Watch some of his unathleticness:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RQEa-glPE18&feature=related

I just watched that just now. He is unathletic compared to NBA players and his prospect peers. You might want to look at this.


http://www.draftexpress.com/profile/Greivis-Vasquez-1133/

[Chomag]

He doesn't jump high, doesn't run fast, he is not what you call strong. You understand what athletic ability means? I am not questioning his nose to the ball and basketball instincts. And the way he pulled out of the 2009 draft speaks a lot of volume. This guy is a stretch to make it to the NBA, and even he knows it.

Hmmmm, He actually has Spurs material written all over him if you think about it. :lol

[Jimcs50]

He doesn't jump high, doesn't run fast, he is not what you call strong. You understand what athletic ability means? I am not questioning his nose to the ball and basketball instincts. And the way he pulled out of the 2009 draft speaks a lot of volume. This guy is a stretch to make it to the NBA, and even he knows it.


Not fast?? He can jump plenty high enough for an off guard. His defense is outstanding as well. You do not play for gary Williams and not stand out on defense.


Have you watched his play a game??? He will be in the NBA, there is no doubt and he will make any team better.

[Bartleby]

He doesn't jump high, doesn't run fast, he is not what you call strong. You understand what athletic ability means?

Athleticism is important, but it doesn't necessarily translate into NBA success. If you could do the 2007 draft over again, whom would you pick: Ian Mahinmi or David Lee?

[Jimcs50]

I just watched that just now. He is unathletic compared to NBA players and his prospect peers. You might want to look at this.


http://www.draftexpress.com/profile/Greivis-Vasquez-1133/


ummm, that was a year ago. Since then he has gotten even better than ever. It does not matter what you think, so I am not going to argue any more. Agree to disagree.

[Chomag]

ummm, that was a year ago. Since then he has gotten even better than ever. It does not matter what you think, so I am not going to argue any more. Agree to disagree.

Then why make a thread about it if you are not ready to have a debate?

[Phenomanul]

Unless he's missing both ACLs, there's no way he falls to the Spurs.

But yes, this guy seems to be a playmaker of the Manu mold... no doubt the NBA will humble him though...

[urunobili]

he trained at the Spurs facility last year before deciding to go back to College...

Pass... all heart but I'd take Tempe's Fernandez 10 times ahead of him :wakeup

[Jimcs50]

Then why make a thread about it if you are not ready to have a debate?


I was just telling Pop to draft him. He reads this forum you know.

[Jimcs50]

Unless he's missing both ACLs, there's no way he falls to the Spurs.

But yes, this guy seems to be a playmaker of the Manu mold... no doubt the NBA will humble him though...


Spurs will be in middle of pack in draft, he very well can be on board still when their turn is up.

[Chieflion]

Athleticism is important, but it doesn't necessarily translate into NBA success. If you could do the 2007 draft over again, whom would you pick: Ian Mahinmi or David Lee?

That's hindsight, would you pick Xavier Henry or Greivis Vasquez? For the record, I should probably watch the NCAA match just to see how ridiculous his take is.

[yavozerb]

That's hindsight, would you pick Xavier Henry or Greivis Vasquez?

Henry hands down...has much more upside

[z0sa]

Athleticism is important, but it doesn't necessarily translate into NBA success. If you could do the 2007 draft over again, whom would you pick: Ian Mahinmi or David Lee?

We picked two Ian Mahinmi's?

[Chieflion]

http://www.draftexpress.com/nba-mock-draft/2010/

Take it for its worth, the 2010 mock draft by draftexpress. A bunch of forwards, many tweener 3/4s, a few guards and a few Cs. So the guards are a rarity here. The top 17 mock picks with the exception of John Wall and Evan Turner are bigs.

I am pretty intrigued by Fresno's State's Paul George. He has the length, athletic ability, to be a pretty good small forward in the league. He has at least NCAA 3 point range to be somewhat of a threat with that high release. He just needs to put on some muscle. He is about the pick where the Spurs are picking. And he has shooter's touch. 90.1% from the free throw line is remarkable. you don't even see that in the NBA a lot. Plus the 3 point range. I am drooling right now.

ERcmFdlrrXY

[Truckules]

I'm not too high on Vasquez myself. If you look at his stats game by game, you'll see that most of his points and assists come against teams that are a few levels below Maryland. When he plays decent competition, he is not nearly as effective.

vs. Cincinnati- 5-17, 4 assists, 3 turnovers
vs. Wisconsin- 6-13, 2 assists, 5 turnovers
vs. Indiana- 4-14, 8 assists, 3 turnovers
vs. Villanova- 3-9, 7 assists, 7 turnovers
vs. Florida St.- 8-18, 5 assists, 4 turnovers
vs. Wake Forest- 9-27, 7 assists, 6 turnovers
vs. Clemson- 3-11, 2 assists, 9 turnovers
etc.

He's a good player, but he's not an NBA starter or backup. I think his ceiling is 10 mpg.

[in2deep]

Manu?? please :rolleyes

his ceiling is a Jordan Farmar tops

[Bartleby]

That's hindsight

Of course it is. I'm not saying the Spurs should use their first round pick on Vasquez. I'm simply pointing out that athleticism doesn't always trump everything else. In Mahinimi the Spurs drafted a project with incredible athleticism and passed on an average (at best) athlete who is now an All-Star averaging 20 and 12.

[5in10]

http://www.draftexpress.com/nba-mock-draft/2010/
I am pretty intrigued by Fresno's State's Paul George. He has the length, athletic ability, to be a pretty good small forward in the league. He has at least NCAA 3 point range to be a threat with that high release. He just needs to put on some muscle. He is about the pick where the Spurs are picking. And he has shooter's touch. 90.1% from the free throw line is remarkable. you don't even see that in the NBA a lot. Plus the 3 point range. I am drooling right now.

ERcmFdlrrXY
this is also who I wanted to draft. He has the potential to be a star and falls right around where we pick. My question has been why isn't this guy a lottery pick? I feel like someone may reach to get him. I also would like him to gain a bit more athletcism, he's more finesse right now, but nothing a little lifting can't fix.

[Chieflion]

Of course it is. I was simply pointing out that athleticism doesn't always trump everything else. In Mahinimi the Spurs drafted a project with incredible athleticism and passed on an average (at best) athlete who is now an All-Star averaging 20 and 12.

Well, in this case, I would rather the Spurs pick an athletic guy who has some skills for a guard and oozes some potential to be a good starter instead of an unathletic player who has some skills but a role player ceiling. He might bust that ceiling but it is a rare chance. We have some good players like Xavier Henry and Paul George in the draft and the chance to draft athletic players to shore up the team's future looks way better than drafting Greivis Vasquez.

[Bartleby]

I'm just hoping the Spurs use their first round pick to get the best available player on the board, regardless of position--hopefully somebody who can come in and contribute right away.

[Chieflion]

Also I know he is 6'10 and 215, but Purdue's JaJuan Johnson is someone I have liked. Too bad Manu could back him down in the post. Still, he would be worth a second round pick.

However, it is drafts like this one coming up that I wish Sam Presti would throw up a couple of those first round draft picks. Also did anyone else pick up on the fact the Jazz have the Knick's first rounder? Crazy.

Apparently, the mock says that the Jazz are going to draft this Wake Forest product, they don't take team needs into account, but the guards aren't that good to bust the top 17 anyway. Looks like he has some potential to be a mismatch player.

http://www.draftexpress.com/profile/Al-Farouq-Aminu-1293/

[Brazil]

Hmmmm, He actually has Spurs material written all over him if you think about it. :lol

:lol exactly what I was thinking

[Bartleby]

I am pretty intrigued by Fresno's State's Paul George. He has the length, athletic ability, to be a pretty good small forward in the league. He has at least NCAA 3 point range to be somewhat of a threat with that high release. He just needs to put on some muscle. He is about the pick where the Spurs are picking. And he has shooter's touch. 90.1% from the free throw line is remarkable. you don't even see that in the NBA a lot. Plus the 3 point range. I am drooling right now.

ERcmFdlrrXY

I agree with you on George. He could turn out to be a Batum-type player.

[Chieflion]

Apparently, our 2nd round mock happens to be a 6"10 guard from Europe, which is ridiculous, to be honest. Why the Spurs would draft this guy would be to fulfill the dream of Marcus Williams being a 6 foot 7 point guard, just 3 inches taller.

http://www.draftexpress.com/profile/Nemanja-Bjelica-5510/

[Bartleby]

Apparently, our 2nd round mock happens to be a 6"10 guard from Europe, which is ridiculous, to be honest. Why the Spurs would draft this guy would be to fulfill the dream of Marcus Williams being a 6 foot 7 point guard, just 3 inches taller.

http://www.draftexpress.com/profile/Nemanja-Bjelica-5510/

If the Spurs are looking to draft and stash I could see that happening.

[Chieflion]

I am sure most Texas Longhorn followers on Spurstalk would have seen Avery Bradley play.

http://www.draftexpress.com/profile/Avery-Bradley-5285/

How is this guy as a player?

[mountainballer]

ever heard about the great Draft thread in the think tank? lot's of space to post such thing there.
Vasquez?
wait, 2009 we draft Nando de Colo, who is pretty much the same player with very similar qualities (and flaws) and who is currently doing very well in Spain.
De Colo will likely be ready to come over 2011.
and I assume this claim is about using the 2nd rounder on Vasquez, right?
because even think about using the 1st rounder for a player like him is absolutely ridiculous.

[Jimcs50]

http://www.draftexpress.com/nba-mock-draft/2010/


I am pretty intrigued by Fresno's State's Paul George. He has the length, athletic ability, to be a pretty good small forward in the league. He has at least NCAA 3 point range to be somewhat of a threat with that high release. He just needs to put on some muscle. He is about the pick where the Spurs are picking. And he has shooter's touch. 90.1% from the free throw line is remarkable. you don't even see that in the NBA a lot. Plus the 3 point range. I am drooling right now.

ERcmFdlrrXY


You want a guy who is shooting 43% on a 6th place team in the WAC over Vasquez who is leader of maybe the ACC champs, or 2nd place team at worst?? You can not even get a comparison of the level of competition they have to play against on a weekly basis.

[Chieflion]

CROFL at this guy thinking Vasquez is oozing so much potential to be picked in the 1st round. Or maybe I am getting seriously trolled, who knows. First of all, Paul George is shooting about 50% from 2 point shots and he takes like 5.7 three point shots a game, which ruins his raw percentages. What I can see is he needs to cut down on long range shots a little and attack the basket more, and take advantage of his percentages at the free throw line.

[rascal]

This is such a deep draft that this guy could go undrafted. We'll see what's up. In 84 the Spurs drafted a player to replace George Gervin. Didn't work out.

Not wise to draft players to duplicate other players. Every player is unique in his abilitites, to draft vasquez as some sort of Manu replacement your already thinking wrong.

[Greg Oden]

This guy is average. Not really special at all. He's gonna get his chode rocked against the Dukies tonight, you can pretty much count on it.

[AFBlue]

ever heard about the great Draft thread in the think tank? lot's of space to post such thing there.
Vasquez?
wait, 2009 we draft Nando de Colo, who is pretty much the same player with very similar qualities (and flaws) and who is currently doing very well in Spain.
De Colo will likely be ready to come over 2011.
and I assume this claim is about using the 2nd rounder on Vasquez, right?
because even think about using the 1st rounder for a player like him is absolutely ridiculous.

+1 on all points

[SenorSpur]

I like his offensive skills and his is a definitely a playmaker. However, he is a flawed player on the defensive end. The following paragraph, DraftExpress, tells me everything I need to know about him.

http://www.draftexpress.com/profile/Greivis-Vasquez-1133/

Defensively, Vasquez has made some small improvements from last season, but still largely projects as a liability at the next level. Vasquez’s poor combination of strength and lateral quickness will make it very difficult for him to defend NBA point guards, and the lack of interest he generally shows on this end of the floor doesn’t help matters at all. Vasquez has good instincts getting in the passing lanes, allowing him to come up with quite a few pass deflections that lead to easy transition opportunities, but he has a tendency to gamble excessively to get those.


The Spurs desparately need a long, athletic, SF moreso than a flashy backup tweener. Personally, I wouldn't spend a 1st round pick, but he'd be worth a flier in the 2nd round.

[SenorSpur]

http://www.draftexpress.com/nba-mock-draft/2010/

Take it for its worth, the 2010 mock draft by draftexpress. A bunch of forwards, many tweener 3/4s, a few guards and a few Cs. So the guards are a rarity here. The top 17 mock picks with the exception of John Wall and Evan Turner are bigs.

I am pretty intrigued by Fresno's State's Paul George. He has the length, athletic ability, to be a pretty good small forward in the league. He has at least NCAA 3 point range to be somewhat of a threat with that high release. He just needs to put on some muscle. He is about the pick where the Spurs are picking. And he has shooter's touch. 90.1% from the free throw line is remarkable. you don't even see that in the NBA a lot. Plus the 3 point range. I am drooling right now.

ERcmFdlrrXY

Thanks for the link. I like what I saw. This kid's got something. Good shooter (FG% & FT%). Good athleticism and desire to rebound and block shots. The fact that he's currently spending time at the PF position is good because it indicates that he doesn't mind contact. Probably needs more development on his defensive footwork and ballhandling.

I could the Spurs taking him. Lord knows they need a player of his ilk at the SF position. After about a year of some D-League seasoning, perhaps he'd be ready to contribute. The only rub is that he's 19 years old and the Spurs typically prefer more mature college players.

[Jimcs50]

This guy is average. Not really special at all. He's gonna get his chode rocked against the Dukies tonight, you can pretty much count on it.


Not special??? ACC player of year candidate, second in voting at worst....what a total idiot you are.

ONLY PLAYER in ACC to score 2000 pts, grab 600 rebs and dish out 700 assists


Do you know how many great players have played in the ACC over the years....I think we may have one on our team right now.
:rolleyes

[Blackjack]

ever heard about the great Draft thread in the think tank? lot's of space to post such thing there.
Vasquez?
wait, 2009 we draft Nando de Colo, who is pretty much the same player with very similar qualities (and flaws) and who is currently doing very well in Spain.
De Colo will likely be ready to come over 2011.
and I assume this claim is about using the 2nd rounder on Vasquez, right?
because even think about using the 1st rounder for a player like him is absolutely ridiculous.

Nando immediately came to mind, but I haven't seen him enough to feel real comfortable comparing him to Vazquez -- sounds like I've got a decent read on him judging by your comment (and I agree on your Vazquez assessment :tu).

[SenorSpur]

Are you guys sure that he will be available for the Spurs to draft? This kid has a beautiful stroke.

One never knows. The draft is the ultimate crap shoot. One good thing is that he's flying a bit under the radar. ESPN's Chad Ford has him currently projected as a late first or early second round pick.

http://insider.espn.go.com/nbadraft/draft/tracker/player?playerId=19361&draftyear=2010

However, his stock will probably move up or down depending upon how he fares at the annual Chicago Pre Draft camp.

For the Spurs sake, as important as it is for them to get an athletic wing in the draft, they do need one who can play both ends of the floor. One who can score and defend. It's a tall order, but I hope he other some other protoype SFs are available at their pick.

[dbestpro]

Lighty from Ohio St looks like he could be had on the second round and looks like a top notch defender.

[Greg Oden]

:jack :jack

I could give a shit. But that would be too much effort on my part. Redick was 5x the college player this fuckstick from Maryland is, and he can barely crack a nba rotation in an offense that is tailor made for his skillset. Don't kid yourself about Vasquez, you fucking moron.

[kbrury]

James Anderson

Quincy Pondexter

Willie Warren

Devin Ebanks

Damion James(not to crazy about him)

Dasean Butler(2nd Round maybe)

All players I would rather have and we could possibly get at our position. Plus every single one of them will be better NBA players.

[5in10]

Maybe we can invite him to our summer league if he goes undrafted? Matt Bouldin is someone I wouldn't mind drafting in the second round, but again, De colo might bring the same skill set as Bouldin.

[mando6599]

Athleticism is important, but it doesn't necessarily translate into NBA success. If you could do the 2007 draft over again, whom would you pick: Ian Mahinmi or David Lee?

Ian was drafted in 2005. Yes, he's been a 5 year project that's failed miserably.

[Johnny RIngo]

Ian was drafted in 2005. Yes, he's been a 5 year project that's failed miserably.

2005? I didn't know Ian was drafted THAT far back.

[SenorSpur]

Ian was drafted in 2005. Yes, he's been a 5 year project that's failed miserably.

Being injured for the better part of 1.5 seasons, and having a successful D-League campaign, then being unable to garner playing time isn't what I would call a failed experiment.

[exstatic]

Jim, you're SUCH a Maryland homer. One thing you need to understand is that if you're at a Major conference school, and you stay 4 years, that's a HUGE strike against you. As far as college performance, I have two words for you: Alfrederick Hughes.

[Chieflion]

As promised, I am watching the Maryland-Duke game. It is a close game, ya but I see nothing special out of Vasquez. He has the nice floater he uses to mask his lack of athletic ability but he is 3-9 from the field at this point.

And then he turns the ball over because of a high risk low reward baseline pass.

Did Vasquez just airball that 3 point attempt? What a joke.

He got blown by against this Duke guy but the Devils got blocked. No lateral quickness.

Here is the best part. Maryland is leading the game with Vasquez's ass on the bench.

Ok screw that, Vasquez comes back and botched some defensive rotations and got his ass owned because he couldn't fight over a screen. That number 3 Duke guy, Nolan Smith, just scored like 8 points in a row. He has 18 total. And Duke has the lead.

Vasquez hits a 3 after not fighting through a screen so he gets his ass burned for 3. Exchanging points.

Vasquez hits a runner. Maryland leads 67-65.

Maryland with a nice win over Duke. Vasquez sure can hit some hard shots and he is clutch. He has also quite good body co-ordination with his difficult shot.

[mookie2001]

he trained at the Spurs facility last year before deciding to go back to College...

Pass... all heart but I'd take Tempe's Fernandez 10 times ahead of him :wakeup

And we all know uraguay watches a lot of acc ball

[5in10]

Paul George, and no one is changing my mind otherwise, unless a lotto pick drops to us. First round anyhow.

[spurspokesman]

Athleticism is important, but it doesn't necessarily translate into NBA success. If you could do the 2007 draft over again, whom would you pick: Ian Mahinmi or David Lee?
^this

[SenorSpur]

Paul George, and no one is changing my mind otherwise, unless a lotto pick drops to us. First round anyhow.

:tu :tu

[tothrowed]

vazquez is a fuccin beast

[DxB]

Dude just shat on Duke... tough shot at the end... seems like the real deal. No fkin way he'll slip to the spurs though

[TheSpursFNRule]

Is this years draft supposed to be a deep one? I hope so, im so glad to see the Spurs have a first round pick.

[kbrury]

Dude just shat on Duke... tough shot at the end... seems like the real deal. No fkin way he'll slip to the spurs though

lol....

[Jimcs50]

This guy is average. Not really special at all. He's gonna get his chode rocked against the Dukies tonight, you can pretty much count on it.


nice prediction, idiot

[Jimcs50]

He outplayed Scheyer, he was the star in this game, every segment, almost every conversation was about him. As I said, he reminds me of Manu because not only his emotions, but of his spectacular plays, that for him seem the norm.

[Jimcs50]

Jim, you're SUCH a Maryland homer. One thing you need to understand is that if you're at a Major conference school, and you stay 4 years, that's a HUGE strike against you. As far as college performance, I have two words for you: Alfrederick Hughes.


Yeah that guy at Wake Forrest who stayed 4 years from 93-97 turned out to be a bust in the NBA.

:rolleyes

[Chieflion]

Yeah, like he was unexpected to outplay Scheyer. They pretty much played to a standstill until the last few minutes of the game. Vasquez was the highlight cause his team won.

[raspsa]

There have been so many NBA players who have successful careers despite not being "athletic" and there are many, many more who could jump out the gym who never made it into the league or never found success. In my mind, good basketball skills/fundamentals, a strong competitive spirit and team-oriented attitude are what I look for in a player. Of course if he's athletic to boot, so much the better.

[Greg Oden]

He outplayed Scheyer

Stop the fucking presses! He held a guy who is shorter, slower, even less athletic than Vasquez in check!

I realize Maryland doesn't produce many good nba players (lol blake and dixon), but bloading your own chode over someone this average is funny to watch.


he was the star in this game


The hell he was. Maryland was playing their best basketball of the night while he was sitting on the bench.



Yeah that guy at Wake Forrest who stayed 4 years from 93-97 turned out to be a bust in the NBA.
Yes! Let's compare every college player who stays 4 years to Tim Duncan. I can't wait for Psycho T to start tearing shit up in Indiana.

[Jimcs50]

Yes! Let's compare every college player who stays 4 years to Tim Duncan. I can't wait for Psycho T to start tearing shit up in Indiana.


You really are an idiot. You do not even get what people are saying. I was responding to exstatic's comment that it is a negative to stay 4 years, they simply reminded him that some players choose to stay in college because I want to, not because they won't get drafted. Vasquez was projected to be drafted last year, but he decided to stay at maryland and help them win an ACC championship, which if the win on Sat, they will.

He was the star, because evryone talks about him...you dumbass.

[Greg Oden]

You really are an idiot. You do not even get what people are saying. I was responding to exstatic's comment that it is a negative to stay 4 years, they simply reminded him that some players choose to stay in college because I want to, not because they won't get drafted. Vasquez was projected to be drafted last year, but he decided to stay at maryland and help them win an ACC championship, which if the win on Sat, they will.

He was the star, because evryone talks about him...you dumbass.

You really are an idiot. He's not going in the 1st round and probably the 2nd round either, well, because he's not a first couple of rounds talent. But you can keep using your "Yeah that guy from Wake who stayed 4 years sucks ass :rolleyes" card all you want. It makes you look retarded. And Vasquez stayed his last year because like many others, he knows his basketball career is pretty much over after college.

And he wasn't the star, because Maryland played their best basketball without him...you dumbass.

[El_Mago]

Stanley Robinson.

[exstatic]

Yeah that guy at Wake Forrest who stayed 4 years from 93-97 turned out to be a bust in the NBA.

:rolleyes

It ain't 1997 anymore. The drafts are much thinner and worse now. The order of the day is "one and done" or at worst "two and through".

There was a writer who had two stories linked here last year about how to translate Euro talent to the NBA and how to translate NCAA talent to the NBA.

The NCAA formula was fascinating and unexpected. Steals and Blocks in tandem were highly regarded, indicating a long wingspan and high athleticism, as was being an exceptional rebounder for your position. He projected his formula back 10 years and picked out players like Carlos Boozer, almost an afterthought type second rounder, and Milsap. One thing that I remember is that you got absolutely DINGED for staying 4 years.

In doing some research for this, I came upon a slideshow of ten really good college players who just never made it big, and "should have" according to armchair quarterbacks and pundits. Nine of them stayed 4 years, and the lone exception, Adam Morrison, stayed 3. One and done or two and through. Anything else dramatically cuts your odds of being anything but an NBA journeyman.

[5in10]

This is such a deep draft that this guy could go undrafted.
this

[CubanSucks]

Just saw this guy for the first time today vs Duke. I immediately hated him. At some point the line of 'firey emotional leader' ends and the line of 'loud obnoxious attention whore douchebag' begins

[jjktkk]

This is such a deep draft that this guy could go undrafted. We'll see what's up. In 84 the Spurs drafted a player to replace George Gervin. Didn't work out.

AHHHHHH, such bittersweet memories. Remember what some Boston sportwriter said about the Spurs drafting our boy, Alfrederick The Great Hughes back then? Someone down there(meaning the Spurs Brass) must of spiked their nachos.

[hsxvvd]

Vasquez, Blair, Manu 2nd unit would be absolutely intense... Vasquez brings a lot of passion and energy.

BUT!... I'd have to agree with previous posters, I dont think his game transfers real well to the NBA. 2nd unit scorer... maybe.

[blkroadrunners]

http://www.draftexpress.com/nba-mock-draft/2010/

Take it for its worth, the 2010 mock draft by draftexpress. A bunch of forwards, many tweener 3/4s, a few guards and a few Cs. So the guards are a rarity here. The top 17 mock picks with the exception of John Wall and Evan Turner are bigs.

I am pretty intrigued by Fresno's State's Paul George. He has the length, athletic ability, to be a pretty good small forward in the league. He has at least NCAA 3 point range to be somewhat of a threat with that high release. He just needs to put on some muscle. He is about the pick where the Spurs are picking. And he has shooter's touch. 90.1% from the free throw line is remarkable. you don't even see that in the NBA a lot. Plus the 3 point range. I am drooling right now.

ERcmFdlrrXY

W/ Bonner as a FA, Spurs may just screw up and get Luke Babbitt instead :bang

[SenorSpur]

AHHHHHH, such bittersweet memories. Remember what some Boston sportwriter said about the Spurs drafting our boy, Alfrederick The Great Hughes back then? Someone down there(meaning the Spurs Brass) must of spiked their nachos.

Damn! @%*$ :lol

I completely forgot about that comment. Turns out they were right.

Remember Alfredrick's famous comment to the media, once he got drafted by the Spurs? "I'll post up anybody, I don't care who it is."

[letmk]

Yeah that guy at Wake Forrest who stayed 4 years from 93-97 turned out to be a bust in the NBA.

:rolleyes

Tim decided to stay in WF for the whole four years, he would be the No.1 pick in 96 as well. This guy, however, wanted to enter NBA but had to get back to college. See the GIANT gap!?

[TJastal]

Of course it is. I'm not saying the Spurs should use their first round pick on Vasquez. I'm simply pointing out that athleticism doesn't always trump everything else. In Mahinimi the Spurs drafted a project with incredible athleticism and passed on an average (at best) athlete who is now an All-Star averaging 20 and 12.

Mahinmi could easily be hitting those numbers in Noo Yawk with the proper minutes and a team that stresses offense over defense. :p

[Jimcs50]

Just saw this guy for the first time today vs Duke. I immediately hated him. At some point the line of 'firey emotional leader' ends and the line of 'loud obnoxious attention whore douchebag' begins


Like Bruce Bowen, like Manu, you love him if he is on your team, and hate him if he is playing against your team.

Yeah, he is cocky, but he backs it up on the floor....so I am good with it. You can not judge some player that you've never seen before on one night....

[Jimcs50]

:rollin

And he wasn't the star, because Maryland played their best basketball without him...you dumbass.

What a total moron. Vasquez played 34 of the 40 minutes. They were down 2 points when he reentered the game at the 8 minute mark, and they won by 7 points, after Vasquez scored 11 points in last 7:43 of the game.

Keep posting inanities, I've never seen you before in here, but you are entertaining, because I get a good laugh . :rollin

[Chieflion]

The real question is, should the Spurs trade up or down to get the player they want.

[5in10]

The real question is, should the Spurs trade up or down to get the player they want.

Which would be who?

[Chieflion]

Which would be who?

I am thinking this guy as well. He plays near the basket so he needs to develop a respectable jump shot to be useful to the Spurs. He seems to be under the radar. I don't think there is a doubt that he is physically talented.

http://www.draftexpress.com/profile/Quincy-Pondexter-1122/

[5in10]

I like him, but not as much as Paul George I think.I don't think his ceiling is as high, but I may be wrong ive only seen him play once. Chief Lion what do you think of Eliot Williams?

[Chieflion]

Williams is the southpaw from Memphis, right? I have been paying attention to mostly forwards, I have been asking about the guards. There aren't any notable videos I can find of him too.

Oh, by the way, for those of you who want to watch Paul George play, he is playing 4th March, 10.00 PM. Fresno State has been getting their ass kicked recently too. I also think losing may have made Willie Warren's draft stock drop. I think Warren is really good. He has a good first step, and his size allows him to be explosive enough and finish with contact. Warren plays the same position as Williams and is 20 lbs heavier.

And according to the draftexpress mock draft, Willie Warren is now our pick.

[Greg Oden]

And he wasn't the star, because Maryland played their best basketball without him...you dumbass.[/QUOTE]

What a total moron. Vasquez played 34 of the 40 minutes. They were down 2 points when he reentered the game at the 8 minute mark, and they won by 7 points, after Vasquez scored 11 points in last 7:43 of the game.

Keep posting inanities, I've never seen you before in here, but you are entertaining, because I get a good laugh . :rollin

Since you're not smart enough to properly use the quote function, I'll just leave this here.


lol thinking he's going to be a good nba player :rollin

[SenorSpur]

Williams is the southpaw from Memphis, right? I have been paying attention to mostly forwards, I have been asking about the guards. There aren't any notable videos I can find of him too.

Oh, by the way, for those of you who want to watch Paul George play, he is playing 4th March, 10.00 PM. Fresno State has been getting their ass kicked recently too. I also think losing may have made Willie Warren's draft stock drop. I think Warren is really good. He has a good first step, and his size allows him to be explosive enough and finish with contact. Warren plays the same position as Williams and is 20 lbs heavier.

And according to the draftexpress mock draft, Willie Warren is now our pick.

Thanks for the programming note Chief. I DO want to see this kid George play.

[Jimcs50]

Since you're not smart enough to properly use the quote function, I'll just leave this here.


lol thinking he's going to be a good nba player :rollin


bite me

[Greg Oden]

Well, actually he's going to be a great nba player! Reason being is that the guy from Wake who stayed all 4 years was a great nba player too.

[Jimcs50]

Well, actually he's going to be a great nba player! Reason being is that the guy from Wake who stayed all 4 years was a great nba player too.

You are not as dumb as you look.

[Greg Oden]

He totally would've been a top 10 draft pick last year if he decided to leave then.

[CubanSucks]

Like Bruce Bowen, like Manu, you love him if he is on your team, and hate him if he is playing against your team.

Yeah, he is cocky, but he backs it up on the floor....so I am good with it. You can not judge some player that you've never seen before on one night....

I wasn't talking about his gameplay. Bruce and Manu never pull that chest beating gesturing to the crowd bullshit like a kevin garnett would.

[Chieflion]

Fresno State VS Louisiana Tech on NOW!

[taps]

Oh, by the way, for those of you who want to watch Paul George play, he is playing 4th March, 10.00 PM. Fresno State has been getting their ass kicked recently too. I also think losing may have made Willie Warren's draft stock drop. I think Warren is really good. He has a good first step, and his size allows him to be explosive enough and finish with contact. Warren plays the same position as Williams and is 20 lbs heavier.

I have this Fresno game all cued up ready to start. It's a low res internet feed but I'm gonna watch this sophomore Paul George i like what i saw in your youtube video.

a few notes: looks like he went from 185 lbs up to 210 this year :tu.

Also, all stats across the board are up from Frosh including 3P which is about 36.5.

[Chieflion]

I am liking how he doesn't seem to force a thing. The scoreboard is not getting updated. Damn, I think he turned the ball over twice already.

Update: As expected, he is too three point happy, his handles are a little weak.

[taps]

Yeah but he poked the ball away from his man the next play and forced a hurried fade away to avoid shot clock violation that led to a turnover. There's potential, as senor spur deftly noted he needs work on his handles

edit: another hustle play chasing down a loose ball. Also stopped a fastbreak effectively cutting off the dribbler's angles and forcing him into two bigs who had time to recover to the defensive end b/c of the slowed break

[Chieflion]

Did he just get taken out of the game? He knows where he needs to be on the court on defense and offense, which is good. But the level of competition is low.

[taps]

yup he's out. maybe it was cause he missed a couple of threes but he's def making sure the guy he's guarding's gettin nothing easy

[Chieflion]

Nice pass from Paul George to Greg Smith for the easy and open dunk.

[taps]

Nice SF-Center assist by George

edit: beat me to it! i don't know the rest of these kids names lol

edit 2: good help-team defense by Paul George and all the bulldogs. He looks good in the trap. Where's that kool aid?

[Chieflion]

Who's that dumbass guard who doesn't have any awareness? I think his first name is Steven, so fuck you Steven. Paul George tries to get the ball to the guard in the backcourt, and he didn't catch it.

[blkroadrunners]

Steven Shepp made a couple good defensive plays though...

[taps]

another steal

[Chieflion]

I want the netbook....

Paul George knocks down his two freebies. Good stroke.

Is the coach of the Bullsdogs Gregg Popovich? The lineup out there looks like small ball.

[taps]

I want the netbook....

:lol I want the pizza

[Chieflion]

A straightaway 3 pointer by Paul George!

[taps]

George money pass through the defenders legs, steps back and gets the pass back and hits the bottom

[blkroadrunners]

Is the coach of the Bullsdogs Gregg Popovich? The lineup out there looks like small ball.

A lot of mid-major college teams play small ball, even some big conferences.

[taps]

Pop's chewing Paul George out right now for giving up that wide open corner 3

[Chieflion]

Half time. Fresno State-28, Louisiana Tech-27.


I could have won more than that guy. Gimme those coupons! :hat

[blkroadrunners]

George had a solid 1st half. He's obviously getting others involved so they'll get in a rhythem, but he'll be more aggressive this 2nd half.

[taps]

^
agreed. he knows how to feed is big man. i'd like to see what he looks like in the pick and roll a bit more though

2nd half starting, and looks like LA lost to miami

[Chieflion]

Man, put the ball in the basket, George!

[Chieflion]

Wow, nice defense, preventing the easy layup!

[taps]

sick horry chase down and swat by george!

[Chieflion]

Fresno State can't buy a basket, Paul George is too unselfish to maybe a fault. He would make a good teammate.

[blkroadrunners]

2nd half starting, and looks like LA lost to miami

That was a good game.

[Chieflion]

Are they really sure George averages 7.1 rebounds? I don't remember seeing him attacking the boards.

Update: Oh yes, Paul George is finally attacking the damn rim.

That's another 3 by George! Louisiana Tech timeout. Fresno State down by 1.

[blkroadrunners]

Nice 3. T/O LA Tech.

[taps]

agree with unselfish remark - but that's a good thing when you're playing with all-legend guys like Duncan. though right on cue he attacks the rim on 2 consecutive plays after that post lol.

i've liked pretty much everything from him on d except i haven't seen how he moves through screens mostly b/c it looks like his man seems to pass it as soon as he gets the ball when he see's george checking him lol. Also he is good at pressuring the ball but without fouling which shows great iq and general awareness.

oh now he is pouring on the offense (inside and outside) and led fresno to within one on seven straight points

[taps]

george with steal after steal. he's really displaying his great passing with these transition baskets he's forcing. if he improves his handles he can be an effective playmaker at the NBA level IMO.

Okay another great high low play from the kid. This guy knows how to feed his big man NOM NOM NOM.

[Chieflion]

Paul George finds number 32 for the open 3.

[taps]

they wouldn't have called that bs travel in the league

paul george draws the charge, is waiting with his paper and morning coffee. on the other end penetrates and dishes to his big for an easy and 1.

i'm gonna go out on a limb and say this kid's got good potential on the defensive end

[Chieflion]

Nice pass again to Greg Smith, the big man from Paul George. Monster slam there. And 1.

[taps]

george nice move on the block

[Chieflion]

ROFL Madagascar is BACK! I don't know what George is doing, he needs to be the one shooting those free throws.

[taps]

good game thanks for the heads up on this guy chief :tu

I'm gonna try to post some impressions in the draft prospect thread.

[Kill_Bill_Pana]

I told Spurs to draft teodosic last year and they ignored and drafted De Colo instead. HUGE mistake. De Colo is good but Milos is incredible. VERY STUPID by Spurs.

I think Milos can be even better than prime Manu.


Now Spurs need to listen to me now this time. Draft Pappas if you need replacement for Manu for the future.

[Chieflion]

Final score: Fresno State-66, Louisiana Tech-59

Paul George played a good ball game, sparking his team from 8 points down early in the 2nd half, scoring 7 points straight and passed very well, assisting his big men. His handles need work. He is an unselfish player and knows where he must be defensively. Has a tendency to take too many threes.

[5in10]

This thread is slowly becoming the official 2010 draft speculation thread.

[5in10]

What did georges stats look like?

[Chieflion]

Can anyone find the box score for this game? Cause I couldn't find one, not even in yahoo.

[Mel_13]

http://www.gobulldogs.com/gametracker/launch/gt_mbaskbl.html?event=827648&school=fres&sport=mbaskbl&camefrom=&startschool=&

[Chieflion]

Truly bad shooting outing by George there. Good to see him have 7 boards, 5 assists and 3 steals. Good all-around game overall.

[MoSpur]

I have liked Vazquez's game for awhile now. However, I don't think he will be a great NBA player. He might crack the rotation on a team, but he won't be like Manu. Who knows? I could be wrong. He reminds me a little of Manu because of his passion and his once in awhile craftiness, but he doesn't have the athleticism Manu has. Again, I could be wrong.

He played great against Duke though and he still has a chance to help his draft status.

[FeZZy]

this paul george sounds boss the thing i wanna know is if we have a chance to actually get him i dont wanna be stuck at the 7th playoff spot and trully think we have a cjance to make it all the way to atleast 4th or 3rd if that happenes he might be out of our reach good find though chief

[Chieflion]

this paul george sounds boss the thing i wanna know is if we have a chance to actually get him i dont wanna be stuck at the 7th playoff spot and trully think we have a cjance to make it all the way to atleast 4th or 3rd if that happenes he might be out of our reach good find though chief
At the start of the season, he was projected to be an early 2nd rounder. Now, he is about 23-26 on most people's list. Some NBA scouts were reported to think he is going to picked at 15-20.

[FeZZy]

At the start of the season, he was projected to be an early 2nd rounder. Now, he is about 23-26 on most people's list. Some NBA scouts were reported to think he is going to picked at 15-20.

thats why i asked remember omar casspi everyone said we were going in the second he slipt to 20 i believe the same with taj gibson but im happy with blair anyway

[Jimcs50]

Maryland finished strong by winning their last 7 games (all conference) to capture a co-championship with Duke. This was a team that was picked to finish 6th in preseason poll.

No small reason for their final push in last 7 games was the stellar play of my man Greivis Vasquez.

Last 7 games stats:

25 pts/game, 7 assists, and 4.5 rebs.

Ok, now I know that playing great college ball does not nec translate to great NBA play, but you have to be great in college at least to have a chance at next level, so perhaps he has a chance to succeed, yes?

[Jimcs50]

This guy is average. Not really special at all. He's gonna get his chode rocked against the Dukies tonight, you can pretty much count on it.

:p:

ACC POY.



http://msn.foxsports.com/cbk/story/goodman-all-conference-teams-and-awards

[yavozerb]

Anyway we could just send this thread to the think tank? please...

[Jimcs50]

No, we do not want a first teamer on the Spurs. :rolleyes



Updated: March 9, 2010, 6:21 PM ET
Vitale's All-Solid Gold teamsEmail Print Comments 43Share23retweet1 By Dick Vitale
ESPN.com
Archive
The regular season is coming to a close, and March Madness is in full swing, baby! It is time to reveal my crème de la crème, the best of the best for this college hoops season. I have picked my super seven, the first- and second-team All-Solid Gold performers for this campaign. My friends, I wish I could be the coach of these guys! Let's start with the first team:


ALL-SOLID GOLD FIRST TEAM
John Wall Kentucky
Jon Scheyer Duke
Greivis Vasquez Maryland
Scottie Reynolds Villanova
DeMarcus Cousins Kentucky
Evan Turner Ohio State
Wes Johnson Syracuse



These guys have been super, scintillating, sensational! This group can do it all. John Wall and DeMarcus Cousins have been outstanding diaper dandies for John Calipari in Kentucky. Jon Scheyer and Greivis Vasquez have been the premier PTPers in the ACC. Evan Turner has been really impressive, returning from a back injury earlier in the season. Scottie Reynolds is the engine that drives the bus for Jay Wright's Wildcats. Wesley Johnson was the best All-Marco Polo, a real difference-maker for Jim Boeheim's Orange squad.

Now on to the second team:


ALL-SOLID GOLD SECOND TEAM
Greg Monroe Georgetown
Luke Harangody Notre Dame
James Anderson Oklahoma State
Jimmer Fredette BYU
Damion James Texas
Cole Aldrich Kansas
Sherron Collins Kansas





James Anderson has been Mr. Versatility for the Cowboys. Luke Harangody was having a super season until he was injured. Jimmer Fredette is an unsung player who deserves more publicity. Cole Aldrich and Sherron Collins have keyed Bill Self's national championship contender as a talented inside-outside duo. Damion James has been a force as a scorer and rebounder. Greg Monroe needs to stay aggressive and look for his shots, but he is extremely talented. Last but not least, it is time to announce my player of the year and coach of the year:


VITALE'S PLAYER OF THE YEAR


You can make a case for several players, but my choice is John Wall of Kentucky. He has made his teammates much better as a leader of the tough Wildcats. I love the fact he wants the ball in crunch time, and Wall has made so many big plays this season. He is also my Diaper Dandy of the Year!


VITALE'S COACH OF THE YEAR


My pick for coach of the year is Jim Boeheim. There are a number of solid candidates: Frank Martin of Kansas State, Steve Alford of New Mexico, Gary Williams of Maryland and John Calipari of Kentucky.


Yet Syracuse went from being picked sixth in the preseason Big East poll to most likely locking up a No. 1 seed in the Big Dance. Boeheim has done an incredible job after losing a lot of talent. Jonny Flynn, Eric Devendorf and Paul Harris are gone, but Boeheim put together a team that is capable of cutting down the nets in Indianapolis.


So there you have it, my All-Solid Gold teams and my award winners for 2010.

[Jimcs50]

.
By Jeff Ermann
Tuesday, 09 March 2010 13:19

GREENSBORO, N.C. – Greivis Vasquez earned the 2010 Player of the Year and Gary Williams was voted the 2010 Coach of the Year as the Atlantic Coast Conference announced its top individual awards on Tuesday.
The voting was done by members of the Atlantic Coast Sports Media Association.
Vasquez, a senior from Caracas, Venezeula, is the fifth University of Maryland player to earn ACC Player of the Year honors and the first since Juan Dixon earned the award in 2002. Len Bias won twice (1985, 1986), Albert King won in 1980 and Joe Smith won the award in 1995.

Vasquez was also honored by the Sporting News on Tuesday as the publication named Vasquez one of its five first team All-Americans. He was joined on that team by James Anderson of Oklahoma State, Scottie Reynolds of Villanova, Evan Turner of Ohio State and John Wall of Kentucky. He is the first Terrapin All-American since Lonny Baxter and Juan Dixon earned the honor in 2002.
Vasquez is the only player in the nation currently averaging more than 19 points and six assists per game. He ranks fourth in NCAA Division I in assists per game with 6.3. Vasquez is one of six finalists for the Bob Cousy Award, given to the best collegiate point guard in the nation.
Vasquez earned 39 votes in the balloting by ACSMA, with Duke’s Jon Scheyer getting 12 votes and Malcolm Delaney of Virginia Tech getting two.
Williams won the ACC Coach of the Year honor for the second time, having also earned the award in the 2002 national championship season. In his 21st season as head coach at Maryland, Williams is currently fifth among active NCAA Division I coaches with 648 victories overall. The Terrapins tied for first place in the regular-season standings with a 13-3 record despite being picked fifth in preseason balloting at ACC Operation Basketball.
Williams got 42 votes in the Coach of the Year balloting, with Duke’s Mike Krzyzewski getting eight, Virginia Tech’s Seth Greenberg getting two and Florida State’s Leonard Hamilton getting one.
Vasquez and Williams were also honored on Tuesday by the U.S. Basketball Writers Association as the District 3 Player and Coach of the Year. The district covers the states of Maryland, Virginia, North Carolina and South Carolina.
ACSMA also announced that Derrick Favors of Georgia Tech was the ACC Rookie of the Year. Maryland’s Jordan Williams finished second in the balloting.

-- ACC Release

InsideMDSports.com is the No. 1 source on the planet for Terps sports and recruiting news. To subscribe, click HERE.

[mountainballer]

No, we do not want a first teamer on the Spurs. :rolleyes


you realized that this isn't any kind of "official" award and that this is just the personal list of one of the 2 million ESPN experts?
however, what you thought to get as an evidence for the NBA potential of an college player might not exactly be a good sign for a players NBA career. ask Adam Morrison, Shelden Williams and Dee Brown.

[FeZZy]

:lmao i don't know man to be honest i think he could be the next romel beck if it makes you happy but i would sign him to the torros if you want

[noob cake]

Vasquez has so much swag and confidence. He is a natural winner.

[SenorSpur]

At the start of the season, he was projected to be an early 2nd rounder. Now, he is about 23-26 on most people's list. Some NBA scouts were reported to think he is going to picked at 15-20.

Look like Paul George will be coming out after all.

http://www.realgm.com/src_wiretap_archives/65309/20100312/fresno_states_paul_george_to_test_draft_waters/

Fresno State's Paul George will test the NBA Draft waters, according to his Twitter page.

"Testing the waters, but I'm (leaning) towards (leaving) to the draft," wrote George.

[urunobili]

Vazquez Choking tonight so far... :wakeup

[Mr. Body]

Vazquez has good talent and is a fiery personality, but he makes horrible decisions and is full of himself.

[spectator]

just saw the end of the ga tech game. his jumper was off; his defense was poor; and he seemed predictable on offense.