Free Agent: Ndudi Ebi

[SPARKY]

http://www.nba.com/media/act_ndudi_ebi.jpg

Ndudi Ebi | 44
Position: F
Born: Jun 18, 1984
Height: 6-9 / 2,06
Weight: 195 lbs. / 88,5 kg.
High School : Westbury Christian HS (TX)

Info (http://www.nba.com/playerfile/ndudi_ebi/index.html)

Spurs were interested in him in the 2003 draft. Might be worth a summerleague invite.

[milkyway21]

sparky why didn't you just post this on the list of 2006 Free Agents thread? :lol

[Please_dont_ban_me]

The f...? No!

[Kori Ellis]

sparky why didn't you just post this on the list of 2006 Free Agents thread? :lol

Because that's not what we do in the offseason.

We make an individual thread for each potential acquistion. Then we will still a thread at the top of the forum which will have links to each individual thread.

That's how we roll.

[milkyway21]

Because that's not what we do in the offseason.

We make an individual thread for each potential acquistion. Then we will still a thread at the top of the forum which will have links to each individual thread.

That's how we roll.I'm sorry. I was just trying to be funny. :cry I was just amazed Sparky made so many in a short period of time. :oops

sorry for trying to be funny after one hard Spurs series loss.

[Kori Ellis]

I was just explaining it. It's okay that you were trying to be funny :)

[milkyway21]

He:D He :D

i thought you were mad @ me.

[ChumpDumper]

He still doesn't really know how to play, but he's sure as hell athletic and can block a load of shots. Worth a look.

[genghisrex]

He's not the answer at SF for next season, but I'd take him on the inactive list for a season to try him out. Hopefully a year out of the league has humbled him enough to take a back seat role and learn a little.

[wildbill2u]

Immaturity and an over-estimation of skills has probably been the downfall of more players in this league than actual playing ability.

He may be a fine player some day if he overcomes those two giant obstacles to his progress. Whether we should bring him in is problematical. Everyone talks about how Pop and the veterans on the team have worked with players with these flaws.

But you'll notice that Jax and Devin and some other players weren't kept beyond their initial contracts because of them. The players opted out, but that's the way a good management team operates: Make a reasonable offer and then let the player take himself off our hands.

[picnroll]

I thought I read that Ebi had the reputation of working very hard, would stay after practice and work, that he just didn't have a feel for the game.

[ducks]

you mean this guy might be on the block after wolves passed on josh howard for him

[sickdsm]

Ducks, go back and look where josh howard was drafted, go look at Marquis Daniels. Then go look at who passed over them all. Its a combination of Overhyping one guy, one guy was a diamond in the rough.


Its not like its Darko over carmelo and wade or Nene over Amare.

[Aggie Hoopsfan]

If we were going to steal a long forward from Minnesota I'd want it to be Eddie Griffin.

[Kori Ellis]

I thought I read that Ebi had the reputation of working very hard, would stay after practice and work, that he just didn't have a feel for the game.

I heard the opposite .. that he doesn't like to practice and that he thinks he's far too good to play in the DLeague or be inactive or anything like that.

[timvp]

Ebi acts like a prissy biotch but he's a long small forward. He'd be a good Stephen Jackson-like project. Sign him and stash him on IR for a year and see if he's willing to work.

[picnroll]

Here's about a six month old article that's backs your view Kori. Unless he's turned his head around 180 degrees no thanks.

Link to article (http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/sports/bk/bkn/3469569.html)

[sickdsm]

Eddie's available. I've had enough with him as long as kevin's around.


As for Ebi, he lived and breathed basketball but it turned from being a gymrat the first year to hanging out at the courts.


This isn't a question so much as Ebi leaving early but also to Ebi going to the wrong team. He would have beenn your starting SF by now i believe had spurs drafted him, he's that good.

[Aggie Hoopsfan]

By the way, to throw out another anecdote about the attitude of Ebi.

When he was a senior in HS he played a summer league AAU tourney at A&M. I worked at the tournament (nice little check for hanging out watching hoops all weekend), and saw three of Ebi's games.

In one of them, some random semi-stiff of a white guy was guarding him and playing him physical. All he did was bitch to the ref about the guy defending him and scream for foul calls all game long.

The other team they played had no business being on the floor with his team (it was a stacked squad - he also had Daniel Gibson and Taurean Minor on there), but they won the game because they hustled their asses off and played hard defense.

The scrub white guy posted him up repeatedly and worked him over, the matchup probably ended up about 18-4 in favor of the white stiff, and two of Ebi's four came on a garbage dunk with about 10 seconds left in the game.

It was pretty pathetic, especially because Ebi was being hyped at the time as the #1 player in the country, surefire NBA lotto pick, etc. From seeings bits and pieces of Wolves games this year and what articles have already been posted, it's pretty obvious not a thing has changed.

[spurster]

Worth trying a min salary, but given the demand for long SFs and Ebi's past aversion to discipline, it seems doubtful that the Spurs could get him.

[strangeweather]

Ebi acts like a prissy biotch but he's a long small forward. He'd be a good Stephen Jackson-like project. Sign him and stash him on IR for a year and see if he's willing to work.
Stephen Jackson was a good project because he would have never gotten so much as a glance from the NBA if he hadn't worked his ass off in pissant barnstormer leagues to get a shot.

Ebi has had plenty of time to show he has the work ethic to improve and earn a spot in the rotation, so unless we figure the Wolves are just an incredibly poor fit, I don't see where he's the kind of guy who's going to take advantage of another chance.

[JMarkJohns]

By the way, to throw out another anecdote about the attitude of Ebi.

When he was a senior in HS he played a summer league AAU tourney at A&M. I worked at the tournament (nice little check for hanging out watching hoops all weekend), and saw three of Ebi's games.

In one of them, some random semi-stiff of a white guy was guarding him and playing him physical. All he did was bitch to the ref about the guy defending him and scream for foul calls all game long.

The other team they played had no business being on the floor with his team (it was a stacked squad - he also had Daniel Gibson and Taurean Minor on there), but they won the game because they hustled their asses off and played hard defense.

The scrub white guy posted him up repeatedly and worked him over, the matchup probably ended up about 18-4 in favor of the white stiff, and two of Ebi's four came on a garbage dunk with about 10 seconds left in the game.

It was pretty pathetic, especially because Ebi was being hyped at the time as the #1 player in the country, surefire NBA lotto pick, etc. From seeings bits and pieces of Wolves games this year and what articles have already been posted, it's pretty obvious not a thing has changed.

He likes a challenge. Just like any top-rated prep player, he had a tendancy to coast against lesser competition. But vs. the best of the best, he was always playing his hardest. He had five blocks vs. Al Jefferson in a prep tournament and you have to remember that Ebi, being 6-8, 190 pounds had no business even guarding the 6-9, 270 pound Jefferson, but he bodied him up and rejected his shots pretty routinely. Not just weakside, but head-to-head ala Mutombo back in the day.

I saw him upwards of six times in high school, several of which were on TV. He had four great performances and two average performances.

He always did the most against the better comp.

He was always a bit of a headcase, though.

[Aggie Hoopsfan]

I saw him upwards of six times in high school, several of which were on TV. He had four great performances and two average performances.

Yay, so the guy had four great games in HS, and has done jack shit in three years in the league. Sign him up for the max!

[JMarkJohns]

Yay, so the guy had four great games in HS, and has done jack shit in three years in the league. Sign him up for the max!

Obviously no one is saying sign him up for the max, but everything you and I have said about Ebi was said about Stephen Jackson, who, when finally given a chance, has proved himself to still be a headcase, but still worth having on your squad for the right price and in the right role.

It's no secret Ebi should have went to college. It's no secret he needs an attitude adjustment, but Pops worked well with Jackson, so why not Ebi?

Did he spurn your A&M? What high school player isn't inconsistant?

[ChumpDumper]

Anyone that long and athletic is worth a summer league invite. You'd rather have Karoulov?

[Aggie Hoopsfan]

everything you and I have said about Ebi was said about Stephen Jackson, who, when finally given a chance, has proved himself to still be a headcase, but still worth having on your squad for the right price and in the right role.

By all accounts Buckets was a hard and willing worker, he just didn't get along with Lord Byron (which, from the looks of things, is hardly a rare occurrance).

Everything you hear about Ebi is that he thinks he's God's gift to basketball and all he has to do is show up and have someone hand him the ball and let him shoot 20 times a night.

His problem is that he was raised as a prodigy and told he was great his whole life, and he was so much bigger than the other kids he had his way on the court. Now he's in the pros and he still thinks he's the shit but his play on the court and work ethic in practice don't jive with his own personal reality.


What high school player isn't inconsistant?

We're talking about a three year NBA (that's professional) player whose game needs a hell of a lot of work, who seriously needs to hit the weight room to fill out his skinny ass frame, but chronically shows up late for practice and can't find the weight room at the Wolves' practice facility.

What's your excuse for all that?

[genghisrex]

We're talking about a three year NBA (that's professional) player whose game needs a hell of a lot of work, who seriously needs to hit the weight room to fill out his skinny ass frame, but chronically shows up late for practice and can't find the weight room at the Wolves' practice facility.

What's your excuse for all that?
Flip Saunders?

Seriously, Ebi bears full responsibility for his attitude, but if Pop could find a way to relate to him, he could be a nice roleplayer. With our roster needs and his likely price (minimum) I don't think a summer league invite would hurt.

[SPARKY]

Damn, I thought Ebi would be a nice summerleague candidate. Not really seeing the rationale for bitching about it, but, oh well, that's the internets.

[timvp]

By all accounts Buckets was a hard and willing worker

:lol

I've never heard SJax be confused for a hard worker. His lack of work ethic is what got Byron pissed at him. It's also what kept him planted on IR his entire first year with the Spurs.

It wasn't until Jackson started practicing hard that the Spurs gave him a shot. Even then, he still wasn't the hardest of workers.

[exstatic]

I think the only important question is, what is Ebi's jump shot percentage? Enquiring minds want to know, timvp...

[timvp]

I think the only important question is, what is Ebi's jump shot percentage? Enquiring minds want to know, timvp...

He didn't miss a jumper last season.

:smokin

[exstatic]

:lol:rollin 0-0 does equal no misses...

[Nbadan]

Jack was tempermental. If he didn't think he was getting a fair shake he wouldn't work as hard, but almost every year he still got better. Ebi is no Jack.

[ChumpDumper]

Ebi doesn't score that much from outside. Right now he's a very skinny power forward; with work he might be effective from 15-18 - I'm not expecting him to ever be a true three point threat.

[Nbadan]

Give me a go-getter over a premodana anytime. I'll stick with Tim's idea of Evans for now. Unless the Spurs can use the LLE on Ebi.

[ChumpDumper]

Ebi would cost nothing.

[picnroll]

What does Ebi bring that Qyntel Woods wouldn't except that probably Woods would cost a little more?

[ChumpDumper]

Shot blocking.

[Nbadan]

Well, as long as were into spending nothing, how about taking a gander at Fizer?

[ChumpDumper]

Neither he nor Fizer seem to be perfect fits, but nobody else does either. I'm fine with taking a look at anyone who might help, especially for the minimum.

[picnroll]

Ndudi Ebi on a minimum and the inactive list would be fine. Based on his past I wonder how well he'd deal with the incative list.

I seem to remember when they were talking about him going to NBDL in the press one of the comments was that he didn't have a clue about assignments, that he'd run around like a chicken with his head cut off. Kind of a Nazr super-sized. SickDSM could probably comment on that, true or not.

[wildbill2u]

Obviously no one is saying sign him up for the max, but everything you and I have said about Ebi was said about Stephen Jackson, who, when finally given a chance, has proved himself to still be a headcase, but still worth having on your squad for the right price and in the right role.

It's no secret he needs an attitude adjustment, but Pops worked well with Jackson, so why not Ebi?

I thought it was Mike Brown--and some of the vets--who worked with Jax and brought him around. Mike also brought him in to Indianapolis, but one story out of there had Jax turning on his mentor at one point.

You can put a lot of time and effort into headcases and players with poor work ethics and sometimes it works for a year, but don't most of them return to their old ways?