Call me loco or kookoo, but is Manu the next MJ?

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Originally Posted by ducks

I would take mj over manu anyday of the week
I also would have taken magic over tp any day of the week

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Well, that's kind of obvious, I would take Bird over Barry anyday (maybe even the current Bird), Sabonis over Rasho, Olajuwon over Nazr, and so on...

I will take Ray Allen over Manu any day of the week.

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Originally Posted by Manu'sMagicalLeftHand

Olajuwon over Nazr

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No way. You are just mad that cheesesteak boy is gone. Take off your Rose colored glasses.

Sincerely,

Aggie Hoopsfan

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Originally Posted by 1Parker1

:lol I drank some Parker koolaid this afternoon. It was damn good!

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omg! dirty images are entering my mind.....

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Originally Posted by tlongII

I will take Ray Allen over Manu any day of the week.

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good for you charlie murphy.

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Originally Posted by 1Parker1

:rollin Best reply ever.

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Reply to what?
I only see a mug saying: "Momma's boy"

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Originally Posted by timvp

Honestly, I've actually converted to the Church of Manu. Manu has improved so much that I think he's a top ten player in the league. His drive to win is unmatched and his performances have been out of this world. His improvement from year to year has been jaw dropping. Hell, his improvement from this regular season to the playoffs has been awesome.

Now if he has a big Finals and continues to play how he's been playing in the playoffs, I will go on record saying he's a top five player in the league.

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That's the truth.


If I was to pick five players I'd go into playoff battle with, Manu would be one of those five.

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Originally Posted by whottt

TMSkilz...

On the court they aren't anything alike really...Jordan was a guard who lead the NBA in scoring while shooting over 50%...

By my reckoning, only one other man in NBA history has pulled that off...our own George Gervin(who taught Jordan the secret of winning scoring titles)...but Jordan was also a DPOY player...Gervin wasn't.

Gervin is the guy who comes the closest to what Jordan truly was on the court, a flat out high PCT scoring machine at the guard spot...Jerry West is also right there...

Manu is nothing like those guys...he hasn't even shot 50% yet with Duncan gtting him open...much less being the total focus of the defense and doing it while taking the most shots.



Manu's style of play is a lot closer to Magic Johnson than it is Michael Jordan...I got to see Magic play and Manu would have fit right into the Bird and Magic era of the NBA...he's a throwback to that era.




If you are talking about the impact in popularity and elevating the profile of the NBA worldwide that Jordan had...no. Only one guy could do that and Jordan already did it.

But what Manu could do is raise the international profile of the NBA in a similar way...yes he could have that kind of impact. He could make the NBA more popular in the rest of the world(but so could Yao just by capturing China)

But I do think it's very possible Manu could end up being the most popular player of his era...if that's what you mean by the next MJ...I don't think you are that far off.

No one hates their own like Spursfans...so don't let the naysayers get you down...Manu is busting out...and a lot of great players are absolutely in love with his game. He could very well end up being the most popular player in the World.

On the court he will never be anything close to MJ in terms of style.

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Absolutely right! Look, I agree Manu is not even close to MJ's level, but I wouldn't say no one ever will, like some of the people in this thread. I wonder how it is that they can fortell the future? Either way, I read a post in this thread that stated Kobe, LeBron, Wade are all superstars, MJ, Magic, Bird are legends. I totally agree with this, I think Manu is already a superstar, but he will never be a legend.

you can tell there has not been any game for awhile 5 pages of if manu is mj
UNREAL

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Originally Posted by MaNuMaNiA

I totally agree with this, I think Manu is already a superstar, but he will never be a legend.

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It's all in the bling-bling, baby.

If the Spurs win 4 of the next 6 titles and Manu is a big part of it he could very well be a legend.

People always remember the champions.

I don't see any similarities in their game. IMO Manu has more of an Iverson type game. I'm not suggesting that he's as good as Iverson though.

He is a very good player.

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Originally Posted by combs84

The next off the map superstar name belongs to Wade, Lebron or Ben Gordon. Ginoboli is to out of control.

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I respectfully disagree with my fellow Piston Fan as far as adding Gordon to the mix, I see him as 1 dimensional.

Top tier players right now are Tim Duncan and Kevin Garnett.

There are too many excellent players to list that are right below their level.

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Originally Posted by MaNuMaNiA

I think Manu is already a superstar, but he will never be a legend.

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I wouldn't write Manu off in the legend category either...he has a habit of making memorable plays...those are the stuff legends are made of. Especially if they do it in the NBA finals when everyone is watching.

"Havlicek stole the ball"

"Ginobili stole the ball"....I could definitely see it happening.

People might as well realize this now...

Manu is going to be in the Basketball HOF when he retires.....he has a strong case for it right now...the basketball HOF is determined by a total basketball career...not just what they did in the NBA. Manu is as good as in as we speak...

He is definitely going to challenge Sabonis for the second greatest international player in NBA history...if you consider Hakeem an American, since he is naturalized and learned the game here...Manu is going to challenge Sabonis for the greatest international player in NBA history. Edit: Dirk deserves to be mentioned here as well...he'll probably be the greatest when he retires...

About the only thing we can say for certainty that Manu will never be considered...is the greatest player or 2 guard in NBA history....anything else...it's a mistake to bet against Manu. He is that good.

Only superstars in the league are:

Tim Duncan
Kevin Garnett
Shaq
Jason Kidd

Borderline is:
Kobe
TMac

But that is it. Kobe and TMac are not superstars but All-Stars at this point but they are very close to becoming superstars.

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Originally Posted by Kori Ellis

Here to make it clearer for you ... I'm saying he's not BOTH young AND improving, like guys like LeBron and Wade. In other words, we are not going to see Manu getting better and better for five plus years and get to the point of being with the likes of MJ. After a couple more years, Manu will begin to decline, not just because of his age but because of exhaustion of his type of play.

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Maybe you can try to explain it one more time, just in case someone does not understand what you are spinning in circles about. :hat

Perhaps you might just say, "at Manu's age, he has less time to improve before he is over the hill, compared to the younger Lebron and Wade." Fair enough?

As for Manu, fans who only know the game from Sports Center or reading rags written mostly by idiots who don't know the game they pretend to cover, have little knowledge about the enourmous hoops skills he has, and that he has displayed over many years before he came to the NBA.

On the time think, you are almost correct. Because of Manu's age, and because he was blessed to play along side Duncan, and because of the nature of the vegatable, most of the garden variety NBA fans will never understand the total package Manu has, and has already demonstrated on the International stage, he most likely will not be view as a star as big as Labron and Kobe, and certainly not as big as MJ. Not because his game cannot go beyond that of Labron, T'Mac or Kobe, as it is not as far away as ESPN junkies are force fed, and therefore "think". But because of time, Manu will be challanged to ever catch up with the hype machines these developing stars were given before they ever entered an NBA floor.

Manu is a special player, like one of few who has ever existed on any stage ... period. However, since the hoops purists are far out numbered by the Sports Center Groopies, cheering for the dunks, wallowing in ignorance on the science and skills that develop great teams and true stars in this game.

Everyone knows about Manu's play in the Olympics. But that was his not first rodeo in out shinning NBA Stars. Before he went down with a sprained ankle, Manu had led his team to a huge victory over the Allstar NBA laden USA Team in the 2002 World Games. He was also proving himself to be far and away the best player on the best team in the entire 2002 World Games.

yes he is

5ToolMan,

I'm not spinning anything. I think Manu is great, but this thread was about him being the next Jordan. He isn't.

And I don't rely on just his SportsCenter highlights, I have probably seen a lot more of Manu's play than you have. I just think that if you are talking about a perennial NBA superstar, by my definition, Manu won't be one. He has talent and he has a tremendous heart and determination to win, but he's not a legend. You think he was great before he arrived in the NBA. In reality he was skilled, but not honed enough to perform against NBA competition night in and night out.

If Manu can somehow be able to play 35+ minutes per night in the NBA over the next five to seven seasons -- and still perform at a high level, then that would be great. But at the energy level he plays, we'll have to see if he can even do that through one season. He hasn't yet. Hopefully having this summer off of basketball will do him some good.

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Originally Posted by Kori Ellis

kookoo

:)

There's no next MJ. Manu isn't even close to that level.

Did you notice at the All-Star game that Manu wasn't even at the same level as some (most?) of the other All-Stars on the court? Manu is flashy and he's damn good, but I don't think he's close to superstar status.

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i agree.

I see no resemblance of MJ style of play.:rolleyes
The GRACE. The Originality.
NO not next MJ.


Manu is the first Manu.

You people must bow down and pay tribute to Emperor Emanuel I, or else...

:lol

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Originally Posted by timvp

http://www.nooksandniches.com/Produc...troublemug.gif

Princess is feeling the wrath of the Manu Defenders. If you don't say that Manu is the best human ever created, you are bound to get bashed into submission.

God is Good, God is Great
We thank Him for our Manu

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We all know you 2 don't like Manu as much of others around here.
That's why the topics of Spurs Round Table during these POs has been about the League, the other conf finals, the weather in Tanzania, the meaning of life and only 1 (one) meaningless comment about Manu's performance so far.
It's ok. But c'mon...u were all over devin brown promoting him as the next big thing and manu is not improving?? Is not worthy of compliments?
Pffffffff whatever flows your boat...

On the subject...there was only 1 MJ :elephant

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Originally Posted by spur219

Only superstars in the league are:

Tim Duncan
Kevin Garnett
Shaq
Jason Kidd

Borderline is:
Kobe
TMac

But that is it. Kobe and TMac are not superstars but All-Stars at this point but they are very close to becoming superstars.

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A.I is a superstar.

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That's why the topics of Spurs Round Table during these POs has been about the League, the other conf finals, the weather in Tanzania, the meaning of life and only 1 (one) meaningless comment about Manu's performance so far.

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:rolleyes

Manu can be the next Jesus Christ for all I care, hell, the next William Hung as long as he helps the Spurs win a third title.

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Originally Posted by Kori Ellis

5ToolMan,

I'm not spinning anything. I think Manu is great, but this thread was about him being the next Jordan. He isn't.

And I don't rely on just his SportsCenter highlights, I have probably seen a lot more of Manu's play than you have. I just think that if you are talking about a perennial NBA superstar, by my definition, Manu won't be one. He has talent and he has a tremendous heart and determination to win, but he's not a legend. You think he was great before he arrived in the NBA. In reality he was skilled, but not honed enough to perform against NBA competition night in and night out.

If Manu can somehow be able to play 35+ minutes per night in the NBA over the next five to seven seasons -- and still perform at a high level, then that would be great. But at the energy level he plays, we'll have to see if he can even do that through one season. He hasn't yet. Hopefully having this summer off of basketball will do him some good.

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Manu was dominating the European League and International Basketball well before he entered the NBA. His play in the 2002 World Championships and the 2004 Olympics, when he consistantly outperformed the biggest and brightest NBA Stars demonstrates that Manu was capible of delivering at an NBA Superstar level, long before Pop unleashed him.

Pop is a great coach, but in all due respect he missed the boat on Manu until he saw what he did when allowed to perform in a style of play more geared for his game, as he had in the Olympics.

Manu's "sudden" growth has just as much to do with Pop's education to what Manu can deliver and consequent adjustments made in the way the Spurs play. The new rules changes also made Pop realize he had to open up the offense using more of Manu's and Tony's great skills. In the past, as a sidekick to Tim, Manu played the game asked, while Pop muttered 4-Down, time and again. Pop's choice to ride his MVP had nothing to do with Manu's ability to play at an NBA level. It just effected the perception of those not watching closely.

I laugh at those who "think" Manu can only play 25 - 30 minutes a game, just because that is the way Pop has used him over most of the last three years. Pop chose to measure Manu's minutes because Manu had played the last FOUR SUMMERS in International play. The Spurs were winning in a fashion they felt comfortable, so no need to rock the boat.

Now that Pop has unleashed the beast, Manu will be a fixture as a league Super Star for the next 6 - 10 years. After reading this board, it is clear many Spurs fans still don't yet know what they have before them.

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I laugh at those who "think" Manu can only play 25 - 30 minutes a game, just because that is the way Pop has used him over most of the last three years. Pop chose to measure Manu's minutes because Manu had played the last FOUR SUMMERS in International play. The Spurs were winning in a fashion they felt comfortable, so no need to rock the boat.

Now that Pop has unleashed the beast, Manu will be a fixture as a league Super Star for the next 6 - 10 years. After reading this board, it is clear many Spurs fans still don't yet know what they have before them.

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Manu can play 30 minutes per game. That's about what he always does. It has yet to be seen if he can play 35+ minutes per game over an NBA season. He physically couldn't do it this year. We'll see if that changes next year after he has this upcoming summer "off".

10 years from now Manu will be almost 38. You think he'll still be in the league?