Jason Thompson!

[Bricklayer]

Hence my qualifier: "The way I do".

And I say 24 and 13 for 3 to 4 seasons, doesn't mean he's Hakeem the Dream; he would be just briefly touching Chris Webber Level.

Hakeem only averaged 24 and 13 3 times. Webber never did once. For that matter neither Tim Duncan nor Karl Malone ever reached those numbers either. I might hvae been being too tame in annointing our new 24 and 13 PF top 10 all time -- he might well be the best to ever play the game. Quick, everybody grab up those rookie cards before the rest of the world catches on.

 

[VF21]

Uh oh. Time to find the waders. The dripping cynicism is starting to rise...

 

[tradepeja]

Hakeem only averaged 24 and 13 3 times. Webber never did once. For that matter neither Tim Duncan nor Karl Malone ever reached those numbers either. I might hvae been being too tame in annointing our new 24 and 13 PF top 10 all time -- he might well be the best to ever play the game. Quick, everybody grab up those rookie cards before the rest of the world catches on.

Uh oh, the guy doesn't have a complete A+ grade level on NBA statistics. Let's make sure he feels like a complete *** for it.

 

[Emma]

Ha Ha, I can always count on brick to lay it down.

Look, The kid's got the potential to be really, really good. Let's all hope he can produce the way I say he can

 

[rhythmless]

Uh oh, the guy doesn't have a complete A+ grade level on NBA statistics. Let's make sure he feels like a complete *** for it.

Orrrrrrr, how about we all just coddle ridiculous claims on this board that get spewed with no merit, evidence, or perspective? And while we're at it, lets be reaaaaaaaaaaal sarcastic too.

Someone said something that was purely an eschewing of random numbers that sound good. He got called on it, and doesn't have anything hence forth to back up those claims. What do you want us to do? Proclaim every young kid as our next HOF ballot entry?

People that post without thought cannot expect flowers every time. If I post something utterly ludicrous, and you have the facts to back up that I don't know what I am talking about, then go ahead and give it to me. How else are others going to learn and educate themselves if everyone is too afraid to show them that they are wrong? This is a family friendly message board, but it doesn't mean everyone has to act like the Brady Bunch.

 

[Emma]

People that post without thought cannot expect flowers every time. If I post something utterly ludicrous, and you have the facts to back up that I don't know what I am talking about, then go ahead and give it to me. How else are others going to learn and educate themselves if everyone is too afraid to show them that they are wrong? This is a family friendly message board, but it doesn't mean everyone has to act like the Brady Bunch.

Who really cares if it was ludicrous or not? how does 19pts and 10rbds sound? Damn good, but nowhere near as fanatical as I really am.

That said, I agree with the sentiment of your post, I should have looked up Hakeem's stats, I was just kind of being lazy.

 

[rhythmless]

Who really cares if it was ludicrous or not? how does 19pts and 10rbds sound? Damn good, but nowhere near as fanatical as I really am.

That said, I agree with the sentiment of your post, I should have looked up Hakeem's stats, I was just kind of being lazy.

Haha. I understand the enthusiasm, I really do. But look at it this way... Dwight howard is getting 20/14. Dwight howard, the most dominant big man in the game since Shaquille O'neal. Granted, he has very little outside game (he is improving a lot though, adding running hooks and a hook shot).

To a lesser degree, I think "20/10 bigs" get thrown around a lot too. For instance... current 20/10 bigs right now: Dwight, Duncan, Al Jefferson, Bosh, Yao. That's elite company. There are also only 8 players getting 10 rebs or more a game.

I don't expect you to look up Hakeem's stats at all. That is a little much imo. But as to the ballpark of what a 24/13 guy really means/who that applies to, etc. I know objects of hope are hard to come by this year, but I would also like to temper our enthusiasm with some basketball knowledge. I think it helps in the long run to be able to accurately assess our situation and not be so dissapointed later on.

Random Stat: For all our belaboring Brad Miller, calling him uninterested, utterly useless, etc... he is currently ranked 10th in both points and rebounds in the Center position. Nothing to do with anything(and for sure not an absolute ranking of him), but it just shows how our perceptions can be distorted from the league/history of NBA as a whole.

 

[Mad D]

To a lesser degree, I think "20/10 bigs" get thrown around a lot too. For instance... current 20/10 bigs right now: Dwight, Duncan, Al Jefferson, Bosh, Yao. That's elite company.

To make that list more exclusive, Yao and Bosh aren't averaging a full 10. Bosh has averaged 10 only once and Yao twice in their respective careers.

I'd be happy if Thompson settled into a 16 and 9 player. He is too good of an offensive rebounder to average anything less if he manages to keep that mentality once he gets into his prime.

 

[rhythmless]

To make that list more exclusive, Yao and Bosh aren't averaging a full 10. Bosh has averaged 10 only once and Yao twice in their respective careers.

I'd be happy if Thompson settled into a 16 and 9 player. He is too good of an offensive rebounder to average anything less once if he manages to keep that mentality once he gets into his prime.

I stuck Yao and Bosh because it *technically* rounds up since I did not say 20.0 and 10.0. Plus, were going for the people that has that type of impact. Knocking them down for percentage points isn't the point of my postings (but you are correct).

 

[fnordius]

And yet, compared to Wilt Chamberlain's 50 and 25 ('61-'62 season) it all seems so wimpy...

But yeah, I'd happily settle for 15 and 10, or anything thereabouts. I have high hopes for JT too.

 

[AriesMar27]

id be cool with 18/8 and a block per game.... i dont think he needs to be a super dominant rebounder... if both he and hawes can get at least 8 rpg, with a big off the bench grabbing 5 i'll be happy.

 

[Sarunas]

id be cool with 18/8 and a block per game.... i dont think he needs to be a super dominant rebounder... if both he and hawes can get at least 8 rpg, with a big off the bench grabbing 5 i'll be happy.

I would love him turning out to be an 18/8 guy. I can see him doing that for sure. He is one of the reasons why I hope we dont draft griffin and look at either a C or PG in the draft. I think JT has more skill and potential to blossom than griffin does. He has a nice package of finesse, size and good movement for a guy his size. I couldnt be happier, he is the one SHINING spot on the kings right now.

 

[HighFlyingMonkey]

He could be averaging 14/8 right now even, if he could only stay out of foul trouble.

 

[VF21]

He's young. He's not going to get the benefit on any calls and he's going to make some mistakes. He's learning, though, by leaps and bounds. I'm more impressed with his improvement at the foul line. I was really concerned early on that he wouldn't be able to hit a decent % from the stripe, which could really make him a liability on the court. It's obvious he's been working on making those free shots.

 

[Prince_XY]

I am also happy that we have a player in Thompson who is fun to watch because of the energy he gives in every game he plays, which is true UPTO NOW even when the team had already given up on WINNING. I don't mind if in some games he looked erratic, awkward, and lost, because I can tell oftentimes they were the result of his over-eagerness to contribute. It won't take long for him to develop that "poise" in his game, especially if the coaching staff will be replaced with one who will commit on fast tracking the development of the "kids".

What is very good about Thompson is he always try to play at his highest level. The whole team had given up on winning for a long time, and yet you can still see Thompson giving his utmost effort in every game. That alone tells me we have a WINNER in this team.

Maybe he wants to start with good stats in his rookie year? Maybe he wants to learn more, or capitalize on the meager opportunity he gets from his short playing time? Or maybe he wants to be a HOF someday and he knows he has to begin packing good stats as early as his rookie year. Whatever the reason Thompson surely will be GREAT, not a long-shot to be a HOF in the future, because the Kid works hard and wants to be a WINNER.

We have a 22-year old, 6' 11", 250 lb KID, who is very agile and can move with or without the ball, and who happens to play guard when he was younger. And with the right kind of attitude he's given in his rookie year and if he continues to play with the mentality to WIN, the Kings will surely have another All-Star or even a HOF in the future.


P.S.

The least Thompson will be is a Boris Diaw. If Thompson continues to play hard but does not improve his offensive skills, then he becomes the second coming of Dennis Rodman. If he develops both offensive and defensive skills, then he can go as high as Chris Webber, or Karl Malone's level.

 

[kf4l]

JT is tight. Watch once he adds a more consistent jump shot he is going to be deadly. He's already showing toughness inside by going to the foul line and dunking or laying the basketball. Oh and he's already one of the better rebounders I seen play on the Kings since C-Webb.

 

[Bricklayer]

id be cool with 18/8 and a block per game.... i dont think he needs to be a super dominant rebounder... if both he and hawes can get at least 8 rpg, with a big off the bench grabbing 5 i'll be happy.

8 is weak for a big minute guy -- we can hope for more than that out of him. And really the rebounding is less of a question mark than the rest of it. Do wonder if he is going to be any kind of dominant on the glass, in particular once the hyperactive puppy rubs off him, but when someone says he could get 10 a game I barely raise an eyebrow at it. Give him 36min a night, he could get 10. I think bigger numbers than that become increasingly unlikely, but if you're a strong rebounder given the minutes you can reach 10.

The rest remians the larger question, He has looked a lot better on offense of late, but there is still no portfolio, no goto move or plan of attack. And even once he dsicovers one, if he becomes a viable offensive weapon we will have to see how he deals with increased defensive pressure, doubles, etc. that you have to deal with if you are ever going to be a 20-10 type guy. And defense...needs a lot of work. Amazing the small conference effect -- he was the MAC's defensive player of the year last year, blocked 2.5 shots a game. Bump him up a level, grow all his opponents 4 inches, and he's really struggling, and the struggle is effecting his minutes too because of the foul trouble.

Someone said 19 and 10 in the future...I won't mock that. If I squint hard and everything goes right I can see that. And that would be nifty. But there's a lot of work to be done to get the sort of night to night consistency and dominance that those numbers require.

P.S. Been out almost all year, but another obvious 20-10 guy that nobody mentioned was Boozer.

 

[Prince_XY]

id be cool with 18/8 and a block per game.... i dont think he needs to be a super dominant rebounder... if both he and hawes can get at least 8 rpg, with a big off the bench grabbing 5 i'll be happy.

We can be happy with 18/8 for now because the team sucks. But I bet you wouldn't want that once we become a playoff team, not unless we are winning all our games. And knowing Hawes and Thompson are capable of double-double in the future, ( just like we know Miller can easily be a double-double, or even a triple-double threat if he wants too ), we're all going to be mad at our bigs for not getting the double-double they are expected to get.

I think anything less than 15/10 and at least a block per game for both Hawes and Thompson ( in 36 min of playing time ) will mean they are getting lazy. Their qualities tells they are capable of doing that and they should be able to do just that.

 

[PurpleHaze]

The almost too numerous to mention things I like about solid rookie Jason Thompson (most have been said here) who was unfairly snubbed by not getting nod to NBA All-Star weekend. Does anybody think if he had been playing on say Knicks, Nets, 76ers or just about any other team not named Sacramento Kings he would have been selected w/o question?

JT = Hustle/Dives for balls/Rebounding presence/Nose for ball/Not lacking confidence/Great Attitude/Determined to succeed/Very coachable/Practices Hard/Plays Hard/Mature at 22 years of age/Mobile-Athletic-Agile 6'11 250lb PF/Great in Transition/Nice facing medium range shot/Nice little hook or vicious dunk threat inside/Collegiate around 65% FT'er, not terrible and now getting better/Can become defensive asset as continues to work at it - so far on track/Sky's the limit!

 

[Bricklayer]

The almost too numerous to mention things I like about solid rookie Jason Thompson (most have been said here) who was unfairly snubbed by not getting nod to NBA All-Star weekend. Does anybody think if he had been playing on say Knicks, Nets, 76ers or just about any other team not named Sacramento Kings he would have been selected w/o question?

There is very little concern about the records of teams or where they came from in the rookie game -- almost all top rookies are playing on bad teams. You normally have to be really bad to draft one of them, and if somehow a good team does draft one of them, its unlikely the rookie will get the minutes to make the game.

Unless you believe there was a big Memphis lobby getting Marc Gasol in the game, your W/L record or the tired old Sacto gets no respect thing had nothing to do with it. Not wising up and starting the kid all year had everything to do with it. As it was, both Jason and Kevin Love, who averaged 12pts 10rebs in January...in 23 minutes a game!, had good arguments but just did not get the miinutes until too late.

 

[bajaden]

There is very little concern about the records of teams or where they came from in the rookie game -- almost all top rookies are playing on bad teams. You normally have to be really bad to draft one of them, and if somehow a good team does draft one of them, its unlikely the rookie will get the minutes to make the game.

Unless you believe there was a big Memphis lobby getting Marc Gasol in the game, your W/L record or the tired old Sacto gets no respect thing had nothing to do with it. Not wising up and starting the kid all year had everything to do with it. As it was, both Jason and Kevin Love, who averaged 12pts 10rebs in January...in 23 minutes a game!, had good arguments but just did not get the miinutes until too late.

Yeah, I have to agree with you. If Jason had started all year he would have had a much better chance. Its painful to watch the foul calls sometimes. Don't get me wrong, he deserves a lot of them. But he's also getting the rookie treatment. There are a lot of fouls that should have just been no calls. But thats life in the NBA.

By the way. At least now I know what the benchmark is for getting Greene into the game before the last 2 minutes. All you have to do is be down by 50 points in the third. Sorry Donte, I don't think your going to be getting much playing time.

 

[bench_blob]

JT needs a hook shot down low with either hand. And he needs to get more selfish demanding the ball in the post. And shouldn't a guy his size be able to palm the ball and throw down some rim rattlers???

Overall his play has been a bright spot, but he needs to start impacting the outcome of the game with his play, not just putting up meaningless stats in another blowout loss.

 

[KingGiant49erFan]

JT needs a hook shot down low with either hand. And he needs to get more selfish demanding the ball in the post. And shouldn't a guy his size be able to palm the ball and throw down some rim rattlers???

Overall his play has been a bright spot, but he needs to start impacting the outcome of the game with his play, not just putting up meaningless stats in another blowout loss.

Come on man, hes just a rookie on a team with what is probably the worst roster in the entire league. Most games are going to be blowouts regardless of what he does (for example OKC has both KD and Westbrook and still lose as much as we do), so he can either put up stats in those losses or not..

 

[rhythmless]

The least Thompson will be is a Boris Diaw. If Thompson continues to play hard but does not improve his offensive skills, then he becomes the second coming of Dennis Rodman. If he develops both offensive and defensive skills, then he can go as high as Chris Webber, or Karl Malone's level.

Boris Diaw, I can agree with that. He is versatile, mobile for a man of his size, and doesn't seem to be a power player right now. Boris seems to be a better natural passer than Thompson, but in terms of how to play them, how to get the most out of them, that assessment is spot on right now.

Dennis Rodman... I have spent a lot of my early basketball life watching Dennis Rodman. He was enigmatic, supremely talented, and had an instinct for trajectory and angles of ball to rim contact that has so far not been seen again. Rodman moved to where the ball was going to go BEFORE it went there. He averaged 18 rebs/game not once, but twice. 18. He is also listed at 6'7-6'8". He was undersized, strong, and a dynamic jumper. Not necessarily in pure vertical, but in the quickness at which he got off the floor. He also had no offensive game to speak of, a horrible shot, and never looked to score. Hilarity ensued when he decided to post up Karl Malone. The closest person to Rodman is Wallace, but Wallace blocked shots, whereas Rodman was a grounded post defensive player. What Dennis Rodman are you takling about?

 

[gunks]

Hah,

Can you imagine if JT ended up a 6' 11 Rodman? I got the nickname already...Big Worm!!!


....Friday references aside...JT seems to be improving game to game. And hasnt lost his energetic edge despite the fact that he's starting with 4 guys who think its ok not to show up for their millions.

Worst case....14/8/2 in his prime, solid starter numbers but nothing jaw dropping. Best case....???? I gotta say he's our best bet at a homegrown 20/10 player since....Ever?

 

[Bricklayer]

Worst case....14/8/2 in his prime, solid starter numbers but nothing jaw dropping. Best case....???? I gotta say he's our best bet at a homegrown 20/10 player since....Ever?

Thorpe.

 

[nbrans]

Thorpe.

Let's just hope we don't trade him for the next Rodney McCray and Jim Peterson. Holy crap that was a bad trade.

 

[vikinginferno]

Sorry, but Jason Thompson isn't really anything like Dennis Rodman. Dennis is known for amazing rebounding and defense, while having pretty much no offense. That is nothing like JT.

 

[Entity]

I like his game and I believe he has talent that he doesn't even know about yet. Once he matures and gets more serious about the team he will transform alot at that very moment into great basketball player. To show how good I think he will be I am not going to compare him to any past player I am hoping that one day people talk about a guy being the next Jason Thompson.

 

[Circa_1985_Fan]

Jason reminds me of a Dale/Antonio Davis type of player, and if that's what he ultimately gives us, I'm definitely ok with that.