Is Blake Griffin REALLY going to make us all that better?

[vikinginferno]

I agree. When Griffin was out with injury, his team dropped off a lot. When Thabeet was out with injury or foul trouble, it just wasn't a big drop off, and sometimes there was no drop off.

I'll tell you a player that obviously had a huge effect on his team winning when he was playing and not winning when he wasn't (in foul trouble) - Blair. We can all pick at him for being too short, or not a shot blocker, but that guy really made his presence felt - literally - on the opposing team. He just pounded people in the paint, and I don't see that being much different in the NBA. If we pick him at #23 I wouldn't mind at all. Nobody can say this guy is soft, that's for sure.

As for Teague, you probably know I think he's probably the most talented player in the draft. With Teague, it all depends on what's between the ears. How competitive is he? How coachable? If he is highly competitive and coachable, then I think he can be very very good.

The other player that really intrigues me is Evans because he has pg skills, is 6'6" with a 7' wingspan, very athletic, very good rebounding and defending potential, great finisher. If he gets his shot down, he also could be extremely good. The Kings have guys like Spencer, Thompson and Martin that can really spread the floor. I think a guy like Evans could have a field day driving the ball because the floor is so spread with those players on it.

I think Blair might be there at 23, but I really doubt Teague or Evans being there.

 

[Kingster]

I think Blair might be there at 23, but I really doubt Teague or Evans being there.

Teague and Evans are top 5 players in my mind.

 

[gunks]

Yeah, it's too bad Walton had all those injuries. He was a fantastic basketball player. I remember him going to head to head with Jabbar, and I thought he won a lot of those matchups. I'd really like to have him tutor Jason and Spencer for a while in the art of shot blocks. I've heard him talk about it and never have heard such a technical description of it given - footwork, angles, keeping the ball in play, etc.

Whoa!!! This deserves its own thread. Was Walton ever mentioned in the bigman coach thread from awhile back?

He was a beast in his day (when he wasnt injured)....And he isnt doing anything right now is he? I would totally prefer him mentoring our bigs to SAR.

 

[Kingster]

Whoa!!! This deserves its own thread. Was Walton ever mentioned in the bigman coach thread from awhile back?

He was a beast in his day (when he wasnt injured)....And he isnt doing anything right now is he? I would totally prefer him mentoring our bigs to SAR.

I've mentioned it a few times. I think he would FANTASTIC to tutor our big guys.

 

[gunks]

Yeah, its funny...Walton kinda has a lost legacy because he was so often hurt. And now the image of him is of a big goofy white guy that says rediculous things as a commentator. But when he was actually healthy the guy was beastacular.

I think he'd be a GREAT bigman coach for us.

 

[bajaden]

Yeah, its funny...Walton kinda has a lost legacy because he was so often hurt. And now the image of him is of a big goofy white guy that says rediculous things as a commentator. But when he was actually healthy the guy was beastacular.

I think he'd be a GREAT bigman coach for us.

Walton went through one of the most intense pressure periods at UCLA when they were on that incredible winning streak. The mention of Jabbar reminds me that I beleive Bricky said that Thabeet was the most athletic big man 7'3" tall he'd ever seen. I think he forgot about Jabbar. But then I didn't think of him right then either. Its gotta be tough if your UCLA. You go from Jabbar to Walton. How lucky is that? And then they both end up in the western conference. Ahhh, the good old days..

 

[bigbadred00]

Walton went through one of the most intense pressure periods at UCLA when they were on that incredible winning streak. The mention of Jabbar reminds me that I beleive Bricky said that Thabeet was the most athletic big man 7'3" tall he'd ever seen. I think he forgot about Jabbar. But then I didn't think of him right then either. Its gotta be tough if your UCLA. You go from Jabbar to Walton. How lucky is that? And then they both end up in the western conference. Ahhh, the good old days..

Good old Sam Gilbert says "hello." Kinda weird how UCLA has 11 titles in a short period and only one other the rest of the last century.

 

[Bricklayer]

Walton went through one of the most intense pressure periods at UCLA when they were on that incredible winning streak. The mention of Jabbar reminds me that I beleive Bricky said that Thabeet was the most athletic big man 7'3" tall he'd ever seen. I think he forgot about Jabbar. But then I didn't think of him right then either. Its gotta be tough if your UCLA. You go from Jabbar to Walton. How lucky is that? And then they both end up in the western conference. Ahhh, the good old days..

Kareem was 7'2".

 

[bajaden]

Kareem was 7'2".

Picky, picky, picky. Hey, if Griffin is listed at 6'10" and everyone thinks he's really 6'8", then using that same senario for Thabeet. Lets see 7'3" minus 2, plus one, times mc squared, plus pi, divided by Moses = 7'1". Ah ha. I win, I win!!!!

 

[Kingster]

Good old Sam Gilbert says "hello." Kinda weird how UCLA has 11 titles in a short period and only one other the rest of the last century.

Yeah, Gilbert brought the 6'5" Erickson to Wooden be that dominant center, also that incredible Patterson, and the mammoth Wicks...

 

[bigbadred00]

Yeah, Gilbert brought the 6'5" Erickson to Wooden be that dominant center, also that incredible Patterson, and the mammoth Wicks...

Well someone was wondering how magically they got great player, one after the other. Of course this is only speculation but:

http://www.english.ucla.edu/ucla1960s/7071/austin12.htm

While he never finished earning his degree at UCLA in the 1930s, Sam Gilbert became devoted to the school, especially its athletic program. By the 1960s, Gilbert had become a millionaire contractor in the Los Angeles area and had decided to give back to UCLA. During this time, he donated millions of dollars to UCLA academic programs and also began to form ties with the basketball team.​

According to many UCLA players during the 1960s, Gilbert was known as Papa Sam. His home was always open to the Bruins and it was not uncommon to see several players lounging near his pool with him and his wife Rose on a weekend. The players trusted him as a confidant and a mentor. Players such as Sidney Wicks, Lew Alcindor, Larry Farmer, Bill Walton, and many others all came to Sam for friendship and counsel.
Sam was known to push the NCAA rules to the limit. If a player did not have money for books, he would arrange for the books to be purchased and delivered to the player. If a player needed an apartment, Sam always knew of an available one. Sam helped the players find the best deals on anything they needed.
Many people around the college basketball world have argued that Sam Gilbert committed infractions far worse than those above. Former Long Beach State and UNLV basketball coach Jerry Tarkanian has stated how he believes that the only team in Los Angeles with a higher payroll than the Bruins in the 1960s and 1970s was the Lakers. Tarkanian, along with a slew of others, believe that Gilbert provided the players with cash, cars, and whatever else they needed. Tarkanian’s program at UNLV came under suspicion of NCAA rule infractions and he constantly brought up that UCLA never faced as much pressure from the NCAA in regards to Sam Gilbert’s supposed infractions as his program did because John Wooden was untouchable. It was often noted that John Wooden knew that his players hung out at Sam Gilbert’s house but he had no personal relationship with Sam himself.
In 1981, the UCLA basketball program was placed on probation and UCLA was ordered to disassociate Sam Gilbert from the recruiting process. UCLA was told to disassociate Gilbert from the recruiting process because his name was used to co-sign a loan for a player’s car along with several other infractions.
Government officials report that a year after being forced away from the UCLA Basketball program, Gilbert began laundering money for a known drug runner in a scheme that supposedly made him $36 million. Coincidentally, when federal agents finally had enough evidence to arrest and went to his home on November, 24th 1987 in Pacific Palisades, they learned that he had passed away two days earlier of cancer.
Sam Gilbert remained a man of mystery all the way to his grave. Some former UCLA players say he helped the team out but did nothing to explicitly violate NCAA rules, others say he bought them whatever they needed. Some people claim the university was fully aware of what he was doing, other say he was doing nothing wrong. The same sense of uncertainty regarding Sam Gilbert was true with his alleged involvement with a drug runner. Many claim that Sam would never get involved with such people when he already had enough money while others remain skeptical of who his acquaintances were.

Regardless of Sam Gilbert’s involvement with the UCLA basketball team, nothing should be taken away from the spectacular accomplishments of the players and coaches.

​

​

 

[Kingster]

Well someone was wondering how magically they got great player, one after the other. Of course this is only speculation but:

http://www.english.ucla.edu/ucla1960s/7071/austin12.htm

[/indent]

I love how they use Tarkanian for the source!

 

[bajaden]

I love how they use Tarkanian for the source!

Tark the shark. He would have been a great assistant for Reggie...