Spencer Hawes - Big White Stiff?

[ntn9107]

OH MY GOD, THEY JUST DRAFTED HIM!

I thought we needed someone who can defend and rebound....????

I would have picked Sean Williams instead....

 

[Gary]

I would have rather traded the pick for Aaron Brooks and started him at C than have drafted Hawes.

If Hawes was at our pick, and we have the #20 I would have still been weary of taking him.. UGH!!! I hate this.. I wish it was a nightmare and I was waking up. This is just too crappy to be true.

 

[hrdboild]

I thnk people are over fascinated by athleticism, seeing as there often seems to be some sort of inverse relationship between being an athlete and having a brain.

That's total BS. There's biologically no connection at all. We're talking about people who play a sport for a living. Would you rather have an average athlete or an elite athlete? The elite athletes are the ones setting records and winning championships. If there's any correlation at all it's circumstantial. Probably time you're spending in the gym is time you could have been reading or studying. And if you've got no chance at going to college anyway because of sociological reasons, where would you devote your time? Basketball IQ isn't just about having a brain -- it's about understanding the game of basketball. I'll take the guy who's spent 10 hours a day playing the game for his whole life.

 

[Spike]

I dunno, against UCLA he went for 21/6 in a loss and 13/15 in a win.
Against Pitt/Aaron Cook he went 12/12.

Those numbers aren't too bad against quality competition.

 

[Smills91]

^Yeah, I agree, the rebounding is seriously scary. And sure, he has some pretty post moves, but until he develops some more strength NBA players are going to just push him right off the block. I think Hawes is probably my least favorite pick at the 10.

He is only 19...I'll bet he fills out.

 

[SacTownKid]

I think people forget how YOUNG this guy is!!! I mean he is just barely starting to develop and he's already this far along. This guy is going to be a solid player.

 

[Bricklayer]

That's total BS. There's biologically no connection at all.

No, but sociologically there may be -- the great athletic guys often have been able to get by with nothing but their athleticism and just doominate smaller/weaker ahtletes their whole loves, while the poorer athletes have had to learn to think the game through to compensate for their shortcomings, develop their skills, etc.

 

[stevetaebo]

1)
5) His rebounding numbers took a hit because he played alongside John Brockman- a rebounding machine. Brockman led the Pac-10 in boards I think. There are only so many boards to go around, and when you are next to a pitbull, your numbers suffer. He was always present on the glass, and got several big, later rebounds for the Huskies during the season. I could see him averaging 8-9 a game.

Well **** man, maybe we shoulda drafted john brockman then. Hell, even that name even sounds tougher than little spencer.

I can't Believe we drafted Chris Mihm.

 

[sactownfan]

Acie Law and Spencer Hawes are best to be avoided. Both are viewed as late-lottery picks, but they look like solid second-rounders from here. Hawes has an unimpressive rebound rate, which is a huge red flag considering he was bigger than everyone he played against. And for all the talk of his great post skills, he had a run-of-the-mill 55.0 true shooting percentage and didn't even have the best PER on his mediocre team (that belonged to Jon Brockman). A lot of folks think he can become a quality pro post player; based on his numbers, I just don't see it.

 

[cfechter]

1) I understand the concern, buta few notes on the stats. He played the first 9 games of a 33 game season off the bench. He was sick, and played poorly.

2) Once he got into the starting lineup, it took Washington about 4-5 games to realize the break-neck style they like to play didn't fit their best player. Sort of like the Warriors trying to adjust to putting Elton Brand in the offense. Hawes was fairly bad those games.

3) He averaged 28 minutes per game over the season. Again with a lot of those with him sick or with no semblance of a team offense.

4) Once they actually created a half court offense his numbers were very good- something like 18/8/2 in like 30 minutes over the last 15 games or so (which consequently is when they turned their season around and almost made the tourney after a disasterous start).

5) His rebounding numbers took a hit because he played alongside John Brockman- a rebounding machine. Brockman led the Pac-10 in boards I think. There are only so many boards to go around, and when you are next to a pitbull, your numbers suffer. He was always present on the glass, and got several big, later rebounds for the Huskies during the season. I could see him averaging 8-9 a game.

6) I still think the best comparison is a taller version/better shotblocker of Reef in his prime. He has a very polished post game, and could easily average 17/8 with 2 blocks in the right system. Like Reef, he would be a hinderance on the other end.

I don't know if he is the answer for us, but the guy is a good player.

REally, this does a lot to comfort me, knowing our first round 7 foot stiff wasn't even the best rebounder on his own COLLEGE team.

 

[bench_blob]

Courtesy of foxsports.com.....

SPENCER HAWES - PLAYER PROFILE

One of several top underclassmen with size, along with Greg Oden, Brandan Wright and Al Horford. In fact, one reason Hawes may not be projected higher in the draft is the glut of excellent big men, with Chinese sensation Yi Jianlian also expected to be selected in the top 10. Hawes may be the most offensively polished player of the entire group, however, averaging a team-high 14.9 points and 6.4 rebounds in his one season at Washington. He's a legitimate 7-footer with excellent low-post moves, and he knows how to use his body around the basket. Hawes possesses outstanding hands and he runs the floor well for a big man, although he is not as athletic as players like Oden and Horford. Needs to be more of a defensive presence - he tied for 70th in Division I with 1.7 blocks per game and his rebounding numbers weren't impressive for someone his size. There is also a major need for Hawes to gain more upper-body muscle to battle in the paint in the NBA. There are, however, some reports that say he has put on 20 pounds since the end of the season. Another concern is that some observers do not consider Hawes a winner. His college team struggled, and it took him until his senior year to lead his high school team to a state title. Hawes has not hired an agent and is being advised by his father. Has good bloodlines as the nephew of Steve Hawes, who played in the NBA from 1974-85.


Cheeseburgers taste good.

 

[NewMonkey]

Hawes is not going to be All-NBA, but he will be a solid starter. If the Kings drafted him, he would immediately become our most skilled post player in the past 10 years BY FAR.

He's not better than Vlade Divac. Heck, I'd be happy if he's ever close to the post player Vlade was.

 

[kennadog]

He is only 19...I'll bet he fills out.

Heck, at 19 he could potentially get taller still.

 

[Kingster]

He's not better than Vlade Divac. Heck, I'd be happy if he's ever close to the post player Vlade was.

Not better than Vlade at age 19?

 

[ParniValjak]

Not better than Vlade at age 19?

Vlade at 19 was a super talented european kid that was playing is strong european competition and for the senior NT. He had talent but people forget just how skinny Vlade was when he came into the NBA.

Hawes makes Vlade look like a malnourished kid with a beard and Vlade was 21 (IIRC) when he came to the NBA.

I think people are just venting for the sake of it. Hawes was a solid pick for our long term needs and just because they favourite tweener hommies didn't get picked, people chuck a hissy fit.

Hawes was a solid choice considering what was available at 10. If he can go on and have a career that the likes of Brad Miller and Vlade Divac had, we would have done VERY VERY well.

 

[Warhawk]

I think people are just venting for the sake of it. Hawes was a solid pick for our long term needs and just because they favourite tweener hommies didn't get picked, people chuck a hissy fit.

Hawes was a solid choice considering what was available at 10. If he can go on and have a career that the likes of Brad Miller and Vlade Divac had, we would have done VERY VERY well.

Agreed. Brad the last couple years has been a disappointment. The old Brad Miller (plus a post game) is something Spencer can look to for inspiration on what to become.