Treading Lightly
Summer leagues can create optical illusions, cause alternate realities to spring up, or defame the entire good name of professional basketball with their outcomes. Qyntel Woods was always a monster in these. However, sometimes, you get a look at the early stages of something great, i.e. Anthony Randolph last summer, or Julian Wright in 2007 (I think). Yes, if Wright got consistent minutes, he'd be on everyone's radar.
I've had a rough last few days, so let's at least entertain the possibility that the above video is exactly that window into the future, not a house of cards with mirrors on them.
Listen to our free agency podcast and check The Baseline. I'll try and get things going again on here mid-week.
UPDATE: Shoals has a new post at the Baseline, wherein he ponders what AI signing with the Clippers might do to his iconic status. It's a good read.
Labels: amir johnson, brandon jennings, summer league, video
posted by Bethlehem Shoals @ 7/14/2009 08:01:00 AM
15 comments
15 Comments:
Love how the commentator makes ref to BJennings undershirt. "Kids got his own style." Mos def!
What about these AI rumors to the Clip Show? Isn't AI, as his game manifests most recently, the perimeter answer to the Zack Randolph question?
Actually we live in a world where Zac Randolph is a better player (more covetted asset) than Allen Iverson.
Bring back the braids.
Whether he continues this level of quality or not, I think we all know how fun this guy will be to watch.
Sorry to hear that you've had a rough weekend.
In the previous game he came out at half time, hit 3 threes in a row and went GP mode laughing and clapping in his defenders face. He was promptly pulled from the game. He's going to be fun player
I remain cautiously optimistic as you do. I love Brandon Jennings for no other reason than because he went to Europe and said *&(*&(& you to the NCAA. I think he's got an NBA game and is going to be awesome. I'm encouraged by his shooting early on; this was purported to be his weakness.
But still.
This is A)summer league, and B) the Sacramento Kings, who's "A" squad still pads the stats of everyone they play against.
What you have to like though, are the 7 steals.
[Baseline has gone tech crazy, so I'll beg the group's pardon to put this here.]
Shoals, I think you're conflating AI the idea, which is political in a myriad ways that you've explained more eloquently then just about anyone, and AI the dude, who appears to be chiefly concerned with measuring himself against teammates and foes alike, secondarily concerned with winning basketball games, and really not much at all concerned with things political. I think anyone who tries to project political values onto AI is going to miss the mark, though it's nice to see someone miss pro-AI instead of con.
Jesus, just [sic] all over the place on that first sentence. Sorry.
Yes, AI is probably one of the last players in the league I could imagine refusing to sign with a team because its owner is allegedly guilty of housing discrimination. (For that matter, there are very few players you can seriously imagine doing that - maybe an Etan Thomas.) Nor would I at all be disappointed in him if he took the (alleged) bigot's money.
steph curry is a worse and more baby faced jamal crawford minus 3 inches. i don't believe him. i love jam jam, but for some reason curry just makes me itchy and nervous. gut instinct. kinda guy who's ceiling is not even michael redd, but a totally unique 3 pt specialist who takes way too many threes. could be the first player to get paid to average 32% shooting and given 20+ shots, 4+ threes a game. unfuckingbelievable.
also... is it just me that of the two aging but talented pistons big men to sign 3 yr mid levels this yr antonio mcdyess is going to have a better time of it? i have a hard time believing that sheed's going to be cool with it the first time KG calls him a motherfucker in a team meeting or practice. and mcdyess is still hungry as shit for a ring. something tells me i love the spurs this year. early title favorites. the top 10 of big fun, tp wipes, hobbled manu, roger mason jr, richard jefferson, dice, george hill, dejuan the huge fucking beast blair (i've seen him in person, the dude is truly fucking beastly. looks like a big bad dude grizzy), michael finley, matt bonner is as good or better than lakers with or without odom. and don't be surprised if hobbled manu's contract turns into something deadly eventually. just sayin'. on watch 2010, the spurs are coming to win in an even year.
I think Jennings will lead all rookies in compliments immediately followed by derisive disclaimers this year.
"Jennings is playing well with 18 assists, but hopefully under Skiles he will learn to trust his teammates, instead of hogging all the good passes."
"Jennings with the game winner! Very impressive from someone so immature."
I like Jennings already, especially when he called out everyone for their adoration of Rubio, who while he is probably going to be pretty good, hasn't proven much of anything as of yet. In a head-to-head matchup, Jennings owned him so he has been able to back up his words on the court as well. Summer League is not always a great indicator, but he seems to be doing pretty well so far.
@ rebar. I am with you. The Spurs are ten deep. If the Lakes don't lock down Odom (Blazers, why are you not all over him?) then the West looks tight.
Regarding the C's...Sheed will be fine. The Boston faithful are going to love the guy and Doc is nothing if not a decent psychologist. Baby will be back in the fold and Scaly is slept on.
really? i have serious doubts about doc as psychologist. that team worked because KG was balanced by ray and paul's relative coolheadedness and shouldering of scoring burdens. it started to get a little wiggy after they won and stopped being so focused. i think they have excellent self-destruct potential, but they certainly have the potential to just dominate everyone again. its weird... these days the celtics have no white players of note. scal doesn't count. all those hood motherfuckers look so out of place in whitey's green
sheed coulda woulda signed with the spurs, but Kid stroked his ego like you've never seen
Perhaps lost in this is that Tyreke Evans had 33, and nearly a triple-deuce his damn self.
Shouldn't you all be having some sort of collective orgasm in response to the freaky stats being put up by Morrow, Randolph, Curry, and company right about now?
Post a Comment
<< Home