Oden or Durant

[JasonEvans]

I hope the next NBA labor agreement goes to a MLB type of system--you can get drafted out of high school, but if you enroll in college you must stay there at least 2 (or dare to dream 3) years.

It is so weird to hope new recruits play well but not TOO well.

I have advocated this for a looooong time.

My bigest problem with early entry is the unpredictible nature of it. How can we expect coaches to be able to recruit and prepare their programs for the upcoming season when they have no idea who will and who will not be back at school the next year. I mean, it is not just kids who are studs who leave. Kids who are forecast as good but not superstar players sometimes depart. Heck, until the latest change programs could easily lose kids before they even arrived on campus (Hello, Shaun Livingston and JR Smith!).

By requiring kids to "play the baseball way" and stay thru their junior season the coaches can plan several years down the road without fear of not knowing what would happen.

I do think this would cauise more kids to turn pro directly out of high school-- but I'd take that if it meant more predictability and more time for fans to get to know the stars of college ball.

-Jason "sigh, oh well" Evans

[BobbyFan]

Oden for sure.

Anyone who doubts the overhwelming effect of a dominant post player in the NBA need look no further than the Heat's performance this year. Without Shaq, but with Wade, not so good. With Shaq, but without Wade, very good.

Guys like Oden are very scarce.

I agree about the importance of a dominant post player. But the Heat's performance following Wade's injury is misleading. The Heat as whole have been much healthier than they were earlier in the season, and the surprisingly effective play from Eddie Jones has certainly lessed the effect of losing Wade.

Wade, at least pre-injury, was still easily the better player than Shaq.

[greybeard]

-Jason "my hometown Hawks would certainly take Durant over Oden. The Hawks really need mid-sized wing forwards. They only have 9 of them already" Evans

now, that was funny!

[Clipsfan]

Oden.

You can't teach height.

Just ask LaRue Martin.

Still, I'd take Oden but I'd sure hold my breath while doing so.

How much is Durant still growing? Given that he's only 18, I'd have to assume that he may have a couple more inches to go. Think of a sick athletic 6'11" guy who can bomb from 25. Basically, Dirk with an even better offensive game?

[Buckeye Devil]

As an aside...

The word around the Ga Dome today is that Oden is done. He's going pro for sure. The way the refs have called him for so many fouls in the NCAA tourney has shown him that it is time to move on to the next level. Plus, he is said to be more than a little frustrated at the way Ohio State plays ball and his family thinks Matta has done a terrible job of having the team take advantage of Greg's strengths. There is some talk that Conley will leave too, as he agrees with Oden that Matta is one lousy coach.

Interstingly, the buzz is that Durant is thinking about staying at Texas as he wants another shot at the NCAA tourney and thinks he played poorly when the season was on the line. Interesting.

-Jason "as for who I would take... Oden... even though I think Durant will be Rookie of the Year whenever he decides to turn pro" Evans

What is the source of the information that Oden and Conley, Jr. don't like Matta? I don't want to doubt someone of your knowledge, but I can't believe that this is true.

Oden is probably done at OSU, but there has been no indication in Ohio that he was unhappy. He was 1st team All-America averaging 15/10/3 in a season in which he played left-handed most of the year. Matta nursed him along nicely with the right wrist injury.

Conley, Jr. was given the green light all year and was basically told to play and do what he wanted until Matta told him to stop which he never did. Conley, Jr. has already said that he wishes practice could start tomorrow. Not that it means anything.

Interesting that Conley, Sr. is in the process of becoming an agent and there is speculation that Jr. will wait for this to happen (supposedly in a year) before going pro and that Oden might wait to use Sr. as his agent as well. They have been inseparable for many years and it is hard to imagine one without the other. It is doubtful, however, that they think Matta is a "lousy coach" with conference regular and tournament titles and a National runner up year. No one would buy that line anyway, even from Oden and Conley, Jr.

[CMS2478]

What is the source of the information that Oden and Conley, Jr. don't like Matta? I don't want to doubt someone of your knowledge, but I can't believe that this is true.

Oden is probably done at OSU, but there has been no indication in Ohio that he was unhappy. He was 1st team All-America averaging 15/10/3 in a season in which he played left-handed most of the year. Matta nursed him along nicely with the right wrist injury.

Conley, Jr. was given the green light all year and was basically told to play and do what he wanted until Matta told him to stop which he never did. Conley, Jr. has already said that he wishes practice could start tomorrow. Not that it means anything.

Interesting that Conley, Sr. is in the process of becoming an agent and there is speculation that Jr. will wait for this to happen (supposedly in a year) before going pro and that Oden might wait to use Sr. as his agent as well. They have been inseparable for many years and it is hard to imagine one without the other. It is doubtful, however, that they think Matta is a "lousy coach" with conference regular and tournament titles and a National runner up year. No one would buy that line anyway, even from Oden and Conley, Jr.

But I think he is a lousy coach too.......Oden NEVER GOT THE BALL ON OFFENSE, unless it was an offensive rebound. Any other coach will kill to have that kind of big guy to work the ball into. OSU was content to bomb 3's and ignore the 7 footer in the post who could completely dominate people. If I were Oden I wouldn't stay around for more of that either.

[phaedrus]

speaking of mike conley sr.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dKDDJH_aU9s

6-footer throws it down from the free throw line.

[RepoMan]

Wade, at least pre-injury, was still easily the better player than Shaq.

It's not a question of who is "better." Sure, Wade is better. Shaq is an old man. The question, though, is -- what has a bigger impact on team success in the NBA. And, it hard to quarrel with the argument that a dominant post guy is the best way to achieve that goal (Jordan aside). Now, will Oden be one of those guys? Who knows, but I'd take the chance.

[JasonEvans]

Here is a column about how bad a coach Matta was:

http://www.southcoasttoday.com/apps/...ORTS/704040371

And another...

http://media.www.westerncourier.com/...-2822158.shtml

I don't really have time to look for more.

Ohio State is an absurdly talented team with the best big man college hoops has seen in many, many years. That they had a successful season is a credit to Thad Matta's recruiting but certainly not his coaching once the kids got to school.

As for how I know that Oden and Conley were frustrated with Matta this year-- I cannot divulge too much. But, the final Four was played just a few hundred yards from where I am sitting right now and I ran into some folks over the past few days who know some things. I really cannot say more than that.

-Jason "is there anyone who watched OSU Monday night who thought they were a well-coached team?" Evans

[dukeENG2003]

But I think he is a lousy coach too.......Oden NEVER GOT THE BALL ON OFFENSE, unless it was an offensive rebound. Any other coach will kill to have that kind of big guy to work the ball into. OSU was content to bomb 3's and ignore the 7 footer in the post who could completely dominate people. If I were Oden I wouldn't stay around for more of that either.

exactly, all that talk I had about ODen being the better draft pick b/c he elevates his teammates shooting percentages. . .

doesn't apply one bit if they don't get him the ball on offense. Doesn't mean he has to shoot the ball everytime on offense, but he needs to touch it.

[greybeard]

-Jason "is there anyone who watched OSU Monday night who thought they were a well-coached team?" Evans

Me. Well, not exactly, because I didn't watch the finals. But, I did watch them against Georgetown which, on paper, was the better team, imo. Hibbert I knew and predicted would get his against Oden. I thought that Georgetown was vastly superior at the foreward position, which they were, yet they got squadoosh from their three forwards, all of whom have been playing great, as in really, really terrific, consistently for more than two months. For all three to have been shut down has to be a credit to the coach. Oden had nothing to do with it. When he was in, he was head-up on Hibbert on defense and didn't show anything special.

The coach lead them to the final two with no forwards to speak of; if Oden and Conley are dissatisfied with their coach, that ain't the reason that they are leaving.

By the way, I bet most of the money was on Florida. My view, any team that shares the ball the way Florida does has to have the edge on one that puts it, in the main, in one guy's hand.

BTW, Jason, give BK a chance, maybe he'll get it right on the 10th big-forward pick. Not! Wait til my man Belkin comes back.

[JasonEvans]

BTW, Jason, give BK a chance, maybe he'll get it right on the 10th big-forward pick. Not! Wait til my man Belkin comes back.

I hate to hijack the thread but Billy Knight and Mike Woodson are the worst GM-Coach combo in the NBA and it ain't even close! I go to Hawks games and actively root for the team to lose. When people ask me if I am doing this so they have a better chance at a good draft pick I tell them I don't give a hoot about the draft (the Hawks stupidly gave away their pick this year to the Suns unless it is a top-3 pick), I just want the team to be soooo bad that Woodson and Knight get the boot.

You have got to watch a Woodson-coached team in action to appreciate how crappy they are. There is zero ball movement and they just take terrible shots.

--Jason "I think a solid case can be made for the Hawks being the worst franchise in basketball today" Evans

[greybeard]

I hate to hijack the thread but Billy Knight and Mike Woodson are the worst GM-Coach combo in the NBA and it ain't even close!" Evans

Been saying the same for years. Belkin is my man, btw, since college. He will turn that team around, if given the chance.

[BobbyFan]

It's not a question of who is "better." Sure, Wade is better. Shaq is an old man. The question, though, is -- what has a bigger impact on team success in the NBA. And, it hard to quarrel with the argument that a dominant post guy is the best way to achieve that goal (Jordan aside).

Well of course. But, as I explained, your Shaq/Wade example was not a good one.