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Shaquille
O'Neal: "When you are 60, hang out with 60-year-olds, not 20-year-olds.
That is all I got to say about Jerry Buss."
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HoopsHype.com Articles Where
history and future come together
But, with trepidation we'll give credit to the top performers in the league. In a league where the Clippers (once again) dominated competition -- even beating up on the Lakers -- maybe all of this should be taken with a grain of salt. In a Pro-Am division where Cleveland Cavaliers' guard Ricky Davis turned in the gaudy performance of a 57 points and a triple-double in the same game (that he lost)... we shouldn't get beside ourselves. On the other hand, there were some genuine flashes of brilliance and legitimate signs of burgeoning talent. TWO WORLDS In the two divisions (NBA and Pro-Am Agent) there were always clear instances of who belonged on the court and who was simply chasing a dream that was about to end. The two divisions didn't play one another and there were times you wish they did. The Pro-Am team of 'NBA Pros', featuring the likes of Penny Hardaway, Bo Outlaw and Todd Day won the division easily and would have been formidable competition against the official NBA teams in the league. For any youngster
who has dreams of playing in the NBA, they must go see the Summer Pro
League. If you scanned the rosters, you'd find names like Abdul-Jabbar,
Walton
and Archibald.
Yes, some were related and If you're familiar with California basketball lore, you're familiar with the story of Schea Cotton. The guy who at one time was LeBron James before there was LeBron James, went from high school phenom with Sports Illustrated story coverage to forecasted first round draft pick in 2000... to the NBDL. He was never drafted, and as of yet, has never played in the NBA. Three years later he's getting limited playing time at the end of the Clippers Summer Pro League bench, hoping for a chance at making the NBA. It doesn't look good. Then there was the SFX team, playing in the Pro-Am Agent division. Its roster was compiled mainly of former UCLA players, Tracy Murray, Mitchell Butler, Ray Young, Darrick Martin, etcetera. If you paid close enough attention to the listed roster, you would've also noticed the names of Ed O'Bannon, Charles O'Bannon and JaRon Rush. The O'Bannon brothers never showed up and JaRon Rush never got off the bench. The irony was while JaRon sat on the bench, younger brother Kareem starred for the Lakers in the NBA division. There is not enough room to touch upon the dismal failures of the careers of the Bros. O'Bannon and JaRon Rush or how it came to this point. But it's a painful reality of the Summer Pro League. Along with that painful reality is the chance to shine and be noticed. One player that stood out was Lynn Greer, starting guard for the Clippers' squad. Greer, who was projected as a steal in the late first round of the 2002 draft by ESPN, was never drafted. The former Temple guard was a former Wooden Award and Naismith Award finalist, but couldn't find his way to an NBA team... yet. He's not flashy, but he's really good. Someone as solid at the point who is able to distribute the ball and score if need be i's worth taking a closer look. Look for Greer to find his way to the NBA sooner than later. 'MELO PREMIERE The debut of Carmelo Anthony with the Denver Nuggets squad went about as expected. He showed glimpses of greatness and momentary lapses in concentration like many rookies. The raw talent is definitely there, and he can shoot the lights out. The question is whether he will be able to improve his ball handling skills in order to take opposing small forwards off the dribble; and his defense so they won't take him off the dribble. Don't confuse the issue here; he's worth the hype and an instant contributor to the team. His play was limited overall due to contract negotiations, but even still, his ability is clear. If you're looking for a Rookie of the Year prediction, the standout rookies in this class -- save LeBron -- just might be Chris Bosh and Nick Collison. If Bosh manages to bulk up so he can bang with the big boys, he could very well be the steal of the draft -- even at No. 4. Collison isn't having any problem getting in the flow of an NBA style game and could possibly be very underrated. We shall see. If the Summer Pro League is any indication of stars on the rise, then Nikoloz Tskitishvili is an absolute star in the making. He played four positions on the floor, including running the offense from the point. The comparisons to Nowitzki are justified more and more. The seven-footer can just about do it all. But his skinny frame still is what holds him back. A little more bulk and the world could be his. All in all, the Summer Pro League was an immensely entertaining display of up-and-coming talent. It allowed the common man and sometimes hoops player a clear display of why some guys are in the NBA and the rest aren't. Here are the standouts of the 34th Summer Pro League. NBA DIVISION G Lynn Greer,
LA Clippers PRO-AM AGENT DIVISION G Brandon Hawkins,
VSM Morris O'Kelly is a regular contributor to HoopsHype.com Tell us what you think about this article. E-mail us at HoopsHype@HoopsHype.com _____________________ |
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