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Likeable opposing players.

lurkeraspect84

lurkeraspect84

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Mar 4, 2014
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I seem to remember a thread but can't find it, and reading some of the post lately, it makes me wonder who are players you liked but happened to play for other teams, some being rivals even.?

David Robinson and Grant Hill are two I think of first.
 
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Al Horford for the Gators.

Bonzie Colson just brought his lunch pail and did work every game. He was fun to watch for the Irish.

There’s been a lot over the years but hard to think of off the top of my head.
 
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GE Nole said:
Al Horford for the Gators.

Bonzie Colson just brought his lunch pail and did work every game. He was fun to watch for the Irish.

There’s been a lot over the years but hard to think of off the top of my head.
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I thought you would say Joakim Noah😀
 
I like all the players who come out of Houston area. Mainly Fort Bend County.
Unless for personal reasons I don't like them.

DeAaron Fox was a player I was very familiar with
Kelly Oubre is another one.

Even though Marcus Garrett is from Dallas and don't really know anything about him.
He is someone whose game I have great respect for. One of the best on the ball defenders I have seen in the Big 12
 
Zion is one of my favorite Duke players. Super easy kid to root for, shenanigans involving where he went aside.
 
AWilli6995 said:
I liked Bam, Zion and Bobby Hurley. 3 players that played for their teams, not themselves.
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Bam is a breathe of fresh air with young athletes today. Of course Im a bit biased, but that help me read more about his history and the guy is about as likeable as I can imagine from just anyone. Not just an professional athlete.
 
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lurkeraspect84 said:
Bam is a fresh of breathe of fresh air with young athletes today. Of course Im a bit biased, but that help me read more about his history and the guy is about as likeable as I can imagine from just anyone. Not just an professional athlete.
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Bam reminds me a lot of the recent kids at FSU. Devin Vassell, Pat Williams, Jon Isaac , Terance Mann. All great kids and easy to root for.
 
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I always liked Tyler Ullis and James Young from UK.

I liked Jon Scheyer from Duke.

Can’t think of a UNC player I liked.

I like most players on big 12 teams. I root for big 12 teams to do well except against us obviously.
 
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KUhawks34 said:
I always liked Tyler Ullis and James Young from UK.

I liked Jon Scheyer from Duke.

Can’t think of a UNC player I liked.

I like most players on big 12 teams. I root for big 12 teams to do well except against us obviously.
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What did you like about James young?
 
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Ullis is my favorite. Hard guy not to like. Smart steady humble. Just wasn’t blessed with the size needed for the nba.

Fox is my second favorite. He’s just so fun to watch.

Bam really grew on me last year.

The real question is how long until we start seeing NYK/UK license plates like the UK/Bama and UK/UL ones lol.

Btw I liked James young too, he could stroke it and was like a silent assassin. Didn’t seem like a look at me kinda guy.

This year I like Ware. But mainly just bc if his connections to Pervis Ellison. And he’s a hustle guy who plays his role and is also not a look at me guy, needs a hair cut though geeze.
 
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Villian07 said:
Ullis is my favorite. Hard guy not to like. Smart steady humble. Just wasn’t blessed with the size needed for the nba.

Fox is my second favorite. He’s just so fun to watch.

Bam really grew on me last year.

The real question is how long until we start seeing NYK/UK license plates like the UK/Bama and UK/UL ones lol.

Btw I liked James young too, he could stroke it and was like a silent assassin. Didn’t seem like a look at me kinda guy.

This year I like Ware. But mainly just bc if his connections to Pervis Ellison. And he’s a hustle guy who plays his role and is also not a look at me guy, needs a hair cut though geeze.
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Ware's hustle is undeniable. He's still raw and needs to work on fouling, but the potential is there. What's not to love about a hard working guy?

Also, don't get the Young love. It is an odd choice. I like him, but I'm a fan.
 
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toonces11 said:
Yea.....not getting that. Just a really random choice that happens to be a total ****ing idiot.
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I don’t really know much about James Young, just wondering what makes him an idiot? Genuinely asking, Bc I haven’t heard this kids name in like 8 years.
 
lurkeraspect84 said:
Ware's hustle is undeniable. He's still raw and needs to work on fouling, but the potential is there. What's not to love about a hard working guy?

Also, don't get the Young love. It is an odd choice. I like him, but I'm a fan.
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I just thought young was a really good player, an elite shooter in college, who wasn’t constantly flexing, beating his chest, running his mouth, or doing any of the “look at me” type stuff I’ve come to despise in basketball. Standing over a dude u dunk on is one thing. Flexing and beating ur chest on every and 1 or dunk smh......just not a fan. There’s ways to show emotion that aren’t so “look at me look at me” imo.

And it’s not just uk players. I love trez to death, his hustle and desire. But I hate the chest pounding and headband pounding and all the stuff after the whistle. But I guess part of that is what makes him a good basketball player, that competitive edge.

I really liked Brandon Knight too, for the same reasons as young really. Did his job well on the court but wasn’t cocky or showy about it.
 
UL_1986 said:
I don’t really know much about James Young, just wondering what makes him an idiot? Genuinely asking, Bc I haven’t heard this kids name in like 8 years.
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The guy had tons of talent and little to no drive. Bought into his crew telling him he was a one and doner. Never put in the work, squandered his nba chance, basically only played in the g league. Kinda textbook definition of idiot.
 
Villian07 said:
Ullis is my favorite. Hard guy not to like. Smart steady humble. Just wasn’t blessed with the size needed for the nba.

Fox is my second favorite. He’s just so fun to watch.

Bam really grew on me last year.

The real question is how long until we start seeing NYK/UK license plates like the UK/Bama and UK/UL ones lol.

Btw I liked James young too, he could stroke it and was like a silent assassin. Didn’t seem like a look at me kinda guy.

This year I like Ware. But mainly just bc if his connections to Pervis Ellison. And he’s a hustle guy who plays his role and is also not a look at me guy, needs a hair cut though geeze.
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he cut it
 
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toonces11 said:
The guy had tons of talent and little to no drive. Bought into his crew telling him he was a one and doner. Never put in the work, squandered his nba chance, basically only played in the g league. Kinda textbook definition of idiot.
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True. This isn’t really a good comparison, but remember Sebastian Telfair? Jeez that dude is an idiot.
 
I mean Young got drafted top 20 iirc, definitely first round (I wanna say 15-16) so it’s hard to fault him for leaving after one season. I’m not sure who the wing they brought in after him because I get the order of the teams and who played with who confused quite a bit when it comes to UK now that cal has been there so long. Definitely not a very puzzling early entry. He was limited defensively, but again he could really shoot it.

I’m thinking he was a one and done with Julius randle(and maybe someone I’m missing, skal??) the year UK beat us in the SS when we were looking to repeat. Hardest basketball game I’ve ever had to watch as a cards fan smdh.

Can’t speak for his work ethic, but it kind of speaks for itself that he bounced out of the league so quickly, though apparently he has been signed to the UK knickerbockers although I really don’t know in what capacity.
 
Villian07 said:
I mean Young got drafted top 20 iirc, definitely first round (I wanna say 15-16) so it’s hard to fault him for leaving after one season. I’m not sure who the wing they brought in after him because I get the order of the teams and who played with who confused quite a bit when it comes to UK now that cal has been there so long. Definitely not a very puzzling early entry. He was limited defensively, but again he could really shoot it.

I’m thinking he was a one and done with Julius randle(and maybe someone I’m missing, skal??) the year UK beat us in the SS when we were looking to repeat. Hardest basketball game I’ve ever had to watch as a cards fan smdh.

Can’t speak for his work ethic, but it kind of speaks for itself that he bounced out of the league so quickly, though apparently he has been signed to the UK knickerbockers although I really don’t know in what capacity.
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It’s easy to fault someone clearly making the wrong decision. He wasn’t developed enough to hang with nba players. He wasn’t mature enough to make an educated decision. He didn’t have the people around him to help him understand the difference in long term and short term success.
 
toonces11 said:
It’s easy to fault someone clearly making the wrong decision. He wasn’t developed enough to hang with nba players. He wasn’t mature enough to make an educated decision. He didn’t have the people around him to help him understand the difference in long term and short term success.
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Then why did he get drafted top 20. The scouts obv saw something, he wasn’t guaranteed to go higher the next year esp with how stacked UKs roster was. I don’t see how coming out after a year and getting drafted in the top 20 is a mistake. Now his career progression since then, yea seems like he’s made some mistakes. But I’m not sure coming back for a sophomore year of college would’ve resulted in him having a better nba career.

IMO if a nba team invests a first round pick in a player, they have every chance in the world of making an nba career for themselves bc they already have that guaranteed first 2-3 years when most players naturally develop in the nba the most. And I feel players can develop much quicker in the nba than in college where the NCAA has practice limitations and they have other obligations where in the nba playing basketball is literally their job.

I just don’t think young or any player would develop more in a year of college than on an nba roster of nothing else from the more time spent practicing playing against the bet players in the world. Maybe a kid with no chance of being drafted or making an nba roster, then yea of course. But not a first round or even second round draft pick. A lot of the times players do most of their development once they get to the nba, like devin booker, or Donovan Mitchell or Jamal Murray (although Murray was much more of a stud in college than Mitchell or booker imo ). But you could go on and on, that’s just a few. Even lower tier guys like terry rozier developed so much more once he got to the nba. Other times kids like Brandon Knight or mkg don’t quite live up to their draft spot. It’s just not and exact science.

I’ve said it before but I’ll say it again, imo player development comes down to two simple things. God given talent/athleticism and work ethic. And most players develop the most in their first few years in the nba, imo.

Which I’m not trying to blame Young’s career on anyone but himself. Again as a first round pick he had every opportunity in the world to carve out a role in the nba. He could have developed over his three year contract, but he didn’t There’s been way too many second rounders and even undrafted FAs carve out a role in the league in the same time frame to conclude young didn’t get a fair shake.
 
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Yea I remember him well from wvu. Defensive nightmare. I forgot who they were playing but he was going off one game and the announcers just kept calling him grown man carter lmao. But he was the definition of a senior leader pg on both ends of the floor.

I’m not surprised he’s carved out a role in the league bc of his obvious effort and motor he plays with, would seem to line up with someone who is a very hard worker as well. I know coming into his draft there were questions about his athleticism bc I don’t think he was drafted very high, real late first or second round maybe. Or he might have even been undrafted idk. Helluva college player though.
 
So I went ahead and looked it up, James Young went 17th to the Celtics. I really have no clue if that was pre Danny ainge and brad Stevens but Boston isn’t exactly a player graveyard like Sacramento and Minnesota have been. They had no problem developing perimeter players jaylen brown, jayson Tatum(stretch 4), Marcus smart, and even terry rozier had a nice start to his career there.

So I don’t think u can put Young’s lack of NBA success on anyone but himself. But he’s still super young so it’s not like his story is over. It’s always a tough road back but not impossible. Also no shame in banking 6 figures a year in Europe. Esp gettin paid to play the game you love.

Or even just Making 50k-85k a year in like Australia Or New Zealand to play basketball would prob be a pretty awesome life and I imagine they make more than that I’m just low balling.

Plus Im sure some players find it so much more fun dominating a lower league than being a bench guy/G League guy. Kind of like jimmer in China, although not sure he could make a roster at this point in his career.
 
FaithPlusOne said:
I liked Fox from Kentucky. Enjoyed watching him play and seemed like a good kid.
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Knowing a lot about him this is true.
He lets his play on the court talk.

He is one of those people who is basketball 24/7 pretty much.

That AAU team was fun. Now he is helping young players experience the same thing by creating his own AAU team.

Always showing love for New Orleans and Houston.
 
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