Sep.28 at 11:24 am

Gilbert0 says:
Has been great in the pistons system, coming off screens and nailing those sweet little jumpers, just like reggie miller. and i agree, he does seem to work very hard. just not sure i would choose rip ahead of some of the players ranked lower. he is one of my favourite players to watch though.

Sep.28 at 11:25 am

Brad Warne says:
Perfect spot for Rip…but I have to take issue with the ‘he could get 24 a night if he wanted to’ thing. He’s a good scorer, but he pretty much only scores in one way, so I don’t know about that…

Sep.28 at 11:27 am

CASHVILLE says:
First of all, I’m hononered to be the first or almost the first post. With that said, Rip should be top ten on the list if we’re talking about importantance to the team. He is one of the, if not the purest shooter in the league since Alan Houston retired with considerations to Ray Allen. He has the complete package and the retro J collection is iceing on the cake.

Sep.28 at 11:28 am

Gilbert0 says:
yeah i tend to agree, his game looks polished when he has a great pg getting the ball and good big men setting the screens for him. granted, he still has to hit the shot, but 24 a night would be a big ask for rip if he had to create his own shot a little more.

Sep.28 at 11:42 am

matt the jazz fan says:
he can come take over the 2-spot from matt harpring any day…

Sep.28 at 11:42 am

Simmy Sosa says:
Can Rip Hamilton consistently create his own shot? Thats a big HELL to the NO. He is in the perfect situation in Detroit and would be foolish to play elsewhere, except perhaps Indiana.

Sep.28 at 11:46 am

matt the jazz fan says:
wait a minute, he can so create his shot! with that little “ribble the ball three feet in front of me” move that he and ginóbili have perfected… not sure it gets him 24 points a game - although if he were to shoot some iverson-like percentage anything’s possible

Sep.28 at 11:47 am

Shiz says:
Yeah but thats what makes it great about him. he doesn’t need to create his own shot off the dribble. That catch and shoot shit is damn near impossible to defend. Much harder than a dude sittin on the wing poundin a hole in the floor with the ball.
Rip couldn’t average 24? Are ya kidding yourself? If Richard Jefferson with his mediocre perimeter game and stand still jumpshot can average 20 on fastbreak run outs, baseline 3’s, how come its hard to believe that Rip could average 24? Rip can stop on a dime, runs like a gazelle, skinny enough to slip through tight spots and squeeze off that jumper, and he uses screens with the best of em. Thats that UCONN shit. Him and Ray Allen got similar games, get em a catch and shoot off the baseline screen and its lights out. Dont sleep on rip just cuz he cant touch the top of the square, he’s deceptively strong in the post, can play the passing lane just as well as Tayshaun or A.I., CAN dribble enough to get a layup, CAN finish and1’s and hits like EVERY freethrow. Plus he wears a mask…thats dope. Rip is more underrated than every other dude starting for the Pistons…true story…quote me. Its a good pick, if not a little low. I know Chauncey is the rave, but without Rip that team is nowhere near the same quality.

Sep.28 at 11:54 am

Shiz says:
Matt thats funny you should mention that “dribble out in front of you” move. thats like a scorer’s trade secret. Ya know, like in those video’s on “How to become a better one-on-one scorer if you cant jump over 7 footers”. My homeboy in high school was about 6′5″ with a silky lefty j. Played a season at Virginia I believe..Anywhoo, ONly problem was that he was slower than slow. We’re about same height, I’m 6′ 6″ and in high school I was a post player ala Stackhouse (in college and later on I moved out to the perimeter) and that move was one the first he showed me..well after the crossover anyway. But to make a long story short, I know from personal experience that THAT move is effective as hell and just shows you the scorers I-can-get-a-buck-anytime mentality.

Sep.28 at 11:56 am

Shiz says:
and its great for splitting double teams…just for future reference…

Sep.28 at 11:58 am

Mark says:
Reggie Miller lite… fills it up, without a great taste. If he had more range, I’d like his game more — when it’s all said and done though, Rip is just a guy that has a great mid-range jumper off screens. I don’t think he’s all that great at creating his own shot and thus I don’t think he could ever be “easily” a 24 point scorer. Particularly without a trey in his arsenal.

Sep.28 at 11:59 am

Myung says:
Rip is not pale.

Sep.28 at 11:59 am

Dbomb says:
I agree Rip is valuable to his team, but on any other team he would not be a star. I hate the pistons ans look forward to them getting their asses kicked this year. Peace out

Sep.28 at 11:59 am

Hype says:
I’m confused with that move y’all are talking about.. is it to make the defender think they can swat away the ball and as soon as he does it you burn him?
Or is it to help you have more control of it?
I’d say this about Rip: cool as hell nickname.

Sep.28 at 12:21 pm

Rob Stewart says:
Reggie Miller lite is very accurate. I can’t see RIP destroying/performing like Reggie did vs the Knicks back in the day. Just doesn’t have that type of heart and guts like Reggie did. He has Reggie’s skill set but not his DNA. And sometimes that makes all the difference.

Sep.28 at 12:34 pm

Myung says:
At UConn, he created his shot a little more frequently. Even as a young Wizard, he did it more than he does now with the Pistons. While he definitely is a “run around behind back screens and picks” kind of player (a la Reggie), he’s still able to create his own shot. I just think he’s best utilized as a pull up shooter off of screens. I definitely think the Reggie comparisons are on point (I’m sure Rip’s used to hearing that by now and will probably hear it his whole career), but considering Reggie (as much as I couldn’t stand him as a player) was one of the best shooter’s of his generation, that’s a huge compliment. I’ll always remember Rip for his Final Four run and for always rockin’ J’s since his college days through now (he’s probably the player I associate with XIV’s more than any current player in the L).

Sep.28 at 12:51 pm

OKNARB says:
hi I’m scott and I think this pick sux cuz Livingston is way better and if Butler doesn’t make the list it’s complete outrage. Ok seriously.. it’s hard to make any calls against or for this list until we see the whole thing, but on this pick I have to agree with Rob Stewart - Rop doesn’t have the same guts or heart as Reggie. Those qualities belongs to Billups on that team. (whom I hate cuz a convicted rapist should not win a ring - the baksketball gods messed up there).

Sep.28 at 1:02 pm

Ben says:
Rip made a career-high 55 threes last year on 46% shooting from that range. Solid numbers that he seems likely to get better at as he keeps working at it. And when has Rip not shown guts? He plays hurt and takes big shots, two key factors in that equation. And, though he was too smart to let it play out in the press, he was definitely confident enough his abilities to challenge MJ to make him a bigger part of the Wizards. MJ ended up dealing him, but that’s his fault; Rip had the “guts” or “heart” or whatever other word you want to use to challenge the best player ever.

Sep.28 at 1:04 pm

Jamison says:
Sorry OKNARB, Livingston is not way better than Rip. And to claim that he doesn’t have the heart is ridiculous. More than one guy can play with “heart” on a team. In fact, that’s what has made the Pistons so good. Their desire to win and to sacrifice stats for banners has made them a perrenial contender. The mindset was started with Ben, but it was really solidifed when Chauncey and Rip came in.

Sep.28 at 1:09 pm

Dj says:
no three. i’m sorry. why is chauncey “mr big shot” on the pistons and not rip? well because rip, throughout his entire career, has one shot. the come off the screens turn around and pop off 15 footer. i wouldnt go as far as to say he’s not clutch, he does hit his FTs, its just for a guy with an offensive game as limited as his the lack of a 3 is very disturbing. Michael redd is basically a less physically talented version of rip, but his 3 ability makes him the better player.

Sep.28 at 1:10 pm

Jamison says:
Good call, Ben. Rip actually led the league in 3-pt % last year. I’m glad he doesn’t shoot it more. There’s too many 3-pt chuckers in the NBA. Imagine how good Baron Davis would be if he worked on his mid-range game and didn’t go 3 for 10 on 3’s every night.

Sep.28 at 1:14 pm

Jamison says:
Dj-
Rip gets the call in crunchtime just as much as Chauncey has. I agree that Redd is a better pure 3-pt shooter 9even though last year’s %’s would argue otherwise). Rip’s a much better defender, though.

Sep.28 at 1:20 pm

Dj says:
(Warning: Major piston/rip hating ahead. not to become the second myung or anything, but its long. scroll down if you don’t want to read it) Everyone who says the pistons “sacrifice their stats” for the “greater good of the team” is spouting bs. they’re not more of a team than the heat were last year, or the spurs, etc. etc. Its just that they had 5 guys who were all above average but no clear-cut alpha dog, and the media hyped it up so that they were all sacrificing their stats for wins. hold up, ben wallace has sacrificed his scoring. yeah right. He couldnt score to begin with, he could board and defend, and thats what he does, i dont see a sacrifice. Same with rip. A good shooter who plays great off the ball. Throw him on the hawks and make him the no1 scoring option and you got problems.
Give me all the crap you want for being a pistons-hater, but i’ve just about had enough with the love-fest over this group. The 4 all stars thing last year, with all those “can they catch the 96 bulls?” comparisons, really made me want to puke. Rasheed should be a stronger KG mixed with a quicker TD, instead he’s supposedly “sacrificed his stats” to help his team win. More like he couldn’t become a true franchise player. Ben wallace can’t hit 50% of his free throws. Tayshaun prince, “underrated defender”, got exposed by the bigger, stronger lebron in the playoffs. His refusal to bulk up puzzles me. Chauncey is the only one of the group that is true all-star material. Personally, I dont even think Rip should be on this list, not that bogut (STIFF), or darko is better, but that he’s just not top 50 material. Put it this way: if the nba was totally dissolved, 30 new teams were established, and they had a massive draft of every player again, no contracts attached, who would you draft in the 5th round? A 2 guard who can’t create his own shot and has no range?

Sep.28 at 1:40 pm

OKNARB says:
(my last comment never made it onto the site after I hit submit.. jsyk) Jamison.. that Livingston joke was for Myung..it’s ok, you didn’t get it. And i am not claiming anything I AM FLAT OUR TELLING YOU.. As far as what the rest of my comment said just see the last Dj one. Enough said!

Sep.28 at 1:42 pm

Sam Rubenstein says:
DUKE had a superior team when they played UConn in the nat’l championship game. Rip made EVERY big shot that night. I remember this, because I lost a decent sized bet that night and I hated him for years after that. That’s all water under thr bridge though.
Rip is a money player. He hit the biggest shot in the Pistons-Nets second round series when the Pistons beat the Nets in game 6 in Jersey.

Sep.28 at 1:43 pm

OKNARB says:
who cares about college? 1 game makes him money?

Sep.28 at 1:47 pm

Jamison says:
Nobody said the Pistons wanted it more than this year’s Heat, or more than previous Spurs teams. The willingness to trust teammates and coaches is a big part of what seperates great teams from average teams, though. I’d say that each of those teams do that. I think the real meat of this subject is that you don’t see Rip’s off-the-ball play as valuable. In my opinion, if more guys were in that good of shape and were that good at coming off screens and getting open, you’d be right. Rip wouldn’t have any unique value. However, he is regarded pretty much league-wide as the BEST in the league at this specific aspect of the game. That specific skill seperates him from the average scoring swingman that shoots a bunch of 3’s or goes to the hole. Those types of guys are a dime a dozen. What Rip does is all about determination and effort. With a guy like that on the court, it’s easy to get open shots because he creates movement and flow by himself. I agree that there are plenty of other guys that are more gifted, but the uniqueness of his game seperates him from the middle of the pack swingmen. He’s not the best 2-guard out there, but he’s easily in the top 10… which shouldn’t really make his appearance on this list a surprise.

Sep.28 at 1:52 pm

G and D says:
rip is great, but he wasn’t on the list i posted yesterday, so i can’t get behind him. just kidding, as i think he’d be a top scorer on any team he played for. rip is smart, smart, smart… taking exactly what the defense gives him, running all the time, and draining stuff with maximum efficiency. i don’t know what his turnover avg is, but i bet it’s lower than any of the players he’s been compared to above. he’s a great under the radar guy, easy to underestimate, guaranteed to do damage every night. and oh yeah: nice one, myung, at least one person got the joke

Sep.28 at 1:57 pm

Jamison says:
Following up on Sam’s point, he also hit the biggest shots in the conference finals against the Pacers. Rip’s been clutch since he came to the Pistons. OKNARB- You’re right. There was enough said in Dj’s essay… along with my follow-up.

Sep.28 at 2:01 pm

Myung says:
Dj, you’ve been writing a ton of long comments for the past few weeks so you can just say you’re pulling a “Dj” instead of pulling a “Myung.” There’s no copyright on writing lengthy comments here.

Sep.28 at 2:03 pm

Sam Rubenstein says:
That shot was one example of many. He’s a clutch player, and I’m with the people that make the argument that he could be a 22-24 ppg player if he chose to. Everyone whines about how nobody has a midrange game anymore, and look, here’s a guy that’s ALL midrange game.

Sep.28 at 2:16 pm

Ang says:
Reggie Miller Lite, indeed. No where as clutch as Reggie.

Sep.28 at 2:31 pm

Ben says:
Rip: 1 ring
Reggie: no rings
I’m just saying.

Sep.28 at 2:33 pm

Brad Warne says:
Just because a guy does well what other (better) players are criticized for not doing so well, (playing well off the ball, good mid-range game) should not obscure the fact that he can’t really do any of the other things that all of those superior 2 guards can do. Saying ‘oh, this guy could get 24 if he felt like it’ is just pure bullshit. Just Look at the guys who get 24+. Rip is just not in that class. Period. But he’s good, maybe even the 35th best in the league.

Sep.28 at 2:36 pm

albie1kenobi says:
Sam just made the point I was going to make. players nowadays want all the glory, so they either shoots 3s or tries to dunk on everyone. the midrange game is so underrated because it’s not flashy. two points is two points. him not being a star on other teams? that’s just PURE HATE. i can’t imagine any team, NBA or not, that can’t use a consistent midrange shooter to help draw the defense away from the basket.
nitpicking him not being as great as Reggie is also some bull, especially when you consider Uncle Regg was an ALL TIME BEST at coming off screens and shooting that 3. and Rip not being as clutch as Reggie? give him time (to make those clutch shots). Reggie played for 18 years and Rip has played only 7 so far. with his ridiculous conditioning, he probably has the longevity that rivals Reggie.
and him having no heart and gut? you don’t get the Most Outstanding Player award and lead your team to become the NCAA champ by being soft. there are so many haters out there it’s mind-boggling.

Sep.28 at 2:41 pm

Brad Warne says:
Oh, and I guess if Rip wanted to he would be canning threes all night long and dunking all over everyone? He’s just humble right? Respectful of the game?

Sep.28 at 2:56 pm

ihateflatirnbru says:
why exactly is rip higher than sam-i-am? someone please explain this shit to me.. my head hurts thinkin bout it..

Sep.28 at 3:11 pm

Shiz says:
Superior 2 guards? Like who? besides Tmac and Kob who’s the 3rd best 2 guard? Wells? Allen? I mean people rant and rave about the “lost art of the mid-range game”. Here’s a guy who’s perfect said art and he’s not a good 2? How? Just because him and Reggie weigh about the same doesn’t make them the same dude. Its easy for us to say that Kobe isn’t MJ so why cant we say that Rip aint Reggie. Easy enough for me. I would really like to see these othe superior 2’s. Ginobli cant defend or dribble with his right hand…um, and none of the other 2’s can shoot worth a lick except spot up j’s behind the arc. So because he isn’t as flashy as Kob or Tmac or JRich or Vince he doesn’t belong on this list. That’s funny cuz there was this white as bread point guard who curiously looks like he could be your 8th grade Global Studies teacher, yeah…that guy… Johnny Stockton. No frills, no big crossovers or and1 moves, but he would basic the shit outta dudes. S/R’in em to death. End up with 25 and 13 dimes and 2 rips. Not bad huh? The point is, flash doesn’t automatically = substance, as in the case of a certain J.R. Rider. And sometimes the most basic dudes can be as effective if not more. Everyone knows that Rip isnt a high flyer or a deep bomber, but ya know what? I guarantee ya get nervous when he’s got an open look against your squad. Could he get 24 by himself? No. Only 2 2guards can do that. Tmac and Kob. They’re the only ones who don’t need any type of offense to get theirs. ANY other dude, including JRich has to get theirs off of offensive sets, so there goes that argument. But given a decent point (doesn’t even have to be great) that can get him a ball in his “spots” (which every ball player has), its milky. I mean, people are bringing up DNA…huh? If that doesn’t reek of “weak argument” I dont know what does. Not hatin on anybody (Rob), Im just callin em how I see em. I make the same case for Rip as I do for Twan, their games are just not asthetically pleasing to the eye. Which makes them less marketable, which means less screen time and more time to critique that which we dont see… Oh and GandD, I got your joke…it just wasn’t funny…and try to call out who your calling out, cuz the “at least some people” line is some passive-aggressive, screw-faced bitch shit when the only posters that have even mentioned the word pale or pail is myself, Myung and you. Be a man bout ya shit, doggy! STAND THE FUCK UP!! Lol. GeekyandDepressed.Lol.

Sep.28 at 3:14 pm

Shiz says:
Lets say that rip gets 4 layups 8pts
Then he cans 5 jumpers (midrange) 10pts.
Then he hits 6 ft’s (not that hard for him) 6 pts
Obviously its all about fga’s (as Charles Barkley preaches) but even outta 20 or 23 shots I think Rip can hit 9, so there’s your 24 pts. on 9 for whatever fga’s.

Sep.28 at 3:15 pm

Shiz says:
Hype: That move is, as you say, a way to get to the rim a bit easier. Say you got a guy like Rip, not known as a ballhandler and the d is gettin in his shorts, ya know chesting him up and all that. The move is a simply way to get past your defender without risking the ball getting poked away. Most peoples natural inclination on a first dribble is dribble the ball on the side of their body. With this move instead of your first dribble being either directly to the right or left of your body, its infront of you PASSED the defenders lead foot. Leaving the defender reaching and you with a little half-a-step head start to the rim. However, its important that when doin the move you attack the defenders LEAD foot so that which ever way he’s trying to hedge you to (either the paint or the baseline), you attack the OPPOSITE shoulder…great move, and everybody can do it.

Sep.28 at 3:29 pm

Brad Warne says:
Twos superior to Rip? Hmmm…how about Kobe, T-Mac, Vince, Wade, Allen, Redd, and I’m probably forgetting some others…
The point that flash doesn’t equal substance is not lost on me (or anyone else, its a pretty simple concept) but on the other hand, a lack of flash does not equal substance. And I’m not saying that Rip doesn’t have substance either (in fact i said he was a good pick) Oh and the ability to shoot from three is not what I would call flash either. That’s a part of the game. Two points may be Two points, But Three is one more…

Sep.28 at 3:35 pm

Brad Warne says:
… your calculation proves definitively that yes, in your imagination, Rip Hamilton averages 24 a game.

Sep.28 at 3:44 pm

albie1kenobi says:
shiz. you da man. on point with everything about Rip, even dropping a little basketball how-to knowledge on us.
and for those still hating on Rip’s game, YOU are part of the problem that is the American basketball. Rip’s simply excelling at the purist form of basketball.

Sep.28 at 3:49 pm

IndianIverson says:
He’s Iight. Not better than J Rich … or more valuable to his team either when you think about it .. still SLAM Mag rules lol .. their list not mine

Sep.28 at 3:52 pm

albie1kenobi says:
three is one more than 2. but if you do a percentage normalized by shots attempt, than 3s are often not nearly as effective as 2s. (3s ARE flashier/more noticable because you can see them shooting from behind a line, not to mention there’s a SEPARATE STAT for it)i believe the great Dean Smith said that a missed shot is about as good as a turnover. think about that.
damnit, i can’t believe i’m getting so caught up in this i’m using caps.

Sep.28 at 3:58 pm

Shiz says:
Yeah and each and every one of those 2’s listed have holes in their games. Wade couldn’t hit a jumper to save his wife and Vince is so weak he’s about to lose his. And as far as Mikey Re (no D) goes, sure he’s good for a volume shooter, but he’s streaky so…those mentioned aren’t THAT far ahead of him,ESPECIALLY Quickdraw Mikey aka Ray Allen Jr. aka Ray-light, again barring Tmac and Kob. I said he COULD average 24, clown. (There’s a difference between “could” and “does” ya know) and it wouldn’t be as difficult as some say. The math was simply an illustration. Did I ever say that shooting from 3 = flash? I never mentioned the 3 ball, even though (now that you mention it) traditional that was an ABA thang (a supposed FLASHY league) that got merged with the two leagues cuz it was so Supa hot, so your still not sayin shit. I said that most 2 guard shoot the 3 off of sets. Or kickouts, either way they shoot em standing still. Not too many shoot em better moving or off the dribble besides Tmac. Why would I even bring that into my equation? Why would YOU?! Did you not read Ben’s post about Rips 46% 3 pt shooting? Are you even taking the time to read the posts? Aww who cares… ya arms are too short to box with God on this one. You got your opinion on Rip and his game and thats great, but really, be all you can be and get off my shit.

Sep.28 at 4:02 pm

Shiz says:
Albie1Kenobi:
I see that the Force is strong in you… *takes out lightsaber and starts toasting grillcheese sandwich*

Sep.28 at 4:03 pm

Jamison says:
Brad- of the 2 guards that you mentioned, I’d put Rip on the level of 2nd tier guys… All Stars, but not Hall of Famers or All-NBA guys. He’s on level with Redd and Richardson. For this list, both of those guys are probably more important to their current teams, because their teams rely on them to carry them.

Sep.28 at 4:04 pm

MLfooey says:
im guessing tayshawn prince isnt a top fitty player.

Sep.28 at 4:08 pm

Shiz says:
MLfooey:
Im thinkin Tayshawns gonna be in the top 10. right along with AK-47, Ron-Ron, Matrix. The Do-everything-except-drive-the-team-bus guys should be reserved for the top 10 or 15. IMO.

Sep.28 at 4:19 pm

Ryan Jones says:
So Rip’s inclusion on this list is roughly 74% more controversial than Steph’s. How the hell did that happen?!

Sep.28 at 4:22 pm

Brad Warne says:
sorry man, since you called me a “clown” I guess your feelings were hurt by something I wrote. I can’t remember, maybe I attacked you personally above, but I doubt it. See,if I found myself attacking some anonymous person on the internet because my opinion of shooting guards was different from their’s…I would suddenly realize that my life has amounted to nothing.

Sep.28 at 4:36 pm

Shiz says:
Ryan:
Because people dont know basketball, they know Espin highlights

Sep.28 at 4:57 pm

Shiz says:
*checks pubic hairs*
Damn Brad, you’re still here?! Dont get all wishy-washy now. I was simply defending my position, not attacking anyone…if Im not mistaken (and I usually am not) you were the one who, ironically, took my theorization of how Rip could (there’s that tricky word again) score 24 and got all imaginative about my “imagination”…but now I see that you don’t even remember your own posts, so any argument you could pose to me specifically is irrelevant. You were imagining me imagining something. I got no hate for anybody on these boards but if you come twisted you gone leave twisted, yah mean? I dont back down from any poster who challenges my opinion because its a debate that I dont take personal. I like seeing other opinions, and having barbershop-no-holds-barred convo about players, but when you start going into a personal digs then you get the horns. But ya know what? like I said earlier, be all you can be. I hope the attention you’ve been begging for was all you hoped it’d be. And the next time you put me on blast, just remember that the word “theirs” is already in the possessive, no need for the apostophe. So in the words of Grafh, “do what ya do, just don’t do it to me.” *tosses Brad the keys to his clown car and readjusts his top hat in the Center ring as Grafh starts blarring from speakers* I make Ryker’s Island turn it up, turn it up/ Pop off, pop off, turn it up, turn it up/

Sep.28 at 5:02 pm

albie1kenobi says:
Shiz, i’d give most people who came to this site a little more credit than that (this is for you Brad), but to a degree that’s pretty much true to the general public. and Starbury was placed way too low to be controversial.
i used to do lists on basketball players myself (CRUCIAL when I used to play fantasy basketball), but now i just like to sit back and enjoy everything about the game and the NBA that we all love (except wade’s freethrows in the Final. that was annoying to watch). and i think we can all agree on that.

Sep.28 at 5:05 pm

Myung says:
For what it’s worth, I like reading comments from Shiz, Albie, Hype, and a handful of others…but my favorite commenter is that dude Serbia23. I think he’s hands down the funniest dude on SLAMonline. Just saying.

Sep.28 at 5:06 pm

Shiz says:
Amen, Albie…Aaaaamen.

Sep.28 at 5:08 pm

Myung says:
I mean…untentionally…but still.

Sep.28 at 5:28 pm

albie1kenobi says:
Serbia23 is awesome. there’s nothing wrong with rooting for your fellow countrymen, just like i’d root for Yao (and defend him to death) no matter what, and Myung with uhh… Ha Seung-Jin?

Sep.28 at 6:03 pm

serbia23 says:
hes aight should work on his 3pointer though, thanx albie1kenobi 4 da support u gotta back up ur countrymen

Sep.28 at 6:07 pm

Dj says:
imagine the current pistons squads with in-his-prime reggie instead of rip. They would have 3+ rings already. i’m not saying rip has no substance, and i don’t hate on him because he has no flash. Hell, my favorite basketball player of ALL TIME is none other than J.J. Redick (Who is by the way going to feast on wiiide open treys from dwight and darko). but my beef was that all the old-school nostalgic basketball fundamental types (the same ones who harp about how individualism killed the game, how freaking awesome the 80s, were, and how team usa is forever doomed to hell) embraced rip and his game (and the pistons as a whole) and made him more than he was worth. Like i said, i dont rate him lower than say darko or bibby or bogut, but if i were to pick the top 50 nba players in the league today i’d be hard pressed to include a 2 guard who averages 3 dimes a game, makes less than 1 three a game and can’t get more than a steal per. I know that stats definately arent everything, and he plays on a very good team, but still at some point they still have to have considerable impact, and rip just doesnt cut it. Not to knock on his skill at “separating from screens and getting open”, or his heart/work ethic, or even his clutchness (never said he wasn’t clutch, just that lack of 3 hurts his chances IN the clutch…one less weapon in the arsenal), but i still feel he is placed way too high. oh, its kinda funny that the only player that i rememberd from that uconn title game was….
khalid el-amin!!!!!!! (kinda like how i only remembered miles simon from the arizona victory over UK back in the day).

Sep.28 at 6:17 pm

Myung says:
“u gotta back up ur countrymen.” not when your countrymen is ha seung jin. my favorite nba players are black or white. i mean, i don’t want to hate on ha seung jin or anything. big up’s to the dude for making it to the L, but just because i’m korean doesn’t mean i have to pull for the dude. at least i don’t hate the dude. i leave all of my animosity and dislike for some french dude in phoenix.

Sep.28 at 6:20 pm

ciza says:
Rip is a ill player. He’s so fundamentally sound and knows how to move without the ball. He’s an offensive threat due to his ability to maintain a never ending endurance. He’s one of the key reasons the pistons do so well and always end up deep in the playoffs.

Sep.28 at 6:26 pm

serbia23 says:
but my countrymen i gotta back up cuz der fucking pro, serbia’s has the most medals in the fiba world cup so, dat gives me some shit to brag bout(beating out USA hahaha)

Sep.28 at 6:31 pm

albie1kenobi says:
oh that reminds me i did see ha seung-jin once last year when i was outside a Four Season in San Fran. there was a buncha people and this ridiculously tall dude with his back to me, and my girl said wow he must be a basketball player. then he turned around and i thought, hey i think that’s ha seung jin. true enough the blazers were in town and were about to go play GSW across the Bay. I managed to got a pic with Bassy. he was cool. and Myung, you gotta pull for your countrymen! think of all the awesome headlines and commercials he can have! for example:
shop keeper: what’s your name?
ha seung-jin: HA!
shop keeper: huh?
ha seung-jin: HA!
(yao steps in)
Yao: huh?
ha: HA!
Yao: YAO!
(end scene)

Sep.28 at 6:33 pm

scott says:
#35 seems to be the right spot on the list for Rip. Great mid-range game and one of the best catch and shoot players around today.

Sep.28 at 6:57 pm

Rob Stewart says:
Keep in mind I never said RIP didn’t have any heart. Reggie had mad heart (a tremendous amount). Rip just has less. Plus I’m still mad that evrytime Jordan hit a clutch basket RIP tried to clutch his fist like he was Jordan’s twin. He loses points just for that.

Sep.28 at 7:17 pm

Dj says:
amen. same reason i was peeved when kobe broke out the mj in 97 finals fist pump last yr in the FIRST round.

Sep.28 at 8:35 pm

BKBishop says:
As a wizrads fan I was highly disappointed when we made that trade that trade because I seen the potential in Rip. But I guess the wiazrds organization thought that Jordan had one more year left with them and Stackhouse was the way to go so that they can win now and that is why Wes Unseld is no longer there.

Sep.28 at 8:55 pm

chronically_ill says:
Man, some of these people have been hating on Rip for playing a catch and shoot game, like that’s less of a skill than crossing somebody over. You try running around all those screens 40 minutes a game. And then, once you catch the ball, you have to MAKE the shot.

Sep.28 at 9:24 pm

G and D says:
hey shiz- sorry i stepped on your manly man toes. and since i’m in a wheelchair, it’s kinda hard for me to stand up. i didn’t mention your name because i didn’t want to embarrass you. i won’t make the same mistake again.

Sep.29 at 12:20 am

DVLb0y613 says:
More like 24 with help, IMO rip is perfect for the pistons and a motion offense, rather than the isolation style they had with MJ and the wiz..No doubt Rip blossomed with the pistons, and how much he continues to improve would be up to him.

Sep.29 at 1:24 am

thesubwayconnection says:
How has no one referenced MF DOOM yet? Rip is the same shit. Mixes it up enough while still knowing his roots. Rip scores on his bread and butter and doesn’t pull the playground shit until he needs to. Rip is one of my favorite players to watch because he’s unique. He does it different, just like DOOM. And he’s effective as hell.

Sep.29 at 1:59 am

Shiz says:
Dj & Rob: yeah the fist pump is definitely mj. Ill admit I’ve done it…but kob’s takin it to the next level..he’s got the mj argument finger. Lol. Where mj would kinda point at u and cock his head…next little scrap kob gets into. That mj finger goes up wit the quickness.
GandD: hey man, u started it…don’t try to treat me like a villian here…Sorry ur in a chair but you must know I wasn’t really tellin u to get out of your chair…I think ur smarter than that. Look, I don’t have a beef wit no man who don’t affect my cheddar so far as I’m concerned its no beef wit u & brad…my thing is this…nobody’s opinion is gonna hurt anybody else…ur free to disagree with anybody’s view point. That’s what makes these comment sections so cool is that u can interact and share views not not snide off-the-cuff insults…I’m really a pretty nice guy once ya get to know me

Sep.29 at 4:26 am

Esco says:
whats the fuss about Livington again??? dude’s like 130 pounds. plese. and Rip is great at what he does, dunno about 24ppg but he is definately one of the best conditioned players in the L. did you know he runs 2 miles every-single morning. every morning he does that

Sep.29 at 6:34 am

The Henster says:
Come on now guys,We r talkin about a scorer here he could average 30 let alone 24,here is a guy I watched score 41 pts without shooting the 3 ball and you guys got him ranked 35 it should be more like top 10

Sep.29 at 8:59 am

Gilbert0 says:
Man, a dude paid millions to play basketball gets up and runs 2 miles a day. What sacrifice, what an absolute trooper. If only all nba players did that, what a world it would be. I just think thats tremendous. I guess being able to go home to bed and then get up at noon to play 360 makes it a bit easier to deal with.

Sep.29 at 5:59 pm

Justin H says:
WE’ll have to see how good rip is without BIG BEN

Sep.30 at 2:17 pm

amber says:
RIP IS THE SHIT, I HAVE A WHOLE WEBSITE DEDICATED TO HIM, RIP IS THE SHIT, FUCK WADE, BRON BRON, AND MELO, THEY ALL BABY MAKING HOES

Sep.30 at 10:49 pm

Luis C says:
He is way better than 35 come on we are talking about Rip Hamilton He should be in the 20s

Oct.2 at 4:34 am

T Nas says:
the pistons benefited from the trade and rip fit into that system very well but stack is a much better player than rip

Oct.25 at 1:27 pm

yo says:
yea rip rules he’s on the jordan team

Oct.25 at 1:27 pm

yo says:
telfair is better

Nov.10 at 2:00 am

Love & Basketball says:
RIP’s the truth..Another solid player outta the UCONN system..

Nov.15 at 12:09 pm

Fat Joe says:
Rip is one of the greatest shooters in the league. I think that you need to put him in the first 10(i think that Kobe is too selfish to be first).Hamilton is not selfish,he is always in the game and probably the most reliable player right now.He shares the ball and he is a oldschool player.So thats it! Peace out from Croatia,RIP & SHP forever!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Mar.12 at 7:19 pm

shakara says:
he is a great player no doubt about that but probably would get more spotlight if the league wasn’t worried about other over rated players such as steve nash and focus on the players who work hard to get credit