Most Known Unknown
Five guys who MIGHT be in the NBA next year.
As the NBA preseason nears, it’s important to be able to identify the underdogs. As most NBA players are pushing Lamborghinis and taking advantage of drunken interns, many players are hard at work trying to land a spot in the show. You might not know all the guys listed below, but they’ll be in training camp, so, don’t sleep on them.
Von Wafer / Denver Nuggets
In 2007, Wafer had a really impressive summer league stint with the Nuggets in Vegas, where he averaged 24-plus points, good for second in the entire league. In the last game, Wafer ripped the Knicks for 42 points in 27 minutes. It would seem that after leaving Florida State early and bouncing between the NBA and D-league, Wafer is poised to earn a permanent place in the show.
Brian Chase / Washington Wizards
Brian Chase is a player with a tremendous reputation in and around the basketball world. A Washington, D.C. native, Chase is a pint-size PG with a ton of skills. Roughly 5-foot-8, his floor generalship is arguably the best outside of the NBA and he is an above average shooter. He spent most of last season with the L.A. Defenders in the D-league and even though he didn’t get a chance to play a lot in summer league, Chase confidence should be pretty high going into training camp with the Wizards.
Jamario Moon / Toronto Raptors
Forward Jamario Moon earned what no other player outside of the D-league earned last year, an NBA contract. In July, the Raptors signed Moon to a 2-year deal, thus, making him the only player from last years CBA or USBL season to get called to the NBA. After leaving school after only one year of JUCO ball, the Alabama native wandered the minor leagues since 2001. He split 06-07 between the CBA, USBL and Mexico, helping the Albany Patroons to the CBA finals and finishing in the All-USBL first team.
Robert Hite / New Jersey Nets
Former University of Miami guard Robert Hite began last season with the Miami Heat and showed some promise before he was arrested on a DUI charge last February (speeding home from D.Wade’s birthday party). Recently though, Hite seems to have bounced back nicely. After spending the remaining part of last year with the Sioux Falls Skyforce in the D-League, the New Jersey Nets brought him to summer league, signed him, and appear to be pretty optimistic about what he can bring to the roster.
Amir Johnson / Detroit Pistons
In 2005, Amir Johnson became the last high school player ever selected in the NBA draft. In his two years in the league, Johnson has only played in a total of 11 games. But in April, Johnson played 37 minutes against the Celtics and dropped 20 points, 12 rebounds and had 3 steals. In his only appearance in this year’s Vegas Summer League, Johnson finished with 17 points and 12 rebounds. Because of his steady improvement Johnson Look for him to earn a full-time job.
42 Responses to “Most Known Unknown”
Sep.20 at 3:32 pm
ben hogan says:
Hell yeah. Wish these guys a lot of luck, maybe Marcus Liberty will finally show up, too.
Sep.20 at 3:32 pm
white hot eboy says:
Hite’s game is kind of similar to Ben Gordon’s. Small in stature, strong build, nice range, no passing skills. He’s just needs to time to play. He never did anything terrible to negate playing time with the Heat and if they were cutting players with DUI’s, Posey’s dumb ass should have been gone last year, too. I’d like to see him catch a shot with the Nets.
Sep.20 at 3:35 pm
Matt Caputo says:
White Hot Eboy is too real for the league!
Sep.20 at 3:38 pm
Russ Bengtson says:
With a name like Von Wafer, how can you NOT make the NBA? And how was I unaware of a team called the 14ers? Are the 76ers truly 5.428571 times better?
Sep.20 at 3:40 pm
Russ Bengtson says:
I was also unaware until this very instant–despite his being written about in SLAM, probably on more than one occasion–that Von Wafer was black. Figured him for a Laettner/Redick country-club white boy. Shows what I know.
Sep.20 at 3:40 pm
Russ Bengtson says:
This is all Von Hayes’s fault.
Sep.20 at 3:45 pm
white hot eboy says:
Caputo, I sense sarcasm in that voice of yours. I’m a fellow paison, be kind.
Sep.20 at 3:46 pm
felix says:
Sick article. It’s always nice to see the unknowns move up the hierarchy. Matt, great job on helping to spread the word bout these guys. Keep it up.
Sep.20 at 3:47 pm
Matt Caputo says:
NAH! WHITE HOT EBOY: you are my favorite person on this site. I consider you family.
Sep.20 at 3:50 pm
white hot eboy says:
I give up. Great, another writer that dislikes me.
Sep.20 at 3:52 pm
Matt Caputo says:
Are you kidding? You better chill out bro! I was giving you props! Thank you for the comment love!
Sep.20 at 4:01 pm
white hot eboy says:
Matt, check my latest blog entry. You’d get it, I’m sure.
Sep.20 at 4:04 pm
Matt Caputo says:
You’re making us look bad cousin. Why not a post about Joe Dimaggio or Mario Puzo?
Sep.20 at 4:04 pm
Sam Rubenstein says:
Amir mania: http://freedarko.blogspot.com/2007/09/free-amir-ii.html
Sep.20 at 4:10 pm
white hot eboy says:
Matt, it’s just a summary of life events. I could have lied and made it more dramatic but that would be stupid and disrepectful.
Sep.20 at 4:16 pm
Matt Caputo says:
I ain’t hating…you could have wrote about cornier things like…soccer
Sep.20 at 4:20 pm
white hot eboy says:
You don’t attend the “futbol love” school with Lang and Ryan?
Sep.20 at 4:50 pm
Tarzan Cooper says:
von wafer was nasty in the mickeyds dunk contest.
Sep.20 at 4:59 pm
The Other MC says:
How could the NBA not take a dude with a face like that? Nice job Matt.
Sep.20 at 5:03 pm
Bill says:
Let’s hope Hite pans out. Good work Matt.
Sep.20 at 5:04 pm
Mehul Patel says:
Damn Matt… not only can you write but you have some great NBA talent search for pickin up on these 5 players game …. yea they got game, Von Wafer made my knicks look bad…. keep up the good work, peace bro
Sep.20 at 5:45 pm
Kevin Wilson says:
It wouldn’t surprise me if the 14ers were owned by Anthony Mason.
Sep.20 at 6:42 pm
Gumdrop says:
Von Wafer is the best NBA name since Bo Outlaw. Which is almost mathematically untoppable.
Sep.20 at 7:17 pm
Drew says:
To the extent you flat-landers care, “14ers” is a name for mountains that are more than 14,000 above sea level. There are 54 in Colorado. Hence the name.
Sep.20 at 8:23 pm
Gerard Himself says:
Get Hite, Thorn.
Sep.20 at 8:49 pm
Devontae Palmer AKA THE WONDER BOY says:
Wow. this is a big step. Hopefully all the guys you named will be in the L. I can’t wait to see them the freakin season is almost over. Really, what the heck is this list even doing on this website. We won’t see any of these guys play until garbage time so why does this matter? play wit it.
Sep.20 at 9:15 pm
Matt Caputo says:
Devontae, are you mad you weren’t included?
Sep.20 at 9:35 pm
Devontae Palmer AKA THE WONDER BOY says:
Well…………….maybe. just a little bit though. I am going to be on that list in a few years. Just make sure you guys make the top water boys likely to make the L and I am sure I will make it. play wit it.
Sep.20 at 9:57 pm
Matt Caputo says:
I think you gave me an idea there. Give me a shout me out mattC@harris-pub.com
Sep.20 at 10:04 pm
tack minor says:
The best thing about Von Wafer’s name is his real first name.
Sep.20 at 10:28 pm
Ben Osborne says:
Where’s Guillermo Diaz?
Sep.20 at 10:46 pm
Devontae Palmer AKA THE WONDER BOY says:
Hey Matt, I just hit your e-mail up so get back at me when you can. play wit it.
Sep.20 at 10:49 pm
tack minor says:
Heard that Diaz is playing Volleyball in Puerto Rico. I did.
Sep.21 at 12:17 pm
Hova says:
Don’t sleep on Renaldo Major he destroyed the D=League last season.
Sep.21 at 3:37 pm
Boing Dynasty says:
The only thing i know about Von Wafer is that he caught a put-back dunk of a free throw while witht the lakers against the raptors maybe 2 years ago. so he gets my vote. if we were voting. but were not. but if we were. he would. bye.
Sep.21 at 9:31 pm
tack minor says:
For whatever reason he never panned out, but in high school Cory Hightower could ball his ass off. Anybody remember him?
Sep.22 at 8:48 am
Caputo says:
Tack: Hightower played last season in the CBA with the Albany Patroons. He’s spent most of his career in the CBA, USBL and breifly overseas. He brings a deadly game to any domestic minor league game.
Sep.22 at 1:03 pm
LEE4MVP says:
Jamario Moon is the real deal…James Singleton and him must be related with those pogo stick ups. Destroyed the CBA as Defensive Player of the Year. A hell of a lot cheaper than Jared “String Bean” Jefferies and also won’t take shots away from the real shooters. 518->718
Sep.25 at 12:24 am
marcus says:
I wouldn’t place Amir Johnson in the “Might be in the NBA” category. He will be in the NBA without a doubt. I’m pretty sure he just re-signed with Detroit in July.
Sep.25 at 12:24 am
Ronnie says:
yo I hope Von Wafer will be shinning in the NBA soon, after Lakers let him go was not a good move maybe bc he got dunked on by D. Mason. He is has potential to be a really good player and I which he comes back to the Lakers or if not the Western Conference.
Sep.25 at 7:06 pm
LEE4MVP says:
Tim Hardaway, whose offer to rejoin the Heat again was rejected this fall, said seldom-used Chris Quinn “can’t hold my jock strap. It’s an insult to watch.” let’s hope Brian Chase can
Sep.26 at 4:20 pm
Jordi Scrubbings says:
Used to see Von Wafer light it up at FSU. Dude could always score, hopefully his d got tighter. Should have stayed at FSU, though. Put him with Al Thornton and Alexander Johnson, currently of the Heat (don’t sleep on him this season) and the Seminoles would have run things.