Feeling a Draft: Love & Mayo
Who will be the better pro?
By Jeff Fox
The Great Debate is not Obama-McCain, but rather Love-Mayo. Or, more precisely, how good will Kevin Love and O.J. Mayo be in the NBA? There doesn’t seem to be much middle ground on the issue, with vocal supporters on both sides of the fence. This Slamonline columnist has already expressed his views on the subject – Mayo has the makings of a star, while Love will be a solid, but not spectacular, pro and may end up getting picked too high.
To try help settle this debate (but more than likely throwing fuel on the fire instead) Slamonline contacted several experts in the field and posed this simple question: “What type of NBA career will O.J. Mayo and Kevin Love have and why?” But before you fire off an angry rebuttal to your loyal Slamonline draft columnist, remember – “Don’t shoot the messenger!”
“If a player is picked in the lottery the expectation is much higher in hopes that a player will have an impact on a team within two years.”
“O. J. Mayo has enough talent plus the professional work ethic to have that impact and to gain experience.”
“Love has all the fundamentals to make an impact at either end. I think he is a safe pick that could be a 10, 10 guy for many years with an upside to be even better as he continues to focus on conditioning.”
-Ryan Blake, Assistant Director of NBA Scouting
“I think both Mayo and Love are underrated prospects. Mayo gets dogged for all the wrong reasons, but the fact is the kid can play and is easily the third best prospect in the Draft. The agent nonsense doesn’t bother me in the slightest, because on the court he’s all business. He has legitimate all-star potential. Love deserves to be a top 7 or 8 pick even though he’s projected to go late in the lottery. The guy has sick hands and is a better athlete than people realize. Love isn’t an all-star, but he’s one of only 10 guys or so in the Draft who could be consistent starters.”
-Shawn Siegel, editor CollegeHoops.net
“O.J.: Love the defense, the knowledge of the game, the drive to score. Scared about his height, point-guard skills and athleticism. I think he will contribute as a rookie and start—or at least be a 6th man—in the NBA by his second year. All-star games? Maybe a couple, but I don’t think we’re talking about a dude that will be an All-Star year in and year out. As far as guards in this Draft, I’d take Rose and Bayless over him, but I like O.J. more than Gordon, Westbrook or any other backcourt players in it. Very curious to see how he reacts to ESPN after the way they put him on blast for doing something that applies to most people in the Draft (prematurely getting $ from agents).”
“Kevin Love: Love the wide build, knowledge of the game and passing ability. Scared about his relative lack of height and athleticism compared to some of the hyper-athletic 4 men in the League now. I actually see his career unfolding a lot like O.J.’s, only with a little less individual success and at a different position. I think Kevin will contribute right away and eventually be a starter. Don’t think he will ever be an All-Star because I don’t think he will ever score like one. Really tough to call where he should get drafted without seeing him work out against other guys. Of other “big men” slotted high, I think Darrell Arthur and Anthony Randolph have higher ceilings but also lower basements, which makes them both tantalizing but scary. As for Brook Lopez, Kevin may be the better player, but Lopez has that center size which is also tempting. I think somewhere in the 7-11 range makes sense for Love.”
“One more thing on the two of them: Kevin might be more equipped to have team success than O.J. because he may be quicker to accept a “role.” Even at UCLA he didn’t get as many shots as he felt he deserved, but he contributes in many other ways. O.J. has the ability to be a role player on a great team thanks to his defense, but for a guy who has always been able to take whatever shot he wanted without repercussions, he might struggle as a third- or fourth-option on offense.”
-Ben Osborne, Editor-In-Chief, SLAM
“I think they’re both going to be good pros with the chance of, yes, being All-Stars and stand-out players. I think O.J. might be a little surer bet just because he’s got size and strength at the guard position and he’s going to put up points.”
“Love, I think, has an All-Star skill set. The only question about Kevin is his explosiveness around the rim and his ability to run the court and play with the better athletes. Now, to say that, he’s always played well against athletes and certainly his combine scores are impressive. So maybe Kevin’s got us tricked and he’s a better athlete than we realize. Strength goes a long way and both these players have great physical strength. I think that is one of their greatest attributes. I wouldn’t be surprised to see Kevin Love in an All-Star game by any means.”
“I think both of these players are going to do everything that they can do to be the best players that they can be. They have great work ethics. They’re serious about the game and I think they want to great. They don’t want to just play, they want to dominate and be great. I think the deciding factor will be the fit – which player lands in the best system for his skills and his ability and has teammates who can compliment what he can do.”
-Jerry Meyer, National Analyst, Rivals.com
Jeff Fox writes more extensively about the NBA draft and college basketball at www.collegehoopsnet.com. All hate mail can be directed to him at foxyjj@sympatico.ca.
107 Responses to “Feeling a Draft: Love & Mayo”
Jun.11 at 1:47 pm
monrats says:
Mayo has enough talent…
Jun.11 at 2:01 pm
starbury&stevey says:
why do i think both of them are gonna be the next Sprewell(oj mayo) and Nailon(love)?a lot of talent,but…
Jun.11 at 2:22 pm
Eboy says:
I think Love has the makings of a career like George Zidak’s.
Jun.11 at 2:26 pm
Jukai says:
OJ Mayo, I believe, is going to be a David Lee: a guy with absolutely no value as a super-star, but will be treated as one in terms of trade value and value on a team because he’s SUCH an incredible role player, everyone wants him.
Jun.11 at 2:27 pm
Jukai says:
DAMNIT I didn’t press STOP in time. I meant, LOVE, LOVE is the role player.
Jun.11 at 2:34 pm
TADOne says:
And they are both white, of course.
Jun.11 at 2:36 pm
TADOne says:
I think that both players will only be as good as the systems they are in, but Mayo has the best chance to flourish regardless, with his ability to create.
Jun.11 at 2:41 pm
Russ Bengtson says:
Mayo has a better shot at becoming a superstar due to his position and skill set, but I think Love has way more talent than people are giving him credit for. It’s not like his only positive is being tall. He’s not Eric Montross or Todd Fuller.
Jun.11 at 2:42 pm
starbury&stevey says:
@TADO they are both white..??love and Zidak or love & mayo?
Jun.11 at 2:44 pm
Eboy says:
TAD, just to clarify, the Heat seem to have fallen in love with Mayo. He seems to be the choice if the Bulls take Rose. I’m already dreading next season if it happens.
Jun.11 at 2:49 pm
People's Princess says:
C’mon Eboy..OJ’s waaaaaaayy better than Daequan..
Jun.11 at 2:49 pm
H to the izzo says:
The Heat are STUPID if they pass up on Beasley for Mayo.
Jun.11 at 2:53 pm
TADOne says:
E, I saw that a few days ago and wrote a comment on it somwhere in the Slam universe. I’m thinking Riley isn’t as shrewd as he used to be.
Jun.11 at 2:54 pm
People's Princess says:
Well Riles seemed pretty pissed with B Easy’s “I’m 19.So let me be that way” quote.He might try to trade down or so I hear.Eboy,any thoughts???
Jun.11 at 2:54 pm
Ryan Jones says:
Eboy, we might finally have to ban you for stupidity.
Jun.11 at 2:55 pm
TADOne says:
Honestly though, I hope that the Heat do draft Mayo just for the comedy aspect. You cannot script Mayo-Wade-Marion fist-fighting for the rock.
Jun.11 at 2:55 pm
People's Princess says:
@Tad:so Diesel-for-Melo,eh??
Jun.11 at 2:58 pm
ciolkstar says:
OJ all day. Kev Love will be alright, but he’s gonna struggle if he goes to a team without any semblence of a post presence. If he slips to a later position in the draft or gets traded to a contender (with an established post game)I could see him being a nice contributor right off the bat.
Jun.11 at 3:02 pm
Adequate Swag says:
I think Ben’s assessment was pretty on point. Mayo has superstar potential whereas Love is likely going to be a solid second or third option. His comments about the roles were spot on as well. While Mayo is a nice distributor, he’s got the superstar mindset, which is good if you need him to be a superstar, but a hindrance if you need him to play a role (see: TJ Ford, J.R. Smith, Ricky Davis) Love likely won’t ever be a star or a number one option, but his talents (specifically his intelligence on the court) will result in him being a very effective “sidekick”, if you will.
Jun.11 at 3:02 pm
TADOne says:
PP: I’ve already expressed my opinions on that. Besides, I have a hard time believing Denver will part with Melo.
Jun.11 at 3:05 pm
Ryan Jones says:
Also — and I appreciate Jeff’s pre-draft coverage, a welcome addition to this site — but what exactly is the point of comparing these particular players? They play entirely different positions, and while it’s not impossible, it seems unlikely that any team will be choosing between them later this month…
Regardless, only a complete basketball know-nothing wouldn’t realize that both of these guys absolutely have the potential to be very, very good NBA players for a long time. And please, if we can refrain from lamely comparing Kevin Love to other tall white guys, even for a day, it’d be awesome. Why not PJ Brown? Kurt Thomas? Anyone else?
Jun.11 at 3:08 pm
People's Princess says:
Denver’s not got the brightest front office in the Lig,so anything might be possible..But is Detroit willing to go away from the hard-hat work ethic that’s been its core.Cos I’m telling you,as big a Melo supporter as I am,I don’t ever see him carrying a lunch pail to work.
Jun.11 at 3:09 pm
People's Princess says:
@Ryan:Dice..Pistons version..
Jun.11 at 3:11 pm
Russ Bengtson says:
Wes Unseld.
Jun.11 at 3:15 pm
People's Princess says:
No no no..Wes was a board machine man..And atleast a coupla inches shorter..the guy averaged 17 rebounds per game in his friggin ROOKIE year..c’mon Russ,you’re better than that..
Jun.11 at 3:15 pm
Myles Brown says:
Dr.Phil?
Jun.11 at 3:20 pm
Russ Bengtson says:
Wes wouldn’t have averaged 17 rpg in today’s game. You can’t just transfer numbers across eras like that.
Jun.11 at 3:21 pm
People's Princess says:
Still I don’t think Love could’ve done 17 boards a game back then either.
Jun.11 at 3:22 pm
Eboy says:
Ryan, I’m perplexed by your comment. Are you trying to clown me about my fear of OJ in Miami or the fact that I compared a European power forward to your other man crush, thusly negating his draft value by my silly comparison? Check your sarcasm meter dummy.
Jun.11 at 3:25 pm
Russ Bengtson says:
I didn’t mean that Kevin would exactly duplicate Unseld’s numbers in every possible way. I meant that they are somewhat comparable—certainly more so than with George freaking Zidek.
Jun.11 at 3:25 pm
jbn74sb says:
Eboy - Please be sure to never reference Zidek’s name again. I just had horrible flashback’s.
Jun.11 at 3:29 pm
People's Princess says:
Love would be kinda like a shorter Brad Miller.(Whitey-whitey comparisons be damned)
Jun.11 at 3:32 pm
Eboy says:
I’m glad someone other than me remembered him, Bodie, and congratulations on the win last night.
Jun.11 at 3:36 pm
jbn74sb says:
This series is miserable. Here we are in the Finals and it couldn’t be less entertaining or rewarding. The games are being played at the Celtics pace. The Lakers are in trouble. Unless of course the refs decide to start calling traveling on Garnett, Pierce, and Rondo, which doesn’t seem likely.
Jun.11 at 3:41 pm
Eboy says:
Bodie, does it go seven in your mind or will it end in 6? I think the Celts steal one and end it in a close Game 6. I know you got faith, but yeah you’re right, the grind it out pace is Celtics ball all day long.
Jun.11 at 3:41 pm
Ryan Jones says:
PP: NO one’s rebounding numbers match up to the greats of the old days. That said, Kevin averaged 11 boards per game in college as a true freshman, this in a conference loaded with NBA-caliber bigs. Plus, he’s strong, thick, and, as you may have heard, a great outlet passer. There’s a ton to be said for an Unseld comparison. I don’t think he’ll be THAT good, but the similarities are obvious and abundant.
Jun.11 at 3:42 pm
Eboy says:
Strong and thick. Interesting.
Jun.11 at 3:43 pm
Knicks! says:
OJ Mayo is going to be an all-star
kevin love a nice starter
Jun.11 at 3:43 pm
Ryan Jones says:
Eboy, I’m perplexed by your perplexiness. You know I never take anything you say seriously. It did start me ranting, though, so thanks.
Jun.11 at 3:46 pm
H to the izzo says:
Eboy:We get it,you have an inane and unexplained disliking for Love and his game,make a coherent argument as to why you think this without making a fat joke or commenting on his Bubba Sparxx like beard.(These Laker fans are making me cranky)
Jun.11 at 3:47 pm
Eboy says:
Uhm….okay. Well, let me try something non-basketball related then. How’s the new baby? Is she sleeping decently throughout the night? Wait, don’t answer that, I didn’t mean it!!!!!!!!!!!!! Ugh……
Jun.11 at 3:50 pm
People's Princess says:
Basically Unseld-strength+bit more range on shot=Love then???
Jun.11 at 3:50 pm
jbn74sb says:
Unfortunately, I see the Celtics winning in 5. Pessimism is awesome.
Jun.11 at 3:52 pm
Eboy says:
This whole place is off the chain! izzo, where did I make a joke about Love in this post? I compared him to Zidak as a tease, and you and that other Irish pri*k are making it seem like I took a sh*t on your couch or something. The dude is alright, but as he showed in the Final 4 performance, he is limited in his offensive weaponry and has a ton of work to do on his conditioning, regardless of Jone’s claims that he can eat 5 In N Out burgers pregame and not be affected by it.
Jun.11 at 3:52 pm
Russ Bengtson says:
Six. But close enough.
Jun.11 at 3:52 pm
Ryan Jones says:
Kevin’s strong as sh*t, and yes, he’s got three-point range. He’s just not AS good as Wes Unseld, but then, most players aren’t.
Jun.11 at 3:53 pm
Myles Brown says:
Dom DeLuise?
Jun.11 at 3:53 pm
Ryan Jones says:
Don Maclean. That’s who Kevin plays exactly like. My bad. You can all go now.
Jun.11 at 3:55 pm
Ryan Jones says:
Myles is a little loopy today. Maybe one of Kobe’s missed FTs hit him in the head.
Jun.11 at 3:55 pm
Eboy says:
The American Pie singer, or the former Bullet?
Jun.11 at 3:57 pm
Russ Bengtson says:
Kobe makes them when it counts, though.
Jun.11 at 4:00 pm
H to the izzo says:
This year’s regular season deserved a better finals and post season in general.
Jun.11 at 4:00 pm
Ryan Jones says:
Eboy: Either one.
Jun.11 at 4:02 pm
TADOne says:
White-on-white crime?
Jun.11 at 4:03 pm
Be A Real Fan says:
Love’s more like the sidekick’s sidekick. Like Tay to Rip to Chauncey…something like that.
Jun.11 at 5:02 pm
B. Long says:
Kevin Love will be less athletic Ronny Turiaf with possibly a better jumper….and worse dancing ability. SURFING USA!
Jun.11 at 5:09 pm
Jeff Fox says:
Ryan - The point of the article isn’t to compare Love & Mayo, because, like you said, they are totally different players. The reason I grouped them together is because they seem to be the most debated top talents in this year’s draft.
Jun.11 at 5:11 pm
B. Long says:
@Jeff: That would be like comparing Rose and Beasley. A complete waste of time. And is it just me or does Bayless’s style of play remind anyone of a young Baron Davis? I think he may end up the steal of the draft.
Jun.11 at 5:11 pm
Jeff Fox says:
My concerns with Love’s game is the players he seems to get compared to (McHale, Unseld) are from a different generation, when the game was a whole lot different than today. Who is today’s game plays a similar game to Love? The fact that I can’t easily think of anyone either means he is A) a unique talent that will excel or B) a player that won’t fit in today’s NBA.
Jun.11 at 5:12 pm
nothin personal says:
Love will be another Ike Diogu or Sean May case. Undersized PF that can’t jump tend to be better when they are drafted lower than they should, and they do not get choked on high expectations. Think Paul Millsap or even Leon Powe. With that sais, I hope Love will atleast be Drew Gooden good, in due time.
Jun.11 at 5:13 pm
nothin personal says:
Love will be another Ike Diogu or Sean May case. Undersized PF that can’t jump tend to be better when they are drafted lower than they should, and they do not get choked on high expectations. Think Paul Millsap or even Leon Powe. With that sais, I hope Love will atleast be Drew Gooden good, in due time.
Jun.11 at 5:15 pm
Jeff Fox says:
I see why people think this article is a comparison between Love & Mayo since Slamonline’s editor must have added the subtitle “Who Will Be A Better Pro” at the top of the article. This article isn’t meant to compare the two, which would be pointless.
Jun.11 at 5:18 pm
nothin personal says:
I hope that Kosta Koufos plays for the Greek side in the Olympics, and plays well. It would do a huge difference for his confidence. I don’t see it happening though, he is too busy with thr draft, and the Greek team is loaded enough not to beg for a skilled but soft rookie, that would spoil their notorious chemistry.
Jun.11 at 5:20 pm
B. Long says:
@notin personal: Paul Millsap isn’t Vince Carter 2000 but he can def. jump.
Jun.11 at 5:23 pm
Jukai says:
Responding to a comment a little upwards, I want to thank Ryan Jones for doing what he loves to do: reading a post and stopping within three sentences. Did you even TRY to read my David Lee/Kevin Love comparison? Did it have anything to do with their skillsets? Or did it have to do with their identical value to a team? PJ Brown and Kurt Thomas, to my knowledge, are traded around like hot cakes.
Jun.11 at 5:23 pm
nothin personal says:
Ok, you are right, I meant “PFs that are found lacking in physical aspects by scouts, eventhough they probably havethe game to pursue a pro career”. It just was damn too long. Btw, those guys usually end up tearing it up in Europe (think Battiste, Mike)
Jun.11 at 5:27 pm
nothin personal says:
PJ and Kurt have a combined 26 year history of cashing in NBA checks, wich is a lot more than certain lottery picks even dreamed to have. Marcus Haislip anyone?
Jun.11 at 5:27 pm
Jukai says:
@B.Long: When comparing Bayless’s style, if by “Baron Davis,” you mean “a retarded, short Leandro Barbosa” then you may be right. I think Baylesss should be at the end of the lottery from 10-14, and I have no idea why people value him so highly.
Jun.11 at 5:34 pm
B. Long says:
@Jukai: This is obviously a sore subject for you huh? Are you a Zona fan? Why is he “a retarded, short Blur?
Jun.11 at 5:40 pm
Jukai says:
Haha, well, actually I am a huge Arizona fan. Bayless has a rich history of making those around him worse by over-controlling the ball… I saw him turn Budinger into a practical jump shooter cause that’s the only time he’d get Budinger the ball. Read up, Bayless has been accused of over controlling the ball with zero court vision since his High School days. Not to mention he’s incredibly one dimension… he scores. He’s way too short to be a point guard and has the court vision of JJ Reddick. He takes dumb shots, over gambles on defense, turns the ball over SO MANY DAMN TIMES (I’m not saying he’s incredibly turn over prone, but you know, the ball is ALWAYS IN HIS HANDS), but people love him cause he’s fast and he can dribble the ball pretty well.
Jun.11 at 5:43 pm
Jukai says:
*way too short to be a shooting guard, just to fix that up. Also, why is Gordon getting knocked down by everyone for having a subpar end of the season when Bayless collapsed the same way? His shooting percentage dropped and his turnovers skyrocketted. Isn’t this a white flag that maybe people should reconsider him when thinking about the fourth pick in the draft?
Jun.11 at 5:47 pm
B. Long says:
Is it possible that maybe Bayless needs a couple more years at Arizona to mature or am I gonna get that “Young,Rich,Black Man Hater” tag cause I think he would be more successful with somemore school and work on his game at the collegiate level. I’m not a die hard Zona fan or anything but the little bit I’ve seen points to him having a pretty big upside.
Jun.11 at 5:50 pm
Jukai says:
Well, this “upside” comes from the fact that physically he’s ungodly. But he’s gotta learn to pass it… I mean, whenever he’s been at the two, he’s gotten slaughtered. As for another year of college, I’m not usre, he needs a few years of personal training.
Jun.11 at 5:56 pm
B. Long says:
Sounds like Gilbert 2.0.
Jun.11 at 6:43 pm
Ryan Jones says:
Jeff: Thanks for that explanation. I know you know your sh*t, and this won’t be the first or last time one of our horrible online editors writes up a headline that doesn’t make sense (I kid). Seriously, though, your expertise on this stuff is very welcome on the site.
Jukai: I try my best never to read anything you write. Clearly, though, I’ve failed at least once today.
Jun.11 at 7:08 pm
freeridnour08 says:
I’m just gonna say it right now so when it happens I look good…Love will be an all-star. I’ve had the privilege of watching him play since he was a freshman in high school…and his growth each year was amazing. Besides not being extremely athletic, I dont see what he has done to disprove the fact that he’ll be great in the NBA. Hey may not average 20 and 10 immediately, but I’m gonna go ahead and say we’ll see him at All-Star weekend for many years to come. Great shooter, great passer, great rebounder, great teammate. You’re right, he will be terrible.
Jun.11 at 7:12 pm
B. Long says:
@freeridnour08 or Obvious Seattle Homer: We are talking about the NBA, right? Capable Player? Probably. All-Star? Hell No.
Jun.11 at 7:18 pm
Jeff Fox says:
One thing that should be mentioned about Love (and what Jerry Meyer mentioned in the story) is Love came measured out as pretty athletic in the pre-draft camp combine. He was taller than Beasley, had the same max vertical as him and was faster in the sprint. Impressive for an “unathletic” player.
Jun.11 at 7:35 pm
Kevin says:
^ thats crazy. from watching Kevin Love’s highlights he looks like Bryant Reeves..
Jun.11 at 7:35 pm
Kevin says:
mind you, i grew up in Vancouver and am still very very much bitter.
Jun.11 at 7:43 pm
Jeff Fox says:
I was at that draft in Toronto when Big Country got picked. The local fans booed when the Raptors passed on Ed O’Bannon!
Jun.11 at 7:43 pm
Jukai says:
Really Jeff? Damn… maybe there is hope for him.
Jun.11 at 7:48 pm
Jeff Fox says:
Draftexpress.com has all of the combine results listed - pretty interesting stuff.
Jun.11 at 7:57 pm
H to the izzo says:
Combine results are always interesting,people aren’t always as athletic as thought,like Kevin Durant last year.They’re not the be all and end all though,combine athleticism and in-game athleticism are two very different things.
Jun.11 at 8:11 pm
Russ Bengtson says:
Love’s what, 19? Somehow I think his best physical days are ahead of him. No one worried about Kevin Durant when he came out of school at 6-9, 110.
Jun.11 at 8:29 pm
TADOne says:
My whole issue with Love that I made a few months back was that he got winded very easy and had to literally come out of the game every 3-4 minutes because of this. I’m not at all saying that he can’t jump or run fast for a short period, but his conditioning level would make him a mediocre NBA player at best. On the flip side, he is a load to handle in the paint, boxes out very well, great passing, and good foot work. If he gets his conditioning to like a Melo level, he’ll be a very good player. If he gets his conditioning to a Zo level, he’ll be an All Star.
Jun.11 at 10:08 pm
Walter olivera says:
Mayo rookie stats 16 pts, 6 assists, 4 rebounds per game
Love rookie stats 10 pts, 8 rebounds, 3 assists
per game
they can get these stats if they play significant time
In the long run mayo will be a 2-3 time all star, but will not be the true leader of champion caliber team, too much ego, because he actually thought he would be in a class with magic johnson and larry bird.
Love could be an all star, if he is on a championship caliber team. For example Tony Parker was an all star, because he was on the Spurs championship team, baron davis always had better stats than Tony. Love will be the missing piece to the puzzle, he will be a great player, but will still be underneath a legitimate all star powerforward, he’s gonna have a great career.
Jun.11 at 10:59 pm
B. Long says:
You guys do realize that Power Forward is probably the deepest position in the game right now right? It’s not like being a Center where there are only maybe 4 legit guys running the 5 right now.
Jun.11 at 11:45 pm
Double Cinco says:
Yeah I agree with you B-L, the 4 spot is getting pretty deep in the NBA when it comes down to the athletes, scorers, and all-around players in the L. Love has the body, I just don’t think that he will excel against the higher competition. In high school he could just dominate because the tallest player on the floor was 6-4. He could dominate in college because he was so much stronger than the weak centers and smarter than the more athletic centers. But once he enters the NBA he will be dealing with intelligent big men at the 4 such as Bosh, KG, Amare, Sheed, Gasol, and so many others that pump fakes aren’t going to give him a free ride. If his shot can expand to the NBA three, look out because he will be able to score that way.
Jun.12 at 12:20 am
Joakim NoGAME says:
Kevin Love sort of plays like Rudy Gay but i think OJ Mayo will have a similar impact at the 1/2 as Big Z
Jun.12 at 12:36 am
freeridnour08 says:
@B.Long….grew up in Oregon for the most part…now live in Seattle, but am not a Seattle fan whatsoeve, just a Ridnour fan.
Jun.12 at 12:36 am
freeridnour08 says:
Whatsoever*
Jun.12 at 3:10 am
LAN says:
ridnour fan? wtf
Jun.12 at 4:57 am
Hursty says:
shutup LAN. stupidAss computer.
Jun.12 at 9:48 am
J-Dawg says:
OJ all day. He will be the superstar while Kevin wil be the decent player not an allstar and will be like Illgaskis of the Cavs.
Jun.12 at 10:31 am
starbury&stevey(scalabrine´s fan club) says:
K.Koufos OWNS K.love..
Jun.12 at 10:32 am
starbury&stevey says:
K.Koufos OWNS K.love.. ..
Jun.12 at 10:35 am
Cub Buenning says:
Bayless is like Chauncey but with a fear of passing.
Agreed on how his presence changed Air Bud’s season.
Chase is the shizzle, by the way.
Also, they used to count tips (even those that don’t go in)as rebounds
Jun.12 at 11:27 am
TADOne says:
“Bayless is like Chauncey but with a fear of passing” Very nice Cub. Does he have ‘Cassell’ disease?
Jun.12 at 11:45 am
B. Long says:
He seems to be a helluva lot more athletic than Chauncey though, Right?
Jun.12 at 12:22 pm
B. Long says:
I meant to say athletic ability. sorry.
Jun.12 at 1:49 pm
Jukai says:
I don’t think Bayless is anything like Chauncy, really. He really plays like Barbosa with a vastly better shot and ball control.
Jun.12 at 2:15 pm
TADOne says:
If DJ Augustin had Bayless’s height, he would go #1.
Jun.12 at 2:51 pm
Cub Buenning says:
TAD, he might. DJ is ridiculous.
My chauncey comparison are about being a shoot-first point.
Chauncey was never a point until he got to the league. (Ie Bayless’ future-too short to play 2)
Jun.12 at 6:24 pm
freeridnour08 says:
Ya I’ma a huge ridnour fan…he’s a good dude, a gym rat, is extremely fun to watch and he’s all about winning, although he hasnt been part of much in the league…the reason the ducks were so raw when he was there was strictly because of his work ethic. I know this first hand because, well I’ll just say I knew someone who started there pretty well. Ridnour pretty much got everyone to stick around for the summer and they ended up having arguably their best season ever (not counting when they won it in like 1939) when they lost to Kansas in the elite 8. i know this is completely off topic but you made be LAN!
Jun.16 at 4:01 pm
Big Boss says:
I think Love will be a better pro in the long run. Mayo might end up like Steve Francis or somn. But Love needs to get his lower body right. And mayo just needs to focus in general.
Jun.30 at 2:05 pm
Bryce Huber says:
On a day where there seemed to be more trades than picks, the highlight of them all was between the Minnesota Timberwolves and the Memphis Grizzles. The Grizzles 1st round draft pick O.J. Mayo, the third overall pick in the 2008 NBA Draft, in an eight-player trade which also include Marko Jaric, Antoine Walker and Greg Buckner were sent to the Timberwolves in exchange for Kevin Love, the fifth overall pick, Mike Miller, Brian Cardinal and Jason Collins. From the responses of both locals and anylists, it sounds like a good trade for both teams, right? Wrong! First off, I’d like to say that I think that both of these players are going to be good next year. Mayo has just been given the keys to the city as far as management is concerned. Which is why I think the T-Wovles actually got a much better deal than the Grizzles. Memphis just lost the only vets they had, primarily Mike Miller, who had been arguably the Grizzles best player, plus Kevin Love, a player who I think personally will play extremely well alongside Miller because of his great court vision and passing ability. Memphis essentially did the same thing that Seattle did in 2007 by moving the veteran leaders of the Sonics (Ray Allen and Rashard Lewis) to make room for the future of the team, Kevin Durant. I don’t think I need to remind you of the Sonic’s record from last season, do I? Although I do beleive O.J. Mayo does have more leadership qualities than almost all of the 2008 rookies, he isn’t even close to a magic fix in Memphis. As Mayo was prepped for the pros, the 30 to 82 game adjustment shouldn’t be tough on Mayo physically, but mentally. He is a very emotional player with high expectations on his performance. He is a great young talent but unless they trade for another star caliber player, it is simply to much for him to bear. Mayo can hide his inconsistent outside shooting with his superior passing ability, but not if he only has Rudy Gay to pass to. He should show signs of a leader and stardom, but look for him to slump mid-season. I do like Marko Jaric coming to the Memphis roster, bringing some leadership, but Antoine Walker is well past his prime and I don’t see how he could possibly help this young team other than wide open outside shooting, but very shaky shooting at that. If Walker doesn’t bring something else to the table he will be playing behind Casey Jacobsen and Hakim Warrick. Memphis is a little thin, compared to the much deeper, bigger teams in the league, which are ALL! Minnesota on the other hand, as far as I’m concerned, just hit the lottery! Although people question Love is a little short to be an effective Power Forward in the NBA. Putting Love along with another quality big in Al Jefferson, who is averaging 21 and 11, there is minimal pressure on Love with 2 halfway decent vetern back-up bigs. Now that I’ve said that, Love plays basketball like a Quarterback. To pair him with shooters like Rashad MCants and Mike Miller, plus slashers Corey Brewer and Kirk Snyder, Love should average 4 assists per game, easy, which is a lot for a rookie big man. Miller brings much needed leadership to the young Timberwolves. Love also brings maturity and activity on the offensive glass. He knows what he can and can’t do and doesn’t force many shots, and can also step back when guarded by a longer defender. I think Love will have very productive season and Minnesota fans will see promise and have something to cheer for in the wake of a rough Garnettless season last year. In my humble opinion the Minnesota Timberwolves made out like a bandit. P.S. This is the first time I’ve written anything like this so take it easy on me.