NBA Draft 2009

Originally Posted by dalakhani

LOL Most players get better with maturity pgardn. A "project" in NBA parlance refers to a guy that isnt ready to contribute much immediately but there is potential that he can contribute in the future. Kevin Durant certainly DOES NOT fit that profile.

Most NBA point guards are drafted in the hope of contributing something pretty quickly. You dont stash a point guard "project" at the back of the bench like you would a big man. Tony Parker started 72 of 77 games his rookie year for a playoff team in san antonio and was all rookie. He started for a championship team his next year. He wasnt a "project". They drafted him as a player and they got one.

If a team drafts Rubio, it isnt to be a "project". They want some kind of immediate contribution. I question whether that is realistic. Perhaps I will be proven wrong.

Scratch the word project then.
Its used too many diff. ways.
Just like Power Forward.

Tony Parker was pulled numerous times during his first
3 seasons as a Spur in the 4th quarter for more polished
guys. The Spurs had no idea that he would be so good,
no idea. Popvich had many doubts about Parker's mental
game but stuck it out with him because he was so young.

Look.
Rubio is a ball handling genius. He can be bullied because
he is still a kid physically. The NBA is tough. But he will play and contribute
imo mainly because he understands the game.
Can he be intimitated physically? Maybe. Just like Parker was.
He is NOT Derrick Rose physically. He is NOt Ty Lawson or
Johnny Flynn physically. But I personally think he is a better
player. I think he upside is higher than both these guys.
This is what I mean by project, which might be the wrong term.

And yes we will see.
I thought Oden would be a defensive nightmare and rebounder,
and thought L. Aldridge would be a run of the mill
off the bench type.