Q&A: Meyers Leonard On Portland’s Future And The Center Curse

[dviss1]

What kinda ignernt commie bullshit is that?!

Australian = white
British = White
Scottish = White
Irish = White
French = White
Russian = White
German = White
Norwegian = White
American = (we all know there are mostly white people here)
South African = White (well they took the MF over)
Rudy Ferndandez = White and Hairy

So again, White is not a Nationality, it's a skin tone.

 

[julius]

I fail to see how anyone could describe Sabas as a pretty boy.

So, what does this mean for the serial killer part?

 

[Rastapopoulos]

Well, in defense of Sabas, you are gay.

Yes, but she wasn't until she met Sabas.

 

[Mediocre Man]

Yes, but she wasn't until she met Sabas.

hahaha

 

[crandc]

hahaha

 

[Nikolokolus]

Australian = white
British = White
Scottish = White
Irish = White
French = White
Russian = White
German = White
Norwegian = White
American = (we all know there are mostly white people here)
South African = White (well they took the MF over)
Rudy Ferndandez = White and Hairy

So again, White is not a Nationality, it's a skin tone.

Gee thanks ... might wanna turn up your sarcasm-O-meter BTW.

 

[Rastapopoulos]

Yes, but she wasn't until she met Sabas.

...and neither was I...

 

[crandc]

Considering all the men who claim to know who is and is not a pretty boy, not only did Sabas "turn" me gay, he apparently turned them all as well.

 

[VanillaGorilla]

Gee thanks ... might wanna turn up your sarcasm-O-meter BTW.

He's still new here.. I guess he gets a pass for now

 

[BBert]

crandc: re your Betty White avatar -- Great quote. I've been waiting for a good time to post that (in your honor, no less). You beat me to it.

 

[crandc]

Gosh, BBert, I'm overwhelmed. My Avis don't usually get raves.

 

[e_blazer]

crandc: re your Betty White avatar -- Great quote. I've been waiting for a good time to post that (in your honor, no less). You beat me to it.

I agree it's a great quote, but apparently it's not from Ms. White:

http://message.snopes.com/showthread.php?t=76366

 

[jlprk]

A more timely avatar would be Phyllis Diller, or better, the great Helen Gurley Brown.

 

[crandc]

Never a big Helen Gurley Brown fan. I saw a few Cosmo at other people's homes, flipped through them, was left ice cold. I did like Diller's "Homely Friendmaker". A great spoof.

Interesting discussion, e_blazer, but no one actually debunks that it was White's quote. Just suspicion it may have come from someone else first. Whatever. I still like it and it's still true on all counts. For that matter, so is my sig.

 

[Rastapopoulos]

I imagine Leonard's rookie contributions are going to be very similar to those of the following centers taken at a comparable spot in the draft:

Andrew Bynum (#10, 2005)
7 mpg, 40% shooting, 1.6 ppg, 1.7 rpg

Patrick O'Bryant (#9, 2006)
7.1 mpg, 31% shooting, 1.9 ppg, 1.3 rpg

Saer Sene (#10, 2006)
8.7 mpg, 100% shooting (in 3 games total!), 2.0 ppg, 0.7 rpg

Hilton Armstrong (#12, 2006)
11.3 mpg, 54%, 3.1 ppg, 2.7 rpg

Spencer Hawes (#10, 2007)
13.1 mpg, 46%, 4.7 ppg, 3.2 rpg

If we're INCREDIBLY LUCKY, he'll turn out like Joakim Noah (#9 in 2007) or Brook Lopez (#10 in 2008). Best case scenario as far as I can see is:

Roy Hibbert (#17 in 2008)
11.3 mpg, 54%, 3.1 ppg, 2.7 rpg

So, long story short, y'alls are going to be disappointed.

Currently:
16 mpg
5.1 ppg
3.6 rpg

Exceeding expectations! (Well, reasonable ones.)

 

[mook]

An estimated 17% of all American men 7 feet or taller have played in the NBA. (By comparison, the chances of an American between 6'6" and 6'8" being an NBA player today stands at a mere 0.07%)

Of the few in that rarefied air, how many also have the terms "great motor" and "good athlete" associated with them? It's a pretty short list. Most 7 footers on the list can stand under a hoop, do one or two things, take up some space, and retire with a fat paycheck ("fat" in comparison to non-NBA salaries). Being so tall is such a rare commodity that you don't have to do much more to cash in.

The more I learn about Leonard, the happier I am with this pick. He doesn't have elite 7 footer talent (or else he'd have been a top 3 pick). But for a #11 pick I'll settle for motor and athleticism in my 7 footer.

When I wrote that I didn't realize we were also getting legit shooting (from apparently three point range and in, and free throw line). Really excited about having him as our center of the future.

 

[handiman]

An estimated 17% of all American men 7 feet or taller have played in the NBA.

I was thinking about this recently and realized it's a pretty deceptive statistic. In order to be 7' or taller, a player's listed height has to be 7'1.5" or more. There are very few of those in the league. Most "real" centers are 6'11" to 7'1", which excludes them from even making the threshold. Even Leonard doesn't qualify, which is a bit ironic.

 

[Rastapopoulos]

Bump.

How did Leonard do in the end?

 

[SlyPokerDog]

Bump.

How did Leonard do in the end?

Shouldn't that question be in the Jason Collins thread?