Avoiding the “bust” label
Andray Blatche (photo. NBA)I’m not one for snap judgments, and when it comes to one’s basketball career, I’m generally optimistic. Example: I’m still leaving room for the sliver of possibility that Kwame Brown can turn into a decent ballplayer someday if he finds the right situation.
That said, I watched Hawks/Wizards last night and saw a couple guys whose ability to “make it” is in serious doubt. The first is Acie Law IV. While fellow ‘07 Lottery pick Al Horford is turning into a star in Atlanta, Acie is playing single-digit minutes and has basically faded into the background as far as being a relevant player in the League. The other one is Andray Blatche. While his second-round draft status gives him more leeway than somebody like Law, we’ve been hearing for a while that Blatche is gonna be a star, but so far it hasn’t materialized.
Is it too soon to say Law and Blatche are busts? Law is only in his second year, and point guard is the hardest position to master in the NBA. (Chauncey Billups took a good 5-6 years before he figured it out.) And it certainly didn’t help Law’s development when the Hawks traded for Mike Bibby last year in an effort to make a playoff run sooner rather than later. But aside from a few good summer league efforts, has he shown anything that indicates he’ll be a solid starter — if he’s ever a starter — in the League? Blatche has been in the NBA longer, but he’s only 22 years old and never had any college experience. But watching his progress, beyond flashes here and there, I’m just not seeing it.
At what point do you write someone off as a bust?
November 20th, 2008 at 3:00 pm
Sam I Am says:
That LeBron guy looks like he won’t make it…
Sike I would go with Darko as the easy and safe…
Kwame needs to best material…
He is on Wikipedia as a bust, lol to be in an online encylopedia / dictionary as a loser….that’s kinda tough
November 20th, 2008 at 3:01 pm
Mitch says:
It’s never too early to call someone a bust. Chauncey Billups was a bust, then he became a reclamation project, now a star…I’m all about giving players time to develop but only if legitimate progress is being made. Someone like Kwame Brown hasn’t developed at all since day one. Someone like Nick Young? He’s developing, he’s working on his game and improving with experience. As for Darko and Kwame they are busts for sure.
Side note: Javale McGee…Not a bust…that kid is sick
November 20th, 2008 at 3:01 pm
justice says:
at their 5th year in the league…let go of kwame man,and darko too they are done at this point they should be happy to still have jobs and not end up like olowakandi
November 20th, 2008 at 3:06 pm
fallinup says:
Austin,
What would you consider Kwame’s ideal situation? First round pick and drafted by MJ didn’t work. Dealt to the Lakers to play aside Kobe didn’t work. Memphis….pfft. And now he’s in Detroit, shows flashes of a decent player but no where near the performance deserved for what he’s getting payed.
Maybe Europe, or the D League next?
November 20th, 2008 at 3:08 pm
fallinup says:
I say if you haven’t showed signs of improvement in 3 years…you’re better off trying in the D-League, then giving up entirely. For PG’s, I’d say 4 years…maybe.
November 20th, 2008 at 3:08 pm
Mitch says:
My opinion on Kwame is that he’s fine as a 9th or 10th man in the rotation for a contender but he’s never going to be a good NBA starter…not a chance. He’s in the ideal situation but what you see is what you get…Kwame is a 10th man…
November 20th, 2008 at 3:19 pm
Brown says:
I’d say a combination of 4-5 years experience in the league with decent minutes, and if they’re not at least a good rotation player by the time they hit 25, it’s bust time.
November 20th, 2008 at 3:23 pm
Kobeef says:
I thought Bargnani was Bustnani lat year but he seems to be turning things around in year 3. If you are a first round pick and you get solid minutes you should be able to show something before your rookie contract is up.
Darko and Kwame didn’t get enough PT when they were rookies and as a result people couldn’t properly evaluate them. Acie Law is in that category. PLaying time is probably the main issue that makes it hard to figure guys out. Utah has a couple of guys in CJ Miles and Ronnie Brewer who seem to have talent but they never play enough to really tell.
November 20th, 2008 at 3:30 pm
Kwame Brown says:
lEAVE ME ALONE!!!!!!!!
Damn
November 20th, 2008 at 3:33 pm
Mamba says:
Might be a stretch but I would say Bogut,
I cant justify someone who is a number 1 pick and is really in my mind a middle of the road player,
Especially when you look at who else was in that draft class,
He is wildly inconsistant, and far to often I question how much the guy really cares, he never struck me as having a lot of heart,
November 20th, 2008 at 4:02 pm
chronically_ill says:
Mamba
Should a player be labeled a bust because of how high he got drafted? I mean, Bogut definitely didnt deserve to be picked #1, but he’s been putting up decent digits. It’s not his fault some GM was dumb enough to pick him ahead of Chris Paul and Deron Williams.
November 20th, 2008 at 4:08 pm
chronically_ill says:
Do you guys think Tim Thomas is a bust? He’s been putting up decent numbers, but considering the hype he got when he entered the league, his perfomance seems underwhelming. I remember Ray Allen once said that Tim Thomas could be the best player in the NBA, but now, he’s basically just a 6′10 spot up shooter who only shows up every other game.
November 20th, 2008 at 4:20 pm
dapro says:
I can’t really call players bust because of the expectations we as fans have for them. Thomas is who he is; he shows flashes but doesn’t really give a damn and care enough about the game
Kwame based on his drafting could be considered a bust, but he was drafted based on a Gm’s perception of what he could be
Again it’s all about perception. You can make a case for many players being bust because the logic of drafting them is to better your team or bring home the chip
If this is the logic, would you consider Tmac, Melo, Yao, Francis, Brand, and players of their caliber who have yet to produce a ring or in some cases make their team better to be bust?
November 20th, 2008 at 4:22 pm
Drink the Haterade (KB24 Chip 09) says:
chronically_ill says:
Mamba
Should a player be labeled a bust because of how high he got drafted? I mean, Bogut definitely didnt deserve to be picked #1, but he’s been putting up decent digits. It’s not his fault some GM was dumb enough to pick him ahead of Chris Paul and Deron Williams.
Shouldn’t the same go for Kwame? I mean it’s not his fault that the GOAT picked him #1. Does he suck, yes, but if he could be a 9th man rotation player, then the wise GM’s should have drafted second rate late.
November 20th, 2008 at 4:24 pm
Jay says:
Kwame IS a decent player. But #1 overalls shouldn’t be just decent. He is a bust.
November 20th, 2008 at 4:48 pm
BEdger says:
I don’t know, but Oden was being called a bust after playing his first 13 minutes in LA (he sprained his foot 2mins into the game) and if you listen to that douche bag Colin Cowherd he thinks you can call someone a bust after his “first couple trips up and down the floor”.
I would say with the very young players being drafted these days you have to wait at least 5 years before applying the bust label
November 20th, 2008 at 5:00 pm
dapro says:
Some players just need to be in the right system with the right coach to produce and reach their potential
The thing is not every number one draft pick or lottery pick will be a superstar
Some players have sheer talent but not the drive to be the best, they want to be “one of the guys”
Sheed
Tmac
Vince
Are just a few players that come to mind. All stars and potential hall of famers that have put in work in the league. All have lead their respective franchises at one point and realized this isn’t the role I want
GM’s have to understand that for every LBJ there is a Joe Johnson. Hell even Kobe wasn’t that good but you saw flashes and he was surrounded with solid players and a HOF center. A player who needs to have the right mix of people around him to ease the burden of being a superstar instead of just throwing a 19-20 year out on the court and expecting immediate contributions
November 20th, 2008 at 5:26 pm
E$ says:
You get a automatic 3yrs
November 20th, 2008 at 5:57 pm
BOB RIVERS says:
EDDY CURRY SHOULD BE ON THE LIST…OVER-HYPED AND OVERWEIGHT AND NOT TO MENTION OVER-PAID…
November 20th, 2008 at 6:56 pm
Andy says:
I wouldnt consider Bogut a bust
Last season he had 14 pts and 10 boards a game
No way a guy getting a double double and will have a 10+ year career is a bust
Sure, he was taken before CP and D-Will but I think they have exceeded expectations
November 20th, 2008 at 7:11 pm
Austin Burton says:
Bogut isn’t a bust. He’s a legit starting center in the League, albeit a bit short of All-Star level. He was picked ahead of some players who are better than him, but that doesn’t automatically make him a bust.
Yaroslav Korolev, that’s your bust from the ‘05 class.
November 20th, 2008 at 8:16 pm
solomon says:
mike conley, anyone?
November 20th, 2008 at 11:18 pm
Tha Boddy says:
Blatche pisses me of…I’ve been to only one Wizards a game at home this season but he shows shades not flashes and has no low post moves at all..The coach should stop tryna play him at center and just make him Caron Bulter’s backup. And if he is gonna play center sometimes tell the guy he should be downlow to rebound and not taking all his shots from beyond or around the free throw line fack!!!
December 13th, 2008 at 4:41 am
Darko Milicic says:
That is it I’m goin’ back to Europe.
December 14th, 2008 at 1:20 am
daveh says:
This is just plain stupid. A high school kid picked as the 49th pick of a draft cannot be considered a “bust.”