the Lakers got Kobe because he power played his way onto their team. Through his agent he threatened that if any team besides the Lakers held his rights after draft day he would enroll at UNC where he'd been admitted. I heard an interview with NBA scouting director Marty Blake say this prior to that draft in an interview. After the draft multiple GM's relayed the same story including Calipari of the Nets and Twardzic of the Warriors + legendary coach Dean Smith of the Tarheels. the NBA changed the rules regarding players declaring for the draft to prevent this from happening again STOMP
How is Duncan irrelevant? He won titles for SA with two other players they drafted. Parker and Manu. So he's entirely relevant. Plus, your question was who was drafted by a team and was "largely responsible" for a title. Yeah, Shaq helped. Wade was "largely responsible" for his team winning that title. To say otherwise is stupid at best. Jordan was largely responsible. Duncan largely responsible. Olajuwon. Pierce. And then I guess you're going to say Kobe wasn't drafted by the Lakers. Whatever. So really, it only looks like Detroit recently didn't draft one of the most important pieces to their title team.
If we accept award voting as the ultimate arbitor of reality. Which I don't. But as I said, even if we do, Garnett's "best"-ness for all the games prior to the Finals plus his major role in the Finals still makes him more important to their overall title team than Pierce who was merely the "best" in the Finals. In my opinion, anyway. Great draft pick. Especially where they got him in the draft.
It blows me away that 12 teams passed on Kobe. I wonder why nobody brings the Vlade/Bryant trade up for worst draft day choices!
Not true. Robinson was a 17/8 player in the 6 games he played in the season prior to Duncan being drafted. You completely left that season out of your stats. Robinson had one more 21/10 season with Duncan as a rookie before dropping off the map as an elite player. In the Spurs first championship season, Robinson was a 16/10 player. Duncan was a 20/10 player. Duncan was the franchise player, and Robinson became a very good role player. He then was a non-factor on the Spurs' 2nd title team. Learn the game, then post.
those guys are an absolute bargain compared to Roy... arguing otherwise is just plain stupid. Dude is probably the hardest to move player in the league right about now. Besides that, Darko at 5M per is halfway attractive good grief... it's probably better if you don't say anything else as you're being ridiculous STOMP
I remember watching that draft and Kobe forced the trade to LA. Said he wouldn't play for Charlotte IIRC.
Completely false. Like 100% false. I'll also point out that Kobe was going to play at Duke, not UNC, and that he never applied for admission into the school. http://www.goduke.com/ViewArticle.dbml?DB_OEM_ID=4200&ATCLID=1153901
HAHAHA! Wait, what? You're being serious? The claim was "Robinson wasn't even that good yet" when they drafted Duncan. My post was perfectly correct. Re-read the posts and think about how ridiculous your post is. You should be ashamed of yourself, even by PapaG standards.
I had always assumed what you assumed about that trade until a Laker fan on another board posted that link. It's very informanative. Kobe was not saint, and Tellem was posturing, but Charlotte wanted to make the deal for Divac. I'm sure that the Lakers knew that they wanted Bryant; they just didn't tell Charlotte who to draft prior to the pick being on the clock.
right, Dean Smith is a liar and has every reason to do so. Good one BGrantliar http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/mu...1003/cbb.celebrity.picks.ncaa/content.12.html STOMP
It wasn't though. You completely left out the 1996-97 season when you posted Robinson's stats. How should my pointing out your obvious omission make me ashamed? Plus, Duncan was the primary player on 3 other NBA title teams. I dunno, seems like you're arguing a point about drafted players that flies in the face of reality. Plus, the Spurs drafted Robinson as well, so it's irrelevant as to which of those two players was the better on the first title team. LOL
He gave a direct quote from Kobe about going to Duke. You provided......what exactly to back up the Dean Smith comment? Your memory? I think it is pretty well known Kobe was considering Duke. Feel free to actually prove that wrong, instead of insisting Dean Smith isn't a liar.
Because....what? My point was that "stupid" deals happen all the time. How about paying 20+ a year for RASHARD LEWIS? Hobbling Roy is still a 15 PER player. I'm sure there's a team willing to take a risk on Roy, especially if he ends up showing something after coming back.
I'm just going by Kobe's own quotes. Nike even made a "Kobe" shoe for Duke's basketball team. No need to call me a liar. I provided an actual quote from an actual interview. He even talks about the players he would have played with at Duke. http://www.myairshoes.com/nike/duke-university-nike-zoom-kobe-iv.html
He played six games (and still averaged 18 / 9 / 1). You claim to be a "stats guy" yet you don't have a clue about statistics. That is why you should be ashamed. My point is that unless we have a once-in-a-decade type talent, then it is highly unlikely that drafting an all-star level talent will get us to the championship (we don't currently have that level of talent). Unless we happen to draft the once-in-a-decade level talent, but that is pretty low probability, and IMO a lower probability than Oden having healthy seasons. (that is how the discussion started)
17.7/8.5 I agree with this. I think the counter-point was that every NBA champion outside of Detroit's title last decade had at least one drafted player as the best, or one of the best, players on the team. What most of those teams have in common is a high draft pick; Portland had a high draft pick in Oden, and unfortunately, is not getting MVP-level production out of the player, even when he is on the court.
feel free to read the SI link I provided above. It's pretty succinct/to the point Dean Smith was on Rome's show in the interview I sited. Marty Blake is still the NBA's director of scouting... since you doubt me you could email him and ask your question directly. His address is marty@martyblake.com STOMP
