Let's not talk about Wade and Miami unless Wade and Miami are the most mentally weak players if Miami being a player makes sense.
Obviously all NBA players are mentally strong to a certain degree if they are in the league. You can't be mentally weak and make it to the NBA while playing in front of thousands of fans on a given night. However, some players make it blatantly obvious that the pressure has gotten into thier head. My list: Raja Bell If you lack composure to the point that you end up clotheslining the star player of the opposite team in a crucial playoff game for seemingly no reason (I don't remember what happened the play before but I'm sure it didn't warrant an obvious clothesline), then you are having mental lapses where you put your own revenge issues ahead of the team's best interests. Also, I would say players like Kwame Brown, Hoffa...players who have mental lapses, even when it's garbage time. I think Kwame Brown is definetly improving (although having butterfingers is still the most annoying thing), but Hoffa has long ways to go.
Ok sorry about that Kobe part, it was really just for og15 to prove my point about what he brought up. Apologies to all, forget I ever said it.
<div class="quote_poster">Quoting Heat4Life:</div><div class="quote_post">Ok sorry about that Kobe part, it was really just for og15 to prove my point about what he brought up. Apologies to all, forget I ever said it.</div> Ok no problem. Props to you.
I would say Kwame Brown. He could not live with Jordan's "training". I would also say Dirk. He's overrated and chokessssssssssssssssssss.
<div class="quote_poster">Quoting asiandotkom:</div><div class="quote_post">I would say Kwame Brown. He could not live with Jordan's "training". I would also say Dirk. He's overrated and chokessssssssssssssssssss.</div> There is a reason that Kwame couldn't rely on Jordan's training, a very valid one. When Kwame was a boy, his father used to beat the living sh*t out of his mother, and occasionally him. His father always down-talked him, and his brothers. His brothers are felons in prison. He's the only person in that family that made something of himself. When he was drafted, he looked up to Jordan as the father figure he never had. He wanted Jordan to enlighten him, train him, teach him some skills, teach him how to win in key moments. He wanted Jordan to basically be his father, but what did Jordan do? Jordan expected him to be the franchise savior and an all-star from day 1. When Kwame would mess up in a game, Jordan would have Doug Collins yank him out of the game and sit him for about 20 mins. He was never given the chance to correct his wrongs on the court. One mistake and he was done. In practices, Jordan would hit him, call him a ******, call him a p*ssy, basically, Jordan treated him like a sewer rat. If you want an honest definiton, Jordan treated him how white people used to treat black people, how egyptians used to treat Jews, how Nazi's treated Jews. Jordan treated Kwame as less than human. This was not the father figure that Kwame was expecting, that Kwame wanted. This may seem like a big ol' sap story to you, but for Kwame, this was just as crushing as his father treated him. Jordan didn't live up to that father figure that Kwame wanted, that Kwame needed. It completely crushed his confidence in Washington. Kwame is building that confidence back up in L.A., because Kobe, Phil, and Ronnie Turiaf have all taken Kwame under their wings and are building him, brick by brick. This is no excuse for his disappointing play, but it is the story behind it.
Kwame brought part of it on himself, remeber when he was playing him and told Jordan you reach I teach after he scored on him. You just don't do that. Also he really was just trying to make him good, it all depends on the type of player, for example, he did similar things with Pippen and it worked the opposite way. Similarly if he did it to a guy like Kobe it would also work positively. Vince needed a guy to do that to him.
Mike Dunleavy Jr. I've never seen a solid free throw shooter airball a free throw on more than one occassion and miss some easy wide open 20 footers. They're not even close most of the time hitting either wide right or left or back/front iron.
<div class="quote_poster">Quoting TheBlackMamba:</div><div class="quote_post">There is a reason that Kwame couldn't rely on Jordan's training, a very valid one. When Kwame was a boy, his father used to beat the living sh*t out of his mother, and occasionally him. His father always down-talked him, and his brothers. His brothers are felons in prison. He's the only person in that family that made something of himself. When he was drafted, he looked up to Jordan as the father figure he never had. He wanted Jordan to enlighten him, train him, teach him some skills, teach him how to win in key moments. He wanted Jordan to basically be his father, but what did Jordan do? Jordan expected him to be the franchise savior and an all-star from day 1. When Kwame would mess up in a game, Jordan would have Doug Collins yank him out of the game and sit him for about 20 mins. He was never given the chance to correct his wrongs on the court. One mistake and he was done. In practices, Jordan would hit him, call him a ******, call him a p*ssy, basically, Jordan treated him like a sewer rat. If you want an honest definiton, Jordan treated him how white people used to treat black people, how egyptians used to treat Jews, how Nazi's treated Jews. Jordan treated Kwame as less than human. This was not the father figure that Kwame was expecting, that Kwame wanted. This may seem like a big ol' sap story to you, but for Kwame, this was just as crushing as his father treated him. Jordan didn't live up to that father figure that Kwame wanted, that Kwame needed. It completely crushed his confidence in Washington. Kwame is building that confidence back up in L.A., because Kobe, Phil, and Ronnie Turiaf have all taken Kwame under their wings and are building him, brick by brick. This is no excuse for his disappointing play, but it is the story behind it.</div> Man, you really embellished that story. I mean, I know Kwame had a tough childhood and Jordan's method of motivation didn't work with him. But those few sentences were pretty ridiculous.
Over-exaggeration (sp)? Probably. But Jordan did treat him less than human when Kwame turned out to be a player who needed work, not a player who could impact right away, Jordan lost it. Jordan would physically abuse him in practices, mentally abuse him, verbally abuse him. You just don't do that to the first kid selected #1 right out of HS, you don't do that to any rookie, you don't do that to any human being.
<div class="quote_poster">Quote:</div><div class="quote_post">Over-exaggeration (sp)? Probably. But Jordan did treat him less than human when Kwame turned out to be a player who needed work, not a player who could impact right away, Jordan lost it. Jordan would physically abuse him in practices, mentally abuse him, verbally abuse him. You just don't do that to the first kid selected #1 right out of HS, you don't do that to any rookie, you don't do that to any human being. </div> Any link to where you got the physical abuse part from? I know Jordan has a case of demanding the best out of everyone around him but honestly, if your confidence is crushed because the main player on your team wants you to live up to your potential, you're obviously mentally weak in the first place. Yes, I sympathize with the fact that Jordan should not have made it media knowledge about calling him a ***** and all that, but Kwame should have looked at it as a challenge as opposed to a verbal bashing to the point that it would alter his game because he was so 'mentally abused'. It's the NBA for god's sake! If you can make it that far, then you're obviously good, you just have to prove yourself. And if he idolized Jordan growing up (which he did, I remember watching a mini-documentary on Kwame in 2001), he should have known that Jordan is a fierce competitor and will challenge, harrass and demand the best out of you because he gives it his all when he plays. I mean, if he could punch one of his experienced Bulls teammates, then it is obvious that he demands a lot out of his teammates. And being a Jordan fan, Kwame didn't expect that? When everyone though Kwame had potential to be a great star (including Jordan), there's a reason they thought so. I'm sure Lebron James, Kobe Bryant, Kevin Garnett, Tracy Mcgrady were all harrased and ridiculed when they first set foot in the league. I know Kobe was...people blamed his parents, his morals. And when he failed (3 airballs game), people laughed at him and convinced themselves they were right about the guy being too young to be in this league. I know Tracy Mcgrady went through similar circumstances in his Toronto days when Darell Walker said that he doesn't have the will, the determination to not only NOT be a star, but let alone a player in this league. That's the kind of **** NBA rookies recieve, especially ones that come straight from High School. Can you imagine having your own coach saying you can't make it in this league?? But Tracy used it as fuel, as motivation to suceed and excel. Kwame, on the other hand, kept playing true to Jordan's words and made him look right about everything he said with his piss-poor play. From "The Jordan Rules"; <div class="quote_poster">Quote:</div><div class="quote_post">"I looked over and saw Horace [Grant] and Scottie [Pippen] screwing around, joking and messing up," Jordan told an acquaintance later. "They've got the talent, but they don't take it seriously. And the rookies were together, as usual. They've got no idea what it's all about. The white guys [John Paxson and Ed Nealy], they work hard, but they don't have the talent. And the rest of them? Who knows what to expect? They're not good for much of anything." </div> The fact that he treated Kwame more then just a "regular rookie" and had high standards and expectations towards him doesn't make Jordan wrong. Kwame was the #1 draft pick...if he was too weak to handle NBA guys, then he shouldn't have declared himself eligible in the first place. There is a reason why college is reccomended to basketball recruits.
<div class="quote_poster">Quoting Franchise4Ever:</div><div class="quote_post"><u>HEAT4LIFE</u> Ugh....the bias shown here is so sickening......Wade is in his like 4th year this coming season and won 1 championship. Meanwhile Kobe is coming in his 11th year with 3 championships. Another thing is looking at the bench and Shaq situation. You're giving Wade more credit than he is worth. Shaq and Zo played a big part in that Heat title(as well as Shaq in LA) so don't act like Wade is single handedly bringing Miami to the face of the map. Also I don't want to sound like a hater but the refs in that series was obviously pulling it for Miami, especially in Game 6.</div> I agree.....omg...i'm agreeing with a laker fan...
<div class="quote_poster">Quoting Casual:</div><div class="quote_post">Jason McElwain. ...I'm going to hell. </div> lol
<div class="quote_poster">Quoting Junoon:</div><div class="quote_post">Any link to where you got the physical abuse part from? I know Jordan has a case of demanding the best out of everyone around him but honestly, if your confidence is crushed because the main player on your team wants you to live up to your potential, you're obviously mentally weak in the first place. </div> Back when I was living in D.C., Comcast aired a biography on Kwame Brown. I just thought the kid was a p*ssy until I saw it.
peja stojakovic, when's the last time this guy showed up in a big game? and not on the inactive list...=P
arenas is weak? ya and so is superman stop overrating wade, i dont see him as a top 5 player yet or ever. once shaq leaves, we will see the true wade and starbury should be in a championship game? ive seen him play he doesnt seem that great, i thought he sucked. just an above average player, almost a star
