<div class="quote_poster">Quote:</div><div class="quote_post">Houston Chronicle - Steve Francis has been working out with John Lucas this summer, as he attempts to revitalize his career. "He's different, different, different," said Lucas. "He's changed. I've seen the maturity click in. I've seen a different passion for basketball. He's not a young colt learning his way anymore. These next four years will be the prime years of his basketball career. "Steve is as gifted an athlete as LeBron (James) or Kobe (Bryant), any of them," Lucas said. "Every year he doesn't make the All-Star Game is an embarrassment. We're trying to get him to slow down and see the game. I've really challenged him in front of his peers. He never answered back. He did the work. Normally, it would have been, 'I don't have to hear this (stuff) from Luke.' Now, he's just worked hard to put it all together."</div> Source
<div class="quote_poster">Quote:</div><div class="quote_post">Isiah Thomas to the Houston Chronicle on Steve Francis: ?My whole goal is to get him back to the point (when) he was an All-Star. He was one of the top 10 players in this league. I don?t see any reason he can?t get back there.? Isiah?s right, but doesn?t it seem like a lifetime ago when Stevie Franchise truly was one of the best players in the L?</div> http://dimemag.com/smack.asp Francis was never a Top 10 player in the league
it doesent matter what hes ranked..in my eyes hes a superstar taht wanted to get out of a team and into a superstar filled team with loads of potential to turn it into a great and sucsesfull team
<div class="quote_poster">Quoting og15:</div><div class="quote_post">http://dimemag.com/smack.asp Francis was never a Top 10 player in the league </div> You stupid if you think he never was cuz I can't name 10 players now who have a 100% chance of beatin him 1 on 1. Nobody even bron bron. He's top in handles, dunks, speed, jumpers. Come on now his team play is questionable but never his overall game. Whoever said that is stupid.
ur right except the jumper part..name one person besides AI that is quicker than him(excluding the short people like speedy claxton)
Suprising to hear from John Lucas. I've never considered him as a top 10 player either in the past, nor would I see him as a top 10 player in the future. Not with the Knicks anyway, he won't be able to control the game with a whole lot of players wanting the ball.
<div class="quote_poster">Quoting Franchise73187:</div><div class="quote_post">You stupid if you think he never was cuz I can't name 10 players now who have a 100% chance of beatin him 1 on 1. Nobody even bron bron. He's top in handles, dunks, speed, jumpers. Come on now his team play is questionable but never his overall game. Whoever said that is stupid.</div> Playing in the NBA isn't 1 on 1 though. It's a team game and sure maybe he's top 10 1 on 1 but when it comes to playing with a team he's not even top 15. Also, AI can beat him 1 on 1. He's tougher, has just as good handles, and is faster. Bron also could beat Francis, he has the height advantage and is WAY stronger than him. Think before you call people stupid.
<div class="quote_poster">Quoting Franchise73187:</div><div class="quote_post">You stupid if you think he never was cuz I can't name 10 players now who have a 100% chance of beatin him 1 on 1. Nobody even bron bron. He's top in handles, dunks, speed, jumpers. Come on now his team play is questionable but never his overall game. Whoever said that is stupid.</div> You're trying to call a player a Top 10 player in the league, and you refer to his one on one abilities? Please come back to me with a better argument, or simply tell me and the world the year that Francis was a Top 10 player in the league. <div class="quote_poster">Quote:</div><div class="quote_post">ur right except the jumper part..name one person besides AI that is quicker than him(excluding the short people like speedy claxton)</div> Iverson isn't really "tall" himself. Iverson is only 6'0, Claxton is 5'10. Dwyane Wade could argue that quickness, he's amazing with his change of direction. Some that can challenge or beat his quickness are TJ Ford, Tony Parker, non injured Baron Davis, Leandro Barbosa, Arenas blah blah...
John Lucas has made a positive influence on a lot of problematic players, and I'm glad Steve Francis is working out with him. Last season was rock bottom for Francis. He went from being considered a top talent, to an unwanted, overpaid cancer. So far we've heard both Marbury and Francis have matured in just a few months and are ready to get back to being All-Star caliber players. I'll believe it when I see it.
<div class="quote_poster">Quoting azn_iverson:</div><div class="quote_post">Playing in the NBA isn't 1 on 1 though. It's a team game and sure maybe he's top 10 1 on 1 but when it comes to playing with a team he's not even top 15. Also, AI can beat him 1 on 1. He's tougher, has just as good handles, and is faster. Bron also could beat Francis, he has the height advantage and is WAY stronger than him. Think before you call people stupid.</div> I don't wanna hear what u think because u can't say AI will beat him one on one just becuase he's faster...AI has no chance of stoppin francis in the pain and Bron all he has is the strength. His height doesn't hurt francis just on francis defende. On offence how is he gonna keep up with francis. You can't make a just statement like that thats like saying jordan will been dr.J because he's faster. Think before u jump into a commen.t
<div class="quote_poster">Quoting Franchise73187:</div><div class="quote_post">You stupid if you think he never was cuz I can't name 10 players now who have a 100% chance of beatin him 1 on 1.</div> This is a total non sequitur. Who cares about one-on-one? We're talking about best NBA basketball players, right? Last time I checked, NBA basketball was played 5-on-5. And even if one accepted your ridiculous premise, how does it make any sense to say 10 players have to beat him 100% of the time one-on-one for him to be excluded from the top 10? What if there are 10 players who can all beat him 60% of the time ... doesn't that make them better than him?
<div class="quote_poster">Quoting durvasa:</div><div class="quote_post">This is a total non sequitur. Who cares about one-on-one? We're talking about best NBA basketball players, right? Last time I checked, NBA basketball was played 5-on-5. And even if one accepted your ridiculous premise, how does it make any sense to say 10 players have to beat him 100% of the time one-on-one for him to be excluded from the top 10? What if there are 10 players who can all beat him 60% of the time ... doesn't that make them better than him?</div> You, og, and the rest of you guys pretty much took the words out my mouth. Although I do think Francis could have been considered a Top-10 player during his Rocket days. He led the team in scoring, rebounding, and assists, and steals I think. Pretty impressive. Even if he wasn't considered a "Top 10" player back then, his name was undoubtedly amongst the NBA's elite All-Star caliber players. About John Lucas: like Shape and hustler said, I'll believe it when I see it. While Francis might be considered immautre, a cancer, and all that other jazz, he has always wanted to win. Last year coming to the Knicks at midseason--in the midst of a mess--Francis couldn't get chemistry with anyone, especially after Larry Brown's inconsistencies. This year will be pivotal for not only Francis, but Marbury, Curry, and the rest of the players on the team trying to revitalize their careers.
so I guess the MVP OF THE LEAGUE last year is one of the worst players in the NBA because I dont know many guys that he could beat one on one(if any)...he cant D for nothinggg. One on one isnt much in the NBA...they rotate with weakside defense so much in the league, that its the players who can beat 2 or 3 players that are the best....not just one on one
<div class="quote_poster">Quoting og15:</div><div class="quote_post">http://dimemag.com/smack.asp Francis was never a Top 10 player in the league </div> I wouldn't say top ten but he wasn't no chump either. Like Mr. J said, he was leading the Rockets in a lot of categories. He has all the potential in the world and is an All Star calibur player so its good to hear this. What scares me is all this hype surrounding the Knicks has got me thinking that they are actually going to be good this season.
The only hype the Knicks are getting is from people close to Marbury and Francis, no one smart thinks we have a shot this year.
