Basic Statistics Per 40 Pace Adjusted, both players' last year (Millsap as a junior, Blair a sophmore) Millsap - 15.5 rebounds Blair - 18.0 rebounds Channing Frye - 9.3 That's why I'd love to get Blair. And he did it in one of the toughest conferences and against a guy with a great NBA body (Thabeet). I think he's a very good bet to be a great rebounder in the NBA, and there's the small chance he could turn into some Rodman like rebounding beast.
I wouldn't use Thabeet as exhibit A in defense of Blair's competition; he might be the softest, no motor 7 footer I've ever seen play ball (or at least play ball and be projected as a top 3 pick).
Moreso than Shawn Bradley? I don't agree there. But I'm also not that impressed by Thabeet. I think someone's going to reach on him simply due to height.
oof. Forgot all about him ... anyway I still stand by the claim that Thabeet is going to suck a fat one in the NBA; I remember watching throughout UConn's tournament run and the game where Blair annihilated him and thinking to myself what a crappy center he was going to be at the next level.
soft or not (and I agree, he's very soft), Thabeet is the sort of player that Jay Bilas dreams of. Given that one of the biggest knocks on Blair is his size, it shouldn't be disregarded. The fact that Blair dominated not only other undersized (at the NBA level) players but also physical beasts like Thabeet make me very confident that he could do it against NBA backup PFs in his first year.
of course, that was against inferior competition. blair's rebounding in the big east is much more impressive than millsap's rebounding in the wac.
I don't know about that. Three straight seasons of domination is more impressive to me than a single one. Ed O.
if they were in comparable leagues, yes. but there is no comparison between the big guys blair went up against in the big east and the ones millsap played in the wac.
Both players averaged around 12.5 rpg, Paul did had a 13 rpg year once, but for the most part they had similar rebounds per BUT Blair did it in one of the best conferences in the league, against better talent night in and night out, and always in the spotlight w/ pressure on him to perform.
*shrug* I'm not convinced in the least. Pitt plays plenty of games against cupcakes and he had superior players around him... three years of domination at the national level is more impressive to me than what Blair did. Ed O.
He might play here if we offerered all our cap space to him in a monster deal. But, we won't as that would be stupid. For the modest money he will likely get, he wants to play for either: Detroit A proven contender We are neither. It is just common sense based on McDyess' previous actions and what all those quality old vets do.
Well that matters how open minded you are. Remember Chuck Hayes? The dude is onlyl like 6'5" tall and does a good job in the post defending bigs all the time because he is a nearly immovable object, and he rebounds.
hmm I figured Detroit was out of the picture since they are in needed of blowing everything up almost. So I exluded them. I guess LA maybe.. but I kinda excluded Boston too cause Big Baby has been showing that he will need more time. I guess maybe Cleveland if they dont get Varajao back.
I'm pretty open minded and all, but Chuck doesn't weigh 277 lbs (he came in at 232 at his combine) and isn't known for having poor lateral quickness. He does a great job of moving his feet/shadowing his man and playing physical D. STOMP
