Blake isn't a bust either, but I get kind of tired of people playing the Rodney Dangerfield card with him -- much as many people do with other under athletic white guys who were great college players but so-so pros ... and yes, if both of these guys were black I firmly believe we wouldn't hear one word about how "hard" they work, or how under-appreciated they are. Otherwise they'd be essentially equivalent to guys like Earl Watson or Hakim Warrick; solid but unspectacular pros.
How can Blake be a bust? He was taken in the 2nd round, right? Can't imagine how someone could be a 2nd round pick and considered a bust. Say what you want about Blake - he is a hard worker and he was a starter on two decent NBA playoff teams in a 6 year career. That's not bad at all. When you realize that he was very successful at the College level and high-school level - it is clear that some people do not realize that he is better than most think of him. Is he a star? No. Is he as awful as people think of him - not even close. He is more than a 3pt shooter that is labeled a PG - because he can handle the ball and his AST% is decent for a PG. Not star like - but he is clearly a PG at the NBA level. We are lucky we have him, to be honest. I wish more people would realize it. For the record - I am guilty of the same thing - I honestly thought very little of him in his first stint in Portland and the start of his 2nd stint. He is a better player than what I thought.
I was not accusing you of anything. I was agreeing with you said... you specifically said that he was not a bust - I just wanted to point that I find it absurd for anyone to even consider him a bust candidate - because he was taken in the 2nd round... I just went on rambling because this is a thread about Blake, in general.
Never mind that I have seen a ton of players be successful in the lower eschelons of basketball and not do diddly when they got to the NBA. Blake hasn't quite done "diddly", but he hasn't exactly shined either.
I think it's more than just not translating, it's that any record-worthy PG leaves for the pro's long before amassing those totals. A great college assister is like a collegiate gymnast ... not good enough to make the cut early.
