I'd have to do some research on that one I guess for me it's like no hitters in baseball. For a while it was very rare that we saw any, but now we see them with much more frequency because pitchers are more athletic than they were. At some point this will happen with American white centers. Until it does, however, I will go on thinking none of them are worth a lottery pick.
There are many black American centers who are very good, so I don't see how it can be tied to a country. There are many foreign white centers who are very good, so I don't see how it can be tied to color. Perhaps because there are so few good centers at all, the stats are more likely to have some idiosyncrasies.
Maybe it's the fact that there aren't as many white centers? maybe that's why i think all of them fail? If there were more, maybe the % would be different?
In any event...every day that goes by the Kaman isn't signed by the Pacers, increases the already high likelihood that they will match on Hibbert.
Come on MM, at least give the kid through the summer league before you start raking him over the coal. Ya also might think to ask your Dr. if dosage is correct. After Portland’s 11th pick in the 2012 NBA draft, an on sight camera crew caught Mediocre Man offering his opinion of the choice to a casual bystander: [video]http://static.fjcdn.com/pictures/Little_7b95cb_1128240.gif[/video]
The Knicks should've never signed Jeremy Lin because stats back up Asians can't play PG. NFL teams shouldn't draft black QB's because most of the successful ones are white. Baseball should've never let Jackie Robinson play a game because there had never been successful black players in MLB. Eminem should never have been signed to a music label because whites can’t rap. Or maybe you’re writing like a bigot and should judge people by their performance instead of their race.
simply put, the percentage of black center failures is likely statistically similar to the percentage of white center failures, or negligible and easily attributed to random noise
You think he won't do well simply because of the color of his skin. Nothing related to anything basketball related such as size or athletisism, AND you don't see how that is racist? SlyPokerDog is a moron.
I think the part of the argument that is confusing to me, is that the reason white centers don't succeed is that their athleticism falls short of their black counterparts. That isn't the case with Leonard. I'm not just talking his running/jumping pre-draft measurments (which I haven't looked at). Watching him in game action he can run, jump, block and has lateral quickness and fluidity on a very similar level to Tyson Chandler. I don't think he has the "mean" streak that Tyson has, but on a pure athletic basis he'll be upper tier in the league. Not sure if he pans out or not, but if he doesn't it won't be because he's a big white stiff.
Personal attacks aside (Mods, please handle this) It's my opinion, based on what I have seen in the NBA since 1972 that it's unlikely an American born center who happens to be white, that is picked in the lottery will not succeed. That is not to say all black centers are good, nor is it to say all Euro centers are good. It simply means, in my experience, all American born white centers picked in the lottery are below average, or average at best. I hope and pray Leonard is the guy that proves me wrong.
You are quick with the insults, but who am I missing? Kaman and Hawes are both average centers at best, and they are the best of the bunch.
Leonard seems to have great athleticism, so like I said, I hope I am dead wrong. I hope Leonard is like my analogy with pitchers. Hopefully his athleticism makes him on a level playing field.
Boy... I am with Sinobas here (without the namecalling). JwHoops (good to see you by the way) makes a pretty astute point also. I didn't know that race/birthplace was the litmus test of good NBA centers. If I were to use that philosophy in my hiring practices I would be sued 10 times over. But... no... that's not racist at all.
Jesus, everyone is so quick to pull the race/racist card. Give it a rest. You all are probably the first ones to laugh at comedians pulling the typical racist jokes out of his bag. Ease up people. Ease up.
