Hey guys, how about this: Name a player who could become a real monster, or potential all star that is yet still relatively unknown to the casual fans. Rule 1: Player must NOT be a Lottory Picks. [Top 13 picks do not qualify] Rule 2: Player must have yet to average more than 10 pts or 6 reb a game. Rule 3: Play must have less than 5 years of NBA experience. Okay! That's it! My Sleeper: Chris Andersen! He blocks shots like crazy [Best Blocks per 48 minutes in the league]. Makes absolutely the MOST of out the minutes he plays. Doesn't have much of an offensive game, but makes up for it at the defensive end. Looks like a Ben Wallace in the making. Hustles hard. Runs well. Long arms. Good hops. Yet, only getting left over minutes in Denver behind a few other big men [Nene, Camby, Elson and also Tskitishvili]. Other Players I considered... Samuel Dalembert, Stanislav Medvedenko, Mehmet Okur, Marko Jaric, Zarko Cabarkapa, Kyle Korver, Speedy Claxton, John Salmons, Ansu Sesay...
I would say Josh Howard too- he's proven that he knows the game and he will be a good player over the years. It surprised me when he dropped to 29 in last year's draft, after he had been the ACC Player of the Year.
Barbosa looks like he could be the next pg in Phoenix so watch out for him, he could be big time. Can't forget Milicic, he hasn't shown anything yet but there has to be a reason he was picked ahead of Carmelo.....there has to......
Wang Zhizhi. Not only is he a monster blocker at 7'1" but he can also knock down 3's like it's nothing.
I'd have to say Swift if he bucks up. He has the potential to be such a great player. However he's not exactly the sleeper type, so I'm going with one of my old college favorites, Juan Dixon.
I dont think some of you read Rule #1 <div class="quote_poster">Quote:</div><div class="quote_post">Rule 1: Player must NOT be a Lottory Picks. [Top 13 picks do not qualify</div> Personally I like Luke Ridnour. I think kid can be something special in the league in a few years. He has an excellent shooting stroke and is a great passer. His only weaknesses are his speed and his strength. Watch out for him in 3-5 years.
<div class="quote_poster">Quoting Magic Johnson:</div><div class="quote_post">However he's not exactly the sleeper type, so I'm going with one of my old college favorites, Juan Dixon.</div> Another possibility is his backcourt teammate Steve Blake
<div class="quote_poster">Quoting BC:</div><div class="quote_post">Another possibility is his backcourt teammate Steve Blake</div> Who is that fellow? I forgot to mention someone myself, the person whom Yang mentioned, that he took into consideration. Claxton, that guy's gonna be big, definitely a starter if not one of the better sixth men which he already is.
Brian Cook! <font color="Blue">This post can be defined as "spam" according to the JustBBall Guidelines. In the future, please give intelligent reasons for your choice. Thanks - dexter</font>
<div class="quote_poster">Quoting Magic Johnson:</div><div class="quote_post">Who is that fellow? I forgot to mention someone myself, the person whom Yang mentioned, that he took into consideration. Claxton, that guy's gonna be big, definitely a starter if not one of the better sixth men which he already is.</div> Steve Blake was Juan Dixon's backcourt partner at Maryland. Blake was the point guard. They actually play together now in Washington... I would say Casey Jacobson...he's got a great shot, he just needs to develop other aspects of his game...
Yo Guys! Remember the 3 rules! You guys keep picking lottory picks. I wouldn't consider them as sleepers, because they're SUPPOSE to, and EXPECTED pan out. Granted, not many do. I think, the best second round pick of recently, was Gilbert Arenas. That's the type of guys I'm looking for. Relatively unknown, yet might become pretty good in a few years.
My sleeper is Mehmet Okur. He averages 9.9 points and 6.7 boards (just a tiny violation of rule #2!). He also averages a block and an assist per game. This is his second season in the NBA, and he recently won the starting job at center from Elden Campbell. And center isn't even his natural position!
<font size="3"><u>All-Sleeper Team</u></font> Guards: <u>Earl Watson</u> (Point Guard, Memphis Grizzlies, Drafted: 40th pick in 2001 by Seattle, acquired via F.A.) - So far this season, Watson is averaging six points, five assists, and a little more than two rebounds in just about twenty minutes a game. When Watson becomes a Free Agent in 2005 you'll be hearing a lot of talk about him. He's not that big of a secret anymore, as most people consider him one of the three best backup point guards in the league. Keep in mind that he is only a third year, twenty-four year old player. It's only a matter of time before he blows up. Right now Watson ranks fourth in assists per 48 minutes and second in steals per 48 minutes. Predicted Future Status: Starting point guard just under All-Star level (ie: Jason Williams, Mike Bibby, and Chauncey Billups) <u>John Salmons</u> (PG/SG/SF, Philadelphia 76ers, Drafted 26th pick in 2002 by San Antonio, acquired via trade) - The thing that makes John Salmons great is his versatility. He can run an offense, handle the ball, play tight defense, and even post up down-low. Salmons isn't the most quick or athletic player on the court, but he more than makes up for it with his ball handling. Salmons is one of those born scorers. If you give him a ball he'll find a way to score. Salmons is now averaging five points, two and a half rebounds, along with one and a half assists in about eighteen minutes a game. He's the league's best kept secret and it's only a matter of time before he hits the big time. He could start as soon as next season. Predicted Future Status: The Next Big Thing; I think he could go as far as being an All-Star if he gets some major playing time in the future. Forwards: <u>Bostjan Nachbar</u> (SF, Houston Rockets, Drafted: 15th pick in 2002 by Houston, acquired via trade) - Nachbar barely qualifies for this thread because he was picked two picks out of the lottery, but I felt I?d mention him because no one else in the media or on JustBBall.Com has. Nachbar?s resemblance to Peja Stojakovic is uncanny to me. Nachbar has the same smooth stroke that Stojakovic has. He?s one of the purest shooters in the NBA. Right now he?s shooting about forty percent from three, and it can only get better since he?s a young twenty-three year old. This season for the Rockets he is averaging three points and one rebound per game in about eleven minutes. Don?t let the lack of playing-time fool you. Nachbar could be starting as early as next season. Predicted Future Status: This one?s hard to call. At worst I see Nachbar starting and making a Mike Miller/Richard Jefferson type impact, and at best I see him having as much success as Peja Stojakovic. Either way, I believe he?s cut out for the NBA. <u>Qyntel Woods</u> (SF, Portland Trailblazers, Drafted: 21st pick in 2002 by Portland, acquired via draft) - This is where the definition of a sleeper almost held me back from adding Qyntel Woods. I almost put Reggie Evans because Woods is a well-known player, however, he doesn?t violate any of the three sleeper rules in this thread. Coming out of Community College some people called him the next Tracy McGrady. However, he hasn?t gotten much time since he?s been drafted by none other than the same team that denied Randolph playing time, Portland. Zach Randolph didn?t get much playing time until his third season in Portland, and that?ll be the case with Qyntel Woods as well. His situation is so similar to Randolph?s it makes you wonder why Portland doesn?t just play these guys from the start. Just like Randolph, Qyntel ripped up the Rocky Mountain Revue two years in a row, including averaging twenty-eight points, six rebounds, and two assists to earn All-Revue Team honors. Right now Woods is barely getting fourteen minutes a game, but is averaging an impressive five points and three rebounds a game. Predicted Future Status: Qyntel will become a Ricky Davis type player. I doubt he?ll achieve All-Star success, but the sky?s the limit for him right now Center: <u>Dan Gadzuric</u> (C, Milwaukee Bucks, Drafted: 54th by Milwaukee, acquired via draft) - Gadzuric is well-known, like Woods, so it was hard for me to pick him over Francisco Elson, but once I looked at his stats he was a shoe-in. This season Gadzuric is only getting eighteen minutes a game despite his popularity and efficiency. When considering sleepers, the first thing you should take a look at is the NBA?s statistical leaders per forty-eight minutes. Gadzuric ranks seventh in rebounds per forty-eight minutes, fourth in blocks per forty-eight minutes, and eighth in efficiency per forty-eight minutes (Over Kidd, Stojakovic, McGrady, etc.), plus he?s shooting fifty-two percent from the field. Predicted Future Status: Gadzuric may need to add some weight, but as soon as he starts he should become a household name. I predict he?ll become a consistent starting Center (valuable trade commodity), not quite on the All-Star level, but above average. Close Calls (In Order): Reggie Evans Francisco Elson Michael Ruffin Curtis Borchardt Ryan Humphrey Rookies (In Order): David West Udonnis Haslem Maurice Williams Keith Bogans The Future: <u>Jabahri Brown</u> (PF/C, Oklahoma University, Drafted: N/A) Jabahri Brown is still in college, but he is projected to be drafted anywhere from the middle of the second round to not drafted at all. However, I feel Jabahri Brown (a Virgin Islands native) is just as talented as Emeka Okafor. Brown will likely league hop or bench around before he ever gets a big break, but once he does get a chance at some playing time he will produce and make a name for himself. Predicted Future Status: This one is up in the air right now since he?s in college. At worst I see him becoming a benchwarmer hopping around the league, but at best I see him as a consistent Joe Smith type starter. *When I made this list I did not include rookies. Instead I put them into their own sub-category, because I feel that most players get benched their rookie years because they are rookies. Lottery picks are the only players who generally play their first years, and they were excluded from this list. Calling a player a sleeper when he's a rookie is a little rediculous because everyone knows rookie's stats improve their second year. *I left off the obvious players, like Luke Ridnour, Mehmet Okur, and Steve Blake. They've all made names for themselves already. Everyone sees them coming.
<div class="quote_poster">Quoting Phreeze:</div><div class="quote_post">Brian Cook!</div> This is who I am going with. Brian Cook, he has shown that he could show signs of being a real successful player in the future. If he can log in the big minutes, with a starting position somewhere down the line, he is a double double type player IMO.
<div class="quote_poster">Quoting dexter:</div><div class="quote_post">Personally I like Luke Ridnour. I think kid can be something special in the league in a few years. He has an excellent shooting stroke and is a great passer. His only weaknesses are his speed and his strength. Watch out for him in 3-5 years.</div> Wave and I were talking about this earlier and I chose Ridnour as well. Dex, how many games have you seen him play? He isn't slow at all! Yeah he needs to improve his strength, and right now a lot of his point come because people dont take him seriously. He needs to work on hitting blocked shots.
I have a problem with the selections of Cook and Ridnour. They are getting playing-time and they are producing. Ridnour was one pick outside the lottery this season and will likely start next season. So, he's far from a sleeper. Cook could be considered a sleeper if he had a few more years under his belt, but he's just dealing with the rookie playing time constrictions.
Raul Lopez. He's quickly turned into the Jazz's 6th man coming of a season where he was injured for all of it. It's effectively his rookie season, and he's producing in limited minutes and proven he can start.
Great job Wave - you broke it down very well. There are a lot of guys I like, but I'll just name a few for now...a lot of Jazz in this mix... Alexander Pavlovic - UTAH Raja Bell (10.4 pts.) - UTAH *if his average dips below 10 ppg for the season??? Raul Lopez - UTAH Luke Ridnour - SEA John Salmons - PHI Brian Cook - LAL Udonis Haslem - MIA Bostjan Nachbar - HOU Josh Howard - DAL Keith Bogans - ORL Earl Watson - MEM Sam Dalembert - PHI Chris Anderson - DEN
