...tryed to make the jump from high school to pro and failed. I'm writing a paper about the league's age limit issue and I can't think of any examples. Have any of these players been cut their rookie year or not resigned when their contract expired because they didn't meet expectations?
Thanks, that will work for now because it's only the first draft and I can just use one example. If anyone else can think of any other players please post their names and experiences, it would help me out greatly.
Thanks Trip, that helps loads. I was struggling to find names anywhere about these type of players because they don't get the same attention the media give players like Kwame Brown who just take long to develop.
example look at Butler the guy the knicks just signed....he was headed to Tenesee when his agent convinced him to enter the 2004 draft... he went undrafted and went to the CBA....
Ousmane Cisse is one that I can think of. He went to a small private school in Montgomery, AL but he was really from overseas. I think he came over in an exchange student program and then a family over here adopted him. Some way he was then convinced to enter the draft after playing against 1A Alabama talent, he was drafted by the Nuggets in the second round in 2001 (I think) and he has played in a few summer leagues and I think he may have been to a few teams training camps. He has an interesting story, I wish I could remember where I read the article about him, but it would be good for your paper.
<div class="quote_poster">Quoting Trip:</div><div class="quote_post">No problem. May I ask you what it's for? Around The Forum or Writing Team, I'd hope? </div> Haha. I wouldn't mind joining the Writing Team because next year I'm changing my major to journalism. To answer your question though, its for my college english class. *Edit* I almost forgot to thank everyone else for their input too, thanks guys. Spark - Thanks, that sounds like it will fit just right with my paper.
On the Cavaliers, theres Diop. Drafted straight outta high school, Oak Hill Academy, and hasn't really shown anything despite getting playing time.
You guys forgot Ronnie Fields, one of the greatest highschool dunkers ever. He played for Farragut academy(KG's high school). He has a 48 inch vertical and was know as the King of Hops. KG and Fields was one of the top tandems in Chicago High School Basketball History. His senior season stats boasted 32.4 points, 12.2 rebounds, 5.1 assists, 4.5 blocked shots, four steals and 4.5 dunks. Fields had commited to DePaul but when his grades started to decrease rapidly he had to enter the draft. He got into a car crash and was seriously injured. He is currently in the USBL, and appears way beyond his age. photo of him two years ago:
There's a lot of players who have failed making the jump from Highschool to the Pros. Busts Korleone Young Omar Cooke Leon Smith Ousmane Cisse James Lang Struggling Pros Darius Miles Kwame Brown Sagana Diop Ndubi Ebi Kendrick Perkins Travis Outlaw Robert Swift Deshawn Stevenson Jonathan Bender Also keep in mind the age limit really impacts foreign players as well. And a lot of players coming out of high school have gone undrafted like Taj McDavid and Ellis Richardson. Out of curiosity, are you for or against the Age Limt?
<div class="quote_poster">Quoting shapecity:</div><div class="quote_post">There's a lot of players who have failed making the jump from Highschool to the Pros. Busts Korleone Young Omar Cooke Leon Smith Ousmane Cisse James Lang Struggling Pros Darius Miles Kwame Brown Sagana Diop Ndubi Ebi Kendrick Perkins Travis Outlaw Robert Swift Deshawn Stevenson Jonathan Bender Also keep in mind the age limit really impacts foreign players as well. And a lot of players coming out of high school have gone undrafted like Taj McDavid and Ellis Richardson. Out of curiosity, are you for or against the Age Limt?</div> cmon lets not turn this into a discussion about the age limit....there is already a thread for it (started by yours truly) .....go for the thread here
my comment <div class="quote_poster">Quoting shapecity:</div><div class="quote_post">^^ He just wanted names of players for his paper. No one is discussing the pro or anti age limit.</div> my comment was to your wuestion to him about the age limit ....
<div class="quote_poster">Quoting shapecity:</div><div class="quote_post">There's a lot of players who have failed making the jump from Highschool to the Pros. Busts Korleone Young Omar Cooke Leon Smith Ousmane Cisse James Lang Struggling Pros Darius Miles Kwame Brown Sagana Diop Ndubi Ebi Kendrick Perkins Travis Outlaw Robert Swift Deshawn Stevenson Jonathan Bender Also keep in mind the age limit really impacts foreign players as well. And a lot of players coming out of high school have gone undrafted like Taj McDavid and Ellis Richardson. Out of curiosity, are you for or against the Age Limt?</div> I thought Darius Miles was doing fine in Portland, I think him and Kwame are fine right now, Kwame isn't injured anymore, and is looking to improve on last season's numbers as the year goes on, and Miles is chilling. Robert Swift is a rookie, so I wouldn't put him as struggling. The rest yea, Bender though has the talent, but has something wrong with his knees, I really don't know when he's going to play.
<div class="quote_poster">Quoting og15:</div><div class="quote_post">I thought Darius Miles was doing fine in Portland, I think him and Kwame are fine right now, Kwame isn't injured anymore, and is looking to improve on last season's numbers as the year goes on, and Miles is chilling. Robert Swift is a rookie, so I wouldn't put him as struggling. The rest yea, Bender though has the talent, but has something wrong with his knees, I really don't know when he's going to play.</div>Miles was playing well before he signed that contract extension. This year he is definitely struggling and hasn't really improved his game since he's come in the league. He's not terrible, but I expected more from him and I was hoping he would have developed a jump shot by now. This is his 5th season in the league and his best offensive move is dunking. Kwame is struggling because he can't stay healthy. I put Kwame, Swift, Miles, Stevenson, and the other guys under struggling, because I don't think any of them have met expectations for one reason or another. A player like Kwame being selected #1 is expected to be a franchise player you can build around. Unfortunately, he has not had the opportunity to develop into that type of player yet because of injuries.
Kwame has been pretty healthy his whole career. I wouldn't say he is struggling. He had a foot injury, that is a serious thing for a big man, but one foot injury doesn't classify you as struggling, just an unlucky break because (a) It is his contract year and ( he worked so hard in the offseason to improve his offensive game outside of the post.
<div class="quote_poster">Quoting Kobe 8 Ball:</div><div class="quote_post">Kwame has been pretty healthy his whole career. I wouldn't say he is struggling. He had a foot injury, that is a serious thing for a big man, but one foot injury doesn't classify you as struggling, just an unlucky break because (a) It is his contract year and ( he worked so hard in the offseason to improve his offensive game outside of the post.</div>But wouldn't you agree he has not produced the way a #1 pick is projected to? In comparison to other High School big men, I would definitely consider Kwame a bust. Just take a look at the 3rd season as a pro comparisons to the likes of KG or Amare. Kwame - 10.7 PPG 7.4 RPG .7 BPG KG - 18.5 PPG 9.6 RPG 1.8 BPG Amare - 26 PPG 8.5 RPG 1.6 BPG Right now I would consider him a late bloomer, and hopefully he turns out to be another Jermaine O'neal. But until he can put up better numbers and be more consistent I consider Kwame to be struggling thus far in his career.
