Patience Should Payoff for Villanueva

<div class="quote_poster">Quote:</div><div class="quote_post">"I grew up a lot," Villanueva said following a workout for the Charlotte Bobcats on Thursday. "That first year going in (to Connecticut), I was a McDonald's All-American and all that, and I assumed I could go into any program and play right away."

Instead, he spent his freshman season as a backup on the team that Emeka Okafor and Ben Gordon led to the 2004 title. Okafor and Gordon went on to the NBA, finishing 1-2 in rookie of the year balloting this season.

"I learned nothing is given to you playing under coach (Jim) Calhoun," Villanueva said. "He demands the best from you. He expects that every minute, and that's how I learned."

Bobcats coach-general manager Bernie Bickerstaff agrees. He says Villanueva (listed at 6-11 but probably closer to 6-9) is versatile enough now to play all frontcourt positions in the NBA. Based on teams auditioning him, he'll be drafted top-15, about 15 spots higher than he would have out of high school.

"He probably could have gone to a lot of places where he'd get away with a lot of things," Bickerstaff said. "But at Connecticut, he knew the expectations. When you first watched him at Connecticut, he was kind of selfish. And now you see the progress -- his skills are more defined."</div>

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This guy might have a ton of upside however if I am a GM, I would not draft this guy. Everything I have heard about him in the news always questions his work ethic, his laziness on defense and how he is a "cancer" in the locker room. I don't care if you have atheticism, potential, or talent, if you are a "cancer" to your team by your selfishness and work ethic then I do not want you on my team. Needless to say