Rookie Rankings: Warriors’ Randolph a Hall of Famer?

Custodianrules2 · Feb 27, 2009

http://sports.yahoo.com/nba/news;_y...ookierank-nba-20090225&prov=nba_com&type=lgns

Lakers forward Lamar Odom is known for saying some nutty things. I recently asked him to describe his role on the team and his response was, “rock star.”

So what do we make of it when Odom says, after seeing Warriors rookie Anthony Randolph hang 14 points, 12 rebounds and two blocks on L.A., that the 19-year-old could make it to the Hall of Fame some day?

Randolph, the No. 14 pick in the 2008 Draft, has never scored 20 points in an NBA game, never dished out more than three assists, never even played 30 minutes. Was Odom’s statement prescient or preposterous?

The hybrid forward is averaging 6.1 points and 4.3 rebounds in just 13.4 minutes per game this season. Before he’s worried about opening the doors to Springfield, he just wants to be able to find an opening in coach Don Nelson’s rotation.

Line of the Week
Russell Westbrook (OKC)
Feb. 21 at GSW
31 pts, 5 reb, 11 ast, 1 stl
13-24 FG, 5-6 FT

“I just need to keep working hard and if I do get in the game, just do the things to keep me on the floor and don’t make silly mistakes and turnovers,” Randolph said.

Randolph says he looks to Odom, Kevin Garnett, Amar’e Stoudemire and Tayshaun Prince to model his game after, giving him a venerable potpourri of offensive and defensive—as well as big man and swingman—skills to try and steal for his own.

“The game is starting to slow down a little bit more to me, I’m starting to feel a little bit more comfortable out there,” Randolph said after scoring eight points against the Clippers in just 14 minutes on Monday. Questioned for his aggressive demeanor that bubbled over into asinine plays in the past, the 6-10, 210-pounder (who I wrote was as skinny as Pete Wentz’s jeans back during summer league) was certainly in the mix Monday as he readily leaped into rebounding scrum after rebounding scrum, but he wasn’t out of control.

“I’m not rushing things as much as I was. I’m starting to make more positive plays instead of negative plays.”

He appears to have turned the corner in Nelson’s book, as he’s played 10 minutes or more in all six games he’s played in February—the longest stretch of his career with that many double-digit minute totals.

Then again, his coach is the same Nellie who started DeMarcus Nelson at point guard at the beginning of the season (now Nelson is in the D-League) and who rode undrafted rookie Anthony Morrow to 62 points in consecutive games in November (now Morrow is coming off a stretch of three straight DNP-CDs).

“We all understand that’s just a part of it,” Randolph said. “This is a league where you have to pay your dues.”

He’ll pay his dues and we’ll pay attention to see if Mr. Odom is full of malarkey or not.

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If I saw a player that played like me I'd think hall of famer too.

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Rookie Rankings: Warriors’ Randolph a Hall of Famer?

Custodianrules2 Cohan + Rowell = Suck

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Custodianrules2 Cohan + Rowell = Suck

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