<div class="quote_poster">Quote:</div><div class="quote_post">A statistician who employs Moneyball-like analysis to the NBA says Nets fans should prepare to be disappointed with Antoine Wright. In his analysis, Wright is one of the more efficient scorers in the 2005 draft class, but also one of the poorest ball handlers and not very good under pressure. The statistician used the draft choices' college performance and history to make his determinations.</div> www.netsdaily.com
Waayy too early to make an assumption like that. You can't analyze basketball merely from the stats, because, as we know, players have bombed or excelled the odds were against them.
I think that he will learn. I personally believe that ball handling is the easiest thing to teach; all it takes is a lot of practice, but that practice can often be lots of fun. As for playing under pressure, that is one of Wright's weaknesses. We saw how miserably he played in the preseason; it was mainly due to him not being able to handle the pressure very well. This will be a lot tougher to teach him, but he should be able to adjust. Like Chutney said, it is very early say that Wright is bust or not.
Wright isn't playing as expected, but it is much too early to label him or any other rookie as a bust. I think Wright is just having trouble adjusting to the NBA which is understandable - the NBA is very different from college ball. You can rarely just come from the NBA and dominate like you did in college. Wright is going to have to find his niche in Frank's system, however, that will be tough because Vince Carter, Richard Jefferson, Zoran Planinic, and Lamond Murray are all currently better basketball players than him. It's not like he is playing on a team like the Hornets who can afford to give Wright a good amount of minutes every night. The Nets are competing for a top spot in the East this year and they can ill-afford to let Wright develop. That's why the selection of him baffles me so much. He also had a terrible year in 2003-2004 averaging just 13.5 points on a terrible 36.8% from the field, 29.7% from downtown, and just 62.6% from the free throw line. Those percentages are terrible for a guard, or any player for that matter. I?m sure this year will be brought up eventually in ?bust? talk, but as I said before, he deserves more time before we label him as a bust. I say if he doesn?t start stepping up by next year, we can start getting a bit suspicious.
Yeah, it's way too early too call Antoine Wright a bust, even though it may seem obvious. Just look at Jermaine O'Neal, who had a 2 point/game average, then moved to Indiana and became a star. Look at Darko Milicic, who gets next to no playing time, but shows promising flashes when given adequate time (16 pts, 7-11 shooting, 3 blocks, 5 boards, in 30 minutes against the Hawks 4/19/05). Knowing that Antoine Wright hasn't played more than 15 minutes in any one game in the preseason, he could be a star in the future if he learns to play under pressure.
I think Nets management expected Wright to contribute right away...that is why they didnt take Gerald Green or someone like that...so I think his lack of ablity to contribute right away is a bit disappointing. But a Bust..I dont think he will be..he just needs to find away to transform his ablity to shoot the basketball on the college level to that of the NBA game. Once that happens you will see alot of the other parts of his game grow..He will become better off the dribble...because teams fear his ablity to shoot the basketball, they will play him close. And then his first step quickness will come to light. And when he becomes stronger putting the ball on the floor at this level, his ablity to make plays off the dribble will also grow. So Iam not worried about Wright...because when you can shoot the basketball, like Wright displayed on the college level..It opens up alot of things in your offensive game. He just needs to find his range...Iam more concerned with his ablities on the defensive end. He didnt look strong during the preseason or training camp on that end of the floor.
I think his defense around the perimiter is very strong. I saw a few of his preseason games and was shocked that he played as bad as he did on both ends of the floor. If he can come around to where he was last year, defensively, the offfensive side will take care of itself
I didn't like him since the start, their was not one time I saw anything I liked from him, so I'm just happy the Raptors didn't draft him. He can still be good, I really have nothing to say about him, but still doesn't make me like him. I still think the Nets should've gotten a big man. Even if they were expecting to sign one in the market, it's not like y'all have nice depth at the 4-5 anyways.
I think Lawrence Frank has something to do with it. I believe he feels like he should be playing vets Murray, Padgett, and Planinic (although i'm not arguing against Z) before Wright. I feel a little bad for Wright as everyone, including him, thought that he would be cracking the rotation right away. Practicing against RJ and VC everyday should help his game immensely, however.
