Yesterday we spoke about Dawes with both sides making excellent points. We didn't all agree but we did have a quality debate which is good because there's not much info to post in this last week leading up to the season's opener.
Today let's debate Kadary Richmond.
Now I understand many of you have not seen him play yet. But the same could be said of Dawes and that didn't stop posters from offering their opinions yesterday.
Kooks has been the ultimate tease. We see a game like he had two years ago against UConn. We see spectacular drives to the tin. We see 44.4% shooting from the arc last season. But we also see the inconsistency. The maddening out of control challenges against defenders in the paint. In short it seemed like on any given night he could be the devil on one shoulder or the angel on the other.
I say no more. Kooks 2.0, who again most of you haven't seen yet is now playing under control at a very high level. Granted I am basing this on nothing more than one closed door practice and a game against opponents who don't even belong on the same floor.
Hell, in the post game Grant Billmeier unsolicited more than hinted at that saying they game planned for weeks to play against Richmond but there was little they could do to stop him.
So again the sample size is small. Very small.
All that said I have seen a far different Richmond both on and off the court. The talent is there. Heck it's alway been there. But the drive has often been questioned. Questioned by Boeheim publically. Questioned by Willard off the record to some in the media. And even by Sha who has so often sang Richmond's praises....from the neck down.
I am starting to form a decent media relationship with Richmond. We spoke a little at the closed door practice and then again at the Beefsteak as he sat at our table. That's where I saw a young man who in 2 years at the Hall never opened up to anyone outside of his teammates. But now has taken on a leadership role both vocally and through his play.
At the practice Richmond was as spectacular as any Pirate I have ever seen. Yet often in the middle of halfcourt or full court drills he stopped to talk to teammates offering praise or constructive criticism.
Saturday he wasn't quite as spectacular. But I have seen few if any games where a Hall player was more efficient.
All that said, and again I know I am going on little more than a couple of preseason scrimmages, I am going to go out on a limb and say Sha is on target with his seemingly over the top comments about his guard being an NBA 1st round pick and say that Kooks, despite not even being picked as an honorable mention league player, short of injury, will end up on the postseason 1st team and be a very strong contender for the Haggerty award.
Too soon or on target???????
Today let's debate Kadary Richmond.
Now I understand many of you have not seen him play yet. But the same could be said of Dawes and that didn't stop posters from offering their opinions yesterday.
Kooks has been the ultimate tease. We see a game like he had two years ago against UConn. We see spectacular drives to the tin. We see 44.4% shooting from the arc last season. But we also see the inconsistency. The maddening out of control challenges against defenders in the paint. In short it seemed like on any given night he could be the devil on one shoulder or the angel on the other.
I say no more. Kooks 2.0, who again most of you haven't seen yet is now playing under control at a very high level. Granted I am basing this on nothing more than one closed door practice and a game against opponents who don't even belong on the same floor.
Hell, in the post game Grant Billmeier unsolicited more than hinted at that saying they game planned for weeks to play against Richmond but there was little they could do to stop him.
So again the sample size is small. Very small.
All that said I have seen a far different Richmond both on and off the court. The talent is there. Heck it's alway been there. But the drive has often been questioned. Questioned by Boeheim publically. Questioned by Willard off the record to some in the media. And even by Sha who has so often sang Richmond's praises....from the neck down.
I am starting to form a decent media relationship with Richmond. We spoke a little at the closed door practice and then again at the Beefsteak as he sat at our table. That's where I saw a young man who in 2 years at the Hall never opened up to anyone outside of his teammates. But now has taken on a leadership role both vocally and through his play.
At the practice Richmond was as spectacular as any Pirate I have ever seen. Yet often in the middle of halfcourt or full court drills he stopped to talk to teammates offering praise or constructive criticism.
Saturday he wasn't quite as spectacular. But I have seen few if any games where a Hall player was more efficient.
All that said, and again I know I am going on little more than a couple of preseason scrimmages, I am going to go out on a limb and say Sha is on target with his seemingly over the top comments about his guard being an NBA 1st round pick and say that Kooks, despite not even being picked as an honorable mention league player, short of injury, will end up on the postseason 1st team and be a very strong contender for the Haggerty award.
Too soon or on target???????
