Hilton Armstrong vs Josh Boone

[joober jones]

I'll start off by saying that Hilton is one of my all-time favorite Huskies (2nd overall), but I'm really surprised that he's had more longevity in the NBA than Josh Boone. Boone's numbers are better in nearly every category and while he's not star material, he'd be a solid backup at the 4/5 for any team needing another big. I know injuries have hampered him as well, but I never expected him to be out of the NBA as quickly as he was. HA brings more to the table in terms of intangibles - he has more hustle, is a better passer and generally acts like he wants to be in the game. His perseverance and work ethic are what led him to getting back into the NBA.

Boone never struck me as a lazy guy, but I think by the time he made it into the NBA, he'd already hit his ceiling. However, as much as I like Hilton, if someone were to tell me back in 2004 that he'd be playing in the NBA in 2014-15 (most likely anyway, he has a partially guaranteed contract, is a better player than Kuzmic, Ezeli is still hurting, and Jermaine O'Neal may retire) and Boone wasn't, I'd have called them crazy.

If this post is a bit rambling and incoherent, I extend my apologies. NyQuil is setting in.

 

[aceboon]

Josh went out of the league so quickly because his confidence was shot after his free throw woes became worse and worse to the point where he didn't even want to touch the ball in the paint. Nobody was expecting him to turn into a legit back to the basket player but you could see on dump offs/putbacks/garbage opportunities around the rim he was scared to go up strong and get fouled cuz he didn't want to go to the line. After the way he played his 2nd year I would've never expected him to be out of the league so fast but b/w the lost confidence and then the knee injuries he suffered that took away his legs it was a wrap for him. Coming into the league I thought Hilton would be better because of how much he improved during that last year and I figured there was more growth to him, but he never showed the natural instincts on offense and defense that Josh showed during Josh's 1st 2 seasons in the league.

 

[mauconnfan]

Josh and Hilton were very similar in talent although JB rose to stardom early in his career at UConn while HA had to work like mad to get there. But as far as leaving for the NBA there were huge question marks in both of their games. I thought Josh would assume a nice role as a #6-9 guy off the bench who could guard people, rebound the basketball and make some offense happen around the rim here and there while I thought Hilton was a bit more raw still but could make the occasional 12-15 footer which helped him. Seems the weaknesses in both of their games kept them from consistency wherever they landed!

 

[David 76]

I always saw Josh as more sensitive and more easily depressed. We saw his confidence drop at Uconn too.

 

[dogpause]

I'm not surprised, Hilton's best year at UConn was his last; Josh's best year was his first.

 

[CTBasketball]

I'm not surprised, Hilton's best year at UConn was his last; Josh's best year was his first.

Perfectly put. Neither reached their full potential in my opinion.

 

[joober jones]

When it comes to HA in the NBA, I always think "what if?" when it comes to the whole Tyson Chandler situation. Had he been a focal point in the Hornets' offense from the beginning, the growth may have continued to flow.

 

[CallMeBruce]

I'm not surprised, Hilton's best year at UConn was his last; Josh's best year was his first.

Boone's best season was definitely his second, but he obviously peaked early in his career. I remember a DC point-counterpoint midway through the 04-05 season debating Boone vs. Okafor, which looks absurd in retrospect.

 

[mauconnfan]

Josh was better than people gave him credit for much like Rudy and others. Without much as far as expectations as a frosh playing off the weak side of a very strong Okafor, he took full advantage of the situation and with a NC in his pocket his expectations rose from the fans. He was solid, never great but much like Bruce above I think his 2nd season was really good. He had a nice career but was never going to be Emeka or anything so only expectations of some left him below par……..

 

[HooperScooper]

Boone's best season was definitely his second, but he obviously peaked early in his career. I remember a DC point-counterpoint midway through the 04-05 season debating Boone vs. Okafor, which looks absurd in retrospect.

Boone got off to that incredible start in his sophomore season where he was averaging about 20 ppg and 12 rpg and there were a lot of people making comparisons to Okafor and saying Boone might be even better. He then leveled off the rest of that season and that talk went away. He was a solid college player and a very good interior defender. I'd take another Boone type player any day of the week.

 

[BoatShow]

Didn't Boone find his FT stroke at some point in his UConn career and hit in the high 70s one year?

 

[CallMeBruce]

Boone got off to that incredible start in his sophomore season where he was averaging about 20 ppg and 12 rpg and there were a lot of people making comparisons to Okafor and saying Boone might be even better. He then leveled off the rest of that season and that talk went away. He was a solid college player and a very good interior defender. I'd take another Boone type player any day of the week.

No, I know; Boone looked like a worldbeater for the early part of that season. He was pretty mediocre in conference play, and that mediocrity became his new normal. All in all, he was more than a solid player, though.

 

[CallMeBruce]

Didn't Boone find his FT stroke at some point in his UConn career and hit in the high 70s one year?

No. Boone's career high was 66% as a sophomore. He was at 55% as a junior at 41% as a freshman.

 

[BoatShow]

No. Boone's career high was 66% as a sophomore. He was at 55% as a junior at 41% as a freshman.

Ah maybe it was just that the 66% was such an improvement.
Thanks, Bruce.