Thabeet traded to Sixers than dumped

[scrappy2.0]

Hopefully he will get a chance somewhere else.

 

[dogfan96]

Cleveland is looking for a rim protector.. maybe they'll take a chance on a low salary deal

 

[husky91]

Maybe, but he didn't even get minutes in garbage time for OKC. Obviously the Sixers didn't even bother bringing him to camp even though they have a need in the front court.

Cleveland is looking for a rim protector.. maybe they'll take a chance on a low salary deal

 

[Gurleyman]

You probably could have made a lot of money in 2008 betting that the only player on that UConn team (with Dyson, Price, Sticks, Curtis Kelly and Thabeet) to still be in the NBA in 2014 would be Jeff Adrien.

 

[BearJWS]

You probably could have made a lot of money in 2008 betting that the only player on that UConn team (with Dyson, Price, Sticks, Curtis Kelly and Thabeet) to still be in the NBA in 2014 would be Jeff Adrien.

But we all knew Adrien was The Rock of the team back then. He was the most consistent game in & out and was one of the hardest workers on the court. It's carried over for Adrien, where NBA teams know he's going to compete & do his thing, despite being undersized.

 

[BearJWS]

When I've see Thabeet in the NBA, I would never have guessed he was the same guy that left UConn. He seems so lost these days. I hate when he keeps his hands down by his sides on defense. His "bread & butter" shot blocking has been very poor since he's not in position to get a block, plus he loafs running down the court. Too bad. Hopefully he gets a training camp invite, same with AJ Price.

 

[ConnHuskBask]

I was completely wrong on Thabeet and his nba career. I thought at worse he would've been a solid rim protector and rebounder.

In retrospect, I just don't think he had the requisite fire or passion for the game to carve out a solid career. Some guys just don't have the desire to be great at the game.

 

[UCONNfan1]

When I've see Thabeet in the NBA, I would never have guessed he was the same guy that left UConn. He seems so lost these days. I hate when he keeps his hands down by his sides on defense. His "bread & butter" shot blocking has been very poor since he's not in position to get a block, plus he loafs running down the court. Too bad. Hopefully he gets a training camp invite, same with AJ Price.

I tend to agree. Hopefully, he decides he wants to play professional ball and starts making more of an effort. I can't judge what's going on in his mind or what the deal is, but it sure LOOKS like he is lost out there and not making much of an effort. I wish him the best, but I don't hold out a lot of hope at this point...

 

[Waquoit]

I read he wanted to retire a Sixer.

 

[tentoes4rings]

I was completely wrong on Thabeet and his nba career. I thought at worse he would've been a solid rim protector and rebounder.

In retrospect, I just don't think he had the requisite fire or passion for the game to carve out a solid career. Some guys just don't have the desire to be great at the game.

Starting with him being seen court side at a Heat game with a big diamond rock in each ear before the school year even ended his junior year, his priorities seemed a little out of whack. He seemed to spend more time posting on Twitter than working on his game. I think he did have the talent, but just not the fire as you say to be great. If this is the end of the road for Hasheem, at #2 in his draft, he'll go down as one of the biggest busts in NBA draft history. Hoping he gets a chance from someone to log serious minutes and prove himself for once and for all.

 

[CallMeBruce]

I don't think it was an effort issue. I think he just dominated in college because of his height and decent athleticism, but he never really had much in the way of actual skill.

 

[DarthGrumpy]

Starting with him being seen court side at a Heat game with a big diamond rock in each ear before the school year even ended his junior year, his priorities seemed a little out of whack. He seemed to spend more time posting on Twitter than working on his game. I think he did have the talent, but just not the fire as you say to be great. If this is the end of the road for Hasheem, at #2 in his draft, he'll go down as one of the biggest busts in NBA draft history. Hoping he gets a chance from someone to log serious minutes and prove himself for once and for all.

Donyell Marshall reminds me of that a bit. Lots of natural talent and a hell of a UConn baller; but, did not seem too interested in the hard work it takes to make a career in the NBA and was a goof ball around campus. That said, he finally got it in is head and turned it around. Maybe Thabeet will be able to do the same?

 

[DCHuskyFan]

Other than being a top 5 picked Donyell has little in common with Thabeet. Thabeet could only dream of a 16-year career and averaging 11 and 7. Donyell must have worked somewhat hard, if teams kept signing him up.

 

[Huskies4ever]

Other than being a top 5 picked Donyell has little in common with Thabeet. Thabeet could only dream of a 16-year career and averaging 11 and 7. Donyell must have worked somewhat hard, if teams kept signing him up.

The point was Donyell should have been a 20, 8-10 guy. Not an 11, 7 guy. He didn't have the drive to be great, much like Thabeet.

 

[Chief00]

http://sports.yahoo.com/news/source--thunder-trade-hasheem-thabeet-to-sixers-214425742.html

 

[4UConn]

I was SO down on Thabeet his freshman year. Couldn't understand what JC saw in him. But JC made him into a very effective college player and drew out what HT did best, intimidate and block shots. He still was abused by other, smaller centers, most notably the kid at Pitt (I'm having a senior moment). Like with JC, he needs a coach and a defensive scheme that plays into his skills. He likely won't find that in the NBA. I think his NBA career is over.

 

[intlzncster]

I was SO down on Thabeet his freshman year. Couldn't understand what JC saw in him. But JC made him into a very effective college player and drew out what HT did best, intimidate and block shots. He still was abused by other, smaller centers, most notably the kid at Pitt (I'm having a senior moment). Like with JC, he needs a coach and a defensive scheme that plays into his skills. He likely won't find that in the NBA. I think his NBA career is over.

Dejuan Blair. He may have been shorter, but he sure as hell wasn't smaller.

 

[Adios]

He can go to China and be a star easily.

 

[Kitaman]

I think many posters here knew Thabeet was not NBA ready when he declared. He had a great opportunity (lottery) and he took advantage of it. Sometimes a player has to make the investment in himself rather than depending on the team. What I'm saying is hire your own coach, trainer, cook, nutritionist, etc.... Sadly he just didn't improve.

I just hope the money didn't spoil him.

 

[DarthGrumpy]

Other than being a top 5 picked Donyell has little in common with Thabeet. Thabeet could only dream of a 16-year career and averaging 11 and 7. Donyell must have worked somewhat hard, if teams kept signing him up.

I’m not sure. Donyell was a bit more polished that Thabeet going into UConn and coming out from UConn, especially on the offensive side of the game. They both fit really well into Calhoun’s system as UConn has a strong history of that type of player (Donyell, Knight, Armstrong, Thabeet, etc.). The type being long-armed, lanky rim protectors. My time in Storrs was long gone by the time Thabeet suited up; but, I did see Donyell around campus a lot and he was kind of a goof ball and it felt that I relied more on his natural talent instead of hard work (he played a lot of Sega, I kicked his ass once in football) to succeed at UConn. Thus, once he went to the NBA, he was no longer in Calhoun’s system and was going up against equally big; but, a lot stronger players. His stats, especially rebounds which along with 3 pointers were his specialty, were not that good for the first 4 years (under 5 in his first 4 years except 1 season). Then, in his 5th season with a new coach (PJ Carlesimo), his RPG season average shot up to over 7 per game (followed by increases in points per game and minutes per game) and stayed there for his next 8 seasons except for 1. Something obviously clicked for him between seasons 4 and 5. Can only hope the same happens for Thabeet.

 

[Waquoit]

The point was Donyell should have been a 20, 8-10 guy. Not an 11, 7 guy. He didn't have the drive to be great, much like Thabeet.

So true. I went to a Celtics game back when he was with the Warriors and the. It was a March game and both teams sucked so I decided to just watch Donyell. All he did was drift from foul line to foul line hoisting up jumpers and grabbing the stray board. Fourteen and 6 and that was it. Like punching a time clock.

 

[Strummer]

You probably could have made a lot of money in 2008 betting that the only player on that UConn team (with Dyson, Price, Sticks, Curtis Kelly and Thabeet) to still be in the NBA in 2014 would be Jeff Adrien.

Yes, true, but when you go back with 20/20 hindsight, all the signs were there.

Dyson was always a low % outside shooter, and, while a great defender and always giving it max effort, his learning curve was flat his entire time at UConn and his BBall IQ was very low. His prospects for getting better and landing in the league for an extended stay never materialized.

Sticks. Ferrari with an old lady driving. Never had the aggression he needed. One of those things - put Adrien's brain in Stick's body, and he's a top 5 player in the NBA all time. Was clear that he was inconsistent and that he'd have to undergo major changes between the ears to make it in the league.

Curtis Kelly never showed much, other than great recruiting stats. Seemed lost and out of control. Never seemed a threat to sniff the NBA.

Thabeet - Never seemed to really want to play BBall. Almost like he took the path of least resistance. Knew enough to know to work hard to make an NBA team. After that, he was swimming in gravy so why kill yourself doing something you don't love.

Price - I thought he didn't have an NBA game in college, but I was wrong about that. He clearly had an NBA game. Probably would have been the best bet at the end of year in 2008 to make it in stick in the NBA. Ultimately, just not quite athletic enough, but a great baller nonetheless.

Adrien, unlike all the others, seemed undersized and unlikely to stick in the NBA. Shame on me for doubting the effect that can be achieved by a man on a mission. We had at our disposal the information that this guy would run through walls, rebuild them, and then run through them again to get what he wanted.

20/20 hindsight reveals that Adrien, through strength of will alone, would have been a good bet.

 

[Husky25]

Couldn't understand what JC saw in him.

"Quite frankly, he's tall." - Jim Calhoun, 2008, talking about his new recruiting class.

 

[intlzncster]

Yes, true, but when you go back with 20/20 hindsight, all the signs were there.

Price - I thought he didn't have an NBA game in college, but I was wrong about that. He clearly had an NBA game. Probably would have been the best bet at the end of year in 2008 to make it in stick in the NBA. Ultimately, just not quite athletic enough, but a great baller nonetheless.

Injuries killed Price's athleticism. He was potentially a 'next great one' at UCONN coming in. But there's only so many ACL's a small guard can take before it catches up. He missed so much time because of ACLs and his brain issue that it really set it back. He'd be playing successfully in the league were it not for that imo.

 

[aceboon]

Injuries killed Price's athleticism. He was potentially a 'next great one' at UCONN coming in. But there's only so many ACL's a small guard can take before it catches up. He missed so much time because of ACLs and his brain issue that it really set it back. He'd be playing successfully in the league were it not for that imo.

yea and the ruptured patella tendon that he suffered after his rookie season was the capper for him. his rookie year he was actually looking quicker and a step faster than I ever thought he did at UConn, but since that knee injury in the charity game in his hometown he's looked even slower imo.