i guess. I knew Vince Carter was going to be good but Dirk... not so much.
well i wouldnt expect you to know anything about Dirk. I'm guessing when he was drafted was the first you had even heard of him. Although it was not that long ago, it was a hell of a lot harder to get info on foreign guys back then.
and hey, I'll fully admit that back then as a Mavs fan I was upset they traded away Tractor for a guy that wasn't even sure if he was coming over.
Re: The 1998 Draft Makes Me Sick (on nbatv right now)
I was just watching the 2003 draft and hearing Bilas gush over Darko tempered my enthusiasm about the Cavs taking one of the unknown Euros at No. 4 (Valanciunas or Kanter).
It was honestly difficult to listen to those guys go on and on about how much potential Darko has to be a great player... Not good, but GREAT.
Re: The 1998 Draft Makes Me Sick (on nbatv right now)
This draft is just one of many illustrations of what a dunce Rick Pitino was and why he should never be allowed near an NBA team again.
Pitino wanted Dirk very badly - then found out that Dallas was trading up to get him. Well, why not swap Antoine Walker for a top-5 pick and bypass Dallas? 'Toine was very highly regarded at the time - someone would have bit. Dirk and 'Toine were both 4's - you dont need both of them anyway.
Then if Pierce still slides to 10, take him too (remember, no one was expecting PP to slide.)
Re: The 1998 Draft Makes Me Sick (on nbatv right now)
Quote:
Originally Posted by RedBlackAttack
I was just watching the 2003 draft and hearing Bilas gush over Darko tempered my enthusiasm about the Cavs taking one of the unknown Euros at No. 4 (Valanciunas or Kanter).
It was honestly difficult to listen to those guys go on and on about how much potential Darko has to be a great player... Not good, but GREAT.
It gets much worse:
Quote:
“Darko really is one of a kind. He runs the floor, handles the ball, shoots an NBA three and plays with his back to the basket. So you can slot him at the 3, 4 or 5. Okay, a few other guys can do that too; what sets Darko apart is his toughness in the post. You’ve got to love a guy who has the footwork to spin by an opponent but still prefers to lower a shoulder and bang. Fact is, Milicic plays in attack mode at both ends of the floor. The more you push, the more he pushes back.”
Chad Ford, ESPN Insider, June 23rd Edition, ESPN the Magazine
Re: The 1998 Draft Makes Me Sick (on nbatv right now)
Quote:
Originally Posted by JohnnySic
This draft is just one of many illustrations of what a dunce Rick Pitino was and why he should never be allowed near an NBA team again.
Pitino wanted Dirk very badly - then found out that Dallas was trading up to get him. Well, why not swap Antoine Walker for a top-5 pick and bypass Dallas? 'Toine was very highly regarded at the time - someone would have bit. Dirk and 'Toine were both 4's - you dont need both of them anyway.
Then if Pierce still slides to 10, take him too (remember, no one was expecting PP to slide.)
He recruited & coached Antoine Walker at Kentucky. That was his "guy".
Hindsight is 20/20 but you're not going to find many people who would've believed trading Antoine Walker for an unproven guy like Dirk made any sense back then. It didnt even make sense for the first 2-3 years or so of Dirk's career in the NBA.
Re: The 1998 Draft Makes Me Sick (on nbatv right now)
