Sacramento Kings Draft Preview

Draft Preview for the Kings
Player Profile: Greg Monroe
Greg Monroe stats
08-09 (frosh) 12.7/ 6.5/ 2.5/ 1.5/ 1.57 points per possession 57% FG
09-10 (soph) 16.1 / 9.6/ 3.8/ 1.5/ 1.2 /1.43 point per 52%
Assist to turnover ration improved from 1.03 to 1.14
Greg Monroe is a 6-11 C that brings a solid all around game after two years of award winning basketball (Pete Newell Big Man Of the Year, 3rd team all America).
Why I would argue that Greg Monroe would be the best suit for the Kings if they don’t land a top 2 pick. True size with an all around game is not common. More importantly, Greg Monroe appears to understand the secret. The secret is to know your role and dominate within those parameters. This past season was supposed to be Greg Monroe’s year to dominate, and carry his Hoyas to a possible Big East Title and a deep run into the tourney. Instead of simply dominating the paint, Monroe showed he was a team player that was willing to defer to his very talented backcourt combo (Freeman, Wright- both will be 2011 draft picks). While most analysts faulted him for this play, I watched arguing that he would be a monster of a teammate once he got to the guard friendly NBA. It should be recognized by now that the league has ruined the game for big men in the mold of Patrick Ewing and Alonzo Mourning. The leagues best center is a dominating defensive player, who rebounds with a vengeance and scores basically of off pure athleticism. Of course I’m talking about Dwight Howard, and beyond that there really only about 5-10 true centers. What does that say; it says that to dominate you don’t need an old school post player to win in this league.
So how does Monroe help the kings? I would argue that Monroe would be able to step in right away for the Kings and show the tools to be one of the top 10 centers in the league within 2 years.
My top 10 centers
1. Dwight Howard
2. Brook Lopez
3. Tim Duncan
4. Yao Ming (if he returns to form)
5. David Lee
6. Chris Kaman
7. Al Jefferson
8. Andrew Bogut
9. Andrew Bynum
10. Andrea Bargnani
Joakim Noah, Mehemt Okur, Al Horford, Greg Oden, Marc Gasol, are all good players that will probably replace the two veterans or supplant other player.

More importantly than becoming a top ten center is the way he would help this team to their overall goal (a championship caliber team). Monroe appears to be a great locker room guy, and a facilitating teammate on the court. At the end of the day the kings don’t have a big man that can help Tyreke Evans and Carl Landry on a consistent basis. While Hawes and Thompson would excel with the second unit, I just don’t see them as difference makers on a first unit. The Line up next year with Monroe would be
1st unit
C: Monroe
PF: Landry
SF: Casspi
G: Udrih
G: Evans

Bench Rotation
Greene
Thompson
Garcia
Hawes
Brockman

Nocioni has no place on the floor with this team; we are young and should let the youth play. He will be a pricey bench warmer, but that’s better than a pricey crappy player.
Monroe would basically be the passing big man that the kings have lacked for the better part of a decade. He would allow Landry to continue to develop his scoring; he would allow Tyreke to get open more (he has run the Princeton offense for the last two years) with screens and backdoor passes. With no true blue point guard, I would think the best scenario would be to assemble a team of skilled passers at all the positions (ala the LA Lakers). Running out a team that has 5 guys capable of 3-6 assists per game, makes the kings a very dangerous team. Furthermore the Kings need a big man that has played in a tough college league (Big East) and showed a fair amount of toughness and success. This team needs defense and in my opinion of players in our draft range Monroe may be the second best defensive player. I know that there are shot blockers in the draft, but most of those players have a very limited offensive game and would be a mistake for the Kings to Draft.
The biggest reason we must take a center is because there is only one center in the first round of the 2011 mock draft boards. Basically I would say that while Cousins is a very intriguing prospect, and Favors athleticism and attitude are very tempting, I believe that Monroe is the player that will truly help the kings in the long run. If he had returned to school he would have been arguably the best player in College next year. Monroe is a great player and I would love to see him in the purple and black next year

An end to the Tryeke Evans Point guard debate

Tyreke Evans is not a point guard, and thank God for that. Teams do not win championships when point guards are their best player. Lets take a look at recent history; there are only two examples of a point guard truly dominating as a setup man and clutch shooter, Tony Parker in 06-07 and Chauncy Billups in 03-04. I think it is fair to say that in the case of Billups, he was surrounded by a dominant team, and was lucky to be playing against an ancient Lakers team. And I would argue that in Parkers case, Tim Duncan was clearly the best player on the Floor. Parker also had the luxury of having Bruce Bowen on the court to guard the dominant guard, as well as knowing that Duncan was going to protect the rim. Jason Kidd is the closest point guard that we have seen to dominant, and even he has never won a championship (appeared twice as teams best player).
Tyreke Evans is not a point guard, and thank God for that. I would argue that Tyreke Evans is a better version of Dwayne Wade. I would not argue that today, but give me 2 years and we will talk. As of right now, Tyreke is on pace to finish just 6 points per game behind Wade (a sixth year vet), he is on pace to have only 1.3 less assists per game, and will out rebound Wade by .2 (a draw). This only tells half of the story, It’s the way that both of these players score that intrigues me. According to Hoopsdata.com Tyreke Evans scores 5 baskets at the rim (layups/dunks) per game and Wade scores 4.5 times per game at the rim. Both men average 1.9 attempts per game from within 10 feet, both shoot less than one shot per game from 10-15 feet, from 16-23 feet away Wade averages 2.2 scores, and Tyreke averages 1.2 scores, from 3 point range, Tyreke averages .5 per game and Wade averages 1 per game. This shot chart data shows that while not identical, there games are almost identical. One more aspect that is a byproduct of both players aggressive rim attacking style is that they both get to the free throw line regularly. Wade averages 6.7 made free throws per game and Evans averages 5.4 made free throws per game and both men are shooting 75% from the line.
Tyreke Evans is not a point guard and thank God for that. So instead of debating if he is a point guard or a two guard, lets enjoy the rare talent that we are getting to watch. Regardless of whether or not he achieves the heralded 20-5-5 mark this season; it is safe to say that Tyreke Evans is one of the most gifted 3 guards in the entire world. I say 3 guard because, clearly he is not a 1, his shot is not developed enough to be a 2, and he gets to the rim like a 3. He will be the best player on a championship team at some point over the next 10 years. I just hope that he accomplishes that while wearing a Sacramento Jersey.

*On a side note, Kevin Durant and Lebron will prevent Tyreke and Wade from ever winning an MVP trophy and possibly prevent Tyreke from ever winning a championship.

Are the best athletes really competing in Vancouver?

As we approach the winter Olympics I find myself asking one question; are they worth watching? I have come to the resounding answer of “no”. I would be reluctant to recommend the winter games as “must see TV”, and I would be even more reluctant to spend the money to go to an actual venue. Don’t get me wrong; I love the summer Olympics, however the winter Olympics are inherently flawed. Unlike the summer games, the winter provides us a look at a unique group of privileged athletes that grew up in certain geographical locations around the world. Ask yourself, how many days a year are you around snow, ice, shooting ranges, ski resorts, bobsled/luge courses? I’m going to go out on a limb and say that most of us are not in the right geographic location to really devote our time to winter events. Geography alone prevents the world’s best athletes from competing in winter sports. The second prerequisite is finances. A yearly pass at Squaw Valley (a former Olympic venue) that allows for daily skiing without blackout dates costs $2,000. The cost of coaches can be thousands more, travel to events, equipment, and injuries; lead to an ultimate bill in the tens of thousands per year. So basically to participate in the winter Olympics you have to live in an area that provides the right weather conditions, you also have to be blessed with a financially blessed family, or be randomly discovered by secret winter sports spies.
Fun Facts
➢ According to usaluge.org there are only 4 registered luge clubs in the US (Brookline, NH. Marquette, MI. Whitehall, MI. Park City, UT)
➢ According to about.com, a 1 hour figure skating can cost up to $75
➢ Skiwestmountain.com offers a private ski coach for $80 and hour
I was able to find 3 glaring examples of how expensive/ geographically limitingin less than 5 minutes using Google. Unlike the summer games in which almost anyone has access to the tools of the sports, the winter competitions are nothing more than and exhibition of skills perfected by GOOD and fortunate athletes.
One side note: If you are born in a country that identifies athletic children, and immediately rips them from their family in hopes that they become the next great athlete to represent their country, then the above opinions hold no truth in your life.