Boris Diaw Who/Updates

[SweetD]

Who is Boris Diaw-Riffiod....

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Full Name: Boris Diaw-Riffiod
Position: Guard/Forward
Height/Weight: 6-8 (2.03 m)/ 203 (92.1 kg)
Birthdate: April 16, 1982 (Cormeille-en-Parisis, France)
Team: Pau Orthez (France) NBA DRAFT 2003
Selected in the first round (21st overall) by the Atlanta Hawks NBA.com France: Les espoirs de la France

An early entry candidate for the 2003 NBA Draft. Originally an early entry candidate for the 2001 and 2002 NBA Drafts, but withdrew his name each time.


Career Highlights: Now a member of France’s Senior National Team. Has been a member of the French Junior National Team, winning the gold medal at the 2000 European Championship. Also played in the 2000 Under-20 European Championship and the 2000 Albert Schweitzer Tournament. Has steadily progressed through France’s lower divisions and was promoted to France’s top league with Pau Orthez for the 2000-01 season. Previously played two seasons for Centre Federal, previously known as INSEP, the French National Institute for Sports and Physical Education. Jerome Moiso of the Charlotte Hornets also played there.

(2002-03): Saw playing time increase to about 25 minutes per game this season through the first 23 games of the season. Averaged 7.3 points, 5.3 rebounds and 3.8 assists. Tallied 18 points on 7-for-11 shooting vs. Gravelines. Posted 11 points and 13 rebounds in win over Nancy.

(2001-02): Playing about 21 minutes per game, averaged 7.7 points and 4.7 rebounds. Played in the league’s All-Star Game and won the slam dunk contest. Won the silver medal at the 2002 European Under-20 Championship.

(2000-01): Named 2001 Pro A Newcomer of the Year playing first season for league champion Pau Orthez.

(1999-00): In his second season for Centre Federal in France’s Third Division, averaged 16.8 points and finished in the league’s top 10 in assists (126, 8th), rebounds (231, 3rd), steals (59, 10th) and blocked shots (46, 2nd).

Strengths: According to telebasket.com, has outstanding athletic ability. He is reported to have excellent speed and quickness and is an aggressive offensive rebounder. The report also praises his large wingspan and quick feet. Recent scouting reports say he has improved his rebounding but still needs work on his perimeter shooting. Personal: According to the Suproleague Yearbook, his mother, Elisabeth Riffiod, is “probably the best center in French women’s basketball history, while his father, Issa Diaw, is a former Senegalese high jump champion.”

 

[SweetD]

Diaw
03-04 Season
Played 76 Games Started 37 games
25.3 Minutes per game with 4.5pts, 2.4ast, 4.5rbs. (44.7%shooting/23.1%3s)

04-05 Season
Played 66 Games Started 25
18.2 Minutes per game with 4.8pts, 2.6ast, 2.6rbs (44.2%shooting/18.0%3s)

JJ's 1st 2 years
01-02
Played 48 games Started 33
20.9 Minutes per game 6.3pts, 1.5ast, 2.9rbs (43.9%shooting/27.3%3's)

02-03
Played 77 games Stared 60
24.9 Mintues per game with 9.6pts, 3.6ast, 4.1rbs (43%shooting/33%3's)


I just think Diaw could be a good player I am sure playing in Atlanta doesn't help your stats but we all know he will need work on his shooting to contribute to this team.

 

[Chaz]

If his shots are coming off of cuts, motion, and offensive rebounds I think he will do fine.
I am encouraged by the reports that he is a good ball handler (backup PG/point forward).

A big part of the fastbreak was Nash passing ahead to JJ. While Diaw won't pose the threat from behind the arc he could be a secondary playmaker and with similar size he could fill in some similar defense and rebounding.

 

[elindholm]

His overall shooting percentage isn't bad. The low three-point percentage has an easy solution: don't take them.

 

[George O'Brien]

Diaw gives the Suns a super athlete who can play defense and has solid ball handling skills but not much of an outside shooter. On the plus side, that is the scouting report of JJ two years ago.

On the downside, it is hard to imagine a non-shooter getting many minutes in the Suns scheme.

 

[elindholm]

On the downside, it is hard to imagine a non-shooter getting many minutes in the Suns scheme.

But their scheme is different now. The only good three-point shooters in the core rotation are Nash and Jackson. Marion is below par from beyond the arc, Barbosa is a questionable bet to earn consistent playing time, and Bell's consistency as a deep threat hasn't been established.

Of course, if the rumors about Stoudemire developing a three-point shot are true, that changes things a little, but even so he shouldn't be spending much time 23 feet from the basket.

The Suns' offense will, by necessity, look very different next season. My guess is that Nash's assist numbers will be way down, closer to his Dallas days, and everyone will be wondering why the MVP is playing at a lower level. He might be just as effective, but he won't have the numbers to show for it.

 

[Chaplin]

My bet is that the biggest thing that will happen is we'll see a much more offensive Steve Nash--his assists will probably go down, like Eric said, but his PPG will probably go up.

 

[Treesquid PhD]

Diaw gives the Suns a super athlete who can play defense and has solid ball handling skills but not much of an outside shooter. On the plus side, that is the scouting report of JJ two years ago.

On the downside, it is hard to imagine a non-shooter getting many minutes in the Suns scheme.

it's also hard to imagine a bench player on the worst team in basketball getting a significant role with the Suns. Don't get your hopes up on this guy.

 

[Joe Mama]

I know I keep repeating myself, but Diaw is as good or nearly as good as Joe Johnson at everything with the exception of outside shooting. I think he's going to end up getting most of the time at backup point guard. I also think his shooting percentages will increase at least some in this Phoenix Suns offense.

BTW the Phoenix Suns might not take as many three-point shots this season as they did last year, but it will still be a huge part of their offense.

Joe Mama

 

[SweetD]

it's also hard to imagine a bench player on the worst team in basketball getting a significant role with the Suns. Don't get your hopes up on this guy.

I am sure the Hawks were forced to play Childress and Smith more minutes since they were the only players with some kind of hype to them.

 

[elindholm]

I am sure the Hawks were forced to play Childress and Smith more minutes since they were the only players with some kind of hype to them.

A team in danger of setting a new NBA record for regular-season futility does not bench good players for reasons of hype. Treesquid is right -- if Diaw couldn't earn playing time for the Hawks, he's not particularly likely to contribute much to the Suns.

 

[SweetD]

I am sure the Hawks were forced to play Childress and Smith more minutes since they were the only players with some kind of hype to them.

A team in danger of setting a new NBA record for regular-season futility does not bench good players for reasons of hype. Treesquid is right -- if Diaw couldn't earn playing time for the Hawks, he's not particularly likely to contribute much to the Suns.

They slip time. Childress played 29minutes a game, Smith played 27.7 minutes, and Diaw played 18.2 looks like they all were playing and you can't tell me the Hawks wouldn't play Childress (8th pick) and Smith (Dunk Campion) over Diaw?? The Hawks suck I will give you that but JJ didn't get much time in Boston either.

 

[Gaddabout]

Posted 11 points and 13 rebounds in win over Nancy.

Yes, but everyone scores on Nancy.

 

[elindholm]

Childress played 29minutes a game, Smith played 27.7 minutes, and Diaw played 18.2 looks like they all were playing and you can't tell me the Hawks wouldn't play Childress (8th pick) and Smith (Dunk Campion) over Diaw??

I'm not sure what your point is. With those minutes by Childress and Smith, there was still plenty of time available for Diaw. He didn't earn it.

The Hawks suck I will give you that but JJ didn't get much time in Boston either.

Boston was a playoff team that year, and Johnson played the same position as a perennial All-Star.

 

[Joe Mama]

I guess I forgot how good Atlanta was at developing young talent. After all, look at how well they did with... I can't think of anybody.

Diaw has the tools. I think he will work harder for this team, and he will get better opportunities here. I think he'll be a nice player off the bench for the Phoenix Suns.

Joe Mama

 

[The Commish]

I'm not making any comparisons, but I remember when JJ came here he couldn't shoot either. I guess that has changed. Not saying that Diaw is going to be another JJ, but this team has a good reputation for teaching players how to shoot (JJ, Amare, Marion, etc...). After all, good shooting is something that can be learned with good coaching and a lot of practice. I'm hoping Diaw can be another Suns shooting project. He seems to have all of the other tools to play in this league.

 

[elindholm]

Not saying that Diaw is going to be another JJ, but this team has a good reputation for teaching players how to shoot (JJ, Amare, Marion, etc...).

Huh?

Johnson learned how to shoot by himself, working last summer. In his 2 1/2 years with the Suns before that, his shooting did not improve one iota. He did already have excellent mechanics -- acquired long before he put on a Suns jersey -- but the big jump in his accuracy was due to individual hard work and (probably) an improved mental outlook.

Stoudemire is an otherwordly talent. The Suns appear to be doing a good job with his development, but to point to him as a representative success story is very misleading.

Marion has been an erratic, mechanically poor shooter since he came in to the league. His three-point percentage has in fact gone steadily down over the last four years, from 39% in '01-'02 to 33% last year, while his other percentages have remained about the same.

I haven't seen much of Diaw -- in fact, quite possibly I've never seen him play, since I don't watch the Hawks much -- so I have no idea what his shooting form looks like or how likely he is to improve. If those who have watched a lot of tape say he looks promising, I'm happy to go by that. But I do think it's a mistake to suggest that, to this point, his circumstances on the Hawks have been holding him back. That theory really doesn't hold any water.

 

[F-Dog]

I think Joe Johnson was a good shooter from the start; his problems were almost entirely in his head. That might be true of Diaw as well, but I'm not holding my breath waiting for a turnaround--I assume that he'll be a lousy and reluctant shooter in Phoenix, just as he was in Atlanta.


As far as Diaw's talent goes, I think he was a decent-to-good prospect who lost favor in Atlanta thanks to the coaching change, and wasn't good enough to force the team to play him anyway. I'm sure it didn't help that his weaknesses (shooting and scoring) mirrored his team's weaknesses last year.

Until they make another move, it looks like the Suns will be forced to give regular minutes to both Diaw and Barbosa.* If either of those guys is going to be a good NBA player, this autumn might be his best chance to show it.




*unless D'Antoni decides to wear down both Jackson and Bell with excessive PT, which wouldn't be out of character for him.

 

[devilalum]

I guess I forgot how good Atlanta was at developing young talent. After all, look at how well they did with... I can't think of anybody.
Joe Mama

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[SweetD]

Not saying that Diaw is going to be another JJ, but this team has a good reputation for teaching players how to shoot (JJ, Amare, Marion, etc...).

Huh?

Johnson learned how to shoot by himself, working last summer. In his 2 1/2 years with the Suns before that, his shooting did not improve one iota. He did already have excellent mechanics -- acquired long before he put on a Suns jersey -- but the big jump in his accuracy was due to individual hard work and (probably) an improved mental outlook.

Ok I agree JJ always was a good shooter even in college. But the major increase in JJ's % was Nash plain and simple. I expect Bell and Jackson to shoot a higher percentage this year. I am not saying Diaw is even close to the level JJ is now, but I don't think it is all doom and gloom loosing JJ.

 

[George O'Brien]

Ok I agree JJ always was a good shooter even in college. But the major increase in JJ's % was Nash plain and simple. I expect Bell and Jackson to shoot a higher percentage this year. I am not saying Diaw is even close to the level JJ is now, but I don't think it is all doom and gloom loosing JJ.

Some of the PG's being considered are pass first guys who can't score like Watson. I'm not sure Diaw has the PG skills, but if he can run the pick and roll he'd be able to do the few minutes needed. Still, I'd like to find a better guy.

 

[SweetD]

More from Nbadraft.net

[font=Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]NBA Comparison: Bruce Bowen


Strengths: Athletically there isn't much Diaw doesn't posses with superior leaping ability, length, and quickness ... An underrated post passer who might be the best at his position ... Has the defensive skills that NBA team's love such as foot speed, long arms and quick hands ... Shows the ability to be a solid offensive rebounder on put backs ... Excels in the open court where his athleticism allows him to finish with flair ... Unselfish although almost to a fault he looks constantly for open teammates ... Possesses amazing body control and combined with his basket skills to make some impressive drives to the basket ... Even when the defense adjusts, his creativity allows for impressive finishes in traffic ... When aggressive, he can be a explosive scorer around the rim on dunks ... Diaw's long arms and quick hands enable him to be a threat to steal the ball and disrupt passing lanes ... Plays the game with poise and maturity no matter what the situation ... Does a good job of using the baseline to gain the advantage over the defense on quick lay-ups ... Fundamentally he is very sound and able to do a multitude of tasks well ... Makes solid court decisions when the ball is on his hands ... Team player who does all the little things that don't show up on the stat sheet ... Has excellent court vision rarely seen at his position ...

Weaknesses: Needs to improve on his upper body strength ... Offensively Diaw must focus on becoming more aggressive ... Perimeter shooting remains a very underdeveloped part of his game ... Struggles to make the 3-point shot with consistency ... Diaw has yet to learn how to drawl fouls from opposing defenders on a consistent basis ... Added improvement of his ball handling could enable him to take defenders off the dribble more efficiently ... Lacks the consistency to shoot off the dribble ... Confidence has a tendency to wavier at times ... Doesn't always finish in the lane after contact occurs ... Has few post up skills to take advantage of height mismatches of opposing defenders ... Should work on improving at moving without the ball as he has a habit of watching ... Doesn't play with the intensity level many coaches look for as Diaw approach's the game with a laid back demeanor ... Needs to display more effort on the court consistently ... Sometimes he will defer to teammates instead of looking for his shot ...

[font=Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif][font=Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]-Matthew Maurer [/font][/font]
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Strengths: [/font][font=Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]Great athlete.[/font][font=Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif] Not a shooter or a scorer, if he cared about his stats he could increase his scoring average. His biggest strength is his strong defensive-oriented-game, as he often is in charge of the main opposing scorer, whether they play the 1, 2, or 3 positon. His footwork, athlecism, elevation, and quick hands help him to lock down opponents. [/font][font=Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]Incredible feel for the game. Shooting is his only weakness but otherwise he does it all. Very good defensive player, easily his best attribute. Had a very solid season for Pau this year, being a consistant contributor. [/font][font=Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]Wiry athletic, a Kirilenko-type of frame. Great offensive and defensive abilities. Has quickness, nice wing-span. [/font][font=Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]His penetration skills are awesome, as he has superb foot speed and body control allowing him to use his above average athlecism to score. [/font][font=Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]Offensively his strength is his ability to read the defensive play and to penetrate or find an open man.[/font][font=Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]

Weaknesses: No real shooting touch. Must develop more intensity. Can become very good, but seems to settle for being just good. Mental toughness must get stronger. is game is still developing, especially shooting, but his fundamentals are very good.
[/font][font=Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]
Notes: A leader: captain of the France Champs with the Under-21. in clubs National Team acquired experience both with the young and A team. His impact on the game goes beyond his stats.[/font][font=Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]


[/font][font=Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]-Uros Velkavrh[/font][font=Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]
-Eric Winterstein
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Explosive athlete... Has all the necessary attributes to be an NBA player, esplosiveness, speed, mobility, perhaps lacks strength and muscles, but is improving his physical strength ... His fundamentals are improving.. He can shoot it from 3p, but isn't comfortable if he is rushed ... Has a first step and ball handling but it's his body control that makes the difference... He uses ball fakes in order to get by defenders and then penetrates ... A player of great instincts... Doesn't have great vision, but anticipates well ... Improves his teammates ... Gets a lot of touches and really enjoys controlling the tempo of the game ... has the ability to pass in traffic... Has a tendency to go stretches of being lazy ... Unselfish to the extreme that it hurts his game ... Must develop his finishing ability because it can be a great weapon with his body control and athleticism ... Defensively his skills are at the highest level... Has great one-on-one defensive ability with anticipation and lateral quickness ... Can at times get too enticed by the steal and lose track of his man ...

-Cristian Biagini

**I can't help it this guy has all the makings of JJ with out a shot**[/font]

 

[cly2tw]

The Suns' offense will, by necessity, look very different next season. My guess is that Nash's assist numbers will be way down, closer to his Dallas days, and everyone will be wondering why the MVP is playing at a lower level. He might be just as effective, but he won't have the numbers to show for it.

Not necessarily.

Think Stockton. He didn't handle the ball nearly as much as Nash did last season but would always finish as the league leader with over 10 assists. If Nash could just emulate Stockton a bit more, I'm not worried that his assist numbers may go down.

 

[elindholm]

Think Stockton. He didn't handle the ball nearly as much as Nash did last season but would always finish as the league leader with over 10 assists.

Right, whereas Nash, in his first eight seasons (before rejoining the Suns), averaged more than eight assists only once.

Nash was terrific last year, and he will probably be very effective again, but he's no Stockton. I don't think that pure assist numbers are necessarily that meaningful, but Stockton was in a different class.

Speaking of Nash being terrific, by the way, our TiVo recorder has apparently just died on us. I had been saving Game 6 against the Mavericks to watch it again, but now it's gone. Pissed.

 

[Treesquid PhD]

Ok I agree JJ always was a good shooter even in college. But the major increase in JJ's % was Nash plain and simple. I expect Bell and Jackson to shoot a higher percentage this year. I am not saying Diaw is even close to the level JJ is now, but I don't think it is all doom and gloom loosing JJ.

I think this is a commonly repeated but misguided view of Nash's impact to JJ. To simply imply an end is due to one and only one possible mean is pretty simple minded. JJ benefited from Nash but so did Marion, Amare, Jim Jackson, heck everyone that's what MVP point gaurds do make players better, however, Nash inturn also benefited from the skills players like Marion and JJ and Amare posses as finishers, to sell one's accomplishments short just because he is no longer with the team reeks of sour grapes or homerism.
Even worse to imply that someone who none of have actually seen and even worse only have paper reports to go on is actually as good or a budding JJ when they are already the same age is borderline insanity.

If you watched the team in 03-04, which from your post you did not JJ had put up rather large numbers in the period when Amare was out and Steph was traded. I was pretty impressed with his abilities then and I think his point gaurd was none other than the Brazillian Blur, yep the same one who could'nt find and assist if it slapped him in the face and yelled "San Paulo San Paulo".
Look I am all for being a homer I am too many times but no one on earth can convince me that this guy Diaw is the next comming of JJ (as others have implied) without something more than a fantasy league type report out. I mean come on everyone knows these reports can make any player in the NBA look good. I am sure there is one on Pat Garity that makes him sound the the next comming of Bird. I am really starting to hate this guy Diaw and I don't even know what he looks like.