Superstar rookies need to grow up

[Joe Mama]

Like most NBA observers I have been very impressed with the play of Carmelo Anthony and especially LeBron James this season. They look like they are going to be fantastic NBA players. However I was really disappointed with some of their comments after they each did not make the All-Star team roster. I thought Anthony in particular should have just kept his mouth shut.

Anthony, a rookie forward, was surprised Kirilenko was chosen.

Anthony is averaging 19.0 points and 6.1 rebounds. Kirilenko is averaging 16.3 points, 7.9 rebounds, 2.82 blocked shots and 2.07 steals. The Nuggets have a 29-21 record, the Jazz is 24-24.

"I deserved to be in there," Anthony said. "But I still have a long career ahead of me. We've got a better record (than Utah). I'm not taking anything away from Kirilenko. It's a big turnaround for the Nuggets. We won 17 games (last season). Not to sound too selfish, but I was a big part of that. . . . When I saw who was on the reserves, I said, 'Man, I should have been on there.' "

This guy needs to wake up and smell reality. The Denver Nuggets are currently 4 games ahead of the Utah Jazz, but Anthony is playing alongside some very good teammates. Kirilenko is the best player on a team of scrubs. There might not even be three current Utah Jazz players that would even make the Denver squad. Carmelo Anthony scores a bunch of points. Kirilenko is the complete package. Even if he honestly believes he should be there it's something that should have been kept to himself.

Both Anthony and Andre Miller and also LeBron James are pouting enough that they say they won't accept an alternate role if someone can't play. Frankly I think they are acting like spoiled brats. I'm not sure who James thinks he is more deserving than out of the reserves in the Eastern conference. There's nothing you can do about the fan voting. Miller might be upset that he was not chosen over Ray Allen, but I would have taken Steve Nash, Michael Finley, or even Gary Payton over Miller.

OK, I'll climb off my soapbox for a few minutes now.

Joe Mama

 

[scotsman13]

claps, claps and thanks joe for his time of on the soapbox.

 

[WizardOfAz]

Originally posted by Joe Mama
This guy needs to wake up and smell reality.

Part of that reality, however, is that the franchises in Denver and Cleveland have, in large measure, put their futures in the hands of 18 - 19 year old kids. For that matter, the NBA has hooked their wagon up to these two as well. I am afraid your going to have to take a little bad with all the good these two are responsible for right now.

 

[Joe Mama]

Re: Re: Superstar rookies need to grow up

Originally posted by WizardOfAz
Part of that reality, however, is that the franchises in Denver and Cleveland have, in large measure, put their futures in the hands of 18 - 19 year old kids. For that matter, the NBA has hooked their wagon up to these two as well. I am afraid your going to have to take a little bad with all the good these two are responsible for right now.

I just would have hoped that these two young superstars would have had a little more class than to complain that less deserving players made the team. It's also not likely to put them in good standing with other players in the league.

Joe Mama

 

[F-Dog]

Carmelo in particular strikes me as someone who actually believes his own hype--thinks he's better than LeBron, he's totally (or even mostly) responsible for his team's turnaround, his team was the best team in college basketball last year, etc.


I think you could argue LeBron over Pierce because Pierce has been struggling so badly, but Kirilenko vs. Carmelo is no contest. Frankly, Carmelo isn't even in the top group of WC forwards who were passed over.


Ray Allen over Finley is the only problem I have with the coaches' choices in the West. I think Allen is getting some credit for his work last year after the trade, but still...

 

[SweetD]

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[Chaplin]

Originally posted by F-Dog
Carmelo in particular strikes me as someone who actually believes his own hype--thinks he's better than LeBron, he's totally (or even mostly) responsible for his team's turnaround, his team was the best team in college basketball last year, etc.

And what's funny is his delusion that Syracuse was the best team in basketball last year. They won the championship, but they weren't the best team.

 

[stompg]

This isn't to defend them, but keep in mind that these kids have been doted on and told how wonderful they are for years. You hear something enough, you begin to believe it whether you're 18 or 88.

 

[F-Dog]

What, you think Arizona was the best team the year they won the championship, too?


The NCAA tourney is about which team gets hot for six games. Syracuse is the champ, but there's no way to prove that any team is better than the others--and 'Cuse's performance in the regular season wasn't exactly awe-inspiring, IIRC.

 

[George O'Brien]

I think the NBA should SOLVE this problem by making rookies ineligible for the All-Star game. Why should an established veteran get penalized if a guy with 3 months of NBA experience gets hot. The All-Star team has to more than just what the guy has done lately, but a reflection of continued high performance over an extended period.

At the same time, I think it would be interesting to develop a computer model for the "statistical all star team" reflecting points, percentage, relative contribution to the team, minutes played, etc.

 

[slinslin]

Man Amare needs to play again and he needs to play in the rookie game.

I hate how 90% of the people are believing that Carmelo is better than Amare.

 

[SirStefan32]

Slin, it is very difficult to compare a SG/SF player to a big, strong PF. I'd rather have Amare, but it is almost impossible to do any kind of comparisson between the two sinc they are two completely different players. It's like comparing Clyde Drextler and Karl Malone (or even Charles Barkley)

Stefan

 

[slinslin]

I like Melo. I would likely prefer him on our roster over Marion at this point.

But he has not shown anything that would make me think that he will definately be better than Antawn Jamison.

But he is like Francis at the Guard position. Somehow he gets a ton of fan votes.

 

[WizardOfAz]

Re: Re: Re: Superstar rookies need to grow up

Originally posted by Joe Mama
It's also not likely to put them in good standing with other players in the league.

That won't be an issue with either one of these two.

This league dotes on its superstars. Either one could have the head coach on their respective team fired tomorrow if they wished. They likely could have say so on the composition of the roster to a certain degree as well. To infer that anything different is the case is disingenious.

 

[slinslin]

Maybe Lebron.

I doubt Carmelo can talk Vandeweghe into anything that Kiki doesn't want to do.

 

[Joe Mama]

Originally posted by George O'Brien
I think the NBA should SOLVE this problem by making rookies ineligible for the All-Star game. Why should an established veteran get penalized if a guy with 3 months of NBA experience gets hot. The All-Star team has to more than just what the guy has done lately, but a reflection of continued high performance over an extended period.

I say put the players who have played the best in the All-Star game. Let the coaches and/or players make the picks. Forget the fans. I honestly don't believe a majority of NBA fans out there would mind as long as they got to see the real All-Star's out there. If a rookie has an All-Star season he deserves to be there just as much as a veteran.

Originally posted by slinslin
I like Melo. I would likely prefer him on our roster over Marion at this point.

But he has not shown anything that would make me think that he will definately be better than Antawn Jamison.

But he is like Francis at the Guard position. Somehow he gets a ton of fan votes.

I would rather have Shawn Marion. Carmelo Antony is a borderline poor defender. He's also not shooting any better than Shawn Marion this season, and The Matrix is having a bad year shooting. I think the comparison to Antwawn Jamison is a good one.

Originally posted by F-Dog
I think you could argue LeBron over Pierce because Pierce has been struggling so badly, but Kirilenko vs. Carmelo is no contest. Frankly, Carmelo isn't even in the top group of WC forwards who were passed over.

Again, the real problem is the fan voting. In the Western Conference Steve Francis does not deserve to be on the All-Star team, and you could probably argue that neither does Yao Ming. In the Eastern conference the guy who leased deserves to be on the team is Vince Carter. Still, it's not like a great case can be made for LeBron James over Carter.

Joe Mama

 

[slinslin]

Originally posted by Joe Mama
I think the comparison to Antwawn Jamison is a good one.

I am glad someone agrees. I thought I might get blasted but Carmelo reminds me of Jamison. 100%.

He plays almost exactly the same way.

Something that I think is funny about Melo are his legs? Does anyone else think they are stiff?
Whenever I see him play it looks like he can almost not bend his legs at all like a 7' stiff.

 

[thegrahamcrackr]

Actually I like the Jamison comparrison a lot. I never really followed Antawn much before this season, but once I got him on my fantasy team I noticed he rebounds quite well.

 

[devilalum]

Originally posted by George O'Brien
I think the NBA should SOLVE this problem by making rookies ineligible for the All-Star game. Why should an established veteran get penalized if a guy with 3 months of NBA experience gets hot. The All-Star team has to more than just what the guy has done lately, but a reflection of continued high performance over an extended period.

At the same time, I think it would be interesting to develop a computer model for the "statistical all star team" reflecting points, percentage, relative contribution to the team, minutes played, etc.

The other side of this is all the washed up guys who have made the All Star game over the years based on their reputations and not their play.

 

[SunsTzu]

Originally posted by slinslin
I am glad someone agrees. I thought I might get blasted but Carmelo reminds me of Jamison. 100%.

He plays almost exactly the same way.

Something that I think is funny about Melo are his legs? Does anyone else think they are stiff?
Whenever I see him play it looks like he can almost not bend his legs at all like a 7' stiff.

I think it's a good comparison. Melo is better at facing up and plays passing lanes better IMO. Other than that the have similar games.