NBA Star versus NBA Wha????

[JoMal]

Every team has one. Sometimes two. They are not going to be in any all star game any time soon. They really don't have much of an offensive game, so that hurts their playing time.

But when they hit the court, the court shudders from the impact. Teams have no idea how to play them. It is so much easier if they come into the League with the skill creds to warrant watching game film to try to stop them.

On the Kings, our young rookies who warrant close scutiny and who are going to be terrific some day are obvious. Tyreke Evans is already there and it is getting damned close for Omri Casspi.

But Jon Brockman???

Last night, the 6'7" Brockman bullied his way through the high timber of the Knicks interior for five offensive rebounds in his limited time on the court. He is still a mystery as to why he is as dangerous as he is and as affective, but he is. Guys like Brockman play the game of basketball with little finesse  and no shortage of elbows. He was given a horrible nickname by our resident radio color guy (Jerry Reynolds) that makes me cringe - the Brockness Monster - ugh!!!! But some kind of monster for NBA opponents he certainly has become. I have noticed players on other teams dreading seeing him come on the court. He only plays 14 minutes a game and averages 3.1 points, but gets 4.7 rebounds in that time, evenly split between offensive and defensive.

What other players do you know who fit this football rather then basketball player mentality?

[marklapinski]

Reggie Evans.  All hustle and no finesse just like Brock.

[westkoast]

Blair over at San Antonio is one of those guys.  Also Birdman from the Denver Nuggets.  I don't see either of those guys making the all-star team anytime soon but when they come on the court good things happen for their squad.  They obviously also use strength and appendages to get the job done.

[Joe Vancil]

Millsap in Utah, until he got his contract.

[JoMal]

Those three are pretty much the same player, true.

If it wasn't for his bad knees, though, Blair would have beenone of those elite rookies in this class.

Milsap actually has some kind of offensive game, though, even if it is based on garbage work.

Evans is the true model for this type of player. Midsized to smallish for the PF spot, but still gets boards.

[westkoast]

Those three are pretty much the same player, true.

If it wasn't for his bad knees, though, Blair would have beenone of those elite rookies in this class.

Milsap actually has some kind of offensive game, though, even if it is based on garbage work.

Evans is the true model for this type of player. Midsized to smallish for the PF spot, but still gets boards.

Who do you guys think the greatest player of all time that fits this model?  Dennis Rodman?

[Joe Vancil]

For any sort of sustained success, yeah, I think you're looking at Rodman.

Have to throw P.J. Brown out there, though, although he was more defensive than rebounding.

[Ted]

Matt Harpring was that kind of guy.

[marklapinski]

PJ is 6'11".

[westkoast]

For any sort of sustained success, yeah, I think you're looking at Rodman.

Either him or Mutumbo would be my choices.

[ziggy]

Chris Dudley, Danny Fortson, Mark Madsen off the top of my head.  Harpring was a good one as well.

[JoMal]

Rodman kind of overdid his workhorse and role player attitude, though. He was a two-time all-star and recognized as the defensive player of the year twice, then made the all-defensive team seven times, so he didn't, exactly slip through anyones radar come game time.

The tall guys of the NBA, like PJ and Mutombo, are in a different class. Mediocre centers tend to really be bums who end up staying in the League mainly because they are tall, or manage to be only defenders. These guys were primarily defenders, though Brown wasn't much of a shot blocker.

Harpring is pretty close to this kind of player, though he was a fairly high draft pick - 15th that year - so he was somewhat expected to be good, at least. No guarantees on that, but he was an All-American and then he made the All-rookie team his first year. He is also in that size class of 6'7" to 6'9" that I are talking about.

[Lurker]

Chris Dudley, Danny Fortson, Mark Madsen off the top of my head.  Harpring was a good one as well.

This covered the top of my head list also...but I would add Najera.

[ziggy]

Chris Dudley, Danny Fortson, Mark Madsen off the top of my head.  Harpring was a good one as well.

This covered the top of my head list also...but I would add Najera.

I would also add that Laimbeer, and Mahorn were far tougher and more "football" like than Rodman ever was.
I would add Ruben Patterson, Larry Smith, Kermit Washington, Charles Oakley, Scott Pollard, Michael Cage, and of course Wes Unseld.

[JoMal]

I would also add that Laimbeer, and Mahorn were far tougher and more "football" like than Rodman ever was.
I would add Ruben Patterson, Larry Smith, Kermit Washington, Charles Oakley, Scott Pollard, Michael Cage, and of course Wes Unseld.

Wes Unseld. I would have to say of all the guys mentioned so far, he would be my top pick for this kind of player. Averaged over 14 rebounds but scored at just over 10 points per game for his career, though his shooting percentage topped 50 percent. He was listed at 6'7" and 245, which makes him the same height but 10 pounds lighter then Brockman.

Now there is a role model, however he also did not sneek up on anybody, as he was the second pick of the draft in 1968

Pollard was certainly that type of player, though he played center also.

Still looking at those guys who really are too short to be stars but manage to play at a different level anyway.

Charles Barkley is another who comes to mind. At 6'6" and 250, he averaged almost 12 boards and 22 points per game for his career and is considered the best power forward of his era, but with those stats he played himself right out of the runing for this type of player, just like Rodman..