Posted by Knight:

http://thefamurattlers.collegesports.com/genrel/071405aac.html

Excerpts:

James is generally regarded as an intelligent player with good physical tools and untapped potential.

By his own admission, he has not always worked as hard as he should. He has also admitted to an overactive social life, but he was lauded by teammates for making strides in all areas last season.

Last season was his first as a full-time starter, but he averaged just 16.6 minutes a game.

"This is a guy who didn't play in high school," Fleisher said. "So he really got a late start, and he was injured a lot the first couple years he was in the league. He's sort of just coming into his own. I think he feels that he can do a lot more than he was asked to do in Seattle."


The SuperSonics were a perimeter-oriented team, carried by the jump shooting of Ray Allen and Rashard Lewis.

James was there to set screens, grab rebounds and play defense. He averaged 1.39 blocked shots, despite limited playing time. Given the chance, he could become an effective low-post scorer.


"He feels he showed in the playoffs he is capable of a lot more," Fleisher said.

FAMU RETRO: James played three seasons at Florida A&M (1996-98), averaging 19.9 points, 9.2 rebounds in 81 career games... He led the team in scoring and rebounding all three seasons he played, improving his scoring from 11.9 per game his first season to 19.9 in his third year... He averaged 8.1 rebounds his first year, but improved to 10.4 his third season (1998).... During his three seasons, James led the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference and ranked nationally in NCAA Division One in blocked shots, averaging 4.48 rejections per game (81 games), the seventh (7th) highest career average in Division One history... He had 119 blocks in each of his first two seasons and 125 rejections in his third season (1998).

[Edited by - Knight on 08/12/2005 13:00:23]

These are things you have to consider when evaluating a player. You do have to take his stats into account but you can't just blindly use them outside of contextual factors. And repeating the stats over and over again doesn't somehow make blindly using the stats more impressive.

Posted by fishmike:

http://www.hoopshype.com/players/jerome_james.htm

Great size... Will block some shots... Decent offensive player... Awful from the free-throw line... Very low basketball IQ... Very inconsistent... Must improve his conditioning and defensive mentality.

thats a little more like it.

Those #'s in college are a negative and not a positive.

What #'s would be positive? 30 pts and 15 rbs? or 5 pts and 3 rbs? I don't get it. Shaq averaged 24 and 14 his senior year at LSU--what more would you want from JJ in college? I can't keep up with these ridiculous comments, everyone know where I stand--I like JJ alot and think he'll be huge for us next year: around 10pts 9rbs and 2 blks a game--getting easy baskets from Marbs and preventing easy baskets against other teams. 45 wins next year. Fish says we will win 38 and we should have gotten either Cliff Robinson, Dale Davis, or Dikembe Mutombo... I can't comment anymore on those kind of statements.

[Edited by - Knight on 08/12/2005 14:37:08]

Posted by fishmike:

they are a negative because James is supposed to be a fountain of untapped talent. The guy put up dominating numbers in college, obviously he knew how to do something. 3 years of CBB and 5 years in the pro's and he's still a 50 game 5 point 4 reb guy. Sorry, thats just not exciting to me. Hope he does great, I really do. This is just an irresponsible signing. No facts to support that it isnt

Look at his minutes--tell the whole story. We know you wanted Dikembe, we're sorry. I'm not arguing anymore for JJ. I'm ready to wait and see what happens during the season.



[Edited by - Knight on 08/12/2005 14:41:06]

Posted by fishmike:

what about the minutes? He's in foul trouble in the first 5 minutes of every game.

Yes.. and I would have loved Mutumbo. Perfect temporary fill. Short term commitment, good impact, I bet Houston wouldnt have matched the 2 year $10mm. Maybe by that time Frye is ready to be the full time 5

Anyway its water under the bridge, I'm used to living with bad decisions from management, I love the Knicks afterall...

Mutombo is 400 years old- I wouldn't want him for one year on this squad. And its not like he'd sign here, there is still a knife wound in his back from when Isiah sent him packing!

He doesnt hate JJ he is simply pointing out, like alot of other people that he is not worth the commitment we have made to him.

He is goign to be a fixture for the next 5 years, makin 6 and 7 mil in the last 2 years at 34 and 35. If he is still averagin 5pts 3rbds and 1.5blks a game, that is the definition of overpaying.

I think that he sucks until proven otherwise, because he has sucked his entire career in the NBA. It is much more understandable when somebody expects more of the same.

You guys actin like 10 9 and 2 is a given is settin yourself up for disapointment later on.

Those numbers sound about right to me if James can stay on the floor enough.

Frye really should start from the beginning, we are a lottery team, we have no right not to start out 8th pick. I'm so tired of us acting like we are not a bad team, maybe if the managment accepted the prodcut they put ont he floor for what it is we' finally make some headway.

Its like NY is in denial about being a bad team that just went to the lottery, play the goddamn young guys!