Here is some wishful thinking...

Dumars traded for him but has this fetish for certian guys. Walter Herman is better than most of the big men in detroit yet cant get off the bench...they had okur...Dumars just belives so much in in keeping certain guys around...Samb was not playing over these guys, amir or maxiel or McDyess....

George Karl has no desire in teaching anybody anything, while the clippers already have 3 starting centers on their team in camby, kaman and jordan....

Enter Samb. He's not a stiff. He can run the court and loves to block shots. He has nice athletic ability. Look at his elevation in these pics....

Now why not the Knicks? Why can't a diamond in the rough player fall into the Knicks lap for once and become a feel good story for us? As I said the kid is not a stiff...he's very mobile and he's 7'1" and 245lbs...why not the Knicks? why can't this can emerge from nowhere and become the starting center that nobody can belive fell through the cracks?

definately worth a look...shows the kid is not a stiff and could actually have some raw post moves developing...he seems to want to get better. I'm very excited about this kid.

I hope this guy gets some minutes tonight. I saw him a couple of times as a Piston and he was decent (I still hoping that Wilcox get some minutes too). He needs to work on his block timing but he is active.

Posted by TheGame:

After watching the vids, I might have to change my opinion on Samb. He looks like he is a decent prospect. If he can add 30 lbs of mostly muscle over the next 2 years and continue to develop his jumpshot, he has the potential to be a decent center. He definitely seems active on the court and looks like a solid shot-blocker.

[Edited by - thegame on 04-03-2009 08:57]

I read a recent report that he has put on 25 lbs of muscle. He's listed at 225 lbs now and is ripped.

He looks like a willing shot blocker. A welcome change for our team.

Posted by Rookie:

Posted by TheGame:

After watching the vids, I might have to change my opinion on Samb. He looks like he is a decent prospect. If he can add 30 lbs of mostly muscle over the next 2 years and continue to develop his jumpshot, he has the potential to be a decent center. He definitely seems active on the court and looks like a solid shot-blocker.

[Edited by - thegame on 04-03-2009 08:57]

I read a recent report that he has put on 25 lbs of muscle. He's listed at 225 lbs now and is ripped.

That is good. He is probably going to need to get to the 245-255 range before he can really be effective as a center. He shot that jumpshot comfortably in the vid. If he can consistently knock down a 15 foot jumper, he should be worth playing for 10-15 minutes a game.

Posted by TMS:

Posted by knicks1248:

Posted by BigC:

Wilcox can't even get off the bench. I don't see this kid getting playing outside of practice.

Can he be our Ben Wallace

i think he'll be more like our Mikki Moore

I'll be happy if turns into Jawan Oldham.

Here is Samb's write from draft express prior to the 06 draft.

Cheick Samb NBA Draft Scouting Report

by:
June 29, 2006
Strengths
In the case of this Senegalese, it’s very easy to identify his virtues, the reason why he might draw some attention: Samb enjoys an impressive combination of size and athleticism that is hard for any player to match. He’s a legit seven footer, perhaps 7-1 in shoes, who enjoys a great wingspan. Cheick displays an excellent vertical leap and good speed on the floor.

On the defensive end is where he shows his best potential, being a very promising shot-blocker. It’s not only a matter of how high Samb gets, but also in the timing he shows looking for the block. He feels more comfortable operating in motion, on defensive help coming from the weak side, rather than blocking his own matchup (even if he produces here as well). He shows excellent lateral mobility that only needs some work to translate it into more effective defensive movement. Rebounding is another area where his physical and athletic gifts help him produce.

When it comes to his offensive skills, it’s surprising to check that his most reliable weapon is his free-throw shooting ability. It’s not common to see a big man that is this skilled in this department (not being a Reggie Miller, but still good enough to shoot a 70% clip), much less in such a raw player as him. His mechanics are pretty decent, and it’s a smooth release that helps the ball go in if it touches the rim before. Of course, he uses that shooting touch with the clock moving, even by daring to shoot from three-point range once in a long while, although he significantly losses accuracy. He also shows a decently soft touch around the basket and above average hands when it comes to grabbing the ball.

Despite his extreme rawness, he’s a player who seems to understand the game well enough, usually showing criteria operating with the ball. Besides, he’s not a passive guy at all concerning what happens on court. He actively talks with his teammates and looks quite motivated.


Weaknesses
Everything about Samb screams raw. He’s so far away from becoming a productive player at a high level that you have to wonder if he’ll ever get there. He started to play basketball extremely late, and it’s easy to see the consequences.

Cheick is not any type of offensive threat. Facing the basket, he needs to gain consistency with his mid-range shot, and he barely can put the ball on the floor. But there aren’t any significant post skills to speak of either. His footwork looks extremely unpolished, his footspeed very poor and he doesn’t stand out finishing around the basket. His semi-hook shot needs serious work, lacking arc in its flight and looking poor in its mechanics. On the defensive end, he needs to get smarter, as he’s easily cheated with shot fakes that he answers going for the block

It wouldn’t be so concerning if his flaws finished there. Other players have managed to crack some NBA rosters with a similar drought of skills, but at least they had the body to earn a living on the court. Cheick’s problems grow exponentially since he’s so skinny, getting regularly outmuscled in everything he does. He lacks the necessary lower body strength to hold his position, whether in the low post (on both ends of the court) or boxing out and battling in rebounding situations. His upper body is in tune with his legs, and neither his frame allows us to think that he can dramatically improve his general bulk and strength in the future. Having started playing basketball so late with his background being from Africa surely hasn’t helped him. On the other hand, despite his athleticism, he’s not really explosive, lacking some reactivity and quickness in some situations, although this area seems easier to sort out.


Competition
Cheick Samb was brought to Spain in late 2003 from Senegal along with his younger brother Mamadou by the president of Arona, a team in the Canary Islands. Well into the 2004/05 season, both brothers signed with FC Barcelona.

This past season, Cheick played in Cornellá. This is a team linked with FC Barcelona that receives on loan some of its most promising kids to give them playing time in an interesting stage such as LEB-2, which is the third division in Spain, but that enjoys a good level for youngsters to get experience. There, Samb has averaged 9.4 points (51% FG), 7.4 rebounds and 2.8 blocks in 25 minutes per game.

He also played with Winterthur F.C.Barcelona on the Under-22 Circuit, a peculiar competition organized by the ACB League and the Spanish Basketball Federation that features the best youngsters in Spain (not necessarily Spanish), where he averaged 9.5 points, 7.2 rebounds and 3.1 blocks in 22 minutes per game.


Outlook
As a 1984-born player, Cheick is automatically eligible for the 2006 draft. He only has a marginal shot to make the second round. He will likely take part in the Reebok Eurocamp in Treviso in order to try and improve his stock.

Comments
The NBA has bet on super-raw physically-freakish international players such as Cheick Samb in the past, but they were usually younger, as the likes of Nedzad Sinanovic or Remon Van de Hare, and the results obtained haven’t been encouraging so far. It’s certainly a long shot that Samb becomes a productive player at a top level, but it’s equally undeniable that he enjoys some gifts that simply can’t be taught.

Facts
His younger brother, Mamadou Samb, is one of the most promising international prospects born in 1989.

Cheick won the dunk contest of the 2006 Vilagarcía Basket Cup, a youth tournament played every Easter in Spain, showcasing his impressive athleticism.





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The thing with this kid is hard-work. He has all the tools. The question is will he work 6-7 hours every day this summer to improve. Right now he probably needs to work on strength, low-post footwork, shooting, and learning the play book. The Knicks should tell Herb to get attached to this kid's hip this summer or hire Ewing to work with this kid 4-5 times a week.