I have listened to isiah speak about how the guys with the upperclassmen experience will help them, but is it really a benefit for the club long term?>

I looked at the Blazer draft in general, their first three picks in the last 3 drafts have been HS kids/and they did take 2 19 YO Russian Players Kryhpa and Monia, one who played well in spurts with the club.

-Martell Webster-pick 6
-Sebastian Telfair-pick 13
Travis Outlaw pick-- 24

Now these guys were picked on high end talent promise and freak athletic abilities. the only guy who had an NBA body was Webster, although Telfair played well last year.


These guys are all Mcdonald All Americans who rate out VERY high in the respective HS classes, giving them the *high end ceiling* label.


Knowing that many of the HS-pros have turned out quite well, in retrospect, it appeasrs to me that this was the best strategy. What you might be willing to give up in the short term will be rewarded in the long run.

you can't use a blazers draft of players who have proved absolutely nothing as evidence to say that's the best strategy, any more than anyone can use our current draft to say college seasoned players are the way to go.

[Edited by - Masterplan on 07/08/2005 12:25:37]

Posted by Masterplan:

you can't use a blazers draft of players who have proved absolutely nothing as evidence to say that's the best strategy, any more than anyone can use our current draft to say college seasoned players are the way to go.

[Edited by - Masterplan on 07/08/2005 12:25:37]

Well, from initial looks, from the improvement of Outlaw and Telfair's play last year and what these guys showed in game 1 SL, Im not sure I agree with that. We can use it's only 1 game and poo-poo it stuff, but these guys have serious talent and its only a matter of tiem that ALL that talent meshes at the NBA level.

I mean the high end draft pick as worked for the most part--starting with Kobe and going into last years draft, from Dirk KG Jermaine Kobe Stoudemire, there is a lot of evidence to suggest this drafting style is quite successful.

Posted by Masterplan:

you can't use a blazers draft of players who have proved absolutely nothing as evidence to say that's the best strategy, any more than anyone can use our current draft to say college seasoned players are the way to go.

[Edited by - Masterplan on 07/08/2005 12:25:37]

this was exactly what I was gonna say. Isnt the jury still out on ALL of those guys?

I would never build a team like that and no one has ever done it successfully. I really don't think its a matter of high school vs upperclassmen, its a matter of the player. Lebron was ready. KG was ready. Kobe was ready. Dwight Howard and probably O.J. Mayo is one as well. We can also say Amare was ready in retrospect, but the rest of those high school guys would have all benefited from college. I think you have to look at everything on a case by case basis, and be very skeptical of high school guys. There are exceptinal talents in High school, but for the most part, they are few and far between.

Posted by Killa4luv:

Posted by Masterplan:

you can't use a blazers draft of players who have proved absolutely nothing as evidence to say that's the best strategy, any more than anyone can use our current draft to say college seasoned players are the way to go.

[Edited by - Masterplan on 07/08/2005 12:25:37]

this was exactly what I was gonna say. Isnt the jury still out on ALL of those guys?

I would never build a team like that and no one has ever done it successfully. I really don't think its a matter of high school vs upperclassmen, its a matter of the player. Lebron was ready. KG was ready. Kobe was ready. Dwight Howard and probably O.J. Mayo is one as well. We can also say Amare was ready in retrospect, but the rest of those high school guys would have all benefited from college. I think you have to look at everything on a case by case basis, and be very skeptical of high school guys. There are exceptinal talents in High school, but for the most part, they are few and far between.

Im m talking about a long term strategy. First off, how can you quantify gus like Chandler Curry or Kwame a bust when almost every darn team seems to want in on them? I would like to have Tyson Chandler right now, wouldnt you? Id like to have a healthy Eddie Curry for sure--wouldnt you? these guys are not busts, even Kwame--he is NOT a bust, but I will agree that the best plan for him matuity wise wouldve been to go to school. Look at the high number of all stars staright from the all star ranks. I mean this is a phenomona that only went on for about 7 years and it has been very successful. The question or should I say opinion of Portalnd is that they have apparently followed this model of success and from appearances, it looks like the strategy was a very good one.

the strategy being IF these kids stayed in school--would they ellevate their stock position over my current pick?

Do you think if Travis Outlaw went to school that he wouldve been pick 24?

Do you think Rashard lewis would fall to round 2?
Josh+JR Smith late teens?

Not likely

if there is a trend, it would appear the big man wouldve benefitted more from time in school, but again you are looking--for the most part to get these guys on a discount


did Portland end up with hightier lottery talent from picks 6 13 and 24--I think they may have

Posted by BRIGGS:

Im m talking about a long term strategy. First off, how can you quantify gus like Chandler Curry or Kwame a bust when almost every darn team seems to want in on them? I would like to have Tyson Chandler right now, wouldnt you? Id like to have a healthy Eddie Curry for sure--wouldnt you? these guys are not busts, even Kwame--he is NOT a bust, but I will agree that the best plan for him matuity wise wouldve been to go to school. Look at the high number of all stars staright from the all star ranks. I mean this is a phenomona that only went on for about 7 years and it has been very successful. The question or should I say opinion of Portalnd is that they have apparently followed this model of success and from appearances, it looks like the strategy was a very good one.

the strategy being IF these kids stayed in school--would they ellevate their stock position over my current pick?

Do you think if Travis Outlaw went to school that he wouldve been pick 24?

Do you think Rashard lewis would fall to round 2?
Josh+JR Smith late teens?

Not likely

if there is a trend, it would appear the big man wouldve benefitted more from time in school, but again you are looking--for the most part to get these guys on a discount


did Portland end up with hightier lottery talent from picks 6 13 and 24--I think they may have

I never called any of those guys busts, I really like Eddy Curry. If he went to college he would have been much better right now though. Tyson Chandler too and Kwame especially.

How can you look at Portland and call them a success? I think Telfair is their best young player right now, and Outlaw is a very interesting prospect, but he may never develop into anything significant. College raises the likeliehood that players develop. Telfair is decent right now, but if that jumper never develops he'll be a career backup. Same with our boy Trevor Ariza who only di one year in school.

Knowing how to play is not just shooting the ball, but know where to go with it. Some HS players do, most don't.

Posted by BRIGGS:

Posted by Killa4luv:

Posted by Masterplan:

you can't use a blazers draft of players who have proved absolutely nothing as evidence to say that's the best strategy, any more than anyone can use our current draft to say college seasoned players are the way to go.

[Edited by - Masterplan on 07/08/2005 12:25:37]

this was exactly what I was gonna say. Isnt the jury still out on ALL of those guys?

I would never build a team like that and no one has ever done it successfully. I really don't think its a matter of high school vs upperclassmen, its a matter of the player. Lebron was ready. KG was ready. Kobe was ready. Dwight Howard and probably O.J. Mayo is one as well. We can also say Amare was ready in retrospect, but the rest of those high school guys would have all benefited from college. I think you have to look at everything on a case by case basis, and be very skeptical of high school guys. There are exceptinal talents in High school, but for the most part, they are few and far between.

Im m talking about a long term strategy. First off, how can you quantify gus like Chandler Curry or Kwame a bust when almost every darn team seems to want in on them? I would like to have Tyson Chandler right now, wouldnt you? Id like to have a healthy Eddie Curry for sure--wouldnt you? these guys are not busts, even Kwame--he is NOT a bust, but I will agree that the best plan for him matuity wise wouldve been to go to school. Look at the high number of all stars staright from the all star ranks. I mean this is a phenomona that only went on for about 7 years and it has been very successful. The question or should I say opinion of Portalnd is that they have apparently followed this model of success and from appearances, it looks like the strategy was a very good one.

the strategy being IF these kids stayed in school--would they ellevate their stock position over my current pick?

Do you think if Travis Outlaw went to school that he wouldve been pick 24?

Do you think Rashard lewis would fall to round 2?
Josh+JR Smith late teens?

Not likely

if there is a trend, it would appear the big man wouldve benefitted more from time in school, but again you are looking--for the most part to get these guys on a discount


did Portland end up with hightier lottery talent from picks 6 13 and 24--I think they may have

I don't know briggs, had those guys gone to school and show that they are all just athletic players, they might have slipped even further and the reason why I say that is take for example, had josh smith or outlaw played 3 years of college ball, and lets say their games are pretty similar to what they are now, they would be looked upon as athletic 21 year olds with no upside as opposed to 18 year olds with star potential, because no one has yet to see them produce over a period of time, so they become enticed with the "potential". I for one like some of the HS kids a lot, but keeping things real, looking at the other side, instead of the curry and chandlers, and kwame's, give me the Josh Howards, the marquis Daniels, the michael redds, the Boozers, the Ben gordons and the Okafors. Can't you at least agree with that?

Drafting high school players has been feast or famine. Boston did great drafting Al Jefferson in the middle of the first round and Atlanta did even better with Josh Smith. But, no matter how you try to get around it, there have been some colossal busts.

Regarding Chandler and Curry, I like Chandler - but I wouldn't have traded Brand for him. As far as Curry, I'd pass. He can score, but doesn't block shots or rebound.

If you're going to draft high school players, you have to trust the guys you have making decisions on raw talent. Portland does appear to have done well. Others haven't.

Aside from like Wagner, I don't think too many HS players who were actually drafted high are colossla busts.

Kwame is one also, but apparently we all want him bad.

Other then these two high school players usually work out with time.

I also like how BRIGGS did not say a word about Bynum in the thread, and somebodye else goes, BRIGGS get over Bynum lol. Looks like somebody else needs to get over the fact that the Knicks did not pick a highcealing player.

This whole root for Frye or die nonsense is gettin out of hand. Everybody is rootin for him, heck we rooted for Shanerson when he was a Knick, but anybody is well within their right to dislike the pick.