One thing missing about the future of this team is that it is not really in Marbs hands but in Curry's. I don't think his current personality/youth warrants this consideration right away, but when we long ago talked about the intelligence of rebuilding around a grumpy 6-3 guard instead of a dominant big man we were on to somthing.

Reading today in an article that curry is a good kid, married etc, and very respectful makes him a good teammate, but Im thinking his potential character needs leadership qualities he should be the one that could lead us. It appears the respect he has for elders and people in power is a bit submissive. Not in a bad way mind you as he is said to be very likable and coachable, but contrast Ewing's arrogance and leadership molding was a prodigy of Thompson and became a SOB! A SOB leader whos work habits were legendary and lead by example.

Most of your great teams were lead by "the big Guy" and Curry should be mentored and groomed to grow not just in conditioning and defensive prowess, but to accept greatness and leadship. Use his likable and respective manner to lead!

Perhaps this is why 18 year olds entering the NBA can be hard. As a kid in the NBA, your playing with or being coached by the very idols you grew admiring. It must be very intimidating to say the least. Then, while your showered with accolades and money, these guys are saying the right things but must be very scared about failing and have few outlets to discuss this. Doing so may appear to be a sign of weakness for these young guys. 18 year olds rarely posess the self confidence to seek counseling let along drop the patina of being the tough man with the big money. Kwame might be a good example of this.

The stardom also leads to a swelled ego of nobody telling you know in fear. Kobe, and lately Tierre (forget last name) got into a heap of trouble for sexual issues, but in terms of conditioning and improvment on the court, these guys think they are the cats meow and are just fine as they are!

This is why not going to college, or even if just for a year can hurt kids. Ewing became a leader over his 4 years at Georgetown of his team and those qualities eventually helped him his whole career, and perhaps beyond. Having a stable coach, and learning from senior players forsters a hierarchy amung your peers. If you can't lead this peer group, how much harder is it going to be to lead a group of men 10 years or older if you have not done it before. In highschool, the disparity of talent does not equate to leading a Division I team. These players were all the best on their high school team! This prepares you for leadership in the NBA which might not be as a rookie, but over a few years time. Isiah learned it from Bobby Knight and had to become the leader of his Indiana team before he could do it with men on the pistons at the next level.

Of course there is always Lebron to prove me wrong, but he is different. And we are talking about eddie.

Perhaps a Guy like Curry can grow into such a role and become the dominant force on both ends of the court. Being a leader must first be accomplinshed thru a maturation process but the ending result also leads to accountability.

Curry has the pieces in place to begin this education. AD has been a good example and a nice mentorship with Isiah, Aquire,and Larry will help. With his health related experience this summer he might look at it as the life altering event that makes him stand up and not take forgranted his natural abilities but take stock in his family, children and what his professional career wants to look like.

Does he want to be monetary rich man like Gazy Lame James? or the stature respected career like Ewings which will carry him the rest of his life?

Thus, could this teams ultimate success be with marbs as the leader, or the BIG GUY?

Or both in due time?

Frye will be the leader

Posted by Nalod:

Most of your great teams were lead by "the big Guy"

I disagree with this, most of great teams (championship or not) were/are lead by their best player. Be it Isiah Thomas, Tim Duncan, Michael Jordan, Larry Bird, Magic, Shaq, or whoever. It is the best player who leads, regardless of position. In our situation we have Curry who could become a player like Shaq, and in that sense it would be wise to develop him in that way, not because he is a big, but because he can be totally unstoppable.

and Curry should be mentored and groomed to grow not just in conditioning and defensive prowess, but to accept greatness and leadship. Use his likable and respective manner to lead!

I completely agree, but think Frye should be considered as well. In 3-4 years Curry and Frye should be in their prime, and Marbs will be in the twilight of his career. Hopefully one of our bigs, who are our best players, will be able to lead us. BUT, right now, Marbs is the best player, by a long shot, and he should lead, as a conduit to LB. That is what is happening now which is why when Curry messes up his defensive assignments, Steph explains to him (in between plays) what he is doing wrong. I believe IT and LB have made it clear to Steph that this is the role he needs to play if they are going to be successful. In the meanwhile Curry should be being groomed, because he has the potential to be a superstar, an unstoppable force. And Frye has the potential to be a star, but clearly Curry's ceiling seems higher.

Curry has a while to go, but like Bobby said, this is Stephs team right now, we will live and die by how he plays.






[Edited by - Killa4luv on 10-30-2005 11:02 PM]