blkexec wrote:

Nalod wrote:

blkexec wrote:

Alpha1971 wrote:

fishmike wrote:McBride is a straight up menace. I mean he's what we hoped Frank would become as a lottery pick.

Man I just wanted Frank to be a three and D guy. But fans were fanatical about Frank. I think his best comp was a 3 and D guy but fans were like he is going to be all NBA. It was a wild run with Frank back in the day.

If frank was drafted in the second round he might’ve been in a similar role as deuce vs on his way out the league.

That he was with us as long as he was is interesting. Annual coaching changes, Drafted by Phil, Who was fired soon after, then Mills was in charge, then Leon.
He showed enough to stick 4 years. He only played 5 games this year.
No doubt he was all we saw. Great defender, very long, and can shoot. But he physically never developed and he was oft injured. This limited his workouts, strength training and his confidence was shot. Maybe he was also a bit of a Diva and that did not help him?
Still he is only 25! With the amount of French kids coming in the league his status on the French National team might be in jeopardy.
Perfect congruence of bad events. When it was his time to step up he got injured. Bad destiny. Phil had him pegged to QB his triangle? A lot has changed since!!!
Jeannie Buss won the war to control the Lakers, she won a title, Phil got stupid money and has gone away from the public eye, Jeannie is married to comedian/Actor Jay Mohr now.
Yet Frank was still rostered with Hornets last year!!!!
Hope he finds success somewhere.

Deuce physical build sets him apart from Frank. I read when drafted he expected to not play for two years and was cool with developing off the bench. Really He is more like Dennis Smith jr build wise. Dennis built like a linebacker and lost his quickness from college. He has been able to stick because he developed into a good defender. Injury also limited him.
Funny, Malik Monk who for a couple of years was kind of lost proved to be the better of the three! Lets not even talk about the 14th pick that year. Too painful.

Both play a physical style and I can see them succeeding in football.

Deuce wanting to sit and develop for a few years is the point I was making. The advantages of going in the 2nd round. If deuce was picked 8th like frank he would not have that opportunity.

Macri interviewed one of his coaches after he was drafted and he said he advised Deuce to wait one more year and go 1st round. He said Deuce was cool to learn from the bench. Clearly he was not ready.
Frank was drafted and fisrt year played 78 games, avg 21 minutes, actually started 9 as a rook on the second year of Hornacek's tenure. Team won 29 games. This was KP's allstar season when he got hurt. Ron Baker, Timmy, Dotson, Ron Baker, Willy, Kanter, ........ Mills was president.
KP played 48 of 55 games before he blew out. Knicks were 22-26 with KP on the floor. In the the 7 games he sat before it ended, knicks were 1-6!
Then the bottom fell out. Knicks move on from Horney to Fizdale.
Frank plays 43, 57, 33 games next three seasons. Fizdale gets fired, Miller, then Thibs in year 4. 4 coaches in 4 years.

Frank was given chances. I recall Thibs saying it was a shame he got hurt because he was going to play. But that was it. he was not resigned.
Frank was a true 18 year old who still looked like a teen after 4 years. His defense and was notable and Thibs gave him an opportunity.
It was what it was.
Not saying it was one thing vs. the other. Frank was injury prone and his confidence shot. IN hindsight maybe sending him to Gleague was the key. This was a kid who shined bright so very young playing in France with adults.

Deuce was a project that panned out and his upside at age 23 is still a factor. Very much in the way of the Thibian!!!!