Who is the next Wesley Matthews? D Will says Ryan Thompson.
- Thread starter Purch
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D Will> CP3
Member
Man sometimes Deron just loves to be a dick to the reporters but they do ask some stupid questions occasionally.
prodigy
Well-Known Member
I don't know if he was being a dick, he was being honest, how much can you tell about a guy from 2 practices? But he did look tired about hearing the same questions from different reporters.
DWill_Gr8tness
Member
They are people, think of times you were annoyed by a little kid or sibling who kept asking the same questions over and over. The media is made up of the most annoying people in almost any profession.
David Stern
Well-Known Member
Fesenko. /thread
Twin Towers
Well-Known Member
I noticed the guy from ABC was asking all of the questions in the beginning (Dana Greene?). Than Deron seemed to not mind the questions after him.
Deron also hates that one bald guy. I remember listening to the audio of him saying he F'ing hated that guy after he left. Can't remember him.
I think he hates some reporters in general.
Deron also hates that one bald guy. I remember listening to the audio of him saying he F'ing hated that guy after he left. Can't remember him.
I think he hates some reporters in general.
Marty McFly
Well-Known Member
Reporters, especially here, really do suck. How many times do we have to hear Ben Bagley and the rest of 1320 ask gems like
"So you shot really well tonight, how did that help the team?"
"So you shot really well tonight, how did that help the team?"
gregbroncs
Well-Known Member
It's Zundel that Deron hates. He did say I ****ing hate that guy when he left once. Or something like it.
Stifle Tower
Punch Bowl Re-Filler
Well, don't forget the rookies have to do all sorts of chores for the veterans. Maybe he meant Evans is going to "help us THIS year carry our luggage up to our rooms on road trips."
Archie Moses
Well-Known Member
There never has been or never will be another Wesley Matthews. The dudes story is one of a kind. ESPN the magazine had an excellent article about him and how his rookie season accomplishments were something that has never been seen in the NBA before. No disrespect to Thompson, but you'll never be a Wesley Matthews.
unluckyseventeen
Well-Known Member
It's not that amazing if you think about it (excuse me while I play Devil's Advocate).
He was a bench player before Ronnie Brewer (a bench player in Memphis) got traded, and still was undersized for the position. He has a lot of heart and is at least talented enough to hold his own, but I don't expect him to blossom into anything more than a 6-year bench/role player in the league.
It's almost unheard of to do what he did by going undrafted and then starting, but the stars really aligned. I'm sure there will be another story of an undrafted guy making a big splash in his rookie season. There are plenty of undrafted guys in the history of the league anyway that went on to do some nice things for their teams (Ben Wallace, Bruce Bowen, Avery Johnson, Jannero Pargo, Jose Calderon, Carlos Arroyo?, Darrell Armstrong.. several other very recognizable guys).
Also, there's this Raja Bell guy...
Archie Moses
Well-Known Member
https://insider.espn.go.com/nba/insider/news/story?id=5546852
If you have insider, read this article about Matthews. Pretty sweet imo. I only quoted a couple of paragraphs from the article, so I hope that doesn't go against board policies. If it's too much, mods feel free to take it out. My favorite part about the article is how Matthews, being an undrafted guy, is going to make double of John Wall. I'm mean, in a way, Matthews almost got lucky he went undrafted with that kind of money.
If you have insider, read this article about Matthews. Pretty sweet imo. I only quoted a couple of paragraphs from the article, so I hope that doesn't go against board policies. If it's too much, mods feel free to take it out. My favorite part about the article is how Matthews, being an undrafted guy, is going to make double of John Wall. I'm mean, in a way, Matthews almost got lucky he went undrafted with that kind of money.
unluckyseventeen
Well-Known Member
It's unprecedented, yes, but like I said, it was one really fortunate coincidence after the other that got him to where he is now. Also, Portland wanting to overpay every role player we have coming off a contract helped him, too. I don't know what the hell they are thinking. He is at least deserving enough to not be buried on their bench.
Archie Moses
Well-Known Member
That happens to a lot of pro athletes though. That's why every pro-athlete has to be ready when their name is called to step it up.
Archie Moses
Well-Known Member
He would have may more of a chance of living up to his contract if the Blazers didn't have Roy. For that reason alone, Wesley signed "I'll never live up to my contract" curse.
Stifle Tower
Punch Bowl Re-Filler
Yeah, I'm sure the player's union will have something to say about that in the next CBA. And the owners too. Having to give the 30th player in the draft a guaranteed deal, while the 31st has to earn a roster spot seems unfair. It's also the reason an early 2nd round pick is often a lot more valuable than a late 1st. And teams then not able to protect a guy they've developed, while superstars like Durant, Roy, Paul, Deron, etc making peanuts by comaprison for 4 years. That's a problem.
No doubt the Matthews' story is unique given the premise. But, IMO, you have to go back through the league before the draft was reduced to 2 rounds and before the current CBA went into effect before declaring Wesley truly "one of a kind." Up until the mid-80's the draft was 10 rounds! Then it was cut to 7 rounds, 3 rounds in 1988 and finally, in 1989, the draft was shortened to two rounds. So, just going back through Utah Jazz history, here are some of the siginifcant players who were picked in the 3rd round or later:
1982 - Mark Eaton (4th round)
1983 - Bobby Hansen (3rd round)
1985 - Delaney Rudd (4th round)
Off that list you have an all-star in Eaton and a starter in Hansen. Hansen really didn't start until his third year and he was picked #54 (fewer teams in 1983), so put a DQ by his name. Rudd was actually a decent PG for the Jazz for a few years. Unfortunately for him, Utah had some guy named Stockton, so he didn't get much playing time.
That leaves Mountain Man. Eaton started 32 games as a rookie, averaging 4 points, 6 rebounds and 3 blocks. Considering he didn't even start at UCLA and was working as an auto mechanic when drafted, I'd say his rise to fame is every bit the equal of Wesley Matthews' - maybe more impressive at this point. Just like Wesley, he became a starter mid-season (replacing Danny Schayes). Of course he didn't sign the big FA contract after that because the rules were different. Imagine if Eaton were in the same position in today's market. He'd be offered the full MLE by just about every team in the league.
I'm sure you can go through the draft history of many other teams and find guys drafted in the 3rd round or later who became starters their rookie seasons. So kudos to Wesley Matthews, but he's not the first to accomplish the feat - unless you've narrowed the search parameters quite a bit (must have been been a rookie only AFTER the current CBA was put in place).
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Shad
Well-Known Member
How can you say Matthews isn't/wasn't unique? There has never been a player to come in as a rookie (undrafted) then the following year get a huge pay roll. We all know he's not going to work as well with portland. That's a given, but you have to give it to him. He worked his absolute butt off to get what he has now. I just hope Portland enjoys some more sloppy seconds. Maybe they'll take Gaines off for us 