THANK YOU PAUL HEWITT!!!!!!!!!!!

[Johnnybravo4]

Georgia Tech Coach Paul Hewitt called in to 790 the zone to talk about a couple of things and the subject went to Chris Paul. He argued that everytime the Hawks saw Chris Paul that he was playing us and that he didn't play well. Hewitt said that in 2 of the three games that they played, Paul didn't score in the first half.

Which reiterates what I said last year and what I say now. It wasn't a sure thing for the Hawks to pick Chris Paul in the first place even if they picked a PG. Paul was arguably the third best point guard in the ACC behind Felton, the National Champ pg, and Jack, the best player on the team that went to the NCAA finals the year before. While some thought Paul might have been the best NBA prospect out of the three, most experts thought we would pick Deron Williams if we got a point guard at all. And if the Bucks picked Marvin Williams, we definitely would have gotten Bogut. Bogut didn't have a demonstrably better year than Marvin, so he according to the pundits, would have been a bad pick as well. Like I have been saying, revisionist history is hilarious.

[gsuteke]

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Georgia Paul Hewitt called in to 790 the zone to talk about a couple of things and the subject went to Chris Paul. He argued that everytime the Hawks saw Chris Paul that he was playing us and that he didn't play well. Hewitt said that in 2 of the three games that they played, Paul didn't score in the first half.

Which reiterates what I said last year and what I say now. It wasn't a sure thing for the Hawks to pick Chris Paul in the first place even if they picked a PG. Paul was arguably the third best point guard in the ACC behind Felton, the National Champ pg, and Jack, the best player on the team that went to the NCAA finals the year before. While some thought Paul might have been the best NBA prospect out of the three, most experts thought we would pick Deron Williams if we got a point guard at all. And if the Bucks picked Marvin Williams, we definitely would have gotten Bogut. Bogut didn't have a demonstrably better year than Marvin, so he according to the pundits, would have been a bad pick as well. Like I have been saying, revisionist history is hilarious.

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hindsight is 20/20

[TheDude]

VERY good post.

[Lascar78]

Definitely man, it was an unquestioned 2-deep draft at the top when draft time came around, with Bogut-Marvin as the clear top 2, Paul-Deron as the clear next 2.

I didn't think Paul could handle big NBA guards because the bigger guards like Jack owned him. That didn't happen.

Oh well!

[DJlaysitup]

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...I didn't think Paul could handle big NBA guards because the bigger guards like Jack owned him. That didn't happen.

Oh well!

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Yeah, I've been really surprised to not have heard more good things about Jack (even though he's in Poor-tland). I sure hope for his sake they decide they have too many PGs and trade him to a better situation. With reasonable minutes he may be able to improve.

[Diesel]

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Definitely man, it was an unquestioned 2-deep draft at the top when draft time came around, with Bogut-Marvin as the clear top 2, Paul-Deron as the clear next 2.

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This is so thick with inaccuracies and weak foundations...

OK.. Let's start here.

You say that Paul wasn't considered BPA because of games he had against GT...

What about Marvin?

How many bad games did Marvin have against good competition?

After round 2 of the NCAA tourney... Marvin disappeared.

Against, good teams, Marvin did nothing of importance...

So.. How do you claim that Marvin was "CLEARLY" top 2?

[Diesel]

What i find most interesting is that Hawks fans are looking for something to explain not choosing Paul? Something. Anything?

[Johnnybravo4]

It just is hilarious that people thought it was clearcut that Chris Paul was the man. If that is the case then Mil made a mistake because they already had centers in Gadzuric and Zaza and T.J. Ford was coming off of a bad injury. And according to the pundits, Paul is waaaay better than T.J. Ford.

[Johnnybravo4]

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Definitely man, it was an unquestioned 2-deep draft at the top when draft time came around, with Bogut-Marvin as the clear top 2, Paul-Deron as the clear next 2.

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This is so thick with inaccuracies and weak foundations...

OK.. Let's start here.

You say that Paul wasn't considered BPA because of games he had against GT...

What about Marvin?

How many bad games did Marvin have against good competition?

After round 2 of the NCAA tourney... Marvin disappeared.

Against, good teams, Marvin did nothing of importance...

So.. How do you claim that Marvin was "CLEARLY" top 2?

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I bet I could find more sources that put Deron ahead of Paul than Paul ahead of Marvin Williams.

[Diesel]

No.

Tell me how was Marvin clearly top 2 when there was nothing about Marvin's NCAA career that was worth talking about except his tip at the end of a game that he sucked while playing?

Or a tip in against Duke.

I think Marvin made the right choice though. Hansbrough was coming to UNC. He would have taken all Marvin's hype away.

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Hansbrough, a 6-9 prep All-American from Poplar Bluff, Mo., is on pace to lead the Tar Heels in both scoring (17.5) and rebounding (7.3) this season. No first-year player has pulled that double at UNC. Ever.

Want more? Despite receiving as much defensive attention in the low post as any ACC rookie in recent memory, Hansbrough has managed a 61.0 field goal percentage. That's right on the heels of the best figure ever for a Carolina freshman, 62.6 by Sam Perkins.

If the 2005-06 season ended today, Hansbrough would be a lock for ACC rookie of the year and a very strong candidate for the All-ACC first team.

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Now that's what it looks like to be a dominant Player in your freshman year. Marvin was not that!

[Teeareess]

Good work D.

But yeah, the way I remember it, Marvin and Bogut were pretty clearly ahead of the next picks. Paul was in the next bunch, and was pretty close in most rankings with two other point guards.

[Diesel]

No doubt the hype had made Marvin top 2...

But if you read the thread, Lascar specifically Charged Paul #3 and Marvin #2 as if Marvin did something on the court to earn that position.

Marvin was number 2 by three things.

1. HYPE.

2. Body type.

3. Potential.

Nothing that Marvin did on the court suggested that he was the second best player in the draft... PERIOD.

[Lascar78]

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But if you read the thread, Lascar specifically Charged Paul #3 and Marvin #2 as if Marvin did something on the court to earn that position.

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I didn't say in this thread who deserved to be where. I am saying that by draft time, the common concensus among just about all GM's, experts, analysts, etc... was that the very top of the draft was 2 deep with Bogut-Marvin, followed by a second tier of Paul-Deron.

You're the one changing the subject to whether that was deserved or not. Everyone else in here is talking about the fact that Marvin was widely regarded to be in the top 2 of the 2-deep draft, and that Paul was in the next group.

Nice try though

[AHF]

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Nothing that Marvin did on the court suggested that he was the second best player in the draft... PERIOD.

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I will say that the hype machine isn't always wrong and that lots of top players anymore get drafted based on potential (which is another way of getting at the same thing you are describing with body type, etc. as far as I understand your argument). Contrast Felipe Lopez and Lebron James for an example. Neither proved it on the court since they didn't do more than blow away high schoolers; both were considered prep legends with unlimited upside for the future. One busted and one boomed but both would have been drafted high based on potential had Lopez come out of HS in the 2000s.

[Johnnybravo4]

He was hyped up because somebody obviously saw his potential. His body isn't unprecedented, since there are probably dozens of 6'9 220 lb combo forwards playing college basketball.

It isn't really more different than Tyrus Thomas being #1 or 2 on a lot of people's board. Thomas pretty much made his name in the tournament as he was unknown nationally in the regular season...After all it was Big Baby who was the SEC player of the year.

[TheDude]

the only hype machine out there is the one that you've fallen for Diesel that because Paul has performed BETTER THAN EXPECTED, that somehow Marvin sucks (although it was said it would take 3 years to see his full potential).

[ATLJA316]

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Hansbrough was coming to UNC. He would have taken all Marvin's hype away.

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was Hansbrough ever hyped before coming to UNC?

[DJlaysitup]

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...Paul has performed BETTER THAN EXPECTED...

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Paul also went to a great situation where they "took the blinders off" (to use a horse racing analogy) and let him do his stuff.

That used to be the way the NBA was thought of...you get a get out of a demanding college "system" and cut em loose and see what they can really do. Somewhat sadly, it seems like the NBA is going away from that nowadays, but maybe we're turning the corner back to a more exciting brand of ball.

[CBAreject]

It would take about 8 years to see Marvin's full potential! He is STILL only 19. Most athletes peak at 26-28. After three FULL NBA SEASONS, Marvin will be just 21.

Still, at that time, we should have a pretty good idea about whether Marvin is going to be a first or second option. However, he will continue to improve if he stays healthy and works hard. The guys who plateau at 22 aren't working to get better and stronger. I believe Marvin will.

I'm not saying Marvin will do anything, nor am I arguing he was the correct choice. I'm just saying we don't know what he will ultimately become.

[CBAreject]

The only debate was whether Milwaukee should take Bogut or Williams with the first pick. Chad Ford said he thought the Bucks would take Bogut, but he thought they'd be passing on the best player in the draft (Williams).

Some said the Hawks should take Chris Paul, since they had SF's already (S.Smith, e.g.). However, even these folks hedged by saying Marvin was actually the best player in the draft.

Is anyone really arguing it was suggested Paul was the best player on draft night?