Could Josh Smith be our Amare Stoudemire?

[BusBoyIsBack]

I know at first glance it may seem like a homerish post but think about it. Amare is basically just an oversized 3. Josh Smith gained some weight last summer and reportedly got up to 240 pounds in muscle without any signs of sacricing athleticism. Now let's say he adds even more strength/mass to be big enough to be a legit big man. (You could actually make the argument he's big enough to be one now).

If you look at the talent of Josh Smith he basically has all the freakish athleticism that Amare Stoudemire has. The only thing Stoudamire has on him is an inch in height. We could put Smoove on the block and just like Stat, he could be too quick and athletic to be defended by opposing big men. He could also thrive on the fastbreak outrunning his man down the court for the sick jam. Not to mention the shots that he can throw in the stands just like Mr Stoudemire. JSmoove may not have good dribbles to be a wingman right now but he would instantly have elite dribbling abilities, speed, quickness, and overall athleticsim for a post player. Athletically speaking, he would be in the category with Dwight Howard and Amare. Actally you'd have a strong case that he would be MORE athletic than those guys. He could be the most athletic 4 in the league. I really hope he is our future 4.

You can teach JSmoove to play D downlow and you can teach him how to develop a post game on O but what you can't teach is that ridiculous God-given talent he has.

[Wurider05]

He has really just needs to work on these three things:

1. His handles-for some reason he is just turnover prone especially whenhe drives the lane. Sometimes I would just sit back and tell my self that he is about to loose the ball and then he does.

2. Post Offense. Even though he was a very good perimeter shooter last year I felt as though he fell in love with the shot alittle too much. He should have been in the post banging.

3. He needs to impove his rebounding by at least 2 to 3 more a game.

[pimp]

All Josh needs to do is you keep working with Larry Drew.

It seems like everytime someone asked Josh about his improved play,Josh would always gives credit the Drew.

Also Josh had a nice little jump-hook in his rookie season.

I don't know why he doesn't use it anymore.

[Popeye]

One more thing is he needs to be more agressive.

[unknownjdb]

I'd say closer to Marion than Stoudemire. Plus, my new favorite "realistic" comparison for Josh Smith is Josh Howard. Howard is a better one-on-one defender, but I still see similarities in their game.

[vdunkndunk]

Josh was actually posting up and using something like a turn-and-face runner/hookshot off the glass near the end of last season, and it was working pretty well for him. I think if he keeps developing his post game and overall skills he could become closer to an Amare Stoudamire type than it may seem.

[BusBoyIsBack]

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I'd say closer to Marion than Stoudemire. Plus, my new favorite "realistic" comparison for Josh Smith is Josh Howard. Howard is a better one-on-one defender, but I still see similarities in their game.

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Josh Howard is a good comparison, but in the future I think Smoove will be a 4 over a 3 which is why he would be more comparable to Amare or another Howard by the name of Dwight. He is every bit as athletic as both players and only an inch shorter. I think if he accepts that role, and gains some more strength/mass and develops a post game, he can be every bit as good of a basketball player as these guys downlow. (He already is just as good in the open court)

[Guest Walter]

Amare has always played in the post his whole life and Josh Smith has played the perimeter (at Oak Hill also) his whole life. Yet, people want to compare them as players. As athletes, perhaps, as players no.

The fact is you generally CAN'T teach an NBA-quality post game this late in the game, without MANY years, and without interest (something JS hasn't shown).

Name the last Sf in HS and college or his 1st two years in the pros that went onto become a (preferably great) Pf. Marion is the only one that might come to mind and that doesn't mean Pheonix wants Marion at the 4, they just don't have other options. Just like Utah with Kirilenko, Pheonix would love to find a Boozer" to play alongside Marion or rather a true center to play alongside Amare and Marion...Simply put, just because a player can play AT Pf doesn't me he IS a Pf or SHOULD play Pf.

And somebody posted about JS being our Dwight Howard?!? WTF!?! There wasn't a single comparison about Howard's and JS's game or style of play other than athleticism out of HS and things have only changed more. Howard's even more physical and JS still prefers the perimeter. Athleticism comparisons only do not apply!!! A post game isn't something you find in a cracker jack box, learn at a weekend seminar, or do without. It takes heart, desire, a preference for the post (because otherwise you'll always step out) and LOTS OF TIME. JS would have to go to big man camp for many years to simply catch up to existing Pf's post games. Give me a break.

W

[phx_suns]

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If you look at the talent of Josh Smith he basically has all the freakish athleticism that Amare Stoudemire has. The only thing Stoudamire has on him is an inch in height.

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And better dribble, better post moves, a better shot, more heart, more desire, better feel for the game, more intelligence, hall of fame talent, more steals, a better rebounder, more assists, more aggressiveness, a competitive nature, 10 times the talent, a natural leader, multiple all star apperances, A WINNER, infinate amount of endorsements, the respect of the entire league...

Comparing Josh Smith to a all-world talant such as Stoudemire is about the dumbest thing a Hawks fan could say.. and there have been plenty of dumb things spoken and thought.

Amare has more talent in his left hand, then Smith does in his body. There's no comparison to anyone on your team, or from past Hawks teams. Wilkins, and only Wilkins ever had such ability.

Get real.

[Sothron]

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If you look at the talent of Josh Smith he basically has all the freakish athleticism that Amare Stoudemire has. The only thing Stoudamire has on him is an inch in height.

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And better dribble, better post moves, a better shot, more heart, more desire, hall of fame talent, more steals, a better rebounder, more assists, more aggressiveness, a competitive nature, a natural leader, multiple all star apperances, A WINNER, infinate amount of endorsements, the respect of the entire league...

Comparing Josh Smith to a all-world talant such as Stoudemire is about the dumbest thing a Hawks fan could say.. and there have been plenty of dumb things spoken and thought.

Amare has more talent in his left hand, then Smith does in his body. There's no comparison to anyone on your team, or from past Hawks teams. Wilkins, and only Wilkins is the only player thats ever had such ability.

Get real.

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Such idiocy should be criminal. Have fun watching your crippled player hobble up and down the court for the rest of his career.

[Guest Walter]

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If you look at the talent of Josh Smith he basically has all the freakish athleticism that Amare Stoudemire has. The only thing Stoudamire has on him is an inch in height.

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Amare has more talent in his left hand, then Smith does in his body.

Get real.

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I won't agree with either of you. First, to argue that if you look at TALENT, JS and Amare are similar in athleticism assumes talent and athleticism are one and the same. To then argue that while JS and Amare are the same in terms of athleticism, the only difference is an inch in height is equally poor argumentation. You cannot state a sole similarity, attempting to broaden it by insisting atleticism and talent are comperable, then claim there exists only one difference and everything else is similar. I agree they are athletically similar and that an 1" is their height difference, but to look at Amare's post game and aggression and Josh Smith's developing perimeter game I wouldn't consider them comperable save athleticism.

That being said, a severely injured Amare (albeit not in his left hand) does not so trump JS.

W

[phx_suns]

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Such idiocy should be criminal. Have fun watching your crippled player hobble up and down the court for the rest of his career.

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The guy had it coming, he said the unthinkable.

I've heard some dog-dumb things in my life, but that one takes the cake. How can anyone mention those two players in the same breath.. on the same planet.

Just unbelieveable.

And yeah.. Amare is so crippled that he made the cut of the U.S. Olympic team. You know.. where the best of the best are currently playing. But maybe you all can tell me why Josh Smith wasn't invited? Afterall, he is just as good as Amare right?

Im pretty secure in saying that they would have chosen 200 players over Josh Smith. What a joke.

[Guest Riv]

Screw being Amare...in the very near future, fans of other teams will be wondering if their player will be the next Josh Smith!

[Guest Walter]

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And yeah.. Amare is so crippled that he made the cut of the U.S. Olympic team. .

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Why would Amare risk injury for international play? Is ownership publically or otherwise upset? How long do you think Penny Hardaway's knee is gonna hold up in Amare?

Amare with either have to play a very different, lesser game following this surgery (McDyess) or will fall apart (Hardaway). I will miss his play either way. One of my favorite players to watch prior.

W

[Sothron]

The history of microcfracture surgery leads me to think you might be best served in not insult fans of another team. You may want to start investing in religion for the outright miracle it will require to not have Amare turn into a shell of his former self.

[AtLaS]

of course Amare's better in the post, because he plays there, Smith is an SF. Amare a better shooter? thats laughable.. Better passer? also laughable, you obviously know nothing about Smith. What did Amare win with all that talent before Nash arrived? what I thought.. Besides everyone puts up career numbers in Phoenix's current system, there were like 3 players that did this year. It was the same way in Dallas when Nash was there.

Don't get me wrong Amare is light years ahead of Smith now (assuming he ever gets fully healthy), but he NEVER would have averaged 30 a game without Nash, probly not even 25. Don't get pissed because we compare Smith to some1 better, he's only 20, why would we compare him to some1 thats worse or even? We want him to be better, right?

I don't really know if I want Smith to play SF or PF, but if PF he'll probly end up like K-Mart was in NJ, but with a better shot and better passer..

[Popeye]

Amare???

What??

He can be our Amare+Diaw

[Popeye]

a better blocker, better shooter, has more assists so better passer(just like Amare has more posints so he is better scorer). better 3pt's

[BusBoyIsBack]

I never said Josh Smith was a better player than Amare Stoudemire. Love how my words got twisted. I'm saying that Josh Smith is as TALENTED as Amare Stoudemire. I consider a post game a SKILL. When I think of talent I think of natural gifts that just can't be learned.

If you don't think Josh Smith is as athletic as Amare Stoudemire then you are giving Stoudemire too much credit. You could easily argue that Smith is the superior athlete with the way he runs the floor and explodes to the air on both ends of the floor for the slam or the block.

Im not saying if you put JSmoove at the 4 he would be instantly as good as Amare. I'm saying he would instantly have elite athleticism and ball handling skills for his position. I don't think size would be an issue either because of his wingspan and his room to grow strength/mass wise. And he could create more matchup problems for the opposition than they could create for him. Just like Amare.

But it seems comparing JSmoove to the Almighty Amare is just pure blasphemy seeing that Amare has one foot in the HOF according to some people.

[GST]

phx-suns, you might ought to listen to Sothron. I did a little research on microfracture surgery a while back, and found that success for the procedure was iffy at best. Even if it is successful, it is only a temporary fix. With professional athletes, you can expect the original problem to re-emerge in about 3 years. Take a look at Kenyon Martin to see what the future might hold for Amare.