Series: What went wrong with Shelden Williams

[NBASupes]

http://www.tankathon.com/players/shelden-williams

Of all players in the 2006 draft, Shelden had the 2nd best profile of all prospects via tankathon. Only profile better was Tyus Thomas. 3rd place was 2nd rounder, Paul Millsap who became the 2nd best player in this class. Some will say 3rd in favor of Kyle Lowry.

So why did Supes almost break his homie TV in college when we drafted him and was livid about the selection even with a 7'4.25 wingspan at 260. 

Because Shelden Williams was ass. He was more productive because the comp was extremely weak and he was bigger than everyone and Duke put him in situations where he can be of use. They didn't use him like Carlos Boozer who I had liked just a few years eariler. 

Shelden had no real skills outside of boxing out. Even his rebounding skills was overrated. He had no athleticism and lateral quickness. Coach K use to ride him to hustle and he wasn't that smart of a player. 

He had no position in the NBA and he sucked like I expected him too. I noted at that time, I wouldn't take him in the 1st round which was insane to most as the draft was weak and Shelden had a good college career but I knew he would suck ass in the NBA. Suck ass, he did. He did manage to stay two years after his rookie contract. How? Idk? 

Some loved him like @Diesel but I knew he was trash. I am not gonna lie, I wanted Brandon Roy even though he didn't want to come and wasn't interested. I thought he was going to be the best player in the draft. BK said he past on him because of his medicals which turned out to be accurate but Roy in those years >>>> Shelden period. 

Edited September 7, 2019 by NBASupes

[Vol4ever]

Different offense imo.  He was a load down low

[Gray Mule]

@Vol4ever  Remember, he married Candice Parker, Star Vol player back when their women's team was dominant.  She went on to star in the WNBA.

They are divorced but they do have a daughter. 

She is a much better pro basketball player than her ex!

[Peoriabird]

Too Slow and unskilled

[JayBirdHawk]

What went wrong? He shouldn't have been a top 5 pick. 

[Spud2nique]

4 hours ago, JayBirdHawk said:

What went wrong? He shouldn't have been a top 5 pick. 

He came into a league where his size no longer mattered as much and his lack of athleticism showed itself. Having said that he could have lost weight, gained speed and all that but he just had Candace work for it I guess.  

[Diesel]

I think when you have been physically more mature than everybody you played against, it hurts you coming to a league where that doesn't matter.   See also Stanley Roberts.   Shelden "the Landlord" was good for us in my eyes because we were not getting another 2-3.   Roy was injured (terminally) and we knew that before the draft.  I honestly thought we would pick Rudy Gay. 

However, why did we pick him...

Third player in NCAA history to score 1500 points, grab 1000 rebounds, block 350 shots, and pick up 150 steals.

I don't care where you come from, that's a statement.  Looks like a guy that would be better than he was. 

IF he would have dropped 30 lbs and played at 6'9" 220, I don't think he would have had the skills to be a Sf.  But maybe at 6'9" 235, he could have been a more athletic PF.   I think that could have worked for him. 

 

[AHF]

On 9/7/2019 at 9:20 PM, Spud2nique said:

He came into a league where his size no longer mattered as much and his lack of athleticism showed itself. Having said that he could have lost weight, gained speed and all that but he just had Candace work for it I guess.  

Considering he was significantly undersized for a center and too slow to play PF, I would say his size finally mattered but his strength no longer mattered because while he could push college kids around he couldn't do that in the NBA.

[Spud2nique]

11 minutes ago, AHF said:

Considering he was significantly undersized for a center and too slow to play PF, I would say his size finally mattered but his strength no longer mattered because while he could push college kids around he couldn't do that in the NBA.

Wasn’t he like 6’9” though? And if my memory serves me right weren’t we trying to play him at center? I’m not saying he was a natural 4 or anything as he played more like a center but you can’t be a 6’8” center in the league unless your name is Magic Johnson, even Magic was 6’9”.

[AHF]

1 minute ago, Spud2nique said:

Wasn’t he like 6’9” though? And if my memory serves me right weren’t we trying to play him at center? I’m not saying he was a natural 4 or anything as he played more like a center but you can’t be a 6’8” center in the league unless your name is Magic Johnson, even Magic was 6’9”.

Right.  His lack of size didn't matter much in college and mattered in the NBA where he was matched up frequently against more athletic and/or much longer centers.

I think he would have had a solid career as a rotation big (think some team's #9 guy) if he had been selected late in the first round by a good team that could use him very strategically (sit him against bad matchups and let him bang the boards against good matchups).

[kg01]

On 9/7/2019 at 10:20 PM, Spud2nique said:

He came into a league where his size no longer mattered as much and his lack of athleticism showed itself. Having said that he could have lost weight, gained speed and all that but he just had Candace work for it I guess.  

You're being kind.  His size never mattered because he was slow, unathletic, unskilled and seemingly unmotivated.  The era, the offense, the timing ... none of that mattered.  The idea that he somehow missed his window ... really?  In what version of the NBA would this clown ever be anything more than an unwieldy paperweight?  What, when frigging Dolph Schayes was in diapers.  And by "diapers" I mean them shorty-shorts they used to squeeze into.

The only thing that went wrong was that the dude sucked harder than the Hoover dam!  That doesn't even make sense but neither does this conversation!

Why's Supes dredging up all these horri-bad memories!  Why am I shouting!  Oh, I don't know.  Maybe the mere thought of that dreg of a "basketball player" being our top 5 pick in ANY draft makes me wanna put my head through a wall!

Loud noises!!

[kg01]

@NBASupes, I just want to put you on notice that you've made my list.

What list?  The list, mfer!  The list!

Stop laughing!

[NBASupes]

2 minutes ago, kg01 said:

@NBASupes, I just want to put you on notice that you've made my list.

What list?  The list, mfer!  The list!

Stop laughing!

Love ya kg too... These were trying times as a Hawk fan where we were the NBA verison of can't get right

[Atlantaholic]

On 9/7/2019 at 4:34 PM, JayBirdHawk said:

What went wrong? He shouldn't have been a top 5 pick. 

He didn't have the mix of size and athleticism you need at this level of basketball. 

[Spud2nique]

4 hours ago, kg01 said:

You're being kind.  His size never mattered because he was slow, unathletic, unskilled and seemingly unmotivated.  The era, the offense, the timing ... none of that mattered.  The idea that he somehow missed his window ... really?  In what version of the NBA would this clown ever be anything more than an unwieldy paperweight?  What, when frigging Dolph Schayes was in diapers.  And by "diapers" I mean them shorty-shorts they used to squeeze into.

The only thing that went wrong was that the dude sucked harder than the Hoover dam!  That doesn't even make sense but neither does this conversation!

Why's Supes dredging up all these horri-bad memories!  Why am I shouting!  Oh, I don't know.  Maybe the mere thought of that dreg of a "basketball player" being our top 5 pick in ANY draft makes me wanna put my head through a wall!

Loud noises!!

I can combat this with examples of guys that have been about as talented as the landlord or less and have made the Hall of fame. Funny you bring up Dolph because he’s in the hall and what about a freakin guy like Kevin McHale. Dude had a Frankenstein shaped body but made the muthafcker work for himself. It’s not about size or strength or any of that bs. I’m convinced it’s about having some certain skill and exposing ur opponent till they scream uncle. If you’re a smart dude you will find it.

Shelden was not as bright as he looked.... 

 

 

 

 

[Spud2nique]

3 hours ago, NBASupes said:

Love ya kg too... These were trying times as a Hawk fan where we were the NBA verison of can't get right

Can you   get a room somewhere? You’re smearing weird substances on the Squawk walls from all this love, thanks.  I don’t know where but say hi to Allen Crabbe if you run into Casper .

[Diesel]

10 hours ago, kg01 said:

You're being kind.  His size never mattered because he was slow, unathletic, unskilled and seemingly unmotivated.  The era, the offense, the timing ... none of that mattered.  The idea that he somehow missed his window ... really?  In what version of the NBA would this clown ever be anything more than an unwieldy paperweight?  What, when frigging Dolph Schayes was in diapers.  And by "diapers" I mean them shorty-shorts they used to squeeze into.

The only thing that went wrong was that the dude sucked harder than the Hoover dam!  That doesn't even make sense but neither does this conversation!

Why's Supes dredging up all these horri-bad memories!  Why am I shouting!  Oh, I don't know.  Maybe the mere thought of that dreg of a "basketball player" being our top 5 pick in ANY draft makes me wanna put my head through a wall!

Loud noises!!

No.. I disagree.   I do think that he has a size problem.   He was undersized for the C.   Had he dropped 15 lbs and played at 6'9" 235, I think he would have been a better PF.   However, playing him at C against guys like Shaq and Webber proved to be a problem.  He made Jorge Garbajose look good.   He was just too heavy and slow to be effective at PF.

But to say he was unskilled is hyperboyle.   Anybody who can block shots at the rate he did in HS and College is not unskilled.   Anybody who rebounded n college  with the numbers he had is not unskilled.  Those two elements of basketball take timing and skills.  That's why Dennis Rodman is in the HOF.   The problem is that to do it at the NBA level requires desire. 

 

[kg01]

9 hours ago, Diesel said:

No.. I disagree.   I do think that he has a size problem.   He was undersized for the C.   Had he dropped 15 lbs and played at 6'9" 235, I think he would have been a better PF.   However, playing him at C against guys like Shaq and Webber proved to be a problem.  He made Jorge Garbajose look good.   He was just too heavy and slow to be effective at PF.

But to say he was unskilled is hyperboyle.   Anybody who can block shots at the rate he did in HS and College is not unskilled.   Anybody who rebounded n college  with the numbers he had is not unskilled.  Those two elements of basketball take timing and skills.  That's why Dennis Rodman is in the HOF.   The problem is that to do it at the NBA level requires desire. 

 

You're basically saying, "Man he'd be great if he was a completely different player."  Ok?

The recycling bin of basketball is full of undersized "centers" who looked all-world in HS and college but couldn't translate to the NBA.  Hyperbole is suggesting the only difference between this clown and a legit HOFer like Rodman is "desire".

The guy was trash.

[kg01]

17 hours ago, NBASupes said:

Love ya kg too... These were trying times as a Hawk fan where we were the NBA verison of can't get right

"Love" ain't got nuthin' to do with this side-eye I'm giving you now, bro.

We were indeed the 'can't get rite' kids.  Now the Suns have taken that torch, ran with it, caught their clothes on fire, and are currently rolling round in sawdust tryna put it out.

[Spud2nique]

1 hour ago, kg01 said:

"Love" ain't got nuthin' to do with this side-eye I'm giving you now, bro.

Get a villa together! F*ck a room. Lovin and sexy side 👁 in?Meanwhile I’m sitting here trying to decide if I should even bother to comment that Ed Gray was who we thought he was!