David Thorpe: Rookie Watch: Tips to Jumpstart Their Careers.

14. Donte Greene, Kings
Greene is another huge talent who still has to learn how to play. To see him use his rookie season as a launching pad for shooting lots of 3-pointers would be a huge disappointment. He has the ability to score in other ways, so emphasizing those moves each day and even curbing his green light from downtown would be a good start. He's also a guy who could see his athleticism jump to an elite level if he trained for it.

17. Jason Thompson, Kings
The surprise lottery pick could become a victim of his own talent. He's a power forward with small-forward potential, which is a deadly mix for a young guy but often results in a confused player who doesn't excel at anything. Thompson plays for a team that needs rebounding help and athleticism on the front line. Narrowing his focus in practice to simply being a beast in the paint would be the best plan for him to help his team.

over 3 years ago Kfan in Korea 19 comments 0 recs |

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JT

I think will not play the 3 very much and will do well as a difficult match up 4.

by Beagle12 on Sep 19, 2008 3:18 PM PDT reply actions

Give your team what they need

So, the power forward with small forward skills needs to give the team with poor rebounding, rebounding. And, the small forward that likes to shoot from beyond the 3 pt. line should work on other skills besides 3 pt shooting. Not the most earth shaking of suggestions. He also needs to update his top 50 rookies because he still has Singletary as being a King.

Let’s see if we can come up with some more brilliant ideas for the team:

Players should only shoot from spots where they are the most accurate.
Coaches should only play players that are shooting well.
or my favorate
If you want to make the playoffs win more games.

Any other good suggestions?

"If you don't have anything good to say, LIE" - Mom

by HighTops on Sep 19, 2008 3:57 PM PDT reply actions

I think you're being a bit harsh

I think his suggestions are good and address potential pitfalls that many rookies fall into.

For Greene, like Durant last season, not using his size and athletic ability to score closer to the basket and sitting beyond the arc jacking up 3s would be a waste.

For JT like many front court players, there is an adjustment when entering the league. They are facing bigger stronger more physical players and many rookies tend to move outside. If JT plays the 4 like Miller plays the 5, it would really hurt the future of our team. Focusing on doing what he can in the paint now, and building his size and strength so he can do more in the future is very good advice.

Ball movement ... is like jogging for most people: They do it occasionally, and it makes them happy. Then they go back to not doing it. - Henry Abbott

by Kfan in Korea on Sep 19, 2008 4:11 PM PDT up reply actions

"I think his suggestions are good and address potential pitfalls that many rookies fall into."

thats the point of annoyance, we are looking for something more personal. In todays game where most bigs are less physical and more skilled and most 3s can shoot well enough to play the 2 those comments are applicable to the majority of the forwards drafted.

by passionforPERPS on Sep 19, 2008 4:44 PM PDT up reply actions

Won't happen with David Thorpe

It just won’t happen. Don’t push something beyond the limits of it’s abilities. In this case don’t expect David Thorpe to form a personal opinion on a player when he doesn’t have one.

No mistakes in the tango, darling. Not like life. It's simple. That's what makes the tango so great. If you make a mistake, and get tangled, you tango on

by pookeyguru on Sep 20, 2008 6:35 PM PDT up reply actions

You both are correct.

I can’t disagree with either of you. I just found the statement so obvious as to be bordering on the obsurd. Maybe, I was expecting something specific. Some insight that only a professional teacher that makes hundreds of thousands of dollars or more, could come up with.

I got the feeling after reading the story that I had just watched the losing coach after a game. An interview full of cliche’s with no insight as to who screwed up on the play that lost the game. Only the same old politically correct garbage that you hear from everyone else.

"If you don't have anything good to say, LIE" - Mom

by HighTops on Sep 19, 2008 5:04 PM PDT up reply actions

Agreeing with Kfan, you're being too harsh

This team recently experienced what happens when a player falls in love with his 3-point shot and becomes overly reliant on it. I’d like to see Greene become a versatile, all-around scorer. I’d hate to see his offense become similar to Artest jacking up bombs all night.

You said,

And, the small forward that likes to shoot from beyond the 3 pt. line should work on other skills besides 3 pt shooting.

I think you miss what Thorpe is saying. He is not saying that Greene needs to work on other skills. He’s saying that Greene has other skills, so the coaching needs to emphasize the other facets of his game to make sure he becomes a well rounded scorer.

As for Thompson, I think you’re once again over-simplifying Thorpe’s argument. Thorpe is not saying to have JT focus on rebounding based solely on the fact that Kings need more rebounding. It is also based on the statement that if he doesn’t focus on being a “big”, he’ll become a tweener who isn’t as great as he has the potential to be.

Never forget: I am a complete idiot

by Exhibit G on Sep 20, 2008 8:43 AM PDT up reply actions

Pt taken

I just would have had more respect for Thorpe if he had put more effort into his work. It seems too generic to me.
By the way, I’m not sure your statement about Greene’ is totally correct.

He’s saying that Greene has other skills, so the coaching needs to emphasize the other facets of his game to make sure he becomes a well rounded scorer.

DraftExpress says: He has 3pt range, can elavate, & basic back to the rim skills. On the weak side. he has a poor left hand, ball handling skills, and is slow side to side. All of which tells me he has a poor game between the 3pt line and the rim. And, he needs to work heavily on learning to put the ball on the floor and drive to the rim.

Of coarse, what do I know? I’m not a professional like Thorpe.

"If you don't have anything good to say, LIE" - Mom

by HighTops on Sep 21, 2008 1:12 AM PDT up reply actions

shooting threes was not artest's problem

by passionforPERPS on Sep 21, 2008 7:19 PM PDT up reply actions

JT's future

Call me overly optimistic, but I can see JT playing like Elton Brand. He has the jumpshot and soft hands. He has the power and speed. He has the ballhandling skills. All he needs to improve/display is his shotblocking prowess and determination to attack the boards.

by Shizzo on Sep 19, 2008 4:59 PM PDT reply actions

Good observation

Wouldn’t you have found an article were a professional teacher decribed a move to get better postion to rebound or how to move his feet to stay in position to block a shot, more interesting the the generic dribble Divid Thorpe is handing out. I can undersand that he’s a busy man, but if he’s going to put his name on the story, I think he could have put a little more thought into it.

"If you don't have anything good to say, LIE" - Mom

by HighTops on Sep 19, 2008 5:14 PM PDT up reply actions

I’d love to see JT develop into an Elton Brand type of player, that would be an amazing development for the Kings. But the main thing Elton Brand does is somehow, some way, undersized or not, score in traffic in the paint.

If JT develops into a player like Elton Brand, it will be because he exactly followed Thorpe’s advice and worked his rear end off learning to score with either hand with guys 7ft tall in his face in the paint. Thorpe has reason to fear he won’t do this, given the Kings history of being allergic to using big players as bigs (see Vlade Divac, Chris Webber, Brad Miller). Wouldn’t it be nice, someday, to see a King over 6’10" catch the ball in front of the rim with his guy on him and know he was going to score the vast majority of the time?

by ForThree on Sep 22, 2008 6:12 AM PDT up reply actions

can I bring up Dirk Nowitzki?

Donte? Donte'! Donté?!?!
'spect da 'xtra E'

by iashwash on Sep 20, 2008 10:52 AM PDT reply actions

Thorpe's opinion was right on and insightful

Remember Kevin Durant last year? For 4 months he was horrible jacking up 20 footers and 3’s. I just hope they give Greene tape of Shawn Marion from about 3-4 years ago to watch. Be that guy to start, once you find your place in the league, then expand your game.

It would be really nice for Sacramento to have an assertive athlete for a change though. I love our teams’ basketball skills, obviously Petrie loves that also as its the kind of guys he usually brings in. It would be great to add some hustle and athleticism to the mix though. Greene needs to be that guy first; then if he’s really that good, he can grow into the scorer he probably thinks he is now.

For both of our rookies, its a matter of learning to do something good. Most rookies come into the league with potential but not much they actually do well at the NBA level. Have Greene give us hustle and athleticism, and JT some actual power from our power players and they can grow from there.

by ForThree on Sep 22, 2008 6:18 AM PDT reply actions 5 recs

Totally agree

Rec’d.

Ball movement ... is like jogging for most people: They do it occasionally, and it makes them happy. Then they go back to not doing it. - Henry Abbott

by Kfan in Korea on Sep 22, 2008 2:11 PM PDT up reply actions

Yeah I rec'd too for that reason

No mistakes in the tango, darling. Not like life. It's simple. That's what makes the tango so great. If you make a mistake, and get tangled, you tango on

by pookeyguru on Sep 22, 2008 5:52 PM PDT up reply actions

+5

I now give thee the glowing 5th Rec, which is so much better than those measly first 4 Recs.

by smgmatt on Sep 25, 2008 12:12 PM PDT up reply actions

Thanks guys

I’m just shocked 5 people could read the atrocious english in my post, let alone rec it.

Mental note: Caffeinate in the morning, then post to Sactown Royalty. No posting prior to the morning iced tea.

by ForThree on Sep 25, 2008 1:17 PM PDT up reply actions

I like Greene’s skill levels, I think they’re good enough to be a high quality rookie … but I’m concerned about his decision making, his recognition of when to do what and when and for that reason my expectations of his rookie season aren’t too high.

Love his potential long term though. Himself and Martin are going to be a fearsome combination.

by NBR on Sep 22, 2008 10:24 AM PDT reply actions