A man's got to know his limitations: Stephenson , Sabonis

[Good-Knight]

Dirty Harry could have been coaching basketball when he said, "A man's got to know his limitations." When I see how Stephenson and Sabonis try to throw raw athleticism at the game, I see how they would have really benefited from a real college career. I would have thought Pacers try to out wit the Cavs, but these two are not on that page. Frustrating but also interesting to watch. Stephenson, who we've know about for years, has not grown his game since leaving Lincoln HS. He never lived up to his physical skill set. Will we be saying the same thing about Sabonis in 5 years? On this level, you got to stick to the things you're good at, know your limitations, and let the game come to you.

 

[knightinaz]

Lance has played 8 years in the league, has made nearly $30MM and is probably not done.

How was he going to benefit from a college career?

 

[RUby RED]

Lance has played 8 years in the league, has made nearly $30MM and is probably not done.

How was he going to benefit from a college career?

Agreed. Similarly confused with the Sabonis example. He’s lived up to, if not outperformed, expectations for what he would turn into in the league. He made a successful leap to the NBA and has continued to grow and develop. Not sure how a 21 year old who averaged 12 and 8 for a playoff team would have been any better served by staying at Gonzaga

 

[Caliknight]

Lance has played 8 years in the league, has made nearly $30MM and is probably not done.

How was he going to benefit from a college career?

Let's see how much of that he holds on to in 10 years. A college degree might help.

 

[soundcrib]

Oh brother

 

[Rutgers25]

Strange original post

 

[RUinFla]

Think Good-Knight is annoyed at the apparent coming end to the one-and-done rule, and thinking that will be bad for college basketball. Actually, some of those one-and-done guys are perhaps more concerned with preparing their own game for the NBA and less concerned with how their team is doing.
TL

 

[LotusAggressor]

Dirty Harry could have been coaching basketball when he said, "A man's got to know his limitations." When I see how Stephenson and Sabonis try to throw raw athleticism at the game, I see how they would have really benefited from a real college career. I would have thought Pacers try to out wit the Cavs, but these two are not on that page. Frustrating but also interesting to watch. Stephenson, who we've know about for years, has not grown his game since leaving Lincoln HS. He never lived up to his physical skill set. Will we be saying the same thing about Sabonis in 5 years? On this level, you got to stick to the things you're good at, know your limitations, and let the game come to you.

The only thing players learn by playing college baketball is how to be better college basketball players. Most programs, with few exceptions, don't come close to preparing players for the NBA. The majority of the better players in the NBA right now didn't play a lot of college basketball.

 

[Good-Knight]

Obviously they are both very talented an accomplished players. They're amazingly athletic, but they don't start for the Pacers. Why? Lance can be counted on to athlete his way into a mistake or needless fould. Sabonnis, who played a high level in Europe before playing a couple of year in college, has not established a "game." These guys go to block shots they have no hope of contesting, climbs back after rebounds beyond their reach, and drive into roadblocks they could have passed out of. They lack a certain discipline. To have two guys on a pretty good team, that are very frustrating to watch (and must be frustrating to coach) is remarkable - so I remarked.

 

[LotusAggressor]

The teaching moment here is that it takes more than athletic ability to be a good NBA player. You have to know how to play the game and have the skill component down. Lots of people who play basketball are great athletes. They aren't all great basketball players.

 

[Russ Wood]

 

[RUtrumpet92]

View embedded media

I think that last play was worth two points for the takedown.

 

[Russ Wood]

I think that last play was worth two points for the takedown.

I was watching that game with a friend and both of us yelled, "he traveled", at the TV when Lance tied up Jeff Green.