Thread Tools

Display Modes

**Da Grinch** · 06-29-2006, 10:51 PM

Quote:

GREENBURGH, New York, June 29, 2006 -- When Renaldo Balkman heard his name called as the 20th pick in the NBA Draft, “he first cried for like three minutes,” his older brother Maurice Anderson, who along with 15 members of the extended family, experienced the momentous moment in a Tampa condo, related. “Then we hugged, danced around like crazy, and screamed ‘tik-a-tee-tee!’ That’s just something we’ve always done since we were little kids when we get REALLY excited.”

The feelings are mutual: "We looked at every player available to us,” Knicks Coach and President Isiah Thomas said.” And Renaldo was the player who, when we looked at our roster, we said ‘we don’t have a guy like this, with such a different kind of engine, with such a different approach to the game.” “It’s all about energy,” Balkman booms in his pleasant basso profundo. “Energy, corralling extra possessions, creating all kinds of havoc. When I’m on the floor I’m a leader. When I’m on the floor I feel every ball is mine.”

Hence the avalanche of Dennis Rodman comparisons. “I am honored by them,” says Balkman whose game has also been compared to Ron Artest, Shawn Marion, Scottie Pippen, and Jerome Williams. “And I’ll do my best to live up to them.”

“We called him the ‘B-Man,” smiled Thomas. “The scouts and I were very secretive about our plans regarding drafting Renaldo. His energy is contagious. His personality when he plays out on the floor is very infectious. He plays defense and he plays in all areas of the floor. We’re not going to ask him to score 20 points a game. We’ll ask him to do what he does best which is to affect the game.”

“I’m proud to be a Knick,” said Balkman, nearly overcome with emotion. “I never in a million years thought I’d be here. It’s a childhood dream come true.”

Regarding 29th pick Mardy Collins, ”we definitely had him rated higher,” said Thomas. “Everybody had. He’s very solid. His versatility is impressive. He can initiate offense. He can bring up the basketball. One of the problems we had last year was defending bigger guards. Mardy is known for his defense as well as his offense.”

“He will come in and not necessarily change the game with his energy – like Renaldo can – but change the pace of the game with his intelligence.”

Mardy Collins
MSG Photos
“I am very excited and very happy to be in New York,” said Collins. “And I am first and foremost excited about being coached by a Hall of Fame point guard such as Isiah.”

“I like these players’ toughness,” said Thomas. “I like their savvy. They are going to have to compete – and they are two gentlemen who are willing to.”

“You have to be good on both sides of the ball,” added Thomas. ”You’ve got be able to play over 94 feet, you’ve got to play on all areas of the floor. You need versatility and skills to do that. These players fit into that description.”

Thomas, of course, played with Rodman. ”Balkman’s energy, his natural instincts in getting to the ball, does remind you a lot of the things Dennis did out on the floor. He has a great feel and a natural instinctive ability to be in the right place at the right time. Those are things you can’t teach,” the Knicks new coach said.

“With these two players, defense was our main focus without a doubt,” said Thomas. “We looked at the makeup of our team. We have a lot of scorers. We needed to shore up our two and three spots from a defensive standpoint. And we also needed players who will complement our other players. Mardy complements our perimeter players well and Renaldo complements our big-s well.”

“They’ll fit in our team well. If they outperform the other guys, I would not be opposed to putting them in the game even early on.”

“Most teams in the NBA are playing small-ball right now,” said Thomas. “They are not sizing up. We’re trying to be right in the middle of all that. We can play small ball on some nights -- and if other nights we have to play power-ball, we can do that. Dallas was just in the Finals – a lot of times they had four guards out on the floor with Dirk (Nowitzki). It’s a very versatile league right now. It’s a league where you need flexibility. You can’t win with just one style. You’ve got to be able to play multiple styles and your team has to be flexible enough that it can adapt to any particular situation.”

“Like Renaldo, Mardy can do so many things,” added Thomas. “He can play pick-and-roll. He can find people. He has a fifth passing lane – he sees over the top of your head because of his size. And now you can also post up your guards.”

“This was such a hard draft,” said Thomas. “But we got the player we wanted at 20 – and we got the player we wanted at 29. Preparing for a draft such as this, you identify your needs, then you identify the players you want, and then you find a way to go get them.”

“We identified our needs. And we accomplished our goal in getting exactly the players we wanted.”

http://www.nba.com/knicks/news/draftpc_060629.html

people have been comparing balkman to guys left and right , i think the jerome williams comparisons are the closest.

these are the guys i think zeke wants to change the culture along with frye , nate and lee