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**JNice** · 02-20-2005, 04:08 PM

Quote:

Center - Dwight Howard

The best player of the bunch.

After the Magic's GM John Weisbrod passed on Emeka Okafor to take an unproven high school kid, I took more cheap shots at him than I had any right to. Okafor had just won a national title while Howard was busy dunking on frightened young boys. I couldn't possibly see any way to justify that pick. Perhaps that's why Weisbrod's the General Manager and I'm the columnist.

Nobody questioned whether or not Howard had the talent. Everybody saw that this kid had the requisite skills to be a star in this league. What people didn't expect was how well he would adjust to the pressures of being an overall #1 draft pick. Nobody will soon forget about the Kwame Brown situation in Washington.

To Howard's benefit, a guy with his size and athleticism can simply park himself under the glass and let his natural talents carry him through when his basketball IQ is still developing. Nobody is counting on him to initiate the offense. Orlando has a revitalized Steve Francis and a Grant "Lazarus" Hill to take care of that. Howard only has to rebound and collect garbage points. He does that well enough to nearly average a double-double.

If Al Jefferson is at around the same level as Amare Stoudemire's rookie season, then Howard is even further along. Plus, he's got a very good head on his shoulders and is far more mature than his age would indicate. On top of everything else, he'll get to dominate an Eastern Conference that is currently low in quality big men. If Howard plays his cards right, we're looking at a 12-time All Star in the making. And yes, that's the biggest flip-flop you will ever see on the Okafor-Howard debate.

**HKF** · 02-20-2005, 04:21 PM

HS kids are special and I still expect Telfair, Swift and Wright to be very good. All have All-star potential IMO (especially Wright and Telfair). A lot of journalists will be eating crow.

**JNice** · 02-20-2005, 04:24 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Hong Kong Fooey

HS kids are special and I still expect Telfair, Swift and Wright to be very good. All have All-star potential IMO (especially Wright and Telfair). A lot of journalists will be eating crow.

I'd say Howard, Telfair, Wright, Livingston, JR Smith, and Josh Smith all have All-Star potential. Maybe even Al Jefferson too, though I don't think he can reach the level of some of these other guys.

hobojoe · 02-20-2005, 04:30 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Hong Kong Fooey

HS kids are special and I still expect Telfair, Swift and Wright to be very good. All have All-star potential IMO (especially Wright and Telfair). A lot of journalists will be eating crow.

The only one I disagree with is Wright. From what I've seen of him, he won't be anything special at all. I could be wrong though, it's not like I have all that much to judge him from.

**HKF** · 02-20-2005, 04:42 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by hobojoe

The only one I disagree with is Wright. From what I've seen of him, he won't be anything special at all. I could be wrong though, it's not like I have all that much to judge him from.

Man that kid has talent. I saw him play two years ago at the TOC in North Carolina and he was sensational. Then he played in the Rumble in the Bronx up in NYC. I really think he's going to be special. He can play. If he went to DePaul this year, you would probably be saying man that kid is a top 5 pick.

**JNice** · 02-21-2005, 05:29 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Hong Kong Fooey

Man that kid has talent. I saw him play two years ago at the TOC in North Carolina and he was sensational. Then he played in the Rumble in the Bronx up in NYC. I really think he's going to be special. He can play. If he went to DePaul this year, you would probably be saying man that kid is a top 5 pick.

Well, it is pretty hard for others to think he really has that much talent because nobody has really seen him play this year.

I do remember seeing him play a few minutes way back at the beginning of the year .. maybe even preseason ... he looked a little lost and smaller than I thought he'd be. That is pretty much all i've got to go on.

**whiterhino** · 02-22-2005, 11:23 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by JNice

I'd say Howard, Telfair, Wright, Livingston, JR Smith, and Josh Smith all have All-Star potential. Maybe even Al Jefferson too, though I don't think he can reach the level of some of these other guys.

You obviously havn't watched Al Jefferson very much...the kid is phenomenal! He already has more offensive moves than most nba vets....all he needs is a little work on defense....he'll be a starter by next year....watch him....you will see....he will be better than almost anyone drafted....in 5 years I think the top 5 out of this draft will be in any order Josh Smith, Dwight Howard, Al Jefferson, JR Smith, Shaun Livingston....all 5 straight out of high school.

**X-Factor** · 02-22-2005, 04:20 PM

Well these kids coming strait from high school to the NBA usually have one of two things:
1) Mad Balling skills.
or
2) An ego as big as Sam Cassell's nose.

**JNice** · 02-22-2005, 08:01 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by whiterhino

You obviously havn't watched Al Jefferson very much...the kid is phenomenal! He already has more offensive moves than most nba vets....all he needs is a little work on defense....he'll be a starter by next year....watch him....you will see....he will be better than almost anyone drafted....in 5 years I think the top 5 out of this draft will be in any order Josh Smith, Dwight Howard, Al Jefferson, JR Smith, Shaun Livingston....all 5 straight out of high school.

I think he is going to be a good player, don't get me wrong. I just don't think he has the ceiling that some of these other guys have.

But honestly, I've only seen him play a little bit so I don't have much to base it on.

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