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**Coatesvillain** · 05-30-2004, 12:48 PM

Quote:

"They scare me," O'Brien said a few days ago, referring to high-school players.

"I think it's a brutal environment for a young man coming out of high school to be put into that environment. It's very scary. I think as an organization, you have to really do a great job of counseling, managing, leading, modeling for these young men. It's a tremendous responsibility.

"The hardest thing is that I think high-school kids nowadays think they know it all. They think they understand the game of basketball. I think, by and large, they're absolutely clueless. It's just the shock of going from a star player at a high school that everybody adores to absolutely the lowest man on the totem pole."

That doesn't mean O'Brien wouldn't talk the Sixers' personnel people into drafting a high-school player with potential if one is available. He said he has been "so impressed" with some of the people he has seen on tape in recent weeks.

"While an 18- or 19-year-old may not be mature and ready for the NBA right away, in the back of your mind, you have to question whether these high-school kids could be the next Tracy McGrady or Kobe Bryant or Kevin Garnett three or four years down the road. You'd hate to pass that up," O'Brien said.

Three high-school players have emerged as potential lottery picks. They are 6-foot-10 power forward Dwight Howard of Southwest Atlanta Christian, 6-7 point guard Shaun Livington of Peoria (Ill.) Central, and 6-8 small forward Josh Smith of Smyrna, Ga., who played last season at Oak Hill Academy in Virginia.

Howard is a near-lock top-three selection. He may stand at No. 1 if the Orlando Magic, which has the top pick, get cold feet about selecting Connecticut power forward Emeka Okafor, whose balky back is causing some concern.

"Dwight Howard is going to be great some day," Los Angeles Clippers scout Evan Pickman told Florida Today. "To me, that makes him a no-brainer. Nobody out there will tell you this kid can't play right now. But the question is: When will he be great?"

That question makes NBA coaches and general managers leery when the topic is high-school players. But there is enough talent out there.

As O'Brien says, "Everybody wants to win the next game.

"If a guy's in the top eight and has a lot of room for improvement, he could be a star," he said. "If I could get a high-school kid that could be an All-Star, versus somebody to be in the top eight that would never be an all-star, I'd take the high-school kid."

LINK

The Sixers have been ultra quiet during the offseason (which means they have to be planning something, right?!), and the only things we've heard from is what Jim O'Brien has commented on in recent weeks. With his reputation as an absolute straight shooter, I find it hard to not believe what he's saying. I find it even harder to believe Billy King when he tries to cover up OB's tracks.

I think it's comforting to know that we'd at least give High Schoolers a look, which means we won't just draft a guy like Josh Childress because he has more college experience than most of the guys we should be interested in. While the Sixers do have an older team, they do have something that's essential for younger players is a solid core of veterans who can be mentors. Guys like Aaron McKie, and especially Eric Snow would give a good example for any young kid coming into the team.

The only question though, is if we draft a HS kid, how much playing time would O'Brien (a guy notorious for playing older players) give him? I know he said he wants to draft a player who will be one of the top eight players on the team, with potential for improvement, but the thought bothers me at least slightly.

**HKF** · 05-30-2004, 12:51 PM

Josh Childress, onto Philly you go. Enjoy him guys.

Allen Iverson · 05-30-2004, 05:48 PM

We wont draft Childress

**Kunlun** · 05-31-2004, 05:45 AM

Hell no! The Sixers need some contribution right away and don't have time to develop a high school kid if they want to make the best out Iverson's last few years in the NBA.

**Coatesvillain** · 05-31-2004, 06:16 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by KL Dawger!
Hell no! The Sixers need some contribution right away and don't have time to develop a high school kid if they want to make the best out Iverson's last few years in the NBA.

So you sacrifice the chance of landing a potential future franchise player, just to salvage a handful of years on Iverson's career? Looking at things the way they are right now, unless something drastic happens to the landscape of the league, Iverson won't be raising a championship trophy in this city.

Some might not want to hear that, but it's true. For so many years the team putting players who complimented Iverson's style, and once Indiana ripped their team a part we made a very memorable run. That was a best case scenario type year for us, but now we have McKie and Snow with ugly contracts and badly aging. Iverson's not a spring chicken either, and the way things are now, it's not attractive for the team to keep on this course.

The way I think people have to look at this is, we have no draft picks next year, so whoever we draft has to have great potential for improvement. If we draft Josh Childress, I'll still be a fan of the team, but I'll lose even more faith in the management, because that's not the right move for the team.

Allen Iverson · 05-31-2004, 07:00 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by PhillyPhanatic!

So you sacrifice the chance of landing a potential future franchise player, just to salvage a handful of years on Iverson's career?

I dunno, to me having 2 franchise players would be nice.

**Coatesvillain** · 05-31-2004, 07:25 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by Allen Iverson!
I dunno, to me having 2 franchise players would be nice.

That's not what I'm saying at all, if the option is between taking someone with great potential for improvement Vs taking someone who'll probably just be a supporting cast guy to Iverson. I'm going with the guy with the higher ceiling. It's extremely important for the Sixers to approach it that way.

dcrono3 · 06-01-2004, 03:24 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by PhillyPhanatic!

That's not what I'm saying at all, if the option is between taking someone with great potential for improvement Vs taking someone who'll probably just be a supporting cast guy to Iverson. I'm going with the guy with the higher ceiling. It's extremely important for the Sixers to approach it that way.

Well, if you can get a guy with a high ceiling who still complements Iverson, I would go for him (Iggy). Biedrins and Smith seems like players Iverson could work well with too.

**Kunlun** · 06-01-2004, 09:17 PM

I don't see ANY future franchise players in this draft. This is one of the weakest drafts of all time.

Eagles in 2003 · 06-02-2004, 04:42 PM

I think the Sixers will likely be looking to draft Childress or Iguodala. Possibly Biedrins, but i think the above two are more likely.

I'm not so sure anyone will change the Sixers right away. I kinda think last year was just a rough year. Its very possible that we become anywhere from the 3rd to 6th seed area in the East, and its not gonna be from the draft. If everyone stays healthy and the team plays how its capable of playing, then the sixers can get back on track. Back in 2001, its not like the Sixers were filled with all stars, it was really overachieving veterans and a star in Allen Iverson.

It is for that exact reason, why i think the Sixers should serioulsy consider Josh Smith, whether or not, Childress,Iggy, or Biedrins are avalible. Josh Smith has the potential to be a star, and its not like hes absolutely incapable of playing a minute in his first year.

**BEEZ** · 06-02-2004, 04:44 PM

Plain and simple if the Sixers draft Childress who is Salmons ver 2. i will be in the market for a new team to root for

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