If you've missed it somehow, you need to go read Tom Friend's long profile on Chauncey Billups on ESPN.com. (Thanks to David V. for the heads-up.) You might want to hold off for a couple hours, though, because I cannot wait to watch this team play again tonight.
All right, class, what kind of things do we look for in an NBA draftee? A player who's proven, or one with oodles of upside? A guy coming off a spectacular college career, or one coming off the bench for his Serbian club team? A player who's shown constant improvement, or one who mysteriously fared worse as a senior than a junior? No, Kiki, put your hand down, it's the first answer to each of these questions, not the second. Yesterday the Nuggets picked 20th in the first round, selecting Julius Hodge, shooting guard/small forward, out of North Carolina State. College fans will immediately recognize his name, as Hodge was the ACC Player of the Year as a junior. Unfortunately, he just finished his senior year, which was marked mostly by a dip in his scoring numbers (he developed a sudden inability to hit free throws or threes) and a punch to the groin by Wake Forest guard Chris Paul. Hodge is mostly a mid-range and slashing-type scorer, kind of like the more-than-sufficient s...
Comments
That was the most fantastic article I've read in a long, long time. Chauncey is definitely my favoritest player in the world wide.
The article literally moved me to tears at times . . . the way he learned from his dad . . . and his teammates with the T-wolves . . . the progress . . . the work . . . the learning . . . No. 7 for his Denver re-debut! Awesome! Thanks for posting this. It was awesome. I want these guys to go all the way, now. He's got Melo sprinting off the court . . . freakin' brilliant.
GO NUGGETS!
DG