[JazzinSLCParticipant]

Whiteside is only high risk/high reward if your picking top 6.

From the 7th pick on down, it’s more of a risk not to take him, then it is to select him. He has the potential to be a game changer and no other player in this draft outside of Wall, Turner, Favors, Cousins, Johnson, and Monroe has that ability. In fact, in my opinion, I think this draft will prove to be somewhat weak when people reflect on it years from now. Maybe 4 stars at best, in this class, and then a bunch of guys who ended up having “so-so” careers. Sure…you could draft Hassan, and he could be a bust. Big deal. People say they “told you so” for a couple years, and then it’s forgotten. But if he lives up to his potential, and you don’t draft him, you would NEVER hear the end of it. It would be, “well if they had only had the guts to draft Whiteside imagine how good our team would be now.” I’d rather live with the risk of drafting Whiteside and having him bomb, then not drafting him, and having him become one of the dominant shot blockers in the history of the game.

[JazzinSLCParticipant]

Because he’s not a Jerry Sloan type player. It’s really too bad.

[TyroberParticipant]

this draft isnt going tobe weak at all imo. There are quite a few solid big men and in this draft that will be valuable role players for years too come. There is only going to be a handful of stars from this draft and maybe only one superstar in Wall but this draft is a very deep and solid draft class

[JazzinSLCParticipant]

I don’t even think Wall will be any better then Derrick Rose, and while I like Rose, he’s not a superstar.

I see Cousins as being a big a risk as Whiteside. Talk about a bad character guy.

[Counting StarsParticipant]

JazzinSLC, the best thing by far about the Jazz drafting Whiteside is somenoe hopefully getting a video and posting it to Youtube of Jerry Sloan getting tired of dealing with Whiteside’s immaturity and slapping him all the way around Energy Solutions Arena and back.

[JazzinSLCParticipant]

It’s Jerry Sloan. I’m serious. Put Whiteside in Jerry’s “boot camp” and he might actually become something someday. If he survives that is. LOL!!

[JoeWolf1]

Whiteside seems to think he is a perimeter player which is a big red flag, playing the face up game for a guy with his skill set is a very reminiscent of Eddie Griffin. Griffin blocked 133 shots, and was a very good rebounder in his only year at Seton Hall and had a ton of potential with slightly smaller measurements than Whiteside at 6’10” with a 7’3” wingspan but a lot of similar tendancies that did not bode well for him as a pro player. His rookie year he averaged a solid 8.8 points 5.7 rebounds and 1.8 blocks per game, but lauched 273 3 pointers and only made 33% of them. I remember watching him and he would end a game with 10 points but take tons of bad shots and was horrible for team ball movement. I know he had alcohol problems, but his potential was hindered by his illusion that he was best suited for perimeter play. His shot selection reminds me of what i’ve seen of Whiteside. I think Whiteside is a 13-20 draft pick becuase he may get it together, but i think it’d be a huge mistake to take him any earlier than the very late lottery.

[JazzinSLCParticipant]

They were often times more fun to watch then the games themselves. Those were the good old days.

[AllDayyyParticipant]

Eddie Griffin was a 3/4 tweener, that had lots of skills and athleticism that never could put it together mentally. He’s not a great comparison for Whiteside at all. I don’t think Whiteside will be anything to special, although there is a chance if a team is willing to bring him a long very slowly and mold him into the player they want. He is incredibly raw, and he greatly benefited from the competition that Marshall played. I think if he had gone to say UConn, he would have seen limited minutes and never would have thought about being a 1 and done. If he turns out to be a Samuel Dalembert clone, I would think the team that selected him would have to be happy.

[JazzinSLCParticipant]

As Hassan stares off into space…with an empty look in his eyes…pretending not to listen. It would be an instant classic.

[JNixonParticipant]

Happy with a Samuel Dalembert clone?

[JazzinSLCParticipant]

If he pans outs. Though because of his freakishly long arms, he might even be a more gifted shot blocker then those guys. It depends on if he develops good timing.

[JazzinSLCParticipant]

In a league that has so few dominant defensive centers a guy like Whiteside should be highly sought after. I think you can work with this guy (unlike Cousins), and mold him into something special. He just needs good coaching and guidance. He’s already got the physical tools, and the length. Maturity will just come with time.

It wouldn’t surprise me if Detroit picked this kid at number 7, and shocked everyone.

[xbadgerhustlerParticipant]

there’s a difference between not being able to work with someone and them being a little stubborn/immature. Cousins is definitely the latter, but I still think he showed significant improvement in his year at Kentucky.

[AllDayyyParticipant]

Hopefully Whiteside is as good as Thabeet, who put together a monster rookie season, based around his rebounding and defensive presence!!!!!!!

[AllDayyyParticipant]

Cousins is also the dude who screamed fuck you at his coach and not any coach but the esteemed national treasure of a coach John Francois Calipari, just saying. Dude is a knucklehead

[JazzinSLCParticipant]

A number of teams in the NBA would LOVE to have Dalembert. My Jazz being one of them. We need length like Dalembert can offer badly.

[JazzinSLCParticipant]

Doesn’t mean Whiteside will be. I’m tired of that comparison. Though I think it’s a big reason why teams aren’t talking about taking Whiteside higher. Thabeet is still to fresh in their minds. Is every raw young center who has a penchant for blocking shots now always going to be compared to Thabeet? If so, that’s ridiculous.

[JNixonParticipant]

Trust me. You would not “love” to have Samuel Dalembert on your team LOL. I’ve watched him play over the last 5 years and I would “love” if he just retired.

The word love is thrown around so much these days

[Durantula-35Participant]

If he’s a bust, no one will remember? We all still give the GM that drafted Michael Olowakandi, Kwame Brown, and Eddy Curry crap. Some busts are just as remembered as the stars

[GrandmamaParticipant]

To say that Whiteside is not a high risk/high reward type player is wrong b/c that’s exactly what he is…..drafting him 7th doesn’t take away his risk potential. If he ends up falling out of the lottery, then you can assume that risk doesn’t mean much b/c of his potential reward.

Whiteside is the prototypical risk/reward player. He is a ridiculously physically gifted center who is a monster blocking shot, but he also is extremely offensively challenged and struggled rebounding in a weak conference. He is screaming risk/reward.

[JazzinSLCParticipant]

If you make a mistake with the number one pick, or even a top five pick then your right. People won’t forget that. But drafting a kid like Whiteside lower in the draft, and missing the boat on him, isn’t nearly as big a deal. It’s not like your passing on a John Wall or Evan Turner to draft him. Instead, your passing on like an Aminu, a Udoh, or a Davis. Big deal. None of those guys are going to be stars anyway.

I really like Dalembert. I don’t know what he’s getting paid, and what his contract situation is, but he could make a significant difference for the Jazz who are extremely small, and lack any kind of length up front. Do you remember seeing Fesenko start for the Jazz in the playoffs? LOL

YES…Jazz fans would probably get a little giddy at the possibility of having a player like him in the middle. He’s our missing piece. Or even a guy like Brandon Haywood.

[sheltwon3Participant]

Bynum took maybe 4 years to develop but right now he is probably top 3 big men when healthy. whiteside could be that. I think he is a less risk than Thabeet was and he went number 2.

[JNixonParticipant]

Bynum was wayyyyy bigger/stronger and more skilled than Whiteside at the same stage. Bynum was always skilled and very big,but Whiteside is very weak and will make 1 move and then trip over his own feet the next time.

[BothTeamsPlayedHardParticipant]

“Whiteside and having him bomb, then not drafting him, and having him become one of the dominant shot blockers in the history of the game.”

He is not going to be one of the most dominant shot blockers in the history of the game. First off, take a look at the best college shot blockers to enter the league over the past few seasons

1) Hasheem Thabeet, 2) Shelden Williams, 3) Hilton Armstrong, 4) Dominic McGuire, 5) Tyrus Thomas, 6)Jason Thompson, 7) Solomon Jones, 8) JaVale McGee, 9) Cedric Simmons, 10) Joel Anthony.

How many of them were labeled as guys who can make a difference because of that skill, and how many actually have done so? This is a guy with a severe lack of strength and lack of experience against big men. This is not Hakeem Olajuwon, Patrick Ewing, or Tim Duncan with actual bodies of work at the highest levels of college.

Second, the guy’s maturity is a big issue. It isn’t taking off a couple workouts while visiting family or getting emotional during games maturity, it is showing up late for practice and not working hard to improve himself lack of maturity.

He is still young enough where he is worth a flier, but no team in the lottery without multiple picks should consider him. I could live with Houston taking him, because they can send him to the NBDL and no one would care. They already have talent and don’t necessarily need a rookie to contribute. If Detroit goes that route, the only positive it that they might be in better position to get the number one pick next year.

[JoeWolf1]

I wasn’t comparing the two as far as I think Whiteside’s impact as a player will be similar to what Griffin’s was, rather that players who would be more effective in the post who have it in their heads they are perimiter players rarely reach anything close to what their potential is. I realize Whiteside is a center due to his great length, but since he has such a slight build he can’t bang in the post so I fear he’ll try to rely on his perimeter skill and fail just like Griffin did as a player who would have been more effective as a power forward with his height and length, but due to his slight build he tried to rely on his outside game rather than hit the weight room and work on post moves. Although they are different positions, if Whiteside doesn’t get it in his head he is a post I fear he’ll fail to reach anything close to his potential.

[CodySLCParticipant]

I agree with you JAZZINSLC. Who else can well take at 9 that also doesnt have a chance to be a “bust”. He brings to the table what we need. Great length and shotblocking. His potential is huge.

[Pistol Pete. The PelicanParticipant]

I’m actually worried about his potential. I know he hasn’t been playing basketball long but he’s already 21. I know that’s young but because of his lack of a basketball background it still could be hard for him to learn. I’m also afraid of his attitude and demeanor, he’s either to playful or absolutely lost on his skills. In an interview with this website he compared himself to a taller Kevin Durant. I don’t think anyone besides him would make that comparison. I mean I do like his skill set though. 7 foot, stronger than his body would say. Okay mechanics on his jumpshot, athletic. the right coach and team and he could be an okay role player. I’m never seeing a star with him.

I have him going number 7 to the pistons in my mock draft.

And I don’t think we should label Thabeet a bust yet. Lat year when he actually got to play when Marc Gasol was injured. He averaged about 7 points, 8 rebounds, and 2.5 blocks in about 22 minutes. If he can learn how to not foul and just put his arms up. He would be great. In about 30 minutes a game. He would average about 10,10 and 3. that’s what we expect from him. Mutombo averages for his career 10 points, 10 rebounds, 3 blocks, and he’ll probably be a hall of famer, just saying.

[cycloParticipant]

Whiteside has fallen out of the lottery, beccause he’s looked terrible against every big man prospect he’s faced in workouts, including some who are projected second round picks. As the workouts have shown. He cannot defend other big men one on one. He cannot score against quality competition. His attitude stinks. His work ethic stinks. He backs down when the going gets tough. He quits on plays. He doesn’t hustle. He’s already dropped out of the lottery and could free fall to the late first round and I wouldn’t be surprised if he ends up in the second round.

[cycloParticipant]

If 7-0 Saer Sene and 6-10 Brandan Wright were in this draft, certain Jazz fans would be begging the Jazz to draft them. It would be a catastrophic mistake.

Just drafting big isn’t going to help the Jazz if the player sucks.

To blow the #9 pick on a risk that doesn’t pan out would be catastrophic to the Jazz’ future and possibly cost the Jazz Deron Williams in free agency. Tha Jazz can’t afford to draft a player who’s likely to bust.

[BothTeamsPlayedHardParticipant]

The reality is that playing AK at the power forward and allowing him to play closer to the rim on defense would be the shot blocking equivalent of drafting a guy like Davis, Whiteside, Udoh, etc. They’d also have a much better offensive player, and also let’s not pretend that any of those three are going to slow down Pau. This, of course, would mean that Utah would need to get another rangy SF to cover the tough wings.

[FDAPO]

Hassan = Poor mans Thabeet.

And thats a horrifying thought

[AllDayyyParticipant]

Honestly I don’t see Whiteside as anything but Bustville.

Gotta add Okafor to that college shot blocker list. I was on the Okafor>Dwight train of thought, cuz im a retard.

[butidonthavemoney]

"The reality is that playing AK at the power forward and allowing him to play closer to the rim on defense would be the shot blocking equivalent of drafting a guy like Davis, Whiteside, Udoh, etc."

This.

We still need a center though.

[JazzinSLCParticipant]

Kirilenko is going to miss how many games to injury this up coming season? 12? 20? More?

Kirilenko is nothing but a gigantic drain on our payroll, and isn’t the answer to a damn thing.

I’m sticking by Whiteside. I’ll be the first to admit if I wrong about him. I admit he’s a project. But within 3 years, he will be a defensive force in this league.

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