[goneParticipant]

Great write up of Eddy and Tyson from one of the writers on Bill Simmons’ website grantland, It a little long but a good read non the less.

 

http://www.grantland.com/story/_/id/7887970/the-divergent-careers-miami-heat-eddy-curry-new-york-knicks-tyson-chandler

[mikeyvthedonParticipant]

I actually was talking about Eddy Curry and Tyson Chandler last night with my friend while watching the game. I was a huge Curry fan and thought he should have been the first pick in the 2001 draft. Also loved that the Bulls took the gamble on both of them, but I definitely felt Curry would be the better player.

As the article says, at a time many would have gone with Curry as the better player. I felt when Chicago made the play-offs in 2004-05, Curry played the bigger role (definitely my mind set at the time. Knowing what I do now, that might not have been the case). He led the Bulls at 16.1 ppg and they were 37-26 in the games he played, 8-9 without him.

Tyson Chandler has honestly amazed me at his ability to accept his role and how valuable he is to a team. Truly, Tyson has been a much greater part of a winning formula than Eddy ever was. Charlotte made the play-offs with him! Dallas finally got the post protector they needed to win a title. New York went from a defensive laughingstock to a laughingstock for many reasons without defense being one of them.

Chandler definitely turned out to be the better of the two, definitely was wrong on this one. His getting beasted by Kwame Brown in workouts now seems like a distant memory, one which shows how little workouts may actually tell you in some cases (I could go on, but I will leave it at that. They are worth having, but they are not a tell all). The Knicks were a disappointment this season, but Chandler was a legit All-Star caliber big in my book. He is a lock for Team USA, as he should be due to his ability to cover the paint like few others.

I hoped Eddy Curry could come back, though it seems like that may not happen. He was a tank in the post and had solid athleticism for his size. His defense/rebounding was always shaky though, and that stuff wins championships. Tyson Chandler can attest to that.

[GrandmamaParticipant]

As a Bulls fan, I’m still bitter about the Chandler for Brand trade on draft night. Trade a PF who was 20 and 10 each of his first two years for a high school project center?? Damn that was aggravating.

I’m with you Mikey, I thought Curry would be the better player. Although, I saw Curry play downstate in the bball tournament and I wasn’t very impressed with his game. When a guy is 7’0″, 280 lbs playing against high school competition and never dunks on anyone, you have some concerns.

It’s too bad Curry had heart troubles. He was developing into a decent scoring option down low. He was never a good rebounder or defender, but he could put the ball in the bucket.

[RUDEBOY_Participant]

You can put me in the column with those that thought Curry would be the better player..Chandler seemed too soft,too thin and 1 dimensional..It wasnt until a few years ago,when he got to New Orleans when he finally found out what he’s capable of doing on the court..

 

With a 3-0 lead on New York,i’ll like to see them let Curry play about 15 minutes in game 4…And see what he has to offer the Heat,they can use his inside scoring in the post..To match the Lakers,Memphis or Thunder big men in the Finals…..

[llperez]

I remember that draft well. Jason Williams was the consensus #1 pick but surprised everyone by returning to school so he could graduate. Then it became a huge workout test between kwame, Tyson and curry. Curry had been all over national television with his senior year being a tv show called Chicago preps that followed him and a few other chi ball players. Tyson was considered an athletic project that could potentially play sf. He shot threes throughout highschool and even attempted a few in preseason that first year I believe for the bulls. I played against Tyson and he was a freak down low blocking shots and stuff. Kwame was the unknown who came out of a small town and didn’t have as much national exposure. I think that draft had a lot to do with the NBA adopting the 1 year rule.

[ItsVictorOladipoParticipant]

that was a hard draft to make predictions on. I remember having Chandler ahead of Curry by a hair but I also had Eddie Griffin as my #2 prospect LOL. Lots of young unproven (even at the college level) talented bigmen in that class.

[sheltwon3Participant]

I think when you draft young, you have no idea who will be the hard workers and improve their game.

[invalidParticipant]

 i have a chandler  highschool mixtape at that time he looked like a young KG, long and thin. curry was the baby shaq. never knew kwame til jordan jumped on him tho.no one lived up to the hype i guess, chandler is now dpoy but not what he is projected to be. kinda late bloomer

[DurantsWingspan]

I think that obviously Chandler didn’t turn out to be a bust. I think Kwame Brown was a way bigger bust than Curry. Curry atleast was a very solid player for a season or two. Like a bunch of you said, you were even higher on him than Chandler much of his early career. I was very high on both of them, probably equally so. I understand what GMs saw in these two though. Chandler is self explainable and Curry was Shaq-like in a way. Definitley understand these 2 getting drafted this high. The big question is what did anyone see in Kwame Brown? He honestly does not really have that much talent. He has T-Rex arms and not out of the world athleticism and his skill set is abysmal. I remember hearing stories that he couldnt do the big man tap drill coming into the league.  And he went 1st. I think DeSagana Diop might have had a better career than Kwame. 2nd worst pick ever to Darko?

[DurantsWingspan]

I think that makes a good reason for 2 years in college. If you had two go two years, and GMs would see players progress from Fr. to So. year, i think it would tell a lot about if they are a hard worker.

[theEDGEParticipant]

Chandler was steady on the defensive side ,but playing with Paul in NOLA showed he could produce offensive numbers as well.

Curry never had a first class PG like Paul or a mentality fit to be a NBA talent/superstar.

From the get go with the Bulls I was a fan of Chandler whilst I had my doubts on Curry.

And I got proven right.

 

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