VS.
GRIFFIN'S REP:
Who would you rather have this season: Blake Griffin or Deron Williams?
GRIFFIN'S REP:
"Blake Griffin is going to be the best player in this league if he doesn’t get injured. First of all, he was selected as a #1 overall draft pick, just like Derrick Rose, LeBron James, Dwight Howard, Tim Duncan, and Allen Iverson. He is in the same class of ballers as those guys, but unfortunately he missed his rookie season. Once he came back, he showed us how to dunk perfectly. Griffin’s dunks are ferocious, and his play is tough and dominant. In the 2010-2011 season, he was an NBA Slam Dunk Champion, NBA All-Star, NBA Rookie of the Year, NBA All-Rookie First Team, and Western Conference Rookie of the Month six times. As a rookie, he averaged 22 points and 12 rebounds. Obviously he had a fantastic season. I believe that we will see much more from him in the future.
I love to see Deron Williams play. I went to his games in Istanbul and he plays fabulously. Other than his arguing with Jerry Sloan, I agree that Williams is a really good player. However, my point is that he has already spent six years in the NBA; I think after six years Griffin will be the best player in this league."
I love to see Deron Williams play. I went to his games in Istanbul and he plays fabulously. Other than his arguing with Jerry Sloan, I agree that Williams is a really good player. However, my point is that he has already spent six years in the NBA; I think after six years Griffin will be the best player in this league."
WILLIAMS' REP:
"I am no modern day Nostradamus, so I can’t predict how good Griffin will be in six years. But I can tell you that right now Deron Williams is a great player. I mean, the dude suited up in Istanbul for only three months and they retired his jersey. That says a lot. Deron has been refining his game whilst playing the last month and a half in Istanbul and is more than ready to make an immediate impact in our 66 game season. Blake has just been sitting around, playing pick-up hoops, and 'working out, that’s about it.'
I have seen Blake and Deron play. And you know what? Deron has gotten injured but he has played through those injuries. This speaks volumes for his determination and how he deals with adverse situations. To me, that’s real toughness and dominance. On top of that he breaks ankles at will. Deron is already one of the best point guards in the league; a veteran of 6 years, yet only 26 years old. Yes, Blake just got into the league. And yes, he is a heck of an athlete who can dunk, but he has no outside shot. If I want the player who is going to help me out the most this season I’m taking Deron who controls and brings a lot more to the game. He be moving his pieces correct on the chessboard, yo."
GRIFFIN'S REP:
WILLIAMS' REP:
Who won this debate? Go to the right sidebar to cast your vote!
I have seen Blake and Deron play. And you know what? Deron has gotten injured but he has played through those injuries. This speaks volumes for his determination and how he deals with adverse situations. To me, that’s real toughness and dominance. On top of that he breaks ankles at will. Deron is already one of the best point guards in the league; a veteran of 6 years, yet only 26 years old. Yes, Blake just got into the league. And yes, he is a heck of an athlete who can dunk, but he has no outside shot. If I want the player who is going to help me out the most this season I’m taking Deron who controls and brings a lot more to the game. He be moving his pieces correct on the chessboard, yo."
GRIFFIN'S REP:
"Deron hasn’t been refining his game in Turkey. Did you know in a Eurocup match D-Will missed 3 free-throws in a row? To be honest, Turkish league is piece of cake for an ordinary NBA player. Not just Blake, but a lot of NBA players stayed in the US during the lockout; just a few of them went to other countries. You can’t arraign Blake for working during the lockout.
Why would I rather have Blake this season? Because he just completed his rookie year and is improving exponentially. Absolutely his shooting is not good enough but it’s normal because he is a power forward. We’ll see this season that Griffin comes back much stronger and more determined to win. He can improve his shooting and leadership. He is a #1 draft pick, last year's 6-time Rookie of the Month, and Slam Dunk Champion… he’s able to write something more in his career highlights whereas Deron Williams is at his peak and will only be able to slightly improve moving forward."
Why would I rather have Blake this season? Because he just completed his rookie year and is improving exponentially. Absolutely his shooting is not good enough but it’s normal because he is a power forward. We’ll see this season that Griffin comes back much stronger and more determined to win. He can improve his shooting and leadership. He is a #1 draft pick, last year's 6-time Rookie of the Month, and Slam Dunk Champion… he’s able to write something more in his career highlights whereas Deron Williams is at his peak and will only be able to slightly improve moving forward."
WILLIAMS' REP:
"Being an awesome dunker doesn’t mean you are a dominant player. Baby Jordan, aka Harold Minor, was the best dunker in the league for years, yet wasn’t a dominant player. Blake shot 64% at free throws despite getting to the line 695 times, 2nd most in the NBA. Is it too much to ask a developing player to “develop” a shot, and perhaps increase that percentage up to 70%? 75%? Joakim Noah, argued to have one of the worst shots in league history, shot 74% from the line. So for the next few years Blake will be working on finding a jump shot, whilst Deron already has one - developed that in high school.
Deron set a career high from the line this year (85%) and has averaged a double-double his past 5 seasons - 19 points and 11 assists per game. In Deron’s sophomore season he averaged 16 and 9 and ranked 2nd in the league in assists. He ranks 6th all time in assists/game with 9.2, higher than Jason Kidd, Kevin Johnson, and Steve Nash. Being a dominant player is showing that you can excel in all facets of the game. In his short tenure, Deron has proven just that. Blake, no doubt, is an exceptional athlete, yet has not shown the desire and will to do that. Perhaps in 6 years Blake will develop an all-around game, but until then I will take the proven point man, directing the game and team to victory."
Deron set a career high from the line this year (85%) and has averaged a double-double his past 5 seasons - 19 points and 11 assists per game. In Deron’s sophomore season he averaged 16 and 9 and ranked 2nd in the league in assists. He ranks 6th all time in assists/game with 9.2, higher than Jason Kidd, Kevin Johnson, and Steve Nash. Being a dominant player is showing that you can excel in all facets of the game. In his short tenure, Deron has proven just that. Blake, no doubt, is an exceptional athlete, yet has not shown the desire and will to do that. Perhaps in 6 years Blake will develop an all-around game, but until then I will take the proven point man, directing the game and team to victory."
Who won this debate? Go to the right sidebar to cast your vote!
Hi fans! How much of a difference do you think it will make that Deron played in Istanbul these past weeks? Do you think playing in a competitive league will give him a leg up on the other point guards who have just been working out, or do you see it having minimal impact?
ReplyDeleteDeron Williams is a genius for striking that Turkey deal early and playing alongside pros in the off-season. Hats off to him. Understanding the importance of global appeal and learning the European game will only give DWill another critical step forward to becoming an NBA Superstar (and I don't throw that word around lightly).
ReplyDeleteBut equally, Blake Griffin is a genius because he's working on other things superstars need, like personality, interviews and hype. I'm pretty sure a guy like Blake Griffin isn't sitting around playing FIFA 2012. He's talking about how he wants to turn the Clippers around. In interviews, he's talked about organizing practices in Vegas with teammates. He even did that stupid internship at Funnyordie.com, a favorite website of Steve Nash and Baron Davis.
What this says to me is that both of these incredible athletes are smart enough to do the other things to be a leader which brings in more media coverage, meaning more money for themselves and the team and finally means other free agents will be more interested in playing with them.
So to answer Phil, yes Deron was better off going to Instanbul and will have a "leg up" on the other PGs. But I believe Blake's offseason will probably help him equally on his road to superstardom, but in a different way.
It's a tough with the kind of season we are going to have this year. Log-jam and very hectic. Maybe the well rested players may have an edge, playing back to back to back games may start to take its toll as the season goes on.
ReplyDelete