Everything Derozan

[ball4life]

I've long held the belief - and still do - that DeRozan is not a natural talent. I took some shit before for that statement and probably will again but whatever. There is not question he has TALENT - everyone in the league does. But everything DD does comes through a lot of hard work and dedication. Waiters has immense natural talent and it shows the way he plays (side note: kind of how I feel about Bruno - that stroke is just naturally beautiful).

Maybe to give an analogy will show what I mean.

Everyone in school who had good grades were one of two people:
1) they either naturally just got it and floated by with top marks with minimal effort, or
2) they worked their asses off for every percent to get top marks.

Waiters is #1.
DeRozan is #2.


I was #1 in school. When I hit university I had no clue what to do and I struggled to get good grades because I didn't know how to work academically speaking. I wish I knew how to work because I probably would have done much better and not 'settled' for the program I did. Now the #2's of my life they did quite well in university and most did much harder programs with better marks to boot. Back to basketball for a moment, university is the NBA by the way. Now the #1's who learned to work at the academic level, they become your leaders in the 'real' world - CEO's, Dr's, lawyers, etc. etc. So the #1's who can combine #2 are your KD's, LBJ, Kobe's, MJ's.

If Waiters ever puts the work in I don't think he will reach the levels of greatness but I do think he will be much more successful than DD. However if he doesn't work his ass off, I see DD being better than him only for the fact DD won't quit. While I can't stand aspects of his game I do recognize the improvements he has made and hope they continue.


I'm not sure if this makes any sense but look forward to the inevitable: "YOU HATER! DeROZAN HAS TALENT YOU IDIOT!" which is not what I said BTW.

on a completely irrelevant note...

I always wondered why most "A" grade students work for "C" grade students. That highlighted line basically cleared it all for me.

- smart ppl start a business and hire hard workers -

[Mr.Z]

This sums it up perfectly. I will add that there is also a # 3. The one who is very smart and things come easy for them...but they don't have enough of a clue to do any of the work and thus remove the chance of even getting to University.

I think we've all got an ex best friend who fits thats description

[golden]

This sums it up perfectly. I will add that there is also a # 3. The one who is very smart and things come easy for them...but they don't have enough of a clue to do any of the work and thus remove the chance of even getting to University.

Category 4. Street smart students. Kids that don't do well in school, but are immensely popular with other kids. These are your future union leaders, politicians, home builders & landscapers, car dealership owners, high ranking public sector officials, insurance brokers, retailers and entrepreneurs. Somehow, they can party their brains out, spend zero time studying, but still scrape by year-after-year. Early on, they learn how to leverage their uber social skills to get what they need, and end up making lots of money in the real world.

[MACK11]

I've long held the belief - and still do - that DeRozan is not a natural talent. I took some shit before for that statement and probably will again but whatever. There is not question he has TALENT - everyone in the league does. But everything DD does comes through a lot of hard work and dedication. Waiters has immense natural talent and it shows the way he plays (side note: kind of how I feel about Bruno - that stroke is just naturally beautiful).

Maybe to give an analogy will show what I mean.

Everyone in school who had good grades were one of two people:
1) they either naturally just got it and floated by with top marks with minimal effort, or
2) they worked their asses off for every percent to get top marks.

Waiters is #1.
DeRozan is #2.


I was #1 in school. When I hit university I had no clue what to do and I struggled to get good grades because I didn't know how to work academically speaking. I wish I knew how to work because I probably would have done much better and not 'settled' for the program I did. Now the #2's of my life they did quite well in university and most did much harder programs with better marks to boot. Back to basketball for a moment, university is the NBA by the way. Now the #1's who learned to work at the academic level, they become your leaders in the 'real' world - CEO's, Dr's, lawyers, etc. etc. So the #1's who can combine #2 are your KD's, LBJ, Kobe's, MJ's.

If Waiters ever puts the work in I don't think he will reach the levels of greatness but I do think he will be much more successful than DD. However if he doesn't work his ass off, I see DD being better than him only for the fact DD won't quit. While I can't stand aspects of his game I do recognize the improvements he has made and hope they continue.


I'm not sure if this makes any sense but look forward to the inevitable: "YOU HATER! DeROZAN HAS TALENT YOU IDIOT!" which is not what I said BTW.

This is very similar to the Tross vs DD debates

Terrence is a #1

DeMar is a #2

[Mindlessness]

this is also only 8 games. unless you think john salmons somehow played 35 games in a single month.

Meant to link to his post All-Star game part of season. Which was around 36 games.

[chico]

Hasn't done anything?? Are you kidding me?

Over the last 35 games of this past season, Waiters boasted better per36 numbers than DD on better efficiency and more assists at the same usage...

http://stats.nba.com/playerStats.htm...asureType=Base
http://stats.nba.com/playerStats.htm...asureType=Base

I will agree ahead of time that only using his last 35 games is not as good as a full season, but considering he is only in his second season, and that Cleveland is a mess, that stretch of games is very impressive and is an ok set to look at to project the kid's ability to play and contribute to a team.

Again, saying he hasn't done anything is just ignorant.

Hardly ignorant, but a common expression used to say he's done nothing of any significance. And as is often cited when considering inflated stats, for a losing team, as in teams' defenses didn't pay much attention.

That term might be used to describe comparing stats for a full season of the guy getting double/triple teamed consistently of a playoff team that had the best record in the East for final 3/4 of the season, to:
- 28 games of stats (he missed 7 of those 35 games you cite), so 1/3 of a season
- half of which were coming off the bench to play against 2nd units
- half of the other half meaningless games against other also-rans playing out the string
- never being the focus of the defense

To use your terminology, stats without context is just ignorant of the game's complexities, and history. Comparing stats for a 2nd year player, who is never schemed against, vs a 5th year player who is always schemed against. Sheeesh, it's easy to come up with a very long list of players who put out very good stats in their 1st or 2nd year, for a stretch of meaningless games, but were out of the league, or end of bench guys, by their 5th year. Yup, he's done nothing of any significance.

PS. To do something of significance, he'll also have to take care of his body and stay on the court, before anyone can say he's better than anyone. Waiters has missed 33 games, in 6 different stretches, over 2 years. DD has missed 8 games, in 2 stretches, over 5 years. I'll take a starter who can actually show up for games, over a sub who can't, any time.

[mcHAPPY]

Ujiri said he went to see DeRozan play. Says he's taken game up yet another level. Deserving of a USA spot.

— Ryan Wolstat (@WolstatSun) August 22, 2014

[Mindlessness]

Ujiri said he went to see DeRozan play. Says he's taken game up yet another level. Deserving of a USA spot.

— Ryan Wolstat (@WolstatSun) August 22, 2014

How many levels does the man have?!

[GLF]

Is team USA playing today? And if so does anyone know what time?

[rocwell]

Is team USA playing today? And if so does anyone know what time?

7pm vs Puerto rico

[GLF]

7pm vs Puerto rico

Damn, I won't be home. Please keep me posted guys

[Jclaw]

Sorry to be the bearer of bad (or good) news but he was a healthy scratch.

[enlightenment]

How many levels does the man have?!

RIGHT?!?

At this point, never underestimate the word 'growth' when referring to Demar.

[godkingleonidas]

[Fully]

Pretty good for the league's 17th best shooting guard.