Thorpe: Alabi is better then Joel Anthony

[Fully]

he is likely somewhere in between but he had knee issues which hampered his training. Bottom line is if you have a big man like that who is coach-able and can cope with the pain to train - he can get there.

Roy Hibbert took numerous years @ George town to become considered an outside prospect - they said he was too slow / awkward etc... all the same stuff... but the dude flat out did what ever was asked of him and is one of the hardest working guys out there.

Now he is solid if not spectacular - maybe Alabi will make the same sacrifices.

I believe that Alabi will be an improved player next year but I don't think we'll see the jump in production that Thorpe is suggesting. I like Solo and hope that he can turn into a rotation guy in the league but this is a guy who couldn't even get in a lot of blowouts last year because he simply wasn't ready to play in the NBA. I'm not sure if Thorpe did him any favors by piling on these extra expectations.

[mcHAPPY]

he is likely somewhere in between but he had knee issues which hampered his training. Bottom line is if you have a big man like that who is coach-able and can cope with the pain to train - he can get there.

Roy Hibbert took numerous years @ George town to become considered an outside prospect - they said he was too slow / awkward etc... all the same stuff... but the dude flat out did what ever was asked of him and is one of the hardest working guys out there.

Now he is solid if not spectacular - maybe Alabi will make the same sacrifices.

Hibbert was a top 5 prospect in 2007 who decided to stay another year only to watch his stock plummet to 17 the next year.

[charlz]

I find it hard to believe that Alabi has gone from a guy that you couldn't have on the floor to the player that Thorpe is describing in the original post.

he is likely somewhere in between but he had knee issues which hampered his training. Bottom line is if you have a big man like that who is coach-able and can cope with the pain to train - he can get there.

Roy Hibbert took numerous years @ George town to become considered an outside prospect - they said he was too slow / awkward etc... all the same stuff... but the dude flat out did what ever was asked of him and is one of the hardest working guys out there.

Now he is solid if not spectacular - maybe Alabi will make the same sacrifices.

[Fully]

I find it hard to believe that Alabi has gone from a guy that you couldn't have on the floor to the player that Thorpe is describing in the original post.

[charlz]

Yes. He looked slow, uncoordinated, and weak. He had no lateral movement, no hops, no offensive skill. It was very difficult to have any hope for the guy. Hopefully the knee was the concern and he can show his true potential.

I dont agree - dude is mobile - I saw him live in vegas last summer and his issue is not coordination - he needs fundamentals confidence and better knowledge of the game.

[ceez]

Towards the end of the season he started showing some real explosion. This is now the 3rd or 4th positive alabi report I've read in the last couple weeks. Encouraging.

[mcHAPPY]

You mean the 10 min he got all season after blowouts?

Yes. He looked slow, uncoordinated, and weak. He had no lateral movement, no hops, no offensive skill. It was very difficult to have any hope for the guy. Hopefully the knee was the concern and he can show his true potential.

[Apollo]

Well all know this. I don't get your point. He's still a steal if he becomes a bench player.

[charlz]

If Alabi turns into a solid bench player then he's a steal at #50.

On June 27, 2010, it was revealed that Alabi had Hepatitis B, which was the reason for him sliding so far in the NBA Draft.

[RaptorsFan4Life]

That is encouraging. I'm not going to lie here but I have/had written him off. I'll take the line "I'll believe it when I see it" because, quite frankly, last year was awful on so many levels.

I hope he does become a good NBA player and the Raptors have their backup C of the future.

You mean the 10 min he got all season after blowouts?

[white men can't jump]

One more reason not to chase/overpay for a bigger-name C, just get a cheaper vet because there are some decent options. No need to rush things, especially if this season can serve to gauge internal development. As they say, "you can't teach height" and if Alabi can develop at least as a solid backup, Apollo's right on the money. Big. Time. Steal. We'd have to send some thank you flowers to Masai out in Denver.

[Hassan]

If Alabi turns into a solid bench player then he's a steal at #50.

agreed, he has the length to be a good player

[Bendit]

I am not sure about this Thorpe guy. Everyone calls him "coach" and his wiki bio says only that he was an asst. coach at a high school. He runs a for profit off season training gym. Is Joel Anthony taking part in it? In defense of Alabi and I didnt know this but the man had a knee procedure done last year which may have contributed I am sure to his horrible lope up and down the floor and lateral movement trying to cover/switch. And whats with these guys wanting to step out and pop. Hope Casey has a better method of convincing these big boys to do what is most important from the centre position...especially on this team. Scream. I suppose if your starting C does not do as above ...why should the backups...right? Culture change and playing the right way coming up I hope.

[Apollo]

If Alabi turns into a solid bench player then he's a steal at #50.

[meductic]

Thorpe spent all his time running down Kanter and talking up Alibi. Now seriously. Kanter may never turn into an all star but which raw talent would you prefer to start out with. It was more than him having an agenda, it was like you were hearing a commercial. Alibi might have improved but in my opinion Thorpe has zero credibility.