ronoranina
Fundamentally Sound
:gony: Like most of you on this Forum I like the moves the Knicks org has made recently. The talent level that we have on this team is exciting to me.
The reason we are in the position we are now, as a promising young team, is because Donnie Walsh is a great GM. Say whatever you want about Isiah, but when he was coaching the Pacers, Walsh was the guy directing player moves. W the team he constructed, Isiah took them to the playoffs 3 straight years. That says something about what kind of GM Walsh is:
He later took a position as general manager with the Pacers, where in 1987 he made the then-controversial decision to select Reggie Miller in the NBA Draft over local hero Steve Alford of Indiana University. The decision later proved to be brilliant, as Miller had a magnificent NBA career where as Alford was a bust in the pros. He was later promoted to the position of CEO and president and held that position until shortly before the end of the 2007–08 season. During Walsh's tenure the Pacers reached the playoffs in 16 of the previous 17 years heading into the 2006–07 season.
Walsh years in Indiana were extremely successful if you judge teams by how often they make the playoffs. Championships?? Well, we all know he hasn't been a part of a Championship team yet, but the Knicks are rebuilding and he is the perfect guy to do this as we've seen our team get under the cap, bring in a 5 time All Star and add nice pieces while steadily cultivating home grow talent.
Having said all of that, I think it is important to quantify exactly what we have. I think the selection of Gallo 6th in the 2008 draft is comparable to the pick of Miller in 87'. Both are sharp shooters. Both are smart and tenacious. Gallo is taller however, a better ball-handler already and I think will end up being the better defender. For those of you who doubt my assessments of him as a ball-handler lets flash back to the summer league, his first taste of American pro talent, where he, "showed off his ball handling skills by executing a "Shammgod" dribble move in order to beat his defender to the basket and draw a foul" (incidentally, on said foul he incurred the infamous back injury that has stunted his progress somewhat). If you haven't seen it go to You Tube and bring yourself up to speed. How many 6'10' guys can you think of that have that kind of skill off the dribble?? The answer is not many..
He is the best shooter we've had since Allan Houston (also a pure shooter), but I think he has the chance to be in Reggie Miller's class in this area. Combine this potential w his gifts of height, mental toughness and other the skills I've already mentioned and this is why I'm so high on him.
Obviously STAT is somewhat young, but he's already an all-star so let’s not include him as most of us can agree that he's our best player overall. The rest of our players are fair game for comparison and discussion.
The pick of Gallo at 6 could end up being pure genius on the part of Walsh. I think he is our best young player and will be a perrenial All-Star.
The reason we are in the position we are now, as a promising young team, is because Donnie Walsh is a great GM. Say whatever you want about Isiah, but when he was coaching the Pacers, Walsh was the guy directing player moves. W the team he constructed, Isiah took them to the playoffs 3 straight years. That says something about what kind of GM Walsh is:
He later took a position as general manager with the Pacers, where in 1987 he made the then-controversial decision to select Reggie Miller in the NBA Draft over local hero Steve Alford of Indiana University. The decision later proved to be brilliant, as Miller had a magnificent NBA career where as Alford was a bust in the pros. He was later promoted to the position of CEO and president and held that position until shortly before the end of the 2007–08 season. During Walsh's tenure the Pacers reached the playoffs in 16 of the previous 17 years heading into the 2006–07 season.
Walsh years in Indiana were extremely successful if you judge teams by how often they make the playoffs. Championships?? Well, we all know he hasn't been a part of a Championship team yet, but the Knicks are rebuilding and he is the perfect guy to do this as we've seen our team get under the cap, bring in a 5 time All Star and add nice pieces while steadily cultivating home grow talent.
Having said all of that, I think it is important to quantify exactly what we have. I think the selection of Gallo 6th in the 2008 draft is comparable to the pick of Miller in 87'. Both are sharp shooters. Both are smart and tenacious. Gallo is taller however, a better ball-handler already and I think will end up being the better defender. For those of you who doubt my assessments of him as a ball-handler lets flash back to the summer league, his first taste of American pro talent, where he, "showed off his ball handling skills by executing a "Shammgod" dribble move in order to beat his defender to the basket and draw a foul" (incidentally, on said foul he incurred the infamous back injury that has stunted his progress somewhat). If you haven't seen it go to You Tube and bring yourself up to speed. How many 6'10' guys can you think of that have that kind of skill off the dribble?? The answer is not many..
He is the best shooter we've had since Allan Houston (also a pure shooter), but I think he has the chance to be in Reggie Miller's class in this area. Combine this potential w his gifts of height, mental toughness and other the skills I've already mentioned and this is why I'm so high on him.
Obviously STAT is somewhat young, but he's already an all-star so let’s not include him as most of us can agree that he's our best player overall. The rest of our players are fair game for comparison and discussion.
The pick of Gallo at 6 could end up being pure genius on the part of Walsh. I think he is our best young player and will be a perrenial All-Star.
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