From: dxj@cci632.cci.com (Dennis Joyce)
Subject: Re: Gaze in the NBA?
Organization: [Computer Consoles, Inc., Rochester, NY
Date: Fri, 2 Oct 1992 13:33:57 GMT

In article <1992Oct2.070420.1790@lugb.latrobe.edu.au> CS19241099G@LUST.LATROBE.EDU.AU (CRAWFORD, TROY) writes:
>In <1992Oct1.160809.10473@cci632.cci.com> dxj@cci632.cci.com writes:
>
>> In article <1992Sep30.025846.5373@lugb.latrobe.edu.au> CS19241099G@LUST.LATROBE.EDU.AU (CRAWFORD, TROY) writes:
>> 
>> Overton and Copeland are in Australia... I thought they were selling cars in
>> Tacoma, Washington... :)  These two are far from standouts...
>
>Ahhh! So Overton was never a standout college player?  Of course, that is why
>he got drafted 2nd round 40th by the Pistons!  I thought Hornacek got drafted
>46 a few years before hand....ummmm....a good way to judge!  And if my memory
>is correct, wasn't this guy - who you thought was now a car salesman -
>projected to go higher?  From reports I heard, it was thought he might be a
>first rounder, but he was injured an didn't perform that well at the rookie
>camp!
> 
Being a College standout is does mean diddly. Walter Berry was player of the
year in '85 and now he is playing in (from the last report I heard from
Beantown) Spain. There have been hundreds of can't miss college stars that 
have fizzled in the pros. Overton and Copeland are not great players and
that is why they are in Australia playing against Gaze and Co.


>Sort of like when he was injured at the olympics and received as much checking
>as any other tourney player.  Yet still played the best of the Australians. 
>I must concede that that wasn't hard, but getting his but whipped by "REAL
>ball players" as you put it, really isn't applicable!
>
Oh, Someone must have forgotten to tell Jordan, Pippen, Barkley and Co. that
Andrew was injured and that they should have given him a break (you know
layed off him a little; you know make it a little more even).

He goes another anology:
I am the best player of my Rec team. I have been tearing up the other rec teams
in everygame we play at St. Mary's gym. So my team get a chance of a lifetime
to play the Celtics. Now the Celtics know we are scrubs but they know I can play
(a little). So they check me a little harder to make sure we don't score any
points. I am still the best player on my rec team (by far) but I am not going
to make the Celtics. Just like Gaze is the best player for the Australian 
National team he is not going to be an NBA star (or IMHO a NBA player).


>> If he really wants to make it in the NBA he would have tried out for a few
>> more teams and then if he didn't stick then go to the CBA to show the
>> NBA scouts that he could play. He could be the next Starks or Campbell.
>> 
>Weren't they thought to be selling cars in Tacoma, Was. once? A very
>interesting point that you brought up!

Or are you saying that Copeland and Overton are just playing in Australia
because they feel that ALL the NBA scouts are over there. NO sorry they are 
there because they are getting played a great deal of money (though not as much
as if they were in Europe but hey it is the NBL :) ) 

A player that is on the bubble and wants to expand his game and try to stick
on an NBA team would be smart to stick in a place where he is visible to
NBA scouts and can be called up at anytime (for a cup of coffee). I am
not talking of the Danny Ferry's or Stanley Roberts or other big name 
college players who go to Europe for the money (they know that everyone
knows them and they will be watch if they are in Grand Rapids or Italy. I am
referring to the player from Iona College or Sienna (both D I schools) who
has alot of skills but need a chance to showcase them in a pace where someone
will notice them.

>
>> >may be considered slow and unathletic, but he has many attributes similar
>> >to Chris Mullin, he is a good shooter, ball-handler, is unselfish and 
>> >possesses good court savy.  What do you think?
>> >
>> 
>> The big problem with Gaze is that he has trouble getting his shot off with
>> a man inhis face. He really needs to be able to create his own shot more if
>> he wants to stick with an NBA squad. Though I don't believe he has much of
>> a chance....
>
>Well to be honest, I don't believe this at all!  When Gaze was 19 he averaged
>44ppg, from then on, he has not been able to shoot with less than two players
>in his face.  Does Paxson create his own shot?  Gaze is 6-7 which is taller

But these two guys that he is facing (the ones in his face) are not at his 
level and they are not on anywhere near an NBA level.

>than many realise, and he shoots nigh on .900 from the charity stripe. But hey,
>I guess you may have seen him at the olympics, when he couldn.t hit a shot?

 No I saw him play when he was in College...I am a big Big East basketball fan
and I was never very impressed with him then. I guess you will tell me that he
was hurt when the Hall played Michigan and Gaze looked like he was lost against
the more athletic Michigan players? I must have seen him play about 10 games
in the regular schedule plus all the tourney and well he never lived up to
the hype. I mean he did have a lot more experience (international) than the 
'Kids' he was against but he didn't "really" (I have to put that in quotes
because though he did put up very good numbers I was never impressed by his
play) play at that next level that the great college players do...


>one of his eyes.  I don't think he could possibly be a star, but he could be a
>hell of a lot better than Longley...although that is not hard!

I don't know about that statement. Imean if you put the 6'7" Gaze (Is he REALLY
that tall?) in the middle of the paint. I think that the centers in the 
league would be able to have 100 point games. Compare Gaze to say Glen Rice,
Mullin, Starks, Pippen, or anyother player that is playing in the big leagues
and you will realize that he is a lower class. 


My opinion is that Gaze should just stay in Au or Div II Spanish league. 
He can be the big fish in his little pond. He will continue to play against 
inferior competition and will continue putting up inflated numbers. Then
every 3-4 monthes, Someone will start a thread saying that Gaze should be in
the NBA....

>	Chris....again.

					Dennis J.
Newsgroups: rec.sport.basketball.pro