From: CS19241099G@LUST.LATROBE.EDU.AU (CRAWFORD, TROY)
Newsgroups: rec.sport.basketball.pro
Subject: Re: Gaze in the NBA?
Date: 2 Oct 92 07:04:20 GMT
Organization: La Trobe University
X-News-Reader: VMS NEWS 1.24

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:
> 
> >O.K all you American basketball fans, what I ask here is your expert 
> >judgement.  Is Andrew Gaze good enough to play in the NBA or is he better
> >off staying in Europe?  Many news readers would have watched the Olympics
> >
> >In Australia, Gaze has been the standout player in the last 6-7 years, and
> >although American imports always lead most stat. categories, Gaze has been 
> >a leading scorer in all these years and is favoured to win the MVP over 
> >former US players Doug Overton (ex-Detroit), Lanard Copeland (Clippers) and
> >a host of others.
> 
> 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!
 
> >but his perormance in Italy (for D2 Udine)  underlined his potential.  In 
> >a bottom team in the 2nd division, Gaze ranked 2nd overall (1st division 
> >included) statistically.  Doesn't this alone warrant another chance?  He
> 
> Let me see if I got this straight:   I am a great Division II player. I am able
> to put up some incredible stats against DII opponents. My numbers are better 
> than many Div I players SO therefore I am better than MOST D I players?
> 
> I don't think so.  Gaze numbers were great in D II in Italy because he was
> playing against D II opponents. They aren't that great so he looks like a star.
> 
> Kinda like when you play against your little brother and are able to crush
> him 15 - 0 every game and then you go to the park and get your butt whipped
> by some REAL ball players.
> 
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!

> 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!

> >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
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?
Well that was because he played under medication, and he could barely see from
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!
> 
> 					Dennis J.
	Chris....again.