some good news regarding brandan wright

by bigbenny11 on Nov 12, 2007 4:01 PM PST

I just thought with the way the team is going and the lack of playing time wright has been recieving, that this would cheer some people up regarding his near (hopefully immediate) future with the team.

Warriors' Wright begins to open some eyes

Rookie forward is making a push to get some playing time

OAKLAND -- The national consensus after this summer's NBA draft was that the Warriors traded away the present, in the form of proven scorer Jason Richardson, for the future, represented by an undeveloped 19-year-old power forward who still wore braces.
Brandan Wright still has his orthodontia in place. But he's making significant strides in his quest to make the future happen now.

Wright, who turned 20 on Oct. 5, has been getting more and more work with first-team Warriors in the 10 days since he returned from a back injury. During the Warriors' last two practices, coach Don Nelson has made a point of playing Wright together with swingman Stephen Jackson to get the Warriors' second-best player used to working with the rookie.

Source: Contra Costa Times

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This FanPost is a submission from a member of the mighty Golden State of Mind community. While we're all here to throw up that W, these words do not necessarily reflect the views of the GSoM Crew. Still, chances are the preceding post is Unstoppable Baby!

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go go gadget arms!!!

I can definitely see the potential of this guy. He needs to drink more protein shakes, bulk up, and he will be OK. :-)

Hope he gets some action against the pistons and then put on a tear come Clipper night. Since I think this is the only great opportunity he has before JAX comes back for the long road trip.

by EnticivEclipse on Nov 12, 2007 4:07 PM PST reply actions

i dont understand

why certain players, who have an obvious NEED (i.e. to bulk up) just dont friggin do it already. Biedrins has needed some more bulk for a couple of years now, and hasnt done too much about it. Now, im not saying 20 pounds, b.c. i dont think his frame could handle it/his game would be affected....but 10 pounds? i think it could only help.

same with POB, same with Bwright.

by jrizzle on Nov 12, 2007 4:20 PM PST reply actions

listen up

that is just body type
he'll gain some weight but not this or second year -he's still 21
when he'll be 25 he'll be like Ilgauskas

As a fan, I've seen worse

by Lat We N Trash on Nov 12, 2007 11:46 PM PST up reply actions

Gaining more weight

can actually be much harder than it sounds. Some people are just naturally skinnier and vice versa. It has something to do with an individual's rate of metabolism.

The J-RICH show is on his way out...=(

by dajrichshow on Nov 12, 2007 4:24 PM PST reply actions

I might be wrong

but I believe losing weight is alot easier than gaining weight.

by lightz0ut on Nov 12, 2007 5:01 PM PST reply actions

And losing weight

Is no damn picnic. (Not speaking from personal experience, since I pretty much have BWright's metabolism, but from zillions of people I know...)

Wright's only 20. He'll gain weight gradually naturally, with a little help from the Mark Grabow et al. Force-feeding him fat and HGH and stuff would probably do him a lot more harm than good. His quickness is a big part of what makes people so excited about his potential.

And to rehash the JAE argument: bulk per se isn't a requirement for being an effective interior player. Viz. Bill Russell, 215; Dennis Rodman, 210; (young) Kevin Garnett, 220. I didn't see those guys getting pushed around too much...

by Sleepy Freud on Nov 12, 2007 5:34 PM PST up reply actions

:o ?

my ex girlfriend would be strong evidence against this statement.

"Hey, i'm a warrior fan so i'm naturally pessimistic." - Kenntoe

by Anomaly on Nov 12, 2007 8:14 PM PST up reply actions

lol

she don't have to play a 80 games per season

@end of season player lose about 8-15 pounds

As a fan, I've seen worse

by Lat We N Trash on Nov 12, 2007 11:50 PM PST up reply actions

80 games!?

i don't even think she had a decent pair of sneakers if i remember correctly lol

okay i gotta stop.

"Hey, i'm a warrior fan so i'm naturally pessimistic." - Kenntoe

by Anomaly on Nov 13, 2007 12:26 AM PST up reply actions

Wright is not a Project

He's a skilled player with great potential based on him just getting older and playing more, not because we "hope" he can learn to play. He knows how to play. I just hope he's a good FT shooter because the W's suck at that. Biedrins, right now, looks almost like their best FT shooter right now. At least he's got his routine down.

Nothing better than "The City".

by philsmith75 on Nov 12, 2007 5:05 PM PST reply actions

He's not a good FT shooter

Only 56.7% (89-157) his Freshman year at UNC.

On the bright side, he has a really nice midrange stroke at game-speed, so he should definitely improve.

Also on the bright side, Azubuike, Jackson, Monta, and Belinelli are all good free-throw shooters.

On the not-bright side, KG is a good free-throw shooter ... in addition to being fanatastic at pretty much everything on a basketball court...

by Sleepy Freud on Nov 12, 2007 5:23 PM PST up reply actions

FTs vs FT%

Certainly better FT shooters will improve the team's result, but more important than hitting a high percentage is actually getting to the line in the first place. 100% of zero attempts isn't the least bit helpful. While late game strategy should favor trying to get guys who will hit it when they're there (since there's likely fouls coming at the end of many games), over the course of a game and the season, FT% in isolation doesn't appear to be that decisive.

That said, Azubuike is a good FT shooter who appears to have some ability to get to the line, more so than Richardson, a guy you'd think could get more foul calls. Monta has been pretty this regard as well as has Jackson. Belinelli strikes me as a guy who is going to bury 90% of the 2 attempts that he gets over the course of 48 minutes. I could be wrong, but if so, he's not really going to change the team's lot with his FT abilities.

Wright didn't shoot FTs well as a freshman in college. That's true for many, many players, even those who became more than competent by the end of their time in school. Tough to tell what he'll do at the line in the future. It is a skill that can improve.

by jae on Nov 13, 2007 8:21 AM PST up reply actions

not to be a party pooper but....

brandan wright is pretty much playing becuz theres only 9 available players (not even enough for a 5 on 5 practice). if it continues after everyone is healthy then ill be happily proven wrong

by twelve years on Nov 12, 2007 5:45 PM PST reply actions

yet

I'm still happy he's not in Nelly's doghoust like POB was last year.

I've also read in some article that Wright won't be joining Kosta Perovic in the D-League this year, but maybe that's only because of the injuries.

by jlagace on Nov 12, 2007 6:00 PM PST reply actions

every rookie is a project

until they prove otherwise

the list of failed 1st rd pix is long enough to see that

MP's absence creates BWright's opportunity - let's hope he's up to the task

by hardcore on Nov 12, 2007 6:03 PM PST reply actions

True, but

The list of failed picks from programs like UNC who came out of school as highly-touted as Brandan Wright is, in fact, not that long.

The chances of his being a superstar may be as slim as his frame, but so are the chances of his being total bust. He likely has more real potential to be an NBA star than anyone else on our roster (which may be more of an indictment of our team than a ringing endorsement of Wright).

I agree that "project" isn't quite the word for him. He's not Yinka Dare or POB. With another 15 pounds on his frame and a year of NBA experience, he's almost certain to be a legit NBA rotation player, at worst.

by Sleepy Freud on Nov 12, 2007 6:23 PM PST up reply actions

stars & stripes

Baron is already a star

BWright has a WAYS to go before earning his stripes as even a rotation player, much less a star - he's gotta man-up on the hard-wood

Dinka was heralded when drafted, and while I'm not gonna list all the 1st rd pix who've washed out, just a list of GS ones is over a baker's dozen

I recognize the kid's young and skinny, but that means by the time he's in his prime he could be in another uni - if he proves his mettle

by hardcore on Nov 12, 2007 6:40 PM PST up reply actions

OK then

List me some players with Wright's pedigree who were total NBA washouts, for reasons other than injury. As a frosh in the toughest conference in the NCAA, Wright was top 5-10 among PFs in almost every significant category.

I guess we have different definitions of "project." I think of a project as a Dare or a Sene or a Kosta coast, guys with decent shots -- say 50% or thereabouts -- of never sticking in the league. I put Wright more with Tyrus Thomas or Marvin Williams. It's not so much "if" they'll be NBA players but "when." The only real "if" with these guys is if they'll just be decent NBA players or legit stars.

by Sleepy Freud on Nov 12, 2007 7:26 PM PST up reply actions

here's your pedegree list

Vince Carter
Bill Chamberlain
Pete Chilcutt
Rusty Clark
Dave Colescott
Greg Corson
Jeffrey Crompton
Billy Cunningham*
Brad Daugherty
Hubert Davis
Walter Davis
Lee Dedmon
Hooks Dillon
Matt Doherty
Darrell Elston
Cecil Exum
Raymond Felton
Phil Ford
Rick Fox
Dick Grubar
Steve Hale
Brendan Haywood
Kim Huband
Jim Hudock
Curtis Hunter
Antawn Jamison
Bobby Jones
Michael Jordan
George Karl
Tommy Kearns
Dick Kepley
Norman Kohler
John Kuester
Mitch Kupchak
Tom LaGarde
York Larese
Bobby Lewis
George Lynch
Warren Martin
Sean May
Bob McAdoo
Rashad McCants
Ken McComb
Jeff McInnis
Mark Merkin
Larry Miller
Douglas Moe
Eric Montross
David Noel
John O'Connell
Mike O'Koren
Bob Paxton
Mike Pepper
Sam Perkins
Buzz Peterson
Dave Popson
Stephen Previs
Joe Quigg
J.R. Reid
Lennie Rosenbluth
Charlie Scott
Lee Shaffer
Kenny Smith
Jerry Stackhouse
Ed Stahl
Reyshawn Terry
John Virgil
Rasheed Wallace
Donnie Walsh
Donald Washington
Marvin Williams
Shammond Williams
Jeff Wolf
Joe Wolf
Al Wood
James Worthy
Brandan Wright
Dennis Wuycik
Rich Yonakor
Tom Zaligaris
Serge Zwikker

http://www.basketball-reference.com/draft/unc.html

I concede that UNC has plenty of drafted players - far more than I would have guessed if put to the test. There are, however, far more washouts than legit players in that list, and far fewer stars than legit NBA players.

Back to Wright, Nelson doesn't play guys on pedegree, draft position, or reputation. He plays guys who can play - and he's not playing Wright (nor Lasme) cuz he can't cut it right now. Could he in the future? Sure, maybe, but most stars in this league are evident early in their careers. Wright still has to prove he's going to have a a career. When he does, no one will be more pleased than I!

Sorry Sleepy, not trying to pick a fight - and this is not whining over "losing" JRich. Just get tired of the hype over GS rookies ( that's been building over the years - look for a diary on that sometime) and especially this summer's diaries pointn out why we should embrace the youth movement rather than roll the dice on KG or even Darko ...

by hardcore on Nov 12, 2007 8:25 PM PST up reply actions

draft position

can you cross reference that as well?

the group we're most interested in are the highly touted ones

let's say...top 10 picks from UNC in the last 20 years or so

Questions? Complaints?

(AIM: JetForze; email: Jon.d.ma@gmail.com)

by OptionZero @ Golden State Of Mind on Nov 12, 2007 9:04 PM PST up reply actions

be my guest!

by hardcore on Nov 12, 2007 9:07 PM PST up reply actions

top 10 picks from UNC.

Back to the beginning of the draft lottery (As such, Jordan, Perkins and Worthy are not included)

B Wright 07-#8
M. Williams 05-#2
R. Felton 05-#5
V. Carter 98- #5
A. Jamison 98- #4
J. Stackhouse 95-#3
R. Wallace 95-#4
E. Montross 94-#9
J.R. Reid 89-#5
K. Smith 87-#6
B. Daugherty 86 #1

11 players, 5 have played in at least one all-star game. 3 are still under their rookie contracts, one has 2 NBA rings as a starter on the team, and two were journeymen big stiffs.

Excluding the 3 youngesters, 5 for 8 making all-star games is better than the odds for top 10 picks as a whole.

by jae on Nov 12, 2007 9:55 PM PST up reply actions

thusly

When in doubt, take the top 10 ranked UNC guy =P

Unless Chris Paul or Deron is on the board...

Questions? Complaints?

(AIM: JetForze; email: Jon.d.ma@gmail.com)

by OptionZero @ Golden State Of Mind on Nov 12, 2007 10:18 PM PST up reply actions

blue-bloods

I bow to your superior UNC knowledge JAE! but can't help but notice that BW's draft position is closest to (gulp) Montross ...

also, most of those guys had NBA-ready bodies when they came out, hopefully BWright's not another Dave Popson ...

As I said above, no one will be more pleased than I if BW rockets to stardom after possibly being slotted in the DLeague ...

by hardcore on Nov 12, 2007 11:09 PM PST up reply actions

Bring Back Jackson!!!!

Just can't wait for him to come back and see the Warriors start playing a level that we are used to! STEPHEN is defenitly one of the most important players on the squad.

Ballin

by ballin on Nov 12, 2007 6:17 PM PST reply actions

I thought it was funny

when Lasme came in the last game with only like 5 seconds to go in the half. Welcome to the NBA. I still say put THud on DNP when Jax comes back, and see if Lasme can fill in on the 3 or 4.
Cool that BWright is practicing with Jax, hopefully he can learn from Sensai, and get some PT.

Beli or Bust

by danielholl on Nov 12, 2007 6:39 PM PST reply actions

and on the weight thing

kg used to be a complete twig back in 96, but hes built well now same with jermaine o'neal, hell jermaine is gettin kinda big now

by Thoang77 on Nov 12, 2007 10:00 PM PST reply actions

KG

is still a twig. If you're 6'11" and you weigh 220lbs, you be a twig! Thing is KG's a twig that can board like a mother and play ball like few others can in this league. B Wright will gain some wieght as he gets older, but he will never be "large".

by gabezgsw on Nov 13, 2007 11:08 AM PST reply actions

Free throw shooting

Although Wright is a bad free throw shooter; on the whole, we did well in the off-season in terms of FT%. We got rid of Richardson who was a bad FT shooter (especially for his position) and we are giving more playing time to Azubuike, who is near 80% and draws quite a few fouls. We also got Belinelli in the draft who is good from the charity stripe. Croshere (who should be our technical FT shooter when on the floor) and Hudson are both well above 80% although they don't draw many fouls (but I don't want Hudson to get any minutes at all). Lasme is in the mid 60s which isn't great but for someone who isn't known for his offensive abilities, it could be worse (it's comfortably better than AB and Wright) Kosta is in the early 70s which is decent for a big man although hopefully it will go up to near 80%, similar to Ilgauskas. It doesn't help that our best player - BD isn't very good at the line, neither are Harrington, Pietrus and AB who start quite often but our new additions help make up for that but we need to try and get to the line more.

by zaki on Nov 13, 2007 1:24 PM PST reply actions