http://truebluepistons.blogspot.com/2008/06/joe-d-on-sharpe-hes-good-man-hes-good.html


Joe D on Sharpe: 'He's good, man, he's good'

Joe Dumars was smiling like a guy who knows something about Walter Sharpe that nobody else knows. He watched “a ton of tape” on him and brought him in to work out, holding him over for a second day.

“He’s good, man, he’s good,” Dumars said. “Handles it, shoots it, long and smooth.”

Dumars said Sharpe will be a small forward in the NBA, though he was playing out of position at UAB as a power forward.

As for Sharpe's history of off-court trouble - arrested for disorderly conduct, academically inelgible, shot two years ago though it appears he was an innocent victim - Dumars said almost all of it traces to the narcolepsy only recently diagnosed. He said Sharpe is now on medication and that "he says it's changed his life." Dumars said he's talked to "more people in Alabama than I care to remember" and is perfectly convinced Sharpe has a firm grip on his life now.

Dumars was prepared to take him at 29 when Seattle called and wanted to trade up to get D.J. White. Dumars saw it as an opportunity to get the guy he wanted and pick up and extra pick in the deal. He also said he knew of two teams preparing to trade up to take Sharpe.

Trent Plaisted and Deron Washington, the two other second-rounders, were picked in part because they agreed to play in Europe next season. Dumars said the organization asked potential second-round picks if they would be willing to play overseas because he didn’t anticipate having a roster spot for them next season. Those who answered no, the Pistons scratched off their list. That’s one reason they didn’t take Bill Walker, though Dumars said “we liked him a lot.”

The reason they didn’t keep White, Dumars said, is they saw him as too close in playing style to Jason Maxiell – an undersized power forward who can play, but a duplication of Maxiell.

That’s pretty much it for tonight, guys. I’ll be back tomorrow with more on the draft.



Questions and comments on Keith's posts can be submitted via the Pistons Mailbag. Click here to submit your question.

Here's hoping that Dumars worked his voodoo magic again. Getting even one NBA player out of the second round wouldn't be bad at all. That bit about Sharpe playing SF is definitely the most interesting part of the article.

Well, this all makes sense a little more now. Heard a guy on the radio about 7:00 PM say we might take this Sharpe guy, can't wait to see him at the summer league.

Dumars said Sharpe will be a small forward in the NBA, though he was playing out of position at UAB as a power forward.


hmmmmmmmmmmm

yeah, a 6'10" 240-lb small forward. He must have some freakish quicks for his size.

So what are we talking, most likely D-League in his first year?

So what are we talking, most likely D-League in his first year?


Depending on who we trade, he could make the active roster. I think we'll see how he looks in summer league and preseason.

wow. either joe is really BSing us, or nobody but a few people knew about this sharpe kid.

well like i said, i'll wait to pass final judgment until later. my initial impressions are not good, especially about WHERE we took sharpe. and junior bradley we took. i liked some players better.

but joe's the man and none of us are running the show. let's hope he's worked some more magic.

Can we all agree to just call Trent "JB" from now on?

http://www.sportsline.com/nba/players/draft/1622487

not sure how much this scouting report is worth, considering they knock the kid for already being 24 years old. then they list his DOB as july 18th, 1986. as far as i remember this is still 2008. so that only makes him 21 going 22. idiots.

they also list his "off-field" issues. I wasn't aware he played football...

Pistons take White, trade him
They send star Indiana forward to Sonics for two second-round picks, select project at No. 32.
Chris McCosky / The Detroit News

AUBURN HILLS -- Pistons president Joe Dumars has always been a hunch player when it comes to late draft picks. On Thursday, he traded out of the first round to take a chance on an unheralded and at times troubled prospect who played a total of 18 collegiate games over the last three years.

The Pistons drafted D.J. White, a 6-9 power forward from Indiana, with the 29th pick and traded him to Seattle for two second-round picks -- Nos. 32 and 46. And with that pick he took Walter Sharpe, a 6-9 small forward from Alabama-Birmingham.

"There were two teams who were feverishly trying to move up (in the second round) to get him," Dumars said. "He's good; very good. He's a 6-9 kid with length who can handle the ball like a guard. He's a highly skilled guy who I would have taken at 29."

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But, by moving out of the first round, Dumars won't be saddled with any guaranteed contracts and he picked up the two extra second round picks.

With the 46th pick, the Pistons took Trent Plaisted, a 6-11, 245 pound power forward from Brigham Young. He played four seasons at BYU, averaging 13.3 points and 6.8 rebounds. He earned first team All-Mountain West honors last year, averaging 15.6 points and 7.7 rebounds.

With the 59th pick, the Pistons took Deron Washington, a 6-6, 199-pound small forward from Virginia Tech.

Both have agreed to play in Europe next season.

"When none of the guys you want fell down, what you look for is talent that shouldn't be there that late in the draft," Dumars said. "This guy has real talent. And after finding out a lot about his background and all he's gone through and how he's persevered, it really says a lot about him."

Sharpe began his college career at Mississippi State. He was ruled academically ineligible there and was ultimately kicked out of school. He transferred to UAB, but before he even played a game there, he was arrested for disorderly conduct. He also took a stray bullet in the stomach in a separate incident.

He averaged 14 points and 6.8 rebounds last year at UAB, but was ruled academically ineligible and missed the second half of the season.

"We spent an entire week talking to more people in Alabama than I can even recall," Dumars said. "We did an extensive background check and we feel very comfortable about who he is and what he is."

Part of Sharpe's troubles stemmed from the fact that he suffered from narcolepsy -- a sleep disorder which caused him to fall suddenly asleep. That wasn't diagnosed until five months ago.

"Some of his early issues came because he didn't know what was going on, he didn't know what was happening to him," Dumars said. "People thought it was a just a kid being irresponsible. But once it was diagnosed and he started taking medication, he's had no trouble since."

All three draft picks will play on the Pistons summer league team in Las Vegas in July.

It is hard for me to imagine that someone who managed to flunk out of Miss. State and UAB will ever amount to much in the NBA. Nonetheless, Dumars has earned the benefit of doubt for non-lottery draft picks (unless hammond made those picks). I personally would have much preferred the more proven and less fucked up CDR (even if he has a neck tattoo.) I think CDR will be better than afflalo, but we'll see.

Also, did you all see that Memphis susposedly offered the no. 5 pick for stuckey, but dumars said no.

It is hard for me to imagine that someone who managed to flunk out of Miss. State and UAB will ever amount to much in the NBA.


Does anybody ever read the entire article?

He had narcolepsy. Of course he had trouble making it to classes and meetings. Any human being would, untreated.




Also, did you all see that Memphis susposedly offered the no. 5 pick for stuckey, but dumars said no

I would too. Stuckey for Kevin Love or Jerryd Bayliss is not an even trade in my book.

I agree about CDR, btw. I wanted him at #32 as well, but I also never even considered the kid we got.

Dumars, from what i heard on WDFN, did not like CDR at all. I guess he saw something he didn't like.

LOL

This narcolepsy angle is going to be in play with us at WTF, don't you think?

Darron Sharpe for the win!!!!

Oh, it's Walter? Fuck.

just kidding. Like I said, when summer league comes, I have a feeling quite a few of us might be more on board with this.

This narcalepsy angle is going to be in play with us at WTF, don't you think?


I like this pick for Dumars. Sharpe is a total sleeper who really emerged in the past few weeks as a legit prospect. The Pistons love his athleticism, length and scoring ability. He's a project headed for the D-League, but the Pistons had great luck developing Amir Johnson there and will try it again with Sharpe.

I don't know if I buy this whole narcolepsy thing. I mean who just ups and falls asleep in the middle of ..........................ZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZ.

This narcalepsy angle is going to be in play with us at WTF, don't you think?

Imagine, Game 6 of the ECF... Sharpe drives to the hole... falls asleep. clonk. :D

The sleeper must awaken.

Does anybody ever read the entire article?

He had narcolepsy. Of course he had trouble making it to classes and meetings. Any human being would, untreated.





I actually went to college with someone with narcolepsy. He would sometimes fall asleep at surprisingly loud parties, but it is not like you can't control your sleep at all. My friend graduated in less than 4 years. Narcolepsy is problematic, but it is not that debilitating. I can understand how it could cause him to miss an occasional meeting (assuming he didn't have a friend to make sure he was up), but I don't think narcolepsy would cause someone to flunk out of school. When you consider athletes' access to tutors, it should be no problem to get through those classes with some small amount of effort. It is not like miss. state or UAB have reputations for being tough on athletes. There was some football player that remained eligible at either mississippi or miss. state who was literally illiterate when he started classes. I do think it is pretty sweet that his UAB profile states that he was a philosophy major because he must have been the most bad-ass philosophy major ever. Anyways, I doubt he'll ever amount to much, but I thought Tayshaun was a bad pick so I've been wrong before.

This narcalepsy angle is going to be in play with us at WTF, don't you think?
Bleh, go to sleep driving Glenn. :VOLCANO:

I still say these are useless picks made useless on purpose because there's literally no room on the damn roster.

If one of these flyers pans out, cool. But i'm not riding our season on anybody we drafted.

------The Brief History of Walter Sharpe-----
Jun 9, 2008

You're asking yourself....Who is Walter Sharpe?

The Washington Wizards Blog gives a couple fast facts about Sharpe such as: "averaged 14.2 points and 6.8 rebounds per game in 12 games during his senior season" and "played one season Mississippi State before transferring to UAB."

Ivan Carter had this to say on Wizards Insider : "Walter Sharpe (UAB, the same school that produced former Wiz guard and one of my all-time favorite guys Donell Taylor )."

As a fan of SEC sports, especially those pertaining to my alma mater, Mississippi State, I feel that it is my duty to share the brief and tumultuous history of Walter Sharpe.

Sharpe was a standout blue-chipper for Parker High in Birmingham, Alabama. Rivals.com rated him a 5.7 (out of 6.1) and he was ranked #44 in the Rivals 150. As you can imagine, Sharpe was heavily recruited by local schools, Alabama and the University of Alabama-Birmingham, but surprisingly chose to sign with Mississippi State (narcolepsy). This sparked angry finger pointing in many directions as the signing of Walter Sharpe was just one of many battles in the perpetual basketball recruiting wars between Mississippi State and Alabama (two schools separated by about 90 miles).

Sharpe's freshman campaign in 04-05 started out with promise. Many at Mississippi State couldn't help but be excited about a smooth 6'10" player with sick handles, a sweet stroke, and athleticism to drool over.

The promise rapidly morphed into disappointment. Sharpe could never get his act together (narcolepsy), as he had multiple issues from tardiness to academics (narcolepsy). Despite missing a team flight to a tournament in California in December of '04 (narcolepsy), and skipping a practice (narcolepsy), thus being left home for the NCAA tournament in March of '05, the door of chances was still open for the kid.

During Sharpe's sophomore year with the Bulldogs, he missed the beginning of the season due to academic ineligibility (narcolepsy) and only ended up dressing out six games (averaging 9.3 points and 5.0 boards) before ultimately being dismissed from the team in January of '06. Missing another practice (narcolepsy) was the final straw.

Next stop: UAB. Before even making it to UAB, Walter Sharpe was shot with a tiny bullet in the stomach in April 2006 (narcolepsy). Curiously, he tried to deny he was shot and attempted to hide his wound from police and medics (narcolepsy). In August of 2007, Sharpe was one of five UAB Blazers arrested for disorderly conduct (narcolepsy) after a night on the town in Birmingham. UAB head coach, Mike Davis, credited the arrest with bringing his team together. No word if other college coaches have caught onto this phenomenon.

After sitting out a year and finally suiting up for the Blazers, Walter Sharpe averaged 14.2 points and 6.8 rebounds in UAB's first 12 games of the 07-08 season. However, in January of 2008, Sharpe was declared academically ineligible for the rest of the year (narcolepsy). He was subsequently diagnosed with narcolepsy (THANK-YOU...it's about fuckin' time), which has been used as an excuse for academic woes (excuse my ass...it's the troof). Sharpe had hopes to receive treatment and suit up for the Blazers in 2008-2009, but for one reason or another, opted to declare for the NBA draft instead.

Sam Perkins had narcolepsy I think, too.

In addition to being nick'd "Big Smooth" he also was known as "Sleepy".

There is talk about having success academically in spite of narcolepsy. That's probably because your friend needed to succeed academically and cared about academic success.
This kid, probably like Brandon Jennings, knew academics were not his ticket in life and just a hoop he had to jump through. When that's the case, it probably isn't worth it the point that you actively seek interventions, ESPECIALLY WHEN YOU DON'T KNOW YOU HAVE IT!

Honestly, I don't like any of these picks, but I was ripping the Stuckey pick for a week afterward, questioned the Tay pick, and thought Maxiell would never make the active roster. So take it for what it's worth.

Here is some stuff that has been posted already.


chad ford's analysis:

I like this pick for Dumars. Sharpe is a total sleeper who really emerged in the past few weeks as a legit prospect. The Pistons love his athleticism, length and scoring ability. He's a project headed for the D-League, but the Pistons had great luck developing Amir Johnson there and will try it again with Sharpe.



http://www.bulletsforever.com/2008/6/9/548673/the-brief-history-of-walte

During Sharpe's sophomore year with the Bulldogs, he missed the beginning of the season due to academic ineligibility and only ended up dressing out six games (averaging 9.3 points and 5.0 boards) before ultimately being dismissed from the team in January of '06. Missing another practice was the final straw.

Next stop: UAB. Before even making it to UAB, Walter Sharpe was shot with a tiny bullet in the stomach in April 2006. Curiously, he tried to deny he was shot and attempted to hide his wound from police and medics. In August of 2007, Sharpe was one of five UAB Blazers arrested for disorderly conduct after a night on the town in Birmingham. UAB head coach, Mike Davis, credited the arrest with bringing his team together. No word if other college coaches have caught onto this phenomenon.

After sitting out a year and finally suiting up for the Blazers, Walter Sharpe averaged 14.2 points and 6.8 rebounds in UAB's first 12 games of the 07-08 season. However, in January of 2008, Sharpe was declared academically ineligible for the rest of the year. He was subsequently been diagnosed with narcolepsy, which has been used as an excuse for academic woes. Sharpe had hopes to receive treatment and suit up for the Blazers in 2008-2009, but for one reason or another, opted to declare for the NBA draft instead.

LMAO! is this a joke!?


http://www.draftexpress.com/article/Just-By-The-Numbers--Evaluating-This-Year-s-Power-Foward-Crop-2935/
GOOD NUMBERS IN LIMITED PLAY.


99OCS02NAn8

Sharpe is #42.


:chad:
Analysis: No one knows if Sharpe will be a stud or a bust. But I like the pick just because it's Detroit president Joe Dumars being bold, as usual, trying to reach for greatness. Sometimes things don't pan out, but he keeps trying.

http://img246.imageshack.us/img246/5291/wtfbabyshirtww2.jpg

This whole "sleeper" thing could get really funny.

First to say it:

WalterX2 = Larry O'Brien Trophy

DON'T SLEEP ON HIM.

HIS FAVORITE DWARF?

-- When the Boogeyman goes to sleep every night, he checks his closet for Walter Sharpe, who just so happens to be in there sleeping.

-- Walter Sharpe doesn't read books. He stares them down until he falls asleep.

-- Walter Sharpe does not sleep. Wait, yes he does. A lot.

ELO FUCKING EL.

At this point he has to pan out and be a contributor just so we can keep the Sleeper jokes coming

From a Mississippi Rag (MVN) - You're asking yourself....Who is Walter Sharpe? (Aside from being cognisant that the guy was scheduled to workout with the Wizards today.)

The Washington Wizards Blog gives a couple fast facts about Sharpe such as: "averaged 14.2 points and 6.8 rebounds per game in 12 games during his senior season" and "played one season Mississippi State before transferring to UAB."

Ivan Carter had this to say on Wizards Insider : "Walter Sharpe (UAB, the same school that produced former Wiz guard and one of my all-time favorite guys Donell Taylor )."

As a fan of SEC sports, especially those pertaining to my alma mater, Mississippi State, I feel that it is my duty to share the brief and tumultuous history of Walter Sharpe.

Sharpe was a standout blue-chipper for Parker High in Birmingham, Alabama. Rivals.com rated him a 5.7 (out of 6.1) and he was ranked #44 in the Rivals 150. As you can imagine, Sharpe was heavily recruited by local schools, Alabama and the University of Alabama-Birmingham, but surprisingly chose to sign with Mississippi State. This sparked angry finger pointing in many directions as the signing of Walter Sharpe was just one of many battles in the perpetual basketball recruiting wars between Mississippi State and Alabama (two schools separated by about 90 miles).

:langlois:


Pistons eager to put Sharpe to the test

A 6-foot-9 small forward who handles the ball unusually well for his size, a nice shooting touch and a terrific sense of how basketball should be played.

We could just as easily be describing Tayshaun Prince instead of the newest Piston, Walter Sharpe, right? But let’s not carry the analogy too far. Sharpe’s college career consisted of 18 games, or roughly half of one of the four seasons Prince put in at Kentucky while playing in 135 games over his college career.

Yet if all goes well this summer, the Pistons could enter August with Sharpe entrenched as the backup to Prince at small forward if Joe Dumars’ intended roster makeover spares his incumbent small forward.

“I think we’re going to find out,” personnel director George David said Friday morning after the Pistons traded out of the No. 29 pick in Thursday’s draft, picking up second-rounders at 32 and 46 overall from Seattle, using the first to draft Sharpe. “I think we have a guy that we’re really looking forward to seeing how the whole thing plays out. He’s a guy that we’re high on as a team and maybe a little higher on him than other people are.”

Sharpe is high on the Pistons, too. Just as Rodney Stuckey hoped he’d wind up with the Pistons a year ago, Sharpe had his fingers crossed that he’d be the pick at 29 after spending Tuesday and Wednesday of this week working out for the Pistons. That, in itself, is unusual. But after Sharpe impressed the Pistons on Tuesday, Dumars asked if he’d stick around another day so they could get a better feel for him.

“When I saw the 29th pick (when the Pistons selected Indiana’s D.J. White), I thought maybe they weren’t interested,” Sharpe said. “Then I saw the trade. It was an up-and-down thing. I was up for the pick and then when they picked D.J. White, it was like, man. I was just hoping I would get drafted and then when they came back with the trade, it was mixed emotions in there."

Sharpe said he worked out for eight teams, including twice with Washington, but “I never really connected with anybody as well as the Pistons. (Washington) was telling me if I was around for the 27th pick, they would pick me up, but I was hoping for the Pistons all the time and they let me know they were interested in me, too.”

Sharpe spoke freely during a Friday conference call about his narcolepsy, a condition only recently discovered by a sleep study that he underwent at the urging of Alabama-Birmingham coach Mike Davis. And he stopped short of blaming the condition – which hampers his ability to get restful sleep and leads to memory lapses and lack of focus – for all of the blemishes on his college record, which include academic ineligibility, team suspensions for missing meetings and a disorderly conduct charge stemming from a nightclub incident in which he says charges have been dropped.

“I can’t completely blame it on narcolepsy, but it very well could have been,” he said. “I would just say there were some things I could have done better.”

The Pistons talked to several people at length about Sharpe’s past and their recommendations, coupled with the vibe they picked up from Sharpe over his two days in Auburn Hills, eased any concerns they harbored.

“We talked to some people who knew him, Mike (Davis) being one,” said Scott Perry, Pistons vice president. “No one said the guy was a bad kid. He made mistakes here and there, sure. I don’t think Walter would run from that. But we have seen a lot of kids who made mistakes at 18, 90, 20 years old. After spending a couple of days with Walter, you say, hey, this kid, let’s get him in the right structure, in our environment, and he can be fine.”

Sharpe, a McDonald’s All-American coming out of high school, appears to have the physical skills to crack an NBA rotation despite his spotty college resume. Whether that could possibly happen as soon as next season or not is something the Pistons will begin to learn in a few weeks when their Las Vegas Summer League team assembles.

“You’ve got to watch him through the summer to see how quickly he picks up on things,” Perry said. “Does he have NBA talent? Sure. Yes, he does. It’s how quick he learns to adjust to the speed of the game, how quickly he improves defensively, all those kinds of things will determine that. Let’s see what he looks like in the summer, just like last summer we got a chance to watch Rodney (Stuckey) and Arron (Afflalo) and gauge where they were at.”

http://vmedia.rivals.com/uploads/1004/77310.jpg

Here are 4 high school videos of Sharpie.

http://basketballrecruiting.rivals.com/viewprospect.asp?sport=2&pr_key=12918

I just saw the first reference to "Darkolepsy".

With that, have a nice weekend, boys.

FYI: This is the best thread of all time. Glenn for ROY.

Pistons eager to put Sharpe to the test

At first, I honestly thought it said Pistons eager to put Sharpe to rest.

To sleep, perchance to dream...

Yeah, helluva job on the research Glenn... props.

I will call him Nappy.

And Mxy, I'm the most badass Philosophy major of all time.

Sleep now my Walter
It's time for you to sleep now
Sleep now my Walter

Sleep now my Walter
It's time for you to sleep now
Sleep now my Walter

His mother recited that to him when he was a young child... he was always asleep before she could finish though.

Sleep now my Walter
It's time for you to sleep now
Sleep now my Walter

Ah, I had a hearty LOL. Thank you.

I will call him Nappy.

And Mxy, I'm the most badass Philosophy major of all time.
I must not Philosophy
Philosophy is the mind killer
Philosophy is the minimum wage job that brings total annihilation
I will face my Philosophy
I will permit it to pass through me like a bowel movement.
And when it has gone past I will flush the toilet and see its path.
Where the Philosophy has gone there will be nothing.
Only I will remain.

Nice additions, all.

“He’s going to own the game. Own the game. We’re going to have to build a new arena. The only thing that could destroy a kid like that is a nice bed with silk sheets. Or maybe a warm glass of milk.”

:mccosky:


Sharpe worth a roll of the dice by Dumars

AUBURN HILLS -- Before we move into the summer free-agent season, let's take one last look back at the Pistons' draft.

The Pistons traded out of the first round and took a chance on a talented but troubled kid, Walter Sharpe, with the 32nd pick. Because there were so many familiar names still on the board when the Pistons made this move, many fans and basketball insiders have criticized Joe Dumars.

Yes, he could have picked Chris Douglas-Roberts or Joey Dorsey of Memphis. He could have picked Mario Chalmers of Kansas. He could have taken DeAndre Jordan of Texas A&M. Even D.J. White from Indiana, the guy Dumars picked to trade to Seattle, was familiar and a safer play for a lot of people.

But Dumars wasn't looking to make any safe plays with such a late pick. He's got enough safe plays already taking up space at the end of his bench. Any of those players mentioned above, with the exception of Chalmers -- who plays a position where the Pistons are adequately stocked (point guard) -- project to be guys at the back end of the rotation.

Even if Dumars had gotten the player he wanted at No. 29 -- be it Jason Thompson, J.J. Hickson or Ryan Anderson -- it would have been a guy who added depth to the front court.

So why not roll the dice on a player like Sharpe? By all accounts, this guy has elite-level skill. He's 6-foot-9 with a Tayshaun Prince-like wingspan. He can handle the ball like a guard. He can break defenses down off the dribble and he can shoot from the perimeter.

The guy could be the type of dynamic offensive player the Pistons are looking for. He could also be a highly-skilled bust, another Rodney White. The difference, of course, is that Dumars missed on White with the No. 9 overall pick. The risk-reward ratio is completely different with the 29th or 32nd pick.

All Dumars has risked in taking a chance on Sharpe is, potentially, another eighth or ninth man. He can get those any time he wants.

I love that Dumars dared to think outside the box on this one. I love that he was willing to reach a little bit to maybe unearth a great talent. That's what you are supposed to do with a late pick in a very average NBA draft.

Any of those players mentioned above, with the exception of Chalmers -- who plays a position where the Pistons are adequately stocked (point guard) -- project to be guys at the back end of the rotation.

We should trade Rip for another ....

Agreeing with McCosky is always sound.

When he agrees with Dumars? Indeed.

I'm sure Joe swaps roster strategy tales with him all the time.

He thinks so, at least.

Jet lag shouldn't be a problem for Walter in west coast games.

Look at what McGrady can do with just a sleepy eye!

We now have our own Big Z.

We now have our own Big Zzzzzz.

^ LMAO

Fucking classic!

Plenty of ammo for opposing fans (if Walter even sees the court).

You can't see the court if your eyes are closed (but you can drool on it)

If Nash can lay there on the floor, there's no reason why Walter can't take a little nap.

McCoskey's comment "He's 6-foot-9 with a Tayshaun Prince-like wingspan."
Tay's wingspan is 7' 2" ... Sharpe is at 7' even.
This ain't horshoes or the bedroom.

McCoskey's comment "He's 6-foot-9 with a Tayshaun Prince-like wingspan."
Tay's wingspan is 7' 2" ... Sharpe is at 7' even.
This ain't horshoes or the bedroom.
In the bedroom, wouldn't 2" make a huge difference?

In the bedroom, wouldn't 2" make a huge difference?
Depending on what you were stuck with in the first place i guess it could be possible, we need a woman's point of view on this. Call Kelsey.

much like the basketball court, an extra 2" is no substitute for talent in the bedroom either.

much like the basketball court, an extra 2" is no substitute for talent in the bedroom either.
Eeny weeny
Teeny weeny
Shriveled little
Short wing span

Here's a new narcology treatment:

http://english.pravda.ru/science/health/7950-whipping-0

I read something somewhere that referred to Walter as "The Sandman".

Me likey.

Is it weird that this thread has made me very excited to finally see this guy play?

I also heard he's a pretty good passer, like he's got eyes in the back of his head. Unfortunately, those eyes are closed as well.

Is it true that he got a shoe deal with Zips?

Probably because Walter loves to make the "big z".

cutpLRaxf9A

nothing in the very limited footage i've seen of him impresses me. he doesn't jump out at me as being especially quick or athletic, but again- it's very limited footage.

Sharpe didn't make Thorpe's Top-50 Rookies list. Neither did our other rookies, not surprisingly.

Sharpe didn't make Thorpe's Top-50 Rookies list. Neither did our other rookies, not surprisingly.

I saw that! And I put so much weight on that list - Thorpe has been so good with ranking the rookies. For example, Stuckey wasn't in the top 10 until the last week of the season; Noah was consistantly in the top 5; Jeff Green, Nick Young and Yi were all ranked behind the fatass in Fool's sig...

So yeah, that's an important ranking in my eyes.

Not saying it was important, just pointing it out.

MoTown seems angry lately.

Not saying it was important, just pointing it out.

I wasn't ripping you, I was ripping the rankings. I would have posted exactly what you said.


MoTown seems angry lately.

Nah, just bored. I hate the NBA offseason and there hasn't been a whole lot of traffic around here. Maybe I should go start some random, pointless threads?

Maybe I should go start some random, pointless threads?

:motown owns:

Just caught up on some reading from over the weekend and I'm surprised that Langlois was so open about the Pistons playing Sharpe out of position at SF.

Sharpe even said "I've never really played the three before".

I'm not so sure about this pattern of drafting guys out of college and then changing their positions on the fly.

But Joe Dumars knows more about this than I do, so nevermind.

http://truebluepistons.blogspot.com/

so for he's looked very natural playing SF. He's got way more SF skills than he does PF skills.

I don't know many 6'10" guys that can handle the ball like he can.

Just caught up on some reading from over the weekend and I'm surprised that Langlois was so open about the Pistons playing Sharpe out of position at SF.

Sharpe even said "I've never really played the three before".

I'm not so sure about this pattern of drafting guys out of college and then changing their positions on the fly.



A lot of players change spots when coming to the NBA (playing against bigger players). Boozer was a center in college but didn't have the size to play it really here. Brand was a center (can still play it but is more of a true PF). TD was a center in college too. Lots of NCAA centers end up at PF. I think that happens a lot at other posistions too. I remember at CMU how undersized you could be. Our backup center (to Kamen) was 6'8". Our starting SF was 6'5" and the starting 2 guard (Webber) was only 6'2". Many of those players simply don't have the size to make it at their position in the NBA.

What did Corliss play in college? He was probably a PF/C, but played mostly SF here. I'm sure Sharpe is light years ahead of him on quickness. Odom probably would have been a center in college had he gone. He's a SF/PF.

...Odom did go to college, and he was a swingman there.

He never played PF until he came to the NBA.

...Odom did go to college, and he was a swingman there.

He never played PF until he came to the NBA.
Oh yeah, wasn't he at Rhode Island?

Who am I thinking of? I don't know, maybe Harrington or Bender.

You can be sure that KG would have been a center in college. Lebron probably would have played PF but he can really play the 1-4 in the NBA.

A lot of players change spots when coming to the NBA (playing against bigger players).

I know, but to me, PF to SF is one of the bigger adjustments (playing on the perimeter as opposed to playing in the post) and the same goes for SG to PG, which just so happen to be the two that we're looking at here with the Pistons.

C to PF (i.e Boozer) and SF to SG, isn't much of an adjustment at all.

Ever consider that he was playing out of position in COLLEGE?

I'm sure the 16 games he played at UAB have burned the position into his mind, but he isn't exactly having trouble adjusting so far...

Ever consider that he was playing out of position in COLLEGE?

Maybe, but that's not really relevant.

The point is that it's like starting over with these guys.

Maybe, but that's not really relevant.

The point is that it's like starting over with these guys.


...starting all over again, after 16 games of playing power forward. Put the kid on suicide watch.

He's a small forward. It would be senseless to play him at power forward. He doesn't have an NBA game at the 4.

Ever consider that he was playing out of position in COLLEGE?

I'm sure the 16 games he played at UAB have burned the position into his mind, but he isn't exactly having trouble adjusting so far...

That's exactly my point. Many players are forced to a higher position (ie from the 4 to 5) in college because their team lacks size. Especially at smaller schools where they have almost no chance to get a legit big man. This may be the case for Sharpe, I don't know.

Yes, the 4 to 3 is a harder transition, but not as much from the 2 to 1 IMO. Many 4's already play facing the basket and not with their back to the basket. Many 4's in college get by with athletism and attacking the rim rather than posting up. I never saw him play, so I couldn't say. The point is simply that not all 4's play the same way in college.

I'm pretty sure Dunleavy was a PF at Duke. Their usual lineup was J-Will, Duhon, Dantay Jones, Dunleavy and Boozer in fact. (looking it up now) Their only reserve that played more than 8 minutes a game was also a guard (which means Mike probably never played SF or SG in college).

In any case, the discussion has very little to do with Walter Sharpe, who hardly played and is already comfortable at the 3.

In any case, the discussion has very little to do with Walter Sharpe, who hardly played and is already comfortable at the 3.

You can say that he's "already comfortable at the 3" but the reporting just doesn't back that up.


“Walter was good,” he said. “We’re asking Walter to come in and move from being in the post to being a perimeter player and guard the hardest position on the floor. It’s an adjustment for him, but he’s a kid that loves to play.”


“He has a great feel for the game,” Curry said of Sharpe. “The kid has a great work ethic. He wants to learn. He’s raw in a lot of areas, but that’s what we have to do as a staff – mold him in the player we need him to be.


I never really played the three before, so that’s an adjustment. And (defending small forwards) makes you tired a little bit, so it takes away from your shot. It’s a transition; I’ll get used to it.”

I never really played the three before, so that’s an adjustment. And (defending small forwards) makes you tired a little bit, so it takes away from your shot. It’s a transition; I’ll get used to it.”

Oh boy.

I never really played the three before, so that’s an adjustment. And (defending small forwards) makes you tired a little bit, so it takes away from your shot. It’s a transition; I’ll get used to it.”

Fixed.

lol

Like he's going to say, "Damn, this ain't gonna work."

You can say that he's "already comfortable at the 3" but the reporting just doesn't back that up.


None of that is stuff you don't hear about any rookie, 2nd rounders especially.

In game action, his skills fit the position. There's nothing more to say about it, really.

He can play the position. That's all that needs to be said.

If shutting down a player of Al Thornton's caliber is something he can do when he's not comfortable playing the position, then Joe's drafted an all-star.

Your opinion, I'll go ahead and wait to see for myself.

He'll have Curry on his side (since Joe's coaching by proxy), so that'll help the agenda of converting him to SF.

From the limited amount that I have seen and read, he appears to be every bit as much a PF as he is a SF. The only difference is the organizational mandate.

Your opinion, I'll go ahead and wait to see for myself.


If you haven't even watched him play, then why are you commenting?




From the limited amount that I have seen and read, he appears to be every bit as much a PF as he is a SF. The only difference is the organizational mandate.

Yeah...that's why you should try watching him play instead of taking everything you read as gospel.

He's got a lot of Lamar Odom in his game. Watching him play, nobody would ever confuse him for a PF, let alone suggest he's ever even played the position before.

I'll take direct quotes from the source over your eternally optimistic opinion formed by watching him against summer league competition on a grainy video feed.

Time will tell, that's all I am saying.

You can claim that he's "comfortable at the 3" all you want, so please proceed.

...and if he's really not comfortable yet, then he'll be a stud when he is, because he's already pretty good at it.

Teams are already having trouble dealing with him.

And I was also not "eternally optimistic" about Sharpe when he was drafted. I said I'd wait until I saw him play to judge him.

Sharpe I really like, Plaisted I can't stand and Washignton just plain sucks.

I kind of agree with Kstat on Sharpe. I like the fact that he's active in the post and still able to guard SFs. The fact that he's MORE comfortable in the post isn't a concern, as long as he can defend on the perimeter; the last thing we need is another guy who loves to float around the three-point line on offense.

http://www.draftexpress.com/profile/Walter-Sharpe-5238/stats/
http://www.nbadraft.net/admincp/profiles/waltersharpe.html
http://insider.espn.go.com/nbadraft/draft/tracker/player?playerId=19314&action=login&appRedirect=http%3a%2f%2finsider.espn.go.com%2fnba draft%2fdraft%2ftracker%2fplayer%3fplayerId%3d1931 4

I assume those links were meant to show he should be considered a PF. However, the first two have no analysis of his game whatsoever. The insider link says this:


Long, athletic big man. Explosive leaper. Good mid range shooter. Good ball handler. Can put it on the floor and get to the basket.

That sounds like a SF to me based on the description of his skill set.

They are meant to mean whatever you would like them to mean.

I would like them to mean he's the next Lebron.

Also, he's NOT EVEN 23 yet!

DONE.

I see he has the same birthday as me. That settles it...HOF.

I see he has the same birthday as me. That settles it...HOF.


BUT ARE YOU A SMALL FORWARD???????

BUT ARE YOU A SMALL FORWARD???????
Depends on who I'm playing ball with. I consider myself to be somewhat of a point forward in the mold of Battier or Prince. Sometimes when you play with the average person I end up in the middle because I'm 6'1" and most of them are 5'8"-5"11".

My opinion after watching both games...

He can -defend- the SF position, therefore he can -play- the SF position.

Offensively, thus far, he has played more like a PF who can handle the ball well. Though IMO a player's defensive versatility is what determines his "position" on the floor as opposed to what he can do on offense. Overall, Walter will be much better matched up against NBA SF's than he will against NBA PF's.

I agree. Defense detirmines position IMO. Offense detirmines your role on the team. There are prototypical players and ones that are nothing close to it. Some players face up and some play back to the basket (at the same position). Some PG's dish, other's excell at scoring. They key is what position you can guard on the floor night in and night out.

Just look at Corliss. He was a down low, back to the basket player. On offense, he played like a PF, but he was a SF and guarded the SF position.

Sweet! I liked Corliss.

If Walter turned into more athletic Corliss I'd love it. He probably wouldn't have as refined of a post game, but that's a trade-off I'd accept.

He can -defend- the SF position, therefore he can -play- the SF position.



It bothers me how may people don't understand this. Folks want to talk about how a guy shoots or dribbles to tell who he is.

That said Sharpe was matched up last game against a tweener. Thornton came out of Florida State playing in the post. Lets see him match up against someone like Peja or Jefferson before we decide he's complete.

To be fair, our current starting SF can't guard Jefferson at all.

To be fair, our current starting SF can't guard Jefferson at all.
In the past 10 games, RJ scored 20+ points twice. Tay's improved against RJ over the past couple years.

In the past 10 games, RJ scored 20+ points twice. Tay's improved against RJ over the past couple years.
I agree, though Jefferson is still a tough matchup, tay is severely better against him.

BK (LA, CA): Did Walter Sharpe show any gifts in Vegas?

David Thorpe: (12:03 PM ET ) A few. Skilled yes, but I'm not sure of anything else.

That's okay, because we're not sure what that reply even meant.

WTF? He's skilled, but nothing else?

Of course, in the last chat, he admitted he's never even watched Walter play. Usually people that get paid to do a certain job and don't do that job get fired. I want to work for ESPN.

CAPTION THIS:






http://www.nba.com/media/sharpe_627_080728.jpg

Ummmm, he really needs to get rid of that moustache. Its kinda creepy.

http://d.yimg.com/a/p/sp/getty/98/fullj.2415bee05390d9dce04bb3d1e02ecebb/2415bee05390d9dce04bb3d1e02ecebb-getty-82057005fm152_rookie_shoot.jpg

Here's the audio of an interview with Sharpe, the hosts are terrible and I suggest that you fast forward to 8m 30s mark to start listening.

He sure doesn't sound confident about playing the 3.

http://www.pistonscast.com/podcasts/pistonscast060.mp3

CAPTION THIS:






http://www.nba.com/media/sharpe_627_080728.jpg

"Hey bitches. I'm Walter Sharpe. You know, I'm smooth and I feel like I'm always in a cloud. In fact, clouds are comfortable. So comfortable they make me sleepy."

Ironic that he looks like sleepy floyd a lil bit.
http://www.nba.com/media/history/warriors_floyd_87_240.jpg

Great call, CV.

Maybe Sharpe was on to something...

http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/07/110701083506.htm?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+sciencedaily+%28ScienceDaily% 3A+Latest+Science+News%29

(or maybe he was just on something)