How about Wes Johnson!

[longislandcuse]

As much as I couldn't stand D'Antoni in NY, he may be the best thing that ever happened to Wes (aside from transferring to Syracuse, of course). D'Antoni molding him into the next Shawn Marion is awesome. Even Barkley and Kenny Smith were impressed with Wes after the game last night. 16 points and once again was on the floor to end the game. Best part is that he's playing a stretch 4 so he shouldn't really be impacted too much when Kobe comes back in regards to playing time.

One thing he has to work on is finishing around the basket around defenders but other than that he really looks like he's gaining a ton of confidence in this system.

 

[NineOneSeven]

As much as I couldn't stand D'Antoni in NY, he may be the best thing that ever happened to Wes (aside from transferring to Syracuse, of course). D'Antoni molding him into the next Shawn Marion is awesome. Even Barkley and Kenny Smith were impressed with Wes after the game last night. 16 points and once again was on the floor to end the game. Best part is that he's playing a stretch 4 so he shouldn't really be impacted too much when Kobe comes back in regards to playing time.

One thing he has to work on is finishing around the basket around defenders but other than that he really looks like he's gaining a ton of confidence in this system.

I think his D needs to be much improved before he can come close to being compared to Shawn Marion. Overall, it's a great opportunity for him, I agree.

 

[Knicks411]

He's still not shooting very well though, 35.5%. He's getting some playing time though, he's at least going to get a chance to prove what he can do.

Best part is that he's playing a stretch 4 so he shouldn't really be impacted too much when Kobe comes back in regards to playing time.

I thought that would be his best role, wasn't Minny getting him some time at the 2 in the first year or so? Seemed like a terrible idea.

 

[BostonOrange]

He's still not shooting very well though, 35.5%. He's getting some playing time though, he's at least going to get a chance to prove what he can do.



I thought that would be his best role, wasn't Minny getting him some time at the 2 in the first year or so? Seemed like a terrible idea.

Yeah a good 2 can generally dribble the ball a bit...not exactly Wes forte. I have been pretty surprised he hasn't done better in the league though - athletic wings that can defend and shoot 3's seem to always have a spot. Though I guess Wes hasn't actually made his 3's.

 

[Knicks411]

Yeah a good 2 can generally dribble the ball a bit...not exactly Wes forte. I have been pretty surprised he hasn't done better in the league though - athletic wings that can defend and shoot 3's seem to always have a spot. Though I guess Wes hasn't actually made his 3's.

Yeah, he was really good at shooting the 3 the one year he was here, the rest of his career, not as much. You'd still think with the direction the league he is going he has a chance to carve out a career as a stretch 4 if he can just improve his jumper a little.

 

[KaiserUEO]

if he has a Hak like career, that would be great.

but given where he was drafted, it will be looked upon as a downer.

so lets not go all 'donte greene is the man!!'...because he had a monster dunk v the Knicks 1 fatefull november with wes, for we know how that 1 ended.

 

[longislandcuse]

You can see his crazy athleticism, even in the NBA it stands out. There was a play where he looked like Inspector Gadget tipping back an offensive rebound and then forcing Dwight Howard to fight for the ball and accidentally tip it into his own basket.

 

[urban96]

You can see his crazy athleticism, even in the NBA it stands out. There was a play where he looked like Inspector Gadget tipping back an offensive rebound and then forcing Dwight Howard to fight for the ball and accidentally tip it into his own basket.

that and his hustle to track down the missed pass to prevent a turnover

 

[OrangeDW]

He's still not shooting very well though, 35.5%. He's getting some playing time though, he's at least going to get a chance to prove what he can do.



I thought that would be his best role, wasn't Minny getting him some time at the 2 in the first year or so? Seemed like a terrible idea.

That's because he went 1-11 in the first game. With an awful shooting game like that, it will take time for the % to level out. He's shot OK since then, and is at least shooting the 3 at a good %.

 

[Knicks411]

Yeah, I saw he's at like 38% from 3. That's gonna be really big for him, especially if they play him as a stretch 4.

Even without the 1-11, he's at 41.1% for the season. Enough 3's where his eFG would be a shade over 50% though.

 

[OrangeDW]

Yeah, I saw he's at like 38% from 3. That's gonna be really big for him, especially if they play him as a stretch 4.

Even without the 1-11, he's at 41.1% for the season. Enough 3's where his eFG would be a shade over 50% though.

Yeah, not good...but not terrible either. I'm starting to think his SU season was the exception, shooting wise. His %'s at Iowa State and all of his NBA years are similar. His %'s at Cuse were much higher.

 

[Knicks411]

Yeah, not good...but not terrible either. I'm starting to think his SU season was the exception, shooting wise. His %'s at Iowa State and all of his NBA years are similar. His %'s at Cuse were much higher.

Yeah I remember seeing the stats from Iowa State, and no expecting much shooting. He started out hot from 3 and I was thinking to myself it was probably fools gold, he would regress, etc, and he never really did. Guess it was just a one year fluke or something.

 

[moqui]

Yeah, not good...but not terrible either. I'm starting to think his SU season was the exception, shooting wise. His %'s at Iowa State and all of his NBA years are similar. His %'s at Cuse were much higher.

it's almost like he had a coach who knew how to maximize his talents . . . nah, couldn't be. that's crazy talk.

 

[OrangeDW]

it's almost like he had a coach who knew how to maximize his talents . . . nah, couldn't be. that's crazy talk.

Yup. Can't stand when Boeheim gets knocked for SU's relative lack of NBA success, as in he didn't prepare them or something. If anything, he gets the most out of them and they look a bit better i college than they really are, since he knows how to feature his best guys and put them in position to do things they are good at.