I don't watch the NBA very often so I wonder if the NBA watchers have a view of why Wes has not done better at the next level. I thought his skill set, and what I had heard about his work ethic, would really help him be a strong contributer in the League. I never expected him to be Melo but I did expect a starter who played significant minutes and who on occasion did take over games. Thoughts?
Wes Johnson question
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Knicks411
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That's a lot of it. He's a wing player with no handle. And it seems like his one year at SU saw him have the best year shooting 3's of his life.
two years of boeheim. if tou cant defend u dont play
OrangeDW
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He looked like a million bucks when playing for Boeheim, and went #4 in the draft.
Do you think that would've happened if he stayed at ISU or went to Pitt? I don't.
Scotch
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He's not a good defender, but it goes way beyond that. He has zero handle, he isn't a good passer, and brings very little to the table other than a jump shot.
The North Carolina game in 2010 upped Wes's stock to the point where he was overrated. He had a great year, but he was never a guy that could take over a game, create his own shot, etc. Even in college he was more of a super role player. I never understood the NBA love.
He's a classic tweener. He lacks the size and strength to play SF, and he has a terrible handle so he can't play the 2G where Minny tried to play him. He can't dribble it more than once ... which we actually saw at SU but it wasn't a huge problem at the college level since he could play a forward spot.
MyMeloMyMan
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He doesnt believe he is an NBA player...and the league doesnt either anymore.
IthacaMatt
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Not assertive enough. Doesn't impose his will offensively. A bit soft defensively. But mostly, I get a sense that Wes is too polite and gives other players too much respect. You have to be a bit arrogant - "I've got the biggest swinging dick..." - to be a true success in the NBA. Wes is not that guy. He's too much of a teammate, and a bit too unsure of himself at this level. It's said that he really gets down on himself if he makes a mistake, and disappears out on the floor, trying hard not to make another. That's not how you thrive. Demetris Nichols used to have a bit of this problem. Similar players in a lot of respects.
cto
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I was about to say somewhat the same thing. Even at SU, he was too passive. A really nice guy, but very shy with no killer instinct.
cuseattle
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Let's just all remember how great Wes was in Orange. If it doesn't translate to the NBA, so be it. Even though he was only here for two years, and eligible for one, this guy cracks my top five SU faves. He did anything JB asked, and anything the team needed-with a smile.
Ghost
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One of my all-time favorites, but out of everyone we had that a shot at the NBA in recent memory I would have bet the most money on Wes not working out. As others have said, he has no handle whatsoever, and just plays too passively to be a strong player in a league where you need to have some dominant skill to see the floor. He's a tweener, can't dribble, and his shot, or at least confidence in his shot, isn't strong enough to keep him on the floor.
Hopefully he sticks around the league for a bit though - seemed like a great kid while at SU.
Hopefully he sticks around the league for a bit though - seemed like a great kid while at SU.
44cuse
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Responding to both of these posts at once.
Both are correct. Wes is a_great_ person. Truly one of those guys you want to meet and would want your kids to meet. Greats everyone with a huge smile and he he gets what most athletes (know) but don't care about: his handshake and polite short conversation can make someone's )that he doesn't know) day.
First of all, I'll take that all day long as an assessment of guys who were great players in our program. He was incredible at SU, represented the university well, and is a really good person (similar to Donte). But, he lacks the killer instinct and...unfortunately...he does not have a great handle.
44cuse
pfister1
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Even the part about having to have the biggest swinging dick? I thought that was pretty novel and hadn't heard it put quite like that before.
orangejunkie
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I think his game is similar to Southerland's. Great length and spot up shooter. Terrific hops. Very questionable handle and mediocre passer. I actually think that Southerland has significantly improved his handle and mid range game. There are guys like Novak on the Knicks who can have a successful career with being pure knock down shooters, but they are few and far between.
Knicks411
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This is true, and in Novak's case it's because he's A) 6-10, but most importantly B) probably one of the 2 or 3 best shooters on the planet.
James has many more dimensions to his game than Novak does, but they aren;t in the same league as shooters.
Suns coach hates him. Will play scrubs before he gives Wes a chance.
This year would have been his shot in Minny but he got traded. Now he isn't getting ANY pt who knows how he'll play when he does.
All the criticisms in this thread are somewhat fair despite being somewhat exaggerated. He is my all time favorite SU basketball player (I have ties to ISU they are my Big 12 team and I knew he'd be a star for us the second I heard of the transfer) so I hope he gets a chance and can get into a JJ Reddick type role. BUt it really really sucks the Suns coach has it in for him.
People need to understand how much Wes did for SU. We needed that season with him so badly and to have a run as #1 ranked team in the country. BEcause of him we are on par with the Kansas/UNC/Duke's of the world and not another Villanova.
This year would have been his shot in Minny but he got traded. Now he isn't getting ANY pt who knows how he'll play when he does.
All the criticisms in this thread are somewhat fair despite being somewhat exaggerated. He is my all time favorite SU basketball player (I have ties to ISU they are my Big 12 team and I knew he'd be a star for us the second I heard of the transfer) so I hope he gets a chance and can get into a JJ Reddick type role. BUt it really really sucks the Suns coach has it in for him.
People need to understand how much Wes did for SU. We needed that season with him so badly and to have a run as #1 ranked team in the country. BEcause of him we are on par with the Kansas/UNC/Duke's of the world and not another Villanova.
MyMeloMyMan
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Wes suceeded here because the team was littered with a lot of guys who chipped in. He was able to blend in...not necessarily be counted on as a specific go to guy who needed to carry us night in and night out. All his talents could shine. In the nba, where you have to stand on your own and do a lot of individual play...he suffers because he has no confidence. He figures he can stand in the corner for some reason...
LennX6
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My memories were at the beginning of 2010 he was all that, even borderline great on D . Then he got hurt on a hard foul in a game ,and after that seemed to be a jump shooter whose defensive zone was where most the opponents points came from.
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Wes seems like one of those people that would be impossible to hate - why on Earth would he have it in for him? Just wondering...
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I still for the life of me have no idea how he got drafted that high. Anyone who watched more than a few Cuse games should have been able to realize that he had very limited ballhandling abilities. Great great college players but his limitations as a pro were pretty obvious.
Doubt its anything personal but the Suns were looking and playing like one of the worst team in the NBA and in a losing streak and he came out on record and said Wes would not get more minutes or an expanded role and basically told everyone to expect him to keep being a DNP-CD.
Its sad to see. Scrubs like Telfair Shannon Brown and PJ Tucker play over him.
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