He's got Dhalsim arms. Pushing that weight up is much harder, especially when you have no pecs. I would have guessed maybe he could only get that much weight up a few times at most even before I heard this.

That said, it was stupid for him to workout in the first place. He's a top 2 lock unless he murders someone by June 28th, even then he'll go no worse than 10.

6/5/2007 8:06:44 PM

Quote :

"luckily bench pressing has almost nothing to do with playing basketball. "

Exactly.

I don't even know why this is an issue. Durant will make an impact his rookie season for whoever he plays for while Oden goes through growing pains getting banged around for a couple years.

6/5/2007 9:04:27 PM

Quote :

"unless he murders someone by June 28th, even then he'll go no worse than 102"

^i think they'll both make a nice impact as rookies

6/5/2007 9:04:33 PM

^ Oden has the potential but I think the NBA is a much bigger transition for post players.

6/5/2007 9:22:37 PM

probably so but look a players recently like bosh and okafor...now okafor had 3 years college while only 1 for bosh...also dwight howard is pretty damn good and he was right out of high school...if the player is good enough they can make an early impact...and i think oden is good enough

6/5/2007 9:48:55 PM

Quote :

"also dwight howard is pretty damn good and he was right out of high school..."

Good point... forgot about him.

6/5/2007 10:27:22 PM

Quote :

"I'd be concerned about Durant's work ethic not even benching 185...he should be able to do that within his first month of working out."

I agree with this. 185 is a pretty minimal amount of weight.

6/5/2007 10:45:29 PM

I wouldn't be to worried about his work ethic, from what I've read, this man lives and breathes basketball. This is the latest quote, I've read about him and while it is about high school, I've read the same things about him at Texas, practicing for hours after everyone left or arriving earlier to the home games then required to practice little bit more

Quote :

""But Durant is singularly myopic regarding basketball, reportedly practicing for up to 10 hours a day when he was growing up in Suitland, Md."

http://www.thenewstribune.com/sports/story/77264.html

6/6/2007 12:36:03 AM

From that article:

Quote :

"Even though Durant technically makes the most sense for the Trail Blazers, this answer to the question of Oden or Durant from an NBA personnel man who asked not to be identified illustrates the problem: “Taking Oden is like taking Shaquille O’Neal. If you look back at Shaq when he was at LSU, he and Oden have almost the exact same bodies. Shaq just bulked up over the years. Taking Durant is like taking Tracy McGrady. “Which would you do?” The implication is clear: While both players are exceptional talents, O’Neal has won four NBA championships, while in 10 years McGrady has yet to emerge from the first round of the playoffs. For all the talk about teams moving toward a more up-tempo, perimeter-oriented style, the fact remains that titles generally go to franchises that play defense and have a talented post player anchored in the middle, Jordan’s ultra-successful reign with the Chicago Bulls the obvious exception. And so, in the end, Pritchard must ask himself this: Is Durant capable of achieving what Jordan did? If the answer is no, the choice is Oden."

^I generally agree with this.

Quote :

"This is a particularly sensitive matter in the Rose City because the Trail Blazers will forever be associated with passing on Michael Jordan in favor of Sam Bowie in 1984 because they already had Clyde Drexler and did not want duplicate players at the same position."

Here is where the comparison gets tricky. I think this situation is a reverse of the Blazers/Bowie draft. In 1984, the Blazers had a talented wing player and drafted a less impressive big man based on need, not ability (in that case, the "can't miss" big man was already off the table as well). In 2007, the Blazers have a big man, and going with a wing would be based more on need than ability and potential, IMO. Drafting Durant would seem more similar to the Sam Bowie pick.

Both are very talented, but I think Oden is a rarer talent as a potentially dominant big man. What will be curious to watch is the Rashard Lewis and Zach Randolph situations, as they will have a great deal to do with how these franchises move forward. I seriously doubt they sign and trade with each other, being in the same division and with the scrutiny over these two intertwined picks, but Portland is in need of a player similar to Rashard Lewis and Seattle Zach Randolph...

It will be a defining offseason for both franchises.


[Edited on June 6, 2007 at 8:31 AM. Reason : .]

6/6/2007 8:30:09 AM

people thought emmitt smith was slow too

6/6/2007 8:52:29 AM

Quote :

"I call bullshit. that's definitely not true. durant CAN DEFINITELY bench press 185. "

you are joking... right noob?

6/6/2007 9:09:38 AM

I dunno, maybe i don't remember it correctly, but oden does NOT remind me of shaq when shaq was at LSU. shaq was a much bigger presence in collge and busted his ass much more than oden. not saying oden won't be as good as shaq potentially, but i don't expect oden to come in as a rookie, like shaq, and be NBA player of the week (not rookie of the week, but player of the week) his first week in the league.

6/6/2007 9:45:38 AM

This Rick Barnes quote is great, I havent heard anyone say "He couldnt play dead in a John wayne movie" other than me, my mom, and my granddad

Quote :

""If people question his strength, they're stupid," Texas' Rick Barnes said Tuesday, according to The Dallas Morning News. "If they are looking for weight lifters to come out of Texas, that's not what we're producing. There are a lot of guys who can bench press 300 pounds in the NBA who couldn't play dead in a cowboy movie. Kevin's the best player in the draft -- period, at any position.""

[Edited on June 6, 2007 at 11:12 AM. Reason : har har]

6/6/2007 11:12:24 AM

Quote :

""luckily bench pressing has almost nothing to do with playing basketball.""

True, but weight lifting in basketball isn't necessarily about playing basketball better(although it is to some degree), its about keeping yourself from getting hurt. Ask Shaun Livingston.

6/6/2007 12:39:00 PM

Dude, you gotta have big pecs in the NBA so you can shove players past you when they fall for the fake and you break their ankles while you're going the other way. Duh.

6/6/2007 12:49:36 PM

Dude, if he can't bench 185 I seriously doubt ANY of his muscles are strong/developed.

^^
Exactly. It is a fundamental part of conditioning.

Quote :

"Strength and conditioning is not a part of Longhorn basketball."

-Rick Barnes

[Edited on June 6, 2007 at 1:01 PM. Reason : .]

6/6/2007 12:58:02 PM

i highly respect those numbers, but dont forget that one kobe bryant wasn't quite superman when he first came out. give durant some time to bulk up and he'll undoubtedly be top 10 in scoring for years to come.

6/6/2007 6:43:47 PM

what is so surprising to you guys about a guy with about 10 inch arms (around) not able to bench 185, you think cause hes a basketball player he's got some superhuman strength?

6/6/2007 8:16:20 PM

Manute Bol couldnt bench press 50 pounds so therefore he never blocked any shots or hit any 3's

6/6/2007 8:26:32 PM

Why are people suprised about this? Just look at him, he has incredibly long arms (even for his height, longer than oden) and hasn't grown into his body at all. He looks like a 12 year old and only has 6.6% body fat. Give him a couple years and I'm sure he'll bulk up a little and with that will come speed. I have no doubt in a few years he'll dominate Oden in quickness and agility drills.

6/7/2007 4:13:19 PM

Thank you for your expert opinion.

6/7/2007 4:40:46 PM

6/7/2007 4:41:13 PM

Quote :

"I have no doubt in a few years he'll dominate Oden in quickness and agility drills."

thats just because Durant is 12 and Oden is 48

6/7/2007 4:41:23 PM

This was a fun thread.

1/30/2014 11:50:26 PM

some real gems on page 1

1/30/2014 11:53:37 PM

lol people talking shit about earl for no reason

1/30/2014 11:58:14 PM

Quote :

"JJ Redick must be lighting it up in the NBA"

1/31/2014 12:01:43 AM

How did these guys actually turn out?

1/31/2014 8:51:07 AM

the opposite of the title pretty much

1/31/2014 8:54:35 AM

I choose to believe that when Oden took some time off from the NBA he won 4 titles in a league for guys with no knees or shins.

1/31/2014 8:56:01 AM

had such high hopes for alando tucker in this class

1/31/2014 9:49:49 AM

this was 7 years ago. the view of players has changed drastically.

1/31/2014 4:20:46 PM

TT pwnt. Stay home.

1/31/2014 5:06:51 PM