Chad Ford doesn't like Austin Rivers (From Grantland)

[indeedproceed]

Context: Bill Simmons and Chad Ford are debating how Lillard goes ahead of Rivers in the draft, especially considering how Rivers produced as a Freshmen against better competition.

FORD: However, here's my knock on Rivers. He thinks he's Kobe. He's not. He doesn't have the length, the height, nor the athletic ability. Take those things away from Kobe, and he's Ricky Davis — an irritating ball hog no one wants to play with and who isn't good enough to warrant the diva act.

SIMMONS: Wow, you just waved two middle fingers at Doc Rivers — you compared his son to his least favorite player to have ever coached. Why didn't you just throw a Dominique Wilkins barb in there while you were at it?

FORD: Lillard is a willing passer. Rivers isn't and will never be. Lillard made dramatic improvements from year to year. I thought Rivers was the exact player in college that he was in high school. Lillard is a team player. He was the second most efficient player in college basketball DESPITE being the only decent player on his entire roster; teams game planned to stop him and him alone every night. I just don't see Rivers ever being anywhere near as unselfish or efficient. I think Rivers will be shocked at the athleticism and length at his position. He'll try to do the same things at which he excelled in high school, spend a lot of time on the bench, get into it with his coach and teammates, get traded in a year or two to a desperate team, put up huge numbers for a cellar-dweller for a year or two, make some money, and eventually, teams will realize he can't be the alpha dog on a winning team.

SIMMONS: Other than that, you're a huge Austin Rivers fan.

FORD: I honestly think Rivers is the one guy I wouldn't touch in the lottery. Too toxic for team chemistry, doesn't have the same physical tools to make it worth it.

Yikes. Just, yikes. That's some real talk right there from Ford. Isn't mincing words, isn't tip-toeing around.

[rickyfan3.0...]

I don't either.

[Lucky17]

Wow. We'll have to file that away and break it out again in a couple years to see whether Chad was on point, or off-base.

[rickyfan3.0...]

I don't either.

No need to besmirch the great Ricky Davis' name though... Edited.  Profanity and masked profanity are against forum rules and may result in discipline. Chad Ford?

[Snakehead]

I'm not sure where he gets into the part about calling him selfish and a bad teammate.  Maybe it's the case, I'm not sure, but I've never heard of it from anyone else.

A guy I kind of think of him as is Kevin Martin.  He handles the ball a lot, shoots a lot, but is he a bad guy?  I don't think so.

Austin Rivers played on a team that needed someone to create shots.  I watched them play and never said to myself "this kid is selfish", and I'm one to look for that kind of thing.

[perks-a-beast]

Context: Bill Simmons and Chad Ford are debating how Lillard goes ahead of Rivers in the draft, especially considering how Rivers produced as a Freshmen against better competition.

FORD: However, here's my knock on Rivers. He thinks he's Kobe. He's not. He doesn't have the length, the height, nor the athletic ability. Take those things away from Kobe, and he's Ricky Davis — an irritating ball hog no one wants to play with and who isn't good enough to warrant the diva act.

SIMMONS: Wow, you just waved two middle fingers at Doc Rivers — you compared his son to his least favorite player to have ever coached. Why didn't you just throw a Dominique Wilkins barb in there while you were at it?

FORD: Lillard is a willing passer. Rivers isn't and will never be. Lillard made dramatic improvements from year to year. I thought Rivers was the exact player in college that he was in high school. Lillard is a team player. He was the second most efficient player in college basketball DESPITE being the only decent player on his entire roster; teams game planned to stop him and him alone every night. I just don't see Rivers ever being anywhere near as unselfish or efficient. I think Rivers will be shocked at the athleticism and length at his position. He'll try to do the same things at which he excelled in high school, spend a lot of time on the bench, get into it with his coach and teammates, get traded in a year or two to a desperate team, put up huge numbers for a cellar-dweller for a year or two, make some money, and eventually, teams will realize he can't be the alpha dog on a winning team.

SIMMONS: Other than that, you're a huge Austin Rivers fan.

FORD: I honestly think Rivers is the one guy I wouldn't touch in the lottery. Too toxic for team chemistry, doesn't have the same physical tools to make it worth it.

Yikes. Just, yikes. That's some real talk right there from Ford. Isn't mincing words, isn't tip-toeing around.

Yikes is right. Almost sounds personal.

And how dare he call out the great Ricky Davis!

[Change]

I kinda agree. He has skills as scorer, but his body isn't cutout for Shooting guard. Austin Rivers best served to mimic Russell Westbrook, and become a point guard in the NBA. The choice between being a mediocre 2 guard, or dominant as 1 guard should be easy.

[Who]

Good and fair evaluation of Rivers' chances of making it as a two guard in the NBA.

I think more of Rivers' chances of transitioning into a scoring Chauncey Billups-like point guard though. So long as it is done quickly and handled right ... otherwise, that will turn into a non-starter too.

[clover]

Doc's known for talking to the national press, but I guess we don't have to worry about him giving Ford any scoops.

[Donoghus]

I'm not a fan of him either.

He needs the ball in his hands to be effective and I saw a lot of poor shot selections and inability to get his teammates involved. A lot of hero mode stuff.  He's also a bit undersized to be a 2.

[Fafnir]

I'm not a fan of him either.

He needs the ball in his hands to be effective and I saw a lot of poor shot selections and inability to get his teammates involved. A lot of hero mode stuff.  He's also a bit undersized to be a 2.

OJ Mayo type.

Hopefully he can transition to the point, I really think he could succeed there.

[Donoghus]

I'm not a fan of him either.

He needs the ball in his hands to be effective and I saw a lot of poor shot selections and inability to get his teammates involved. A lot of hero mode stuff.  He's also a bit undersized to be a 2.

OJ Mayo type.

Hopefully he can transition to the point, I really think he could succeed there.

Very OJ Mayo-esque right now.