Dan Majerle-I think he was called Thunder Dan
I remember Paul Westphal talking about Dan Majerle during that 1992-93 season when the Suns made the Finals. The team had the MVP Charles Barkley and Kevin Johnson as their top 2 players. Westphal said Majerle was the one player on the team he was afraid to take out of games because Majerle did so many little things to make everything work. And Westphal didn't take him out of the game. 39mpg in the regular season. 44.6mpg in the playoffs.
Another comp for Majerle I like is John Havlicek. Not the same level of player obviously but there is something about Hondo's all-round game that I think helps explain Majerle's under-rated brilliance and why Westphal was so reluctant to take Majerle out of games. Majerle was a connectivity player. He was good to very good at everything whereas Hondo was excellent at just about everything - why Majerle was an All-Star and why Hondo is a top 30-40 player of All-Time.
Majerle was a good ball-handler and passer. An effective secondary ball-handler on the floor next to KJ. Hondo was an excellent ball-handler and passer. An effective point-forward. Both guys were plus rebounders. Both guys were high level defenders. Majerle an All-Defense guy. Hondo a mainstay on the All-Defense team. An all-time great defender. Both guys could drive to the bucket, pull up from midrange, move without the ball, catch and shoot, shoot from the outside. Majerle more of a 3rd option level scorer due to limitations as a shot creator while Hondo was one of the top scorers in the league. Both guys were hard nosed competitors, great hustle guys, great stamina guys who could run and fight all day long. Both also started out as standout 6th men who became starters / stars.
So Majerle was a strong man to man defender. A strong team defender. A plus rebounder. A plus ball-handler. A plus passer. He became one of the most dangerous shooters in the league. He could attack the rim on opportunistic drives and in transition. He was an additive player in every area of the game. Helping glue things together. Making the defense work. Making the offense work. A connectivity player.
I see Hugo Gonzales as having similar characteristics. He has similar physical and athletic characteristics. He has similar mental characteristics in terms of his effort / hustle / never say die attitude. I see the baseline for similar skill-level in terms of ball-handling, passing, defense, rebounding. The shooting is the one area of large separation. Majerle was more of a hustle guy when he came into the league. He had a good outside shot but he was a 4yr college guy whereas Hugo is younger. Then Majerle developed from a good shooter to a great outside shooter. One of the best 3 point threats in the league.
Anyway. The Majerle to Hondo comparison is sort of like what Marc Gasol is to a peak Bill Walton. Both high post facilitating centers. Similar style of player. Only Walton did everything M Gasol did at a higher level. Why M Gasol was an All-Star and why B Walton was an MVP. Same with Majerle and Hondo. Similarities in their games / styles of play but Hondo did everything better especially scoring.
If Hugo can develop into a good shooter - not even a great shooter - he can become one of the best glue guys on the wing in the league. There are 3+D guys but not many of them can also rebound, handle the ball and pass the ball. Hugo can. I see that same all-round contribution. That connectivity game. That effort / hustle / intensity / energizer / leadership.
That is why Hugo can succeed at a high level without ever becoming a great shooter. A good shooter (which he is not yet - more like just about serviceable) is enough to make him hugely valuable glue guy / above average starting wing. And if he becomes a high level shooter like Majerle was, Hugo will be an All-Star caliber guy.
Topic: What?s your ceiling on Hugo? (Read 1620 times)