What are J.R. Giddens "character issues?"

[connerhenry43]

i am very escited about this pick, but i keep hearing about his character issues. i cannot find anything about it. I see he got stabbed, but last time i checked, that made him a victim, not a bad person. I also see he transferred from kansas to New mexico, but i looked it up and that was not a felony either.

did he do something to provoke the staabing incident? is there something else that I am not finding online. i have read a few quotes from him, both from last night and from his senior year, and he sounds like a choir boy. any insight as to his reputation?

[Sweet17]

^^^ Maybe he did something to instigate the stabbing. Not saying that he deserved it but say hitting on some dude's girl might get you in a fix like that. That would be a character issue because it showed bad judgement..

[connerhenry43]

^^^ Maybe he did something to instigate the stabbing. Not saying that he deserved it but say hitting on some dude's girl might get you in a fix like that. That would be a character issue because it showed bad judgement..

i hear you, but if hitting on someone's girlfriend in college gets you stabbed, i would have more holes in me than swiss cheese!

[Chris]

He also was suspended at New Mexico.  His coach basically inferred it was for being a bad teammate

[zerophase]

he was in a gang fight... hope him and pierce  + their gangs get along hahah

[FLCeltsFan]

He had issues both on and off the court at Kansas and in his first season.  He was stabbed in the calf in a bar fight and required 30 stitches.  His attitude was also questioned.  At NM he was suspended for attitude problems and not being a good teammate, but that suspension seemed to turn him around as after that, he had no problems.  Steve Alford said he was one of his favorite players and that he turned himself around completely. 

 I got this from a NM fan on LOY's Place:

Greetings from Loboland" in The Land of Enchantment! Celtics and Danny Ainge have come up with a true champion! No need to worry about JR's attitude and team role. JR and Steve Alford clicked and JR turned in to a complete team player and leader. He is an incredible talent. The best thing to happen to JR was Alford's hiring!! Doc has a true jewel of a player/ person to work with. All the nonsense in JR's past is long gone!! Celtic fans will not be disappointed!

[Jon]

Well, this could be akin to Rodman coming on with the Bulls in the late '90s.  Except it's not nearly as drastic.  Giddens' attitude seems like nothing compared to him, plus he's a rookie coming into a vet locker room.  I think KG and the rest of the vets should be able to keep him under control. 

[CelticPride]

Actually, I see the benching in the middle of his Junior year and his subsequent Senior season as a huge positive. Too often, athletes are allowed to skate through life unchecked (from the jocks on the football team getting away with everything to college "students" having their tests taken for them). This looks like it was a good eye-opener for him.

[fairweatherfan]

I actually haven't worried much about bad character guys in this draft, because unless they are total Marburyesque cancers, this team is very likely to straighten them out quickly.  We've got a bunch of respected vets, we seem to be intense but supportive (so no Jordan breaking Kwame Brown's spirit scenario), and to top it off, we're the defending champs.

I think both Giddens and Walker (who really seemed to have a bad attitude in the 3-4 games I saw KSU play last year) will straighten up or get shipped out rather quickly.

[rondofan1255]

This reminds me of how the analysts on ESPN were saying, I think it was Marc, that the Knicks don't need to worry about PG play, because if they solve their problems Marbury playing to his potential will give them very good PG play. Good luck with that happening.

[BudweiserCeltic]

This reminds me of how the analysts on ESPN were saying, I think it was Marc, that the Knicks don't need to worry about PG play, because if they solve their problems Marbury playing to his potential will give them very good PG play. Good luck with that happening.

It was JVG, and taken a bit out of context. Is not that they don't need a PG... it's that what they need is Marbury to step up, and that should solve their problems. Marbury is certainly a capable player. The difference is that they indeed need to worry, but as far as need goes, Marbury stepping up is needed more than anything. Or did he actually said "they don't need to worry"? Don't remember the full quote.

I wouldn't be surprised if with the new coach and his system Marubury succeeds.

[dooyork]

he was in a gang fight... hope him and pierce  + their gangs get along hahah

Yeah this doesn't seem like an issue to me.  As far as I can tell, most NBA players who have gotten stabbed in bar fights go on to win Finals MVP.  If anything it's a good sign.

[jay_jay54]

This was posted less than a hour ago on BostonHerald.com DA stating about J.R.Giddens character..."First,im confident that he's a good kid,Ainge said.Secondly,the team we have will make him better.He's not as mature as i would like to see,and he's not as disciplined as our guys are,but they will help him achieve both things."

[Barnabas]

JR Giddens majored in University Studies!  What exactly is that?  I came from the University of Georgia myself and I heard back in those days that athletes are allowed to get some bogus degrees.  Ofcourse I majored in Management and Accounthing, but I've met athletes who were majoring in things like "Georgia Studies", or something like that.  Does this sound like one of those to you?  If so, then this guy was definitely not a commendable student in all likelihood. 

[dooyork]

JR Giddens majored in University Studies!  What exactly is that?  I came from the University of Georgia myself and I heard back in those days that athletes are allowed to get some bogus degrees.  Ofcourse I majored in Management and Accounthing, but I've met athletes who were majoring in things like "Georgia Studies", or something like that.  Does this sound like one of those to you?  If so, then this guy was definitely not a commendable student in all likelihood. 

I agree, that is a real concern to me too.  Ideally, an NBA shooting guard will have majored in something substantial like English lit or philosophy, so that he can keep up with those deep conversations on the team bus about post-structuralism and deconstruction.  Also, his free throw shooting seems to be a concern.