O'Bryant Working With Cliff Ray

[arambone]

I like the baseline hook at :25

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zm7zNa5aCy4

[Evantime34]

People need to not get too down on this guy before he plays a game. He is young athletic big and for now is working pretty hard.

[Cassidy122690]

From the looks of that "highlight reel" (and I use that phrase loosely), this cat needs Bryan Doo and Walter Norton equally as much as Cliff Ray.

[Robb]

People need to not get too down on this guy before he plays a game. He is young athletic big and for now is working pretty hard.

On the other hand, the further down on him we are the more pleasantly we'll be surprised if something good happens.

Wait this is the internet, we're going to complain about him no matter what.  Scratch that.

To respond to Chris, I was working off of a definition of potential that, when I tried to explain it to myself before writing this, sounded too much like talent.  I'll buy it.  He has potential, but I'm still only going to expect him to be Scott Pollard minus all of that insane.

[arctic 3.0]

It is difficult for me to buy any of the negativity and self assured predictions of failure that have read on these pages.

there may be some folk on the blog with more first hand knowledge of this guys game then i have, but none of us are danny ainge, tom thibodeau or clifford ray.

these NBA professionals have personally evaluated the kids game and saw enough potential to give him a contract.

because of their track record i will trust their judgment and remain mildly optimistic about obryant's future.

[cdif911]

I love the "highlight reel" because it basically has every basket of his NBA career on it - I'm surprised they didn't have to cut to him shooting free throws to fill 2 minutes

[Chris]

People need to not get too down on this guy before he plays a game. He is young athletic big and for now is working pretty hard.

On the other hand, the further down on him we are the more pleasantly we'll be surprised if something good happens.

Wait this is the internet, we're going to complain about him no matter what.  Scratch that.

To respond to Chris, I was working off of a definition of potential that, when I tried to explain it to myself before writing this, sounded too much like talent.  I'll buy it.  He has potential, but I'm still only going to expect him to be Scott Pollard minus all of that insane.

If he can give us what Pollard gave when he was healthy, Doc and Danny will be ecstatic. 

[gar]

7' and "second jumpability". Sweet!

[JR Giddens]

I still think Patrick O'Bryant is a stiff but I eon't surpised if he becomes a a pretty good backup center next year!

[nickagneta]

I have never seen the kid play, college or pro. Not one minute. So I'm not going to jump to conclusions that have already been jumped to by many in this thread.

I look at it this way. He's a first round draft pick. This year's first round draft pick. I look at him no more or less differently than Kosta Koufos, Alexis Ajinca, JaVale McGee, or Roy Hibbert. He's raw and needs training and coaching. If by the end of next year, when his contract is expiring he is giving this team real, meaningful, productive minutes, then the experiment will be a success.

He just turned 22 and for the first time is going to be getting training at being the type of center he can be and not the type of center Nellie wanted him to be. If Clifford Ray can perform the same type of work with him as he has other big men he has worked with, maybe we can catch a break and get a diamond out of a pile of coal.

He's cheap, he's young, he's tall, he's longgggggggg, he's athletic, and he'll be the 15th guy on a 15 man roster.

He's worth the risk and I for one am going to support him wholeheartedly and give him the benefit of the doubt. He's now a Celtic. I know nothing to little about him the same way I know nothing to little about J R Giddens and Bill Walker.

So since I'm not about to start labeling them abject failures and calling them derogatory nicknames before they have even dribble a ball at the Garden, I too will not do that to Patrick O'Bryant. It's not fair. The kid hasn't failed this franchise yet.

[crownsy]

I still think Patrick O'Bryant is a stiff but I eon't surpised if he becomes a a pretty good backup center next year!

im with nick, ill wait and see

as to him being a stiff, based on what?

he's a half court center drafted by a half court coach who then left to be replaced by a coach who doesn't like half court defensive centers or schemes.

He's now comign to a great big man coach and a team that prides itself on its halfcourt defense and protecting the rim.

his stunning averages of 5 and 6 minutes a game over his first two seasons pretty much speak to how much nellie cared for teaching/including him. I'll hold of on judging him till i see him post ray and coach T.

[crownsy]

well, its hard to stay motivated when you know your not going to get much playing time. 4.1 mpg...

great athletes don't accept that they'll play 4 minutes a game, they earn their time in practice

name me a defensive orented center who plays half court who's been able to do that in nellie ball system.

i'll wait.

[JR Giddens]

As of June 2008 I don't think O'Bryant is any more ready than Bill Walker to play in the NBA. However he could turn out to be a chauncey billups who just needs a new system to succeed.

Bill Walker has more potential to be better than JR Giddens but Walker's perimeter defense is average and he needs to work on a finesse game.

[cdif911]

well, its hard to stay motivated when you know your not going to get much playing time. 4.1 mpg...

great athletes don't accept that they'll play 4 minutes a game, they earn their time in practice

name me a defensive orented center who plays half court who's been able to do that in nellie ball system.

i'll wait.

Here's some "defensive oriented centers" who have played nelli ball and played a whole lot more than O'Bryant...there's plenty of others too, just a sample


Manute Bol - 22.1 mpg 88/89
17.5 mpg 89/90

Alton Listor - 20 mpg 90/91

Shawn Bradley - 21.4 mpg 02/03
11.5 mpg 03/04
14.1 mpg 01/02
24.4 mpg 00/01
24.7 mpg 99/00

heck Calvin Booth played 20 mpg in 00/01 (and got 2.0 blocks per game)

[billysan]

well, its hard to stay motivated when you know your not going to get much playing time. 4.1 mpg...

great athletes don't accept that they'll play 4 minutes a game, they earn their time in practice

name me a defensive orented center who plays half court who's been able to do that in nellie ball system.

i'll wait.

Here's some "defensive oriented centers" who have played nelli ball and played a whole lot more than O'Bryant...there's plenty of others too, just a sample


Manute Bol - 22.1 mpg 88/89
17.5 mpg 89/90

Alton Listor - 20 mpg 90/91

Shawn Bradley - 21.4 mpg 02/03
11.5 mpg 03/04
14.1 mpg 01/02
24.4 mpg 00/01
24.7 mpg 99/00

heck Calvin Booth played 20 mpg in 00/01 (and got 2.0 blocks per game)

Wow, two 7'5"+ shot blocking, one dimensionsal guys and two lead footed cant run the floor beastisis to clog up the paint. Nice find(s) I am more than impressed, sir. TP4U, but who are these mysterious others?

Still, I will stay with the 'positive attitude, wait and see crowd' on POB.