Fab Melo is not Thabeet

[bballdog384]

Fab is not Thabeet. Please stop with the comparisons. Thabeet was picked second. Thats right, #2. There is a lot less risk when taking #22 vs #2. If Fab doesn't turn out, it will be the norm for a #22 pick.

Also, Thabeet was one of the skinniest players on the planet. Fab is built fairly strongly and has an NBA body.

Fab also has a much better offensive game than Thabeet did coming out of UConn. I'm not saying Fab has a good offensive game, just that Thabeet's was terrible. Fab weirdly has a decent jumpshot (one game he made 3 15+ footers in a row). Also, Fab is surprisingly a very good passer for a big, which to me shows that his BBIQ has potential to grow.

I just graduated from Cuse and fab improved dramatically from year 1 to year 2. He went from a joke to one of our best players. He's good enough that he cost Cuse a trip to the national championship game with his eligibility issues. I'm not saying he's going to be great, but please just give him a chance.

[lightspeed5]

agreed. the fact that he didnt play in the tourney was probably why he was picked so late. imagine if he played and dominated the competition. he'd probably be a lotto pick with sully. we got 2 steals and people dont realize it. its like when we got bradley 2 years ago.

also, i have a feeing the heat really wanted fab melo.... i think this was one of those chess moves to negate the competition from strengthening their weaknesses. a big with great passing ability is something we cant let the heat have.

[MaxAMillion]

Please...the guy averaged 8 pts per game. He does not have a better offensive game than Thabeet coming out of UConn. His offensive game consist of alley oops.

I don't care where Thabeet got drafted. He didn't make it in the NBA and I don't see Melo making it either. Moultrie will be a better big man than Melo at the NBA level. Should have just stayed with Stiemsma. He can do what Melo can do.

[bballdog384]

Thabeet's offensive game consisted of being tall. He was too thin in the NBA to just shoot over people.

[theswitch]

Please...the guy averaged 8 pts per game. He does not have a better offensive game than Thabeet coming out of UConn. His offensive game consist of alley oops.

I don't care where Thabeet got drafted. He didn't make it in the NBA and I don't see Melo making it either. Moultrie will be a better big man than Melo at the NBA level. Should have just stayed with Stiemsma. He can do what Melo can do.

That's just not true, Melo can make a jumper and scores often off offensive boards and cutting to the basket. He's also new to the game of basketball and improved dramatically. Give me a couple years.

[KCattheStripe]

Please...the guy averaged 8 pts per game. He does not have a better offensive game than Thabeet coming out of UConn. His offensive game consist of alley oops.

If only we had a point guard who was a great passer...

[lightspeed5]

Please...the guy averaged 8 pts per game. He does not have a better offensive game than Thabeet coming out of UConn. His offensive game consist of alley oops.

and who better to pass him alley oops than you know who.

 he's a 19 year old rookie at the end of the day, we need him to role play and assist the big 3 and rondo, not shoot mid range jumpers and post plays.

[rondohondo]

Please...the guy averaged 8 pts per game. He does not have a better offensive game than Thabeet coming out of UConn. His offensive game consist of alley oops.

and who better to pass him alley oops than you know who.

 he's a 19 year old rookie at the end of the day, we need him to role play and assist the big 3 and rondo, not shoot mid range jumpers and post plays.

speak for yourself man, I don't wanna role play with Fab Melo

[Yoki_IsTheName]

Please...the guy averaged 8 pts per game. He does not have a better offensive game than Thabeet coming out of UConn. His offensive game consist of alley oops.

I don't care where Thabeet got drafted. He didn't make it in the NBA and I don't see Melo making it either. Moultrie will be a better big man than Melo at the NBA level. Should have just stayed with Stiemsma. He can do what Melo can do.

Melo is better offensively than Thabeet. He has better hands first of all and a better shooting stroke.

And Fab is a more imposing player defensively than Steimsma is. He's legit BIG. Steamer is not. They both are good at shot blocking but Melo's huge frame adds a little intimidation factor. Add to it that Melo is stronger naturally, and could build more strenght.

[bballdog384]

Please...the guy averaged 8 pts per game. He does not have a better offensive game than Thabeet coming out of UConn. His offensive game consist of alley oops.

I don't care where Thabeet got drafted. He didn't make it in the NBA and I don't see Melo making it either. Moultrie will be a better big man than Melo at the NBA level. Should have just stayed with Stiemsma. He can do what Melo can do.

That's just not true, Melo can make a jumper and scores often off offensive boards and cutting to the basket. He's also new to the game of basketball and improved dramatically. Give me a couple years.

Also, when Thabeet was at UConn the offense ran through him. At Cuse, Melo was the 4th or 5th option with Waiters, Joseph, Jardine, Triche, CJ Fair, etc.

[Tr1boy]

MAx please don't be an amateur poster.

He did score 7.8 pts on avg, but during the 2nd half he avg more like 12 points. Every # got better. From first year to 2nd everything improved. His body improved. I mean , at least he is improving.

Best also is that even at 70 percent of his peak, he was a beast defender. And was chosen on the all defensive team.

If we think about it this way, there is alot to be optimistic about. The size (same skeleton as howard), speed , athleticism (will improve as he shapes his body further) are all qualities of a potential top defensive centre.

It will be easier to sleep knowing guys like LEbron and WAde can't just have their way on the inside

[Kuberski33]

It will be easier to sleep knowing guys like LEbron and WAde can't just have their way on the inside

This to me is the key point.  You're not beating the Heat unless you can keep LeBron and Wade away from the basket.  This guy could help big time in that regard. But I expect that his learning curve is going to be steep.  Look at the trouble Stiemsma's had not fouling.  Syracuse plays zero man to man so they're going to have to teach him to defend.  Expect it to take a while.

[theswitch]

It will be easier to sleep knowing guys like LEbron and WAde can't just have their way on the inside

This to me is the key point.  You're not beating the Heat unless you can keep LeBron and Wade away from the basket.  This guy could help big time in that regard. But I expect that his learning curve is going to be steep.  Look at the trouble Stiemsma's had not fouling.  Syracuse plays zero man to man so they're going to have to teach him to defend.  Expect it to take a while.

It also can't hurt to point out that Miami is often slowed down by the zone, and Melo is where he is because he averaged 3 blocks a game in a zone.

[bfrombleacher]

Please...the guy averaged 8 pts per game. He does not have a better offensive game than Thabeet coming out of UConn. His offensive game consist of alley oops.

If only we had a point guard who was a great passer...

Good point. Too bad we don't have chris paul. Dang why'd they have to take Kendall Marshall.

Anything is better than what we have.

[celtsfan84]

Please...the guy averaged 8 pts per game. He does not have a better offensive game than Thabeet coming out of UConn. His offensive game consist of alley oops.

If only we had a point guard who was a great passer...

Good point. Too bad we don't have chris paul. Dang why'd they have to take Kendall Marshall.

Anything is better than what we have.

Yeah, I don't know why everyone has the false assumption that Rondo is the magical fix to everyone's game.  He is a great point guard but it won't matter if Melo sucks.

Adam Keefe sucked when he played with Stockton. Hollins and Steimsma sucked when they played with Rondo. If Melo sucks, he will suck with or without Rondo. If he can play, he can play with or without Rondo.

A good point guard helps but doesn't turn every player into gold. There is literally decades of horrible big men who have played with elite point guards and not improved at all.  I can name several guys with Rondo, in fact.