Fab Melo working hard to improve his game

[Mencius]

...
As an Optimist Prime (credit goes to Fair/Foulweatherfan for the Optimist Prime/Negatron dicotomy), I see him becoming a useful player in a couple of years. And I understand the CelticsBlog Negatrons have a point when they say Melo will never be an NBA player, but what's the point in stating it in every thread about him, even when the thread is about him putting in the work to improve?

As a TA fan, I've read "Bad Tony" threads ad nauseam in CelticsBlog, and then, when Ainge didn't offer him a bigger role (which was the right decision at the time, IMO) and he went to find his place in Memphis, people started calling DA out and praising TA as an All NBA defender. I'm not comparing TA to Fab, but I think we should cut some slack to Celtic players, and allow them to improve before we label them as "useless". When Troy Murphy was the genius deadline signing, I hated to see Erden and Gody walk to make room for him, but even then I tried to find good things about Troy. And given the huge amounts of love some guys like Shav or Steamer get around here, I think Fab Melo deserves his time to develop.  /rant

I think we all have hopes for anybody new signed to the Green.  Then they actually perform and our hopes are either rewarded or dashed.  If people just hated the kid from the get go, it'd be one thing, but if you form a negative opinion of him based on what you've observed so far, what's the issue?  You may well disagree with the assessment, but why denigrate those who hold that opinion (Negatrons) vs just disagreeing with them and putting forth your case as to why you think they're wrong.  That's about as helpful as would be calling those who still believe in Fab as Delusionatrons.  It's pointless. 

Fwiw, in my opinion, both Shav and Steamer showed way more in their limited Boston stints than Fab ever has.  Some of the difference in how those guys were regarded vs how Fab is regarded (in addition to their actual play) has to do with the expectations that come with being a first rounder vs being undrafted and out of the league and working your way up from the D-league or China, and then actually being fairly productive.  Not Fab's fault that he was a first rounder, but there are expectations that come with being one.

[Celtics18]

I'm still holding out hope for Fab.  He's got the body of a legit NBA center, that's for sure.  While I agree with those who say he can look uncoordinated out there, my take is that he has a funny mix of being both athletic and clumsy at the same time.  If that makes any sense. 

Anyway, I'm glad he's working hard (as he certainly should be), and I'd love to see him earn some minutes in Boston this season. 

[SHAQATTACK]

Fab doesn't know  the work it takes to be NBA material

Duncan and Dave Robinson always looked ready, fit , intense  and always practicing and working out.

Fab is making 25 times a year what any Marine recruit makes , and the Marines are all 1000 times better shape than Fab....... he moved awful, cause he  was fat and flabby

question is why the celtics training staff aren't  riding his tail everyday this summer , pushing him like crazy.

hopefully somebody has or will whisper in his ear, he need to be serious ,  and live in the gym and conditioning training. and watch everything he eats,  practice till. he drops.

Fab probably has just this year to right his ship and it may sink back to Brazil.

I'm just amazedg how lazy kids can be who have the chance of a lifetime

Does he not realize selling used car and working in the fields of Brazil doesn't pay what  the NBA  does and he is about to screwup a once in life time deal.

Fab needs a wake up call ....time to grow up and man up ......the time has come

[Yoki_IsTheName]

I atleast love the effort he's giving.

I really want him to learn how to box out effectively, learn the rotations and be a better mid range jumper. He's big enough to get enough space down low. He's defensive instincts are there but still lost on the rotations. He's not good yet but he has solid mechanics on his jumpshots.

If he gets that set up good, he's a solid center. I hope focuses on those three things and he'll be valuable. Forget post up games and ball handling and stuff, for now. If he's a weapon on the pick and pop and rebounds and defends fairly well, we're good. 

[mmmmm]

Fab doesn't know  the work it takes to be NBA material

Duncan and Dave Robinson always looked ready, fit , intense  and always practicing and working out.

Woah!  So ... if Fab doesn't look as ready, fit, intense and always practicing and working out as two Hall of Famers, two of the greatest bigs to ever play the game ... he's a bust?

Tough crowd.

[aporel#18]

...
As an Optimist Prime (credit goes to Fair/Foulweatherfan for the Optimist Prime/Negatron dicotomy), I see him becoming a useful player in a couple of years. And I understand the CelticsBlog Negatrons have a point when they say Melo will never be an NBA player, but what's the point in stating it in every thread about him, even when the thread is about him putting in the work to improve?

As a TA fan, I've read "Bad Tony" threads ad nauseam in CelticsBlog, and then, when Ainge didn't offer him a bigger role (which was the right decision at the time, IMO) and he went to find his place in Memphis, people started calling DA out and praising TA as an All NBA defender. I'm not comparing TA to Fab, but I think we should cut some slack to Celtic players, and allow them to improve before we label them as "useless". When Troy Murphy was the genius deadline signing, I hated to see Erden and Gody walk to make room for him, but even then I tried to find good things about Troy. And given the huge amounts of love some guys like Shav or Steamer get around here, I think Fab Melo deserves his time to develop.  /rant

I think we all have hopes for anybody new signed to the Green.  Then they actually perform and our hopes are either rewarded or dashed.  If people just hated the kid from the get go, it'd be one thing, but if you form a negative opinion of him based on what you've observed so far, what's the issue?  You may well disagree with the assessment, but why denigrate those who hold that opinion (Negatrons) vs just disagreeing with them and putting forth your case as to why you think they're wrong.  That's about as helpful as would be calling those who still believe in Fab as Delusionatrons.  It's pointless. 

Fwiw, in my opinion, both Shav and Steamer showed way more in their limited Boston stints than Fab ever has.  Some of the difference in how those guys were regarded vs how Fab is regarded (in addition to their actual play) has to do with the expectations that come with being a first rounder vs being undrafted and out of the league and working your way up from the D-league or China, and then actually being fairly productive.  Not Fab's fault that he was a first rounder, but there are expectations that come with being one.

Well, he's just played competitive basketball for 6 or 7 years at most. We all knew he would need more time than coach kids like Sully or Olynyk. This kids have grown with a basketball in their hands, while Fab only started playing when he was 15 or 16. We knew it would take 2 or 3 years for him to develop, still people are calling him useless after 1 year and less than 100 minutes in a green uniform. No, that's not a fair assessment of him at this point. If he doesn't improve in 2 years, ok, but after only a year in the D-League? No way.

Second, I'm not denigrating anyone, Optimist Primes vs. Negatrons is a funny way to not take things that seriously. It's ok being a Negatron or an Optimist Prime (or a Delusionatron, but that way isn't the same), we are all Celtic fans, and we should respect that, disagreeing makes this better, but in the process we should respect the kids in green and give them a fair chance, too. That was my point.

In my opinion, Shav or Steamer are also limited players, just like Fab. They are far more experienced than Fab, they got that on him, but they aren't good post defenders and they are not suited to help our team right now. Shav is a great rebounder, a real professional, but injuries limited him, at 29 years old, chances are he's going to be that player, he's not improving. Steamer is a great guy and good at blocking shots, but he can't defend the pick & roll, he can't defend the post and he isn't a great rebounder. But while they were playing for the Cs, they were our players, and most of people focused on their strengths, which is fine, IMO. I just don't get why guys like Fab, TA or Semih back in the day don't get so much credit around here.

I get that expectations for Fab are at least to be a good player, but we knew it would take more than a year or two for him. And I didn't like the pick back then, but he's a Celtic and I'll root for him to improve and be a good player.

[bfrombleacher]

And I understand the CelticsBlog Negatrons have a point when they say Melo will never be an NBA player, but what's the point in stating it in every thread about him, even when the thread is about him putting in the work to improve?

TP

The bold part is so true.

Are dismissive negative platitudes on every single topic really necessary?

[Boris Badenov]

And I understand the CelticsBlog Negatrons have a point when they say Melo will never be an NBA player, but what's the point in stating it in every thread about him, even when the thread is about him putting in the work to improve?

TP

The bold part is so true.

Are dismissive negative platitudes on every single topic really necessary?

I see your point. On the other hand some of the negative comments in this thread are directly related to the OP and its content, which seems fair game to me.

I had the same reaction as others, to be honest. Those videos show Fab doing things that seem pretty simplistic, and he's not really even doing them all that fluidly.

I certainly do hope that he surprises the doubters, but as one of them, I will say those videos weren't too impressive.

That said, I hope Stevens throws Fab in there for 5-10 minutes early in the season. I think we'd all learn a lot more about him by watching him play with other NBA players, as opposed to playing in the D-league...or shooting on an empty court.

[Ogaju]

listen people... Fab Melo is simply a stiff. It will take a miracle to get any good basketball out of him.

[Mencius]

Second, I'm not denigrating anyone, Optimist Primes vs. Negatrons is a funny way to not take things that seriously. It's ok being a Negatron or an Optimist Prime (or a Delusionatron, but that way isn't the same), we are all Celtic fans, and we should respect that, disagreeing makes this better, but in the process we should respect the kids in green and give them a fair chance, too. That was my point.

Yeah, I'm just saying that the labels are useless, and let's be real, they're not neutral.  In any fair reading, being optimistic is generally regarded as a good trait, and being negative is an undesirable one, so the characterization Negatron is a disparagement.   If you like Fab's prospects, just make your case for him and leave the labels out.  I've seen these things degenerate into 'Realist vs Delusional Pollyanna - (see, it's just a funny way to not take things that seriously)' or 'Optimist vs Miserable Pessimist' characterizations and they just detract from the conversation.

I get that expectations for Fab are at least to be a good player, but we knew it would take more than a year or two for him. And I didn't like the pick back then, but he's a Celtic and I'll root for him to improve and be a good player.

Everybody would love for Fab to blossom into a star, or even become a rotation player.  I never used to watch him when he was at Syracuse, so seeing him in his rookie year in summer league was disappointing to me.  He was much further away from being a contributor than I might have hoped for, but so be it.  That's where he was at.   The more disappointing thing for me was that I didn't see much, if any improvement in him from his rookie summer league to this year's summer league, and he looks no closer to contributing than when he arrived. 

It's easy enough, and probably true enough to say that people expected it would take more than a year or two for him to develop.  That's fine if you feel like a guy is progressing at a reasonable rate.  Unfortunately, a lot of people think his rate of development has not been good, and that's a problem considering how far away he was when he started.   I think his development needs to be on a steep curve for him to stick.  His contract's not guaranteed beyond this year, and Danny's not overly sentimental.  I hope for his sake, and for the Celtics' sake that he really makes huge strides this year.


I'm pleased that the guy is working on his game in the off-season (a nod to the thread).  But that's no more than what any player should be doing.  Still, it's nice to see that he's putting in the work.

[Ogaju]

when did he start doing the work? He was lollygagging in Brazil after the season.

[hpantazo]

when did he start doing the work? He was lollygagging in Brazil after the season.

was the NBA summer league held in Brazil?

[Ogaju]

makes you wonder doesn't it?

I am tired of seeing BB players praised for doing their job.

[manl_lui]

hopefully hard work pays off for this kid...I don't know why some people are still bashing the kid? We know he sucks, but do you rather him do nothing about it?

I see a kid who is trying to work hard to be good at the game and that is very respectable. If he continues to suck, we can let him go at anytime, but what if his hard work DOES pay off...we got ourselves a 7 footer that is good...

keep working hard Fab!

[McNoob]

hopefully hard work pays off for this kid...I don't know why some people are still bashing the kid? We know he sucks, but do you rather him do nothing about it?

Absolutely this. I hated the Fab Melo pick during the draft, and I thought he wasn't going to pan out. With that said, I feel like there's some personal vendetta against him from people here. All he's doing is working harder to become a better player. He may never amount to anything, but at least he's trying.

He's 23 years old and this is his 2nd year in the league. A year in which the C's aren't going to be championship contenders. A year in which everyone wants as good a draft pick as possible. A year in which Fab's the only center with NBA experience on the entire roster. It's not like he'd be competing for playing time with KG. If this isn't the year to give him minutes and let him suck, then I don't think there will ever be a time.

He has deficiencies in his game. We all know that. This is his year to resolve those deficiencies, and it's okay to criticize him until then. But to attack him personally and call him a moron? Call him lazy? Based on what? Nobody here knows him. We barely even know about him, except that he's working hard to improve as a player.