Monday, June 22, 2009

Tyler Hansbrough: Top 10 Pick? (Really?)

I have never been particularly high on Tyler Hansbrough's NBA potential. At best, I saw him as an "energy" guy, off the bench. The next coming of Paul Millsap, if he's lucky. That's not a terrible role, by the way -- see Millsap's pending fat new contract. And, if Shane Battier and the new world of statistics in the NBA are any indicator, seemingly weak "glue guys" can be very valuable.

Then you read about this workout he had for the Hawks, which left the Hawks glowing -- or, at least, saying they were glowing. You have to take this with a grain -- if a team that likes Hansbrough is picking behind Atlanta and thinks the Hawks might take him, they might be willing/forced to deal for the ability to get him earlier. I don't think anyone likes Psycho-T THAT much...

More than that, I have really not particularly liked the comparisons between Tyler Hansbrough and Tim Tebow, although -- sigh -- they are kind of appropriate. And if I keep saying that Tim Tebow will have a perfectly fine NFL career based on his absurdly strong work ethic (plus his physical tools), why shouldn't I be willing to say the same thing about Hansbrough?

Again: I think Hansbrough WILL have a fine NBA career -- perhaps not a star, but a decade in the league. He is more Millsap than Madsen, though nowhere near Carlos Boozer.

Worth a Top 10 pick? I guess it depends on your needs. Atlanta has a terrific starting post player in Al Horford -- but what playoff aspirant can't use a little energy and rebounding off the bench?

-- D.S.

1 comment:

Unknown said...

The Hawks arent the only team that has been impressed with Hansbrough. There is a reason his stock has risen so much. People are starting to see that he has game and not just all energy.

Not near Boozer? Guess you dont remember that Boozer was labeled with the same Myths that Hansbrough now is fighting.. To small , To Slow , Cant Jump .. ect. There is really no reason to think that Hansbrough cant become a similar player. Comparing both players as they came into the NBA and you would see that Hansbrough is much further along than what Boozer was.