According to Draft Express’s profile of Andrea Bargnani, Il Mago has the potential to be the next Dirk Nowitzki or the next Keith Van Horn. And with the Raptors in Dallas tonight - Dirk’s current team and Keith’s last – it seems fitting to compare Andrea’s incipient career to Dirk’s. For the sake of optimism, I’ll abandon Van Horn.
Dirk “the Dink” Nowitzki – 7’0”, 245 lbs. Always has his mouth open due to massive teeth:
Rookie Stats:
20.4 MPG, 8.2 PPG, 40.5 FG%, 20.6 3P%, 3.4 RPG, 1.0 APG, 0.6 BPG, 1.55 TO
Second Year (81 starts in 82 games) :
35.8 MPG, 17.5 PPG 46.1FG%, 37.9 3P%, 6.5 RPG, 2.5 APG, 0.8 BPG, 1.72 TO
Andrea “Il Mago” Bargnani – 7’0”, 250 lbs. Always has his mouth open because he doesn’t know how to breathe through his nose:
Rookie Stats:
25.1 MPG, 11.6 PPG, 42.7 FG%, 37.3 3P%, 3.9 RPG, 0.8 APG, 0.8 BPG, 1.65 TO
Second year (ten games, five starts thus far):
21.9 MPG, 10.8 PPG, 39.8 FG%, 43.2 3P%, 3.8 RPG, 0.7 APG, 0.4 BPG, 1.40 TO
Nowitzki made a massive lurch in his second year, and it helped that his coach had confidence in him. I’ve realized how easy it is to blame Mitchell for everything that’s not going spectacularly with the Raptors (five and five isn’t that bad), but if Bargnani’s confidence gets rattled, and it looks like it already has, Mitchell will be staring at a lot of fans’ fingers.
It’s impossible for me to say how much Bargnani’s worked on his game this offseason, but his sophomore approach hasn’t impressed me. His instincts, never his talent, have been the concern with Bargnani, and with the exception of a couple of no-look passes last year, his hoops IQ hasn't been overly arousing.
If I were Bargnani I would study Dirk footage until I fell in love with him through sheer familiarity. The men are built identically and have the same sick outside stroke. Steal his fall-away, Andrea, and learn how to pump-fake without being called for travelling. For,
Potential is a fickle mistress, and she tends toward infidelity in less than two years. She leaves you with either the beautiful bride of talent or the boring nights in and no kids of disappointment.
P.S. - Sorry for the space between posts, but my router died at home. I wrote this at work which seriously says more about the nature of my job than my commitment to the Raptors.
Dirk “the Dink” Nowitzki – 7’0”, 245 lbs. Always has his mouth open due to massive teeth:
Rookie Stats:
20.4 MPG, 8.2 PPG, 40.5 FG%, 20.6 3P%, 3.4 RPG, 1.0 APG, 0.6 BPG, 1.55 TO
Second Year (81 starts in 82 games) :
35.8 MPG, 17.5 PPG 46.1FG%, 37.9 3P%, 6.5 RPG, 2.5 APG, 0.8 BPG, 1.72 TO
Andrea “Il Mago” Bargnani – 7’0”, 250 lbs. Always has his mouth open because he doesn’t know how to breathe through his nose:
Rookie Stats:
25.1 MPG, 11.6 PPG, 42.7 FG%, 37.3 3P%, 3.9 RPG, 0.8 APG, 0.8 BPG, 1.65 TO
Second year (ten games, five starts thus far):
21.9 MPG, 10.8 PPG, 39.8 FG%, 43.2 3P%, 3.8 RPG, 0.7 APG, 0.4 BPG, 1.40 TO
Nowitzki made a massive lurch in his second year, and it helped that his coach had confidence in him. I’ve realized how easy it is to blame Mitchell for everything that’s not going spectacularly with the Raptors (five and five isn’t that bad), but if Bargnani’s confidence gets rattled, and it looks like it already has, Mitchell will be staring at a lot of fans’ fingers.
It’s impossible for me to say how much Bargnani’s worked on his game this offseason, but his sophomore approach hasn’t impressed me. His instincts, never his talent, have been the concern with Bargnani, and with the exception of a couple of no-look passes last year, his hoops IQ hasn't been overly arousing.
If I were Bargnani I would study Dirk footage until I fell in love with him through sheer familiarity. The men are built identically and have the same sick outside stroke. Steal his fall-away, Andrea, and learn how to pump-fake without being called for travelling. For,
Potential is a fickle mistress, and she tends toward infidelity in less than two years. She leaves you with either the beautiful bride of talent or the boring nights in and no kids of disappointment.
P.S. - Sorry for the space between posts, but my router died at home. I wrote this at work which seriously says more about the nature of my job than my commitment to the Raptors.
2 comments:
I made up a rap based on last night's Toronto sports action:
"What's with these Toronto sports teams, they seem to blow leads like Shelley Levene;
Bosh is sick and Sundin rules, but McCabe sucks balls and Bargnani drools"
- Rap$callion of the So-Clar Crew
thanks, duke. interesting to see the spelling of Levene - verified by imdb.
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