It was an enzyme disorder that Shorter had during his senior year. The diagnosis was actually very clear. It was the treatment and prognosis that was difficult. Several UMPC doctors advocated that he sit out the year.
Could Samson have been
- Thread starter gary2
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It was an enzyme disorder that Shorter had during his senior year. The diagnosis was actually very clear. It was the treatment and prognosis that was difficult. Several UMPC doctors advocated that he sit out the year.
Naz Robinson was an average at best basketball player who was an undersized power forward who couldn't shoot and was a below average rebounder. Plus, he pulled the probably the dumbest play in Pitt basketball history. We don't need two of him.
Still, he managed to produce quite effectively on a #1 seeded team. Knowing this, I'd submit you are underrating him to some extent.
I'd submit that Nasir was a pretty good basketball player, and this enabled him to be productive as an undersized power forward. Nasir could finish well around the hoops, and actually had a pretty good handle. (He also averaged 6.5 RPG as a senior as an undersized Power Forward -- compared to Mike Young's 6.8.)
I fear that Samson does not have these offensive skills that Nasir was able to bring.
It is indeed true that Nasir was a terrible jump shooter and that foul against Butler will always haunt him and Pitt Hoops.
But Nasir was indeed a warrior, and I hope Samson can bring some of what Nasir brought to the table.
Yeah, I remember reading an Internet comment years ago when somebody thought it was insulting to J.J. Richardson (as an incoming freshman) to compare him to Chevon Troutman. I have no particular insight into Samson but have to think that a Nasir-like college career (with all the limitations that implies) would be on the higher end of his prospective arc range.
If he is anywhere close to Nas, that would be a good thing. Nas had a skill deficiency, but he had excess motor/intensity. we need that type of fight.
Too bad we can't get a guy who has the motor/intensity who is actually a good basketball player. A 6-4 guy who can't play on offense further than about three feet from the basket is always going to be a hindrance.
This is what is so overlooked. The tenacity and grit. While JD indeed lapsed in recruiting in final years, it wasn't that his guys had zero talent (as opposed to what Stallings is bringing in, almost literally). Young, Art is, Jeter had much talent. They lacked toughness, backbone, tenacity, warrior mentality. Naz was kinda dubious as far as talent (and smarts, as we found out in the most horrifying way) but he was closer to that mold than anything we've had since.
If you can't attract talent .. and Stallings is proving he can't. ... hopefully the random bodies he assembles off the street at least have chips on their shoulders and a desire to mix it up.
