goals/role models for the rookies? (specifically Rush)

by psvirsky on Mar 5, 2009 1:15 PM EST

So we've all done a good amount of talking about Brandon Rush and his potential (along with his inability to reach it so far). Obviously, with his size and skills he has the potential to be a perennial all-star, but that's his ceiling rather than what we should expect. So what should we expect? What do you think is a reasonable goal for what we would want out of him? Are there any players that fit the mold of what he could become?

I haven't put a ton of thought into it yet, but my first impression is that he could be a James Posey type player with a better ability to drive. Granted, Posey's been in the league about a decade, played for 6 teams and just recently became what he is. However, I think what he brings to a team is what we should want out of Rush. I'm mainly basing this on his play last year since I live in Boston and have a lot more exposure to the C's. As for the easy comparisons, they are similar in size (Posey has 2 inches and 7 pounds on Rush) and both were drafted in the teens of the first round.

Anyways, here are the two attributes that I personally would want to see out of Rush consistently to label him a success. First of all, lockdown defensive ability. If he can be the player that locks down the opposing team's star every night, Granger's job becomes that much easier. When Posey was able to D up Kobe and Lebron, Pierce had a much easier time (although he did ultimately stop Kobe some). If Rush can figure out how to be a lockdown perimeter defender, I think the Pacers make a huge step forward overall on the defensive side of the ball.

Secondly, a high 3-point shooting percentage, especially in clutch situations. For his career, Posey averages .350 (good but not great) and in the last 3 years he's been at .375 or above. In the two playoff years where he played significant minutes, his perentage goes up to about .410. Rush so far is averaging .343 but considering his height and stroke, he should be able to raise that. College is obviously a different animal but he averaged about .420 there.

The last thing he needs to improve is free throw shooting. In college he was in the low 70's and this year is at .667. This isn't as important if the first two characteristics don't improve, but if he's going to play a crucial role late in games, he needs to shoot better (Posey has shot around 80% for his career.

Well this is getting long-winded so I'll wrap things up. Basically, my hope is that Brandon Rush can be the guy who effectively guards the best wing player on the other team, hits big 3's when the team most needs them, and is able to score effectively when shots aren't falling for others. To me this is the most important type of glue player a team can have and most championship teams have a guy like this (or two guys combining for the role).

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I think you pretty much summed it up,

Obviously Brandon can be as good as he wants, he has all the tools and ability. I think Brandon WILL be a lock down defender within the next year or so that guards the best player. From watching Brandon in high school-college-now.. oddly i have lived everywhere he has gone, really weird.. anyways, Brandon can be inconsistent, but what College/High Schooler isn’t? He can get hot and take over games for a time, i think he showed that ability against the Celtics last week. But he can also blend into the background noise of a game very easily. This is what made it a love/hate relationship at Kansas, well no hate really haha, but he would come out some games and absolutely dominate then the next game take very few shots and just kinda blend in. This is what Brandon needs to develop, the idea that he needs to go out and get his nightly, not saying hog the ball or anything, just any opportunity to slash and get fouled/get a layup he needs to take advantage of, because the kid can slash with the best of them..

I think his blending into games goes back to his time at Kansas, he was asked at first when he came in from High School where he was “the star” to play on a team that had no Go-to guy, a team that had 6 players avg. 10+points a game, and although near the end of his college season (the title run) he was asked to be the guy, he still did not.. i think once his “i wanna be a star” drive comes back he’ll be great.

Wow, i wrote a lot, and most probably did not make sense, anyways to sum it up. Brandon has what it takes to be great, consistency and drive is what he needs, and that takes growth as a player and as a person, it will come. I think he is already playing at a fairly high level on defense as a rookie, that will only increase… and really he doesn’t seem comfortable yet with the NBA game.. but that will come too. I think he has the ability to be a great 6th man off the bench for a championship team (posey-esque) or a great #2 player on this Indiana team (behind Danny of course)…if not more

fin.

"I can resist everything but temptation." - oscar wylde

by cfizzle on Mar 5, 2009 1:41 PM EST reply actions

off subject

I checked your profile to see your geographic background and noticed the Mingus icon – awesome. I’m a bass player and learned a lot of my skills from jazz. Mingus was my early favorite and still is – great music and he’s a sick bass player.

As for the Rush stuff, it all sounds about right. Maybe it’ll help to realize that he doesn’t need to be the star, just a #2 or #3 player behind Granger

by psvirsky on Mar 5, 2009 1:49 PM EST up reply actions

Mingus Ah Uhm,

ya man charles mingus, love em. Jazz in general is wonderful, duke Ellington, Wynton Marsalis, miles davis, thelonious monk, the greats man.. regretfully i only play the piano, but i wish to learn more. In time hopefully.

And about Brandon, i don’t even think he believes that he needs to be the star, I think all the blending in is because he is searching for his place/niche on the team. If anything at all, he can play defense man, thats important on championship teams.

"I can resist everything but temptation." - oscar wylde

by cfizzle on Mar 5, 2009 11:42 PM EST up reply actions

I won’t restate my opinions on Rush again; suffice it to say that you all are a lot more optimistic than I am.

by ThirtyOne on Mar 5, 2009 7:12 PM EST reply actions

The blending in is what really scares me.

Kareem Rush has mastered Blending in and I really hope Brandon goes in a different direction.

I was also bitter on draft night, when we traded for Brandon but I guess I have to say I have accepted the fact Rush is on our team and I am rooting for him to do well. With the tools is has to one of two reason he is not excelling is the inexperience or the blending in factor.

Was anyone else nervous when Brandon said he wants to be the next “Reggie Miller” back before the season started?

by Man of Pace on Mar 5, 2009 8:35 PM EST reply actions

Not Nervous,

i liked that actually, thought he was going to come out with all the confidence in the world, but we know how that has gone… anyways i am optimistic, i just see him doing so many little things well that i think if he can just put it all together, he could be a very good player, and a TEAM player at that, he’s all about doing what needs to be done for the team..

Over at ESPN on the rookie reports i believe, they wrote something to the point of Brandon as of right now if he can keep improving his shot and his ability to defend looks like a Bruce Bowen type, which in my opinion is not a terrible comparison, but i think brandon is much more athletic than bowen personally.. as they also said he starts improving his slashing ability that he showed in college he will become an impact player.. thats what they wrote about him in like december i believe.

"I can resist everything but temptation." - oscar wylde

by cfizzle on Mar 5, 2009 11:37 PM EST up reply actions

Yeah I almost said Bowen instead of Posey but I thought Bowen was smaller. Apparently he’s 6’7, I really had no idea. Either way, the point is he’s gotta be a lockdown perimeter defender and a deadly 3 point shooter, a description that fits both Posey and Bowen.

My one concern is that it took both of those players a lot of time and several teams before they got to that point. Bowen played overseas for 4 years and took nearly a decade before settling down with the Spurs and Posey took about 5 or 6 years before he turned into an essential glue guy. They were both basically journeymen who eventually figured out their roles. I really hope Rush can turn into that role faster and also without having to play for 4 teams.

by psvirsky on Mar 6, 2009 6:37 AM EST up reply actions

You guys are way overanalyzing a rookie

Rush is twice the athlete Posey and Bowen are. He can take just about anyone off the dribble because of how quick he is. He shows good form in his jumper and comparing him to his brother is a joke. Blending into games isn’t a gene that runs in the family. I think Brandon has done a pretty good job this year. If you guys were expecting him to be O.J. Mayo this early in his career you were wrong. There’s a difference between a #3 pick and a #(11) pick.

by pacers33 on Mar 6, 2009 8:23 PM EST reply actions

Ya we could be over analyzing,

but hey thats what discussions on blogs are for! haha, anyways i’m mostly like the most optimistic person about rush.. overly optimistic really. And you are right he is alot more athletic than them, and ya he can lockdown people, and ya he can take anyone on the dribble, and ya he is just a rookie and consistency takes awhile.. wait i dunno where i was going with that, thats all true. I think he will be a very good player in the league. But i DO think it may take a couple seasons before he truly “comes out of his shell” per say and plays to his abilities.

"I can resist everything but temptation." - oscar wylde

by cfizzle on Mar 7, 2009 1:19 AM EST up reply actions

Right.

I don’t think anyone here is even implying that we hoped for Mayo’s production this season. And we’re not denying that he has the talent to become way better than Posey and Bowen. The idea of this post is more along the lines of thinking that just as many NBA players flop as they do succeed, so what exactly would we be happy with? Obviously if he became a star we’d all be happy, but what is a reasonable projection that he has a good chance of accomplishing? What’s most likely to happen that would really work with what the Pacers need?

by psvirsky on Mar 7, 2009 11:00 AM EST up reply actions