Booker Question

[Cheesebeef]

Chambers is a good one. Great numbers and superstar “moments” but not a superstar.

and none of those moments in the playoffs.

 

[Raindog]

Yeah, Chambers is a good analogy. Booker is very good, but not elite.

 

[itlnsunsfan]

they might not have been at their peak by 24, but SUPERSTAR level guys were almost all SUPERSTARS at 24.

Wade, LeBron, Duncan, Shaq, Durant, Westbrook, Luka, CP3, Giannis.

You can tell pretty early if a guy is a SUPERSTAR. A SUPERSTAR is a guy who’s in the MVP candidate most years. Every one of those guys were MVP candidates by the time they were 24. In fact that only superstars I can think of that weren’t blatantly obvious superstars by 24 were Harden, Curry and Kawhi. But Kawhi was on a team loaded with vets ahead of him to eat. Curry was injured a lot during the beginning of his career and Harden is the total anomaly of a guy who’s game has shot into the stratosphere.

but here’s where Booker is different than every one of those guys. He has ONE special skill. Scoring. He has no elite second angle to his game. And to be honest... even his scoring isn’t “elite” as the 14th ranked scorer in the game. He’s not a good passer, rebounder or defender. He’s one dimensional and ALL of the guys above were MULTI-DIMENSIONAL right off the bat.

He doesn’t have the natural tools, passing ability or elite athleticism to be a superstar, IMO. Those aren’t things that are going to change.

He’s a scorer. You can’t win a title with a straight scorer being your best player.

We have a guy on our team with superstar talent, and it's not Booker. This is why I'm so critical of Ayton. He's got all the tools. He's just gotta want it.

 

[Cheesebeef]

We have a guy on our team with superstar talent, and it's not Booker. This is why I'm so critical of Ayton. He's got all the tools. He's just gotta want it.

You know we see eye to eye on this.

 

[CardsSunsDbacks]

they might not have been at their peak by 24, but SUPERSTAR level guys were almost all SUPERSTARS at 24.

Wade, LeBron, Duncan, Shaq, Durant, Westbrook, Luka, CP3, Giannis.

You can tell pretty early if a guy is a SUPERSTAR. A SUPERSTAR is a guy who’s in the MVP candidate most years. Every one of those guys were MVP candidates by the time they were 24. In fact that only superstars I can think of that weren’t blatantly obvious superstars by 24 were Harden, Curry and Kawhi. But Kawhi was on a team loaded with vets ahead of him to eat. Curry was injured a lot during the beginning of his career and Harden is the total anomaly of a guy who’s game has shot into the stratosphere.

but here’s where Booker is different than every one of those guys. He has ONE special skill. Scoring. He has no elite second angle to his game. And to be honest... even his scoring isn’t “elite” as the 14th ranked scorer in the game. He’s not a good passer, rebounder or defender. He’s one dimensional and ALL of the guys above were MULTI-DIMENSIONAL right off the bat.

He doesn’t have the natural tools, passing ability or elite athleticism to be a superstar, IMO. Those aren’t things that are going to change.

He’s a scorer. You can’t win a title with a straight scorer being your best player.

Harden and Curry are the two that Booker most has a chance to emulate. Curry has been an elite shooter since entering the league so it's not a great comparison. That being said neither Harden or Curry were elite facilitators at the age of 24 (better than Booker, but not by a whole lot IMO).

Of course it also depends what you mean by superstar. If you mean best player on a contending team than even some of the guys you mentioned might not qualify. If we are talking about top 10 or so player in the league than I think there is a chance Booker gets there within the next couple years.

 

[elindholm]

Booker may not be a superstar, but is he a gorbaflink? Because to me, those two terms are equally precise.

 

[Cheesebeef]

Harden and Curry are the two that Booker most has a chance to emulate. Curry has been an elite shooter since entering the league so it's not a great comparison. That being said neither Harden or Curry were elite facilitators at the age of 24 (better than Booker, but not by a whole lot IMO).

Of course it also depends what you mean by superstar. If you mean best player on a contending team than even some of the guys you mentioned might not qualify. If we are talking about top 10 or so player in the league than I think there is a chance Booker gets there within the next couple years.

While neither had become elite facilitators at 24, both of them were naturally gifted passers, had much better handles and had that inate vision you’re either born with or you’re not. Booker doesn’t have that gifted thing those guys were born with and his handles are just... okay. You can become a better passer, but they have the gift of vision and passing that just isn’t something he was born with.

His basketball IQ/maturity also aren’t very good. And those are things that should be something under his control... and I haven’t been impressed with his progress there. Especially after that punk performance last night.

 

[Cheesebeef]

Tatum is staking his claim for future superstar status with multiple 50 point games, leading a pretty weak Celtics team to must win play-in game and a desperate down 0-2 game tonight.

 

[Hoop Head]

I think Booker needs to pass less to be a superstar. He seems too caught up in making his teammates better and being a complete offensive player than utilizing his skills as an exceptional scorer.

His turnovers would go down, his scoring would go up, and I think his assists would stay about the same because he generally turns it over when he makes bad passes hunting for assists.

 

[Bufalay]

Booker may not be a superstar, but is he a gorbaflink? Because to me, those two terms are equally precise.

I don't think his VORP is high enough.

 

[Ronin]

Booker likes long walks on the beach.

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[elindholm]

Booker likes long walks on the beach.

Yeah, well, tell him to get it out of his system. It's time for him to become the basketball player he already thinks he is.

 

[Mainstreet]

Booker likes long walks on the beach.

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Tell Devin he should be practicing his jump shot.

 

[Cheesebeef]

Yeah, well, tell him to get it out of his system. It's time for him to become the basketball player he already thinks he is.

Seriously. If he starts balling and the rest of the team plays like it did today we will blow the Lakers off the court.

REALLY excited for a HUGE swing Game 5.

 

[Chris_Sanders]

Booker likes long walks on the beach.

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So he is in Newport based on that coastline.

 

[Ouchie-Z-Clown]

So he is in Newport based on that coastline.

No, I don’t think that’s Newport. Those are lights at the turn. Newport is pretty much a straight shot to Huntington.

 

[Cheesebeef]

So he is in Newport based on that coastline.

looks like Santa Monica to me.

 

[Ouchie-Z-Clown]

looks like Santa Monica to me.

Doesn’t his girl live in Malibu?

 

[Chaplin]

Kendall's private beach. Book it.

 

[dscher]

looks like Santa Monica to me.

Is that near........ L..A..?

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[Cheesebeef]

Doesn’t his girl live in Malibu?

that’s what I was thinking. In between the two.

 

[WhyAlwaysMe]

Booker played excellent defense on Dennis yesterday. If he continues to play defense at that level and doesn’t attempt high risk passes, he is a major asset in this series. He is becoming the player he wants to be: a two-way winner.

 

[Skratchy_Seal]

Booker likes long walks on the beach.

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That’s Point Dume in the background.

 

[Hoop Head]

Book has a superstar game tonight. He didn't score much in the second half but he didn't need to. He did what he needed early on to crush the Lakers spirit and let his teammates get going to hold the lead he helped build.

 

[Cheesebeef]

Book has a superstar game tonight. He didn't score much in the second half but he didn't need to. He did what he needed early on to crush the Lakers spirit and let his teammates get going to hold the lead he helped build.

yup. He set the tone right off the bat. Great lead performance.