Sunday, April 18, 2010

Cole Aldrich and the Byrant Reeves Effect

In the mid 1990's when Bryant Reeves was roaming Big 12 basketball courts, throwing his Big Country body around, he looked like a sure bet to have a solid NBA career.  He was drafted #6 overall and became the face of the brand new Vancouver Grizzlies.

But then reality set in.  He was too slow, couldn't catch the ball cleanly, couldn't shoot the ball, could barely get up and down the court, could barely jump.  He gained weight, his body fell apart and Reeves was out of the league a few years later.

First let me say that Kansas center Cole Aldrich is a better basketball player than Reeves.  He understands the game, plays the right way and even has some decent post moves.  His outside shot is strange looking but improving and his conditioning is far better than Reeves.

But when the reality of the NBA game sets in we might see history repeat itself.  Aldrich is a half court player who is able to maximize his effectiveness in half court sets and with the long NCAA shot clock.  He will struggle to keep up with the speed of the NBA game and with NBA caliber athletes.

He will still likely be drafted in the first round and find a spot on a NBA roster.  He will add value to a team as a backup center, someone to bring in to guard the post but at the end of the day his average foot speed and athleticism will limit his ability to compete at the highest level.

He seems like a nice kid and I wish him all the best but I think any team taking him in the lottery will have failed to learn from history.