Official 2009 Basketball knowledge throw-down

[McJacknife]

This thread serves two purposes:

1. To establish which OUHoops.com message board members can back up their post count with fundamental knowledge of the game (trivia as well as X's and O's)

2. To bequeath said knowledge of the game to the less savvy (learn us some ball)



'Question and Answer' and 'Basketball Diatribe' formats are both allowed.


X, you're up first.

 

[Malcolm X]

JAMES NAISMITH

+

=

BOOM

 

[Sam]

Are pithy attempts at being witty allowed?

 

[tomkar98]

Are pithy attempts at being witty allowed?

I would like to think so... ???

 

[McJacknife]

Wit and Humor are always appreciated.

Pithy attempts to call out pithy wit on the other hand..... :ford

 

[McJacknife]

Question:

Who was the first Sooner basketball player to dunk in a game?

 

[elmocarp]

Question:

Who was the first Sooner basketball player to dunk in a game?

Jumbo Elrod

 

[McJacknife]

Jimbo's brother?

 

[elmocarp]

Jimbo's brother?

Yep...the Elrods, the Selmons, the Bookouts and the Griffins...its a tradition-rich history of sporting siblings at OU...

 

[elmocarp]

Question:

Who was the first Sooner basketball player to dunk in a game?

Seriously though...

Gomer Jones

 

[Smash Williams]

Question: Who would be selected first, second, third, fourth, and fifth overall in an NBA draft among this pool of fictional basketball players: Jimmy Chitwood (Hoosiers), Neon Boudreaux (Blue Chips), Butch McRae (Blue Chips), Kyle Lee Watson (Above the Rim), Jesus Shuttlesworth (He Got Game), Calvin Cambridge (Like Mike), Air Bud (Air Bud), Freddie Egan (as played by Jason Weaver in Summertime Switch), Saleh (The Air Up There)?

One point shall be awarded for each correct answer, with an eleventy billion point bonus for getting them in the correct order.

 

[Sam]

Question: Who would be selected first, second, third, fourth, and fifth overall in an NBA draft among this pool of fictional basketball players: Jimmy Chitwood (Hoosiers), Neon Boudreaux (Blue Chips), Butch McRae (Blue Chips), Kyle Lee Watson (Above the Rim), Jesus Shuttlesworth (He Got Game), Calvin Cambridge (Like Mike), Air Bud (Air Bud), Freddie Egan (as played by Jason Weaver in Summertime Switch), Saleh (The Air Up There)?

One point shall be awarded for each correct answer, with an eleventy billion point bonus for getting them in the correct order.

1. Jesus Shuttlesworth
2. Jimmy Chitwood
3. Neon Boudreaux
4. Kyle Lee Watson
5. Air Bud

 

[Oscar Uniform]

Yep...the Elrods, the Selmons, the Bookouts and the Griffins...its a tradition-rich history of sporting siblings at OU...

Are we forgetting William Tisdale?

 

[elmocarp]

Question: Who would be selected first, second, third, fourth, and fifth overall in an NBA draft among this pool of fictional basketball players: Jimmy Chitwood (Hoosiers), Neon Boudreaux (Blue Chips), Butch McRae (Blue Chips), Kyle Lee Watson (Above the Rim), Jesus Shuttlesworth (He Got Game), Calvin Cambridge (Like Mike), Air Bud (Air Bud), Freddie Egan (as played by Jason Weaver in Summertime Switch), Saleh (The Air Up There)?

One point shall be awarded for each correct answer, with an eleventy billion point bonus for getting them in the correct order.

1. Neon Boudreaux
2. Jesus Shuttlesworth
3. Saleh
4. Butch McRae
5. Kyle Lee Watson

I think Neon would obviously be the #1 pick and Jesus would definitely be next. I go with Saleh next because of his upside ("He's only been playing organized ball for three years...his first love is soccer!") followed by Butch. The top four seem pretty clear to me.

#5 comes down to Jimmy Chitwood and Kyle Lee Watson. Calvin Cambridge is already under contract with the Knights, Fast Freddie Egan has way too many red flags in his background checks and Air Bud, well I mean...he's a dog. So, with the list you gave us that leaves Chitwood and Watson. My first impulse was to go with Chitwood...highly skilled guy, highly marketable guy, very productive amateur career, but I think questions about his athleticism and desire would surface once teams really started to look at him. Watson gets the edge based on his athleticism, upside and the fact that he the shoe company he signed with is pressuring the team at #5 to draft him.

I almost argued that Shep (Above the Rim) should have been on the list, but obviously his age and checkered past make him ineligible. I almost hate to do it, but shouldn't Scott Howard get some consideration here? I know he decided to eschew his Teen Wold persona in favor of a more authentic lifestyle, but he wound up with Boof so I assume that should keep him grounded. Plus, he already signed with an agent (Styles Stilinski), so he should be good to go.

 

[Smash Williams]

1. Jesus Shuttlesworth
2. Jimmy Chitwood
3. Neon Boudreaux
4. Kyle Lee Watson
5. Air Bud

Valiant effort. You get 5 points (4 points for getting four of the names correct, and an additional bonus point for getting the exact answer at #4).

Here is the answer key:
1. Neon Boudreaux
2. Jesus Shuttlesworth
3. Butch McRae
4. Kyle Lee Watson
5. Jimmy Chitwood

Neon has to be #1. He is the prototypical center. His size, athleticism, and strength are comparable to that of a young Shaq, except that Neon (billed as 7'4") is taller than Shaq (7'1"). You don't pass on a franchise center like that.

Although I give the slight edge to Jesus over Butch, a legitimate argument can be made either way. This could come down to team need: wing or PG?

Kyle Watson is undersized and may not be a true PG, but he is such a dynamic scorer. There are also questions about how well his game translates to the NBA after playing on goals with 8 foot high rims.

I know it's hard to imagine Jimmy Chitwood being that low, but there are questions about his size and level of competition. High school players in the 1950s moved like molasses, so it is difficult to evaluate Jimmy. There are other for whom a legit argument could be made at #5.

Air Bud at #5 is a bold choice, but I don't think many teams would take that risk. Although the NBA's CBA doesn't address whether or not non-humans are allowed to play, there would likely be resistance from David Stern (would he gamble on the possibility of one of his players taking a dump on the court) as well as the player's union (who wants to lose their job to a dog?). You also have to consider whether or not Air Bud would perform as well without that little kid feeding him the ball. Having both Air Bud and the kid on the court would present a major defensive liability.

 

[Smash Williams]

1. Neon Boudreaux
2. Jesus Shuttlesworth
3. Saleh
4. Butch McRae
5. Kyle Lee Watson

I think Neon would obviously be the #1 pick and Jesus would definitely be next. I go with Saleh next because of his upside ("He's only been playing organized ball for three years...his first love is soccer!") followed by Butch. The top four seem pretty clear to me.

#5 comes down to Jimmy Chitwood and Kyle Lee Watson. Calvin Cambridge is already under contract with the Knights, Fast Freddie Egan has way too many red flags in his background checks and Air Bud, well I mean...he's a dog. So, with the list you gave us that leaves Chitwood and Watson. My first impulse was to go with Chitwood...highly skilled guy, highly marketable guy, very productive amateur career, but I think questions about his athleticism and desire would surface once teams really started to look at him. Watson gets the edge based on his athleticism, upside and the fact that he the shoe company he signed with is pressuring the team at #5 to draft him.

I almost argued that Shep (Above the Rim) should have been on the list, but obviously his age and checkered past make him ineligible. I almost hate to do it, but shouldn't Scott Howard get some consideration here? I know he decided to eschew his Teen Wold persona in favor of a more authentic lifestyle, but he wound up with Boof so I assume that should keep him grounded. Plus, he already signed with an agent (Styles Stilinski), so he should be good to go.

Four out of five names correct (4 points), plus spots #1 and #2 on the mark (2 bonus points) gives you 6 points and the edge over Sam.

We obviously disagree on Saleh. I consider him the trap pick of the pool. I think he is too much of a project to pass on more proven stars, unless Elgin Baylor or Chris Wallace are involved.

I almost thought about adding Shep to the mix, but who would take him? His age, desire, and psychological well-being are red flags. We're talking about someone who plays basketball by himself without a ball...of course, that may be interpreted as being able to play well off the ball.

Scott Howard was a bad omission from the draft pool, although I don't think he gets drafted in the Top 5 anyhow. The wolf transformation thing probably wouldn't go over well with David Stern. However, if I'm including Air Bud in the pool, a werewolf belongs as well.

 

[elmocarp]

We obviously disagree on Saleh. I consider him the trap pick of the pool. I think he is too much of a project to pass on more proven stars, unless Elgin Baylor or Chris Wallace are involved.

Well, if we are projecting the top 5 picks in the NBA draft, don't we HAVE to account for the Clippers and Grizzlies? If I were ranking the players, my list would look differently, but I am projecting their draft order. It wouldn't be a representative draft if someone didn't overreach on a big man.

Also, do Sidney Deane or Billy Hoyle deserve any mention? I would lean toward saying no to Deane, but yes to Billy.

 

[McJacknife]

We're talking about someone who plays basketball by himself without a ball...of course, that may be interpreted as being able to play well off the ball.

:clap:clap:clap


This is the kind of out-of-the box thinking and depth of analysis that we need regularly.

 

[Smash Williams]

Well, if we are projecting the top 5 picks in the NBA draft, don't we HAVE to account for the Clippers and Grizzlies? If I were ranking the players, my list would look differently, but I am projecting their draft order. It wouldn't be a representative draft if someone didn't overreach on a big man.

Also, do Sidney Deane or Billy Hoyle deserve any mention? I would lean toward saying no to Deane, but yes to Billy.

Fair enough. I definitely buy that argument. I didn't state the criteria clearly.

White Men Can't Jump crossed my mind, but I assumed that they definitely weren't NBA-worthy since they were middle-aged men playing streetball for a living. They had already reached their ceilings, and Billy had a gambling problem.

 

[Sam]

What about Lewis Scott?