Willie Warren Waived

[Shooterms]

Sorry if already posted

 

[JBaker]

Figured that was inevitable now that they have 14 PGs on the roster.

 

[sperry]

He is better than some guys that have played in the league a long time. The NBA is weird in that it's a league with so few roster spots that guys that have the talent to make it never will, if simply because teams are happy to just go with known quantity mediocre veterans for their last few spots on the bench.

 

[soonersublime]

He'll most likely be picked up by someone. He's too good to not at least be a d-league nba bench tweener.

 

[JBaker]

He is better than some guys that have played in the league a long time. The NBA is weird in that it's a league with so few roster spots that guys that have the talent to make it never will, if simply because teams are happy to just go with known quantity mediocre veterans for their last few spots on the bench.

True.
He absolutely lit up the D-league when he was sent down last year, and then when he got put back on the roster, they never gave him a chance to play.

 

[HOTROD21]

The NBA is weird. I always thought a guy like Hollis Price would definitely at least be a decent guy off the bench. Never happened.

 

[jmizzy4ou]

More defined positions in the NBA. Hollis was an excellent college player, but in NBA camps, he never showed the ability to run a team from the PG position. I truly believe he is a winner, who if given a chance, would have helped some teams with his heart, hustle, and shooting, but in the NBA, its all about positions and match ups.

Jacque Vaughn played in the league for about 10 yrs without the ability to hit a 15 footer. He stuck because he was a pure PG who could set the offense, not turn it over, and understood how and where to get the scorers the ball where they wanted it( exploit matchups).

WW is gonna have to show he can be a PG in the league. He can't defend the league's elite 2's, so he will have to learn to be a floor general, and not just a scorer. I believe his talent level is certainly NBA caliber, but he must learn to play the position he fits, and can defend.....

 

[DenverSooner]

More defined positions in the NBA. Hollis was an excellent college player, but in NBA camps, he never showed the ability to run a team from the PG position. I truly believe he is a winner, who if given a chance, would have helped some teams with his heart, hustle, and shooting, but in the NBA, its all about positions and match ups.

Jacque Vaughn played in the league for about 10 yrs without the ability to hit a 15 footer. He stuck because he was a pure PG who could set the offense, not turn it over, and understood how and where to get the scorers the ball where they wanted it( exploit matchups).

WW is gonna have to show he can be a PG in the league. He can't defend the league's elite 2's, so he will have to learn to be a floor general, and not just a scorer. I believe his talent level is certainly NBA caliber, but he must learn to play the position he fits, and can defend.....

It is a shame Capel could not convince him to return to OU and play pg for two seasons.

 

[jmizzy4ou]

It is a shame Capel could not convince him to return to OU and play pg for two seasons.

Sadly I don't think anyone was convincing WW, TMG, or Tiny about anything that didn't jive with what their posse's and entourages were telling them.....

Talk in LA is that he has failed to do what he was told to do to play the PG position.

 

[AdaSooner]

Sadly I don't think anyone was convincing WW, TMG, or Tiny about anything that didn't jive with what their posse's and entourages were telling them.....

Talk in LA is that he has failed to do what he was told to do to play the PG position.

jmizzy, I doubt if anyone here will be surprised by your observations. Handlers/AAU coaches/advisers, or whatever they're called from one sad case of a career gone wrong to the next, have way too much influence on these kids today.

It's too bad WW has not dedicated himself to improving his point guard skills. He had a strong mother giving him direction, and he could have been the exception. Unfortunately, kids don't always listen to their parents. :facepalm

 

[DenverSooner]

jmizzy, I doubt if anyone here will be surprised by your observations. Handlers/AAU coaches/advisers, or whatever they're called from one sad case of a career gone wrong to the next, have way too much influence on these kids today.

It's too bad WW has not dedicated himself to improving his point guard skills. He had a strong mother giving him direction, and he could have been the exception. Unfortunately, kids don't always listen to their parents. :facepalm

Then Capel should have called his mother and sat in a room with her and Willie and explained life to the young man with multiple examples of guys as talented or more talented than WW that did not make it in the NBA.

Heck, I would have a file cabinet of material on guys that didn't make it solely for the purpose of convincing second round picks to return to college and get their degree.

 

[campbest]

jmizzy, I doubt if anyone here will be surprised by your observations. Handlers/AAU coaches/advisers, or whatever they're called from one sad case of a career gone wrong to the next, have way too much influence on these kids today.

It's too bad WW has not dedicated himself to improving his point guard skills. He had a strong mother giving him direction, and he could have been the exception. Unfortunately, kids don't always listen to their parents. :facepalm

Staying in college would have not helped WW. Playing PG for a terrible division one school would not have helped his stock...he can improve whatever skills he needs on a full time basis in the league, already has his foot in the door. With NCAA restrictions, WW would not have been able to receive coaching, particiapte in summer leagues and have access to other amenities pros use. If anything, WW should have gone pro after his freshman year, when he was a projected lotto pick.

Only reason he was released is because Billups was picked up off waivers (which most teams would have done in the Clippers situation).

 

[DenverSooner]

Staying in college would have not helped WW. Playing PG for a terrible division one school would not have helped his stock...he can improve whatever skills he needs on a full time basis in the league, already has his foot in the door. With NCAA restrictions, WW would not have been able to receive coaching, particiapte in summer leagues and have access to other amenities pros use. If anything, WW should have gone pro after his freshman year, when he was a projected lotto pick.

Only reason he was released is because Billups was picked up off waivers (which most teams would have done in the Clippers situation).

Sure it would have. Two years of practice would help anyone do anything. Additionally, getting a college degree and maturing would have helped WW.

 

[bocabull]

Lol @ anybody blaming Capel for WW getting released. Was he responsible for 9-11 too? Capel haters have zero credibility.

Nothing weird about the nba. Best athletes in the world. Takes an absolute stud to make a roster as 12th man.

WW is not quite talented enough. Doubt he gets picked up and sticks with anybody. Very rarely does a guy get released and end up making it. 1 in a thousand chance.

 

[DenverSooner]

Lol @ anybody blaming Capel for WW getting released. Was he responsible for 9-11 too? Capel haters have zero credibility.

Nothing weird about the nba. Best athletes in the world. Takes an absolute stud to make a roster as 12th man.

WW is not quite talented enough. Doubt he gets picked up and sticks with anybody. Very rarely does a guy get released and end up making it. 1 in a thousand chance.

Actually Capel supporters have zero credibility. The guy was a horrible coach.

 

[soonersublime]

You guys are forgetting the point. He is a backup player in the NBA, always was and always will be. He is a guy who should be in games for 10-15 minutes and the 8th to 10th man on most NBA benches. He is too good for d-league and will be a star in Europe if he isn't picked up. I think he will be picked up next season by someone and will spend this season in Europe enhancing his game. He could be a pg but I doubt he will be encouraged to do that in Europe, I think they will leave him as a 2. He was pushed out out of LA because they didn't need him.

 

[BigTime]

Willie will get another shot somewhere.

 

[AdaSooner]

Sure it would have. Two years of practice would help anyone do anything. Additionally, getting a college degree and maturing would have helped WW.

Agreed. In retrospect, Willie would have been wise to come out after his freshman season when he was projected to be a high draft pick. Doing that, however, would not have helped in the long run. It would not have changed the fact that he was destined to be play the one with his tweener size. He would have been better served to stay in college, mature as a person, get his degree and develop his point guard skills.

It wouldn't hurt to be lucky enough to land with the right team. But if he doesn't take advantage of the opportunity and work at improving his PG skills, it won't really matter.

 

[BigTime]

Agreed. In retrospect, Willie would have been wise to come out after his freshman season when he was projected to be a high draft pick. Doing that, however, would not have helped in the long run. It would not have changed the fact that he was destined to be play the one with his tweener size. He would have been better served to stay in college, mature as a person, get his degree and develop his point guard skills.

It wouldn't hurt to be lucky enough to land with the right team. But if he doesn't take advantage of the opportunity and work at improving his PG skills, it won't really matter.

Coming out after his freshman year would have helped him the most. I agree Ada.

 

[campbest]

Sure it would have. Two years of practice would help anyone do anything. Additionally, getting a college degree and maturing would have helped WW.

You didn't even read my post.

And players can always go back and get degrees...see Royal Ivey finishing up his this fall.