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76ers: Draft '09 in Review

Hank Chinaski Written by Hank Chinaski, Saturday June 27 2009
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Sixers Draft Jrue Holiday, PG, from UCLA, with the #17 overall pick.

Good afternoon, PlayerPress. A few things I’ve learned in my travels through this crazy little thing called sports entertainment– one, a morning of awkwardness is far better than a night of loneliness. Two, uncertainty and ambiguity rule this world. And, three, when the Sixers draft, take cover. But I guess the largest question is why is the land of the Liberty Bell so inconsistent in its draft picks? And will Jrue Holiday be the next John Salmons or Andre Iguodala?

 

In the recent days, the city of Philadelphia has added some California rays. Consistent sun and 90 degree weather has engulfed the city since the NBA’s draft on June 25th. Is this a sign of things to come for the franchise? Probably not, this is Philly, who are we kidding? But Jrue Holiday might be the answer to the Sixers’ prayers for a franchise point guard. The 19 year old product out of UCLA was chosen # 17 overall by the 76ers. Holiday was projected as a top ten pick by many mock drafts and scouts. He averaged 8.5 points a game for the Bruins. This is not an overwhelming statistic, but, he did have to play behind Darren Collison, who was drafted #21 overall.

 

When looking at Holiday’s resume, shock and awe is most certainly not going to strike anyone. However, when taking a look at the whole picture, his numbers are deceiving. UCLA played a defensively oriented style of basketball. Also, the team’s offensive strategy involved a lot of “grind it out” kind of play. Neither aspect provides a player with astounding numbers. Holiday is 6’3”, 180 Lbs, and has a great wing span. He was known as a defensive stopper at UCLA, something the Sixers can never have to many of.

 

“He’s the size of a point guard, he has the point-guard mentality of that pass first, see the floor, both ends of the floor, which is huge,” explains Sixers’ GM, Ed Stefanski, regarding Holiday. Holiday is going to join, sophomore Marreese Speights, on the Sixers’ summer league team. Another issue that will be ironed out in the coming summer is just how much can or will Jrue Holiday contribute this season? If Speights is the model, expect for Holiday to get ten to fifteen minutes a game by the end of the regular season. It will also be affected by the departure or re-signing of Andre Miller, who could be a great mentor for Holiday if he stays.

 

So will Jrue Holiday remind the Philadelphia Sixers’ fans of Speedy Claxton and Larry Hughes, or will he join the Iguodala, Thaddeus Young mold, and become a Sixer for years to come?

 

(Sixers also invited hometown favorite, undrafted shooting guard from Temple, Dionte Christmas to join the team’s summer league team with Holiday and Speights. Coming from a person who saw Christmas play first hand [I graduated in the same class with Christmas, Temple ‘09, RESPECT!] he is a lights out shooter, something a NBA team welcomes.)


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gregFgregF, over 2 years ago said:

"a morning of awkwardness is far better than a night of loneliness". You take most of your writing from outside sources.