Chandler Parsons

[ThePlayer]

Originally Posted by tommyuf21

He ran away from Gainesville like a child and as a result will never play in the NBA.

If he had accepted and embraced Billy's coaching and tough love, he would be starting in the NBA. However, that would have taken some guts, self introspection and work. Instead, he took the easy way out.

I'm sure it worked out for him financially. You have to wonder if some day, he may ponder that if he had taken the harder road, things could have been so much better in the long run.

Calathes was an undersized guard who would have had a very tough time in the NBA.
At the time he left, the US dollar was in the toilet and the Euro was doing better.
Nick is now living like a king overseas and I would trade places with him in a heartbeat.

[tampajack1]

Originally Posted by ThePlayer

Calathes was an undersized guard who would have had a very tough time in the NBA.
At the time he left, the US dollar was in the toilet and the Euro was doing better.
Nick is now living like a king overseas and I would trade places with him in a heartbeat.

Nick is far from undersized. However, he didn't have a jump shot in college and was defensively challenged. He is a premiere passer with tremendous court vision. IMO, he can play in the NBA if he decides to take that route.

[GatorRade]

Originally Posted by tampajack1

Nick is far from undersized. However, he didn't have a jump shot in college and was defensively challenged. He is a premiere passer with tremendous court vision. IMO, he can play in the NBA if he decides to take that route.

Agreed. It seems that we all forgetting that Nick was actually drafted by the NBA and turned it down to go to Europe?

[REM08]

I'm sure I don't remember Nick as well as many of you, but from my admittedly poor recollection of him, he had decent height, but was a set shooter with an embarrassing vertical. I can't picture him staying in front of an NBA guard.

[tommyuf21]

Originally Posted by REM08

I'm sure I don't remember Nick as well as many of you, but from my admittedly poor recollection of him, he had decent height, but was a set shooter with an embarrassing vertical. I can't picture him staying in front of an NBA guard.

All true, but two years can do wonders when it comes to learning how to defend and being a better all around player. Who knows, if Nick had stuck around and responded to the coaching he was getting, he might have been able to hit free throws when the game was on the line. He had other skills and gifts, especially seeing the floor and his teammates that were pretty special. I think he never worked very hard on the things he didn't do as well and took the easy way out. I don't see where being in Europe has made him a better player. I just looked at his averages and they are mediocre at best. He certainly isn't tearing it up over there.

Billy could have helped him become a better player if he had let him. Billy made several honest statements about Nick, but it was the things he never said that sit with me.

[rserina]

Originally Posted by InstiGATOR1

Actually to me the big thing that happened in the NBA for Parsons was the college 6'3" guard he had to play against frequently in college all but disappeared. Those guys do not exist in the NBA and Parsons does better playing against guys more like his size than small quicker players.

That is definitely part of it. He is a great fit for the NBA three. But it doesn't explain the exponential improvements that started in his game midway through his junior year.

[tommyuf21]

Originally Posted by rserina

That is definitely part of it. He is a great fit for the NBA three. But it doesn't explain the exponential improvements that started in his game midway through his junior year.

Being forced to defend the smaller and quicker players had to help him when he got to the league. In the league, generally, the players are bigger and just as quick.

[regurgigator]

Good for Chandler! When he was still at UF, I was even hoping that maybe he could become a Karl Malone-type player on the NBA level (runs the court like a deer, hits the jumper, crashes the boards, plays excellent defense, and passes very well), but I don't think he'll ever have that type of take-charge mentality. Like David Lee, I think Parsons is somewhat self-effacing.

But, he's doing great and I'm very proud of him! Love to catch parts of Houston games on tv and see how he's doing - which is typically very well!!

Originally Posted by REM08

I'm sure I don't remember Nick as well as many of you, but from my admittedly poor recollection of him, he had decent height, but was a set shooter with an embarrassing vertical. I can't picture him staying in front of an NBA guard.

It's true that Nick was not a leaper But, I think his lack of quickness and defense are way overstated here.

Calathes had a herky-jerky type of quickness that allowed him to consistently penetrate college defenses which helped lead to his very high rate of assists at UF. And, he was something of a set shooter, but he didn't have too much trouble getting the shot off - he also averaged something like 17 ppg if memory serves. I would think in the NBA he could get shots off similar to the way Jason Kidd gets off a lot of his slow-to-release shots when the defense has rotated away from him.

I also think Donovan had no problem putting Nick on some of the better offensive players we played against and, with his decent height helping him, he did okay. It was actually reported on here that Nick won some kind of defensive award in the Euro-league he plays in. I have to admit I was surprised by that.

I hope Calathes tries the NBA one of these years, because (1) I loved him as a Gator and (2) would like to see if his incredible passing skills (up there with Jason Williams as the 2 best passers I've ever seen at UF) could be put on display at the NBA level (hopefully with a greater role than, say, Luke Walton had with the Lakers when got to show off his fine passing skills).

[sixoburn]

Originally Posted by InstiGATOR1

Actually, Parson was almost the same player for Houston last year that he was at UF for his career. He shot a middling percentage from the arc, a low percentage from the FT line, but has the size and athleticism to play defense and offense in the NBA. He always had those traits at UF.

Being pretty much the same player in the NBA as you are in college is really a tough thing to do. I really respect Chandler in that he has really come a long way, but he is pretty clearly one of the weaker SEC POYs in recent history. This isn't meant to knock him, as winning the SEC POY is a big deal. Aside from being pretty incredible at long, game winning shots, there isn't one aspect of his game that blew you away in college. He clearly had good length and good athleticism, but he didn't take over college games as often as you would expect with someone who is a pretty good NBA starter in his second year. While he is hitting the high end of his likely trajectory, it isn't that hard to imagine him as a "jack of all trades, master of none" and having a hard time getting serious playing time as a player who doesn't do any one thing particularly well. He isn't a great 3 point shooter, a great defensive player, or a slasher, he simply good at a lot of things, like he was by the time he finished college (but presumably this is a tougher task in the NBA, where the cometition is much tougher).

I also think you guys are being a little rough on Calathes. He was one of the more skilled as a freshman than pretty much any player we have had at UF. He is also both shorter and less athletic than Parsons, and staying at UF for 4 years wasn't going to change that. His Greek citizenship makes him especially attractive to Greek professional teams, and if he would rather make money playing there than going to college, then I think he should have left UF and gone to play professionally. I think the amount his game was going to grow in college was less (since he was already quite advanced) and I am not sure going to a US university really prepares you for the NBA much better than a good european league.

[BengermanV]

I predicted both Nick Calathes and Parsons (later in his college career, at least) to have nice careers in the NBA. One thing I've always noticed in the league is how much success guys with + height who can dribble well have in the NBA. Parsons always had a TON of skill, it was just spread around in a way that's pretty rare for college athletics. He could pass, he could shoot, he could rebound, and he could defend.

For what its worth, I agree with the sentiment that Nick Calathes probably hurt his professional career by leaving. But from everything I've heard, he likes Greece and lot and is treated like a celebrity over there. I doubt he regrets much.

[GatorLurker]

"Vertical" is not that important for PG's. How many dunks did "Ike" Thomas have in his NBA career?" If you need your PG to be dunking (or at least finishing strong at the rim) your team ain't built right. Four other guys are supposed to be doing that.

And BTW, I was in Corfu a little less than 2 years ago and I got into a very lively discussion with the owner of the restaurant about basketball and Nick in particular. He is well regarded over there.

[rserina]

Originally Posted by sixoburn

While he is hitting the high end of his likely trajectory, it isn't that hard to imagine him as a "jack of all trades, master of none" and having a hard time getting serious playing time as a player who doesn't do any one thing particularly well. He isn't a great 3 point shooter, a great defensive player, or a slasher, he simply good at a lot of things, like he was by the time he finished college (but presumably this is a tougher task in the NBA, where the cometition is much tougher).

Actually, he drew some real raves as an on-ball defender last year, he makes great post entry passes from the corner and from the wing, and he is as always a phenomenal weakside rebounder and finisher. I think that is plenty to keep him in a NBA rotation for the next 6-8 years and hopefully net him a nice second contract somewhere.

[tegator80]

Stats on players go up and down and are not a very good indicator, but I watch one intently on Chandler. First, Houston is a playoff caliber team and that means that stats are different than for a player on a bad one (say John Wall the past few years). The stat is the number of minutes he plays: he is consistently one of the highest on the team. That to me tells me that he is as valuable of a player in the NBA as there is, regardless of whether he makes it into the All-star game.

And I have to believe that much of his success (not to take away from his skills and resolve) is kind of like running backs and wide receivers in football. Sometimes your skill-sets just translate better in the pros than in college.

[ThePlayer]

Originally Posted by REM08

I'm sure I don't remember Nick as well as many of you, but from my admittedly poor recollection of him, he had decent height, but was a set shooter with an embarrassing vertical. I can't picture him staying in front of an NBA guard.

Chris Paul would be a nightmare for Nick to handle...a few others would just shoot over him.

[NorthCaptivaGator]

Parsons is doing great and is a huge fan favorite in Houston, he will be in the league for a long time and is getting better all the time. He will, in all likelihood, play in the Rookie/Sophomore all star game this year.

As for Nick, Chandler has tweeted recently that he is anxious to see his old teammate in the league next year- maybe he has some inside info?

[tupacbiff]

Nick is an nba pg he proved that w team Greece. It's a matter if he gets paid enough to make it worth his while.

[tommyuf21]

Originally Posted by tegator80

And I have to believe that much of his success (not to take away from his skills and resolve) is kind of like running backs and wide receivers in football. Sometimes your skill-sets just translate better in the pros than in college.

There are plenty of examples of what you cite. Rajon Rondo comes to mind.

[tegator80]

Originally Posted by tommyuf21

There are plenty of examples of what you cite. Rajon Rondo comes to mind.

Rajon is a mystery to me. He was a fabulous defensive player in college but couldn't hit the broadside of a barn from the outside. Perhaps he had more time after he left UK to practice.

[REM08]

Originally Posted by tegator80

Rajon is a mystery to me. He was a fabulous defensive player in college but couldn't hit the broadside of a barn from the outside. Perhaps he had more time after he left UK to practice.

No question players have more time to practice once they leave college for the NBA, but I think your college description of Rondo was a good NBA description as well. He was a misfit at UK. He wanted to be at Louisville and didn't get along with Tubby, or listen to him. He's great to watch now though.

[InstiGATOR1]

Originally Posted by rserina

That is definitely part of it. He is a great fit for the NBA three. But it doesn't explain the exponential improvements that started in his game midway through his junior year.

Parsons(JR) 12.3 points, 6.8 rebounds, 2.6 assists, 49.3 FG%, 35.8 3FG%, 66.2 FT%
Parsons(SR) 11.3 points, 7.8 rebounds, 3.8 assists, 48.0 FG%, 36.8 3FG%, 55.7 FT%

Now if you want to call that an exponential improvement, I guess you can. I see two pretty similar seasons.

Originally Posted by MadduxFanII

I'm curious why you're focusing on last year and not taking into account this season. Parsons has (slightly) improved his three-point shooting and taken massive steps forward at the free throw line: he's now shooting 74 percent from the line.

I did notice his FT percentage this year, but the site I was on did not list the number of attempts. If he can continue that he will have done what some have tried to credit him with doing at UF, fixing a weakness.

Originally Posted by sixoburn

Being pretty much the same player in the NBA as you are in college is really a tough thing to do.

I agree, I was more trying to point out that he did not work on and change weaknesses in his game. I do agree with experience in the college, Parsons became a better and smarter player. He did not correct weakness or have his game improve exponentially in my view.

Originally Posted by sixoburn

I really respect Chandler in that he has really come a long way, but he is pretty clearly one of the weaker SEC POYs in recent history. This isn't meant to knock him, as winning the SEC POY is a big deal.

I agree . I think a particular set of circumstances led to him winning the award. No UF player had ever won it including Walk, Maxwell, Moten, Noah, Horford, Lee, Haslem etc. Also there was no other clear candidate and UF won the regular season title by several games.

One great thing about Parson's NBA career so far is it has really shut up some UK fans. They were big on claiming at least among themselves that the SEC POY could not start for UK that year. Well he has certainly done better in the NBA than some of those UK players, if not all of them.