How Can You Not Love Gigi Datome?

by **bobheckler** Mon Mar 16, 2015 7:03 pm

http://celticsdownunder.com/2015/03/15/how-can-you-not-love-gigi-datome/

How Can You Not Love Gigi Datome? Luigi_datome_celtics1

HOW CAN YOU NOT LOVE GIGI DATOME?
15 MARCH 2015 KEIN

This guy has more than proven his worth on the floor right now. No offense to James Young, but Luigi (or Gigi, as he prefers it) Datome clearly is more ready to make an impact on the floor, every second of it when he was out there against the Orlando Magic.

Watch this play in the first quarter, where he notices Aaron Gordon helping to cover Olynyk. Datome promptly runs to a passing lane, Pressey notices and dishes the ball out. Open three, swished.

Or this one, where Evan Turner was forcing Oladipo to make a move. Gigi was anticipating the drive, and got there in time to take a successful charge. Watch the little fist pump when he was still down, guy is hyped.

Datome ended the game with only seven minutes of play, with 3 points (1/3 FG), 1 rebound and 1 turnover, nothing you would call staggering. His minutes have been spotty so far (from 2-21 minutes), but it’s not unimaginable to see him getting a consistent 10-12 minutes per game, and even be kept on the team in the next season. Gigi is not the most athletic player out there, and isn’t exactly the next incarnation of Vinsanity. He is smart, knows to put in effort when he’s out there, and is a fair shooter from deep. All of these are qualities coach Stevens would be looking for, when evaluating candidates for our pace-and-space system.

All that can be said for right now? Datome’s staying ready, and getting rewarded for it.

bob
MY NOTE: This is from a blogger in Australia. It's a Celtics Planet, we just live in it!!

.

by **Sloopjohnb** Mon Mar 16, 2015 7:56 pm

"No offense to James Young, but Luigi (or Gigi, as he prefers it) Datome clearly is more ready to make an impact on the floor..."

Gigi is what? Twenty-seven years old? James Young is three years out of high school. Young may have more talent and may leave Gigi in the dust in a couple of years. But right now it's a man versus a boy.

by **kdp59** Mon Mar 16, 2015 9:59 pm

he plays like a vet when given the minutes, I suppose from all those years in euro ball.

I'm not sure hw he is on the team next year though (unless the cut Wallace loose).

Zeller
Kelly O
Sully
Crowder (RFA)
Wallace
Turner
Bradley
Smart
Thomas
Young
Pressey

TWO first rounders

that's 13 players without Bass or a FA center signed.

not to mention two possible early second rounders.

I'd all be letting Wallace walk , if Luigi will sign for market deal, myself though.

by **Sam** Mon Mar 16, 2015 9:59 pm

As if on cue in tonight's game, GiGi looked really good in his shooting, his passing, and his defense. What's not to like? The guy's as smooth as silk on the court. He lets the game come to him with none of the apprehension that can characterize many NBA rookies. Another cog in a machine with a lot of interchangeable parts.

And they've held opponents under 100 points in rive consecutive games.

They're becoming so habituated to winning that Avery Bradley just spent an entire interview spouting the same old chestnuts. "We don't worry about the wins. We just want to play well." There's not a lot of available new material for commentary.

Sam

by **worcester** Mon Mar 16, 2015 10:13 pm

Sure feels better than tanking.

by **Shamrock1000** Tue Mar 17, 2015 8:52 am

Love the guy - potential to be a fan favorite. Nice shooting. Doesn't seem to have a very good handle (understatement...), and almost makes Olynyk look quick, but he makes some smart plays, and performs well in the context of the team.

by **bobheckler** Tue Mar 17, 2015 10:32 am

Sloopjohnb wrote:"No offense to James Young, but Luigi (or Gigi, as he prefers it) Datome clearly is more ready to make an impact on the floor..."

Gigi is what? Twenty-seven years old? James Young is three years out of high school. Young may have more talent and may leave Gigi in the dust in a couple of years. But right now it's a man versus a boy.

shamrock,

I have to keep reminding myself that Young missed camp and pre-season and that is critical for a rookie. Avery Bradley missed his rookie pre-season too and that severely stunted his growth for a year or more. However, he is a 6'6", 215# SF. Kobe Bryant is a 6'6", 212# SG. Young is small for today's SF. If he hopes to succeed in the NBA he must:

1. Learn to shoot off the move. He could do that by shooting off his dribble or by receiving the ball coming off of pindowns.
2. Play defense. Against the bigger SFs he must play physical and against SGs he must move his feet and anticipate their cuts.
3. Ballhandle. He needs to be able to take bigger, slower SFs off the dribble and be able to do more than just finish on the fast break.

I have seen no evidence of James Young being able to do any of these. I certainly have seen no evidence of any trace of defensive DNA, but let's suppose he works on one of those diligently every offseason and comes to camp with one of those requirements improved to where they are "NBA-ready" and then next year he shows up with the next fixed etc. That means James Young is 2 years away from being 2 years away.

Of those above the only one I have any real confidence in his improving to where he isn't a liability is #1, shooting. He's a shooter and expanding his repertoire is something he would gladly focus on and is likely to improve. Playing defense against SFs that are taller and 20-30# heavier than him? Playing defense against SG like 6-7" Klay Thompson or 6'7" Jimmy Butler or 6'6" Danny Green? Those are SGs that are as tall or taller than him and quicker. His ballhandling could improve to where he is a 6'6" equivalent of Avery Bradley. Not great, not even really good, merely adequate. Bradley, of course, prides himself on his defense. Despite all his deficiencies and inability to play PG his lack of confidence in his rookie year never extended so far as to effect his defense. His scoring and ballhandling is just gravy for him. What will James Young hang his hat on? Hitting uncontested, face-up 3ptrs? That's all he can do now.

Gigi can play in the NBA. James Young has deficiencies that will not let him get off the bench for more than token minutes for years, if ever.

I would rather not have to wait 4-6 years for James Young to mature as a player before we are set at his position. It's not our fault he should have stayed in school for at least one more year. It's the fault of his counselors and the NBA for allowing kids one year out of high school getting thrown into the shark pool. You are right, it is man vs boy and the NBA is a man's game.

bob

.

by **international** Tue Mar 17, 2015 10:43 am

http://gifyu.com/images/GigiTimeFull.gif

by **beat** Tue Mar 17, 2015 10:57 am

Bob and Sloop

I don't have the exact quote but Casey Stengle was talking to a reporter about 2 of his very young players....

"See that fella over there? He's 20 years old. In 10 years, he's got a chance to be a star. Now that fella over there, he's 20 years old, too. In 10 years he's got a chance to be 30."

beat

by **kdp59** Tue Mar 17, 2015 10:59 am

oh i wouldn't give up on Young just yet Bob.

you pointed out how BAD Bradley was (and he was a year older than young). I bet no one thought Bradley would be the player he ahs become after that HORRIBLE rookie year.

Young has the talent to be an NBA starter. we may not see it yet, but i am betting than Stevenes and Ainge do.

by **international** Tue Mar 17, 2015 11:08 am

http://www.csnne.com/blog/celtics-talk/highlights-celtics-108-76ers-89

by **beat** Tue Mar 17, 2015 11:19 am

kdp59 wrote:oh i wouldn't give up on Young just yet Bob.

you pointed out how BAD Bradley was (and he was a year older than young). I bet no one thought Bradley would be the player he ahs become after that HORRIBLE rookie year.

Young has the talent to be an NBA starter. we may not see it yet, but i am betting than Stevenes and Ainge do.

I hope so but I'm not betting on it.
The six inches between the ears is the big reason. I just don't think he has the moxie to make himself better especially where he is weakest. Another year or 2 in college might have been in his overall best interest. Can't fault him for taking the money but might it have been more if he had waited a year? Perhaps...perhaps not.
Time will tell. always does.

I can think of a few players we let go, or gave up on perhaps a bit too soon that turned out pretty well. Joe Johnson and Chauncey Billups are 2 that come to mind.

beat

by **Sloopjohnb** Tue Mar 17, 2015 12:02 pm

Bob and Sloop

I don't have the exact quote but Casey Stengle was talking to a reporter about 2 of his very young players....

"See that fella over there? He's 20 years old. In 10 years, he's got a chance to be a star. Now that fella over there, he's 20 years old, too. In 10 years he's got a chance to be 30."

beat
.

_________________
I agree that Young has far more upside than Gigi. There was a thread on whether the Wildcats could beat a middle of the road NBA team and I was just pointing out that even an NBA journeyman is often more ready than a hotshot
a few years out of high school as illustrative of my belief that the Wildcats would get their doors blown off by an NBA team.

by **beat** Tue Mar 17, 2015 12:16 pm

Sloop

just reviewed the roster from Philly arguably about the worst in the NBA

They have 4 top 6 first round draft picks on their roster and 5 more that were picked from 25-39 ( not all picked by Philly of course) Plus they have pretty good players that were never drafted.

So to even think a College team say Kentucky even with 2 players that might be lottery picks and 3 more that might get tagged late first or in the second.....Philly already has that many and more.

If Kentucky played Philly...........it would not even be close. Like the JV playing the Varsity.

beat

by **wide clyde** Tue Mar 17, 2015 12:30 pm

I understand also that James Young missed the summer season and then most of the pre-season as well, but I am disappointed that he has not shown very much improvement since the beginning of the actual season.

Outside of his scoring rampages when with the Red Claws he has not done much. For the first part of the season I was not too worried about him. He was a still very much a raw rookie and was not going to get any important minutes at all.

However, by the time the trade deadline happened I really thought that he would get more minutes and play much better. Turned out that I guessed right in that he did get more minutes and some very important minutes, but, unfortunately, did nothing with them. Once Datome got a little bit acquainted with his new team he clearly has taken those minutes from Young to the point where Young either does not play at all or only plays at the end of blowouts one way or the other.

There was an article last week somewhere where Gerald Wallace called out Young. When the most grizzled vet on the team who is much more of a teacher these days than a player says something like that about Young I am really worried about him now.

And, if I am worried now I certainly would have to fall into line and be worried about him in the future as well. He does not do much of anything any better here in March than he did in November-same poor defense, same poor handle, same skinny body, etc.

The Celtics are certainly not going to wait even five Casey Stengel years for this guy to become 25 years old.

by **Sloopjohnb** Tue Mar 17, 2015 1:49 pm

"He does not do much of anything any better here in March than he did in November-same poor defense, same poor handle, same skinny body, etc. "

I wouldn't worry about Young having the same skinny body as he did 4 1/2 months ago. Most people not named Barry Bonds do not get a new body in a few months.

I'd start worrying more about his other deficiencies next year. He is just a kid after all.

.

_________________

by **wide clyde** Tue Mar 17, 2015 2:24 pm

Sloop,

I mentioned the same skinny body in reference that it does not look like he has done much in the weight room to coincide with what appears to also be true with not much improvement on the floor either.

Certainly he is not going to gain the 20-25 pounds of muscle that he needs to help him play in the NBA in five months, but I would have expected to see some physical development at this time, too. Like maybe a bulge in the shoulders or
at least a little bit of depth somewhere.

But, you are right, the other parts of his improvement are more important at this time.

I almost wonder if this might be a kid who thinks that he will be good enough without working rather than the kid who knows that he needs to bust it every day to be good enough to play in the NBA?

by **bobheckler** Tue Mar 17, 2015 2:32 pm

Steve Bulpett @SteveBHoop
Follow
Final decision hasn't been made, but quite possible James Young heading back to D-League Maine for some playing time.
7:50 PM - 16 Mar 2015
8 RETWEETS 14 FAVORITES

bob

.

by **Sloopjohnb** Tue Mar 17, 2015 2:35 pm

I don't know if it applies to Young but the NBA is filled with egocentric young men with an inflated sense of their own ability. This is only to be expected because most of them have excelled at every level before and have been constantly told since about the age of 10 how absolutely wonderful they are.

I have very low expectations for almost all rookies making any meaningful contribution. Let's wait and see how Young does with a year of cold, hard reality under his belt.

by **worcester** Tue Mar 17, 2015 2:51 pm

Re weight gain, one can only put on about 8-10 pounds of muscle a year naturally.

Re Young's development, this further illustrates Sam's frequent point that it's better to trade draft picks for Vets than to hope for success in the draft, which is riskier than a Las Vegas Blackjack table.

by Sponsored content

How Can You Not Love Gigi Datome?

How Can You Not Love Gigi Datome?

Re: How Can You Not Love Gigi Datome?

Re: How Can You Not Love Gigi Datome?

Re: How Can You Not Love Gigi Datome?

Re: How Can You Not Love Gigi Datome?

Re: How Can You Not Love Gigi Datome?

Re: How Can You Not Love Gigi Datome?

Re: How Can You Not Love Gigi Datome?

Re: How Can You Not Love Gigi Datome?

Re: How Can You Not Love Gigi Datome?

Re: How Can You Not Love Gigi Datome?

Re: How Can You Not Love Gigi Datome?

Re: How Can You Not Love Gigi Datome?

Re: How Can You Not Love Gigi Datome?

Re: How Can You Not Love Gigi Datome?

Re: How Can You Not Love Gigi Datome?

Re: How Can You Not Love Gigi Datome?

Re: How Can You Not Love Gigi Datome?

Re: How Can You Not Love Gigi Datome?

Re: How Can You Not Love Gigi Datome?

Re: How Can You Not Love Gigi Datome?