Welcome Back Tim Thomas

by Tommy Dee on November 22nd, 2008 at 9:54 am

I will reserve judgment on TT until I see him in D’Antoni’s system. In fact, I thought he’d be out of the league by now. But he’s just too good an athlete to whimper out into the sunset, and his career has been revived. I’m excited for him to provide some scoring off the bench. I really think he can help this team over the next two years.

This is a piece I wrote for nykfp.com a few years ago, as my experience with Thomas goes back to Five Star basketball camp when I was a sophomore in high school. Enjoy.

“…One such anecdote, one that the details may have been a little exaggerated — though the names could not be changed to protect the embarrassed, came during the first game of camp. As I said, as a sophomore I was undersized, so while my friends from high school were spread out between the highest league and the second highest league (at the time they were referred to as the NBA and the NCAA), I was mired in the developmental league with incoming freshmen. Despite the “demotion,” I was excited because I knew that I would have the opportunity to play, which was good news since court time was something that often avoided me like a nerd’s prom date. Anyway, I knew I had some skills, so I stepped on the court and was ready to show all the college recruiters and basketball “gurus” like Tom Konchalski what this kid could do.

Things started out great. I had a strong, young athletic freshman from New York named Devonaire Deas, who would later play a few years at Florida State and then at Iona College, on my team. We both handled it pretty well, so our backcourt was set. The camp was great because in addition to stations, where counselors like current Manhattan Seton Hall coach Bobby Gonzalez, then an assistant coach at Rice High School, and Maryland Star Evers Burns would work us through drills, the main focus was playing games.

Our very first game was one that will always stick out in my mind, for a very dubious reason. We played a team very athletic with a 6′ 6″ point guard from some Catholic school in New Jersey. Our coaches scouting report consisted of, “Don’t let him catch it,” and, “If he does, try not to get caught under the basket.” Dev was guarding him from the opening tip and this kid went nuts. Rebounding, blocking shots, and dribbling down the court for thunderous dunks that I’m not sure any ninth grader could pull off during games. He was awesome in the half court set too. He could shoot, pass, handle…he was simply the total package.

So, Dev takes a shot and this man-child grabs the rebound out of the air and darts to halfcourt with the ball, behind the back, through the legs, and headed right towards me. Before the fear could overtake me, I though it was a great idea if I stepped in front of this 6′ 6″ locomotive to draw every coach’s favorite play: “The charge.”

Bad idea…”

Read rest.
  • wspielbe

    tommy, after theese trades, what do you think the starting lineup will be?

  • http://theKnicksBlog.com Tommy Dee

    My guess D’antoni’s best 5 is

    Duhon
    Mobley
    Chandler
    Harrington
    Lee

  • BiggieSmalls

    nice piece..

    scary line

    “One can only hope that he someday gets it the way Stephon Marbury gets it,”

  • Chris Alvino

    That is D’Antoni’s best five, but Q seems to have a stronghold on that starting spot. I am not sure why, but he does.

  • http://theKnicksBlog.com Tommy Dee

    Yeah Big, in 2004 I thought Marbury played with heart and desire….

  • oc410

    Yeah i would agree starters probably

    duhon
    mobley
    chandler
    harrington
    lee
    with a rotation of nate, thomas, Q, roberson, rose.

    I’ll be honest, I think walsh is hoping for a lottery pick this year. The way their picks work is that if ther pick is later than 23? i think then the jazz get it, but if it is earlier it is protected. Then next year the jazz get it with no protection. I think walsh would love to dump curry and jefferies before the deadline and sneak into the lottery and hope for some luck. They could go two ways with that pick, hope for a guy like brandon jennings, or a freak center like hasheem thabeet.
    I think walsh is thinking this way because no matter how much money they have for 2010, lebrons not going to a lottery team, and so walsh wants to be competitive next year. And this way he wont even have to worry about his draft pick.

  • oc410

    If the rumors are true of D’Antoni and walsh wanting Lebron and Bosh, i really think a guy like Thabeet is perfect. Hes raw, buts 7”3 265lbs, can run, jump, and defend any big man. Im also hearing rumors that theyd like nash to make one last run in 2010 with the knicks. At that point hed be 37, and im not sold hed be all too productive. I might rather re-up on Duhon, or work some other way.
    But if in 2010 im worrying about what pg compliments Lebron and Bosh, ill be a happy man