Tag Archives: Danilo Gallinari
Mike Dougherty of the Journal News takes a look at the upcoming Summer League starting July 11th. Just as an FYI the league runs from July 11th to July 20th. The Knicks schedule looks like this:
July 14th – vs. Cleveland
July 16th – vs. San Antonio
July 18th – vs. Phoenix
July 19th – vs. Charlotte
July 20th – vs. Minnesota
According to Mike MSG will be picking up the Knicks feeds. I will have to put together some special editions of Knicksblog Radio during that week so we can get a take on Gallinari and some of the other Knicks participants. Stay tuned for details on all that. If your interested, Mike Dougherty is looking for guest bloggers so contact him at his Journal News site.
Tagged Danilo Gallinari, Summer League |As we head into the Fourth of July holiday weekend there is still basketball talk surrounding the Knicks. First the guys over at The Hoop Doctors talk about the possibility of Kirk Hinrich and Drew Gooden for Zach Randolph. Predictably the Bulls didn’t pull the trigger on the deal.
Finally, I really enjoyed reading Alan Hahn’s column from the other day where he talks about Gallinari and some of the challenges he overcame in Europe. Still think the kid isn’t tough?
Now that everyone has heard the analysis and had time to think about the Knicks selection of Danilo Gallinari at #6 here are some Saturday morning tidbits from the papers.
Ken Berger of Newsday discusses how Gallinari’s game will translate in the NBA
Marc Berman outlines some interesting information about the Knicks international scouting
Alan Hahn talks about the next piece to the puzzle and tells fans not to jump off the ledge
Frank Isola thinks that Gallinari could mean the end of David Lee
Like I said with Tommy Dee on Knicksblog Radio yesterday we all need to calm down for a bit. Lets give Mike D’Antoni and Donnie Walsh some time to work their plan. Part of the outcry is that Knicks fans are so use to the Isiah Thomas era where there was no plan. I do not sense, at least at this point, that Donnie Walsh is going down the same road.
Tagged 2008 NBA Draft, Danilo Gallinari |Greg Hutchins of the Garden Grasp had this to add after reading my take on the draft. Of course Greg was at the WaMu center and sat in on the Danilo Gallinari press conference after he was picked. Here was Greg’s take:
With optimism at a fever pitch heading into the 6th pick, David Stern’s announcement that Italy’s
Danilo Gallinari is now the future of the Knicks sucked the gravity out of the WaMu Theatre at Madison Square Garden. Fans who longed for an “engine” to push Mike D’Antoni’s offense, were shocked with the Donnie Walsh’s choice.
As one of the reporters on hand for Gallinari’s first interview, it was clear the 19 year-old SF from Armani Jeans Milano was happy to be drafted by New York, but shocked by the intense reaction of a rabid crowd.
Credit Donnie Walsh for the moxy to make such a unfavorable selection, but clearly the Knicks did not address an area of need. Rather, he added another shoot-first perimeter player.
Tommy Dee says……
Not true. Gallinari has complete and polished offensive skills. He’ll excel on the perimeter, but is not “shoot first” – he’s “lights out.” Big difference.
And trust me Walsh will get his PG….
Gallinari may prove his doubters wrong, but the “Darko” factor is now in play. More shocking was Walsh’s inability to secure a second pick in a deep draft or move a contract. Considering the flurry of deals reported, it’s shocking to see Walsh get shutout.
Draft grade: C-
I am not going to give the Knicks that low of a grade since I think they took “one of the best available players that was left”. That is debatable but to give the Knicks that low of a grade might be a bit harsh. I think this pick is one that needs to be judged in a year or two before we can accurately assess its impact.
Tagged 2008 NBA Draft, Danilo Gallinari |I had the opportunity to go to the NBA Draft for the first time last night. The experience was interesting with all the “buzz” going on in the WaMu Theater.
Overall the NBA puts on a great show and knows how to market. There were plenty of stations, both inside and outside the Garden, where fans could be entertained. Additionally, plenty of advertisers had the opportunity to pitch their products (Sprite being the main sponsor of the draft) and give away free goodies.
The interesting part of the draft is that there is not the normal demarcation line between the players and everyone else. There are various “Green Rooms”, but you could easily run into Derrick Rose going to the concession stand as you walked through the building. I actually sat a few rows behind Alexis Ajinca, who went #20 to the Bobcats.
As for the Knicks, I felt bad for Daniilo Gallinari and how he was treated by the fans. It reminded me of how Philadelphia Eagles fans booed Donavan McNabb when he was drafted. I was very unsure of where the Knicks should go this draft. Part of the reason is that the roster was so mis-managed by Isiah that I still don’t know how good (or bad) this team is.
Coach D’Antoni is hoping for Gallinari to be Nowitzki or Kukoc on the high end. If he winds up somewhere in between that is not a bad player. Is this a player that the Knicks could build around? No. But honestly, outside of the first two picks, who really was a building block? How many building blocks are ever taken after the first five picks?
I will talk more about this on today’s draft recap show on Knicksblog Radio, but I hope the fans get over their initial disappointment and support the new regime. Everyone gave Isiah a chance at the beginning so I believe D’Antoni and Walsh deserve the benefit of the doubt.
With that being said, Walsh can’t be wrong on this pick. If Gallinari is anything less then “Kukoc” it could set the franchise back even further. I believe they could get a point guard in a trade that would be as good as a Gorden or Augustin, but with this market who knows.
Give credit to Tommy Dee and the rest of the guys here at Knicksblog for calling Gallinari very early when they found out about New Jersey looking to move up to 5. I had a feeling after Mayo was taken by Minnesota that he would not fall to the Knicks. I knew Gallinari was in the cards once Westbrook went to Seattle. I will be talking more about this trade at 1pm today on Knicksblog Radio Draft Recap.
If you missed the Draft and want a recap click on ESPN’ Draft Recap
Tagged 2008 NBA Draft, Danilo Gallinari |We had a chance to listen to Danilo Gallinari speak right after he was selected at the draft. Take a read of the transcript given to us courtesy of ASAP Sports.
Q: Talk about your feelings about being picked.
DG: I’m so excited, I have no words. It’s a dream for me and I really don’t know what to say. I’m so excited and happy to be here
Q: As I am sure you already know for the most part, European players are pretty much hit or mis; can you explain what makes you different then any other European player?
DG: I just don’t know. I like to say to journalist and coaches that say this — I don’t know, I let you say that.
Q: Were you expecting to go to the Knicks?
DG: I didn’t really know where I was going, so to be here, I am so happy, but I didn’t know.
I know this is a dream come true for you, but was it hard to hear the boos when your name was announced and the city you were going to play in?
DG: It’s part of the game, all of the players have go to hear this. Not ever time you can hear good things. So it’s normal here.
Q: Being a foreign-born player, was it important to be in a big city like New York where some players who have wound up in smaller cities say its a harder adjustment; Was that on your mind?
DG: Yes, I think its a good situation for that, and I think New York is similar to Milan and I would like to be here, and it’s nice.
Q: How familiar are you with Coach D’Antoni?
DG: If I met him? Oh, I met him only one time. My father knows him. I don’t know him like my father. So I met him only one time six years ago.
Q: Do you feel it was unfair to get booed since they don’t really know you or your game?
DG: No I feel normal and comfortable with that. I have no problem and it’s my work to prove to everybody that I am a good player
Q: for people that have not seen you play, what NBA player would you say you are most similar to?
DG: I really don’t know. I will try to bring my European game. Mike D’Antoni played many years in Europe. I played in Europe and now to be here, I don’t really know how to compare me to another player; I don’t know.
Q: How much do you know about the Knicks franchise and the hard times they have fallen on the past few seasons?
DG: I know, I have seen some cassettes in Italy, and I remember the time when Ewing was playing here and New York was doing so well. IN the last two or three year, they didn’t do so well, but I hope in the future that they come back.
Q: Did to talk to Andrea and Mark about this process?
DG: We didn’t talk so much about the process because when we came for the European Championships, everybody was talking about the NBA to them and I didn’t want to rock the boat and talk about the NBA, so we talked about other things.
Tagged 2008 NBA Draft, Danilo Gallinari |Rumors swirling about the Knicks talk of selecting Danilo Gallinari. Fans are already booing the pick the Knicks haven’t even selected yet. With countless undesirable draft picks over the years, Knicks fan fear another Fredric Weiss. Gallinari has talent and size but like another other potential pick their move to the NBA cannot be guaranteed. The Knicks have been weak in finding International talent which can transform their game to the NBA. The booing is ringing through the Garden from images of past draft blunders that Knicks fans are still haunted by.
Tagged Danilo Gallinari, Knicks, Mike D'Antoni |
Newsday’s Alan Hahn gives us an inside look at the “Italian Stallion” this morning. He goes on to cite an email conversation he had with Gallinari’s dad Vittorio, draft experts thoughts on his talent ceiling, and the strong connection with Mike D’Antoni. You can read the full article here.
I discussed Gallinari on my Sunday radio show with Greg Hutchins of the Garden Grasp. Back during my playground days in Bensonhurst the neighborhood would have loved to have a fellow Italian on the Knicks roster. With the state of the team today I am not so sure. Hearing one scout say that he is one of the “Top 6 Players in this years draft” makes me question if the Knicks should really keep this pick. Players from overseas are very hard to translate to the NBA game, much like Japanese baseball players. For every Dirk Nowitzki there is a Maciej Lampe. The dilemma is do the Knicks trade the pick for an impact player, risking future salary cap flexibility, or use this draft to start fresh and build from the ground up. Stay tuned I am sure we will hear more about this kid. All this talk about Italy makes me yearn for a plate of pasta.
Tagged 2008 NBA Draft, Danilo Gallinari, Mike D'Antoni | Newer posts →Knicks Highlights
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