next generation of superstars

[scrub]

when we have our next genreration of superstars in their prime (lebron, wade amare, stoudemire, gordon, hinrich, yao etc) who will be winning the mvp? we've seen the mvp go to duncan, iverson, kg etc in this generation who will be the winners in the next gen?

[Drex]

It's between Amare, Wade and LeBron, IMO.

[Doobie]

I wouldn't consider them in their prime yet . They still got heaps to improve , and they are good now , just imagine how good they will be 2-3 years from now.

[Stevesanity]

I really doubt Ben Gordon and Kirk Hinrich will be MVP material, if Id have a future star list it will be as follows.(This is not an MVP list, my MVP list will follow.)

1. LeBron James (I think he'll win the MVP trophy more than 3 times, whethers its with Cleveland or not is another matter)
2. Amare Stoudemire (Biggest threat to LeBron's possible MVP spree)
3. Yao Ming (I think he's still soft but he's getting there and when he does he is going to be one hard dude to stop)
4. Dwight Howard (If he wasnt stuck in a downhill organisation playing center, he'd be closing in on 20-10 by now)
5. Dwyane Wade (Wont win an MVP trophy but will be a big ass superstar)
6. Chris Paul (Yeah he's still new but I have a feeling hes going to be a flat out solid player and one of those guy that seems flawless, A David Stern Child so to speak.)
7. Shaun Livingston (If it wasnt for his skinny frame Id put him at 3rd spot but I really worry on whether he'd ever gain weight and strength before he hits 30)
8. Emeka Okafor (Not spectacular but will be a poor man's version of Tim Duncan in that he'll be winning titles just not MVP trophies and be a real popular star)
9. Chris Bosh (I hope he gets out of Toronto first, he'll have too much of competition to be an MVP and it depends on what team he's on when it comes to winning titles...but there's plenty of smiles to go around yet)
10. JR Smith/Sebastian Telfair/Josh Smith/Dorell Wright/TJ Ford- They'd all be tied up as stars who bring plenty of excitement(Vince Carter, TMac, Stevie Francis etc) but wont stand a shot at the MVP....trophies yeah.


As for MVP's well Id say it'll be between Bron, Amare, Yao, Dwight....Bosh and Livingston all dependant on certain conditions.

[Drex]

That's the point, Doobie. They're not on their prime, but when they hit it, who will be winning MVP's, and the other awards.

[Fenix]

1. LeBron James, if he doesn't lose his head.
2. Dwight Howard. Have you seen this guy lately? He's an athletic freak and if you put Amare next to him, he'll look like Juan Dixon. And he has mad game to go with.
3. Dwyane Wade. He can score&defend. I don't believe he has that MJ-like killer instinct nor potential to become the next great thing, but he'll be up there.
4. Amare. I believe he'll lose some of his athleticism due to his injury, but he'll still be good, if not great.
5. Chris Paul. Super-quick, very creative and has also enough of that nasty competive spirit, which will make him even better.
6. Chris Bosh. He has to get out of Toronto. I predict that Lakers will nab him in 2007.
7. Emeka Okafor. Old school, hard working and intelligent star. He has to improve his offensive game and his work ethic will take care of that. Like Stevesanity said, a poor man's Tim Duncan.
8. J.R. Smith. He has unbeliavable range on his jumper and time will give him consistency. I don't believe that he has Kobe's heart and work ethic, but think his athletic&shooting ability and body (he was measured at 6'7, 225 and long arms at predraft camp) give him an edge in potential over Kobe at the same edge. He'll likely become a new Vince Carter with better shot. Plus, he has Chris Paul playing along him and he'll make him look much better than he actually is/will be.
9. Yao Ming. I don't believe he has reach his potential. He can still improve his stamina and post game and Gundy has yet to find a proper way to utilize all his strenghts (good shooting and passing ability).
10. Sebastian Telfair. He could end up better than Chris Paul, although I don't trust his pedigree. I'll let his game to speak for himself.

A list of players who could very well finish among the top 10: Gerald Green, Kirk Hinrich (one of the most underrated players in the league), Luol Deng, Andre Iguodala, Shaun Livingson (I hope he isn't as injury prone as it seems), T.J. Ford, Deron Williams, Martell Webster (I haven't seen him play yet, but he seems like a good person with strong work ethic and excellent skills, from what I have read about him), Josh Smith, Travis Outlaw, Darko (!!!), Carmelo, Nene,...

[Riot]

Rashad McCants!

[j.23]

it's inevitable for lebron to win it. wade will probably win one too but give him maybe five years or so, same with amare.

honourable mention: tj ford

[Kirelenko StyleZ]

Lebron is going great so is amare wade and so on but I really think Lebron James maybe winning it and Chris Bosh and Emeka Okafor have a chance to really step there game up to that higher level.

[J-Smoove]

lbj, dwight, dwade, amare(only because of this injury, but he still kicks ass).

i just hope that j-smoove will continue to kick ass and just land in the top 8 in the future (24-9-4-3-2 prime). his smith bro, jr, is pretty damn good. a VC clone in the making(range, tad short of his atleticism but still frequent flyer, tendency to fire away).

livingston.. PLEASE BE HEALTHY!! the funnest player to watch (other than paul) because his court vision is so money. i can't predict his potential but i hope he makes top 5, if not 3 (all depends on the injuries..)

[Doobie]

personally , I don't see Josh Smith as a huge star . I see his best year averaging 16/8/2/3/2

[kinokong]

i think josh has a good chance at being a star... he's a hell lot better than darius miles who he was compared to coming into the draft

[Indy]

Top 5 list in 5 years.

5.) Greg Oden- Nobody has mentioned him yet, but after he serves his one year in Ohio State (although as a Buckeye fan I wish he'd stay longer ) he'll make an immidiate impact. This guy can flat out play. Period. He's going to be the best Center the league has ever seen. In 5 years he will most likely be in his 4th season, unless he stays for a longer period of time in college, but he will already have amazing numbers. This guy could be the future of the NBA, and trust me, there isn't a better guy for that position, he's quiet, humble, and incredibly unselfish. The year in college will make him a total stud, in fact I wouldn't be surprised to see him at the number 1 spot in 5 years as hands down the best in the league.
Numbers-
4.) Amare Stoudamire- What an absolute beast. It's amazing that he was a rookie only 2 years ago. It feels like he's been in the league for a long time because of the impact that he has already made. An amazing athlete, probably the most powerful guy the league has right now (yes including Shaq) will be one of the top bigs in the league for a long time.
Numbers- [i]25 ppg, 10 rpg
3.) Dwight Howard- One of the most unique talents the league has ever seen. When you look at his numbers from last year as a guy that came straight from high school, they are the best ever for a High School rookie other then Lebron James. The Magic have a guy here who they should lock up for a very, very long time. Guys like him are 1 of a kind.
Numbers- 22 ppg, 14 rpg, 2.5 bpg
2.) Dwyane Wade- He is one of the few guys that can basically single handedly win games. He isn't a good 3 point shooter, but if he needs to make a 3, he will knock it down. For his size he is an incredible rebounder. Really is a warrior, takes just as many hits as Iverson and responds just as toughly.
Numbers- 26 ppg, 8 apg, 5 rpg, 2.1 spg
1.) Lebron James- Possibly the best talent we have ever seen in the nba. He can do it all, could break some records and leave being considered the GOAT. It'll all depend on how much he can win, if he stays in Cleveland and they do a good job building around him, they could end up being a dynasty like Chicago.
Numbers- 31 ppg, 8 apg, 10 rpg

[J-Smoove]

Well, Josh Smith's comparrison on nbadraft.net was a Vince Carter with heart. Granted, I didn't agree (his range isn't as good as VC) but athleticism-wise I could see it. This kid's got all the tools to become a star, if not superstar. He's got long arms (6'11" - 7'0" wingspan) - translates into a good defender, -- he's got the athleticism (lateral speed and quick first step. Did I mention he can dunk?), and he's got the heart (I read somewhere that he isn't playing with all his best from a website, probably espn power rankings or msnsports, and that flat-out pissed me off). He's just learning the game (how to become a star, assert himself more on offense) and he's adding range to his jumpshot (although he had consistent 3-point range in HS) so he's not considered one-dimensional. His ball-handling is improving (although he'll never be considered a great ball-handler).

Right now, he's just sticking to his strengths (slashing, blocking off-ball/block, getting in the passing lanes, sub-15' jumpshots, and dunking) early on, and he'll add to his game (starting to shoot more 15'-20' footers, and took a corner 3 in Trailblazer game ) when he feels they are strong enough, simultaneously not be a deterance to the team (a la pre-Karl Carmelo shot selection).

I have to agree with the early projection for Josh Smith as a Darius Miles, albeit the ball-handling. Time will only tell when Josh decides to slack back and use just his athleticism(NOT GOOD!!), but chances are he won't ('Nique will get on his case or find a way to motivate him) for another 3 years. He's taken couple of charges lately (two against Randolph and Miles) and is always hustling down the court The 16-8-2-3-2 numbers aren't bad, but I can see him accomplishing that by the end of this year. Granted, the team's stacked with forwards and guards, so it won't happen until at least Harrington, Marvin Williams, or Josh Childress get traded. A core of Smith-Childress-Williams at the wing isn't that bad but it's likely if Harrington leaves, Williams will share more time at the 4 (I want him to play as a 3) and it'll help Smith. Harrington and another wing (even J-Smoove is a candidate to get traded) will have to go for this team "to be good" in the future. I still stand by my prediction (I've been let down often, so I'm not too confident.. but w/e) of 24-9-4-3-2.


My only beef with J-Smoove now is his TO rates. Double Dribble and (BS) traveling call, and he's chaulked up some passes. His passion is still there (going in for tip shots/offensive boards, taking charges) so if he learns to stop doing too much, he'll be fine.

My analysis on J-Smoove.
*********************
I thought we were talking about NBA players.. if not, why not throw in O.J. Mayo into the mix, too. I see him as an impact player in his 2nd year (15-5assists-2steals) with his PG (although I hear he's trying to prove to people he can still score by launching more 3s--still making them.. but still-- and passing MUCH LESS on his AAU team). 5 years from now (2nd year pro) with his lock-down defense, I see him as a top 5 player in the near future (from then). "The next LBJ" aint given to just ANYBODY.

Greg Oden.. he's a beast. glad to hear he's an extremely humble kid that still finds a way to dominate. the epitomizer of a true pro (and he's not even a pro yet!) and even has no intentions of being a pro. once he builds on that ego (cuz we all no he needs it to succeed) he'll become the next Robinson (in every way too..). Tremendous projection. God better not give this bro career-altering injuries cuz I'd totally become athiest (a la that guy in Into the Wild's devout-turned-aethiest because of the main character's death).

That Bill Walker guy doesn't seem he'll be as good (OJ's friend and elite prospect teammate) as advertised, come admittance into the pros. Strange thing about Walker and Mayo: both are fucking pricks and need to control the trash talk, but off the court they're almost as obedient as Greg (Greg's just the perfect person ).

[Stevesanity]

For some reason when I see the name Greg Oden Im reminded of some Greek God, its a warning sign of things to come. Please please I hope we can draft him, that way he'll end up as good as Kandi Man and after he leaves our team we dont have to worry about him destroying us.

But honestly I do hope the Hornets grab him....damn they'd be sick!
Oden, Paul and JR Smith....

Concerning Josh Smith, I see him making the all-star game once or twice and being a popular player but not having anything but 18PPG - 9 RPG - 4 APG - 2 BPG and maybe 1 SPG at best. With Marvin Williams in the mix things will only be harder and lets not forget Joe Johnson is still no old fish.

[Stevesanity]

Oh yeah and watchout for Rudy Gay, Josh McRoberts(yeah he looks like a 12 year old but he can play), Brendan Wright and Julian Wright(I have a strange feeling about him).

[Fresh8]

Yao Ming for sure. Haha... depends on how he develops but I say if everything is right, Yao and Bron will be the main MVP candidates in the future!

Just a question to those NBA Vets in the forums: When players like TD, Kidd and KG entered into the league, did people foresee them as future MVP candidates?

- I know that they all had good rookie seasons... but could you tell if they were going to win the individual hardware?

[shadowgrin]

I'm no NBA vet but I'm old enough to have remembered their young career.
KG: No, he was somewhat of a bench player in his 1st season, but kept improving.
Kidd: No, drafted by a horrible Dallas team, left Dallas a horrible team.
Duncan: Probably, maybe. Wasn't flashy (same as today) but played effectively.

[Metsis]

We're all looking at the obvious choices... TMac was told in Toronto that he would never amount to anything and that he would be out of the league when his 4 year rookie contract was done... And how good is he now?

Ben Wallace was never drafted into the NBA, but he's a three time DPOY winner! Coaches in Washington said he would never become a good NBA caliber player... How wrong were they?

Gilbert Arenas is just busting out... This kid has got his game down and someone picking like Brian Scalabrini 10 slots before this guy really has to choke on their food when they think of what they have done... Just like teams passing on Jordan. A late second round pick... Was Arenas... Jordan was picked third overall...

Marquis Daniels was never drafted either... He has a big role in the Dallas lineup and he's only in his second or third year and looking good...

It's always a guessing game... Some of the choices are obvious, but some escape the eyes of the GMs and just slip hard down the draft board or sometimes even off of it... It's a crazy thing. No one knows how life will turn out in the end...

LeBron, Amare, D-Wade etc. are the obvious choices, but there will inevitably be someone coming in from the bushes as a low pick to enter the fray...

[J@3]

Kidd: Yes
Garnett: Sort of, loads of potential.
Duncan: Definitely.

[Matt]

after 1 season this is what i thought....

KG: same as shadowgrin
Kidd: Yes, showed flashes of what he eventually became and i believe he helped JJ and Mashburn average 20ppg.
Duncan: Yes, he won every Rookie of the month award

on Smith...think of him as Jason Richardson...both entered into the L with no shot and freaky athleticism. Now Richardson is a decent defender, has a decent 3 point shot and overall is a better player...that's the path i see J heading down.

Yao Ming for sure. Haha... depends on how he develops but I say if everything is right, Yao and Bron will be the main MVP candidates in the future

i'll disagree on this. Ming to me will be a player that needs a wing man to complement his game...that being T-Mac.

[J@3]

I don't really know of any 18 year olds who come into the league from high school, averaging 10/6 off the bench that don't look like future MVP's.

[shadowgrin]

But Minny was still stuck as an expansion team then. They sucked, so it's not surprising (for me anyway) for a HS player to get those kind of stats.

[J@3]

Yeah but off the bench with alot of scorers in front of him it's a pretty good achievement.

[Fenix]

I also thought we are talking about current NBA players. If we're not, then I should add guys like Greg Oden, OJ Mayo, Bill Walker, Rajon Rondo (!!!), Rudy Gay and Kevin Durant to my list.