Picking the Perfect Mentors for NBA's Most Promising Prospects
It's becoming a trend around the league—teams assigning mentors to their young, most promising players.
The Milwaukee Bucks were the latest to call one up. Word is they've hired Hall of Fame point guard Gary Payton to be Giannis Antetokounmpo's "special advisor" (Per Kostas Koukousis of Sport24.gr, translated by SB Nation's Brew Hoop).
The Utah Jazz plan to bring in retired Turkish big man Mehmet Okur to mentor young center Enes Kanter, per Tony Jones of The Salt Lake Tribune.
We went ahead and matched up possible mentors with young players they each could help.
There were no restrictions in choosing mentors—they didn't have to coach or be employed by the team, though we picked ones with ties to their assignment's organization.
Tim Hardaway Jr. and Allan Houston
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Tim Hardaway Jr. showed off the high-flying athleticism and jumper last season. It's a combination that should keep him around the pros for a long, long time.
But there's a lot more room for Hardaway to grow as a scorer and shot creator, something Allan Houston eventually evolved into over his career with the New York Knicks.
Houston, the Knicks' current assistant general manager, was always a fantastic shooter, but his rise to go-to guy and All-Star was sparked by the development of his one-on-one game.
At this point, Hardaway has looked more like a spot-up shooter and catch-and-finisher. He's not a guy you'd isolate with the game on the line, the way the Knicks did with Houston.
Step-backs, pull-ups, jab steps, fadeaways, up-and-unders—Houston had a zillion different ways to separate into makable jumpers.
Though still more of a perimeter-oriented scorer, he was multidimensional in terms of his ability to generate offense away from the rim.
Right now, Hardaway is too one-dimensional.
He'll be looking at similar hurdles as the ones Houston ultimately leaped over into All-Star territory. And for that reason, Hardaway should set up regular weekly appointments with his team's assistant GM.
Elfrid Payton and Penny Hardaway
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Elfrid Payton spent the last three years playing in the Sun Belt conference. Now he's the likely starting point guard for the Orlando Magic without established talent to play off of or credible veterans to learn from.
Unless Luke Ridnour can channel his inner Mr. Miyagi, Payton might be in need of a voice to point him in the right direction.
Somebody get Penny Hardaway on the line. Penny was the man in Orlando. He helped lead the Magic to the NBA finals in his second year in the league while averaging 20.9 points and 7.2 assists.
But he's been fairly irrelevant since being traded to the Phoenix Suns back in 1999. The Magic should look to change that.
With Payton in need of guidance and the franchise currently lacking a big-ticket name, calling up Penny as a mentor just seems like a can't-lose move.
If McDonald's can bring back the McRib, the Magic can bring back Penny.
DeMarcus Cousins and Shaquille O'Neal
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The Sacramento Kings now have Shaquille O'Neal as a part owner. They might as well try and squeeze any basketball or mentoring they can get out of him, given their franchise player is a young center in need of guidance.
DeMarcus Cousins has established himself as arguably the most talented center in the league. His World Cup performance confirmed it. But that talent hasn't quite translated to team success or the individual consistency you see from traditonal NBA superstars.
"I was the same as he was when I was 24," Shaq told Shaun Powell of sportsonearth.com back in December. "I was stubborn and needed some advice on how to be a leader."
Cousins doesn't need a drill sergeant or decorated old-school authority figure slapping him on the wrist. Powell made a solid point by noting that "sometimes, the person giving the advice counts more than the advice itself."
"Me and him have a lot in common," Cousins told Powell. "The situations we've been in early in our careers, dealing with the same kind of pressures. He tells me how to deal with it, how to zone some of the things out, how to stay focused on what's important."
So where does one sign up for this Shaq-Boogie reality series, anyway?
Trey Burke and John Stockton
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Given his ties to Utah, John Stockton already appears to be sharing his wisdom (via The Big Show with Spence Checketts & Gordon Monson) with some of the Jazz guards. And if I'm Trey Burke, I'm listening.
Like Stockton did back in the 90s, Burke has to find a way to overcome his physical and athletic limitations.
It's why eight teams passed on Burke in the draft. He lacks burst, explosiveness and strength. And in his one rookie season, we've seen Burke struggle a bit with regard to separating, getting himself into playmaking position and executing once there.
The same athletic and physical limitations didn't keep Stockton from becoming the NBA's all-time leader in assists. Nobody understands the point guard position better than this guy.
He was also a big-time competitor, something that should sit well with Burke, who's a gamer.
I'm no matchmaker, but something tells me this relationship would be healthy one.
Ricky Rubio and Wally Szczerbiak (Chauncey Billups Alternate)
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He's got the floor game, the vision, the passing instincts—someone just has to teach Ricky Rubio how to shoot.
Rubio's jumper isn't broken. It needs some fine-tuning. He did hit 44 three-pointers last season. At least we know he's capable.
How about calling up Wally Szczerbiak? He sunk 41.6 percent of his three-pointers with the Minnesota Timberwolves from 2001 to 2006.
But it wasn't just three-pointers with Wally. He was a marksman from every spot on the floor.
And wouldn't you know it—Szczerbiak was born in Spain. That could make for a good ice-breaker.
Over the past few years, he's been one of the better college basketball analysts out there with a great grip on the game.
Though three seasons, Rubio is only shooting 26 percent from 10-16 feet, 33.6 percent from 16 feet to the arc and 32.3 percent from downtown (sports-reference.com). Maybe Wally can help.
Otherwise, Chauncey Billups, who's spent plenty of time around coach Flip Saunders from his time in Minnesota and Detroit, would seem like quite the mentor as well. Chances are there would be plenty of competition out there for Billups' services, but he'd certainly be a reasonable option and one Rubio would likely benefit from learning under.
Lance Stephenson and Michael Jordan
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Someone has to teach this kid how to channel his competitiveness. Ironically, it's probably one of, if not, Lance Stephenson's most admirable quality. NBA coaches would love if all their guys played with as much passion and intensity.
But Stephenson's inability to harness it has led to some ugly moments, along with some reckless play and questionable on-court decision-making.
Cue Charlotte Hornets owner Michael Jordan, who shared that same killer instinct. Only Jordan used it as fuel without ever losing control.
Stephenson, a first-year member of the Hornets, finds himself in a fresh setting with a young team on the rise. If I'm Jordan, I'm appointing myself as Stephenson's mentor. Getting the most out of Stephenson this season could go a long way for a team that needs another playmaker and defensive presence.
If Stephenson is going to listen to anyone, you'd think Jordan would be it.
