Balkman A Questionable Pick To New Yorkers
by Zach Smart
NEW YORK – It wasn’t a thread short of obvious which team made the most questionable pick in the 2006 NBA Draft.
With a point guard you could build your system around in Marcus Williams and other card shop-names still available, the New York Knicks opted to take relatively unknown Renaldo Balkman out of South Carolina with the 20th pick.
Upon David Stern’s announcement, Knick fans automatically rained boos over the draft’s “green room” (which, since it’s neither green nor a room, sounds more like some safe haven for current NBA guys Lamar Odom and Damon Stoudamire and former St. Johnnie Willie Shaw). Those constant boos and shouts of disapproval ricocheted throughout Madison Square Garden, and the Knicks’ selection instigated more “sell the Knicks” chants, which turned out to be the essential theme of the night.
The thing is, as a 6-foot-7, 206-pound jolt of explosive energy, Balkman is still as unproven as can be. And there’s much speculation that he may quickly develop into a tweener in the league. The NBA aficionados who study all year around for this late June evening projected Balkman as a second round pick at the highest. He didn’t even have a profile in the draft programs.
The general consensus amongst the analysts and gurus is that Balkman should have stayed in school, led the Gamecocks to a third consecutive NIT title or even to the NCAA Tournament, and constructed a better pro stock for himself. Balkman’s not so familiar with one-on-one defense, which would make it hard for him to hound down quicker, more elusive small forwards on the perimeter. Balkman’s also a bit limited offensively. One of the primary concerns is how well he’ll fit into half court sets in the NBA. Thus, Balkman’s got a lot of detractors to hush up for the 2006-2007 campaign.
He did shine during this year’s post season NIT, going off for 23 points, eight boards, four blocks, and three assists during the semi-finals victory against the Big East’s Louisville. Then, after hanging 10 points, grabbing 12 rebounds, sending five shots out of his house and pick-pocketing four Wolverines on Michigan in the finals, the 2006 SEC All-Tournament team selection garnered tournament MVP honors.
But Balkman, a Tampa, Fla. Native who was actually born in Staten Island, N.Y., averaged just 7.4 points (under 10 points this season) during his three-year stay with the Gamecocks, and pulled down 6.3 rebounds per game this year. At times, he was nowhere to be found in the Gamecocks’ starting lineup.
He’s a question mark whose workman-like mentality and persistence, Red Bull addict-like tendencies could eventually emerge into an exclamation point. But it might take some time, as right now he’s a very raw product on the bench marketplace.
The Knicks have a handful of young players with Channing Frye, David Lee, and Nate Robinson. All three were very exciting to watch last year, especially when they were all on the floor together.
Then-coach Larry Brown and company should have stuck with trying to rebuild the franchise instead of spending ludicrous sums of money on high-profile players that wouldn’t fit into the system. All those millions bought them was an abysmal 23-59 season, tied for the worst in franchise history.
The media-savvy (and now coach) Isiah Thomas, who’s been a far cry from decent with draft decisions, said he had no regrets about choosing Balkman. Perhaps Isiah figured it would be the second coming of former Knick sharpshooter Rolando Blackman, and that was the secret behind his mastermind decision.
Awesome job Isiah.
But even Gamecocks head coach Dave Odom was quoted in the New York Post as saying that he can’t explain why Balkman was selected so high. Deep down inside, Odom definitely would have rathered Balkman stay another year.
He can’t be too disappointed, as the Gamecocks just added two blossoming players in Devan Downey and Zam Fredrick III. Frederick, a transfer by way of Georgia Tech who’s from South Carolina, is entering his junior season. Downey, who comes in via Cincinatti, is fresh off a Big East All-Rookie season. After putting up 12.3 points and handing out 4.1 assists at Cincinnati, Downey’s starting over. He has the potential to successfully operate the Gamecocks’ offense, as he proved during his 10-assist outburst in a win over then-no. 16 West Virginia on March 4.
As for the crumbling New York Knicks, will the organization ever be resurrected? Will we ever get to re-live the days of when the Knicks were New York’s biggest thrill? When they played a physical and mentally tough brand of basketball with guys like Patrick Ewing, Charles Oakley, John Starks, and Anthony Mason?
It’s not looking good.
