Avery Bradley at McDonald's All Star Game

by Scipio Tex on Apr 1, 2009 9:18 PM CDT in Texas Longhorns and Other Basketball

The All-Star game was a predictable confluence of basketball suck: no defense, big men attempting to handle and dribble in the open court, selfish play, but Avery Bradley showed me what I needed to see.

What I saw:

Well, aside from scoring 15 points and grabbing 5 boards while playing completely within the game and shooting a very high percentage...

Bradley is a big time finisher. I'm not talking about the ability to dunk either. We will think his full name is Avery Bradley And 1. He will take you to the rack, extend, force your foul, score, and head to the foul line.

He defends and does the necessary dirty work. Eastern dribblers fled him like Nanking before the Japanese rolled in and he picked two pockets in the second half when fools tried to test him. He had three steals overall and his long arms and quickness are a bitch in the passing lanes when he's off-the-ball. He's also a hard-nosed kid and has no problem heading into the paint to rebound.

Unselfish. He actually D'ed up and was very unselfish in creating for teammates. He refused to play one-on-one and was one of the few players on the West looking to aggressively cut, create movement, and serve it up to others.

Solid shooting touch. Drained a long three and a 19 footer.

This kid is a creature of the full court and he's a smart player. He can fly and handle. Add long arms and cookie-thief fingers and you have a guard that a coach dreams about pressuring with. You also have a guy that you can turn to in the crunch. Think Juan Dixon from Maryland three inches taller.

OU guys:

Really interesting pair.

Keith Gallon is a super-skilled 6-8+ semi-fat body with great small skills for a guy his size. He nailed a three, showed a handle, showed strength on the block, and played no defense at all. Almost defiant in his unwillingess to attempt defense. Amazingly, this was actually better defense than Renardo Sydney played.

Tommy Mason-Griffin experienced athletic long defenders and it gave him a lot of trouble. He also looks to be a true 5-9 - if not 5-8 - with short arms. His selfish attempt to win the game at the end with a do-it-himself 3 was typical All-Star Game buffoonery. He looked overmatched though he clearly has point guard skills. Take that for what it's worth. We're talking about a freaking All-Star game, after all.

Both Sooners are really interesting for their skills, shooting, and ability to create, but both are massive defensive liabilities and I question whether their respective offensive skills sets hit a wall against a certain level of competition.

All in all, pleased as fucking punch with Avery Bradley, thanks very much. You should be too. He will be a fan favorite very quickly.

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Here’s Biancardi’s opinion:

Avery Bradley, SG, Tacoma, Wash./Findlay College Prep, Nev.

Position rank: 2

College: Texas (Signed)

Strengths: Bradley is the most complete shooting guard in the Class of 2009. He is one of the few elite players in the country who is an excellent on- and off-ball defender. He has a terrific mid-range jump shot and an improving 3-point shot. Bradley has the instincts to become a big time scorer. He also is great at letting the game come to him and not forcing things.

Weaknesses: Bradley has greatly improved his stroke, but he now needs to extend his range. His shot is very potent in the mid-range area, but beyond the stripe it’s not nearly as consistent. In addition, he is very good in a catch-and-shoot set, but he needs to get better putting the ball on the floor to create offense, especially going to his left.

How he’ll fit: Bradley should be one of the few freshman in the country who will contribute immediately at a high level both offensively and defensively. Texas loses a lot with the graduation of their go-to guy, A.J. Abrams. Although no one can replace Abrams right away, Bradley will give the Longhorns something to be excited about.

by Scipio Tex on Apr 1, 2009 9:27 PM CDT reply actions

Loved the energy he brought — and it was energy under control. Avery’s one serious player. Have to go back to his profile picture to see if he might have smiled there..

by pan fried oreos on Apr 1, 2009 9:39 PM CDT reply actions

Just checked Rivals. Nope. He’s not smiling.

by pan fried oreos on Apr 1, 2009 9:42 PM CDT reply actions

Missed the game, but your write up gave me a chub.

I know I’ve got a lot of golf to play, a 29th birthday, a 4th of July weekend at Sam Rayburn Reservoir, and a lot of house stuff to do, but is the summer over yet? I’m ready for November, when Texas should be #1 or #2 at DKR and basketball should be getting into the swing of things.

Hook ’em!

by uthookem on Apr 1, 2009 9:59 PM CDT reply actions

In a lot of these third-party reports, I see guys talking about how difficult it will be to replace Abrams.

But as so many have pointed out, Abrams will shoot you out of about as many games as he’ll shoot you into. Sure he always had the opportunity to just go off like he did against OU; but he’d also bury us with selfish play in numerous other games.

When he played within himself, he was really good and the team usually played accordingly. I think Bradley will give us even more when he does the same, which he’ll do much more often.

And in AJ’s defense, Bradley is unlikely to find himself in a position where there’s no other choice but to carry the team on his back.

Plus, Avery seems like a mean SOB. The kind of guy you’d see stalking the floor for a Pitt or UConn or a Ben Howland team. Or Michigan State.

by Texas State Teke on Apr 1, 2009 11:46 PM CDT reply actions

That was me by the way. This persistence of info thing in the form is harder than a 1000 bitches on a bitch boat, brah.

by CrazyJoeDavola66 on Apr 1, 2009 11:47 PM CDT reply actions

Bradley is very fast with the ball and showed a pretty good handle. He could play some PG for us.

I thought Gallon was impressive over all. I knew he had a high skill level for a big man, but he is much, much quicker and more athletic than I thought. I figured he would be a plodder given his size, but that was not the case. And yes, it was downright offensive when he would leak out on defense after a shot went up and just stay at halfcourt instead of coming back to the play when the offense got an offensive rebound and brought it back out.

Mason-Griffin can shoot and has a slick handle, but his size is going to be a real problem even with his stout body. He will be good, but I don’t think he is quick enough given his size to be a really elite college player.

Overall, this was the worst/sloppiest McDonald’s game since the year JR Smith won the MVP by never crossing halfcourt to play defense and by shooting 35 footers every time he touched the ball. The last 3 years before this one actually had decently competitive games with a reasonable effort level on both ends, and those games were much more fun to watch.

by longhornmatt on Apr 2, 2009 2:05 AM CDT reply actions

me love he

by he hate me on Apr 2, 2009 2:48 AM CDT reply actions

Thanks for the write up and report. I watched the game every now and then but could only stomach the slop for a couple of minutes at a time.

You are a true Trojan.

by beowulf on Apr 2, 2009 6:30 AM CDT reply actions

I admit it. I was so bored that I turned away for the World Cup qualifier.

by Bob in Houston on Apr 2, 2009 8:08 AM CDT reply actions

Bradley also won the Naismith Sportsmanship Award, voted on by the players and coaches based on the week as a whole.

So there’s that.

by ctex80 on Apr 2, 2009 8:18 AM CDT reply actions

I was literally shocked by his quickness. When he jumped that kid’s dribble and used his long arms to poke the ball away for a steal, he was a blur. I just caught bits and pieces of the game, but that play stood out.

Great write up, by the way.

by Trips Right on Apr 2, 2009 8:47 AM CDT reply actions