Paul George on Deonte Burton

[ForbinsAscynt]

I’m guessing this has been posted somewhere but I think it deserves some more visibility.

Shows how tough of an industry pro sports is to break through and it’s not always talent related.

 

[clonedude]

That is actually a great comparison.

 

[Clonefan32]

If Deonte were about 3 inches taller I bet he has a 10 year NBA career. At 6' 4" he was just kind of a "tweener".

 

[JP4CY]

Great find

 

[CycloneWanderer]

If Deonte were about 3 inches taller I bet he has a 10 year NBA career. At 6' 4" he was just kind of a "tweener".

Kind of like Georges. Give either of them a couple more inches of height and they are rock solid NBA starters for most of their careers.

 

[helechopper]

That's an incredible interview and insightful. Burton was special, no doubt about it.

 

[jsb]

Kind of like Georges. Give either of them a couple more inches of height and they are rock solid NBA starters for most of their careers.

To be fair, Georges is solid backup who signed a pretty big contract last year, so I'm not sure I'd compare him to Burton.

 

[Clonefan32]

Watching the Mavs this post season I wondered why he couldn't find a Derrick Jones Jr. type role. Elite athlete and defender with below-average shooting numbers. Agree with PG that you have to wonder if he'd been given an actual chance if he wouldn't have proven he was NBA caliber.

 

[jsb]

Watching the Mavs this post season I wondered why he couldn't find a Derrick Jones Jr. type role. Elite athlete and defender with below-average shooting numbers. Agree with PG that you have to wonder if he'd been given an actual chance if he wouldn't have proven he was NBA caliber.

I have no idea.

But we should never discount the luck (as well as skill) that it takes to make it professionally in sports. Hell, Brock fell into the perfect situation and was one of the best quarterbacks in the NFL last year. And he easily could be completely out of football if things hadn't gone right for him. And now--god willing---he's going to sign a massive contract in a year or so.

 

[Cyinthenorth]

Deonte has still bounced in and out the league as recently as last season, has he not? As for logging actual playing time, not so much. But I believe he was on a 10-day contract with the Kings in '22-'23.

 

[BWRhasnoAC]

Burton dunks were so fun to watch.

 

[CycloneWanderer]

To be fair, Georges is solid backup who signed a pretty big contract last year, so I'm not sure I'd compare him to Burton.

Georges was also drafted and got cut twice. It wasn't until he landed on the Jazz that he finally got a chance to show what he could do (his game was similar enough to a couple players they already knew what to do with).

If Georges didn't get a shot with with the Jazz based on similarity to other established players there, he doesn't make it. Burton didn't have a good comparison at the time and what he brought OKC preferred to get from Dort later.

 

[mywayorcyway]

Hell, Brock fell into the perfect situation and was one of the best quarterbacks in the NFL last year. And he easily could be completely out of football if things hadn't gone right for him.

The chances of Brock being a QB4 and not making a year 1 roster were higher than being on any roster in any capacity for more than a couple of years....Pro Bowl and starting Super Bowl QB? Fuggetaboutit. Still hard to believe.

 

[JM4CY]

When Burton put his head down and took it to the rim, god have mercy on the souls of whoever got in his way.

 

[Cloneon]

Wasn't he the "Oh no! Oh yes!" shot?

 

[mywayorcyway]

When Burton put his head down and took it to the rim, god have mercy on the souls of whoever got in his way.

I was wondering where Burton would be a list of ISU players of people who would clear a lane the fastest if he had the first step. Not sure who to put above him.

 

[mywayorcyway]

Wasn't he the "Oh no! Oh yes!" shot?

No, that was Ali Farokhmanesh.



(j/k, yes, Burton was one of those)

 

[NATEizKING]

Mandatory

 

[HFCS]

When Burton put his head down and took it to the rim, god have mercy on the souls of whoever got in his way.

ISU would have killed Purdue in that tourney game if we'd just gone isolation with Burton earlier in the game. Their super slow All American wasn't even close to being able to defend him.

Probably the time where Fred vs Prohm was most evident coaching a game.

 

[Gunnerclone]

Kind of like Georges. Give either of them a couple more inches of height and they are rock solid NBA starters for most of their careers.

And at the same time neither probably ever gets to Ames.