Is Harrison Barnes a bust?

[olivecourt]

Michael Jordan may be the best argument against this line of thinking. Jordan had many other interests besides basketball. A guy who even left the league mid-career to pursue an interest in baseball. He has a well established interest in golf. He likes to gamble. He is an entrepreneur. He did commercials for maybe more products than any athlete ever. He's involved in some kind of motor racing business now. The guy has always had multiple interests in everything under the sun it seems.

Michael Jordan's main interest was in destroying everyone in his path. That usually took place on the basketball court, but he tried it in golf, gambling, baseball, etc. There's a reason why he kept coming back to basketball and still thinks he can come back now (see his Hall of Fame speech)-- because that was the place where he was best able to annihilate people. There's also a reason why he has seemed like a pretty unhappy person ever since he retired for the final time.

The shoe contract, Space Jam, Hanes t-shirts-- all of that stuff was a sideshow, done in the off-season. If Jordan thought for one second it would get in the way of him being the best basketball player ever he would have dropped it like a hot potato. It's probably also worth pointing out that he didn't appear in a movie or try baseball until after he'd won 3 NBA championships, a gold medal, and an NCAA title. I never once heard an MJ quote about his "brand." Compare this to a guy who has never won a conference title but won't shut up about marketing himself...

 

[BlackAndGold3]

After listening to Marty and reading some national arcticles about Harrison's struggles, it appears many people view him as a failure. Can this really be true? I thought he was going to be the next MJ. What gives?

dumbest question ever!

 

[WhiteThunder]

After reading the articles it seems pretty clear basketball isn't the #1 goal in his life. He sees it as a means to an end. If his goal is to be a great pitch man, business man, whatever, then so be it. He has a right to do whatever he wants to do with his life.

That being said, as a basketball fan it's disappointing that someone who is clearly talented is choosing to focus on how to improve his life off the court rather than on it. The article again references someone like Derrick Rose who is getting endorsements because he is a warrior on the court. I wish more talented kids (wow I'm old for even saying that) had that sort of drive and passion for the game, rather than focusing on the circus like LeBron.

 

[ColumbusHawk]

Michael Jordan's main interest was in destroying everyone in his path. That usually took place on the basketball court, but he tried it in golf, gambling, baseball, etc. There's a reason why he kept coming back to basketball and still thinks he can come back now (see his Hall of Fame speech)-- because that was the place where he was best able to annihilate people. There's also a reason why he has seemed like a pretty unhappy person ever since he retired for the final time.

The shoe contract, Space Jam, Hanes t-shirts-- all of that stuff was a sideshow, done in the off-season. If Jordan thought for one second it would get in the way of him being the best basketball player ever he would have dropped it like a hot potato. It's probably also worth pointing out that he didn't appear in a movie or try baseball until after he'd won 3 NBA championships, a gold medal, and an NCAA title. I never once heard an MJ quote about his "brand." Compare this to a guy who has never won a conference title but won't shut up about marketing himself...

Agree!

Jordan realized that basketball was his livelihood. The better he did in basketball the better the endorsements. Jordan got the McDonald's, Haines, etc. endorsements because he was a great basketball player. MJ thoroughly understood that greatness in basketball equaled success outside of basketball.

Jordan only tried baseball after he had accomplished about everthing there is to accomplish in basketball. His greatness had already been established & because of it he was a household name.

 

[HawkeyeMike23]

Agree!

Jordan realized that basketball was his livelihood. The better he did in basketball the better the endorsements. Jordan got the McDonald's, Haines, etc. endorsements because he was a great basketball player. MJ thoroughly understood that greatness in basketball equaled success outside of basketball.

Jordan only tried baseball after he had accomplished about everthing there is to accomplish in basketball. His greatness had already been established & because of it he was a household name.

Jordan only tried baseball because he was given the option of 'retiring' or being suspended for the year due to his out of control gambling habits. Or so goes the popular conspiracy theory.

 

[JHHawk]

Sorry,but labeling someone as talented as Barnes as a bust at age 19 is premature,and foolish. At 19, MJ did not have Barnes game. He was strictly a slasher to the hoop with just a so-so jumpshot. That remained the case his first few years in the NBA. Of course he was such an explosive slasher he did not need long range shots to lead the league in scoring.

Barnes is very intelligent,so he will not need to be told he has to succeed on the court to be super-successful off the court. I suspect he will continue to apply himself to improving his game. I do agree with the one assessment that he seems a bit too fundamental,almost robotic, with not much playground in his game....but,fundamentals are not unimportant either.

I always go back to the old saying..''who was the only guy who could hold MJ under twenty points/game?''....answer....''Dean Smith''.....UNC has had a number of guys who burst out in the NBA after leaving college...unleashed,if you will...like MJ,Vince Carter,Rasheed, Worthy,Perkins, Daughterty ect.

Marshall,Henson,Zeller,Bullock,McAdoo will all be 1st round picks...gotta share the ball,unlike Austin Rivers,who I see as a selfish player,who does not share.

 

[WildTurkey]

After listening to Marty and reading some national arcticles about Harrison's struggles, it appears many people view him as a failure. Can this really be true? I thought he was going to be the next MJ. What gives?

dumbest question ever!

Thanks for your input.

 

[Calculator]

I don't think you can average 17 points a game and be a bust.

 

[schatz247]

Sorry,but labeling someone as talented as Barnes as a bust at age 19 is premature,and foolish. At 19, MJ did not have Barnes game. He was strictly a slasher to the hoop with just a so-so jumpshot. That remained the case his first few years in the NBA. Of course he was such an explosive slasher he did not need long range shots to lead the league in scoring. Barnes is very intelligent,so he will not need to be told he has to succeed on the court to be super-successful off the court. I suspect he will continue to apply himself to improving his game. I do agree with the one assessment that he seems a bit too fundamental,almost robotic, with not much playground in his game....but,fundamentals are not unimportant either. I always go back to the old saying..''who was the only guy who could hold MJ under twenty points/game?''....answer....''Dean Smith''.....UNC has had a number of guys who burst out in the NBA after leaving college...unleashed,if you will...like MJ,Vince Carter,Rasheed, Worthy,Perkins, Daughterty ect. Marshall,Henson,Zeller,Bullock,McAdoo will all be 1st round picks...gotta share the ball,unlike Austin Rivers,who I see as a selfish player,who does not share.

MJ at 19 may not have had near the game Harrison has but he had the drive and killer instinct of a 10 year NBA vet.
Something that can't be learned.

 

[Hawkfnntn]

Sorry,but labeling someone as talented as Barnes as a bust at age 19 is premature,and foolish. At 19, MJ did not have Barnes game. He was strictly a slasher to the hoop with just a so-so jumpshot. That remained the case his first few years in the NBA. Of course he was such an explosive slasher he did not need long range shots to lead the league in scoring.

Barnes is very intelligent,so he will not need to be told he has to succeed on the court to be super-successful off the court. I suspect he will continue to apply himself to improving his game. I do agree with the one assessment that he seems a bit too fundamental,almost robotic, with not much playground in his game....but,fundamentals are not unimportant either.

I always go back to the old saying..''who was the only guy who could hold MJ under twenty points/game?''....answer....''Dean Smith''.....UNC has had a number of guys who burst out in the NBA after leaving college...unleashed,if you will...like MJ,Vince Carter,Rasheed, Worthy,Perkins, Daughterty ect.

Marshall,Henson,Zeller,Bullock,McAdoo will all be 1st round picks...gotta share the ball,unlike Austin Rivers,who I see as a selfish player,who does not share.

Barnes has averaged 1 assist per game so far in his career. He's only sharing when the ball isn't passed to him. Cause he's not one to set up others. I agree he will probably be a better pro then a college player. But thats nothing more then a guess on our part. I wouldn't bet the farm on it. I don't feel Barnes is a selfish player but he's not going to be used as a Pippen type of small forward. He just doesn't seem to have the skills for it.

 

[olivecourt]

Sorry,but labeling someone as talented as Barnes as a bust at age 19 is premature,and foolish. At 19, MJ did not have Barnes game. He was strictly a slasher to the hoop with just a so-so jumpshot. That remained the case his first few years in the NBA. Of course he was such an explosive slasher he did not need long range shots to lead the league in scoring.

Barnes is very intelligent,so he will not need to be told he has to succeed on the court to be super-successful off the court. I suspect he will continue to apply himself to improving his game. I do agree with the one assessment that he seems a bit too fundamental,almost robotic, with not much playground in his game....but,fundamentals are not unimportant either.

I always go back to the old saying..''who was the only guy who could hold MJ under twenty points/game?''....answer....''Dean Smith''.....UNC has had a number of guys who burst out in the NBA after leaving college...unleashed,if you will...like MJ,Vince Carter,Rasheed, Worthy,Perkins, Daughterty ect.

Marshall,Henson,Zeller,Bullock,McAdoo will all be 1st round picks...gotta share the ball,unlike Austin Rivers,who I see as a selfish player,who does not share.

1. Jordan shot 53% as a freshman, was ACC freshman of the year, and made the game-winning shot for the national championship. As a sophomore he was first-team All-American... Barnes shot 44% and was a controversial pick for first-team all-conference this year. The comparison is ridiculous.

2. What improvements have you seen in Barnes's game from the second half of last year to this year? In what specific ways is he better now than he was in high school?

3. You can't say a guy who was national player of the year as a junior in college "burst out" in the NBA. Jordan was awesome in high school, awesome in college, and awesome in the NBA. So were all of the guys you included on that list-- all accomplished much, much more than Harrison Barnes at the college level.

 

[RocknRollface]

Actually they were not that bad at all.....

They were somewhat understanding, which is hard to believe, a sense of civility on a college basketball board about intense rivalries.....

Harrison will do alright, making millions of dollars a year starting for an NBA team in time.....

Stater is very questionable.

 

[RocknRollface]

Jordan only tried baseball because he was given the option of 'retiring' or being suspended for the year due to his out of control gambling habits. Or so goes the popular conspiracy theory.

David Stern went all in on making Jordan synonymous with the NBA. The idea that he, one of the most corrupt people in sports, would suspend his cash cow is one of the more absurd ideas out there.