BlogABull 5th Anniversary Retro-Post: "Eddie Basden: Summer League Superstar"

by your friendly BullsBlogger on Jul 27, 2008 9:53 PM CDT Comment 14 comments

It's true (and a bit strange, to be honest): BlogABull (including its previous independent blogspot incarnation) is celebrating its 5th anniversary. Rather than merely the usual single self-serving post, this year I've instead decided to extend my self-congratulations through the summer. I'll be picking out some landmark posts through the years for reflection and laughs about the blog and the franchise it's covered in that time. So consider it my thanks to all the readers over the years: needless to say, it's more fun for me with all of you around to share it.

Not much of a post in terms of content this time, but going through the archives I found this pretty funny, and considering that Summer League season just completed, it's timely as well. After the Bulls playoff run in Spring 2005, the team had no draft picks. So rookie free-agent Eddie Basden was the latest attempting to fill the void as M2GwcDaS, and made a nice showing of himself.

This was originally published 7/11/2005:

Draft Express is at the Vegas Summer league, raving about Bulls invitee Eddie Badsen, the man who is looking to be a cost-effective solution at the 2-guard spot:

Eddie probably fell to the second round because he's just not a workout warrior, he doesn't have the size, length, or explosiveness that make scouts drool. But, Basden can play basketball, something that gets lost far too often in the equation of talent evaluation. Eddie completely ate [Fransisco] Garcia's lunch in this game, not a major accomplishment given Garcia's struggles, and considering how highly regarded Garcia was it should make you wonder how a player like him can be overlooked.

There's a glowing review of Badsen's entire game that can get a Bulls fan excited. Even though it's just a summer league game, it's looking like he may be a real find.

When told that his performance was one of the best we'd seen and should surely earn him a spot on the roster, an always humble Basden looked up and said "God willing". With play like he showed tonight and throughout the games so far it won't take an act of God to make it happen.

Asked after the game if Basden had earned a spot on the big club's roster with his performance, coach Skiles replied with a rye "we'll see". Knowing the way Skiles approached the game in his day and judging by the grin of satisfaction on his face while Eddie sealed the deal at the line, along with the way he pulled him to the side of the court opposite of the bench midway through the game during free throws, don't be surprised if another deal is sealed soon…maybe 2 years or so with half of the money guaranteed money up front…

Basden wound up playing 19 games for the Bulls, the only NBA stop in his career.

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Oh man, from that bullsblog link...

More from Hollinger, since this cracked me up: Tony (Chicago): Do you see Kirk Hinrich in the mold of Stockton? John Hollinger: Well, they’re both white. Struggling to come up with other similarities… Hinrich is much more a scorer than a passer and plays the 2 as much as the 1. Also, Stockton was about 800 times better.

That is just…so awesome.

When I watch NBA games I often call the fouls before the referees do. Sometimes it’s a gift. Most of the time it's troublesome. - NBA Observer

by Illini15 on Jul 27, 2008 10:35 PM CDT reply actions 0 recs

I think that's why people overrate Thabo on here

In theory, he’s supposed to be the mythical 2-guard who can defend and shoot (despite the fact that he can’t shoot very well). When you hear people talking about letting Ben Gordon go for nothing so Thabo can play, it’s hard to not laugh.

by Big D on Jul 27, 2008 10:46 PM CDT reply actions 0 recs

Count me in as a Thabo supporter

Up until the age of 28, Bruce Bowen had made 27-85 3pts (31.8%). Since then, he’s bumped his career average up to 39.1%, and has topped 40% four of the last six years.

Up until the age of 26, Raja Bell had made 13-47 3pts (27.7%). Now, his career average is at 40.9%.

In Anthony Parker’s first stint in the NBA – through the age of 25 – he had made just 10-42 3pts (23.8%). In just two years since coming back from Europe, he’s bumped his career average to 42.5%.

So the 2-guard who can defend and learns to shoot is not that mythical, actually. Through the age of 24, Thabo has shot better than all three (44/130 career, 33.8%), and his 42.1% 3pt since the all-star break last year shows he has the ability to follow their same track.

Ben Gordon might light up the occasional box score and make your jaw drop – and I’d love to see him paired with Rose for a season – but it’s the Bowens, Bells, and Parkers of the league that are playing 35-40mpg for top teams. Gordon is one hell of a player, but Thabo is the better longterm option.

by YaoPau on Jul 27, 2008 11:41 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

Gordon's better than all three of those players

And since when are the Raptors a “top team?” They’re nice role players, but considering the Bulls are nowhere near a championship right now, I’ll take talent over role players. Maybe when there’s more talent on the team, then you look for complementary players, but what’s the point right now? Do people enjoy seeing the Bulls struggle to score 80 points?

by Big D on Jul 28, 2008 1:22 AM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

Raptors I think

Will be a top team next year. Jermaine O’Neal will have a Vince Carter like resurgeance on the Raps (the Vince Carter of 3-4 years ago when he first left Toronto).

Bosh and O’Neal will be a very scary tag team down low…..I expect Toronto to be amongst the leaders in the East…..Bosh/O’Neal keep defenders down low to open up things for all those Toronto shooters…..they’ll be very tough. Chris Bosh is while an all star, a very underrated all star…..

by majoyenrac on Jul 28, 2008 8:36 AM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

Did O'Neal get new knees?

A new venue may heal minds, but it can’t heal knees.

by NBA Observer on Jul 28, 2008 9:38 AM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

I think

A lot of those knee issues are BS….

We’ll see though. I don’t buy all of it. He wanted to be traded for 3-4 years now and gave up trying. The Pacers didn’t see anything majorly wrong with the knees last year and kept reporting they expected him back only for him not to go….he passed a physical to make the trade happen…..

I expect big things. We’ll see. Even if he’s 80% of his former self, coupling that with Bosh would be amazing!

by majoyenrac on Jul 28, 2008 11:28 AM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

Well

a big part of the reason I want to see Thabo start is so I can see if he CAN score. Most other clubs already know he can be an elite defender. That’s a marginal value that everyone needs and few can afford. But if you add scoring to that elite defender you can a near total package of value.

I need to know if this in Thabo. I can’t and won’t find out if Thabo can score if Hinrich, BG, and Hughes are all on the roster entering the preseason.

by NBA Observer on Jul 28, 2008 9:36 AM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

Oh

and Hinrich and Hughes are on my departures list. Sign BG. We need him.

by NBA Observer on Jul 28, 2008 9:36 AM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

I didn't ever really find out what the heck happened

with Eddie. I mean, aside from the heaps of praise in the above article, Pax and Skiles I think both went on record saying that he was one of the guys they would have looked at in the draft, and that they’re surprised they had an opportunity to sign him. They also raved about his defense, if I remember correctly.

And then he was just gone. Which makes me wonder, did he do something to tick off Skiles? is there something going on behind the scenes that the Bulls are not making public, but that other teams are aware of, such that he never got another shot in the league?

I guess part of why I’m wondering is that (as discussed above) this team continues to search for an answer at the 2.

"It’d be ridiculous to hate someone for simply what they say in a sports blog. But I greatly dislike every syllable of your angst-filled, smarmy, nondescript, half-assed, elitist-garbage responses." –Rogerspark Kris

by bullhockey on Jul 28, 2008 11:07 AM CDT reply actions 0 recs

I remember reading

that when the real games began, Basden’s vaunted defensive ability wasn’t up to snuff.

management sez: recommend fanposts/fanshots/comments! Click 'reply' when replying to a comment! Flag jerkfaces!

by your friendly BullsBlogger on Jul 28, 2008 1:31 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

Yeah, I remember in particular Skiles implying as much to the press

in his trademark not-so-subtle jab against a current or former player. But that just adds to my questions. Why call a guy out with that Skiles sarcasm if all he did was not live up to your (over)estimation of him? It’s not like he’s Eddie Robinson or something (or perhaps he did have an attitude problem after all?). And why has he not received a look by any other NBA squad? And how could he have been so completely overhyped in the first place for something like defense, which is all about effort (as opposed to, say, natural instict)?

by bullhockey on Jul 28, 2008 2:22 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

Guess Cisco ended up having more staying power eh Matt?

Haha that’s the beauty of Summer League. Everybody gets hyped up, and then the guys play for real and suddenly they can’t keep up. Happens every year, and to almost everybody. Only the truly special one’s get to play basketball at the NBA level.

That’s also another reason I get tired of people saying College Coaches are better than Pro Coaches. College Coaches are bigger parts of the programs than Pro Coaches are. But Pro Coaches have to do more, and do so without getting the type of credit that guys like Coach K or Dean Smith have gotten over the years.

No mistakes in the tango, darling. Not like life. It's simple. That's what makes the tango so great. If you make a mistake, and get tangled, you tango on

by pookeyguru on Jul 29, 2008 5:15 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs