Shadowlight
Master
- Joined
- Mar 16, 2013
- Messages
- 3,882
Actually there is some irony in all of this. Back when I first heard of Rex Chapman around 1986, when Bird was still in his prime, I thought the gravy train would continue and Rex would be the next GWH (Great White Hope).
Rex was a scintillating 6'4" athlete with big time springs. An SI feature mentioned his 39 inch vertical in high school as he was preparing to go to KY. For the record Tyler Herro's vertical leap is under 34 inches. In terms of raw athleticism I don't see a comparison.
That said and my memory is murky, even though I was very interested in Rex I can recall only one thing about his KY days. Remember there weren't games on at night like now and I must have watched him more than once in college but I can't remember. The one thing I do remember is Rex driving to the basket leaping up high and having his shot blocked. And KY lost the game. If memory serves KY was decent but not great during Rex's two years there.
From there everything is a blur. I lost track of him once he went into the NBA. He averaged 16 his freshman year and 19 his sophomore season and was considered a star college player at the time.
I can't remember even his draft. He was chosen 8th by Charlotte and spent 4 years there. He was just OK. Not bad by any means but not great either. Then he bounced around the league until landing with the Suns where he made his mark for a spell. I do remember that. I also remember being frustrated that he never attained star status and I think he was voted to the All Star game only once and that was I think with the Suns but he suffered a bad injury right after the announcement. So he never played in an all star game.
Rex was injury riddled throughout his pro career and eventually got highly addicted to drugs. He is now a studio analyst on the NBA network (or TNT) sporting a bald head.
What seemed like a rising star out of high school Rex never turned into a great NBA player. He might have participated in a dunk contest or two(?) and he became a good marksmen over time and still had bouncy legs but his career was essentially average. He rarely played on teams that made the playoffs.
Hornacek was not as athletically gifted as Rex but he had a much better and longer NBA career.
Herro has basketball athleticism. And court smarts. He is a very quick decision maker and has basketball instincts. Things you can't teach. He does not have the bounce or overall athleticism of Rex despite the fact a couple of media outlets have compared the two.
As for Herro jumping to the pros it would be a huge mistake. He is not ready. It might be a blessing in disguise that he played a poor game against Auburn. Donte D jumped and where did that get him? Nowhere. Kevin Huerter has shown flashes but overall his season has been too up and down. Another year in college for both of these players would have been better if you ask me. I feel the same way about Herro. Would like to see him wait until after his junior season before jumping to the NBA.
Funny thing is ever since Rex I have always been on the lookout for 6'3" to 6'6" type of white shooting guards who can leap out of the gym. And it has been a constant battle to find them, especially players who sign up to the big schools. Of course this past draft there were three big leapers in Allen, Donte D and Huerter.
I do remember KY player Jeff Sheppard who was just a little smaller than Rex but could leap like crazy. He was never was a true starter for most of his career. He did however shine in KYs championship run his senior year and was named MVP at the Final Four. I was hoping that would send him to the NBA but he was never drafted and faded from view. Like Rex he also was a good outside shooter.
Sheppard ( Rex junior I used to think) played for Pitino and then Tubby Smith and only averaged double figures once in his four years there, his senior year. Below is a video of him dunking and gives an indication of his great hops.
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