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Shaun Livingston's knee


stevewin

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Nasty injury...Very sad to see that happen to anyone...Livingston's season is over...

 

However, Livingston is working on some serious unfulfilled potential. When he was a senior in high school, he was the #1 point guard in the nation, with Chris Paul #1A. Livingston accepted a Duke scholarship, but then instead entered the draft and was selected #4 overall by the Clippers. Paul went to Wake Forest, and entered the NBA after his freshman year.

 

Now, with Livingston (6'7") in his 3rd season and Paul (6'0") in his 2nd, the comparison isn't even close. Paul is far and away the better player. Maybe it's the curse of the Clippers, maybe it's because Livingston has had to take a backup role behind Sam Cassell...Whatever the reason, the flashes of talent that had scouts calling him the 'next Magic Johnson' have been few and far between.

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Nasty injury...Very sad to see that happen to anyone...Livingston's season is over...

 

However, Livingston is working on some serious unfulfilled potential. When he was a senior in high school, he was the #1 point guard in the nation, with Chris Paul #1A. Livingston accepted a Duke scholarship, but then instead entered the draft and was selected #4 overall by the Clippers. Paul went to Wake Forest, and entered the NBA after his freshman year.

 

Now, with Livingston (6'7") in his 3rd season and Paul (6'0") in his 2nd, the comparison isn't even close. Paul is far and away the better player. Maybe it's the curse of the Clippers, maybe it's because Livingston has had to take a backup role behind Sam Cassell...Whatever the reason, the flashes of talent that had scouts calling him the 'next Magic Johnson' have been few and far between.

Completely agree...except that Paul was at Wake for two seasons. It may seem like a minor thing, but IMO, that extra season made him into the player he is now. He learned to be the leader of a championship caliber team playing at a high level...something Livingston and Telfair never did.

 

I will never fault a player for going to the NBA "before they are ready," but I believe that PG is a position that you just can't transition to from the high school ranks. Learning to be a leader and leading your team in games where you aren't far and away the best player on the court every game is a skill that high school PGs never get to hone if they skip college (or leave quickly).

 

Look at Luke Ridnour, Kirk Heinrich...even Delonte West....just a few PGs who have half of the natural ability of Livingston but are enjoying more success.

 

But even if Livingston's entire career ended yesterday, I still bet he's glad he went to the pros instead of Duke. If this had happened at Cameron Indoor, he'd be about $12 million poorer right now. In the end, it's just a business...a career.

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