Hasheem Thabeet's Journey In The NBA

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Updated: February 25, 2010, 4:39 PM ET
Sources: Thabeet headed to D-League


By Marc Stein
ESPN.com
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The Memphis Grizzlies are sending No. 2 overall pick Hasheem Thabeet down for a stint in the D-League.



Thabeet


The move has not yet been announced, but two sources close to the situation on Thursday confirmed Thabeet's impending D-League assignment to the Dakota Wizards to ESPN.com.


Thabeet will thus become the highest draft pick ever sent to the D-League by an NBA team. Players can only be assigned to D-League duty by their NBA teams during their first two seasons as a pro.


Thabeet's forthcoming assignment to the Wizards -- Memphis' North Dakota-based affiliate -- was first reported by the Web site RidiculousUpside.com, which covers the D-League extensively.


Although the Grizzlies acknowledged that Thabeet was a long-term project when they selected him with the No. 2 pick in June over the likes of local collegiate star Tyreke Evans, Memphis was hoping that the 7-foot-3 center could survive as a backup in his first NBA season. But Grizzlies coach Lionel Hollins announced earlier this week that second-year center Hamed Haddadi of Iran would begin receiving Thabeet's minutes behind starting center Marc Gasol.


The Grizzlies, according to NBA front-office sources, offered Thabeet and second-year guard O.J. Mayo to the Golden State Warriors for Warriors guard Monta Ellis before the Feb. 18 trade deadline but were turned down.


Thabeet, 23, is averaging just 2.5 points and 2.9 rebounds in 10.3 minutes per game for the Grizzlies and will supplant Portland's Martell Webster -- who played eight games for the now-defunct Fort Worth Flyers in the D-League in 2005-06 as the No. 6 overall pick in the draft -- as the highest draftee ever to play in the NBA's official minor league.


Senior writer Marc Stein covers the NBA for ESPN.com.

By Marc J. Spears, Yahoo! Sports

Memphis Grizzlies center Hasheem Thabeet(notes), the second overall pick in the 2009 NBA draft, is headed to the Development League.

Thabeet has been optioned to the Dakota Wizards, said Bill Duffy, Thabeet’s agent. He will be the highest draft pick ever to go to the D-League.

Thabeet has played sparingly in his rookie season, averaging 2.5 points in 10.3 minutes over 50 games. He recently lost his place in the Grizzlies’ rotation to second-year center Hamed Haddadi(notes).

Thabeet is expected to make his D-League debut on Friday when Dakota plays Erie.

Duffy supported the decision. The Dakota Wizards are the Grizzlies’ D-League affiliate.

“I think he needs to play,” Duffy said.

I suspect this guy is gonna end up being a bust. Apart from his height and being lanky I don't see much talent or its potential in him. But we'll see. Time is still on his side.

Hasheem Thabeet sentenced to the end of the bench

Wed Feb 24,2010 11:22 AM ET By Rob Mahoney


The fact that Hasheem Thabeet was projected by many to be an NBA bust didn't deter the Memphis Grizzlies from selecting him second overall in the draft this past summer. Nor did the fact that they already had a more than serviceable center on the roster in Marc Gasol. Nor did any of the obvious warning signs (Thabeet's struggles to rebound at the NCAA level despite his incredible size, his lack of offensive refinement, etc.).

Thabeet is still just 23 years old and his career is anything but over, but Grizzlies' coach Lionel Hollins sent a message on Thabeet's play with perfect clarity when he announced that Iranian center Hamed Haddadi would be supplanting Hasheem as Memphis' back-up center. Haddadi has played in just four games this calendar year, but it was his defense against the Lakers last night and his work in practice that won him the spot.

I'm sure that Haddadi is giving it his all in practice and he did provide a burst of defensive energy last night, but this move is more about how bad Thabeet has been rather than how well Haddadi has played. The Grizzlies' biggest weakness is likely their lack of depth across the board, and with Thabeet struggling to produce on either end of the court, Hollins is looking for a spark.

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- Baad news, sasa dogo apige tizi zaidi ili aweze kurudi kwenye fomu Roma haikujengwa kwa siku moja!

- Damn! this one sure hurts!

Respect.

FMEs!

but this move is more about how bad Thabeet has been rather than how well Haddadi has played

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Kijana huyu anatakiwa asilegee kwa vile itakuwa ni pigo kubwa sana endapo ataishia huko alikoenda. Kinachotakiwa ni kuwa kama Mutombo

Julius said:

I suspect this guy is gonna end up being a bust. Apart from his height and being lanky I don't see much talent or its potential.

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Another Olowakandi, mmmmh maybe not even Kandi Man, but again tutaambiwa we hatin' on him!

Kichuguu said:

Kijana huyu anatakiwa asilegee kwa vile itakuwa ni pigo kubwa sana endapo ataishia huko alikoenda. Kinachotakiwa ni kuwa kama Mutombo

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Hawezi kuwa Mutombo kwa sababu yeye sio Mutombo.

YE said:

Another Olowakandi, mmmmh maybe not even Kandi Man, but again tutaambiwa we hatin' on him!

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Hahahahahaaa...hivi Kandi man aliishia wapi? Mara ya mwisho kumwona alikuwa anachezea Wolves....Ila Kandi hakuwahi kuwa demoted kwenye d league....au nimekosea?

Lakini kama ulivyosema....punde si punde tutaanza kuambiwa tunamwonea wivu. Wewe subiri tu.

Julius said:

Hawezi kuwa Mutombo kwa sababu yeye sio Mutombo.

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Vipi ndigu yangu, siku hizi kiswahili kinakugonga au ni kwa sababu unatumia kiingereza sana? "kuwa kama Mutombo" ni tofauti na "kuwa Mutombo"

Kichuguu said:

Vipi ndigu yangu, siku hizi kiswahili kinakugonga au ni kwa sababu unatumia kiingereza sana? "kuwa kama Mutombo" ni tofauti na "kuwa Mutombo"

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Hapana...natumia sana Jisukuma. Ila hapa tatizo nilisoma haraka haraka....si unajua zile dizaini za kusoma maneno mawili au matatu ya sentensi halafu unadhani umeelewa kila kitu. My bad....

Julius said:

Hapana...natumia sana Jisukuma. Ila hapa tatizo nilisoma haraka haraka....si unajua zile dizaini za kusoma maneno mawili au matatu ya sentensi halafu unadhani umeelewa kila kitu. My bad....

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........cool

Time will tell but jamaa in short ni urefu ndio unamsaidia but zaidi ya hapo he has to pull his socks up. Nadhani watamrudisha kwani Haddadi mwenyewe is disastrous nadhani akijitahidi akaacha uchekibobu he will be back in a team.

mstahiki said:

By Marc J. Spears, Yahoo! Sports

Memphis Grizzlies center Hasheem Thabeet(notes), the second overall pick in the 2009 NBA draft, is headed to the Development League.

Thabeet has been optioned to the Dakota Wizards, said Bill Duffy, Thabeet’s agent. He will be the highest draft pick ever to go to the D-League.

Thabeet has played sparingly in his rookie season, averaging 2.5 points in 10.3 minutes over 50 games. He recently lost his place in the Grizzlies’ rotation to second-year center Hamed Haddadi(notes).

Thabeet is expected to make his D-League debut on Friday when Dakota plays Erie.

Duffy supported the decision. The Dakota Wizards are the Grizzlies’ D-League affiliate.

“I think he needs to play,” Duffy said.

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Kijana hiyo ni changamoto kwako.....take it positively ya kwamba unatakiwa kuweka juhudi zaidi.........hebu fanya kweli aisee......usituangushe

Kuna baadhi ya wanaforum walitabiri hii (kushindwa kupeform katika high level) lakini waliambiwa wanaroho mbaya, sasa kazi ya kurudi nba kutoka huko D league si mchezo, ikichukuliwa kwamba hii demotion inaweza kuharibu kabisa confidence yake. Kila la kheri mzee sijui wazee wa TNT (Barkley,Kenny na EJ) watasemaje kuhus hii.

Maskini pole sana kama ni kweli maana nilisoma wakawa wanasema atachezea benchi

Kweli hii si habari njema hata kidogo.

Kijana ni shot blocker mzuri kwa upande wa defence lakini hana offensive skills za kutosha ukilinganisha na centres wengine. Pia commentators wengi wa kwenye TV walikuwa wanasema katika ku-defend ana-commit a lot of fouls ambazo angeweza kuzi-avoid.

Huko kwenye D-League akipata kocha mzuri wa kumuongezea skills za defence na kumpa ujanja wa ku-score vikapu vingi kwa kutumia advantage ya height yake, anaweza ku-bounce back kwenye NBA na mambo yakawa mswanu.

Pia hatakiwi kusikiliza maneno yatakayosemwa kwenye vyombo vya habari, mengine yanakatisha na hasa wakisema kwamba, "yeye anakuwa top pick wa kwanza kupelekwa D-League". Achukulie hizo kama changamoto tu na hivyo iwe ni nyongeza ya morali wa mazoezi na siyo akate tamaa.

Really bad news! But I think he needs to work a bit harder, especially his offensive game is very poor for the 2nd pick.

Amuangalie mwenzie Luo Deng yeye ni mzee wa kazi hana ubishoo wala uchekibobu na anavuta mshahara mrefu sana tu!!!

Hii D league mbona sijawahi kuisikia? The kid should have stayed in College one more year to gain experience. NBA si mchezo, and when you do not deliver you are out.