Am I crazy or is Lamar Odom extremely talented?

[jsindaa]

Ok this argument started on another message board...the SLAM list was posted. One guy says Bron, based on talent/skill, is top 50 all time. I say heck if weare going off pure talent than Lamar Odom may be top 50...now that's definitely a stretch but my point was you can't base a top 50 list on talent. Nowto the good part. One guy replies

he doesnt have top 50 talent in the league right now
To which I

and say name 50 more talented. This is thereply.

There is a long list of players in the NBA when at their best are still better than Odom's best, which I agree is very good. You really want someone to bother naming them all? Besides the obvious 15 or so superstars that are better (i.e. LeBron, CP3, Kobe, Wade, Dwight, KG, Pierce, Dirk, Melo, etc.), there is a long list of other players (including Mo, Rashard Lewis, Joe Johnson, Iguodala, Durant, Amare, etc.) that would also be above Odom.

My question is....are we watching the same Odom? The same career underachiever who shows up every 3 to 4 games? That one? Maybe I'm the crazy one so Iposted this for you guys to see. Oh also another point I brought up there was Kobe, Melo, and Durant have the best skillsets in the league to which he replied

Please tell me something Melo or Durant do better than LeBron. He is a better defender, passer, rebounder, finisher, etc. His jump shot has improved and is about as good as Durant's, but still better than Melo's. LeBron's skill in the post is raw, but still ahead of Durant. Both Melo and Durant average as many or more turnovers as assists.
You can comment on that if need be

 

[jpzx]

Re: [::OFFICIAL 09'Champion LOS ANGELES LAKERS OFF-SEASON THREAD Vol. Celebrate Responsibly::]

OR

http://lamarownsem.u.yuku.com/#1082524

 

[airmaxpenny1]

Talent is the ability to consistently show up which he doesn't.

 

[jsindaa]

Originally Posted by JPZx

Re: [::OFFICIAL 09' Champion LOS ANGELES LAKERS OFF-SEASON THREAD Vol. Celebrate Responsibly::]

OR

http://lamarownsem.u.yuku.com/#1082524

WAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAYYYYYYYYYYYYYY too many homers that way. And it isn't JUST a Odom thread

 

[im not you]

It's a well known fact that Lamar Odom has elite talent but for the most part has never put it all together to establish himself as the superstar he couldhave been.

As for the last comment. Melo and Durant are both better shooters than Lebron. Lebron's jumper has gotten better but I'd be more afraid of those othertwo shooting jumpers than I would Lebron.

 

[im not you]

Originally Posted by airmaxpenny1

Talent is the ability to consistently show up which he doesn't.

I love these self made definitions on here.

 

[jtwo8ight]

You need to update your sig.

He's talented but somewhat inconsistent.

 

[jsindaa]

Originally Posted by jtwo8ight

You need to update your sig.

He's talented but somewhat inconsistent.

I sure do

But I'm not arguing his consistency because he has none. But at his potential...how many players are honestly better than him. The things he should bedoing night in and night out

.....

 

[twig1026]

No one's going to think you're talented unless you perform...all you can say about him is the potential is always there

 

[jtwo8ight]

I think its has to do with his personality and drive. Lamar seems like a laid back dude who's content with who he is, which is fine but doesn'tmaximize the potential he has. Talent is only half the story Lamar is a great player but its clear that he doesnt have the same drive as a superstar. When youcan put the two together you get very very special players like the Kobes and Lebrons.

 

[lbruce89]

To which I

and say name 50 more talented. This is the reply.
i don't see how anyone other than laker fans can give a +++$ about him not playing great on a consistent basis oppose to having great games onsome occasions

 

[antbanks81]

LO has too much talent. He just doesn't exercise it nightly. One could call him a slacker.

 

[illmaticsoulchild]

His talent was never questioned, just his consistency. In terms of "talent," the guy is the perfect complimentary player for any superstar. At6'10", he's a solid ball handler, can shoot the three, drives effectively and can get a double-double every night.

 

[yungmatt]

Hes a slacker...Has no work ethic. Hes been that way since he was a kid

 

[jsindaa]

Originally Posted by Lbruce89

To which I

and say name 50 more talented. This is the reply.

i don't see how anyone other than laker fans can give a +++$ about him not playing great on a consistent basis oppose to having great games on some occasions


uh....who said I did?

The question is about what he DOES do it'sabout what he CAN do....read.

 

[swyftdahoe]

Originally Posted by Im Not You

Originally Posted by airmaxpenny1

Talent is the ability to consistently show up which he doesn't.

I love these self made definitions on here.

lol
Odom is easily a top 5 talent. It's just that his mind's not all there. He's more talented than KG without the hunger and work ethic.

 

[5am6oody72]

Let's see:

-Can handle the ball like a guard, capable of going coast-to-coast at any time
-Can hit 3's
-Very good passer for being 6'10
-Crazy good rebounder, he had a few 20-20 games last year
-Ridiculously long wingspan, can defend a variety of positions

About the only thing he doesn't have is explosive athleticism. But if we are talking about pure talent alone, I'm not sure I could name ten guys moretalented than Lamar.


And

@ saying Bron is a better shooter than Melo.

 

[jsindaa]

Originally Posted by swyftdahoe

Originally Posted by Im Not You

Originally Posted by airmaxpenny1

Talent is the ability to consistently show up which he doesn't.

I love these self made definitions on here.

lol
Odom is easily a top 5 talent. It's just that his mind's not all there. He's more talented than KG without the hunger and work ethic.

Whats funny about this reply is dude swears up and down that KG does EVERYTHING better than Odom

 

[airjordan jb23]

One of the most versatile players in the league. Odom has a lot of talent.

 

[atransta]

no way in hell bron can shoot better than melo or is equal to KD

 

[mrmundaynite]

In no particular order:

Lebron
Carmelo
Wade
Rasheed
Durant
Dirk
Kobe
Vince
TMac
Joe Johnson

All players, imo, who are equally or more talented than Odom imo. So he's by no means, "easily" a top 5 talent

 

[curious24]

hes not quick or fast and is limited when driving to the hole...other than that hes fine.

 

[wings90]

Originally Posted by Curious24

hes not quick or fast and is limited when driving to the hole...other than that hes fine.

But what does it say when everyone knows he's going left and he still gets there? He does pick up reckless charges though.

I would agree that he's a top talent. Like everyone said though, he just hasn't put it together consistently.

 

[craftsy21]

LO will go down in sports history as one of the biggest "almosts" of all time - nobody argues that he has all the tools, but after so many years ofonly occasionally being able to show them off, you have to stop giving him credit for having said tools. It's become a fluke when he actually utilizes theamazing natural abilities he has, so it's not really fair to even say he's all that talented anymore.

He becomes just a guy who occasionally goes off - not a guy with loads of potential on certain nights. There aren't enough of those nights to give himcredit for being the second guy.

In my opinion.. his career has been mostly a failure. Coming out of college he was talked about similarly to Lebron - that he could average a triple doublesomeday if he kept improving the way he was.. he to be a number 1 star somewhere.. and instead, he's only been able to do well when he has at least twoguys ahead of him in a lineup carrying the weight.

To me.. that makes him pretty lame and disappointing.

Did he have top 50 potential? Probably... but I can't say it was top 50 talent, because we just never saw/see it come out often enough to say it's nota fluke.

 

[nnarum]