HT: 6-9 | WT: 230 | AGE: 23 |YR: 5
PTS: 18.8 | REB: 9.0 | AST: 4.0
By Dr. Jack Ramsay
Special to ESPN.com
Shareef Abdur-Rahim has lifted his game. He's at about 19 points a game. That's just about where he was at last year, but his shooting percentage is up this season to just under 50 percent from the field and 84 percent at the free throw line. He's getting about eight rebounds a game. He's the guy that the Grizzlies go to.
Abdur-Rahim has become a more complete player in his fifth year in the league. He's utilizing his teammates more. His points and rebounds are the same this year as they were last, but the team is getting a better distribution of scoring and he's a big part of that. Michael Dickerson is scoring, Mike Bibby is scoring and Othella Harrington is contributing as well. Abdur-Rahim is fitting into this entire picture better than he has before.
Vancouver is struggling at the moment but I think they'll get their ship straightened out with Abdur-Rahim leading the way. He's become a clutch player at the end of the game, though he's beginning to get doubled in those situations. He's becoming adept at finding the man that can bail him out.
I like his game. If Shareef Abdur-Rahim were playing in New York or Los Angeles, the basketball world would be raving about him.
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HT: 6-9 | WT: 245 | AGE: 24 | YR: 5
PTS: 21.7 | REB: 8.7 | AST: 2.9
By Fred Carter
Special to ESPN.com
Given the choice, I would take Antoine Walker. He has good size and good strength. Walker and Shareef Abdur-Rahim are both 6-9 but Walker has an added 15 pounds of muscle. He has the strength to fight through screens and can take the pounding in the post.
Walker is a little better ball handler than Abdur-Rahim as well, and is clever going to the basket. He can step out and make the three when he has to. He also plays with a certain toughness that I like. Walker is very good around the basket. His toughness strength make him especially effective in the post for a small forward. Abdur-Rahim is more of a face-up player.
The numbers tend to bear out Walker's edge as well. While they both grab about nine rebounds per game, Walker is averaging 21.7 points. Abdur-Rahim is at 18.8. As I mentioned, Abdur-Rahim doesn't shoot the three-pointer but Walker hits the three at a 48 percent clip. That ability is a huge advantage for a forward and a big reason Walker is more valuable to his team than Abdur-Rahim.
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