The Tail Wag: LeBron James loves Shabazz Napier

Every Sunday morning at 11am, The Tail Wag examines something that made me happy in the past week.

I really don't get what NBA teams are thinking during the NBA Draft.

shabazz
On Thursday night, the man who lead UConn to a national title was constantly passed over for lesser talents. It happens year after year. Somehow, there has developed this mentality that if a player remains in college basketball for several years, it means he is less worthy of playing in the NBA than guys who come out immediately.

Look no further than Andrew Wiggins, who has all the physical tools necessary to be a superstar in the league but for most of the past season was a no-show. Here's a guy who was drafted #1 overall and wasn't even the best player on his team. What am I missing?

In the NFL, the top players in the draft are almost always the best players in college. With the notable exception of quarterback, if a player produces in college, he is likely to produce in the pros. Yet in basketball, this is never adhered to by general managers even though year after year we see that potential almost never pans out while past success does.

That's why it warmed my heart to see LeBron James tell the Miami Heat to make sure Shabazz Napier was part of their plans. And it happened.

What does it tell you when the best basketball player on Earth recognizes talent but no one else in NBA circles does?

Napier instantly would become the starting point guard on an NBA Finals team. Yet, that guy is not good enough for, say, the Denver Nuggets. Give me a break.
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