[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=htwkRYa0gOk&rel=1]
“Everybody on the team is like, ‘Who’s going to try to dunk [on George - the 7'7, 360 pound center from North Carolina-Asheville]?’” Hansbrough said. “It definitely was in the back of my mind.”
From the back of his mind straight to the top play on Sportscenter and a memorable poster that will be coveted by every die-hard UNC fan. That ferocious throw-down is exactly why Tyler Hansbrough is appropriately nicknamed ‘Psycho T”. This quote and that play are two of the many reasons why Hansbrough is my favorite college basketball player.
“I just felt like I could drive around him,” Hansbrough said.
Not just drive around him but rise above the tallest player in college basketball and bang on him with deuce-hands. Kenny George said himself that he hadn’t been dunked on in the last 3 years. That speaks volumes about a player most scouts say is not a superior athlete and who struggles against taller/longer defenders. Hansbrough’s sheer determination is what drives him to be as good as he is, regardless of the naysayers. His will is also what keeps him from becoming another hyped-up college ball player that never lives up to the lofty expectations (i.e. Roy Hibbert).
The front runner for the national player-of-the-year award is having the best season of his career through all the hype. Hansbrough is averaging nearly a double-double at 21.8ppg and 9.8rpg. His is also shooting 57.6 % from the field and 80% from the line, all career highs.
The fact that he is an NBA mid / late first round pick by every scout or mock draft I can find is a travesty. With the abundance of slackers, bad attitudes, “great potential” flops (i.e. Kwame Brown) and thugs with off - the - court problems in the NBA today you would think GMs would be falling over themselves at the chance to land a player like Hansbrough. A player with tremendous work-ethic, unquestionable passion, a relentless rebounder and actually becoming a polished scorer. Best of all he’s got character; he’s the guy everyone on the team respects and wants to play with.
I don’t know about you, but here at the Recliner GM we will gladly take him!
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Hansbrough is a true gamer with great skills and a tremendous heart, and that dunk was amazing. With that said, I can’t help but feel a little sorry for Kenny George. People have unrealistic expectations of him when the fact of the matter is that he is not that good. He has already had two knee operations and he moves in slow motion. I found his quote after the game funny: “I didn’t realize that a 6′10 player with that much athleticism could dunk over my outstretched hands. I forgot to jump.” Forgot to jump! Anyway, I’ll leave with three predictions:
1) UNC is a lock for the Finar Four (I know, not too bold of a prediction)
2) Now that people aren’t afraid of Kenny, we’ll see other such posterizations throughout the season (a little more bold)
3) Kenny will flame out and be done with basketball in 2 years (I hope I’m wrong)
I completely agree with you. I feel bad for him as well. Being that big may seem like a blessing to most but comes with a lot of drawbacks. Dude can’t even drive himself around. I actually hope that dunk fires him up and the next time someone tries to test him he throws the attempt into the stands. Chances are he will get to the league and his body won’t be able to handle the constant strain. I am just hoping he gets a little payday before that happens.
Here is an interesting article from Rivals that was linked through Yahoo. The article focuses on the difficulties that Kenny faces in his life. A notable quote from the article: “It really is tough not to feel for George. He’s college basketball’s bearded lady, and everyone, it seems, wants a peek.”
http://collegebasketball.rivals.com/content.asp?SID=1146&CID=764529
Let’s not mention the three steps it took him to do it in.
You can watch the replay over and over and it still takes the same three steps. Give me a break, Ty Lawson might have been able to do that with three steps. Hansbrough is the NCAA golden boy this year and turning into a Vlade Divac wannabe, ala the “flop”.
Dudley – Sounds like we have a classic UNC/Hansbrough hater in the house. All the pressue is on Hansbrough as Pre-Season Player of the Year and guess what he has done nothing but improve and increased his numbers in nearly every statistical category. And since Ty got hurt he just continues to step up his game. He is in no way, shape or form a flop on the college level. What he does at the Pro level is debateable.
3 steps, 4 steps either way still impressive, especially considering the 7′7 dude hadn’t been dunked on in like 3 years. Get passed the hate and “Do Right”