Why Wasn't Scotty Thurman Succesful In The NBA?

[BigoBoys]

He had good size, great shooter, good ball handling skills, and a cool customer.  I don't remember him being that much different than Joe Johnson.  Why didn't he get drafted and why didn't he make it? 

[rude1]

Slow, couldn't handle the ball all that well. Couldn't create his own shot.  Wasn't that great of a shooter, as we remember him as. Was no way he could defend the guys man to man on the pro level, given his lack of quickness.

[Hoggy Bear]

couldn't create his own shot and couldn't play defense on the pro level.   

[kuhog]

couldn't create his own shot and couldn't play defense on the pro level.  

NBA plays defense? Just kidding. You're right though. Thurman would have been a defensive liability in the NBA.

[threeNout]

Thurman was an outstanding shooter, from the day he showed up.

He could do a lot of things well enough, but the cutoff is usually there are plenty of guys avaiable who can do all those things and do it a step quicker, same with Corey Beck.

[ErieHog]

He had good size, great shooter, good ball handling skills, and a cool customer.  I don't remember him being that much different than Joe Johnson.  Why didn't he get drafted and why didn't he make it? 

Had average size for an NBA 2; had a good shot, but couldn't create his own;  had sub-standard ball handling skills for an NBA 2;  didn't rebound well for a 2;  was a defensive liability in man situations, which was partially disguised at Arkansas by the outstanding zone and guard depth that we used to run at people.

He was the most clutch player,arguably,  in the history of the Hogs-- but not in Joe's neighborhood as an athlete.

[JYH]

Had average size for an NBA 2; had a good shot, but couldn't create his own;  had sub-standard ball handling skills for an NBA 2;  didn't rebound well for a 2;  was a defensive liability in man situations, which was partially disguised at Arkansas by the outstanding zone and guard depth that we used to run at people.

He was the most clutch player,arguably,  in the history of the Hogs-- but not in Joe's neighborhood as an athlete.

He was pigeon footed

[riccoar]

He also was not smart enough to know he should have come back for his senior year.

[TomasPistola]

One more year would have made a difference. Dunno if he'd have been drafted, but it would have helped...and we might have won another title.

[CallMeAl]

Basically, Scotty Thurman never played in the NBA. To be good in the NBA, you at least need to actually play in the league. I know it sounds crazy. But that is just the way it is.

[upperdeck_hawg]

all the weaknesses that are talked about such as his defensive liability and inability to create his own shot were more perception than reality. they are the same "flaws" that kept him from getting any major offers besides us and La Tech coming out of HS. he did pretty decent guarding people in our system and always seemed to find his own shot. i think if an nba team gave him a chance(the way nolan gave him a chance by offereing a schollie), he would have been a decent nba player. nevertheless, he made good money playing overseas.

[Franchise_Hog]

He also was not smart enough to know he should have come back for his senior year.

I also feel like if he left right after we on the championship, he gets drafted for sure and Corliss probably goes like 5 or 6 instead of 13.

[rzrbackrob]

The two greatest shooters in Razorback history never played in the NBA

Scotty Thurman
Marvin Delph

[joeyself]

One more year would have made a difference. Dunno if he'd have been drafted, but it would have helped...and we might have won another title.

You think the '95-96 squad was just a Scotty Thurman away from winning a title?

Or were you thinking he left after '94?  He played on the team that was runner-up to UCLA in '95.

JcS

[mbgrulz]

He had good size, great shooter, good ball handling skills, and a cool customer.  I don't remember him being that much different than Joe Johnson.  Why didn't he get drafted and why didn't he make it? 

Joe Johnson is an NBA superstar. He is 6-8 and is a natural 1 or 2.  The guy can do it all. In no way shape or form was Scotty ever on JJ's level.

[ErieHog]

all the weaknesses that are talked about such as his defensive liability and inability to create his own shot were more perception than reality. they are the same "flaws" that kept him from getting any major offers besides us and La Tech coming out of HS. he did pretty decent guarding people in our system and always seemed to find his own shot. i think if an nba team gave him a chance(the way nolan gave him a chance by offereing a schollie), he would have been a decent nba player. nevertheless, he made good money playing overseas.

They weren't 'perception issues' -- the guy was what he was.    Within Arkansas' system, it worked out extremely well--  when put on a court with 9 other guys with NBA games, it wasn't plausible.

[MaxMaloney]

i think if an nba team gave him a chance(the way nolan gave him a chance by offereing a schollie), he would have been a decent nba player.

I agree with you and Rusty on this.  There are so many players who could be stars in the league, but just don't get the opportunity to play because of what their reputation is coming in.  Scouts were extra tough on players coming out early at that time and once they found a weakness in his game, they completely dismissed him as an NBA player. 

[ErieHog]

I agree with you and Rusty on this.  There are so many players who could be stars in the league, but just don't get the opportunity to play because of what their reputation is coming in.  Scouts were extra tough on players coming out early at that time and once they found a weakness in his game, they completely dismissed him as an NBA player. 

The problem is that the NBA *does* this.  It's called training camp, the NBA Developmental league, as well as their formal arrangements with the CBA--  none of which panned out for Thurman.    Admittedly, he never had the D-league platform as it exists now, but the Nets saw his game up close and in person---and found it lacking.

[deshahawg]

If you can't create your own shots you don't make it in the NBA. The NBA is not a team sport.

[TomasPistola]

You think the '95-96 squad was just a Scotty Thurman away from winning a title?

Or were you thinking he left after '94?  He played on the team that was runner-up to UCLA in '95.

JcS

I thought he left after 94...could be wrong.

[fineswine]

Thurman played in those "exhibition" games with other wanna be NBA players.  He didn't have the skill set.  Marty Blake, if I remember correctly, let it be known it would be a mistake for him to come out. 

[NedBeattySquealed]

The two greatest shooters in Razorback history never played in the NBA

Scotty Thurman
Marvin Delph

Make that 3:
Al Dillard

[HognotinMemphis]

He had good size, great shooter, good ball handling skills, and a cool customer.  I don't remember him being that much different than Joe Johnson.  Why didn't he get drafted and why didn't he make it?

Good lord, son. Are you young or just stupid? Don't remember him being that much different that Johnson? They could not have been more different in every aspect...height, weight, strength, quickness, jumping ability, variety of shot-making, et al.

It is not that Thurman was not successful in the NBA. He never even got a chance to make it in the NBA...that is how much separates Johnson from Thurman. Johnson = 1st round NBA draft pick and Thurman = not drafted at all.

[TDHog]

all the weaknesses that are talked about such as his defensive liability and inability to create his own shot were more perception than reality. they are the same "flaws" that kept him from getting any major offers besides us and La Tech coming out of HS. he did pretty decent guarding people in our system and always seemed to find his own shot. i think if an nba team gave him a chance(the way nolan gave him a chance by offereing a schollie), he would have been a decent nba player. nevertheless, he made good money playing overseas.

I have to disagree with you on this, btw Thurman was my favorite player off of that team, but he played very lazy D.  He perfected the  tap the ball from behind as the player drives past you.  Problem is, sometimes he missed the ball.

[HognotinMemphis]

The two greatest shooters in Razorback history never played in the NBA

Scotty Thurman
Marvin Delph

Brewer and Moncrief were much better all court shooters than Thurman. Just because Thurman hit a clutch 3 to win the NCAAT and was a pretty good 3 pt shooter, don't let that obscure the performances of these players over their entire collegiate careers. Check the stats - Brewer and Moncrief were far superior in shot percentage than Thurman and they took a ton of shots over their careers at Arkansas. Plus, both Brewer and Moncrief stayed at Arkansas through their senior years then went on to very successful and long NBA careers. Thurman left Ark after his junior year and never saw the court in an NBA game.

[joeyself]

I thought he left after 94...could be wrong.

From Scotty's Wikipedia entry:

"After again leading Arkansas to the National Championship game in 1995, Thurman, along with teammate and future NBA player Corliss Williamson, left college early to make himself available for the 1995 NBA Draft."

I remember during the '96 season thinking how much we needed Thurman---well, Williamson, too, but I understood his move.

JcS

[Ross U (HDHF)]

From Scotty's Wikipedia entry:

"After again leading Arkansas to the National Championship game in 1995, Thurman, along with teammate and future NBA player Corliss Williamson, left college early to make himself available for the 1995 NBA Draft."

I remember during the '96 season thinking how much we needed Thurman---well, Williamson, too, but I understood his move.

JcS

Yeah I remember him having an awful shooting night in the '95 title game.

[rzrbackrob]

Brewer and Moncrief were much better all court shooters than Thurman. Just because Thurman hit a clutch 3 to win the NCAAT and was a pretty good 3 pt shooter, don't let that obscure the performances of these players over their entire collegiate careers. Check the stats - Brewer and Moncrief were far superior in shot percentage than Thurman and they took a ton of shots over their careers at Arkansas. Plus, both Brewer and Moncrief stayed at Arkansas through their senior years then went on to very successful and long NBA careers. Thurman left Ark after his junior year and never saw the court in an NBA game.

I will never say anything bad about Boot or Sid, but if I had only one player in Razorback history to take a game winning shot, it would be Scotty Thurman. Sidney was the greatest overall player in hog history. Brewer was maybe the best at elevating and getting his own shot. Delph was the greatest pure shooter I ever saw.

[the donger]

Uh, because he wasn't good enough.

[Overtheroadtruckdriver]

I played some pick-up games with him and with Corliss back in the day. It was obvious Corliss was a superior athlete to anyone playing that day but Thurman just sat outside and jacked up threes. Even though it was a pickup game, he gave little effort and seemed to not care. After the games they went to the weight room where Corliss worked out hard and Thurman stood around and talked and went through two half hearted sets of curls on a machine. He didn't make it in the NBA because he wasn't a hard workerin the offseason and didn't push himself to get better, at least on the one day I played against him.

[HognotinMemphis]

I will never say anything bad about Boot or Sid, but if I had only one player in Razorback history to take a game winning shot, it would be Scotty Thurman. Sidney was the greatest overall player in hog history. Brewer was maybe the best at elevating and getting his own shot. Delph was the greatest pure shooter I ever saw.

If you took a vote of players and fans that were of age in both eras, I guarantee you that Moncrief would beat out Thurman 5 to 1 in a vote of which player you'd rather have take a game winning or tying shot. I watched almost every game that Moncrief played for the Hogs and I watched every game that Thurman played for the Hogs. My educated guess is that Moncrief made at least twice as many game winning shots as did Thurman. No Hog has ever been more clutch than Moncrief. Brewer is a closer second to Moncrief than is Thurman.

[Overtheroadtruckdriver]

I will agree about Sidney. No one since him has had his ability to rise to the occasion and carry the team the way he did, especially his senior season.

[HognotinMemphis]

I will agree about Sidney. No one since him has had his ability to rise to the occasion and carry the team the way he did, especially his senior season.

Exactly right regarding how he performed during his senior year on a relatively young team that lost 4 starters, Schall, Brewer, Delph and Counce, from the previous year. Sid's senior year that team consisted of him and true freshman US Reed. Sid carried that team like no one has ever carried a team. They would have made the FF again too if not for running into a once in a lifetime player (Bird) in the Elite Eight game.

[Overtheroadtruckdriver]

Larry Bird, Indiana State, and a freak shot at the end of the game kept us out of the final four that year. Sid had the best year any hog has ever had that year in terms of carrying the team and what he meant to the team. He almost singlehandedly put Arkansas basketball on the map and made it relevant in a state that had little use for basketball until he came along. Delph and Brewer were great, but Sidney was the key to that final four team and he was the key to basketball continuing to be relevant in future years, as we were able to start getting guys like Walker and Robertson into our program...

[rzrbackrob]

If you took a vote of players and fans that were of age in both eras, I guarantee you that Moncrief would beat out Thurman 5 to 1 in a vote of which player you'd rather have take a game winning or tying shot. I watched almost every game that Moncrief played for the Hogs and I watched every game that Thurman played for the Hogs. My educated guess is that Moncrief made at least twice as many game winning shots as did Thurman. No Hog has ever been more clutch than Moncrief. Brewer is a closer second to Moncrief than is Thurman.

I love Sid the Squid more than any other Hog in any sport, but I would choose Scotty to take a game winning shot from outside the 3 point line. I would guess Scotty would win that vote 5 to 1.

[The Hawg Marshal]

I gotta go with Super Sid taking any shot with the game on the line. He was just that good.

[mountainhog]

Scotty's problem is simple,  He was too slow.

Sidney put the hogs on the map as a  basketball school.  He did what it took to win games.
Something we havent seen for a while.

[rzrbackrob]

Larry Bird, Indiana State, and a freak shot at the end of the game kept us out of the final four that year. Sid had the best year any hog has ever had that year in terms of carrying the team and what he meant to the team. He almost singlehandedly put Arkansas basketball on the map and made it relevant in a state that had little use for basketball until he came along. Delph and Brewer were great, but Sidney was the key to that final four team and he was the key to basketball continuing to be relevant in future years, as we were able to start getting guys like Walker and Robertson into our program...

The day Indiana St. beat us on that junk basket was the most distraught I have been after any Hog loss. I remember the '69 game but I was just too young to understand what that loss meant. Sid outplayed Larry Bird in that game.

[12247]

Scotty Thurman played for Nolan and did well.  If he had played for Heath, he would have been much like Welsh.  Either way, no NBA.