# Meet The So Called "Italian Stallion" Danilo Gallinari



## USSKittyHawk (Jul 22, 2005)

> "Danilo Gallinari is a tough-as-nails Italian stallion who will become more popular than "The Sopranos" if drafted by the Knicks. That's the view of some European-based NBA scouts who see Gallinari's skills, versatility, height, power, breeding and shot making worthy of a high lottery pick. Others, however, wonder if Gallinari's athleticism is good enough for him to be a competent NBA defender at small forward. Gallinari, a 19-year-old, 6-foot-10 superstar of the Italian League, has become the NBA draft's biggest mystery - as anonymous as Rocky before fighting Apollo Creed. "
> 
> Knicks president Donnie Walsh dispatched Isiah Thomas overseas last week to take a look at Gallinari.
> 
> ...


http://www.nypost.com/seven/05222008/sports/knicks/meet_the_italian_stallion_111964.htm

This article was posted already, but was buried in the draft thread. Since some folks are going ga ga over him, I thought he was worth his own thread.


----------



## croco (Feb 14, 2005)

He is going to be good, but he is nobody you are ever going to build your team around. And I don't know what kind of scout that is, but claiming that he would get 25-30 ppg in college is pretty ridiculous.


----------



## alphaorange (Jul 2, 2006)

*Please.....*

This kid is going to be very good. Don't know why everyone is so down on Euros but he has serious game...especially at his age. Who else are we going to draft? Mayo? There are serious questions about him, too. Particularly about his ceiling. I dunno about 25-30 points but he is playing in a tougher league than the NCAA and he's getting close to 20.

He may never get to 7' but he shoots like Dirk, handles better, passes better, is tougher, is more athletic, and CAN'T be any worse on defense. He also has more variety in his game. If we pick him, I won't be cryin'.

BTW, we are prolly not going to get a guy to build around at 6 unless that guy surprises everyone. Be happy with a quality starter and POSSIBLE all star.


----------



## croco (Feb 14, 2005)

He is not a great shooter, he is streaky at best. He does have the potential to become a very good shooter, but I don't picture him as a great scorer.


----------



## alphaorange (Jul 2, 2006)

*ummm.....*

40% from three at his age (and in the playoffs, as well) says better than streaky.


----------



## croco (Feb 14, 2005)

That is the FIBA three pointer, not the NBA range.


----------



## alphaorange (Jul 2, 2006)

*OK...I get it*

You're no fan. I would suggest you watch his clips. He has near perfect form and release on his J and he is shown shooting from far beyond the FIBA line. He has been known as a long distance dialer since he was 16 years old. Do some homework, son, shooting is not an issue.


----------



## croco (Feb 14, 2005)

I suggest you don't assume how much I have seen of him. At this point he just isn't a great shooter, that doesn't mean he can't have great shooting form and mechanics. Martell Webster and Kevin Durant also have perfect form and release, yet they are not great shooters because they aren't hitting at an adequate clip. And just for clarification if you bring up stats, he is only shooting 31 percent from three in the Euroleague which is a much better indicator since the overall quality is better in that league/tournament.


----------



## HB (May 1, 2004)

The Knicks dont need a SF though


----------



## USSKittyHawk (Jul 22, 2005)

^ Pretty much, and I hope we don't take him.


----------



## alphaorange (Jul 2, 2006)

*Kitty, I hope you're right...*

Are you really that high on Chandler? For all the hype and the way the rankings are going nuts after the first 2 picks, I think I'd really like to get Mayo. Seems like a combination of Wade and Marbury but can be a stopper on defense. I saw him against Rose, and he made him(Rose) look very ordinary. I would definitely like to get another top 15 pick and take a flyer on a athletic defensive center. I don't think Curry can play in this system. Mayo and Jordan would do it for me.


----------



## USSKittyHawk (Jul 22, 2005)

^Dog, I'll take Mayo, but would he still be on the board? I'm in agreement with trying to get another pick in the 1st round it's time for the young guns to get playing time, and dump the overpaid bums. We definitely need a defensive center in the worst way. I'm going to the draft this year, I just hope I don't be disappointed.


----------



## Gotham2krazy (Nov 22, 2005)

USSKittyHawk said:


> ^Dog, I'll take Mayo, but would he still be on the board? I'm in agreement with trying to get another pick in the 1st round it's time for the young guns to get playing time, and dump the overpaid bums. We definitely need a defensive center in the worst way. I'm going to the draft this year, I just hope I don't be disappointed.


As big and as NBA ready Mayo is, I just have a bad feeling about him Kitty. I think he's only going to bring trouble to the Big Apple and the enormous pressure of the Mecca will cause this kid to collapse. But I think we ought to get a few more picks, with the fire sale going on in this year's draft, I'm sure Walsh can get something done.


----------



## alphaorange (Jul 2, 2006)

*Gotham....*

Read Chad Fords article on Mayo. You might change your mind. Let me know if you can't find it and I'll try to link it.


----------



## Gotham2krazy (Nov 22, 2005)

*Re: Gotham....*



alphaorange said:


> Read Chad Fords article on Mayo. You might change your mind. Let me know if you can't find it and I'll try to link it.


couldn't find it, link me please, thanks


----------



## alphaorange (Jul 2, 2006)

*Couple of links...*

First is a clip of Galinari:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Hb1n1FucdHE 


This is the Ford article from a Realgm post: (Sorry Mods.....no link)

"CHICAGO -- O.J. Mayo is drenched in sweat. His muscles are twitching. His trainer, Tim Grover, is yelling in his ear, "Don't let it beat you, O.J. Don't let it beat you."

Mayo is horizontal, in a push-up position, both hands on a yellow medicine ball. The ball is sitting on a Power Plate -- a vibration device that can shake the fillings out of your teeth.

He holds on. His facial muscles tense. The vibration continues. The burn sets in.

Meanwhile, Jay-Z's "Say Hello" is blasting in the background:
Say hello
To the bad guy
Hello
They say I'm a bad guy
I come from the bottom
But now I'm mad fly
Say hello
They say I'm a menace
That's the picture they paint
Hello
They say a lot about me
Let me tell ya what I ain't
Hello

Mayo finishes the grueling drill, which focuses on improving his core, hops up and begins rapping the lyrics. Then he stops, turns and looks at me with a smile on his face. And says:

"I'm not a bad guy, Mr. Ford!"

Everyone thinks they know O.J. Everyone.

Since Sports Illustrated profiled him as a seventh grader, his name has come to be synonymous with both the best and the worst of high school and college basketball. Thousands of articles have been written glorifying his amazing basketball skills on the court. Hundreds more have picked apart his every word, his every action.

His confidence is interpreted as arrogance. When he shoots the ball, he's selfish. When he passes it, he's criticized for not shooting it. When he wins, he's showboating. When he loses, the fingers collectively point his way.

He's been arguably the most scrutinized young player, on and off the court, in the history of the game. Perhaps no basketball player, from the age of 15 and on, has been under more pressure to be everything we want him to be.

By the time he reached USC, the expectations were so high that his strong freshman season -- he averaged 20.7 points per game while shooting 41 percent from 3-point range -- was largely labeled a disappointment, and even a disaster by some.

So when I walked into Tim Grover's A.T.T.A.C.K. Athletics Center on Wednesday, I already knew what I was going to see: O.J. Mayo, the bad man.

Except I didn't.

At 8 a.m., Mayo is the first person in the gym, working on his jump shot before the rest of the predraft participants arrive. He's the first one in the gym most mornings. According to those around him, it's always that way.

In group workouts, Mayo dominates ... not with his words or body language, but with his play. The thousands of hours of jumpers have translated into a shot that Mayo can make anywhere on the floor.

He can take his man off the dribble. He can finish at the rim. In a 3-on-3 game on Thursday, he made pinpoint pass after pinpoint pass. When Gonzaga's Jeremy Pargo tried to get physical on offense, Mayo got in his grill and shut him down.

As he prepares for the draft and his rookie season, his day in the gym is long and draining:

By 10 a.m. he's in an intense weightlifting and core workout. Every 30 seconds, there's another drill.

At 11 a.m., he's back on the court with trainer Mike Procopio, working on his 3-point shot.

His mother sits patiently on the side, watching his every move. She's determined to protect her son after allegations that O.J. took money from Rodney Guillory, a former Mayo confidant and runner connected with Bill Duffy Associates Sports Management.

After a 30-minute lunch, Mayo's back in the gym going through the same routine.

At 4 p.m., he's still sinking jumpers in a quiet corner of the gym.

He's been at this every day. In many ways, it's been his life since the seventh grade -- preparing for something that everyone says he should be.

"I love basketball," he says when I ask why he works like this. "Basketball is my life."

At the start of the college season, I had Mayo ranked as the top pick in the draft. Despite controversies swirling around him, the consensus from scouts who had watched him play for years was that he was one of the most talented prospects in the past decade.

He was considered by some to be a smaller LeBron James or a young Magic Johnson. Mayo's high school stats were off the charts. His teams won three straight state titles and every game he played, his opponent's goal was to stop him. They rarely did. He dominated the competition.

When he announced he was going to USC, many, Mayo included, thought he'd be the catalyst to turn USC into another UCLA. It didn't quite work out that way.

Head coach Tim Floyd decided to play Mayo off the ball. After having been criticized for not being a team player, Mayo decided he needed to show he could fit into a system. He passed up shots he'd normally take. He didn't have the ball in his hands the way he normally did. Many of his shots had to be taken with the shot clock set to expire after his teammates couldn't find a shot.

Mayo's numbers were below expectations. So was USC's win total. By January, NBA teams were pushing and shoving to get off the Mayo bandwagon. Many claimed he was overrated. A number of scouts I spoke with said that Mayo was no longer even a top-10 pick.

But NBA scouts and general managers started to change their minds after they went back and reviewed his tapes and numbers. Mayo's defense began to stand out. He shut down Derrick Rose in a midseason matchup against Memphis and did the same to Arizona's Jerryd Bayless at the end of February. He averaged two steals per game over his last nine games.

The video also showed that Mayo began to settle down offensively. After a miserable 10-turnover performance against UCLA, he averaged just 2.1 turnovers per game. His 3-point shot started falling with more regularity -- he shot 54 percent from 3-point range in his last nine games. And he started scoring at a greater clip, averaging 24 ppg.

Background checks found surprising things, too. Mayo scored 29 on his ACT and made the honor roll at USC. Floyd gave glowing reviews about Mayo's maturity and leadership on the team. There were no off-court incidents that people could point to, and his humility and calm demeanor, among those who know him, came through as well.

Most importantly, teams started to see not only "Mayo, the star" and started seeing "Mayo, the survivor" -- a tough kid who has handled the spotlight and criticism in the way stars should do, with grace and aplomb.

By the time the news broke that a member of his inner circle alleged that Mayo received gifts while still in college, NBA GMs largely shrugged.

"After all that scrutiny, if that's all they can come up with, then O.J. is in the clear," one GM said. "From all the evidence we can gather, O.J. is a good kid."

Grover agrees.

"He's a hard worker," Grover said. "He works as hard as anyone. He's a quick learner. He's great with the other guys. He's polite. He's punctual. He takes nothing for granted. He thanks you for everything. We've had zero problems with O.J. He's a great kid."

Grover has worked with Michael Jordan and Kobe Bryant, and he trained Dwyane Wade in similar predraft workouts. He says that O.J. has a similar "it" factor to those players.

"You have to love the game and work on it constantly," Grover said. "The best guys are always in the gym. They're always learning and perfecting their games. O.J. does that. "His knowledge of the game is so deep. By January he will have picked up all the little tricks that the veterans do. Some guys never pick that up."

Mayo tries to shrug off the compliments and the swirling criticism around him.

"I don't like to talk about myself," he says. "It doesn't matter what other people think. I know that. I just want to play basketball, this is my dream. I know I need to get better. I want to get better. I know it takes hard work. I just want to win."

Two days in the gym watching Mayo make it clear that the hype, adulation and focus on his weaknesses have created an unrealistic picture of the man and the player, and caused many of us to miss the basic facts.

There aren't any guards in the draft with a more complete game than Mayo. He can defend, facilitate and score in multiple ways. And there aren't many prospects more NBA-ready than he is. He's shown he can persevere through the intense media and fan spotlight and other distractions, too.

His charisma makes him a natural leader, and his poise on and off the court is startling for a young man who has just played one year of college ball.

But all of this doesn't mean he's without weaknesses. Mayo is still caught in between positions -- he's unproven at point guard and undersized if he plays the 2. He's a good athlete, but not an elite one. His shot selection is questionable at times and he sometimes tries to do too much. And he doesn't always lock in on defense.

But none of Mayo's weak suits threaten to derail his future in the NBA. They may limit his potential to a degree, but it's hard to see how Mayo doesn't succeed in the league.

Chad Ford covers the NBA for ESPN Insider."


----------



## Da Grinch (Aug 17, 2002)

To me this is a team that won 23 games , there is no one so good the 6th pick in the draft cant replace or demote if the guy can really play .

no one on the roster player worthy of the honor of being the franchise player, so to me the team doesn't have one ...and at #6 its not very likely to get one in the draft , just another good player and with the exception of eddy and zach pretty much every1 is a multi positional player .

my prefernce hasn't changed I still think Kevin love is the guy, i think the knicks would be better served by using their physicality to beat teams , but if dalinari is everything they say he is i wouldn't be upset at all, chandler can play the 2 and he can play the 4 , I'm not sure he has an ideal position , just like balkman these guys are just players , put them out there and let them cause havoc, they rebound, run the floor, play defense, block shots, handle the ball, abit shoot(well chandler can anyway) score in a myriad of ways .

good teams dont worry so much about matching up to other teams , they do it , but mostly they make the other team match up to them and make them them play their way.


----------



## alphaorange (Jul 2, 2006)

*Grinch...Chandler is no 2*

And Love is not a difference maker. Beating teams with physicality is gone with the wind. Strength is only as important as to not be so weak as to be ineffective. Agree with the rest of your post, though.


----------



## HB (May 1, 2004)

Pick Mayo or Gordon. Marbury is done with the Knicks


----------



## alphaorange (Jul 2, 2006)

*No Gordon*

Inconsistent shot.....poor PG skills......poor size for a SG.....so so defender. Too much risk for the potential reward, IMO.


----------



## Damian Necronamous (Jun 10, 2002)

The Knicks would be crazy not to pick Mayo if he is, for some strange reason, still there at #6.


----------



## Da Grinch (Aug 17, 2002)

*Re: Grinch...Chandler is no 2*



alphaorange said:


> And Love is not a difference maker. Beating teams with physicality is gone with the wind. Strength is only as important as to not be so weak as to be ineffective. Agree with the rest of your post, though.


physicality isn't just strength ,there is explosion, speed, size.

i dont think there are too many people who can find flaws with being bigger, stronger, more athletic, and faster than the other team, and the knicks despite their many flaws are physically a very diverse and talented team, most teams build along the lines of having 1 type of athlete , the knicks pretty much have evrything, they can throw out lineups that can bully you , (Curry ,zach, qrich or chandler mardy and steph) outquick you (lee, jeffries or chandler balkman , nate and jamal)

in the post its still very important to be stronger than the other guy since all the best ones are pretty strong for their positions...if you expect to score much because you have to fight and win position down low (yao , amare, shaq) swignmen like james, maggette or even kobe wouldn't be nearly as good if they weren't physically superior to the ones guarding them and able to push people around on occasion,

the knicks biggest problems stem from things between the ears like selfishness and that collectively they often play somewhat dumb, and in fundamentals like passing and free throw shooting. mayo has qualities that help but its not what he is , he is a scorer , the knicks dont really need scorers , they need guys who make impacts when they dont have the ball, they need guys who go and get more possessions , by getting, steals, rebounds and blocks , guys who make their teammates better not take away from them by making them spectators. Love can be the kind of player other players want to play with because like a good pass 1st pg he rewards players for running as he is considered the best passing big man to come out of college since bill walton some over 30 yrs ago.

galinari appears to be a better fit because he is very familiar with that style of play unlike mayo whom i know most are pining for here , and who in all likelyhood wont even be available making all of this moot. but there have been story floating around that when d'antoni was at phoenix he didn't think Gallinari would be ready to play nba ball...and that its really walsh who is enamored with him.

mayo for all his good qualities physically is like the zach randolph of 2 guards short, avg. athlete for his position, highly skilled but likely doesn't have the physical tools to be one of the top guys at his spot like kobe, joe johnson or wade.i dont think he'll be much better than crawford/hinrich larry hughes type player, players of his size and relative skillset , he may be better but i cant see so much better that its worth drafting him , 
he could be a star , he could not be (hey jamal just had a 20 and 5 season most would consider that a star caliber season) if i thought he could be another wade i would want him instead but i dont , i think he fits into the mold of a lil' too small and lacks the athelic ability to be dominant ...i mean he is the same size as eric gordon and every1 says he is too small ...


----------



## alphaorange (Jul 2, 2006)

*I agree with much of what you say*

However, I don't think there is any intention of "fixing" this team. Most of the scoring you are talking about will be gone in the end. Marbury, Randolph, Curry, and to a lesser degree JC, are being actively shopped, or they will let their contracts run out. Figure this team to be made up of the young guys plus whatever FAs they manage to snag in '10. IMO, it is very hard to imagine what way they will go and who they will keep because so much depends on who they have to trade to get rid of the large undesirables. I don't see Love as a fit with D'Antoni's style. He's not a plodder, but he's no racehorse, either. Plus at 6'8 (really), he's a little short. Guess we'll see.


----------



## Da Grinch (Aug 17, 2002)

*Re: I agree with much of what you say*



alphaorange said:


> However, I don't think there is any intention of "fixing" this team. Most of the scoring you are talking about will be gone in the end. Marbury, Randolph, Curry, and to a lesser degree JC, are being actively shopped, or they will let their contracts run out. Figure this team to be made up of the young guys plus whatever FAs they manage to snag in '10. IMO, it is very hard to imagine what way they will go and who they will keep because so much depends on who they have to trade to get rid of the large undesirables. I don't see Love as a fit with D'Antoni's style. He's not a plodder, but he's no racehorse, either. Plus at 6'8 (really), he's a little short. Guess we'll see.



they want free agents...that means staying competitive because no one wants to play on a bad team, they will keep some at least and try to make work and make it fun...also i dont think their plan will work anyway , LBJ will get to pick his next star to play with , the cavs will have max money too in 2010.(LBJ's contract will be for 17 mil. for 2011)..they dont have anyone on their cap except LBJ in 2010 and thats a player option , so basically they will be letting him pick his running mate...he may even have enough money to pick 2 guys 

miami has wade with a player option for beyond 2010, but he too can be free that summer and only him , cook and banks on the hook for 2011...for 21 mil.

this free agent plan is dumb, who is going to choose the knicks over playing with wade or lebron?

especially since they will be stripping the team down to make room for them , there is very little incentive.

Love is listed at 6'10 at UCLA, they dont have a history of embellishing heights like some schools do. but lets say he's 6'9, 6'8 seems very unlikely, it doesn't matter all that much , he isn't a leaper anyway he isn't going to be shooting over people anyway , he is primarily going to be using his bulk and excellent footwork,if players like david west and zach randolph can score in the post than so can Love. and i dont think any1 will be drafting him to be their top post up guy downlow ....but moreso to run you need the ball, he is an excellent rebounder and outlet passer , the knicks are basically the worst team in the league at getting blocks and steals...with him they can run off of misses and even made baskets at time .

also he has become adept at hitting 3's as a trailer.

he'll be fine in a running game.


----------



## ChosenFEW (Jun 23, 2005)

3 words

not im pressed


lol


whatever I'd draft someone who would have some sort of value in a trade later on..... I dont really like anyone after 5 ......actually after 2.....actually i only really like rose


----------



## USSKittyHawk (Jul 22, 2005)

I did some research on Love, he appears to be David Lee with a decent jumper. Do we really need to go there?


----------



## croco (Feb 14, 2005)

USSKittyHawk said:


> I did some research on Love, he appears to be David Lee with a decent jumper. Do we really need to go there?


Love is nowhere near as athletic and I also don't think he will be an outstanding rebounder either. However is much more skilled in the post, can hit a jumpshot outside to 18-20 feet, is a great passer and has a high basketball IQ. I don't expect him to be a lot more valuable than Lee in the NBA though.


----------



## Da Grinch (Aug 17, 2002)

USSKittyHawk said:


> I did some research on Love, he appears to be David Lee with a decent jumper. Do we really need to go there?


he isn't similar to david lee at all...except for skin color.

david lee ,excellent athlete(beat vince carter in the mcdonald's slam dunk contest ) ...love ok athlete 
Lee generally gets by on his leaping ability and quickness advantage on other 4's...Love tends to use his strength advantage and technical superiority.

david lee in college weak jumpshooter (0-6 3 point range in 4 years)

Love very good jumpshooter(.354 from 3 higher than the probable top pick derrick rose) and likes to take it ...lee has come into the league a very reluctant jumpshooter and its taken him years to take the open jumpshot with regularity.

despite Lee's superior athletic ability , Love blocks more shots because he is a true post player while lee is a converted wing player.

basically Lee is an energy guy .

love is an offensive player.


----------



## HB (May 1, 2004)

Alexander is the Lee type athlete


----------



## USSKittyHawk (Jul 22, 2005)

Da Grinch said:


> he isn't similar to david lee at all...except for skin color.
> 
> david lee ,excellent athlete(beat vince carter in the mcdonald's slam dunk contest ) ...love ok athlete
> Lee generally gets by on his leaping ability and quickness advantage on other 4's...Love tends to use his strength advantage and technical superiority.
> ...


I'll take your word for it Grinch, but you know who I want, but I won't get my hopes up.


----------



## alphaorange (Jul 2, 2006)

*There are so many ways to go...*

Keep Lee and get Galinari if Mayo doesn't drop. Move Curry for a similar contract and another first rounder. Just spitballing, but the Nets #10 + Swift and Hassel for Curry and? That would give us Galinari, Lee, and maybe Jordan or McGee up front with a chance to grab Deron Williams or Paul in 2010. 

Curry back to the Bulls for Heinrich? Provided the Bulls draft Rose. Gives the Bulls the low post scoring they need and Noah makes up for Curry's lack of defense. Nice combo with Rose. Knicks get a tough PG with a nice game. No Rose but very decent.

Rumor has Philly interested in Randolph to fill the low post scoring void. What do they have? 

Depending on who we get.....or who we can move....the team could be a different animal all together next season. I can't wait.


----------

