Rising Stars of the Spanish National Team

by Cheese Is Yellow on Sep 16, 2009 5:16 PM PDT

Two rising stars in the NBA are pictured above; on the left is Marc Gasol (C/F) of the Memphis Grizzlies, and on the right is Rudy Fernandez (G) of the Trail Blazers. Both men have been getting significant playing time for Spain in Eurobasket. My question to you is this: Which one will have a better year next year, and which one will have the better career?

Rudy Fernandez

In his record-setting NBA debut season, Rudy set a record for most 3 pointers made in a season by a rookie (159) as well as consecutive games with at least one 3 point completion by a rookie (33) and was the first rookie to sink at least one three pointer in his first 20 games. Standing at 6'6, Rudy has an odd three point shooting motion in which he barely jumps, but used it very effectively last season, with a .399 3 Pt. percentage, second to Steve Blake on the Blazers in percentage. As a very athletic player, Rudy represented the Blazers in the Slam Dunk contest, where he was eliminated in the first round. During the season, Fernandez was given 25.6 minutes per game and averaged 10.4 points per game along with 2 assists per game. Fernandez has been played primarily at the SG position but is capable of playing PG.

Marc Gasol

Marc, the younger brother of Laker Pau Gasol, is one of the main centerpeices of the Grizzlies rebuilding project. Gasol has proved to be a steady, consistent player, scoring 11.4 PPG and 7.4 APG in 30.7 minutes per game. Towering at 7'1, Gasol is a formidable weapon on offense as well as defense, where he averaged 1.1 BPG.

Marc plays a lot more than Rudy does, and he also gets the ball more. Rudy, however, can be trusted to take the big shot as he won championships for his teams in Europe. In addition, Rudy can handle the basketball very well and pass will both pizzaz and effeciency, a key attribute in any guard. In the end, I think that Marc and Rudy will both become very sucessful players, with Marc starting for the Grizzlies for much of his career as the Center, and Rudy hopefully becoming a point guard/shooting guard for the Blazers. Next year, I think Marc is set for a better year because he will get more time and because he has a talented passer in Allen Iverson. I believe that Fernandez will have a breakout year next year, but he will not acheive as great a year as Gasol.

Please post your remarks, suggestions, concerns, etc. Thanks, people!

Poll

Which Spaniard will have a better season next year? A better career?

Marc will, and he will also have a better career.

8 votes

Marc will, but Rudy will have a more successful career.

36 votes

Rudy will, and he will be more succesful than Marc.

103 votes

Rudy will, but Marc will have the better career.

14 votes

161 votes | Poll has closed

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Comments

i think you mean

7.4 RPG for Mark

by raging WebTed on Sep 16, 2009 6:50 PM PDT reply actions

Yes and 11.9 PPG

according to basketball-reference.com

That will probably change all the Rudy votes to Marc votes!

I just listen for Casey. His voice gives me tingles. —Dave

by lee3022 on Sep 17, 2009 9:46 PM PDT up reply actions

Claver

by GregOdensRings on Sep 16, 2009 9:39 PM PDT reply actions

Marc Gasol will have a better career

If Rudy stays in Spain for the rest of his life and never looks at a basketball again.

by 22blazer on Sep 16, 2009 9:40 PM PDT reply actions

This poll is probably going to be a bit lopsided....

Don’t ya think?

Big D from Blog-A-Bull - "Pritchard is such a genius that teams just give him players for free."

Greg Oden - The only other rookie with more than 500 points, 400 rebounds, and 65 blocks in under 1400 minutes played. Since 1946

by FiveOhThree-RipCity!! on Sep 16, 2009 10:57 PM PDT reply actions

Marc had the better rookie season

I don’t like his chances to improve with the motley crue that’s surrounding him in Memphis.

by jksnake99 on Sep 16, 2009 11:04 PM PDT reply actions

Actually Greg Oden had the better rookie season

On a 36 min basis. But the best statistic is missing – 54 for Rudy and 24 for Marc!

I just listen for Casey. His voice gives me tingles. —Dave

by lee3022 on Sep 17, 2009 9:51 PM PDT up reply actions

Jeez, I don't know enough about Marc Gasol to make a choice here

If Rudy stays with the Blazers he’s likely to win more and thus be considered better.

You can measure skill and talent with your eyes, but productivity is shown through statistics.

by austinpwnz on Sep 16, 2009 11:09 PM PDT reply actions

You're comparing manzanas to naranjas, Pancho...

"A bizarre and extremely rare hybrid Blazer/Laker fan, Timbo has always struggled to contain the Beast Within, like Dr. Jekyll, Bruce Banner, or Ted Kennedy." — Miled Animal

by timbo on Sep 16, 2009 11:39 PM PDT reply actions

you need big huevos to say something like that

Without you out there, we're nowhere here

by 22baylor on Sep 18, 2009 4:49 PM PDT up reply actions

I would vote Rudy

I would also strongly argue that he can NOT play point guard in the NBA. Despite some highlight reel passes and lobs, his ball handling skills are nowhere near sufficient to run an NBA offense.

He is a pure shooting guard who gets put on the court in odd lineups so the Blazers can get him minutes and also keep Brandon Roy on the court. This does not make either one of them good point guards. If we are ever in a situation where either Roy or Rudy is forced to log significant time at the ‘1’, we are in big big trouble.

by matthewcc on Sep 17, 2009 7:51 AM PDT reply actions

You lost me

Next year, I think Marc is set for a better year because he will get more time and because he has a talented passer in Allen Iverson.

que?

With that roster consisting of 5 black holes, Marc Gasol will touch the ball 57 times total this year not including his rebounds. That is counting the opening jump balls he gets his mitts on when they don’t start Thabeet.

dinasour type of guys choir boys

by mittsabishy on Sep 17, 2009 9:37 AM PDT reply actions 1 recs