Ponds

I saw Sonny Dove play 3 years for us . Despite a slight frame and only about 6’7-8” was a first round pick of the Pistons back in 1967. Sonny was a elite Player and while he did not have a long Pro Career he was clearly a NBA talent . I thought Mark Jackson was under utilized by Louie in his first 2 Years but, turned into a NBA Rookie of the Year. By the time Mark was a Senior , you could see he had NBA Talent and smarts . Pitino used him perfectly with the Knicks .

Good call SLYFOXX1968. I had forgotten about the great Sonny Dove (my first Redman hero) who I thought would have a better NBA career than he did. Johnny Warren was another great player from that era, but he was just not big enough to play forward in the NBA and not a good enough ball handler to play guard successfully.
 
[quote="Beast of the East" post=286075]There are really only 5 players in my memory that I was confident would become NBA players for certain - Mullin, Berry, Sealy, Artest, and George Johnson.

I thought Mark Jackson was way too slow and he proved a lot of people wrong. Jayson WIlliams was a revelation before he broke his leg. Felipe Lopez played 5 years but I didn't think he was sure fire.

Making the NBA as a smaller guard who isn't a deadly shooter is a really tough proposition. You just never know if he can take it to the hoop against bigger, better players. Iverson had incredible quickness and could just about do whatever he wanted.

I really hope Ponds reaches his dream of the NBA, in fact I'd root for a 1st round pick is he stays in the draft. But right now, I don't feel that's a strong bet, and I hope he sticks around not for us, but for Shamorie.[/quote]

Two former players that overachieved and had 15 year pro careers were Billy Paultzman and Bill Wennington. Another "Bill", Billy Singleton, had a long career in the British Basketball Leaguewhere he was the 4th leading scorer in British basketball history & 5th leading rebounder in British basketball history.
Of course before all of them there was Leroy Ellis who was a first round pick in 1962. He set the St. John's records for highest rebounding average in a season (16.5) and most rebounds in one game with 30. Tony Jackson, the greatest 6'4 player ever at St. John's played pro ball 4 years but never in the NBA.
 
I thought for sure Steve Shurina would be a 10 year NBA all star. If it weren't for his lack of ability he might have achieved that
 
[quote="SLYFOXX1968" post=286082]I saw Sonny Dove play 3 years for us . Despite a slight frame and only about 6’7-8” was a first round pick of the Pistons back in 1967. Sonny was a elite Player and while he did not have a long Pro Career he was clearly a NBA talent . I thought Mark Jackson was under utilized by Louie in his first 2 Years but, turned into a NBA Rookie of the Year. By the time Mark was a Senior , you could see he had NBA Talent and smarts . Pitino used him perfectly with the Knicks .[/quote]
Sonny's without question my all-time favorite Johnnie, but it wasn't a lack of talent that cost him an NBA career as much as it was a lack of judgment (see Reggie Harding et alia).
 
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[quote="thetux1" post=286092]I thought for sure Steve Shurina would be a 10 year NBA all star. If it weren't for his lack of ability he might have achieved that[/quote]
Hope you're not the guy who's managing my retirement accounts. :(
 
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[quote="fordham96" post=286023][quote="Chicago Days" post=285977][quote="rawdognyc" post=285976][quote="Paultzman" post=285975][quote="L J S A" post=285973]I suddenly have a bad feeling that he's gone.[/quote]

I feel the opposite, so we’re screwed. ☺️[/quote]

One of you is correct.lol.. Which one of you have been right more often?[/quote]

We’ll be praying to the hoop gods this weekend, that Shamorie’s mother and grandmother agree with his dad, for sure.[/quote]

You should be praying he makes the best decision for him and his family regardless of the decision he makes. We have no idea what a mistake would be, it's his decision not ours if he leaves that's his right SJU will move on. If our season hinges on him than the staff is to blame not him don't forget that he owes SJU and us nothing[/quote]

I do.
For sure, it's critical for the team's level of success next season that Shamorie comes back. But it seems self-evident, based on Shamorie's size, strength, and the areas he still needs work on, that it is also best for Shamorie that he play 1 more year of college ball.
If i thought, he was ready for the NBA this year and would be drafted in the 1st round, I'd tell the planet he should go--regardless of the impact to SJU next season.
That does not appear to be the case.
IF he goes anyway, I pray and hope he succeeds big time, gets to the NBA and becomes an All-Star.
It'll be what it'll be.
I wish the kid the best, if he stays or goes.
.
 
[quote="L J S A" post=285992][quote="rawdognyc" post=285976][quote="Paultzman" post=285975][quote="L J S A" post=285973]I suddenly have a bad feeling that he's gone.[/quote]

I feel the opposite, so we’re screwed. ☺️[/quote]

One of you is correct.lol.. Which one of you have been right more often?[/quote]

I've been correct about three times in 15 years, so . . .[/quote]

Lol.. Damn.. You're due... I'm nervous now
 
[quote="rawdognyc" post=286105][quote="L J S A" post=285992][quote="rawdognyc" post=285976][quote="Paultzman" post=285975][quote="L J S A" post=285973]I suddenly have a bad feeling that he's gone.[/quote]

I feel the opposite, so we’re screwed. ☺️[/quote]

One of you is correct.lol.. Which one of you have been right more often?[/quote]

I've been correct about three times in 15 years, so . . .[/quote]

Lol.. Damn.. You're due... I'm nervous now[/quote]


Lol.
 
Hey Class of 72......Pretty funny that you referred to our 1968-70 big as Billy PaultzMAN. He was actually Billy Paultz. But I suppose on this site we're all so accustomed to hearing info from our own Paultzman.
 
[quote="Coaster" post=286107]Hey Class of 72......Pretty funny that you referred to our 1968-70 big as Billy PaultzMAN. He was actually Billy Paultz. But I suppose on this site we're all so accustomed to hearing info from our own Paultzman.[/quote]
Who, reputation has it, was quite a low-post player himself.
 
[quote="Coaster" post=286107]Hey Class of 72......Pretty funny that you referred to our 1968-70 big as Billy PaultzMAN. He was actually Billy Paultz. But I suppose on this site we're all so accustomed to hearing info from our own Paultzman.[/quote]
Pretty sure 72 did this on purpose as a way to pay homage to Paultzman. You have to "read the tea leaves", you have to "sense" things. "We shall see".
 
I only saw Sonny Dove play once - in a short lived CYO unlimited division after he was done in the nba. Hhe played for st. Mary star of the sea with mel Utley who had just graduated from sju. An ass in my oarish heckled dove all game because he was playing poorly. I hoped dove would just kick his ass.

Dove was a color announcer for sju when he died tragically while driving a cab late nights
 
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[quote="Beast of the East" post=286113]I only saw Sonny Dove play once - in a short lived CYO unlimited division after he was done in the nba. Hhe played for st. Mary star of the sea with mel Utley who had just graduated from sju. An ass in my oarish heckled dove all game because he was playing poorly. I hoped dove would just kick his ass.

Dove was a color announcer for sju when he died tragically while driving a cab late nights[/quote]

I luvved Sonny Dove. My favorite Johnny in the 1960s.
I remember that tragedy.
Vaguely recall he was starting a business or going on TV just about the time of his tragic death.
A great Johnny.
 
I know some caution against reading too much into social media posts and I get that...but just yesterday Ponds made an instagram post with a caption saying something along the lines of "I want it now!" clearly referencing the NBA. Obviously this can still go either way but based on what Paultz said and Ponds and his posts, it does seem that it's his family vs. him right now with his family telling him to wait 1 more year and Ponds wanting to go immediately. Seems Ponds may be more instant gratification and his family is trying to have him make the smart decision to maximize his chances. My guess is that if his family says their piece then throw their hands up saying "it's your life at the end of the day", Ponds will leave. Hope I'm wrong.
 
I hope that the luke warm reception Ponds received will give him pause to realize that he needs more seasoning. How many guys with only 2 years college experience are NBA ready? Stay at least another year and get bigger and stronger and work on areas that need improvement. Improved D and shooting will raise his stock and pair well with his very high court sense and vision.
Hope he returns, but either way I'm a Shamorie fan.
 
[quote="Chicago Days" post=286115][quote="Beast of the East" post=286113]I only saw Sonny Dove play once - in a short lived CYO unlimited division after he was done in the nba. Hhe played for st. Mary star of the sea with mel Utley who had just graduated from sju. An ass in my oarish heckled dove all game because he was playing poorly. I hoped dove would just kick his ass.

Dove was a color announcer for sju when he died tragically while driving a cab late nights[/quote]

I luvved Sonny Dove. My favorite Johnny in the 1960s.
I remember that tragedy.
Vaguely recall he was starting a business or going on TV just about the time of his tragic death.
A great Johnny.[/quote]


I remember listening to Sonny Dove - who was getting his life together - announcing yhe St. Johns game at night - soon theresfter while driving a cab to make $ his car dove into the Gowanis canal -
I think i have most of the facts correct -

like Malik Sealy - a very sad news bulletin.
Lets keep SJU Basketball in perspective and just enjoy our team as is presently constituted.

God bless you Sonny and Malik :)
 
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Sherman, Sheridan & Grant: I remember listening to Sonny Dove - who was getting his life together - announcing yhe St. Johns game at night - soon theresfter while driving a cab to make $ his car dove into the Gowanis canal -
I think i have most of the facts correct -

like Malik Sealy - a very sad news bulletin.
Lets keep SJU Basketball in perspective snd just rnjoy our team as is presently constituted.

God bless you Sonny and Malik

Amen to that SS&G.
 
[quote="Sherman, Sheridan & Grant" post=286123] I remember listening to Sonny Dove - who was getting his life together - announcing yhe St. Johns game at night - soon theresfter while driving a cab to make $ his car dove into the Gowanis canal -
I think i have most of the facts correct. ...[/quote]
General, you do. Also, at the time he was doing the games on radio with Dave Halberstan, I believe he was also working on finally getting his degree. The night he died, there was terrible --even blinding -- storm, and he failed to see a barrier on the bridge. His drove through it, and skidded through an opening on the bridge and into the canal. Not only a sad ending, but a horrible one at that. (I have a framed Daily News back-page photo of Sonny taken at the 1964-65 Holiday Festival hanging in my apartment, so I see the man and think about him virtually every day.)
 
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