HT: 6-11 | WT: 255 | AGE: 25 | YR: 3
By Kevin Loughery
Special to ESPN.com
Because of his size and athleticism, I think Kelvin Cato can be an adequate starting center in the NBA. He is quicker and has a better feel for the game than Michael Olowokandi, who seems mechanical and may never develop into more than a backup center on a good team.
Cato needs to bulk up physically to play center, but that's something NBA players can do, with the weight programs and the nutritionists and the facilities that teams have. With time, Cato could become quite a defensive force in the NBA.
Starting at center with Hakeem Olajuwon out of the lineup, he has already shown a flair for fine defensive play. He runs the floor extremely well and can be an outstanding shot blocker in the NBA. Offensively, he still needs to develop a pet move to use down around the basket.
Eventually, Houston wants to play an open-court style, one more conducive to Cato's talents. When the Rockets have Olajuwon in the lineup, they slow the game down because he is better in the half-court game. But that hinders Cato from being effective and contributing to his fullest.
Looking ahead to the future, it's a good thing that Cato is getting so many minutes with Hakeem sidelined. Because Charles Barkley is out for the season and his career, and Olajuwon may not play more than two more years, the Rockets are able to see what they have with Cato, Shandon Anderson and rookie Steve Francis in the game at the same time. The Rockets can envision where they may be headed with a more uptempo style of play.
There's a shortage at the center position in the NBA. If he continues to develop and flourish in a running style, Cato could become a highly effective center.
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HT: 7-0 | WT: 269 | AGE: 24 | YR: 2
By Fred Carter
Special to ESPN.com
Despite coming from a limited playing background, Michael Olowokandi has good skill level and talent, with the potential to develop into one of the top centers in the league and to fulfill the No. 1 overall pick that the Los Angeles Clippers expended on him in the 1998 draft.
He runs well, knows how to work around the basket and has a variety of shots with good touch. He has a little jump hook and can hit a medium-range jump shot. Yet Olowokandi doesn't play the game with much ferocity. He has yet to show a willingness to work toward becoming one of the league's best.
His work ethic needs an upgrade, but that's part of the maturation process in the NBA. He needs to develop that tenacity, toughness and desire to work and improve. Sometimes, it takes time for everything to make sense. It's unfortunate he wasn't able to break into the league with a team that had an aging center who could help Olowokandi with the rudiments of playing pro basketball, the dedication and the toughness and all the things it takes to become successful.
Olowokandi needs to learn how to concentrate every night. I have seen him play a number of games in which he was not totally committed to helping the team win. The good thing is that he is young (24); sometimes the light bulb doesn't light up right away. He will have a 15-year career minimum, good for a big man. So at some point he would not like to look back and feel he didn't give it his best.
The Western Conference is dominated by big men -- Shaquille O'Neal, Tim Duncan, Hakeem Olajuwon, David Robinson, Chris Webber. The good teams are big. If Olowokandi can reach that level, he can turn around the Clippers' fortunes. |
