Carson Williams and Larry Bird

[OldhamOldie]

Will Carson ever be as good as Larry?

 

I cannot say, but I don't have any problems with your comparisons, and it's painful that so many others seem to forget that Larry once played HS ball while they all act like they're experts on the topic in their attempt to make you look stupid.

 

All the greats started somewhere, and not all of them were even great HS players.

 

Carson is a strong player, and though we don't know what the future brings, what you're saying doesn't seem nearly as far fetched as others are making it out to be.

 

It all makes for interesting and worthy discussion, and more so than the ridicule you're receiving that you don't deserve, I tend to see it more as their lack of vision.

 

Thank you, well put. Most of these posters I have noticed just love to hate on certain parts of the state. Lack of vision, and many lack of ever playing a sport at a high level, complicates it for them.

[OldhamOldie]

This article stated that Carson Williams was much stronger and could jump higher than Bird...( which I will agree ) Larry Birds stats in his senior year in high school was 31 pts. 21 reb. pet game. Now the glaring disparity here is the rebounding avg. of 21 compared to Williams 10...With Carson having the physical tools to totally dominate the glass, and only to bring down slightly less than half of Birds totals??? Well as they say Ladies and Gentlemen...That will be the end of today's lesson!

 

Good points. As far as rebounds, Carson's team is sometimes forced to play opponents that slow the tempo to keep the score down, fewer possessions. Hard to get boards at a 21.0 pace with few possessions.

 

The night I saw Larry Bird in high school the score was like 97-90 and both teams ran from start to finish. Different era now, coaches play too much stall ball and keep away.

[OldhamOldie]

Being a small college coach I must say I LOVE .. LOVE .. LOVE hearing about these athletes who turn down a power 5 conference team to play at a Midway , Thomas Moore , Rio Grande , Shawnee St etc etc . 99 % of the time its because the athlete settles into exactly where their talent level leads them . NKU level players don't get overlooked by UC , X , or Vandy etc etc .. those schools simply pass on them . Occasionally they get it wrong , but Larry was recruited by top 10 IU , he didn't attend a low level mid major out of HS . And better than Rex ? Hmmm , Could this kid drop 25 plus at UL as a freshman ? I'm not buying what you are selling OP .

 

I saw Freeman Williams from Portland State in 1977 drop 42 on UK in Rupp Arena. And I was on one of the coaching staffs that night. Top that!

[OldhamOldie]

I mean if we really want to break it down Larry's numbers suggest he was a slightly above average jump shooter and I'm thinking Carson is more athletic than Larry Legend.

 

Larry was 6-8, 185-ish as a senior in high school. He was a great shooter and passer, tenacious rebounder and winner. Nowhere near the athletic ability of Carson, nor nowhere near as strong. Larry, I think, was 6-9 or 6-10 by the time he reached the NBA. No one worked at their game like Larry Bird. Not saying Carson will ever be in his league in the NBA, but as a prepster Carson is very similar in the way they dominate games.

 

Too bad some of these posters just want to make fun of people and the kids we try to promote. Most never saw Larry in high school, at least I did.

[wheelhouse]

This is one of those BGP threads that probably would have fared better as a verbal exchange at somebody's local watering hole.

[Wireman]

This is one of those BGP threads that probably would have fared better as a verbal exchange at somebody's local watering hole.

 

Or The Onion.

[Northside]

I saw Freeman Williams from Portland State in 1977 drop 42 on UK in Rupp Arena. And I was on one of the coaching staffs that night. Top that!

 

So what does that have to do with Carson being as good or better high school player than Rex or Larry. Rex was one of the top guards in the nation coming out of high school I dont see Carson listed on any top 20 lists for high school seniors. Carson is a very nice player and with his athleticism he has a chance to be a very good college player but to compare him to Rex or Larry as a top high school player shows you have a bias for the kid. Remember Rex scored 1,000 points in 2 years at Kentucky so I look forward to Carson scoring at that clip at a lower level of competition.

[OldhamOldie]

Agreed. Steph Curry is another example of someone who wasn't highly touted or recruited out of high school but became a much better player at each level he ascended to.

 

Thank you for the great example. The keyboard musclemen on this forum will shut up on that one with Steph!

[OldhamOldie]

So what does that have to do with Carson being as good or better high school player than Rex or Larry. Rex was one of the top guards in the nation coming out of high school I dont see Carson listed on any top 20 lists for high school seniors. Carson is a very nice player and with his athleticism he has a chance to be a very good college player but to compare him to Rex or Larry as a top high school player shows you have a bias for the kid. Remember Rex scored 1,000 points in 2 years at Kentucky so I look forward to Carson scoring at that clip at a lower level of competition.

 

My point was Freeman Williams, skinny guard, hardly recruited out of high school, leads nation in scoring, ends up in NBA. Better than EVERY player UK had in 1978!

[OldhamOldie]

One thing this thread has done in a short time is to get Carson's name out there and to make people take note of him. That's good PR work.

 

Carson's name was already well known by the people around Kentucky, he did not need a PR boost to get Mr. Basketball. I think he has earned it.

[Northside]

My point was Freeman Williams, skinny guard, hardly recruited out of high school, leads nation in scoring, ends up in NBA. Better than EVERY player UK had in 1978!

 

Carson might end up making the NBA but he is not a better High school player than Rex who like I said was a top guard in the nation. Some kids do improve a ton after high school and become better than other kids but at this point Carson is not a top 20 player in the nation. Time will tell if he gets to the elite level but he will have to improve his shooting and ball handling to make it at the big time level. He is more athletic than most of the kids he plays against at Owen County.

[OldhamOldie]

Oldham oldie must be a Owen county fan. This is insane

 

I'm actually a fan of the 8th Region and the Oldham County schools. I happened to have seen Carson enough to know his strengths as a player. I would venture to guess some of those ridiculing this thread subscribe to all the recruiting newsletters and never really see the players in person, they just go on what they have heard or read. But that's Okay. Everyone is entitled to an opinion.

[nkywildcat68]

I dont think anyone from Owen Co that I know would compare him to Larry Legend. That being said, he is a great high school player and was a great building block for Brannen to sign to accelerate the NKU rebuild. He'll do very well there.

[OldhamOldie]

I dont think anyone from Owen Co that I know would compare him to Larry Legend. That being said, he is a great high school player and was a great building block for Brannen to sign to accelerate the NKU rebuild. He'll do very well there.

 

I have not heard any Owen County people compare him either because most are too young to know who Larry Bird is! HAHAHA

[Clyde]

I haven't read all of this thread so this may have been mentioned.

 

Let's not hold this against the kid. All he does is play. He doesn't make comparisons.