As I digitize basketball tapes from 04, I am beginning to realize a terribly painful truth. Martin Iti would have been the best player on the last couple of Niners teams.
I’m not trying to troll, the dude looks straight like a beast in these tapes.
I know. I have been doing the same thing will old tapes. It is depressing to see how far this program has regressed. I can only hope the current team is better than I think they will be. ???
I wouldn’t say the best. But I was never as hard on Iti as some others might have been. The problem with him was strictly related to “expectations”. Since one recruiting service listed him as the #1 center out of HS, the expectations were set way too high.
He was horrible and played like his shoes were on the wrong feet. He was nearly 7 feet, but could barely dunk even when the closet defender was the rim. I saw the rim win too many times.
UNH-HUNH!!
He brought some of those expectations on himself when he said that he would take Charlotte to the Final Four and then go on to the NBA, but I agree with you completely. He did not conrtribute much on the offensive end, but he had a nice role on the defensive end. Just think of how much we could have used him last year. Just set him at the 5 and let Bras do his thing at the 4.
In response to the original post, there is no way he would be better than Bras, but he would have played a very nice role on the last 2 teams.
Yet…he is still top 10 all time in career blocks and top 5 in dunks, while only playing 2 seasons and not being a starter.
He brought some of those expectations on himself when he said that he would take Charlotte to the Final Four and then go on to the NBA, but I agree with you completely. He did not conrtribute much on the offensive end, but he had a nice role on the defensive end. Just think of how much we could have used him last year. Just set him at the 5 and let Bras do his thing at the 4.[/quote]
No doubt. His head was definitely in the wrong place.
Yet…he is still top 10 all time in career blocks and top 5 in dunks, while only playing 2 seasons and not being a starter.[/quote]
Iti started every game his sophomore season except one. The last game of the season EJ got the start ahead of him.
Thanks. My main point was that he actually had some impressive stats for not playing a lot of minutes or seasons. Top 10 in blocks and top 5 dunks while ave 18 mins/game at Charlotte. In comparison:
Curtis Withers - 30 mpg career
Drayton - 27 mpg
Braswell - 27 mpg
Jones - 17 mpg
Spears - 31 mpg
Mack - 27 mpg
Coley - 28 mpg
Cam Stephens - 23 mpg
Price - 32 mpg
White - 31 mpg
Iti was beyond horrible on the offensive end, and above average on the defensive end. He benefitted from being surrounded by some VERY talented players. Hell he had Curt and Eddie, two of the best Niners of all time. If he had to play on some of the teams over the last six or seven years, he would have looked even worse.
Thank you. You definitely paid attention in class.
Iti can’t even get 15 minutes off the bench for the Melbourne Tigers, that’s how bad he is.
Speaking of digitalizing tapes, are you just convering them to DVD’s? If so, I would bloody LOVE to get my hands on some. I would pay of course 
I agree, but think that what was worse than overblown expectations was that he never got a hair better…even with a transfer year thrown in. He basically averaged about 6 pts and 4 rebs every year in college. That’s not bad for a frosh center, but, damn could you work on your game some?
Oh, he’d work on his game. But retarded things like his perimeter game thanks to Courtney Rosegreen. Dude was a pimp and unfortunately Iti got caught up in it.
This. When it comes to the Iti story this is all that needs to be told.
I agree, but think that what was worse than overblown expectations was that he never got a hair better…even with a transfer year thrown in. He basically averaged about 6 pts and 4 rebs every year in college. That’s not bad for a frosh center, but, damn could you work on your game some?[/quote]
Clearly the guy was a headcase. IMO, I believe Iti thought if he transferred to NMSU, he would be “allowed” to flourish more. When that didn’t happen and it was very clear there was no future in the NBA, he gave up.
Had he come in with zero expectations, say being the 20th ranked center instead of #1, we would have said the guy was very serviceable. If nothing else he can protect the rim.
This. When it comes to the Iti story this is all that needs to be told.[/quote]
Kind of hard to leave out the part that he was the #1 rated Center by ESPN. If there wasn’t that there may have never been a Rosegreen.
Iti helped on the glass and protecting the rim. We missed his presence after he left in the paint.
Well, in the tapes he is tearing the rim down. He is dunking absolutely everything. So I’m not sure what you are talking about.