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Three Reasons Hasheem Thabeet Failed for Memphis Grizzlies

By Christian Dudley

MEMPHIS, TN - SEPTEMBER 27: Hasheem Thabeet #34 of the Memphis Grizzlies poses for a portrait during NBA Media Day on September 27, 2010 at the FedExForum in Memphis, Tennessee. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2010 NBAE (Photo by Joe Murphy/NBAE via Getty Images)
MEMPHIS, TN - SEPTEMBER 27: Hasheem Thabeet #34 of the Memphis Grizzlies poses for a portrait during NBA Media Day on September 27, 2010 at the FedExForum in Memphis, Tennessee. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2010 NBAE (Photo by Joe Murphy/NBAE via Getty Images) /
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NEW YORK – MARCH 12: Hasheem Thabeet #34 of the Connecticut Huskies dunks the ball against the Syracuse Orange during the quarterfinals of the Big East Tournament at Madison Square Garden on March 12, 2009 in New York City. (Photo by Jim McIsaac/Getty Images)
NEW YORK – MARCH 12: Hasheem Thabeet #34 of the Connecticut Huskies dunks the ball against the Syracuse Orange during the quarterfinals of the Big East Tournament at Madison Square Garden on March 12, 2009 in New York City. (Photo by Jim McIsaac/Getty Images) /

Banking on Collegiate Dominance

Playing on the college scene at the University of Connecticut for three years, the national quickly became familiar with the name Hasheem Thabeet. He earned Big East Player of the Year honors after notching a double-double average with 13.6 points and 10.8 rebounds per game as a junior. The 7’3″ center also posted a whopping 4.2 blocks per game and an astronomical 64% field goal shooting percentage in his final collegiate season.

With numbers this large, it is no wonder professional teams were salivating at the thought of selecting Thabeet to be a part of their future. The Memphis Grizzlies were thinking “take the best overall player” that was available on the Draft board. They did. However, it was not very likely for Hasheem to continue posting those stats on a nightly basis on the NBA level.

In the NCAA ranks, Hasheem Thabeet was not matching up against opponents of equal physique. He was consistently a good five or more inches taller than his defender. At that point, dunks and buckets within the painted area were more than easy to come by. Being so much larger and lengthier, dominance was a given for the UConn center.

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Like most big men of 7’0″ height, Thabeet was a poor foul shooter (62.7% from the charity stripe over the course of his three years at UConn). This is one part of a player’s game that will likely translate to the professional level. It is the player, the ball, and the hoop. The Memphis Grizzlies assumed the risk.

In another aspect, if anything was positively surprising in regard to Hasheem’s collegiate statistics, it was relative to his defense. He was blocking shots at a high rate while avoiding personal fouls. Thabeet collected just 2.5 fouls in 31.8 minutes per game as a junior.

The NBA proved to be much tougher on him, as expected, and he was not able to display as much defensive finesse as a member of the Memphis Grizzlies. Hasheem Thabeet continued to reject shots in the NBA, but his man-defense struggled. The NBA was too quick for Hasheem in addition to going against comparable frames.

All in all, you cannot blame the Grizzlies for selecting Hasheem Thabeet with the No. 2 overall pick in the 2009 NBA Draft. He punished foes consistently while enrolled at UConn. Plus, who would not want to add a 7’3″ center that had posted a points-rebounds double-double average in addition to more than four blocks per game? Memphis did right by making Thabeet their choice. However, they failed to properly develop their selection.

Though this bust of a pick may very well haunt the Memphis Grizzlies for decades to come whenever June’s Draft rolls around, it serves as a wake-up call to the Front Office. Had the franchise pieced together the proper resources to build young players in 2009, perhaps Thabeet would have become an All-Star like Marc Gasol.

If anything, this particular failed experiment has strengthened the Grizzlies’ knowledge and enhanced their efforts in developing the prospects they carry on the roster today.

Go Grizz! 

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