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Home > Mark Bradley > Archives > 2009 > January > 25
Sunday, January 25, 2009
Tech recruit Favors is the real deal
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Derrick Favors had a stomachache. He’d thrown up earlier Saturday, and midway through the first quarter he required a bathroom break. Still, the best high school player in Georgia, if not these United States, managed to have what he called “a good day” — 32 points, 19 rebounds, six blocks, four steals and two assists in a 29-point defeat of Spalding.
“I didn’t think he was going to play, but he said he was OK,” said Michael Reddick, who coaches Favors and South Atlanta High. “Half of Derrick Favors is better than all of anybody else.”
Doubtless you’ve heard of Favors — ranked No. 1 among seniors by Scout.com, No. 2 by ESPN and No. 4 by rivals.com. Doubtless you know he has made an oral commitment to attend Georgia Tech. And doubtless you’re wondering: Is he as good as all that?
Answer: He is.
Two Georgians have been picked No. 1 overall in NBA drafts this decade - Kwame Brown in 2001 and Dwight Howard in 2004. Favors is better at age 17 than Brown has been at any time in his life, and a case can be made that he’s a prospect of the same caliber as Howard, who has become one of the world’s five best players.
Howard is bigger and stronger, a true center. Projected as a power forwarded, Favors — who’s 6-foot-9 and 220 pounds — is quicker and more versatile. There’s thought he’ll be able to swing to small forward over time.
Said Reddick: “He’s the total package. I know I’m a little biased, but he’s got great athletic ability and great competitive drive, and look at the way he handles himself — he’s not a hothead.”
Hearing this, a visitor noted that Favors had yelled a little something after blocking a second-quarter layup by a Spalding Jaguar. Said Reddick, smiling: “A rare display of emotion. I think he’s a combination of Tim Duncan and Kevin Garnett. He’s a great athlete like Kevin Garnett, and he has a demeanor like Tim Duncan.”
How long might Favors stay at Tech? “If he continues to improve, one year,” Reddick said. “If the NBA hadn’t made that rule about having to be 19 [to enter the draft], he’d possibly go now — he’d be a top 3 pick. … But I’d say he’s one-and-done.”
Favors has strong and sure hands and splendid footwork. His post moves are of professional quality and bear the clear imprint of tutoring. (A big man himself, Reddick played at Stetson and was drafted in the sixth round by Milwaukee in 1984.) Favors admits he needs work on his jump shot — there’s a tiny hesitation before he releases — but so did Dominique Wilkins way back when.
South Atlanta’s star doesn’t hog the ball — Favors scored his 32 points Saturday on only 17 shots. He works hard at both ends. That said, he labored through parts of the game, making you question his stamina. But, as Reddick said: “You saw him on a bad stomach.”
Befitting his status, Favors has developed a star’s quirk. He doesn’t don his game jersey until the game is set to start. He readies himself wearing a warmup jacket with a white tank top underneath. Just before the opening tip, he slips his game jersey over the tank top, and he does this in full view of his audience.
“Just a pregame ritual,” Favors said. “I’ve been doing it since ninth grade.”
Said Reddick: “I think he just wants to show off his newly developed body.”
And that’s OK. Big men are allowed their stylistic idiosyncrasies. Wilt Chamberlain had his headband, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar his goggles, Patrick Ewing his T-shirt. Derrick Favors doesn’t yet belong in that exalted fraternity, but he’s really good. He’s so good he might even make Paul Hewitt seem smart again.
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