Cousy: Whiteside the First to Remind Me Of Bill Russell
Add NBA legendary point guard Bob Cousy to the ever growing Hassan Whiteside Fan Club.
The six-time NBA Champion and 13-time All-Star compared Whiteside to Hall of Fame Celtics teammate Bill Russell in an interview with the Worcester Telegram & Gazette, declaring he's "never said this in the 40 years" since he retired.
"He is the first big guy, not (Patrick) Ewing, (Hakeem) Olajuwon, Shaq (O'Neal), who reminds me defensively and on the boards of Russell," Cousy said. "He runs the floor well, he has excellent timing, he blocks shots and keeps them in play the way Russell did."
Whiteside leads the league in not only blocks per 48 minutes (5.28) but also "smart blocks," notes Vantage Sports, possessing the basketball smarts and skill to allow his team to gain possession after blocking a shot. Currently out with a laceration to his shooting hand suffered against the Bucks on Tuesday, he is averaging 11.0 points, 9.8 rebounds, and 2.5 blocks in 22.5 minutes this season. Adding to the Hassanity is him leading the league in rebound rate and ranking sixth in PER, one spot ahead of ex-Heatle LeBron James.
Cousy spends winters in Florida so he's received a heavy dose of Whiteside this season and he's so fond of the rising Heat center with the gushing potential, his advice for Celtics GM Danny Ainge is rather bold.
"I'd offer Miami three first-round picks for Whiteside because in my judgment, and what can you tell watching on television, but boy does that kid have an upside," Cousy said. "I don't get excited too often about these guys but this kid looks to me like a turnaround guy."
Whiteside is under contract with the Heat next season for a paltry $981,000 and will become an unrestricted free agent in the summer of 2016. But all indications (and commons sense) are Pat Riley will do whatever it takes to keep the 7-foot megatalent in Miami for years to come.
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