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Utah Jazz: Is Derrick Favors the Next Kwame Brown?

By DJoumbarey A. Moreau

Apr 11, 2014; Salt Lake City, UT, USA; Portland Trail Blazers forward LaMarcus Aldridge (12) defends against Utah Jazz center Derrick Favors (15) during the first quarter at EnergySolutions Arena. Mandatory Credit: Russ Isabella-USA TODAY Sports
Apr 11, 2014; Salt Lake City, UT, USA; Portland Trail Blazers forward LaMarcus Aldridge (12) defends against Utah Jazz center Derrick Favors (15) during the first quarter at EnergySolutions Arena. Mandatory Credit: Russ Isabella-USA TODAY Sports /
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How much time does a player in a draft have in order to become labeled as a bust? Have you ever seen a talent so intriguing that it was difficult to dismiss them? Like no matter what they did as a player, you always said in the back of your mind that they could finally figure it out. 

Michael Jordan felt that way about Kwame Brown.

Mar 8, 2014; Philadelphia, PA, USA; Utah Jazz center Derrick Favors (15) is defended by Philadelphia 76ers center Byron Mullens (30) during the fourth quarter at Wells Fargo Center. The Jazz defeated the Sixers 104-92. Mandatory Credit: Howard Smith-USA TODAY Sports
Mar 8, 2014; Philadelphia, PA, USA; Utah Jazz center Derrick Favors (15) is defended by Philadelphia 76ers center Byron Mullens (30) during the fourth quarter at Wells Fargo Center. The Jazz defeated the Sixers 104-92. Mandatory Credit: Howard Smith-USA TODAY Sports /

D’Joumbarey A. Moreau felt like that about Sebastian Telfair. 

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You reading this have felt that way about a countless number of people.

The point is, we all have athletes that we thought would succeed and eventually did not pan out.

Thankfully this is not one of those stories. I don’t want to speak too soon, but entering into his fifth year in the NBA, Derrick Favors is preparing for his best season as a professional. 

I don’t want to see the same fate that happened Kwame Brown had to face fall into the same situation for Favors. Through his fourth season in the NBA Brown averaged 7.7 points a game, 5.5 rebounds and shot 45 percent. Up to this date Favors has a little better career numbers averaging 9.6 points per game, 6.9 rebounds while shooting 50 percent.

 Kwame Brown’s first four seasons:

Screen Shot 2014-09-21 at 1.13.18 AM
Screen Shot 2014-09-21 at 1.13.18 AM /

Derrick Favors’ first four seasons:

Screen Shot 2014-09-21 at 1.13.42 AM
Screen Shot 2014-09-21 at 1.13.42 AM /

The part that I want to see different between the two is after Brown’s best season in the NBA he rapidly digressed and never had another double-digit scoring season again.

Favors on the other hand has an opportunity to change his destiny and increase on the productive season he had last year. 

Favors will most likely will never win a major accomplishment, or even make an All-Star team and that’s OK. 

Besides John Wall, DeMarcus Cousins and Paul George, the other members in the 2010 NBA Draft class are slow developers and most likely will share the same fate.

What Favors can do though is use his ability to help create one of the best front courts in the NBA with his fellow rim protector center Enes Kanter. The way the Jazz are using Favors though is as an essential role player on a very productive winning team. Though their lineups have not translated into wins yet, the talent is there and they need better coaching (Counting on you, Quin Snyder).  

Mar 28, 2014; New Orleans, LA, USA; Utah Jazz center Derrick Favors (15) is guarded by New Orleans Pelicans center Jeff Withey (5) during the second half of a game at the Smoothie King Center. The Pelicans defeated the Jazz 102-95. Mandatory Credit: Derick E. Hingle-USA TODAY Sports
Mar 28, 2014; New Orleans, LA, USA; Utah Jazz center Derrick Favors (15) is guarded by New Orleans Pelicans center Jeff Withey (5) during the second half of a game at the Smoothie King Center. The Pelicans defeated the Jazz 102-95. Mandatory Credit: Derick E. Hingle-USA TODAY Sports /

A lot of people see Favors as one of the cornerstones of the franchise but that is something that is hard pressed for my eyes. 

Though he has potential, crazy athleticism, and awesome measurables (7’4″ wingspan), Favors still needs to develop a lot of offensive moves in the low post. 

Looking at some of the other bigs in the 2010 NBA Draft, they all have a niche that makes them unique. Larry Sanders is a defensive star and might win the NBA’s Defensive Player of the Year Award, Greg Monroe is versatlie and can have an offensive system ran though him.

Boogie Cousins is a future All-Star who can do anything on the court any center in the NBA can do. It is difficult to say that Favors has found his niche already, and it is tougher to believe he will because we heard his name selected before these big men featured above. 

A lot of people are still keeping up the hope that Favors could potentially become great … but we are still waiting. Before the draft, ESPN’s NBA Draft Analyst Chad Ford said this about Favors:

"“He could be awesome someday, but he’s going to have to put in the same hard work that Dwight Howard has on the court and in the weight room.”"

Throwing in Dwight Howard with any NBA rookie is a tough shadow to cast. Until that day arrives, should we keep our hopes that Favors will turn into the monster that many claim he will become, or has that time passed already?

So I ask the question … how much time does it take to become labeled as a bust?

Boy, do I want Favors to not to follow in the footsteps of Kwame Brown.

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