Coffee n' Hoops: Today's Assists Leaders: Historical comparisons

This week's coffee: Cafe Pajaro Blend from Trader Joe's. Went there for the first time recently - wow, it's the real deal!

I've always enjoyed finding historical comparisons for active players! From time to time, I'll continue this series covering a different category of hoopsters. These comparisons are based on physical stature, playing style, skill set and stats.

I've included season statistics (per 36 minutes) at the point of which the players were at the same level of experience or age; this makes it interesting to speculate on a young player's long-term potential.

Rajon Rondo Kevin Porter

6'1", 186, BOS '12-13 7th year pro - per 36 min. stats 6'0", 170, DET '78-79

13 Points 15

11 Assists 13
4 TO 4

5 Rebounds 3

1.8 Steals 1.9

48% FG 48%

65% FT 72%

24% 3PT N/A

Always in the limelight during Boston's "Big 3" era, Rondo has been rightfully appreciated as an elite floor general and bad-ass defender. Much younger than his legendary teammates, Rondo led this title-contending team with a rare pass-first style and a constant chip on his shoulder. Unfortunately, the casual fan might have overlooked Rondo if he was on an average squad like Porter's '78-79 Pistons. I am fascinated by Porter's prolific yet inconspicuous career; you'll never hear his name mentioned by NBA buffs, even though he once dished out 29 dimes in a game! Although Porter's stats and style mirrored Rondo, I suppose that his career is often forgotten since he bounced around between a few mediocre teams. Due to major injury, Porter was forced to call it quits after 10 seasons; hopefully Rondo makes a strong recovery from knee surgery and avoids a similar misfortune.

Chris Paul Isiah Thomas

6'0", 175, LAC '12-13 8th year pro - per 36 min. stats 6'1", 180, DET '88-89

18 Points 18

10 Assists 8
3 TO 4

4 Rebounds 3

2.6 Steals 1.6

48% FG 46%

88% FT 82%

33% 3PT 27%

CP3 and Zeke possess the same secret sauce driving their Hall of Fame careers: a mean streak! Although these electric point guards are soft-spoken gentlemen off the court, they undergo a Teenwolf-like transformation (i.e., becoming an aggressive & irritable competitor) when they step onto the hardwood. Besides this edgy leadership quality, I'd be remiss if I didn't mention their world-class physical abilities. They've both compiled an extensive highlight reel of slicing through defenders with unprecedented quickness & ball-handling, and then finish the play with either an acrobatic lay-up or a sick pass. With a smooth shooting stroke and gnat-like defense to boot, they're truly two of the top 10 point guards in history. Zeke's illustrious career included 2 NBA titles, while CP3 has yet to reach the Finals. I'd be shocked if CP3 finished his career without a ring!

Greivis Vasquez Doc Rivers

6'6", 200, NOR '12-13 26 yrs. old - per 36 min. stats 6'4", 185, ATL '87-88

15 Points 16

9 Assists 11

3 TO 3

5 Rebounds 5

1                 Steals                    2
43%                FG                     45%
80%                FT                     76%
34%               3PT                    27%

Tempted to gain a size advantage, teams are drawn to experiment with "combo guards" at the point; while these big guards may exhibit impressive passing & ballhandling skills, they usually end up transitioning into permanent SGs (e.g., Jamal Crawford, Tyreke Evans, John Salmons, Gary Neal, Iman Shumpert, Rodney Stuckey) or otherwise fade out of the league due to their identity crisis. Contrastingly, Greivis & Doc are undeniably pure point guards, and just happen to beat out most other starting PGs in the height department. Neither flashy scorers nor perennial all-stars, these natural leaders rack up assists nonetheless. Boasting the same eagle-eye vision from a high perch, I expect Greivis to follow in Doc's footsteps and become an effective coach after a long playing career.

Jrue Holiday Derek Harper

6'3", 180, PHI '12-13 4th year pro - per 36 min. stats 6'4", 185, DAL '86-87

17 Points 17

8 Assists 9

4 TO 2

4 Rebounds 3

1.5 Steals 2.4

43% FG 50%

75% FT 68%

37% 3PT 36%

In the mid-90's, the Knicks were viewed as classic villains with a cast of intimidating bruisers, and Harper was their bulldog at point! Growing up as a Bulls fan, this under-control vet was a thorn in my side as he had a knack for delivering daggers in the form of a crisp pass or cold-blooded jumper. However, Harper cemented his legacy long before his Knick days as the fiery leader of a title-contending Mavs team throughout the 80's and displayed the same decisive execution. Not one to over-dribble or launch ill-advised shots, Holiday too is relied upon to orchestrate his team's offense with a steady hand. Just like Harper, Holiday is on track to lead a young & talented squad into playoff relevance for years to come. Although the mild-mannered Holiday has become an all-star with scoring ability and sound decision-making, he would benefit from getting more physical & nasty like Harper!

Deron Williams Terry Porter

6'3", 210, BRO '12-13 28 yrs. old - per 36 min. stats 6'3", 195, POR '91-92

19 Points 19

8 Assists 6

3 TO 2

3 Rebounds 3

    1                 Steals                1.6
44%     FG     46%
86%     FT     86%
38%    3PT        39%

D-Will & Porter looked like powerful running backs galloping down the court with a piercing glare! These intense leaders out-muscled most opposing PGs while penetrating into the paint, and honed the same springy jumper. D-Will certainly displayed a more wicked crossover/handle than Porter; nonetheless, they were both consistently relied upon to be their team's primary playmaker and second scoring option. After stringing together a handful of all-star caliber seasons, it looks like D-Will & Porter's longevity of excellence also resembles that of a workhorse running back. Just like Porter and high-volume RBs, D-Will is currently hitting a wall as he approaches his 30th birthday. With a significant drop in scoring average, it's hard to believe the reality that D-Will could soon become a borderline starter. Á la Porter, I think that D-Will's career will end without a championship but he'll become a well-respected coach.

Tony Parker Kevin Johnson

6'2", 180, SAS '12-13 30 yrs. old - per 36 min. stats 6'1", 180, PHO '96-97

22 Points 19

8 Assists 9

3 TO 3

3 Rebounds 3

1                Steals         1.4
52%    FG        50%
85%    FT        85%
35% 3PT       44%

Many little guys shy away from the land of giants fearing that they'll be muscled around in the paint or their shot will be swatted away! Instead, such PGs often default to crossing over their defender to gain separation and set up a low-percentage stepback jumper (e.g., Jennings, Rubio, Felton, Burke, Lillard, J. Nelson). However, Tony & KJ proved that you don't need size or freaky hops to make a living in the paint as a short dude! With feathery-touch around the hoop, Tony has been the best in the biz at lay-ups & floaters over the last decade! Similarly, KJ kept his dribble alive near the rim until seeing an opening for a bunny, or he would dish to a teammate if the defense collapsed. Because of this intelligent aggressiveness in the paint, both captains consistently shot better than 50% from the field! While 3-time champ Tony is a no-brainer for the Hall of Fame, the "ring-less" KJ also deserves an induction (it's too bad KJ was paired with Sir Charles for only 4 seasons)!