The Dying Breed

In response to the question posed by Epstizz,

The good white American basektball player (GWABP) has really been a rarity for more than a decade now, and there's no light at the end of the tunnel. The ironic thing about Epstizz's question is, as good as Kevin Love might potentially be, he exemplifies the exact reason that there are no longer any of his kind. He is one of the slowest, doofiest looking players I've seen on a court recently (with the obvious exception of the bohemith from UNC Ashville). You see, the question you ask yourself when you see Love dominate games is not, How does an amazing player move so awkwardly, but rather, How is such an awkwardly-moving player so amazing.
The NCAA will always boast its share of fantastic GWABPs, but they all tend to have the same defficiences in common: their glaring lack of athletic ability. Granted, this is not the most subtle of discoveries, but I found it increasingly fascinating that the concerns voiced about Kevin Love are what turns off scouts about Love's peers. The fact that Love, and Hansbrough too for that matter, needs to be the hardest-working, fundamentally sound player on the court implies that, without possessing those skills, the GWAPB won't survive in the NBA...And even with those skills, you're no sure thing.
So scouts and GMs are hired to pick the skills most essential to be a succesful pro, and they will 9 out of 10 times choose athleticism and raw talent over fundamentals and work ethic. And the thing is, as much as we might see that decision made over and over, it is not close to even a slightly-flawed system of decision-making. It is, at its core, after assessing the evidence, a false notion.
I want to offer a little evidence, in two words: David Lee. Granted, he was not a standout at Florida, but he was a poor man's Hansbrough. He worked his ass off, was a hustle-machine, and, most importantly, had the rebounding sense - that innate mental and physical ability to recognize where the ball would bounce off the room and establish position for the rebond. So the Knicks took a flyer on David Lee with the 30th overall pick in the 2005 draft. Maybe in such a deep draft this was the right spot for him, but it's impossible not to think that the stigma of being a white American basketball player impacted his appeal.
So quickly back to Love. If he comes out, he probably won't be a top-5 pick. And I can't blame the scouts who drool over the "upside" of OJ Mayo and Michael Beasley. I just hope their assessment of Love doesn't revolves not on how awkwardly he gets up the court, but on the amazing things he does when he gets there.