PonyFans.com

I love this guy's potential - he shows signs that he could be great. But has anyone noticed that 90% of the time, when he gets the ball down low, he double-pumps on his way up for a shot? The guy is 6-9 and has really long arms. He can shoot over almost anyone we'll face all year, and if not, he's one of the few players who seems to make his free throws. If he'd go up strong, he could score 25+ a night.

Here's a comparison that some younger PonyFans might not recognize. Patrick Simpson and Billy Pharis are SMU's Julius Erving and Billy Paultz. (No, I'm not saying they're that good, but the parallel is there.) Some folks thought Dr. J was soft when he got to the NBA until he adjusted to the game and started kicking people all over the court. Simpson could do the same. Paultz couldn't get from one end of the court to the other in an hour and a half, but he had no objection to putting an elbow in your teeth in pursuit of a rebound.

In other words, each player has his shortcomings - but I'm glad SMU has both of them. They're going to contribute more than most of us realize.

I'm not sure my view of Billy is quite as bright as yours. I look at him and I see Greg Kinzer without the size.