Who do we get at the 5th and 6th picks?
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To be honest I probably knew as much about him as you did. As I tend to focus on just college players and I think Ibaka played for Spain before coming to the NBA. Of course I read everything I could about him and watched whatever film I could (mainly Youtube stuff). From what little I saw it was apparent that he was very athletic and had good size and length. Aside from that, it was hard to really make any kind of objective judgement about the rest of his game..
Form what I've seen of him in the NBA, he looks to have a lot of upside. I think the Thunder made a good choice for the bottom part of the first round. He looks like he still has a long way to go as far as learning the game. But he's contributing right now and thats all you can ask.
Form what I've seen of him in the NBA, he looks to have a lot of upside. I think the Thunder made a good choice for the bottom part of the first round. He looks like he still has a long way to go as far as learning the game. But he's contributing right now and thats all you can ask.
Unfortunately, I haven't seen Farried. If the Kings don't pick Cousins in the first round (and I don't think they will), and Pittman is available in the 2nd, I'm going to be very dissapointed if they don't pick him. High risk/high gain is perfect for the second round. That's where you want to pick him. The Kings would be perfect for him. His physicallity would test Hawes and Thompson, whereas their speed and quickness would test Pittman. I think they all would benefit by the competition.
Let me put it this way. If the Kings were to pick up Pittman, I'd be OK with it. At worse he could give them 5 or 6 minutes off the bench two or three times a game. And if he could lose a little more weight and get into better condition he might even turn out to be a good player down the road.
But he wouldn't be my first choice. I would definitely take Parakhouski or Varnado before him if I'm looking for a big man. I would take Faried and maybe even Jerome Jordan before Pittman. I know you like Pittman, and if I chose with my heart, I would take him. But if I choose with my brain, I'm going to take one of the other players.
But he wouldn't be my first choice. I would definitely take Parakhouski or Varnado before him if I'm looking for a big man. I would take Faried and maybe even Jerome Jordan before Pittman. I know you like Pittman, and if I chose with my heart, I would take him. But if I choose with my brain, I'm going to take one of the other players.
Haven't seen Parakhouski play or Faried or Jordan. Varnado seems to have motor issues; maybe not as much as Pittman though. The thing that stands out to me about Pittman is that does have unusually quick feet for a guy as big as he is. Guys just can't get around him (no pun intended). It's all about the stamina issue. I think he's got most everything else you need in a big man.
^^^
Parakhouski for sure can rebound in this league, can score well, and in college, only Charles Garcia got to the line better while using more possessions. The problem with him will be the transitioning--he's the undisputed go-to guy at Radford, and between the poor athleticism, bad free throw shooting and lack of passing ability he'll especially need to improve on the latter two facets to perhaps stick. He's more of your skilled-type of center in college--good offensive game, natural knack for rebounding, but holes in areas such as free throw shooting, shotblocking, and passing. He's 6'11" 260 though and with that offensive skillset someone will undoubtedly nab him in the 2nd round in the hopes that he'll develop into that two-trick role player. Physically he's underwhelming--while he's 7 feet and strong, he has a short wingspan and negligible leaping ability, both of which will hinder him on defense. His height is really the separating factor from other skilled types like Luke Harangody, to me. PROJECTION: 37-50
Kenneth Faried is one of the more underrated players in the 2nd round to me. Only two players (both no-namers) have a steal/block combination that's higher than his, and he's doing this at 6'8" 215 albeit playing for a small school. Plays way bigger than his body, leads all college PFs in rebound rate and excels at both offensive and defensive boards. He'll also easily adjust as a role player, as he does most of the dirty work and plays off the ball and has used few to medium possessions throughout his college career. He also appears to be an underrated offensive player who can finish. He's a hack and his height will limit him to a degree in the NBA on both ends, but for the role he'll be playing at the next level he's almost a surefire thing to succeed, as I think he's way better than say someone like Renaldo Balkman, when he came out. I can easily see him as a hustle player/defensive specialist in this league who's just haywire with his energy. I even think that he should be a first rounder, but his style of game and his junior year status probably will scare scouts away from drafting him there. But a real steal to me. PROJECTION: 25-40
I've always been skeptical of players like Pittman--playing under 20 minutes per game throughout all four years of college, although it's intuitively obvious why--dude's a hack, and will pretty much foul out every game if he ever breaches more than 20 minutes. Normally that alone causes me to write off a player--foul trouble and scarce playing time are both double whammies to me. He's interesting offensively: he doesn't touch the ball often, but he's very capable as a high efficient scorer, making him well suited as a role player here in the NBA--he's one of the best finishers in the NCAA, and in terms of offensive rebounding his super huge hands are like magnets--he gets put-backs at will. Moreover, as a shotblocker he'll be decent to good at the next level, so he hacks for good reason. Even more, physically he's highly intriguing, but also shows bust potential here: he's a legit 7 feet with a condor 7'6" wingspan, but has huge conditioning problems as evidenced by his body fat. Overall, at 310 lbs and down to the hacking and fairly effective offense and shotblocking ability, it's fairly easy to see where the Kendrick Perkins comparisons come from. I think he'll really need to go to the right team to follow that trajectory, but he's got potential and is more than worth a flyer for a team that's picking between #35-50. He could be underrated, or he could flame out with his propensity for hacking and potential weight problems. But drafting in the mid-2nd round, it's all about potential, and problems like that matter less. PROJECTION: 35-50
Charles Garcia is what you call that late bloomer, that guy who suddenly pops up in scouts' radars as an upperclassman and gets deemed a lottery pick early on almost always due to physical attributes. But man how far that "star" power has fallen for him as he's now projected to be a mid to late 2nd rounder, and perhaps undrafted (I've seen crazier things happen with athletes like him). As said above, Garcia gets to the line a ton for someone who commands the offense a lot for his small school (which, by the way, is a very impressive feat), but he's got tons of bad habits offensively--he's a "volume" offensive guy, the sort of offensive guy hated, especially coming from someone in a 6'10" body rather than a gunner guard. He's extremely turnover prone for a high-possession player, and he's an absolute black hole, so I can imagine that his teammates don't like playing with him. Between his bad shot selection in the interior and his poor jumper, he's a very inefficient scorer. He seems to invest a lot of skills offensively despite having the physical attributes--he's a decent rebounder but he's especially lacking in athletic markers such as steals and blocks, inexcusable for someone who's a man amongst boys in a small school. Overall he's playing "confused", I would say--he would have much more value if he toned down his game and made himself more of a two-way player by applying himself defensively and making his %'s go up. Instead, he's about to fall off the radar. PROJECTION: 50-UNDRAFTED
Derrick Caracter is a reasonably solid scorer and a reasonable rebounder for his position, and also middling at getting deflections. So there's nothing he really excels in for the NBA, and on top of that he's a hack and extremely turnover prone for a scorer-type player. Like most college bigs, he's also a poor passer and a poor free throw shooter, and perhaps the final salvo is that he has off the court issues. Even without the off the court issues, I think he'd be undrafted with his play, not even counting the fact that he might be a little undersized (6'9") and overweight (265) for his position. So really way too many red flags, best avoid given that he has no tricks for the next level. PROJECTION: UNDRAFTED
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Kevin Seraphin is a decent prospect. He's a very good rebounder and in particular has a zeal for the offensive boards, and has an NBA body for a PF at 6'9" 258, maybe minus an inch or two but it doesn't matter given his freakish wingspan and athleticism. Does the big man stuff pretty well, as he's a very competent shotblocker as well. As an offensive player he's still finding his bearings and can only be classified as average, at best, at this time, because his foul drawing and finishing ability are rather ordinary, although he rarely touches the ball either. He looks the part and plays the part of the big with the rebounding and shotblocking, but he's very raw in many areas such as offense, passing ability, and even stealing ability, so to me he fits the bare minimum of the criteria even if he has room to grow. He has a good platform to leap off of with his extremely NBA-friendly body and his two trick attributes of offensive rebounding and shotblocking, however, but there are actually quite a few players like that, maybe sans that extremely friendly body. His body alone might be worth taking in the mid-2nd round, with the added bonus he can be stashed and developed, but I don't think he has any real star, or even super role player, potential with his current skillset. He's definitely not as polished as, say Derrick Favors, in terms of defense and offense, but I can see where the comparisons come from--and if Christian Eyenga can get drafted in the first round, so can he. PROJECTION: 30-45
Another Euro big, Miroslav Raduljica, is another one of those skilled offensive players in the mold of Artsiom Parakhouski mentioned above. But unlike Parakhouski, he's a middling rebounder, and in particular will never disrupt--his steals and blocks are pathetic even by EuroLeague standards, and that compounded with what I believe are foul issues with him makes him a tough proposition especially defensively in the NBA. What he really is an offensive player--he's got a nice stroke, and he's decent at getting to the line and hitting free throws. That's all I can say about him--I seriously think that the middling rebounding and the pathetic steals/blocks makes him virtually a one-trick jumpshooting pony when it comes to the NBA, and he's far worse than Parakhouski in terms of talent IMO. Maybe a late 2nd rounder at best if someone wants to stash him. PROJECTION: 45-58
Yet another Euro big, Robin Benzing, will probably make it due to his offense at the next level. He does what I call "mutual exclusion"--he can draw fouls very well, and he'll also take a lot of threes. He has nice touch, but not to the point where it's pure, but with his mutual exclusion it's definitely not as important. At 6'10" 210 and having a poor block/foul ratio he'll most likely have to make it as a SF at the next level, which he's capable of given his solid shooting/slashing abilities. He's not NBA-caliber anywhere else--on defense he'll certainly struggle, and his rebounding is absolutely pathetic. I'm not sure if he can make it with his mutual exclusion alone, because he'll struggle everywhere else, although it's a nice characteristic to have, and given that he can be stashed, I'd say a pick from #50-60 is in the cards. PROJECTION: 50-58
Nemanja Bjelica is a guy I really like. He's very skilled and versatile--he's a very good rebounder and an especially good passer in the assist-non-friendly EuroLeagues, and he had the best rebound/assist rates at both the EuroCup and the Adriatic League. Very unselfish. As a disruptor he's also quite competent as a stealer, although he may have foul problems in the NBA. As an offensive player he needs to make the most strides, as he's quite turnover prone and perhaps needs to develop much more consistency in his three pointer to become a true asset at the next level. He'll probably only be average here anyway, but with his many tricks (rebounding, passing, stealing) and his height, at first glance he looks like your prototypical versatile SF in the NBA, in a Hedo Turkoglu mold especially if he can develop his offense. He's also not unlike Darington Hobson in this year's draft, only taller. Given that he can be stashed and developed and with his NBA-friendly skillset, I'd call him a sleeper, and I think he could be a steal. I'd say he should be drafted in the #35-50 range. PROJECTION: 35-50
Vladimir Dasic is a guy I've been tracking for a while, and but he's barely played this season. He's only an average scorer, and he likes to play in the perimeter, rarely getting to the line, even though he's quite limited as a shooter--that could be a problem offensively for him in the NBA, as he's also a very poor passer. What he excels at is the grunt work--he's a decent rebounder for the NBA, and in particular is an excellent stealer and very competent shotblocker, although he's relatively foul prone. I don't think he's a good fit for the NBA given that he's very weak offensively in many respects, and there have been many cases of grunt work players who haven't cut it to the NBA. He reminds me of Sergei Monia, a guy who (barely) played for us after he came from the Blazers. Probably undrafted, although someone might waste a pick in the very late 2nd. PROJECTION: 55-UNDRAFTED
Paulao Prestes of Brazil is a wide-bodied big who can really rebound, especially on the offensive glass. That's about it, however--he's not overly foul prone but at the same time he's not one to really get deflections, and he's probably average, at best as a scorer for the next level. He's strictly a lunch pail type player offensively, but unlike such low possession players he doesn't get to the line well at all. He'll probably be just a training camp body at the next level, and enjoy most of his career in Europe. PROJECTION: UNDRAFTED
Parakhouski for sure can rebound in this league, can score well, and in college, only Charles Garcia got to the line better while using more possessions. The problem with him will be the transitioning--he's the undisputed go-to guy at Radford, and between the poor athleticism, bad free throw shooting and lack of passing ability he'll especially need to improve on the latter two facets to perhaps stick. He's more of your skilled-type of center in college--good offensive game, natural knack for rebounding, but holes in areas such as free throw shooting, shotblocking, and passing. He's 6'11" 260 though and with that offensive skillset someone will undoubtedly nab him in the 2nd round in the hopes that he'll develop into that two-trick role player. Physically he's underwhelming--while he's 7 feet and strong, he has a short wingspan and negligible leaping ability, both of which will hinder him on defense. His height is really the separating factor from other skilled types like Luke Harangody, to me. PROJECTION: 37-50
Kenneth Faried is one of the more underrated players in the 2nd round to me. Only two players (both no-namers) have a steal/block combination that's higher than his, and he's doing this at 6'8" 215 albeit playing for a small school. Plays way bigger than his body, leads all college PFs in rebound rate and excels at both offensive and defensive boards. He'll also easily adjust as a role player, as he does most of the dirty work and plays off the ball and has used few to medium possessions throughout his college career. He also appears to be an underrated offensive player who can finish. He's a hack and his height will limit him to a degree in the NBA on both ends, but for the role he'll be playing at the next level he's almost a surefire thing to succeed, as I think he's way better than say someone like Renaldo Balkman, when he came out. I can easily see him as a hustle player/defensive specialist in this league who's just haywire with his energy. I even think that he should be a first rounder, but his style of game and his junior year status probably will scare scouts away from drafting him there. But a real steal to me. PROJECTION: 25-40
I've always been skeptical of players like Pittman--playing under 20 minutes per game throughout all four years of college, although it's intuitively obvious why--dude's a hack, and will pretty much foul out every game if he ever breaches more than 20 minutes. Normally that alone causes me to write off a player--foul trouble and scarce playing time are both double whammies to me. He's interesting offensively: he doesn't touch the ball often, but he's very capable as a high efficient scorer, making him well suited as a role player here in the NBA--he's one of the best finishers in the NCAA, and in terms of offensive rebounding his super huge hands are like magnets--he gets put-backs at will. Moreover, as a shotblocker he'll be decent to good at the next level, so he hacks for good reason. Even more, physically he's highly intriguing, but also shows bust potential here: he's a legit 7 feet with a condor 7'6" wingspan, but has huge conditioning problems as evidenced by his body fat. Overall, at 310 lbs and down to the hacking and fairly effective offense and shotblocking ability, it's fairly easy to see where the Kendrick Perkins comparisons come from. I think he'll really need to go to the right team to follow that trajectory, but he's got potential and is more than worth a flyer for a team that's picking between #35-50. He could be underrated, or he could flame out with his propensity for hacking and potential weight problems. But drafting in the mid-2nd round, it's all about potential, and problems like that matter less. PROJECTION: 35-50
Charles Garcia is what you call that late bloomer, that guy who suddenly pops up in scouts' radars as an upperclassman and gets deemed a lottery pick early on almost always due to physical attributes. But man how far that "star" power has fallen for him as he's now projected to be a mid to late 2nd rounder, and perhaps undrafted (I've seen crazier things happen with athletes like him). As said above, Garcia gets to the line a ton for someone who commands the offense a lot for his small school (which, by the way, is a very impressive feat), but he's got tons of bad habits offensively--he's a "volume" offensive guy, the sort of offensive guy hated, especially coming from someone in a 6'10" body rather than a gunner guard. He's extremely turnover prone for a high-possession player, and he's an absolute black hole, so I can imagine that his teammates don't like playing with him. Between his bad shot selection in the interior and his poor jumper, he's a very inefficient scorer. He seems to invest a lot of skills offensively despite having the physical attributes--he's a decent rebounder but he's especially lacking in athletic markers such as steals and blocks, inexcusable for someone who's a man amongst boys in a small school. Overall he's playing "confused", I would say--he would have much more value if he toned down his game and made himself more of a two-way player by applying himself defensively and making his %'s go up. Instead, he's about to fall off the radar. PROJECTION: 50-UNDRAFTED
Derrick Caracter is a reasonably solid scorer and a reasonable rebounder for his position, and also middling at getting deflections. So there's nothing he really excels in for the NBA, and on top of that he's a hack and extremely turnover prone for a scorer-type player. Like most college bigs, he's also a poor passer and a poor free throw shooter, and perhaps the final salvo is that he has off the court issues. Even without the off the court issues, I think he'd be undrafted with his play, not even counting the fact that he might be a little undersized (6'9") and overweight (265) for his position. So really way too many red flags, best avoid given that he has no tricks for the next level. PROJECTION: UNDRAFTED
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Kevin Seraphin is a decent prospect. He's a very good rebounder and in particular has a zeal for the offensive boards, and has an NBA body for a PF at 6'9" 258, maybe minus an inch or two but it doesn't matter given his freakish wingspan and athleticism. Does the big man stuff pretty well, as he's a very competent shotblocker as well. As an offensive player he's still finding his bearings and can only be classified as average, at best, at this time, because his foul drawing and finishing ability are rather ordinary, although he rarely touches the ball either. He looks the part and plays the part of the big with the rebounding and shotblocking, but he's very raw in many areas such as offense, passing ability, and even stealing ability, so to me he fits the bare minimum of the criteria even if he has room to grow. He has a good platform to leap off of with his extremely NBA-friendly body and his two trick attributes of offensive rebounding and shotblocking, however, but there are actually quite a few players like that, maybe sans that extremely friendly body. His body alone might be worth taking in the mid-2nd round, with the added bonus he can be stashed and developed, but I don't think he has any real star, or even super role player, potential with his current skillset. He's definitely not as polished as, say Derrick Favors, in terms of defense and offense, but I can see where the comparisons come from--and if Christian Eyenga can get drafted in the first round, so can he. PROJECTION: 30-45
Another Euro big, Miroslav Raduljica, is another one of those skilled offensive players in the mold of Artsiom Parakhouski mentioned above. But unlike Parakhouski, he's a middling rebounder, and in particular will never disrupt--his steals and blocks are pathetic even by EuroLeague standards, and that compounded with what I believe are foul issues with him makes him a tough proposition especially defensively in the NBA. What he really is an offensive player--he's got a nice stroke, and he's decent at getting to the line and hitting free throws. That's all I can say about him--I seriously think that the middling rebounding and the pathetic steals/blocks makes him virtually a one-trick jumpshooting pony when it comes to the NBA, and he's far worse than Parakhouski in terms of talent IMO. Maybe a late 2nd rounder at best if someone wants to stash him. PROJECTION: 45-58
Yet another Euro big, Robin Benzing, will probably make it due to his offense at the next level. He does what I call "mutual exclusion"--he can draw fouls very well, and he'll also take a lot of threes. He has nice touch, but not to the point where it's pure, but with his mutual exclusion it's definitely not as important. At 6'10" 210 and having a poor block/foul ratio he'll most likely have to make it as a SF at the next level, which he's capable of given his solid shooting/slashing abilities. He's not NBA-caliber anywhere else--on defense he'll certainly struggle, and his rebounding is absolutely pathetic. I'm not sure if he can make it with his mutual exclusion alone, because he'll struggle everywhere else, although it's a nice characteristic to have, and given that he can be stashed, I'd say a pick from #50-60 is in the cards. PROJECTION: 50-58
Nemanja Bjelica is a guy I really like. He's very skilled and versatile--he's a very good rebounder and an especially good passer in the assist-non-friendly EuroLeagues, and he had the best rebound/assist rates at both the EuroCup and the Adriatic League. Very unselfish. As a disruptor he's also quite competent as a stealer, although he may have foul problems in the NBA. As an offensive player he needs to make the most strides, as he's quite turnover prone and perhaps needs to develop much more consistency in his three pointer to become a true asset at the next level. He'll probably only be average here anyway, but with his many tricks (rebounding, passing, stealing) and his height, at first glance he looks like your prototypical versatile SF in the NBA, in a Hedo Turkoglu mold especially if he can develop his offense. He's also not unlike Darington Hobson in this year's draft, only taller. Given that he can be stashed and developed and with his NBA-friendly skillset, I'd call him a sleeper, and I think he could be a steal. I'd say he should be drafted in the #35-50 range. PROJECTION: 35-50
Vladimir Dasic is a guy I've been tracking for a while, and but he's barely played this season. He's only an average scorer, and he likes to play in the perimeter, rarely getting to the line, even though he's quite limited as a shooter--that could be a problem offensively for him in the NBA, as he's also a very poor passer. What he excels at is the grunt work--he's a decent rebounder for the NBA, and in particular is an excellent stealer and very competent shotblocker, although he's relatively foul prone. I don't think he's a good fit for the NBA given that he's very weak offensively in many respects, and there have been many cases of grunt work players who haven't cut it to the NBA. He reminds me of Sergei Monia, a guy who (barely) played for us after he came from the Blazers. Probably undrafted, although someone might waste a pick in the very late 2nd. PROJECTION: 55-UNDRAFTED
Paulao Prestes of Brazil is a wide-bodied big who can really rebound, especially on the offensive glass. That's about it, however--he's not overly foul prone but at the same time he's not one to really get deflections, and he's probably average, at best as a scorer for the next level. He's strictly a lunch pail type player offensively, but unlike such low possession players he doesn't get to the line well at all. He'll probably be just a training camp body at the next level, and enjoy most of his career in Europe. PROJECTION: UNDRAFTED
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As I said, I have a soft spot in my heart for him. He's come a long way from his freshman year and he's to be commended for that. I'll be curious to see how he fares at the combine. His true height and wingspan, plus his vertical and lateral speed. A good showing there along with some good workouts and who knows, he just might start rising back up the draft boards.
I like Parakhouski quite a bit. He lacks the athleticism of some of the other prospects, but he's far from a terrible athlete. He's very strong and has a good post game. He also has a decent jump shot out to 18 feet. It still needs to improve but the fundamentals are there. He's an excellent rebounder and a good man defender. He's very hard to move in the post. He's only been playing basketball for five years, and you have to appreciate how much he's improved since his freshman year.
While I don't think he'll ever be one of the elite centers in the league, I do think he can be a starter in time and a very good backup at worse. Once again I think a good combine and some good workouts could help his stock. I think he has a very good feel for the game considering how long he's played it.
I really like Varnado. I'm just not sure how he would fit in. But I'd try. My problem with him is that I just don't think he'll ever be able to carry the kind of weight you would desire in a PF. However, when you look at the career that Marcus Camby has had, you think that maybe its possible he could have a similar career.
The interesting thing about Varnado, is that even though he has a difficult time holding position in the post against bigger men, its not a given that the bigger man is going to score. I've seen him time and time again give up position and then block the shot of the bigger man. He has incredible timing when it comes to blocking shots. Add in that he's a pretty good rebounder and has a decent offensive game and I think he's someone you have to look at if he's there in the second round.
I like Parakhouski quite a bit. He lacks the athleticism of some of the other prospects, but he's far from a terrible athlete. He's very strong and has a good post game. He also has a decent jump shot out to 18 feet. It still needs to improve but the fundamentals are there. He's an excellent rebounder and a good man defender. He's very hard to move in the post. He's only been playing basketball for five years, and you have to appreciate how much he's improved since his freshman year.
While I don't think he'll ever be one of the elite centers in the league, I do think he can be a starter in time and a very good backup at worse. Once again I think a good combine and some good workouts could help his stock. I think he has a very good feel for the game considering how long he's played it.
I really like Varnado. I'm just not sure how he would fit in. But I'd try. My problem with him is that I just don't think he'll ever be able to carry the kind of weight you would desire in a PF. However, when you look at the career that Marcus Camby has had, you think that maybe its possible he could have a similar career.
The interesting thing about Varnado, is that even though he has a difficult time holding position in the post against bigger men, its not a given that the bigger man is going to score. I've seen him time and time again give up position and then block the shot of the bigger man. He has incredible timing when it comes to blocking shots. Add in that he's a pretty good rebounder and has a decent offensive game and I think he's someone you have to look at if he's there in the second round.
I'd consider a Ibaka a lottery pick. As in, they bought a lottery ticket on an inexperienced player who's tall, long, athletic and if you squint just right looks like he could be a heck of a player. Ibaka is the success story, but to get there they had to invest in Robert Swift, Johan Petro, Saer Sene, and BJ Mullens. Of course, the current GM Presti only drafted Mullens and Ibaka, so his personal hit rate looks pretty good so far. They are reportedly in the run for Daniel Orton as another guy who would fit that mold.
One foreign lottery ticket pick to keep an eye on is Kevin Seraphin from France. 6'10" 258 lb with a 7"3" wingspan. The things I like about him are that French prospects have fared pretty well, he played well in the Nike Hoop summit and at 20 is competing at a high level in the Eurocup. That's the major one, Eurocup is an intense, high level of basketball and if a young player can perform there, he can probly perform in the NBA.
http://www.draftexpress.com/profile/Kevin-Seraphin-5278/
One foreign lottery ticket pick to keep an eye on is Kevin Seraphin from France. 6'10" 258 lb with a 7"3" wingspan. The things I like about him are that French prospects have fared pretty well, he played well in the Nike Hoop summit and at 20 is competing at a high level in the Eurocup. That's the major one, Eurocup is an intense, high level of basketball and if a young player can perform there, he can probly perform in the NBA.
http://www.draftexpress.com/profile/Kevin-Seraphin-5278/
Good Analogy of Parakhouski. I forgot to mention his freethrow shooting. Something that can usually be fixed. Unless your Michael the animal Smith of course. While I don't think Parakhouski will ever be a great shotblocker, he will get his share simply because of his height and length. He does a good job of being a presence in the post, and makes it difficult for players to shoot over him with his arms straight up in the air. Another nice attribute that he has is that he seldom gets into foul trouble. His lateral movement is suspect though.
I haven't talked much about Charles Garica because he's one of the most frustrating players to watch. He's a junior college transfer that shot up the draft boards right after he arrived at Seattle. He got off to a great start, and then everything went south. At 6'10" with a nice frame and good length he has a lot going for him. There's no denying his talent. He can score in a variety of ways. When he wants to rebound, he's a very good rebounder. When he wants to play defense, he's a good defender. You'll notice that I added, "when he wants".
I'm not sure what went wrong with him. I had a chance to see him play quite a bit, and found myself yelling at my TV. Somewhere along the line he forgot what the word Team means, followed by the word Pass. He forced up bad shot after bad shot. When he did decide to pass the ball it was usually because he was doubled or couldn't get a shot off with the clock running down and passed at the last few seconds. Most times it ended up being a turnover. Although he handles the ball well for a big man, he all too often dribbled into traffic and had the ball stripped.
Now that I've gotten all the bad stuff out of the way. Garcia is a very talented player. If someone could draft him and somehow get his head on straight, you might have a star. You take away all of his bad habits and you have a very good offensive player thats a very good rebounder. And while he's not a great athlete, he's certainly a good enough athlete to be a good defender. I suspect that it'll never happen. And its a shame because this isn't a guy that struggling to find his game. He already has the game, he just ignores it.
I must confess that I don't know much about Seraphin. I don't follow european basketball except by accident. So I'll gladly acquies to the knowledge of others.
I haven't talked much about Charles Garica because he's one of the most frustrating players to watch. He's a junior college transfer that shot up the draft boards right after he arrived at Seattle. He got off to a great start, and then everything went south. At 6'10" with a nice frame and good length he has a lot going for him. There's no denying his talent. He can score in a variety of ways. When he wants to rebound, he's a very good rebounder. When he wants to play defense, he's a good defender. You'll notice that I added, "when he wants".
I'm not sure what went wrong with him. I had a chance to see him play quite a bit, and found myself yelling at my TV. Somewhere along the line he forgot what the word Team means, followed by the word Pass. He forced up bad shot after bad shot. When he did decide to pass the ball it was usually because he was doubled or couldn't get a shot off with the clock running down and passed at the last few seconds. Most times it ended up being a turnover. Although he handles the ball well for a big man, he all too often dribbled into traffic and had the ball stripped.
Now that I've gotten all the bad stuff out of the way. Garcia is a very talented player. If someone could draft him and somehow get his head on straight, you might have a star. You take away all of his bad habits and you have a very good offensive player thats a very good rebounder. And while he's not a great athlete, he's certainly a good enough athlete to be a good defender. I suspect that it'll never happen. And its a shame because this isn't a guy that struggling to find his game. He already has the game, he just ignores it.
I must confess that I don't know much about Seraphin. I don't follow european basketball except by accident. So I'll gladly acquies to the knowledge of others.
Others:
Samardo Samuels will be a decent scorer at the next level, with decent ability to get to the line, although his shot selection might be a bit questionable. But his major problem is that he doesn't rebound at all--he has one of the worst defensive rebound rates among all college PFs, offsetting his nice offensive rebounding. He's also not much of a deflections type, and at 6'8" 240 and showing little rebounding/defensive potential at college he'll probably be swallowed up in the league. There's not a single unique/standout trait about his game that would translate effectively into the next level. PROJECTION: UNDRAFTED
Jerome Jordan is a guy I've tracked and liked for a long while, and as a four-year college player we pretty much know how his game will be like in the next level. A major selling point is that he's 7'0" and he'll be a very good, if not great, shotblocker at the next level, although his hacking tendencies of years past (even if he's improving in this regard) may hold him down a bit. He's also a competent rebounder, particularly on the defensive glass. As a scorer he'll be middling, but he has some touch and shows relatively decent ability to draw fouls, even if he's quite turnover prone. So he has the height and the shotblocking pedigree, which is often enough to get drafted somewhere in the 2nd, and also has some offensive game, even if both might not translate quite as well due to his problems with fouls and turnovers. But in the 2nd round, he's an all-reward sort of player, especially since most shotblocking bigs have no offense and this one, even with the warts, has shades of it. PROJECTION: 25-42
Craig Brackins. I hate to say, "I told you so", but I saw this coming--even last year I didn't like his style of game. Let's recap his game with the new information attained in his junior year, in which he clearly regressed: he'll be a a very decent scorer in the NBA, but very middling as a rebounder (although he's an ok defensive rebounder). Coupling his middling rebounder with a severe inability to attain deflections makes his lack of fouling actually look like a weakness, in that he just doesn't play much defense, and with his average at best athleticism and his big man markers (rebounds, blocks) quite lacking his potential is more limited into a niche at the NBA level. Even offensively, he won't be terribly viable in the NBA--he doesn't get to the line very well, struggles to finish inside, and even fashions himself as a quasi-three point shooter when he can't even shoot it very well. The only real plus I see is not even an NBA-viable trait: that he's not turnover prone for a guy who calls his own number so much. Ultimately, between the inefficient/unreliable offense, the lack of big man markers and the lack of defense really should put him in near undrafted territory, because there's just no tricks to be seen. But he's had some hype in the past, and he is 6'10" 230 even if that could be meaningless if the impact isn't there. PROJECTION: 52-UNDRAFTED
Gani Lawal will be a middling scorer in the NBA, a good (but not great) rebounder and a competent shotblocker in the NBA. His general skills fit the basic criteria for the tough roleplaying big in the NBA, and while he's only 6'9" he has a good wingspan so that won't really impede him against most matchups. He's relatively decent at drawing fouls, and he's not overly foul prone himself, although he's had turnover issues in the past. Offensively, he has little range--he's a poor free throw shooter. It's really hard to see his style of game as a starter, but he can be the consummate lunch pail big man sort of big. Physically and skillwise, he isn't superb in any one area, but very solid in quite a number of them, and will be given chances to carve a niche in the league. I sense a lot of Chris Wilcox out of him though... PROJECTION: 25-42
Versatile favorites?
Mikhail Torrance is a decent prospect in this year's draft. He's a 6'5" guy who has enough court vision to competently play PG, although I have to wonder about his turnovers, even though as a sccorer he'll be average overall. He's a preferred slasher to jumpshooter, finishing well for a guard inside, and won't miss from the stripe, although he probably won't be much of a three point shooter at the next level. His overall defense has tons of question marks, however--even at 6'5", he's not a standout rebounder among PGs, he rarely accrues deflections (one of the worst at getting steals), and he rarely fouls, indicating that maybe he's relaxing on this end. But he's ready made as an NBA-role player, as a middling possessions guy, so the transition won't be too hard. The sell with him is that he's a ready-made 6'5" PG with some slashing ability, maybe like a Jeff McInnis type if you remember him, although his jumpshooting, turnover proneness? and really made defensive markers are such huge question marks that he's not a guaranteed success at the next level. Beauty in the eye of the beholder type prospect. PROJECTION: 42-55
Manny Harris is more of a shooting guard with passing ability, rather than a combo guard. His vision is above average for a shooting guard but not good enough for the next level as a PG. But that's just another layer to his versatility--he can really rebound for a SG, reaping boards on both ends of the court. However, while his instincts might be there, at 170 lbs it's hard to see this ability to translate to the next level. He's also a competent deflector and doesn't get into foul trouble, like many guards in the NCAAs. Unlike most players who try to use their all-around game as the selling point, Harris also will prove to be a very decent scorer in the next level, and his preferred game is slashing inside rather than shooting from outside. The problem is, he struggles to convert from both inside and outside (he'll probably struggle as a three point shooter in the next level) so his scoring rate will probably be stymied at the next level, even if he can hit free throws. Historically, he's also quite turnover prone as well. Harris seems like the ultimate facade player--there's tons to like between the stat stuffing scoring, rebounding, some passing and some stealing--looking like the consummate NBA guard and then some. But there's much more to take away--his passing ability probably won't stand out at the next level, his scoring efficiency is horrendous, his rebounding might not translate, he has a very skinny frame, and he's turnover prone so his adjustment from the "man" to role player at the next level might be hard, because his many tricks are stymied with his severe lack of efficiency. He's not unlike Terrence Williams in Jamal Crawford's body in many respects, and he's quite unique to be found this low in the draft, so I think some team will grab him somewhere--he's certainly a huge talent, just highly undisciplined. PROJECTION: 35-52
Greivis Vasquez seems like he's been in college forever, and he'll be a decent scorer for the NBA. His skills are probably best suited to be a PG at the next level, because he's a very good passer even for PG standards, and rebounds well for a PG (as opposed to average for a SG) but his body says different--while he's tall (6'6"), he's severely lacking in all-around athleticism, with a small wingspan, lack of lateral quickness and end-to-end speed, which makes him a sieve in guarding opposing PGs. As a deflections player he's average. Why Vasquez will struggle as a SG as well is because his offensive machinations are poor--he won't take too many slashes or threes (but he's a preferred three point shooter), and he's only average at best as a finisher and poor for a three point shooter, even if he can hit free throws. Vasquez is also a turnover prone high-possessions player, so his transitioning to the NBA level might be hard, not only with that but also with his lack of defined position (can't shoot well enough as a SG, lacks athleticism to defend PGs) in the NBA. That being said, at 6'6" Vasquez is a really competent passer even as a PG, attempts to maximize his physical tools (as seen with the rebounding), and competes hard, but that alone might not be enough to save him. Some team might think of him as a really homeless man's Ginobili type (without the athleticism) because their stats are relatively comparable and thus might take a gamble, but it's hard to see him really succeeding. Not so much a combo guard in the NBA, but one without a defined position. PROJECTION: 45-UNDRAFTED
Armon Johnson might be one of the most overrated prospects in the entire draft. He's an average scorer at the next level, and will also be an average passer for a PG, but also, throughout his entire college career, has one of the worst stealing rates among all PGs in college. Three major marks--all average to poor already. He's relatively middling in possessions and can adapt as a role player, but only four PGs used more possessions and were more turnover prone--so he's quite turnover prone as is. Offensively, he doesn't get to the line that well (although he's reasonable inside the paint) and will rarely take threes for a PG, as he's a very poor three point shooter (he probably won't have that range at the next level). Lacks great range, average scoring/passing instincts, turnover prone pretty much means that offensively he'll already be pretty poor, and while many have lauded his ability to defend he'll virtually never get deflections. There's pretty much no tricks with him, so I'm thinking the intrigue is his height/weight (6'3" 195) and his purported ability to defend--but I'm seeing shades of Milt Palacio as the upside here, and Palacio was a 10th man at best in the NBA. Skillwise he's proven very lackluster. PROJECTION: 55-UNDRAFTED
Terrico White is a middling scorer in this league as well, but he loves to shoot it--he's among the tops in shots per possession among SGs. He very much is a preferred jumpshooter, getting to the line very poorly. But the major problem with White is that he's very uni-dimensional as a player--he's an average rebounder, extremely poor passer, and has no impact in deflections whatsoever. At least he's well equipped to be a roleplayer, as he didn't use too many possessions, and isn't turnover prone, but that's almost grasping at straws. Overall there seems to be no immediate NBA attributes--he tries to shape himself as a "shooter" but doesn't shoot it well enough, and he's ordinary to poor at everything else. Wastes his athleticism. Some have called him a PG, which would make intriguing at 6'5" 211, but he's clearly not that, and as a SG he has tons of flaws. PROJECTION: 55-UNDRAFTED
Darington Hobson has been one of my favorite players in this draft. He'll only be an average scorer in the league, but he excels at filling in the blanks. He's an excellent rebounder even as a SF, particularly on the defensive boards, and he also has exquisite court vision, as only Evan Turner passed better than him among all SFs. His rebound/assist power is his major selling point for the league, indicating why he can play the three backcourt positions. He's ordinary at getting deflections but stays out of foul trouble, although this indicates that his defense might need work. In terms of offense, Hobson does need work, as he doesn't finish inside that well for a SF, doesn't get to the line that well, and his jumper might need work, even though he's an ok three point shooter as of now. Overall, Hobson's ability to rebound and orchestrate an offense is way above any of his other skills, as his other skills aren't really NBA-viable, but considering that unique ability to blend those normally exclusive stats together, he's a very interesting prospect to pick in the second round somewhere. PROJECTION: 30-45
Samardo Samuels will be a decent scorer at the next level, with decent ability to get to the line, although his shot selection might be a bit questionable. But his major problem is that he doesn't rebound at all--he has one of the worst defensive rebound rates among all college PFs, offsetting his nice offensive rebounding. He's also not much of a deflections type, and at 6'8" 240 and showing little rebounding/defensive potential at college he'll probably be swallowed up in the league. There's not a single unique/standout trait about his game that would translate effectively into the next level. PROJECTION: UNDRAFTED
Jerome Jordan is a guy I've tracked and liked for a long while, and as a four-year college player we pretty much know how his game will be like in the next level. A major selling point is that he's 7'0" and he'll be a very good, if not great, shotblocker at the next level, although his hacking tendencies of years past (even if he's improving in this regard) may hold him down a bit. He's also a competent rebounder, particularly on the defensive glass. As a scorer he'll be middling, but he has some touch and shows relatively decent ability to draw fouls, even if he's quite turnover prone. So he has the height and the shotblocking pedigree, which is often enough to get drafted somewhere in the 2nd, and also has some offensive game, even if both might not translate quite as well due to his problems with fouls and turnovers. But in the 2nd round, he's an all-reward sort of player, especially since most shotblocking bigs have no offense and this one, even with the warts, has shades of it. PROJECTION: 25-42
Craig Brackins. I hate to say, "I told you so", but I saw this coming--even last year I didn't like his style of game. Let's recap his game with the new information attained in his junior year, in which he clearly regressed: he'll be a a very decent scorer in the NBA, but very middling as a rebounder (although he's an ok defensive rebounder). Coupling his middling rebounder with a severe inability to attain deflections makes his lack of fouling actually look like a weakness, in that he just doesn't play much defense, and with his average at best athleticism and his big man markers (rebounds, blocks) quite lacking his potential is more limited into a niche at the NBA level. Even offensively, he won't be terribly viable in the NBA--he doesn't get to the line very well, struggles to finish inside, and even fashions himself as a quasi-three point shooter when he can't even shoot it very well. The only real plus I see is not even an NBA-viable trait: that he's not turnover prone for a guy who calls his own number so much. Ultimately, between the inefficient/unreliable offense, the lack of big man markers and the lack of defense really should put him in near undrafted territory, because there's just no tricks to be seen. But he's had some hype in the past, and he is 6'10" 230 even if that could be meaningless if the impact isn't there. PROJECTION: 52-UNDRAFTED
Gani Lawal will be a middling scorer in the NBA, a good (but not great) rebounder and a competent shotblocker in the NBA. His general skills fit the basic criteria for the tough roleplaying big in the NBA, and while he's only 6'9" he has a good wingspan so that won't really impede him against most matchups. He's relatively decent at drawing fouls, and he's not overly foul prone himself, although he's had turnover issues in the past. Offensively, he has little range--he's a poor free throw shooter. It's really hard to see his style of game as a starter, but he can be the consummate lunch pail big man sort of big. Physically and skillwise, he isn't superb in any one area, but very solid in quite a number of them, and will be given chances to carve a niche in the league. I sense a lot of Chris Wilcox out of him though... PROJECTION: 25-42
Versatile favorites?
Mikhail Torrance is a decent prospect in this year's draft. He's a 6'5" guy who has enough court vision to competently play PG, although I have to wonder about his turnovers, even though as a sccorer he'll be average overall. He's a preferred slasher to jumpshooter, finishing well for a guard inside, and won't miss from the stripe, although he probably won't be much of a three point shooter at the next level. His overall defense has tons of question marks, however--even at 6'5", he's not a standout rebounder among PGs, he rarely accrues deflections (one of the worst at getting steals), and he rarely fouls, indicating that maybe he's relaxing on this end. But he's ready made as an NBA-role player, as a middling possessions guy, so the transition won't be too hard. The sell with him is that he's a ready-made 6'5" PG with some slashing ability, maybe like a Jeff McInnis type if you remember him, although his jumpshooting, turnover proneness? and really made defensive markers are such huge question marks that he's not a guaranteed success at the next level. Beauty in the eye of the beholder type prospect. PROJECTION: 42-55
Manny Harris is more of a shooting guard with passing ability, rather than a combo guard. His vision is above average for a shooting guard but not good enough for the next level as a PG. But that's just another layer to his versatility--he can really rebound for a SG, reaping boards on both ends of the court. However, while his instincts might be there, at 170 lbs it's hard to see this ability to translate to the next level. He's also a competent deflector and doesn't get into foul trouble, like many guards in the NCAAs. Unlike most players who try to use their all-around game as the selling point, Harris also will prove to be a very decent scorer in the next level, and his preferred game is slashing inside rather than shooting from outside. The problem is, he struggles to convert from both inside and outside (he'll probably struggle as a three point shooter in the next level) so his scoring rate will probably be stymied at the next level, even if he can hit free throws. Historically, he's also quite turnover prone as well. Harris seems like the ultimate facade player--there's tons to like between the stat stuffing scoring, rebounding, some passing and some stealing--looking like the consummate NBA guard and then some. But there's much more to take away--his passing ability probably won't stand out at the next level, his scoring efficiency is horrendous, his rebounding might not translate, he has a very skinny frame, and he's turnover prone so his adjustment from the "man" to role player at the next level might be hard, because his many tricks are stymied with his severe lack of efficiency. He's not unlike Terrence Williams in Jamal Crawford's body in many respects, and he's quite unique to be found this low in the draft, so I think some team will grab him somewhere--he's certainly a huge talent, just highly undisciplined. PROJECTION: 35-52
Greivis Vasquez seems like he's been in college forever, and he'll be a decent scorer for the NBA. His skills are probably best suited to be a PG at the next level, because he's a very good passer even for PG standards, and rebounds well for a PG (as opposed to average for a SG) but his body says different--while he's tall (6'6"), he's severely lacking in all-around athleticism, with a small wingspan, lack of lateral quickness and end-to-end speed, which makes him a sieve in guarding opposing PGs. As a deflections player he's average. Why Vasquez will struggle as a SG as well is because his offensive machinations are poor--he won't take too many slashes or threes (but he's a preferred three point shooter), and he's only average at best as a finisher and poor for a three point shooter, even if he can hit free throws. Vasquez is also a turnover prone high-possessions player, so his transitioning to the NBA level might be hard, not only with that but also with his lack of defined position (can't shoot well enough as a SG, lacks athleticism to defend PGs) in the NBA. That being said, at 6'6" Vasquez is a really competent passer even as a PG, attempts to maximize his physical tools (as seen with the rebounding), and competes hard, but that alone might not be enough to save him. Some team might think of him as a really homeless man's Ginobili type (without the athleticism) because their stats are relatively comparable and thus might take a gamble, but it's hard to see him really succeeding. Not so much a combo guard in the NBA, but one without a defined position. PROJECTION: 45-UNDRAFTED
Armon Johnson might be one of the most overrated prospects in the entire draft. He's an average scorer at the next level, and will also be an average passer for a PG, but also, throughout his entire college career, has one of the worst stealing rates among all PGs in college. Three major marks--all average to poor already. He's relatively middling in possessions and can adapt as a role player, but only four PGs used more possessions and were more turnover prone--so he's quite turnover prone as is. Offensively, he doesn't get to the line that well (although he's reasonable inside the paint) and will rarely take threes for a PG, as he's a very poor three point shooter (he probably won't have that range at the next level). Lacks great range, average scoring/passing instincts, turnover prone pretty much means that offensively he'll already be pretty poor, and while many have lauded his ability to defend he'll virtually never get deflections. There's pretty much no tricks with him, so I'm thinking the intrigue is his height/weight (6'3" 195) and his purported ability to defend--but I'm seeing shades of Milt Palacio as the upside here, and Palacio was a 10th man at best in the NBA. Skillwise he's proven very lackluster. PROJECTION: 55-UNDRAFTED
Terrico White is a middling scorer in this league as well, but he loves to shoot it--he's among the tops in shots per possession among SGs. He very much is a preferred jumpshooter, getting to the line very poorly. But the major problem with White is that he's very uni-dimensional as a player--he's an average rebounder, extremely poor passer, and has no impact in deflections whatsoever. At least he's well equipped to be a roleplayer, as he didn't use too many possessions, and isn't turnover prone, but that's almost grasping at straws. Overall there seems to be no immediate NBA attributes--he tries to shape himself as a "shooter" but doesn't shoot it well enough, and he's ordinary to poor at everything else. Wastes his athleticism. Some have called him a PG, which would make intriguing at 6'5" 211, but he's clearly not that, and as a SG he has tons of flaws. PROJECTION: 55-UNDRAFTED
Darington Hobson has been one of my favorite players in this draft. He'll only be an average scorer in the league, but he excels at filling in the blanks. He's an excellent rebounder even as a SF, particularly on the defensive boards, and he also has exquisite court vision, as only Evan Turner passed better than him among all SFs. His rebound/assist power is his major selling point for the league, indicating why he can play the three backcourt positions. He's ordinary at getting deflections but stays out of foul trouble, although this indicates that his defense might need work. In terms of offense, Hobson does need work, as he doesn't finish inside that well for a SF, doesn't get to the line that well, and his jumper might need work, even though he's an ok three point shooter as of now. Overall, Hobson's ability to rebound and orchestrate an offense is way above any of his other skills, as his other skills aren't really NBA-viable, but considering that unique ability to blend those normally exclusive stats together, he's a very interesting prospect to pick in the second round somewhere. PROJECTION: 30-45
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Yeah I don't think Samuels will be drafted either. I agree with everything you said about his game. I don't see him making it in the league. On Jordan I agree with your projection. Thats about where I have him going. I'm not as high on him as your are. I've watched this guy play quite a bit over the last few years and I didn't see the natural improvement that one would want. But your right! He's a seven footer with a nice wingspan and that should translate into being a good shotblocker. I also think he has a decent offensive game when he decides to use it.
And therein lies my problem with him. He's simply not an aggressive player. Not sure why. I thought one of his better games came against Whiteside, so maybe he just needs a challenge. But there were games where he appeared to be somewhere else mentally. I originally had him in the first round, and at one point, moved him all the way down to the bottom of the second round. But his play in his conference tournament moved him back up to the top of the second round. He's definitely worth a high second round pick just on his physical abilities. If someone can find a way to motivate him they might have a good basketball player on their hands.
And therein lies my problem with him. He's simply not an aggressive player. Not sure why. I thought one of his better games came against Whiteside, so maybe he just needs a challenge. But there were games where he appeared to be somewhere else mentally. I originally had him in the first round, and at one point, moved him all the way down to the bottom of the second round. But his play in his conference tournament moved him back up to the top of the second round. He's definitely worth a high second round pick just on his physical abilities. If someone can find a way to motivate him they might have a good basketball player on their hands.
. Good job guys.Had to think about this one for a while. Players that are projected to go in the first round, but will end up in the second round.
1. Willie Warren: Showed first round talent for two years, and then fell off the table. Some boards have him going in the first round. I can almost guarantee you he'll drop into the second round.
2. Gani Lawal: He's sort of a poor man's Patrick Patterson to me, with a worse outside shot. Very athletic and physical player, who scores almost all of his points in the paint. Unfortunately he's another one of those undersized PF types. Good offensive rebounder, and good defender at the college level. Not sure if his game translates to the NBA. Although I do think he'll find a place in the league.
3. Devin Ebanks: Had a decent year, but not a great one. In general it was a disappointing one based on expectations. Personally I think he'll be a solid NBA player. But he's borderline first round, and could slide into the second round.
4. Quincy Pondexter: Had a disappointing end to his season, and the scouts seem to be all over the place with him. I really like this kid, but my gut tells me he ends up in the second round.
5. Dominique Jones: Another player thats projected in the first round on many of the boards. Could slide into the second round. He doesn't have the name recognition some of the others do, coming from a small school. But trust me, NBA scouts are aware of him. I really like Jones, but it wouldn't surprise me to see him slide into the second round.
I thought I would list some players that will more than likely be drafted in the second round that a few years from now, will look like first round picks.
Jarvis Varnado: I personally think he's first round talent, and in a different year might go in the first round. Some people have questioned his motor, but I don't think its a problem. The guy can defend. Its just that simple. I watched him shut down players that outweighed him or were taller than him. At worse, he would be a terrific weakside defender. But I think he can man up as well.
Greivis Vasquez: Has been a very emotional player for most of his college career. Many times getting him out of his game, or into trouble. But he's improved every year saving his best for last. Good outside shooter. Good ballhandler and good passer. Plays with a fire in his belly. He's a very willing defender and a good one at the college level. I've called him a poor man's Evan Turner.
Art Parakhouski: 6'11" and very strong. Terrific rebounder and a good post player. Good man defender, but still weak on the perimiter defending the pick and roll. Never picked up a basketball until five years ago. And he has improved every year. I think he still has upside. Had he put up the same numbers at a major school he would be in the top fifteen of the first round. But alas, he played for Radford and his school didn't make the tourney. He played a very good game against Aldrich and Kansas..
Kenneth Faried: If he gets into the right program he could develop into quite a player in a couple of years. Terrific athlete, great rebounder, and a pretty good shotblocker for being only 6'8" and weighing 210 pounds.
Here are three players that I think have first round ability, but for various different reasons will end up in the second round.
Jerome Jordan: Needs to have a different motor installed, or take a couple of uppers before every game. Just kidding about the uppers..
Charles Garcia: Needs to have a new brain installed. Has tons of talent, expecially offensively. But he plays the game as though he's the only player on the court.
Dexter Pittman: Needs to get his body into better shape. He's about 20 pounds and some extra conditioning away from the first round.
1. Willie Warren: Showed first round talent for two years, and then fell off the table. Some boards have him going in the first round. I can almost guarantee you he'll drop into the second round.
2. Gani Lawal: He's sort of a poor man's Patrick Patterson to me, with a worse outside shot. Very athletic and physical player, who scores almost all of his points in the paint. Unfortunately he's another one of those undersized PF types. Good offensive rebounder, and good defender at the college level. Not sure if his game translates to the NBA. Although I do think he'll find a place in the league.
3. Devin Ebanks: Had a decent year, but not a great one. In general it was a disappointing one based on expectations. Personally I think he'll be a solid NBA player. But he's borderline first round, and could slide into the second round.
4. Quincy Pondexter: Had a disappointing end to his season, and the scouts seem to be all over the place with him. I really like this kid, but my gut tells me he ends up in the second round.
5. Dominique Jones: Another player thats projected in the first round on many of the boards. Could slide into the second round. He doesn't have the name recognition some of the others do, coming from a small school. But trust me, NBA scouts are aware of him. I really like Jones, but it wouldn't surprise me to see him slide into the second round.
I thought I would list some players that will more than likely be drafted in the second round that a few years from now, will look like first round picks.
Jarvis Varnado: I personally think he's first round talent, and in a different year might go in the first round. Some people have questioned his motor, but I don't think its a problem. The guy can defend. Its just that simple. I watched him shut down players that outweighed him or were taller than him. At worse, he would be a terrific weakside defender. But I think he can man up as well.
Greivis Vasquez: Has been a very emotional player for most of his college career. Many times getting him out of his game, or into trouble. But he's improved every year saving his best for last. Good outside shooter. Good ballhandler and good passer. Plays with a fire in his belly. He's a very willing defender and a good one at the college level. I've called him a poor man's Evan Turner.
Art Parakhouski: 6'11" and very strong. Terrific rebounder and a good post player. Good man defender, but still weak on the perimiter defending the pick and roll. Never picked up a basketball until five years ago. And he has improved every year. I think he still has upside. Had he put up the same numbers at a major school he would be in the top fifteen of the first round. But alas, he played for Radford and his school didn't make the tourney. He played a very good game against Aldrich and Kansas..
Kenneth Faried: If he gets into the right program he could develop into quite a player in a couple of years. Terrific athlete, great rebounder, and a pretty good shotblocker for being only 6'8" and weighing 210 pounds.
Here are three players that I think have first round ability, but for various different reasons will end up in the second round.
Jerome Jordan: Needs to have a different motor installed, or take a couple of uppers before every game. Just kidding about the uppers..
Charles Garcia: Needs to have a new brain installed. Has tons of talent, expecially offensively. But he plays the game as though he's the only player on the court.
Dexter Pittman: Needs to get his body into better shape. He's about 20 pounds and some extra conditioning away from the first round.
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Added note to my last post. Kenneth Faried removed his name from the draft. I'm kind of surprised in a way, because he made the statement that if any team told him he would be drafted in the 1st or 2nd round he would stay in the draft. He comes from a poor family and that was certainly part of the equation. Add to that, he played center at Moorehead St. at 6'8" and 210/220 pounds. While its admirable, it doesn't prepare him for the next level. He needs to develop SF skills and I don't see that happening at school. Maybe we'll get a shot at him next year..