Following 2019 draftees!!!

I have been watching the ABA (Balkans league with Serbia/Croatia/Slovenia/Bosnia/Montenegro) a player that caught my eye somewhat was 21 year old Vanja Marinkovic, he's like a less skilled more smooth athletic version of Bogie, he had a monster opening game with 25 points or so and exhibited a sweet step back and nice athletic ability attacking the rim.



He tries hard on D, has decent feel for the game (at times last season his %'s were a bit low cause of some bad shots) in terms of passing he could be a decent bench player down the line.
 

bajaden

Hall of Famer

At 6'6" Max Strus can do a bit of everything, he's "a gamer" too. has worked his way from Division 2 to possibly being drafted. Should have a monster year.
Didn't mean to overlook Max Strus. Definitely on my to do list. There are several players in the Big East conference that fall into that sleeper area. Along with Strus and Hauser, I also like Naji Marshall from Xavior, and Josh Leblanc from Georgetown. I haven't made up my mind yet on what exactly Eric Paschall is. He had a nice finish last season, but this year he's going to have to carry a much bigger load, so we'll see.
 
IDK how Silvio De Sousa's gonnabe able to play this year for Kansas... Perhaps the kings can get him in the 2nd round a la Mitchell Robinson and the Nix this year.



Thomas “T.J.” Gassnola told a jury at a New York City trial on Wednesday that he helped broker the deals involving players including Deandre Ayton of Arizona and Brian Bowen Jr. of Louisville. He also named Billy Preston and Silvio De Sousa of Kansas and Dennis Smith Jr. of North Carolina State.

He testified that the covert payments to youth league players and college prospects were known as “black ops” among a team of fixers.
 
Didn't mean to overlook Max Strus. Definitely on my to do list. There are several players in the Big East conference that fall into that sleeper area. Along with Strus and Hauser, I also like Naji Marshall from Xavior, and Josh Leblanc from Georgetown. I haven't made up my mind yet on what exactly Eric Paschall is. He had a nice finish last season, but this year he's going to have to carry a much bigger load, so we'll see.
Huge fan of Marshall, i hope he's unleashed this season. Looks like the kings could use him lol.

 
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Didn't mean to overlook Max Strus. Definitely on my to do list. There are several players in the Big East conference that fall into that sleeper area. Along with Strus and Hauser, I also like Naji Marshall from Xavior, and Josh Leblanc from Georgetown. I haven't made up my mind yet on what exactly Eric Paschall is. He had a nice finish last season, but this year he's going to have to carry a much bigger load, so we'll see.
I saw enough of Strus and DePaul last season to know that he's actually a few % points higher of a shooter from 3 than whats on paper, because they have him taking Kobe style 3's at times to try to catch up/halfcourt flings/buzzer beaters, etc.
 
Charles Matthews at Michigan would be a welcome presence here on the Kings for sure. at 6'6" he's an athletic swingman who can do a bit of everything including defend.

 
Man it will be really sweet if they can pull a gem in the 2nd here. They'll call it Lucky if they pull one for sure, but it's not really about luck...


The more I see from this Cameroonian kid, Paul Eboua, the more i'm impressed. He's built for NBA ball.
 

bajaden

Hall of Famer
IDK how Silvio De Sousa's gonnabe able to play this year for Kansas... Perhaps the kings can get him in the 2nd round a la Mitchell Robinson and the Nix this year.
I don't think anyone knows what the outcome of this mess is going to be just yet. I never have a clue how the NCAA is going to rule on anything. They seem to make up the rules as they go at times. Personally, I hope he can play because I'd love to watch him play.
 

bajaden

Hall of Famer
Charles Matthews at Michigan would be a welcome presence here on the Kings for sure. at 6'6" he's an athletic swingman who can do a bit of everything including defend.

Yeah, Mathews, the one Kentucky let get away. Two things I'd like to see from Mathews this season. First, bring his freethrow percentage up to a respectable level, and second, get his 3 pt percentage up to around 35%, or higher. He's outstanding at attacking the basket, and has a quick first step off the dribble. He has improved his form a bit since Kentucky by getting squared up coming off screens. Now it would be nice to see that translate into results.

He's an excellent defender and appears to have a good wingspan. I'll be interested in seeing the measurement results from the combine if and when he comes out. Right now, he's a 2nd rounder, but if he takes another step forward this season, he might work his way into the 1st rd. Particularly with this draft looking like it's top heavy, and not much of note after. Of course that could change, and probably will.
 
Yeah, Mathews, the one Kentucky let get away. Two things I'd like to see from Mathews this season. First, bring his freethrow percentage up to a respectable level, and second, get his 3 pt percentage up to around 35%, or higher. He's outstanding at attacking the basket, and has a quick first step off the dribble. He has improved his form a bit since Kentucky by getting squared up coming off screens. Now it would be nice to see that translate into results.

He's an excellent defender and appears to have a good wingspan. I'll be interested in seeing the measurement results from the combine if and when he comes out. Right now, he's a 2nd rounder, but if he takes another step forward this season, he might work his way into the 1st rd. Particularly with this draft looking like it's top heavy, and not much of note after. Of course that could change, and probably will.
I think De'Aaron Fox (and Malik Monk) commitment to UK had something to do with Matthews x-fer, his good buddy since HS Tyler Ulis declared for the draft too.

I will be watching Jordan Poole as closely as Matthews. He should have a bigtime sophomore season and could end up in the Kings range.
 
Nic Claxton Sophomore Forward at Georgia is a player to keep an eye on too.


He's probably outgrown the SF position, at somewhere around 6'10 or 6'11". Versatile skillset though, this kid is headed to the league.
 
One more possible SF to watch is UCLA Sophomore Chris Smith. 6'9 player with a pro build, he might even grown to 6'10.

at one poin t he was a 3-star recruit.

seems to have good amount of potential, has guard skills and moves well.
 
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Capt. Factorial

trifolium contra tempestatem subrigere certum est
Staff member
One more possible SF to watch is UCLA Sophomore Chris Smith. 6'9 player with a pro build, he might even grown to 6'10.

at one point he was a 3-star recruit.

seems to have good amount of potential, has guard skills and moves well.
Smith has a great NBA body but is really really raw right now. He didn't get a ton of playing time in his freshman year, and he showed some flashes with ball handling and athleticism when he did, but he didn't convince me that he has figured out how to be a "basketball player" yet. Also needs to work on his stroke. But the word that seems to leak out from UCLA practices is that the team has always been pretty impressed with him, and I believe last year he was the youngest player in the PAC12 and one of the youngest in all of NCAA basketball, so there's room for growth there. Barring a breakout season I don't imagine he'd be in the draft for 2019, but he's worth keeping an eye on.
 
Smith has a great NBA body but is really really raw right now. He didn't get a ton of playing time in his freshman year, and he showed some flashes with ball handling and athleticism when he did, but he didn't convince me that he has figured out how to be a "basketball player" yet. Also needs to work on his stroke. But the word that seems to leak out from UCLA practices is that the team has always been pretty impressed with him, and I believe last year he was the youngest player in the PAC12 and one of the youngest in all of NCAA basketball, so there's room for growth there. Barring a breakout season I don't imagine he'd be in the draft for 2019, but he's worth keeping an eye on.
yep he's still just 18 years old, doesn't turn 19 til the last week of december. Like 15 months younger than Marvin.

With no 1st and 3 2nds i would hope we can gamble on a player like this.. He is a future pro as far as im concerned, i'm buying the hype,its more of a question of when rahter than if. He just looks like to me a player that would do well with NBA conditioning and a bunch of g-league seasoning, and the kings have time to wait for projects like this to develop.
 

bajaden

Hall of Famer
yep he's still just 18 years old, doesn't turn 19 til the last week of december. Like 15 months younger than Marvin.

With no 1st and 3 2nds i would hope we can gamble on a player like this.. He is a future pro as far as im concerned, i'm buying the hype,its more of a question of when rahter than if. He just looks like to me a player that would do well with NBA conditioning and a bunch of g-league seasoning, and the kings have time to wait for projects like this to develop.
Well, to be honest, I spent more time watching the other Kris last year than I did this Chris, although I did notice him. I agree with the Capt that he's very raw and only shot 17.9% from the three. But to be fair, he averaged less than one a game and only logged around 13 minutes a game. The potential is there, and if you watch some of his highschool film, you get a bit more excited. Speaking there of:


By the way, for those than don't know, the other Kris, is Kris Wilkes. Yes, from that family. I believe that Keith Wilkes is his uncle. I thought that Wilkes had a good, if not unspectacular season. He did a lot of things well, including shooting around 35% from the three, but never did anything that made you stand up and take notice. So looking to see what he brings to the table this season. Hopefully about 10 more pounds of muscle, which would really help his game.

By the way, I do like Wilkes and see potential there. Good but not great athlete, with good but not great handles. He's sort of pretty good at a lot of things, but not great at any one thing. Which is OK. He still has time to grow.
 
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With the Kings having 3 picks, i'm hoping for ideally;

-tall athletic SF with defensive potential
-bruiser pf/c type. 250lbs+
-combo guard (with the Kings using the small guard lineups I can't help but think it's a good setting for some of these 6'3 ish type of combo's)

So I figure I'll mention Auburn. They might have 2 of those in range.

6'10 C/PF Austin Wiley. Kid is built like a brick house, and has massive hands and wingspan (7'6"). He'll be 20½ at the time of the draft, he's young for a junior. Has had a rough ride thru college, and is currently recovering from a foot injury. Would be a solid addition to the crop of young development projects, groomed to fill the role now held by Kosta. With KK and Z-Bo moving on, and Willie likely being retained, I'd like to see them take a kid like this, he's got mauler potential. He;s got some touch too, not just a big body.

Danjel Purifoy has many hurdles to clear before getting drafted, he just turned 23 last week so he'd be vieing for the oldest player selected. He's about 6'6", maybe 6'7" and plenty athletic, listed at 230lbs, with what I always thought looked like a very nice shooting touch.


These guys were both suspended last season. It's gonna be an interesting storyline to follow, their team should be pretty good. 20+ wins and a tourney appearance.
 

Vick is a polarizing player, he's built to play at high speed. Wiry strong, athletic, and very competitive, and can defend, he's got a slippery handle too and can shoot it.

Potential 2nd rd steal for sure.
 
6'5 french swingman Adam Mokoka's shooting a ton of 3's in his first 4 games with Mega Bemax (in those cotton candy pink and blue uni's LOL)

He's one of the players I'd have pegged as possible late-risers, once NBA teams get a chance to work these players out privately, i think thats gonna work in his favor.
 
How about Duke's Marques Bolden?


Obviously the Kings have plenty of young bigs already but Bolden is nowhere near ready and a possible late gem worth developing.

Way back when he was being recruited by all the blue bloods I recall ppl throwing around a Chris Webber comparison.

he's NBA C size for sure. 6'11", 250+lbs, 7'6" wingspan
 

bajaden

Hall of Famer
How about Duke's Marques Bolden?


Obviously the Kings have plenty of young bigs already but Bolden is nowhere near ready and a possible late gem worth developing.

Way back when he was being recruited by all the blue bloods I recall ppl throwing around a Chris Webber comparison.

he's NBA C size for sure. 6'11", 250+lbs, 7'6" wingspan
While we have a lot of bigs on the team right now, that's not to say that some may be gone come draft time, or at least will have moved off the burner by then. This season is all about who is a future core player and whose not. So it may make some sense to use a 2nd rd pick on someone like Bolden and stick him on our G-League team. While his current style of play doesn't fit into today's NBA, there's always a need for a player that can defend the middle and grab boards.