2014 Draft Prospects:
- Thread starter bajaden
- Start date
jalfa
Starter
weirdly enough, I came to this thread looking for information on Exum and Okafor. seem to be trending topics around here, too, great! the few times I've seen Exum play, he always reminded me of a supercharged Barbosa. not so much in the way he played, totally different skillset, for sure, but just the way he moves. they both have that ultra-quick gliding thing going, which is just fascinating to watch. anyway, there was also this article, as well as this one, and now, my curiosity has become attention. this kid clearly warrants a very close look.
as for Okafor, I've never seen him play, but the way he's been tearing apart all competition thrown his way lately and how he's been hyped by dx indicates that it'd be prudent to keep an eye on him, too. IF we were to still be sucking bad enough two years from now to get a pick high enough to get him, it'd probably mean Cuz would be gone, so monitoring him as a possible replacement seems smart.
as for Okafor, I've never seen him play, but the way he's been tearing apart all competition thrown his way lately and how he's been hyped by dx indicates that it'd be prudent to keep an eye on him, too. IF we were to still be sucking bad enough two years from now to get a pick high enough to get him, it'd probably mean Cuz would be gone, so monitoring him as a possible replacement seems smart.
bajaden
Hall of Famer
Joel Embiid: Center, 7'0" with shoes, 240 Lbs, 7'5" Wingspan (measurements from the Nike Hoop Summit), Kansas.
Embiid, who is the heir apparent to Jeff Withey, and who will also be the running mate of Andrew Wiggins, is someone to keep your eye on as the season progresses. He's another that's only played the game for a couple of years, so he's still trying to figure things out. Surprisingly, he's shown off quite a few skills for someone new to the game. He has a hook shot with either hand, and he's displayed a good looking 15 to 18 foot jumpshot. His footwork in the post, while needing work, is still better than one would have expected at this point. Obviously he has a natural feel for the game. What he has a chance to immediately excel at is on the defensive side of the ball. He's a natural shotblocker with great timing. He also appears to be a pretty good athlete. I've only seen him play twice, and for limited minutes. Hardly enough time to come to any conclusions. But he has talent, and if you can block shots, and play defense, there's a place for you in the NBA. Here's a short video.
Embiid, who is the heir apparent to Jeff Withey, and who will also be the running mate of Andrew Wiggins, is someone to keep your eye on as the season progresses. He's another that's only played the game for a couple of years, so he's still trying to figure things out. Surprisingly, he's shown off quite a few skills for someone new to the game. He has a hook shot with either hand, and he's displayed a good looking 15 to 18 foot jumpshot. His footwork in the post, while needing work, is still better than one would have expected at this point. Obviously he has a natural feel for the game. What he has a chance to immediately excel at is on the defensive side of the ball. He's a natural shotblocker with great timing. He also appears to be a pretty good athlete. I've only seen him play twice, and for limited minutes. Hardly enough time to come to any conclusions. But he has talent, and if you can block shots, and play defense, there's a place for you in the NBA. Here's a short video.
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bajaden
Hall of Famer
James Young: SF, 6'6.5" with shoes, 6'11" wingspan, (measurements from the Nike Hoop Summit),Kentucky.
Young is one of the youngest players in college this season at 17 years of age, so its possible that he's not done growing yet. But he has the size to play the SF position because of his very nice 6'11" wingspan. He's a good athlete, but not a great athlete. I've seen him play three times. Twice in all star games and once in a highschool game. At the moment, he's a little rough around the edges, but there's potential there. He has a pretty good jumpshot all the way out to three point range. His release point is just a tad low, but he doesn't seem to have trouble getting it off. His ballhandling needs work. At the moment he's what I call a good straight line dribbler. But if he has to cross over, or change directions other than left, he gets into trouble. He's a southpaw, and I don't have the stats, but I'd guess that 65% of all his scoring, if not more, is at or near the basket. In college, and extending that into the NBA, his ballhandling, and his tendecy to always go left, will cause him trouble. But as stated earlier, he's only 17 years old, and he has plenty of time to improve. Here's a video:
Young is one of the youngest players in college this season at 17 years of age, so its possible that he's not done growing yet. But he has the size to play the SF position because of his very nice 6'11" wingspan. He's a good athlete, but not a great athlete. I've seen him play three times. Twice in all star games and once in a highschool game. At the moment, he's a little rough around the edges, but there's potential there. He has a pretty good jumpshot all the way out to three point range. His release point is just a tad low, but he doesn't seem to have trouble getting it off. His ballhandling needs work. At the moment he's what I call a good straight line dribbler. But if he has to cross over, or change directions other than left, he gets into trouble. He's a southpaw, and I don't have the stats, but I'd guess that 65% of all his scoring, if not more, is at or near the basket. In college, and extending that into the NBA, his ballhandling, and his tendecy to always go left, will cause him trouble. But as stated earlier, he's only 17 years old, and he has plenty of time to improve. Here's a video:
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LPKingsFan
All-Star
Saw a quote from Pitino today that he thinks Embiid could go #2 after wiggins.
bajaden
Hall of Famer
That would be amazing if it happened. He'd have to jump over a lot of very talented players! Hey, stranger things have happened.
Darth Divac
Bench
bajaden
Hall of Famer
He appears to be a quick learner, but still, I just don't see him going that high. Hey, that just might bode well for us. We need a shotblocker to put next to Cousins, so having players like Embiid and Cauley-Stein in the lower half of the lottery could end up being a bonus, or at worse, a nice fall back position.
Darth Divac
Bench
I LOVE Cauley-Stein. Rich man's Noel- He's an inch taller, 30 pounds heavier, more developed offensively and arguably more athletic. HUGE upside and has a work ethic to meet it.
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bajaden
Hall of Famer
Willie Cauley-Stein: Center, 7'0.5" with shoes, 240 Lbs, 7'2.5" wingspan. (measurements from Nike Big Man Skills Academy) Kentucky.
Since were on the subject of Cauley-Stein, or Willie Cauley, I thought I'd profile him next. There's no other way to put Stein other than to say he was a very pleasant surprise last year. A year first marred by injuries to both him and Noel at different times of the season. Stein was lowest rated recruit from Kentucky's team that year, and by years end, he was one of the best players on the team, and perhaps the player with the most potential going forward. He's a true 7 footer and an above average athlete for a big man. He runs the floor extremely well, and was a very good tight end on his highschool football team. last season he averaged 23.6 MPG. A total that should increase this season since he's the heir apparent to Noel as the defensive stopper on the team. He was also plagued by foul trouble at times. But he's a natural shot blocker with great instincts and timing. What surprised everyone, was how efficient he started to become on the offensive side of the ball. The longer the season went, the better he got. Although ranked outside the lottery at the moment, don't be surprised to see him in the top ten by seasons end. He's loaded with potential. He needs to improve his rebounding, and he could use a little more polish in the post, and maybe add some game facing the basket, which is currently almost nonexistent. He's a dark horse right now, but your going to be hearing his name a lot prior to the next draft. Here's a short video.
Just to prove I wasn't kidding about his being a tight end in highschool:
Since were on the subject of Cauley-Stein, or Willie Cauley, I thought I'd profile him next. There's no other way to put Stein other than to say he was a very pleasant surprise last year. A year first marred by injuries to both him and Noel at different times of the season. Stein was lowest rated recruit from Kentucky's team that year, and by years end, he was one of the best players on the team, and perhaps the player with the most potential going forward. He's a true 7 footer and an above average athlete for a big man. He runs the floor extremely well, and was a very good tight end on his highschool football team. last season he averaged 23.6 MPG. A total that should increase this season since he's the heir apparent to Noel as the defensive stopper on the team. He was also plagued by foul trouble at times. But he's a natural shot blocker with great instincts and timing. What surprised everyone, was how efficient he started to become on the offensive side of the ball. The longer the season went, the better he got. Although ranked outside the lottery at the moment, don't be surprised to see him in the top ten by seasons end. He's loaded with potential. He needs to improve his rebounding, and he could use a little more polish in the post, and maybe add some game facing the basket, which is currently almost nonexistent. He's a dark horse right now, but your going to be hearing his name a lot prior to the next draft. Here's a short video.
Just to prove I wasn't kidding about his being a tight end in highschool:
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Darth Divac
Bench
How about Mario Hezonja, swingman from Europe? He's an explosive athlete, tremendous passer and ball-handler, and smooth shooter with the height and skill to play all 3 perimeter positions.
Arby's Roast Beef
Starter
I see Hezonja as more of a 2015 prospect. I think there's some work within the team concept that he can do work in, in particular.
Anyone like D'Angelo Harrison from St John's, by the way? A gunner who can't really do it efficiently, but there's always tweener guards littering the league, and he has the framework of skills to succeed in a popcorn bench scorer capacity. Look out for Jake Layman, a shooter from Maryland who might be somewhat more than that. I've always liked Quinn Cook from Duke as well, but it's hard to ignore that Duke produces average NBA players, although I think if he were two inches taller he'd get a lot more hype. On the international front there's a scoring guard named Tomas Dimsa who I really like, and he could be a mid-1st round pick this year.
Anyone like D'Angelo Harrison from St John's, by the way? A gunner who can't really do it efficiently, but there's always tweener guards littering the league, and he has the framework of skills to succeed in a popcorn bench scorer capacity. Look out for Jake Layman, a shooter from Maryland who might be somewhat more than that. I've always liked Quinn Cook from Duke as well, but it's hard to ignore that Duke produces average NBA players, although I think if he were two inches taller he'd get a lot more hype. On the international front there's a scoring guard named Tomas Dimsa who I really like, and he could be a mid-1st round pick this year.
Darth Divac
Bench
One who I really like is Jabari Bird, on the BEARS!!!! He's a lockdown perimeter defender and explosive athlete. Under the right circumstances, he could go as high as just after than lottery.
Darth Divac
Bench
Dunno, man, there's a lot of other really good players out there.
bajaden
Hall of Famer
Doug McDermott: SF/PF, 6'8" with shoes, 223 Lbs, 6'8.5" Wingspan (measurements from Nike Summit), Creighton.
Freshman: 14.9 PPG, 52.5% FGP, 40.5% 3PP, 7.2 RPG.
Sophmore: 22.9 PPG, 60.1% FGP, 48.6% 3PP, 8.2 RPG.
Junior: 23.2 PPG, 54.8% FGP, 49.0% 3PP, 7.7 RPG
Generally thought of as 2nd round pick, even though he was one of the leading scorers in the country last year. He was one of two college players that attended the USA trials camp. I should add that there were others invited that declined because of commitments. I guess I should also add that its rumored that McDermott more than held his own there. McDermott averaged 31 MPG and 23.2 PPG while shooting at a 54.8% clip overall and 49.0% from the three. His 3 pt shooting isn't an aberration, since he shot 48.6% his sophmore year, and 40.5% his freshman year. The major question with McDermott is just what is he. He's certainly a scorer, and a very good one. He's extremely good in the post as well, where he makes lightning quick decisions as soon as the ball touches his hands, and as a result almost always catches the opposition off guard. Offensively, he can score inside and outside. He's not the greatest ballhandler, and as a result, he's mostly a catch and shoot guy, but he does put the ball on the floor and drive on occasion. He moves without the ball very well, and runs the give and go very efficiently. There's always a place for someone that can score like he can, and I can see him being a Kyle Korver type player. Defensively, he certainly gives the effort, but he has poor lateral quickness, and average reach, so that certainly makes him a liability. I'll say this, its been a long time since I've seen a player that's a little undersized, with short arms, and who can't jump, be as efficient as he is in the post. I wouldn't bet against him be successful in the NBA. I just don't know how far he can go. Here's a short video.
Freshman: 14.9 PPG, 52.5% FGP, 40.5% 3PP, 7.2 RPG.
Sophmore: 22.9 PPG, 60.1% FGP, 48.6% 3PP, 8.2 RPG.
Junior: 23.2 PPG, 54.8% FGP, 49.0% 3PP, 7.7 RPG
Generally thought of as 2nd round pick, even though he was one of the leading scorers in the country last year. He was one of two college players that attended the USA trials camp. I should add that there were others invited that declined because of commitments. I guess I should also add that its rumored that McDermott more than held his own there. McDermott averaged 31 MPG and 23.2 PPG while shooting at a 54.8% clip overall and 49.0% from the three. His 3 pt shooting isn't an aberration, since he shot 48.6% his sophmore year, and 40.5% his freshman year. The major question with McDermott is just what is he. He's certainly a scorer, and a very good one. He's extremely good in the post as well, where he makes lightning quick decisions as soon as the ball touches his hands, and as a result almost always catches the opposition off guard. Offensively, he can score inside and outside. He's not the greatest ballhandler, and as a result, he's mostly a catch and shoot guy, but he does put the ball on the floor and drive on occasion. He moves without the ball very well, and runs the give and go very efficiently. There's always a place for someone that can score like he can, and I can see him being a Kyle Korver type player. Defensively, he certainly gives the effort, but he has poor lateral quickness, and average reach, so that certainly makes him a liability. I'll say this, its been a long time since I've seen a player that's a little undersized, with short arms, and who can't jump, be as efficient as he is in the post. I wouldn't bet against him be successful in the NBA. I just don't know how far he can go. Here's a short video.
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Arby's Roast Beef
Starter
Good write up on McDermott. If I were him, I would absolutely become a three point binger this upcoming season. He's a really good shooter, but in college like Harangody he can use his wide array of skills to score from every perch. In the NBA, I see him as a Matt Bonner type, really. Tough, heady, intelligent basketball player with a sole NBA trade. Investing in a shot that's most transferable to the NBA would really benefit him.
For now I have him firmly ensconced in the 2nd as well. There's players deemed with more potential, more diversity of transferable skills, than what McDermott has. He's a classic example of a better college than NBA player.
For now I have him firmly ensconced in the 2nd as well. There's players deemed with more potential, more diversity of transferable skills, than what McDermott has. He's a classic example of a better college than NBA player.
bajaden
Hall of Famer
Yeah, I've seen McDermott play quite a bit. Every time Creighton is on, I try to catch or record the game. He's one of those players that you just can't say one way or the other whether his skill level will translate to the NBA, but he's a lot of fun to watch in college. His decision making in the post is terrific. The instant the ball touches his hands, he's making his move. Something a player Like Cousins, who likes to hold the ball for a few seconds before making his move, could learn. He's already a very good catch and shoot three point shooter. His inability to create off the dribble does make him somewhat one dimensional on the perimeter.
bajaden
Hall of Famer
Jordan Adams: SG, 6'5", 220 Lbs, UCLA.
I think Adams is one of the most underrated players in college. There were times last season when he was the best player on the UCLA team. Just my opinion of course, but Muhammad was getting all the press causing Adams to get overlooked. He averaged 30.2 MPG along with 15.3 PPG. His overall shooting percentage wasn't bad at 44.7%, but his 3PP was a tad below average at 30.7%. He rebounded just so/so at 3.8 boards a game. He defended very well and averaged 2.2 steals a game. And while 1.8 assists a game won't blow your socks off, he is a very unselfish player, and a good passer, especially in traffic. His ballhandling needs to improve, but he does attack the basket when given a clear lane, and is pretty good finisher. I think his 3 pt shooting will improve. He has decent form and a quick release. His release point is just a tad low, but he doesn't seem to have any trouble getting it off. He's an excellent freethrow shooter, averaging over 80% from the line. I'm expecting a breakout year for him, and if that happens, he should slide into the first round. Right now, he's being overlooked, but I expect that to change by seasons end. Here's a video of him.
I think Adams is one of the most underrated players in college. There were times last season when he was the best player on the UCLA team. Just my opinion of course, but Muhammad was getting all the press causing Adams to get overlooked. He averaged 30.2 MPG along with 15.3 PPG. His overall shooting percentage wasn't bad at 44.7%, but his 3PP was a tad below average at 30.7%. He rebounded just so/so at 3.8 boards a game. He defended very well and averaged 2.2 steals a game. And while 1.8 assists a game won't blow your socks off, he is a very unselfish player, and a good passer, especially in traffic. His ballhandling needs to improve, but he does attack the basket when given a clear lane, and is pretty good finisher. I think his 3 pt shooting will improve. He has decent form and a quick release. His release point is just a tad low, but he doesn't seem to have any trouble getting it off. He's an excellent freethrow shooter, averaging over 80% from the line. I'm expecting a breakout year for him, and if that happens, he should slide into the first round. Right now, he's being overlooked, but I expect that to change by seasons end. Here's a video of him.
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bajaden
Hall of Famer
Montrezl Harrell: 6'10" with shoes, 230 Lbs, Louisville.
Two years ago Harrell measured out at 6'7". A year later, he was 6'8", and just a couple of months ago at the USA 19 camp, he measured out at 6'10" with shoes. I watched Louisville play quite a bit last year, so I got to see Harrell play. Since he was playing behind Dieng, his minutes were inconsistent. 22 minutes one game, and 7 minutes the next. If I had to choose one word to describe him, it would be raw. Maybe a better metaphor would be to describe him as an uncut diamond. If I had to choose a player to compare him with, Kenneth Faried leaps to mind. Like Faried, he has a nonstop motor, and he's an outstanding athlete. Offensively, almost all of his baskets are scored at the basket, and usually on alleyopps, or on a fast break. He did show a little jumpshot on occasion. Strangely, he likes to face up, put the ball on the floor and drive to the basket. He's not fancy, and doesn't dazzle you with a crossover dribble. He just has a very quick first step, which works well at the college level, but I doubt he'll get away with it at the next level for very long. Defensively, he's has very long arms, and gets his share of steals. He's also shown natural instincts for shotblocking. If you average him out to 36 per, he averages around 1.5 blocks. Not mind blowing, but considering his inconsistent minutes, and the fact that he was a freshman, not bad either. He's definitely someone to keep your eye on. He should get a lot of minutes this season with Dieng gone. If he can establish himself as a defensive player, he's probably a lottery pick. Here's a video of him.
Two years ago Harrell measured out at 6'7". A year later, he was 6'8", and just a couple of months ago at the USA 19 camp, he measured out at 6'10" with shoes. I watched Louisville play quite a bit last year, so I got to see Harrell play. Since he was playing behind Dieng, his minutes were inconsistent. 22 minutes one game, and 7 minutes the next. If I had to choose one word to describe him, it would be raw. Maybe a better metaphor would be to describe him as an uncut diamond. If I had to choose a player to compare him with, Kenneth Faried leaps to mind. Like Faried, he has a nonstop motor, and he's an outstanding athlete. Offensively, almost all of his baskets are scored at the basket, and usually on alleyopps, or on a fast break. He did show a little jumpshot on occasion. Strangely, he likes to face up, put the ball on the floor and drive to the basket. He's not fancy, and doesn't dazzle you with a crossover dribble. He just has a very quick first step, which works well at the college level, but I doubt he'll get away with it at the next level for very long. Defensively, he's has very long arms, and gets his share of steals. He's also shown natural instincts for shotblocking. If you average him out to 36 per, he averages around 1.5 blocks. Not mind blowing, but considering his inconsistent minutes, and the fact that he was a freshman, not bad either. He's definitely someone to keep your eye on. He should get a lot of minutes this season with Dieng gone. If he can establish himself as a defensive player, he's probably a lottery pick. Here's a video of him.
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Darth Divac
Bench
Harrell.......he's intriguing. If we miss out on the upper-echelon prospects, he might be worth a look.
bajaden
Hall of Famer
Smith is an interesting prospect. The first question that leaps to mind, is what position does he play. With Silva gone, maybe this year we'll find out whether he's a PG or not. If I had to pick one word to describe him, it would be Aggressive! He loves to push the ball, and loves to attack the basket. My problem with that is, right now, he's not that efficient at it. He's also not very efficient shooting the ball from the outside, averaging around 32% from beyond the 3 pt line. And, he's a high volume shooter averaging 14 shots a game. Truth is, if it weren't for a few games where he only took 6 or 7 shots, he would be averaging around 16 or 17 shots a game, which is a lot for college. Having said all that, his future will be determined by how well he can play the PG position.
I'm not sure the Bobby Jackson comparison is a good one or not. Bobby was taller and bigger, and a better shooter coming out of college. And he had displayed more PG skills than Smith has up to this point. I see your point though in style of play, and that Bobby ended up being more of a scorer than a distributor. Smith is talented, but has to get stronger and improve his shot selection, which will automatically improve his shooting percentage. He takes a lot of off balance and forced shots. He's a terrific ballhandler with great speed in the open court, and he's a solid defender at the college level. He certainly had a great run in the tourney.
Hallama
Starter
Thanks - these are all great write-ups...keep 'em coming!
bajaden
Hall of Famer
Chris Walker: 6'9" with shoes, 206 Lbs, 7'1.5" wingspan (Measurements from Nike Summit), Florida.
Walker is another jumping jack that is raw offensively and defensively. He's only 18 years old, so we'll cut him some slack. Like most freak athlete's, he relies on his athleticism too much. He's an explosive leaper that runs the floor extremely well. Which is where he gets most of his points. He has great hands, and catches anything within reach around the basket. Which makes him a good rebounder. Aside from that, he has little in the way of a post game, and although he does show off a jumper from time to time, his form needs some work. Defensively, once again he relies on his athleticism too much, letting his man get good position and thinking he can block his shot. While I admire his confidence, that's not going to work at the college level, and certainly not at the NBA level. Florida is known for its defense, so I'm sure Donovan will give him a crash course in proper defense. He only weighs 208 pounds, but has a large frame, so he'll easily add the necessary weight. This kid has a lot of talent, and has the potential to become a very good defensive player with his long arms and leaping ability. Donovan is a very good coach, so it will be interesting to follow Walkers progress throughout the season. Here's a video of Walker.
Walker is another jumping jack that is raw offensively and defensively. He's only 18 years old, so we'll cut him some slack. Like most freak athlete's, he relies on his athleticism too much. He's an explosive leaper that runs the floor extremely well. Which is where he gets most of his points. He has great hands, and catches anything within reach around the basket. Which makes him a good rebounder. Aside from that, he has little in the way of a post game, and although he does show off a jumper from time to time, his form needs some work. Defensively, once again he relies on his athleticism too much, letting his man get good position and thinking he can block his shot. While I admire his confidence, that's not going to work at the college level, and certainly not at the NBA level. Florida is known for its defense, so I'm sure Donovan will give him a crash course in proper defense. He only weighs 208 pounds, but has a large frame, so he'll easily add the necessary weight. This kid has a lot of talent, and has the potential to become a very good defensive player with his long arms and leaping ability. Donovan is a very good coach, so it will be interesting to follow Walkers progress throughout the season. Here's a video of Walker.
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randymoss1881
Starter
This is a great draft in the top 7 which I think we will be in. Marcus smart can potentially be there at 7 and he is a great fit next to mclemore and cousins. Great defender, leader, and intangibles. Also Dante exum is a talented pg at 6'6 who fits with us
http://nbadraft.net/forum/espn-insider-help-2014-nba-draft-big-board-0
http://nbadraft.net/forum/espn-insider-help-2014-nba-draft-big-board-0
Arby's Roast Beef
Starter
Going down the list--
Yeah, I think my love of Jordan Adams' game is well known here...very Harden-esque, from the frame to what appears to average athleticism at first glance, to the way they utilize the three point line to at-rim scoring with little love for the mid-range game. I think where Adams may fall short of Harden potential is what I think is poor passing ability, but he might be a better ballhandler and defender, and to be honest I prefer those trade offs, as there's more two-way potential. The long range shooting isn't quite there yet but that's the case for most freshmen with a ton of responsibility, and I think he'll round out into a good shooter in time once he gets fully acclimated. A lot of transferable skills to work with. Don't forget, at points during his freshman and sophomore years, Victor Oladipo was once a late 1st round pick. Adams can have that sort of surge.
Russ Smith--eh. He just ticks too many wrong boxes for me. The game-test would make many a fan wonder about BJax, but Bobby had really good upper body strength and could really defend. The league is getting bigger and stronger at the PG position than it was in the early 2000s, and Russ...is only 160 lbs. That's already a huge red flag. I also don't think he's as good a shooter as BJax, and he's a SG through and through which means he'll need to be crossmatched offensively and defensively. Negative assist to turnover ratios in college is a HUGE red flag, especially for a player entering his senior year. I think he built up too much college goodwill not to be drafted, but my tentative ranking is actually in undrafted territory right now. He's on the older side, we know his game...and I'm not seeing really any seamlessly transferrable skills to the NBA. Shot-creating ability is something that can be found in the bargain bin.
If Harrell continues in his normal trajectory of development, I'm thinking he's more of a 2015 prospect, and he wants to really eke it out maybe he'd near all four years in college. Granted, he's only a freshman, but that's where we start forming conclusions about players. I see some rebounding potential here but I'm thinking the offense will be a complete wreck at the next level, because he's not hitting any of the three markers (shooting touch, offensive elusiveness, passing/handles) we're looking for. His frame is just a-ok for the next level, at best. Not much else to say, but I think he's at least a 3-4 year college player. Another note? Louisville has an awful track record for first round picks. Not a big fan of their ability to produce NBA talent. So there's all that we got to keep in mind. Same goes for Russ Smith, who also goes there.
Yeah, I think my love of Jordan Adams' game is well known here...very Harden-esque, from the frame to what appears to average athleticism at first glance, to the way they utilize the three point line to at-rim scoring with little love for the mid-range game. I think where Adams may fall short of Harden potential is what I think is poor passing ability, but he might be a better ballhandler and defender, and to be honest I prefer those trade offs, as there's more two-way potential. The long range shooting isn't quite there yet but that's the case for most freshmen with a ton of responsibility, and I think he'll round out into a good shooter in time once he gets fully acclimated. A lot of transferable skills to work with. Don't forget, at points during his freshman and sophomore years, Victor Oladipo was once a late 1st round pick. Adams can have that sort of surge.
Russ Smith--eh. He just ticks too many wrong boxes for me. The game-test would make many a fan wonder about BJax, but Bobby had really good upper body strength and could really defend. The league is getting bigger and stronger at the PG position than it was in the early 2000s, and Russ...is only 160 lbs. That's already a huge red flag. I also don't think he's as good a shooter as BJax, and he's a SG through and through which means he'll need to be crossmatched offensively and defensively. Negative assist to turnover ratios in college is a HUGE red flag, especially for a player entering his senior year. I think he built up too much college goodwill not to be drafted, but my tentative ranking is actually in undrafted territory right now. He's on the older side, we know his game...and I'm not seeing really any seamlessly transferrable skills to the NBA. Shot-creating ability is something that can be found in the bargain bin.
If Harrell continues in his normal trajectory of development, I'm thinking he's more of a 2015 prospect, and he wants to really eke it out maybe he'd near all four years in college. Granted, he's only a freshman, but that's where we start forming conclusions about players. I see some rebounding potential here but I'm thinking the offense will be a complete wreck at the next level, because he's not hitting any of the three markers (shooting touch, offensive elusiveness, passing/handles) we're looking for. His frame is just a-ok for the next level, at best. Not much else to say, but I think he's at least a 3-4 year college player. Another note? Louisville has an awful track record for first round picks. Not a big fan of their ability to produce NBA talent. So there's all that we got to keep in mind. Same goes for Russ Smith, who also goes there.
bajaden
Hall of Famer
Strangely enough, I'm going to disagree with you a little bit on Adams. I think he's a pretty good passer. Not as good as Harden, but far from poor. On the other hand, I think Harden is a much better ballhandler than Adams, and is just as good a defender. All in all, Adams has a way to go to be as good a player as Harden. But I like him a lot. I thought he improved last season. I think I mentioned just about everything you mentioned about Smith. As I said, what is his position? If its SG, then I doubt he can make it in the NBA at maybe 6 foot tall. As I said, Bobby was taller, bigger (stronger), and a better shooter coming out of college, along with exhibiting better PG skills.
As far as Harrell goes. Were talking about a Kid here that has a lot of time to develop, if given the chance. Right now, he's all potential. We'll see where that leads him. As far as Louisville producing good first round talent, I really don't have a problem with them. They seldom play a zone, and so what you see is what you get. Pittino seldom gets top five talent to come to Louisville for whatever reason, so that probably plays a part in why you don't see Louisville players at the top of the draft. If you look at Dieng, there are no surprises. His skill level is what it is, and maybe its actually better than it would have been had he gone to Syracuse, where they do a good job of hiding a players weaknesses.
bajaden
Hall of Famer
Noah Vonleh: 6'9.75" with shoes, 242 Lbs, 7'4" wingspan (measurements from Hoop Summit USA), Indiana.
Nonleh is an interesting prospect. I've seen him play a few times in highschool games and some all star games. The biggest question is just what is his position? Or maybe I should say, what position does he want to play? A year and a half ago, he measured out at 6'8" in shoes. A couple of months ago, at the Hoop Summit, he measured out at 6'9.75". He has a decent frame that could carry more weight if needed. He's a good athlete that runs the floor well, and has a great motor. He plays the game hard. While he's not great at anyone thing, he is fairly skilled. He has a face up game, and a fairly consistent jumpshot, although his form needs work, and his release point is a little low. He handles the ball pretty well for a big man, but on occasion his dribble gets a little high. He won't dazzle you with his post game, but he has some nice drop steps and is quick around the basket. He loves to put the ball on the floor from the perimeter and drive to the basket. It will get him in some trouble at the next level, but he does have a quick first step. Defensively he's shown the ability to block shots, and he certainly works hard on that end of the floor. In short, he has a lot of potential, and a good work ethic. Scouts seem to be split on whether his best position is SF or PF. I think he could be a very good SF if he can tighten up his ballhandling a little, and correct his shooting form. Now if he grows another couple of inches, I'll probably change my mind. Here's a short video.
Nonleh is an interesting prospect. I've seen him play a few times in highschool games and some all star games. The biggest question is just what is his position? Or maybe I should say, what position does he want to play? A year and a half ago, he measured out at 6'8" in shoes. A couple of months ago, at the Hoop Summit, he measured out at 6'9.75". He has a decent frame that could carry more weight if needed. He's a good athlete that runs the floor well, and has a great motor. He plays the game hard. While he's not great at anyone thing, he is fairly skilled. He has a face up game, and a fairly consistent jumpshot, although his form needs work, and his release point is a little low. He handles the ball pretty well for a big man, but on occasion his dribble gets a little high. He won't dazzle you with his post game, but he has some nice drop steps and is quick around the basket. He loves to put the ball on the floor from the perimeter and drive to the basket. It will get him in some trouble at the next level, but he does have a quick first step. Defensively he's shown the ability to block shots, and he certainly works hard on that end of the floor. In short, he has a lot of potential, and a good work ethic. Scouts seem to be split on whether his best position is SF or PF. I think he could be a very good SF if he can tighten up his ballhandling a little, and correct his shooting form. Now if he grows another couple of inches, I'll probably change my mind. Here's a short video.
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