Following 2018 draftees

[Joshoua]

The position he guards will come down to his official measurements. This year, Real Madrid had him listed roughly at 6'5 w/o shoes. Euroleague has him at 6'6 w/o shoes. Guessing with a 220lb frame. If he can grow to at least 6'7 w/o shoes and adds more bulk, I think he'll be able to guard SF even without a positive wingspan.

I think Doncic is a point guard in the NBA. He should be the #1 primary ball handler.. this is why I don't like the fit with Fox at all. Doncic doesn't need the ball to be effective, but if you're taking the ball out of his hands, you're making him stand at the corner to wait for 3s. That's not a player who's worth the #1 pick. Doncic is worth the #1 pick because he's a 6'7 wing with ball handling, playmaking, facilitating, and elite vision.

Let's see how Fox does in his first year. If he shows franchise player potential, then I think we'll pass up on Doncic. The fit is just too awkward lol

No way I'm passing up on Donic dude is legit and I think he'll be a star. If we're in position to draft him I think it means Bagley is gone and so is Porter. That means taking Ayton or Bamba would be the same cause we have Skal/WCS I think WCS will be a 14-10-3apg guy and Skal a 14-7 guy both very good. Now if we don't believe Donic can play sf I say take him and stick him at SG have Buddy off the bench.

Donic is like Lonzo Ball on steroids taller, bigger, more athletic as well. He has a better shot and more transferable and I think Ball is way overrated in half court. Where Donic will thrive he's already elite in pick and roll at 6'8 that's huge. Donic will be a star

 

[206Fan]

No way I'm passing up on Donic dude is legit and I think he'll be a star. If we're in position to draft him I think it means Bagley is gone and so is Porter. That means taking Ayton or Bamba would be the same cause we have Skal/WCS I think WCS will be a 14-10-3apg guy and Skal a 14-7 guy both very good. Now if we don't believe Donic can play sf I say take him and stick him at SG have Buddy off the bench.

Donic is like Lonzo Ball on steroids taller, bigger, more athletic as well. He has a better shot and more transferable and I think Ball is way overrated in half court. Where Donic will thrive he's already elite in pick and roll at 6'8 that's huge. Donic will be a star

Comes down to how much Fox shows for me. I really really doub't Fox-Doncic can both excel at the same time. I think Doncic needs the ball in his hands to be at his best. He can make his teammates better. He can control an offense. He can score. On the other hand, Fox needs the ball in his hands to be his best too. He needs to create his own shots. He needs to score. If Fox shows that he's good enough to the point where he's our franchise player, then I'm passing on Doncic. Think of it this way, would you draft Lonzo if we already had Fox? No. We'd only draft Lonzo to replace Fox.

 

[Joshoua]

Comes down to how much Fox shows for me. I really really doub't Fox-Doncic can both excel at the same time. I think Doncic needs the ball in his hands to be at his best. He can make his teammates better. He can control an offense. He can score. On the other hand, Fox needs the ball in his hands to be his best too. He needs to create his own shots. He needs to score. If Fox shows that he's good enough to the point where he's our franchise player, then I'm passing on Doncic. Think of it this way, would you draft Lonzo if we already had Fox? No. We'd only draft Lonzo to replace Fox.

I disagree, you need multiple playmakers on the court to succeed Donic being 6'7 is a plus. Even in summer league Fox was playing off the ball when Mason was in the game so at least they showed he'd play off ball some. In two years hopefully he'd get he shot to be at least on Dennis Schroeder level making which would mean he'd have no problem playing off the ball.

 

[bajaden]

I disagree, you need multiple playmakers on the court to succeed Donic being 6'7 is a plus. Even in summer league Fox was playing off the ball when Mason was in the game so at least they showed he'd play off ball some. In two years hopefully he'd get he shot to be at least on Dennis Schroeder level making which would mean he'd have no problem playing off the ball.

The question is, are they, Fox and Donic coachable? Both are young, and if coachable, then it's a matter of blending those skills together. When the Kings were in their heyday, everyone on that team could shoot and pass. So having the skills to pass the ball, and having been the primary distributor doesn't mean you can't become a more selfless player. Mike Bibby was a PG that learned to be a very good off the ball player. Doug Christie had been a PG but blended very well on that team.

Ironically if there was anyone on that team that seemed to be a bit of a ball stopper it was Webber, who was also an excellent passer, as was Vlade and Peja. I don't think it's fair to lock 18 and 19 year old's into a stereotype. Just because they played a certain way due to their skill set, doesn't mean their not capable of change. I prefer to look at them having those skills as a plus.

 

[206Fan]

Marvin Bagley III officially reclassifies and commits to Duke.

 

[206Fan]

Bamba showing off some offense in a preseason game vs. a random Australian team:

• 3pter

• contested mid-range

• 2 drives to the basket

Editing this post to add his other game:

 

[SacTownKid]

Once you watch an interview with Bamba how can you not fall in love with that kid? He's going to be one to watch this year.

 

[biltalent]

Bamba showing off some offense in a preseason game vs. a random Australian team:

• 3pter

• contested mid-range

• 2 drives to the basket

Nice! If he can shot it and has the handles and coordination to blow by guys of the dribble his ceiling chances from defensive specialist to franchise big. We will see. Right now it looks to me like Doncic and Bamba will be guys that are underrated during the draft process and Porter and Ayton, maybe Bagley will be overrated.

 

[bajaden]

Nice! If he can shot it and has the handles and coordination to blow by guys of the dribble his ceiling chances from defensive specialist to franchise big. We will see. Right now it looks to me like Doncic and Bamba will be guys that are underrated during the draft process and Porter and Ayton, maybe Bagley will be overrated.

None of them have played a college game yet, so I doubt anyone is underrating or overrating any of them. Except Doncic of course who has played professionally in Europe. I think Bagley, Doncic and Porter are the most skilled overall of the group. Ayton isn't far behind and Bamba probably has the most defensive potential. My hope is that the Kings end up with a top three pick, which would insure them of getting either Bagley, Doncic or Porter.

Of course, as I said, the season hasn't started yet and I may change my mind several times during the season. That's the fun of it. Plus, I'm sure someone that no one is talking about will emerge and get into the conversation.

 

[Joshoua]

Bamba showing off some offense in a preseason game vs. a random Australian team:

• 3pter

• contested mid-range

• 2 drives to the basket

Holy crap if he's hitting college 3s this year he'd fit next to wcs fine. Both athletic freaks and protect the rim with Bamba able to shoot up to 19 feet

 

[Tetsujin]

Once you watch an interview with Bamba how can you not fall in love with that kid? He's going to be one to watch this year.

A Bamba/Willie/Skal/Giles/Papa frontcourt rotation would possibly be the longest in NBA history

 

[bajaden]

@bajaden I looked forward to discussing with you these prospects and the upcoming college season and draft process but sadly this will be my last post here.

This board is not for me. I'm wrong for being right here. Too many absurd holier than thou rules, people wanna pick fights and hold dominion over inane topics, this place is basically dead anyways dunno why you'd treat posters as such.. I'll take my talents elsewhere.. Good luck to y'all. I'm still rooting for the Kings and will be watching nightly, just gonna go elsewhere to post about em.

I'm truly, truly sorry to see you leave. The board needs more posters like you. Believe me, I've considered leaving many times because of some of the nonsense. In your case, I have no idea what happened since I've been venturing around baja. But in general I find there are a lot of solid contributors on this forum, and many of them don't spend the time to watch and research upcoming players. So a contributor like yourself is very valuable. I sincerely hope you reconsider, because I find almost all of your evaluations are spot on. If not, I wish you well where ever you land.

 

[bajaden]

While this coming draft isn't considered much of a draft for PG's, there is one very good PG that should be a top ten pick. As a matter of fact I have him at number 5 at the moment. I'm speaking of Trevon Duval, who is probably a very happy camper with the addition of Marvin Bagley to his team. Duval has Fox like speed and quickness along with some of the best handles I've ever seen. At 6'3" it's reported that he has a 7' wingspan. When you add that skill level to his size and elite Athleticism, all you need is a jumpshot to complete the picture.

Speaking of his jumpshot, it's a bit on the erratic side. but I think a lot of it is caused by the speed he plays at, sometimes out of control and off balance. None the less, he's a very talented player, a creative passer with good court vision. Here's a video.

Been doing a little research and I've found conflicting reports on his wingspan. Nike has him at 6'9.5" and another sight has him at 6'11". So I'm going to say it's somewhere around 6'10". Still a very good wingspan for a 6'3" player.

 

[206Fan]

@bajaden I looked forward to discussing with you these prospects and the upcoming college season and draft process but sadly this will be my last post here.

This board is not for me. I'm wrong for being right here. Too many absurd holier than thou rules, people wanna pick fights and hold dominion over inane topics, this place is basically dead anyways dunno why you'd treat posters as such.. I'll take my talents elsewhere.. Good luck to y'all. I'm still rooting for the Kings and will be watching nightly, just gonna go elsewhere to post about em.

I didn't see this post, but I hope you seriously consider coming back. The board is full of Kings fans who are very protective of the team.. we're all die-hards, and lots of sports emotions get involved. I've gotten into heated topics where I took a few things personal, but afterwards I learned that it's all strictly basketball. Heated stuff will happen, but don't let that dissuade you from posting on here again. I enjoyed your quality posts of prospects, and I hope we can continue to discuss them here. You're extremely knowledgeable member, and I can say for everyone on KF, we all appreciate it. Reconsider it, plus this will be an extremely fun year to scout the young guys!

 

[206Fan]

While this coming draft isn't considered much of a draft for PG's, there is one very good PG that should be a top ten pick. As a matter of fact I have him at number 5 at the moment. I'm speaking of Trevon Duval, who is probably a very happy camper with the addition of Marvin Bagley to his team. Duval has Fox like speed and quickness along with some of the best handles I've ever seen. At 6'3" it's reported that he has a 7' wingspan. When you add that skill level to his size and elite Athleticism, all you need is a jumpshot to complete the picture.

Speaking of his jumpshot, it's a bit on the erratic side. but I think a lot of it is caused by the speed he plays at, sometimes out of control and off balance. None the less, he's a very talented player, a creative passer with good court vision. Here's a video.

Been doing a little research and I've found conflicting reports on his wingspan. Nike has him at 6'9.5" and another sight has him at 6'11". So I'm going to say it's somewhere around 6'10". Still a very good wingspan for a 6'3" player.

It's going to be Duke's first traditional PG since Tyus Jones in 2015. How do you think Coach K will fare with a non-shooting PG? From what I recall, a lot of his teams in the past 7-8years have always had a lead guard who could shoot the hell out of the ball. I wonder if they have enough shooters on the roster right now. I see them playing a Duval-Allen-TrentJR-BagleyIII-CarterJR lineup. Duval-Allen should be a very very fun backcourt.

If Duval can add a legitimate jumper, he's going top 5. I've only watched highlights of Duval and Sexton, but a problem with both guys is the lack of a jumpshot. PG class doesn't seem so strong at the moment, but it can quickly heat up with these two guys. Love what Avery Bradley has done with the Bama program.

 

[bajaden]

It's going to be Duke's first traditional PG since Tyus Jones in 2015. How do you think Coach K will fare with a non-shooting PG? From what I recall, a lot of his teams in the past 7-8years have always had a lead guard who could shoot the hell out of the ball. I wonder if they have enough shooters on the roster right now. I see them playing a Duval-Allen-TrentJR-BagleyIII-CarterJR lineup. Duval-Allen should be a very very fun backcourt.

If Duval can add a legitimate jumper, he's going top 5. I've only watched highlights of Duval and Sexton, but a problem with both guys is the lack of a jumpshot. PG class doesn't seem so strong at the moment, but it can quickly heat up with these two guys. Love what Avery Bradley has done with the Bama program.

I like Duval more than Sexton, at least right now I do, based on what I've seen out of both of them. Duval, as you said, is more of a traditional pass first PG while Sexton is more of a shoot first PG. I think in Duke's case Duval is a good fit with the rest of the players they have. While I'm not a huge Allen fan, I think he's going to be a key player for Duke simply because of his experience. It's possible that he'll be starting with four freshman, and that's usually a recipe for disaster. Of course when the four freshmen are as talented as these are, it's a different story.

As I said, in an earlier post, I think a large part of Duval's shooting problems are the speed he's trying to play at. He shoots off the dribble and off balance too often. The part that bothers me is that his misses tend to be off line instead of long or short. However his form isn't bad, so I think with some work, he can make them respect his shot. The dude can get into the paint anytime he wants though. His handles are amazing. I also think that Duval has the tools with his great length to be a better defender than Sexton. Right now I have him as the 5th best player in the draft, and if he can correct his jumper, he'll likely stay there. If not, then he'll slide a bit.

 

[bajaden]

Whereas I've mentioned Collin Sexton, I should probaly give my opinion on him. While I prefer Duval over Sexton, that has more to do with the type of PG I like than the skill levels of either player. First, I don't think at this point in time, Sexton is a PG in the strict sense of the word. Passing the ball is an afterthought with him. That said, he can put points on the board in a hurry. He doesn't lack for confidence and is very outspoken on the court. He plays with a lot of aggression and is always in the attack mode. While he's not as an elite an athlete as Duval, he certainly no slouch. And, while his handles aren't at the same level as Duval's, he can also get to the basket at will and like Duval, is a very good finisher.

The major difference between the two is mentally. Duval is always looking for his teammates whole Sexton is always looking for his shot. I saw a game between the two players and Sexton scored more points, but I thought overall, Duval outplayed him and his team won the game. So really it's a matter of taste. If you looking for a scorer, then Sexton is your guy I think Sexton is a far better jumpshooter and I think Duval is a far better passer. So for now at least, it's not a matter of whose the better player, it's a matter of what type of player your looking for. Here's a video.

 

[bajaden]

Ethan Happ! Happ is an interesting player who could work his way up the food chain if he can improve in a couple of area's. Right now, for Wisconsin he plays center, and he has all the skills he needs to play in the low post. He has great hands and decent handles, although a bit too much righthanded, and a terrific array of post moves combined with excellent footwork. His problem is that he's only 6'9" and 230 pounds. Just a wee bit undersized for the center position in the NBA.

Well what about the new NBA where you have players like Draymond Green playing center? Good point! The difference is, Green has game away from the basket, and Happ doesn't. At least not right now. That's what I was referring to when I said he needed to improve in a couple of area's. Almost 90% of his scoring is done within 8 feet of the basket. And he's extremely effective around the basket. The question is, can he retain that once in the NBA where he'll be going up against 7 footers on a nightly basis? I have my doubts.

Happ is also a very good passer, he runs the floor well, is a good finisher in transition and isn't afraid of contact. He's a decent to good athlete, but he's not Willie Cauley-Stein, and I think he would have trouble scoring against Willie. What's troublesome is the fact that he only shoots 50% from the freethrow line. That doesn't bode well for his jumpshot, which is more of a set shot at the moment. All that said, he's a very interesting prospect, and a player you can see become more than he is at present. As a prespective, I think Happ would take Papagiannis to the cleaners in a game of one on one, despite the size difference. I forgot to mention that Happ is decent defender as well blocking around 1.3 shots per game and averaging 1.8 steals per game. Here's a video.

 

[Joshoua]

I'll tell you what about Bamba this dude is shooting jump shots in all 3 games in Australia. Even made a 3 this game if he is hitting shots to 19ft at Texas I'll have him as a great fit next to WCS. Imaging the defense with Fox/WCS/Bamba and both bigs able to shoot midrange and cover pick and rolls amazingly

 

[bajaden]

I'll tell you what about Bamba this dude is shooting jump shots in all 3 games in Australia. Even made a 3 this game if he is hitting shots to 19ft at Texas I'll have him as a great fit next to WCS. Imaging the defense with Fox/WCS/Bamba and both bigs able to shoot midrange and cover pick and rolls amazingly

I like Bamba a lot, but I don't like him more than Porter or Bagley. I may throw Ayton into that group as well, but I have to see if he can bring it every night. The only knock on Bamba was his jumpshot, so I'll wait and see how he does this year. Very bright and articulate guy who is hard not to like. The top five players in no particular order right now are Bagley, Porter, Ayton, Bamba, and Doncic. I'm curious to see if those five can hang on to the top five as the season goes on. I'd like to see some legit measurements on Doncic. On a personal level, I really like Duval, but he has to prove he can hit the three. The dude has scary handles and can get anywhere he wants on the floor.

 

[206Fan]

Luka Doncic 27pts 9rebs 1ast vs. Latvia

 

["The Serbian Sniper"]

I've never seen that dominant 18-year-old kid in Euroleague or European basketball. Players here usually don't get their chance until they are 21,22, but Luka is one of the best European players (in title competitive team) since he was 17. I watched over 50 games of Doncic, and i'm pretty sure he will be a star Great size, good athleticsm, speed, ball handling, shooting, posting up, passing, attacking the basket, solid defense and the most important - basketball IQ, feel for the game and courage.

Slovenia made to semifinals (great success for them, thanks to Dragic and Doncic), and Doncic played his best game when it was the most important for his team. His average in this tournament so far: 15.7 points, 7.7 rebounds, 3.1 assists, 1 steal, only 1.3 TO, 44% FG for 29 minutes.

He will play against Spain in the semifinals.

 

[206Fan]

I've never seen that dominant 18-year-old kid in Euroleague or European basketball. Players here usually don't get their chance until they are 21,22, but Luka is one of the best European players (in title competitive team) since he was 17. I watched over 50 games of Doncic, and i'm pretty sure he will be a star Great size, good athleticsm, speed, ball handling, shooting, posting up, passing, attacking the basket, solid defense and the most important - basketball IQ, feel for the game and courage.

Slovenia made to semifinals (great success for them, thanks to Dragic and Doncic), and Doncic played his best game when it was the most important for his team. His average in this tournament so far: 15.7 points, 7.7 rebounds, 3.1 assists, 1 steal, only 1.3 TO, 44% FG for 29 minutes.

He will play against Spain in the semifinals.

For Real Madrid, Doncic had to play off-ball at SG. However, when he had the ball in his hands, he became a passer and playmaker. At times, I thought he was too unselfish. When they played a few bad teams, they let him play PG. He didn't look to score. He was just trying to set up his teammates.
Watching him at Real made me think of Doncic as a pass first PG who can shoot the 3pter. Similar to Lonzo Ball. But the Doncic we see right now is different. He is a scorer now.
At Real Madrid, I wonder if the coaches force him to be a passer when he gets the ball, or if he just wants to do it. Same for Eurobasket. I wonder if Slovenia coaches are forcing him to score instead of passing the ball, or he just wants to be more of a scorer. What do you think?

Is he passing PG or shooting PG? I mean the difference between: 14pts 11asts vs. 18pts 6asts. What type of player do you think he is?

It's amazing how much he's improved from last year alone.

 

[bajaden]

For Real Madrid, Doncic had to play off-ball at SG. However, when he had the ball in his hands, he became a passer and playmaker. At times, I thought he was too unselfish. When they played a few bad teams, they let him play PG. He didn't look to score. He was just trying to set up his teammates.
Watching him at Real made me think of Doncic as a pass first PG who can shoot the 3pter. Similar to Lonzo Ball. But the Doncic we see right now is different. He is a scorer now.
At Real Madrid, I wonder if the coaches force him to be a passer when he gets the ball, or if he just wants to do it. Same for Eurobasket. I wonder if Slovenia coaches are forcing him to score instead of passing the ball, or he just wants to be more of a scorer. What do you think?

Is he passing PG or shooting PG? I mean the difference between: 14pts 11asts vs. 18pts 6asts. What type of player do you think he is?

It's amazing how much he's improved from last year alone.

You wern't asking me, but I'll answer anyway. I think he can be whatever you want him to be. Maybe a tall version offensively of Chris Paul, who will pass first, but will score if needed. A player that makes everyone around him a little better. My only question about him is can he defend at the NBA level? Right now, my gut tells me no, but I'm willing to take a wait and see attitude. He's so talented offensively that maybe it doesn't matter. You just find a way to cover for him.

 

["The Serbian Sniper"]

To be honest, i don't see him as pass first type of PG. He can play from PG to SF (at NBA level too, in my opinion), he can be point forward, he is a good passer, but not at same level as Chris Paul or Rondo and i don't think he will have that passing ability in the future. However, when you have a guy who can play 3 positions and who can create for himself or teammates, you have so many adventages and offensive weapons with him. The only thing i still doubt is, can he defend fast point guards at NBA level? Can he play primary PG or SG/SF is more suitable for him? I will choose SG/SF position, but making sure that ball is often in his hands.

I guess i am one of the younger guys here and i didn't have chance to watch Penny Hardaway at his prime, but considering stats, highlights and after watching some old Orlando Magic games, Luka Doncic reminds me of him a bit. They got some similar moves too...

 

[kingsboi]

Luka Doncic 27pts 9rebs 1ast vs. Latvia

a bigger Goran Dragic 2.0 IMO

 

[206Fan]

You wern't asking me, but I'll answer anyway. I think he can be whatever you want him to be. Maybe a tall version offensively of Chris Paul, who will pass first, but will score if needed. A player that makes everyone around him a little better. My only question about him is can he defend at the NBA level? Right now, my gut tells me no, but I'm willing to take a wait and see attitude. He's so talented offensively that maybe it doesn't matter. You just find a way to cover for him.

Absolutely 0 information about his wingspan on the internet. I don't want to sit here and speculate about an 18yearold's arm length... but it looks slightly below average to average. Official height is 6'7. Weight is around 220lbs. He doesn't have ideal length or size for SF, but I think it could work for him. I think he'll be capable of guarding SFs full time 3-4 years down the road if he strengthens up.

Against SGs, even though his lateral quickness is below average right now, I think he can make it up with his size and IQ. He's a strong player. Posting players: DeRozan, Wiggins, and Booker won't be able to back him down like they do other guys. Even if quicker SGs attack at him, he can use his strength to body them up. I think the times where he'll struggle against SG is off ball. I can see him getting stuck in screens and being too slow to recover. He'll also struggle if SGs take him off the dribble for perimeter shots. I can see him easily being faked, and being too slow to recover.

We'll just have to see if he gets bigger or quicker he gets this year. He's one of the youngest players in this draft at only 18. Watching him last year and early this year, I questioned whether or not he could create space in the NBA. His dribbles were solid, but his first step was always a little slow. Recently, I tried to find ways to nitpick 3-4 Eurobasket games in order to write about it, but then I realized that the kid got a little faster. He looked noticeably quicker on ball. Not saying he's IT fast now, but he might still be developing physically. I don't know how someone can magically gain more quickness, but I recall Hayward getting a lot quicker, even laterally once he got into the NBA.

 

[Joshoua]

Absolutely 0 information about his wingspan on the internet. I don't want to sit here and speculate about an 18yearold's arm length... but it looks slightly below average to average. Official height is 6'7. Weight is around 220lbs. He doesn't have ideal length or size for SF, but I think it could work for him. I think he'll be capable of guarding SFs full time 3-4 years down the road if he strengthens up.

Against SGs, even though his lateral quickness is below average right now, I think he can make it up with his size and IQ. He's a strong player. Posting players: DeRozan, Wiggins, and Booker won't be able to back him down like they do other guys. Even if quicker SGs attack at him, he can use his strength to body them up. I think the times where he'll struggle against SG is off ball. I can see him getting stuck in screens and being too slow to recover. He'll also struggle if SGs take him off the dribble for perimeter shots. I can see him easily being faked, and being too slow to recover.

We'll just have to see if he gets bigger or quicker he gets this year. He's one of the youngest players in this draft at only 18. Watching him last year and early this year, I questioned whether or not he could create space in the NBA. His dribbles were solid, but his first step was always a little slow. Recently, I tried to find ways to nitpick 3-4 Eurobasket games in order to write about it, but then I realized that the kid got a little faster. He looked noticeably quicker on ball. Not saying he's IT fast now, but he might still be developing physically. I don't know how someone can magically gain more quickness, but I recall Hayward getting a lot quicker, even laterally once he got into the NBA.

His standing reach is 8'9 so he's long.

This is the guy I want out him and Bogdan at the wings and we're on our way

 

[bajaden]

His standing reach is 8'9 so he's long.

This is the guy I want out him and Bogdan at the wings and we're on our way

Where did you get that measurement? I've been looking all over of some info on him. Would be grateful for a reference.

 

[Hansel]

Doncic 11+12+8 against Spain in Slovenia semifinal win.