Following 2021 Prospects:
- Thread starter bajaden
- Start date
iowamcnabb
Hall of Famer
I gotta say, Jonathan looks like the real deal. We don't have much to work with tape wise but the dude is a monster. He looks like a natural scorer
His three point shot always goes in!
But to be fair, his jumper looks smooth and confident, and he's got that man-among-boys feel on the court with what looks to be an all-around game. I need to see game film rather than highlights, but those highlights are the kind of thing you'd expect to see from a #1 overall pick.
Tetsujin
The Game Thread Dude
poor BJ Boston cratered his draft stock but is slowly coming back around. i wouldn’t rank him top ten right now but I could see him going to some mid-late lotto team and immediately looking super good. Like if you gave the Spurs a couple of seasons to work their magic on him, he’s probably gonna be an all-star.
bajaden
Hall of Famer
I'm glad you stated that it was just one viewing. I get very irritated when someone watches a player play one time and then passes judgement. As I've said many times, you may have just seen that players best game, or worse game of the year. I've seen Mobley play around 6 times now, and I'm still not willing to pass any kind of judgement on his future, other than to say there's talent there. At the moment he's in my top five, of which there are two players I've yet to see play this year.
I'm referring to Green and Kumingia of course, and despite not seeing them play, I still feel fairly confident about their future and have both in my top three with Sugg's knocking on the door.. All this is subject to change of course!
bajaden
Hall of Famer
In the games I watched, Boston, minus his shot looked fine. I know most people tend to see only the makes and misses, but his ball handling was good. You can see he has good BBIQ and a good feel for the game. He looks like he's a capable defender. In truth, if he had been hitting his shot, most people would be high on him. I think he was hurt by expectations and the pressure to reach them. But we'll see...I think he's starting to adjust to that pressure, which was two fold. There was the personal pressure, and then the pressure of playing for Kentucky, and believe me, that's pressure..
SacTownKid
Hall of Famer
Looks a little like Ramsey in terms of skill. With teams going 3 guards so often having too many of those types isn't a bad thing.
bajaden
Hall of Famer
Yeah, similar skill set but I think Ramsey has better handles and is a little stronger. But I think Petty is a better and more confident shooter. Petty is probably the number one option on Alabama, where I doubt Ramsey ever had that responsibility laid on him. Both are talented though..
iowamcnabb
Hall of Famer
I'm clearly biased, but I'd like the Kings to select Luka Garza in the second round. He is slower than molasses and struggles against super athletic bigs but would be great off the bench as a third big. He is super crafty, has great touch and is hitting 46 percent of his threes this year.
I'm very curious to see the G-League Ignite games in the bubble.
Right now I think Cunningham, Mobley, and Suggs (in that order) are the top 3 prospects but I think Kuminga might be the best fit for the Kings with Fox & Haliburton and possibly Bagley if the light comes on for him.
An aggressive scorer on the wing who looks like he can also become a strong, versatile defender is exactly what this team needs.
Right now I think Cunningham, Mobley, and Suggs (in that order) are the top 3 prospects but I think Kuminga might be the best fit for the Kings with Fox & Haliburton and possibly Bagley if the light comes on for him.
An aggressive scorer on the wing who looks like he can also become a strong, versatile defender is exactly what this team needs.
Last edited:
Looks like auto-correct has a sense of humor
Unless there's someone named Monkey that I don't know about.I'm very curious to see Kuminga play as well because he had some bad habits in High School (poor shot selection, lazy defense) that make me nervous about grading him as elite right now. Granted most high school prospects are undisciplined but what makes me nervous about Green and Kuminga is that college is usually where coaches try to break those bad habits and I don't know if that's going to happen for them on the G League All Star team.
Of the college guys, I'm rooting for Jalen Johnson and Zaire Williams to put together some consistent minutes in the second half of the season. Both of them have had some big games but they're not doing it every night yet. Cunningham and Mobley don't have much left to prove. They're probably in the top 3 on everyone's board right now. I haven't had a chance to watch Suggs but for those of you that have, do you think he could co-exist with Fox and Haliburton?
Yeah, thanks for the heads up - fixed that autocorrected typo.
I came into the season high on Jalen Johnson and there's still lots to like, but his shot was always going to be what might determine his star potential and so far he isn't showing improvement there. His shot still lacks arc and his FT shooting is concerning. Beyond that he drifts in games far too much and his there may be concern that he's injury prone.
I like Williams a lot. Good two way potential and equally effective offensively with or without the ball. He needs to gain weight/strength but I think he has the frame to do it.
I really like Suggs but I don't think he's an ideal fit with Fox & Hali. He's a lead guard that should be running a team IMO.
I think Kuminga's warts are minor and typical of young players. More than anything I think the Kings need a lead scorer at the wing who is also a strong defender. Kuminga looks like he could check both boxes and appears to have a strong work ethic too. But we'll see when (if?) GLeague games happen.
I came into the season high on Jalen Johnson and there's still lots to like, but his shot was always going to be what might determine his star potential and so far he isn't showing improvement there. His shot still lacks arc and his FT shooting is concerning. Beyond that he drifts in games far too much and his there may be concern that he's injury prone.
I like Williams a lot. Good two way potential and equally effective offensively with or without the ball. He needs to gain weight/strength but I think he has the frame to do it.
I really like Suggs but I don't think he's an ideal fit with Fox & Hali. He's a lead guard that should be running a team IMO.
I think Kuminga's warts are minor and typical of young players. More than anything I think the Kings need a lead scorer at the wing who is also a strong defender. Kuminga looks like he could check both boxes and appears to have a strong work ethic too. But we'll see when (if?) GLeague games happen.
Last edited:
iowamcnabb
Hall of Famer
I look forward to hearing you college hoops guys opinions on a wider range of prospects as the season goes on. I believe we will finish the season with a better record than the Wizards, Wolves, Knicks and Pistons. If my life depended on it, I’d say we also finish better than The Magic, Bulls and OKC if they unload Horford. That puts us 8th. Granted we could get lucky and jump up but we might be looking at that next tier of prospects and we won’t be able to rely on the Suns taking a big Ahead of us this time.
bajaden
Hall of Famer
Well Garza matches up against another center for Illinios, Kofi Cockburn, a 7 foot, 285 lb'er on Fox sports one at 6 pm pacific, today. This will be a good test for both players. The last time they met, Garza had is way with Cockburn. I'm very high on Cockburn, who right now is considered a 2nd rd pick. I think he's a diamond in the rough. I'm very high on him, so I'm really looking forward to this match up. Say what you want about Garza, he puts up the numbers night after night. Call him slow and plodding, but at the end of the day, he always finds a way to dominate. Whether that translates to the NBA, I don't know, but I wouldn't count him out.
bajaden
Hall of Famer
No disagreement from me. I have Williams high on my list. Very talented player with good length and whose shot seems to be coming around. Suggs is a terrific player, but as you stated, there's only one ball, and although Suggs plays off the ball well, he's at his best with the ball in his hands. If were looking at fit, I think Mobley or Kuminga are the two best fits, not counting Cunningham of course, who I take in a heartbeat if were that lucky. Kuminga looks like a player who could become a monster, but I have to see some actual games from him against good competition. I like what I see out of Mobley so far, and I can see his long range potential. With Mobley as our starter at center, and Holmes as the backup, we would be set at that position for a long time.
Kuminga looks more like a PF than a SF, but has the athleticism to play both positions. He's a strong player who will only get stronger, and I see more long range potential in him than I do Mobley, and I say that without having seen him play in a G-League game yet. Another player I'm intrigued with is Scottie Barnes of Florida St. Very talented player who is a terrific passer for a SF/PF type. My problem is his outside shot, which along with his terrible free throw percentage gives me pause. But other than that, I really like his game.
Not knowing where were going to pick leaves the door open to consider a lot of different players, and while this player is a senior, I would have to consider him if we end up picking around the 10 to 12 area. I referring to Corey Kispert from Gonzaga. One of the best shooters in the draft and he plays both ends of the floor. He's a plug and play player at SF from the get go. Yes, I do think he's a lottery pick. He's one of those players who knows how to play the game. Never stops moving off the ball, and not a black hole with the ball. Tends to take only good shots and lets the game come to him. My comp would probably be a little taller version of J.J. Redick, along with better defense.
bajaden
Hall of Famer
Funny that you should bring that up because with that in mind, I'm considering starting three different threads. One pertaining top lottery picks, one pertaining to picks between 14 and 30, and one pertaining to 2nd rounders. This draft is not only deep in players that are likely stars, but deep all the way into the 2nd rd. There are players that will go in the 2nd rd that would have been in the 1st rd in this past draft. I think there are players that will go in the bottom of the 1st rd that will eventually be stars in the league. So if a team does it's homework, they might pull a couple of very good players out of this draft.
I really like Barnes but any team built around Fox needs floor spacers and that's not his strength. Still if the Kings are mid to late lottery and he's still on the board I don't know how McNair and his staff could pass.
Kispert is starting to get mocked in the late lottery and it isn't hard to see why. He will likely be a very nice complimentary piece for whichever team grabs him.
If take him as well I’m just not seeing that generational talent we were lead to believe
bajaden
Hall of Famer
What Cunningham is right now, is likely just the tip of the iceberg. Is Bradley Beal a generational talent? Did he look like one when he came out of college? The answer is yes and no. Coming out of college he looked like a player that could develop into a good player, maybe a solid to good starter. From where he was his first year to where he is now is an incredible journey. My point is, you never know, and there's some luck involved, but when you start at age 19 with the foundation, and confidence that Cunningham has, The odds are in your favor.
iowamcnabb
Hall of Famer
Any thoughts on Franz Wagner? He is the prospect growing on me the most if we end up picking outside the top 8.
He is an elite defender and solid offensive player. He doesn’t hit 3s at a good rate yet (31 percent) but shoots 85 percent from the line so there is hope.
Fox Haliburton Wagner has a lot of long term defensive potential. Even if we keep Barnes he is a fit. He could back him up or go small with Fox Hali Franz and either Bagley or Holmes.
He is an elite defender and solid offensive player. He doesn’t hit 3s at a good rate yet (31 percent) but shoots 85 percent from the line so there is hope.
Fox Haliburton Wagner has a lot of long term defensive potential. Even if we keep Barnes he is a fit. He could back him up or go small with Fox Hali Franz and either Bagley or Holmes.
SacTownKid
Hall of Famer
Hopefully there won't be workouts again next year. Barnes might shoot way up if there are. The upside is incredible and he's playing mostly out of position as a SG and still looking pretty good.
11. Bouknight
12. Moody
13. Barnes
14. Sengun
15. Isaiah Jackson
16. Kai Jones
17. Garuba
18. Cam Thomas
19. David Johnson
20. Wagner
22. Marcus Bagley (Marvin's brother)
(just in case anyone was curious about 11-20)
I've been pretty impressed with Wagner and given that we could use another defensive wing he's definitely on my radar if the top guys are off the board when we pick. If I had to choose between Kispert and Wagner I think Kispert's shooting probably wins the day, but I've been more impressed by Wagner than any other player on the ESPN 11-20 list directly above (with the caveat that I haven't seen Bouknight or the international players). I get the attraction of Barnes, but in the games that I've watched, I feel like Wagner has shown me more.
iowamcnabb
Hall of Famer
I like Kispert but I wonder if Wagner has a higher ceiling?
comparing sophomore seasons
Kispert 8pts 4.1 rbs 1 ast 43% fg 37% 3pt
Wagner 12pts 7.1 rbs 3.1ast 49% fg 31% 3pt
There is no guarantee that Wagner takes the jump Kispert did (mostly in his senior year) but if he pushes his 3pt percent up I think he has a chance. Additionally, IMO Franz looks like he is a borderline elite defender where as kispert looks more on the level of say, Black Falcon.
I haven’t watched enough college ball to be definitive, it’s just where I’m at right now.
comparing sophomore seasons
Kispert 8pts 4.1 rbs 1 ast 43% fg 37% 3pt
Wagner 12pts 7.1 rbs 3.1ast 49% fg 31% 3pt
There is no guarantee that Wagner takes the jump Kispert did (mostly in his senior year) but if he pushes his 3pt percent up I think he has a chance. Additionally, IMO Franz looks like he is a borderline elite defender where as kispert looks more on the level of say, Black Falcon.
I haven’t watched enough college ball to be definitive, it’s just where I’m at right now.
Last edited:
Tetsujin
The Game Thread Dude
The shot is streaky for sure but nothing about it is inherently broken and he’s had some really really hot games from the perimeter as well.
The thing about Suggs to remember is that he is a freshman on a team that was already good enough to be considered a national title contender without him so he’s sorta further down the hierarchy than, say, Bj Boston in Kentucky or even Jalen Johnson for Duke. Also college spacing makes it hard for guards to really go off like they can in the NBA.
I don’t know if he’s necessarily going to be as good as people are predicting but he seems to be the guy with the highest floor of any of the non-Cade top ten guys.
Telemachus
Starter
Suggs' athleticism is through the roof. He also plays at a high level on both ends of the court.
Tetsujin
The Game Thread Dude
Yup. He should be good.
kb02
All-Star
Yea, I don't rate him as high as Fox coming out of college.
