Following Potential *2024* Draftees

[Ozymandias]

Who is Xavier Booker? Is Izzo gonna let him play? This thread really shouldnt go 3 pages without him getting mentioned and a video posted..

Someone who will have NBA scouts attention for damn sure... Everyone is gonna be waiting to see what he's been working on...


Are we as Kings fans, really to believe that a player with this kind of talent could be on the board when we select in the 2nd round? or is that complete and utter fantastical BS? Who knows? I sure dont. I'd lean towards him being underrated n sorta his talent has been marginalized, but who knows maybe Izzo hides him on the bench as he often does with his top recruits..

 

[Ozymandias]

Had to go back and edit the bigboad.. Slotted 6'4" Caleb Foster, a gem hiding in plain sight, in at #3 overall.. Bumped London Johnson up a bunch of spots too.

Everyones super hyped about Tyrese Proctor n somehow Foster is under the radar, kind of odd, one of those things that makes you realize people are forming their opinions off of other peoples opinions n havent really had a good look around..


I wouldnt rule it out that he could go WAY higher than people expect, which is why I slot him so high, cuz i wouldnt make that case for many of the top players... If this field is weak uptop, this kid can shoot his way to the finish line.. Dead-eye marksman.. No one is obviously a "Steph Curry level shooter" but this player would be one of the better examples of the best since, he's like a Jamal Murray level shooter I'd say, n I was a big fan of Jamal Murray before he ever got to UK fwiw(N always rebuked the Buddy Heild fans that thought he was on a similar level)..

This kid is like a gunslinger from some old western movie..terrence hill in 'my name is nobody'... something like that.. a dead ringer..

tell ya one thing... In all my years watching LeBron (as we've all watched him) I cant help but think he wouldnt love to play with a guard like Foster, especially this version of Bron we see on the Lakers.. Foster is hand-made for that type of situation, the role that D'Angelo Russell currently holds.

Foster is like my favorite Duke guard of all time and he hasnt played a game yet, N I'm a Duke hater. This player is exceptional n really his worth will be determined at the NBA level, college is going to be more like a testrun or rather like a military weapons demonstration, to show off the firepower he's got undercontrol already.. His game exists on an island so he's safer than many of these guys who are projected in the first rn who's value will deteriorate quickly if things dont go as planned, with Foster, he's got the goods, its not a matter of does he or doesnt he have them.. So i'm very comforatble slotting him super high on the board, he represents massive upside and a possible boon to the overall lottery talent pool that people are sorta down on right now.

 

[Ozymandias]

Ya know what... I'm gonna step up n bump Caleb Foster up 2 spots to #1 overall on my board... The more i brood on this lottery the more I feel better about him at the top spot.

All these players have such Risk at the top of the draft anyways, I'm gonna go with the player whos 3pt shot I trust the most, whos game exists more on an island, he grades off the charts as a "floor spacer" as well. These types of players are critically important to compete in the playoffs I do believe, and NBA teams sure are aware of that fact, I think he's high floor too, I think he can play not that great and still go in the lottery, thats how high his floor is.

IDK I just look at him and think "this kid is gonna score 20ppg or put up an efficient 15-5-5 on great shooting %'s in the league, or he's got a way better chance to do it than most"


Once upon a time around this part of the offseason I had Jamal Murray #1 (also had De'Aaron #1 same time of year) on my board and oh my goodness did everyone on the forum I was posting on at the time think that was preposterous, but now looking back those opinions aged quite well --- NBA Champion Jamal Murray I should say.

I mean also there's mocks out there with Fosters teammate/backcourtmate Tyrese Proctor as high as #3 overall, so I sorta really like the idea of being 'all-in' on Foster, its sort of a buy-low situation that was unwarranted.. I dont think its fair to Proctor tbh, n tbh I bet you ESPN does a royally fked up job covering this, I'd predict they're totally gonna act surprised about Foster "We thought he was more of a 2 year college player and he's surprised us so much" type of fake shock style bs, they'll probably give all the credit to Scheyer, when meanwhile Foster was an awesome player before he ever got to Duke...

 

[Ozymandias]

Ya know I cant help but think that Michael Porter Jr won an NBA championship, he's got a huge contract, n whenever I hear some fans talking about him its usually something negative haha.. NBA champion Michael Porter Jr!

just as a reminder I wanna post that, I'd literally stop watching basketball forever If I had to listen to the announcers.. If I couldnt watch the games on mute, total deal breaker for me, I bought the JJ Reddick shooting DVD all those years ago, most expensive DVD I ever bought pretty sure, his ass is still insta mute status to me...

Honestly I think i've watched like thousands of games since ESPN stopped letting Dick Vitale call the Duke-UNC games, n I can honestly say 99% of them have been muted from start to finish, i listen to music, not commercials, its great. When Chris Webber was on the TNT crew, thats when I was like "I've had enough of this crap, these broadcasts are for children, im not gonna miss anything important with this on mute"... the Camera people are great too, its not like you actually need the play by play guy to keep track of the action, its not some nearly invisible hockey puck ---- just follow the ball!

 

[serbiangoat]

WHAT A GAME by Greece down 21-1 (including 4 dunks 3 of which were posters to open the game by Italy) and cameback to win it. For Italy Sarr looked like a taller Bones Hyland and I liked the look of #13 Ferierri (can he shoot?). The Greek bigman Alexandros showed some nice stuff in the clutch in particular.

Rest of the games were blowouts except Lithuania vs Israil which I did not watch, #7 from Spain (aside from Mara) looked impressive and I personally think the talent on the Serbian team is better than the team that won the 2018 Euro's which ended up having 1 NBA player/2 deep bench Euroleaguers and 3 good ABA players that team was only 6 deep this team is legit 10-12 deep.

 

[Ozymandias]

BRONNY JAMES HAD A HEART ATTACK??!?!?!? Of all the news I wasnt expecting to wake up to..

 

[Ozymandias]

Well thats the end of Bronny James 2024 draft talk btw... Keep it out of this thread take it to the next one... damn... What is it with USC players n heart problems....

Its insane this happened so close to something similar with Vincent Iwuchukwu..

 

[Ozymandias]

WHAT A GAME by Greece down 21-1 (including 4 dunks 3 of which were posters to open the game by Italy) and cameback to win it. For Italy Sarr looked like a taller Bones Hyland and I liked the look of #13 Ferierri (can he shoot?). The Greek bigman Alexandros showed some nice stuff in the clutch in particular.

Rest of the games were blowouts except Lithuania vs Israil which I did not watch, #7 from Spain (aside from Mara) looked impressive and I personally think the talent on the Serbian team is better than the team that won the 2018 Euro's which ended up having 1 NBA player/2 deep bench Euroleaguers and 3 good ABA players that team was only 6 deep this team is legit 10-12 deep.

man I've been so busy I gotta find the time to catchup a bit appreciate this post tho.

 

[serbiangoat]

man I've been so busy I gotta find the time to catchup a bit appreciate this post tho.

Tournament has been a disaster, Nis (Serbia) got SMASHED by thunderstorms/winds ripping off roofs and there was leaks in the roofs and now players from Spain and like 3 other countries have contracted viral infections it's a disaster.

France has some super interesting players they look like the best team so far that got Pietrus and a few other players the team is massive.

 

[Ozymandias]

Tournament has been a disaster, Nis (Serbia) got SMASHED by thunderstorms/winds ripping off roofs and there was leaks in the roofs and now players from Spain and like 3 other countries have contracted viral infections it's a disaster.

France has some super interesting players they look like the best team so far that got Pietrus and a few other players the team is massive.

Oh cool Im catching up now, n good timing cuz I did wanna see Demir Dogan on Turkey.


Mara is getting stronger, u can see more mass in his upperbody.. More I look at his neck im thinking he's gonna be pretty damn strong, which kinda changes my outlook on him a little, more confident.. Maybe ur right, maybe he could go #1.

 

[Ozymandias]

Oh my goodness I dont have to see this guard on Turkey for more than a few minutes to know he's worth keeping an eye on.. Emre Tunca... Sometimes I can look at a player for the first team n i think "looks like an NBA prospect" Fox was like that with me, n i had no idea who he was, not comparing this kid to Fox, fox blew my mind to shreds when I first saw him I had a feeling i was looking at a star, or i wanted to believe, ya know?.. but this kid looks damn good.

 

[serbiangoat]

Oh cool Im catching up now, n good timing cuz I did wanna see Demir Dogan on Turkey.


Mara is getting stronger, u can see more mass in his upperbody.. More I look at his neck im thinking he's gonna be pretty damn strong, which kinda changes my outlook on him a little, more confident.. Maybe ur right, maybe he could go #1.

Kessler Walker with offense is a insanely good pick imo

 

[Ozymandias]

Oh im pissed i missed all these games, this tournament is loaded(and i didnt even go thru france yet), i didnt see a lot of the finalized rosters last time i looked.. maybe ill have time to go back.. ill catch playerhighlights for sure tho..

 

[Ozymandias]

Kessler Walker with offense is a insanely good pick imo

I mean its inevitable that one decade sometime in the future, the #1 pick will be an international 7-footer every single year.. Obviously thats the "endgame scenario" of the NBA, STARTING Centers are true giants, 7'3 ish (right now the 7'3 guys r mainly 3rd stringers, til Wemby).. Pfs near 7foot something like Yi Jianlian and Chet Holmgren. N then the SF's will all need to be Kevin Durant sized, Giannis could play SF in this type of leauge thats crazy to think about.. N then the SG's will kinda go from 6'5 to 6'7, and the PG's will go from 6'2 to 6'4... I believe in that outlook but obviously thats far in the future.

Thats why Fox is like almost a time traveler to me.. I bet Fox could be a max contract PG in the NBA in the year 3000, he;s built for it, whos faster than him? ima need to see that with my own 2 eyes to believe it.

So if that happens in 2023 n 2024 its just only more confirmation of that theory imo


Honestly i think if u go far enough in the future lots of them are gonna be Chinese.. cuz its sort of a population theory n just about how many "Giants" are around.. but who knows, things change so fast in the NBA. I'd never have thought Domas n Julius Randle would be dropping so many triple doubles playing C with 6'11 wingspans.

 

[serbiangoat]

Hugo Gonzalaz from Spain #7 is a insane athlete he's just dunking on everybody and he's born in 2006, he looks legit. Good skills /size and insane coordination for a 16 year old.

Demirel from Turkey looks interesting not sure what his skill level is but the effort and solid athleticism and size are something,

Turkey blew that game with dumb techs and 3 straight bricked free throws to make it a 2 point game. So many bad decisions driving to the rim on Mara they were lighting it up from 3 could have had the upset.

Salaun from France looks like ANOTHER wing from France who will be in the NBA dude is MASSIVE for a wing and moves well (kind of like Knox), the whole French team look like a legit Pro squad in terms of size I'm not sure I've seen a bigger squad in u18s. If France tighten up their pick n roll D they will smack everyone by 20+

 

[serbiangoat]

I cannot express how much I hate the way the FIBA tournament is structured you have the clear two best teams in France vs Spain playing in the semi and you have to wade through a ton of crap to actually find a decent game which normally is not till the quarter finals. They need to just have the top 8 teams (no need for teams like Finland/Sweden/Czech/like 4 other teams who can't compete to even be playing) each team plays each other once and the top 2 play for the gold medal. Turkey could/would have probably beaten both Germany/Serbia but had to face Spain.

Spain due to Mara just standing on the court and playing D/passing pretty much just won, Salaun probably did the most for his draft stock (I had never heard of him) but he is probably from what I have watched the 2nd best prospect atm in the tourny. Gonzalez was a bit of but showed stuff again made some big plays down the stretch. Traore looked good but Pietrus was rubbish this tournament.

Serbia beat Germany in the other semi with scrappy D, Topic had a great floor game I think his upside (high floor) will be the fact when he's stronger he will be a very good post up guard/passer out of the post kind of Andre Miller like, his defense against Germany was great. Baby Bjelica had a double double he's got a great motor and mixes it up despite not really being built for it physically. Germany's near 7 footer Grunhol played great l he had a staggering 8 BLOCKS probably the most impactful player on the floor just no help from anyone else.

Andrej Musicki has 20 steals in 6 games and averaging 5 assists don't think he's a NBA prospect but reminds of Delly a bit from his younger days.

 

[serbiangoat]

TOPPPPPPICCCCCCC!!!
If this man is not a first round pick i don't know what is, the way he abused Mara in the pick n roll and the way he gets to the rim at 6'5 with either hand is insane. Best PG NBA prospect out of Serbia ever by a wide margin.

Mitar Bosnajkovic finally showed up as well had massive game and Andrej Musicki with another 4 steal game just hounding anyone in sight I actually want to see how he does vs USC in a few weeks if he can pester elite quickness guards.

 

[bajaden]

Hola from Baja! Thought I'd drop in just to say I'm not dead. I did come close though with some strange thing called Hyponatremia. which basically means low sodium. I had never heard of it, but it almost killed me. But all is well now and I'm working on my data base for the upcoming college season.

No point in giving my opinion on any player right now since I really don't have much to go on with the freshman except highschool film, and it's a big jump from high school to college. There are some Sophomores, Juniors, and Seniors that I like, and there are a few of them that I expect to take a big jump this season. But we'll see. Just to throw a few names out, I like Mark Mitchell from Duke, Tristan Da Silva from Colorado, , Kam Jones from Marquette. Marquette is loaded this year by the way.

I also like Bryce Hopkins from Providence, and I'm hopeful that Kevin McCullar from Kansas finds his three point shot, because he's one of the best defensive players in college. I have to throw Tucker DeVries from Drake in there as well. One thing all these players have in common is that they're all likely 2nd rd picks, and since the Kings don't have a 1st rd pick, that's where my focus will be.

I think Baba Miller is an interesting player to watch with his great size and length who could end up in the 2nd rd. There are a couple of bigs that could slide into the 2nd rd as well, like Aaron Bradshaw from Kentucky, and Kel'el Ware, now with Indiana. The last name I'll throw out there is Riley Kugel from Florida, who is a borderline 1st rd pick, but more likely to be in the 2nd rd.

If you asked me who is the first pick in this draft, I couldn't tell you. Not yet! I do think there's a lot of talent in this draft and that the talent runs fairly deep, but there's no Lebron James or Kevin Durant in this draft, at least at the moment there doesn't appear to be. That could all change in the next month or so. Anyway, I'm looking forward to the season and it's nice to feel healthy again.

 

[hrdboild]

Hola from Baja! Thought I'd drop in just to say I'm not dead. I did come close though with some strange thing called Hyponatremia. which basically means low sodium. I had never heard of it, but it almost killed me. But all is well now and I'm working on my data base for the upcoming college season.

No point in giving my opinion on any player right now since I really don't have much to go on with the freshman except highschool film, and it's a big jump from high school to college. There are some Sophomores, Juniors, and Seniors that I like, and there are a few of them that I expect to take a big jump this season. But we'll see. Just to throw a few names out, I like Mark Mitchell from Duke, Tristan Da Silva from Colorado, , Kam Jones from Marquette. Marquette is loaded this year by the way.

I also like Bryce Hopkins from Providence, and I'm hopeful that Kevin McCullar from Kansas finds his three point shot, because he's one of the best defensive players in college. I have to throw Tucker DeVries from Drake in there as well. One thing all these players have in common is that they're all likely 2nd rd picks, and since the Kings don't have a 1st rd pick, that's where my focus will be.

I think Baba Miller is an interesting player to watch with his great size and length who could end up in the 2nd rd. There are a couple of bigs that could slide into the 2nd rd as well, like Aaron Bradshaw from Kentucky, and Kel'el Ware, now with Indiana. The last name I'll throw out there is Riley Kugel from Florida, who is a borderline 1st rd pick, but more likely to be in the 2nd rd.

If you asked me who is the first pick in this draft, I couldn't tell you. Not yet! I do think there's a lot of talent in this draft and that the talent runs fairly deep, but there's no Lebron James or Kevin Durant in this draft, at least at the moment there doesn't appear to be. That could all change in the next month or so. Anyway, I'm looking forward to the season and it's nice to feel healthy again.

I don't spend much time in the Prospects forum these days but I had noticed you weren't around for awhile and I was worried about you, so I'm glad to know that you're still with us!

Also... I know it's not what you meant, but this is the first draft in 20 years that actually does feature a Lebron James -- though he goes by Bronny. It'll be interesting to see what happens to his draft stock now that's actually back on the court.

 

[Gilles]

It seems Kings traded "future second-rounder" to acquire Colby, but no table of future NBA draft picks has any info on this obligation. Anyone knows what it actually is?

Evaluating college basketball is made interesting by the fact that most prospects play stronger opponents in the last 2/3 of the season so results up to this point should be taken with a grain of salt.
Don't see any reasonable way Kings get to pick in the middle of first round or earlier this year so I'm looking more at underrated prospects:

Ryan Dunn, Virginia, older sophomore, 6'8"/210.
Best forward defender in college, good both man-to-man and as a safety. All-around excellent athlete. Struggles to create for himself due to weak handles and bad shot. Good straight line driver and cutter, nice touch around the basket, high energy player. Plays within himself and uses his physical tools to the max on offense (given his skill limitation): 0.61TS%, 0.73 2pFG%, 0.9 FT/2pFG, 1.5 TO/100 possessions. If he improves handles and shooting by draft time he might shot up to the middle 1st-rounder. Realistic best case - OG Anunoby. Someone will probably take him in 25-40 range so Kings will likely have to trade up for him.

PJ Hall, Clemson, senior, 6'10"/235
Stretch 4 with solid defense. He moves his feet well and though not explosive vertically he has 9'0" standing reach. Lacks strength so he will probably be an average rebounder at best. Polished offensive player who shoots and passes well, limits TOs: 0.63TS% on 40points/100 possessions. Realistic best case - less physical Naz Reid. Is expected to be in 35-50 range.

Julian Reese, Maryland, junior, 6'9"/230
P&R defensive center. Can't find any third-party measurements but looks to have good lenfth and is very strong despite being listed at 230 (he was able to hold the ground against Zach Edey) with excellent movement which makes him good post and help defender. While his screens looked almost comical last year he now goes into very wide stance and immediately rolls to the basket after. Goes after offensive rebounds, scores 30 pts/100 possessions, 1.0 FT/2pFG, has good hands and doesn't turn the ball over. Can score in the post against weaker opponents. Realistic best case - stronger Clint Capela. Not sure if he's declaring but his team is rather mediocre, not expected to go deep next season, and he's likely to cash in on draft being considered "weak".

 

[Capt. Factorial]

It seems Kings traded "future second-rounder" to acquire Colby, but no table of future NBA draft picks has any info on this obligation. Anyone knows what it actually is?

We traded 2023 #38 (Jordan Walsh was selected) and the Dallas 2024 second round pick for Colby Jones.

 

[Gilles]

I know Kings will probably have 50+ pick and being playoff team in search of immediate contributors unlikely to look for help from rookies but this draft is so much fun! It's absolutely murky right now and there are probably at least 60 guys different people see as a 1st rounder.
One of the best shooting guards in college missed game against a tough team and his team blew out the opponent so I immediately thought of Buddy Hield and decided to compare guys:

Buddy was clearly a better overall player in college but he was also much older heading into the draft: Hield was 24 in December his rookie year while Poplar will be 21.5 at the end of this year. Poplar is 36th on No Ceilings Big Board that just averages many published rankings so he might be available even in the 50s.

Another interesting case involves Caruso comparison:

Besides 3 guys still in college I left 2 underclassmen with bigger offensive talent plus another familiar name.
Interestingly, McCullar is not having the same level of success defensively this year with much bigger offensive roles (these are his stats from last season). It's still an open question, if he can shoot well, while keeping up intensity on the defensive end. He's #14 on Combined Big Board though so McCullar is very unlikely to be on Kings roster next season. He will be 23 this March. Good shot is entirely this year's phenomenon so may not be sustainable.
Kobe Johnson is probably the best defender among this year's guys but he can't buy a bucket right now clanking wide open shots (these are his stats from last season as well). He's #25 on Combined Big Board, but will have to start hitting open shots again to be drafted.
Jamir Watkins has defensive lapses occasionally but he's quick, long for SG, good at hitting open shots. He has to create most of offense for himself so efficiency does not look great. BPM shows him as the best player of the team on both ends, while McCullar has Dickinson who is just as important for Kansas. Watkins is currently outside of top-60 on Combined Big Board so might end up UDFA, but he can also return for his senior year.

As for Keon guys who had .85+ FT% and 10 3pFG/100 possessions in college get to be .38+ 3p-shooters in the NBA within 3-4 years. At the same time, if you struggle to find teammates after 4 years in college, not much can be expected in terms of overall offensive ability in the League.

 

[bajaden]

Sorry for my long absence, but I had some medical issues to deal with, and I've been watching a lot of college basketball. I can honestly say, I have no idea who will be the number one pick. I'm not saying there aren't any good players in this draft, and that someone won't emerge as the obvious choice, but at the moment, I have no idea who that will be. Since the kings don't have a first round pick, I'll be concentrating on who might be the best 2nd rd choice.

Having said that, I'll still be looking at all the top players as well. Who knows, the Kings might acquire a 1st rd pick through a trade. There are quite a few players, mostly Juniors and Seniors, and mostly at the guard position with a few wings sprinkled in, that could possibly step in and help more in the immediate, than some of the younger, higher ceiling players, that are a couple of years away. Monte so far has trended toward players that already know how to play, which I'm on board with, unless there's an 18/19 year old player that's a no brainer.

So, I'm going to be covering players that so far have passed the eye test for me, and in most cases their stats back that up. There are those players that have question marks hanging over their heads like Kevin McCullar from Kansas. I really like the kid, and suddenly his one big question mark, his shooting from three, seems to be answered. Combine that with his ability to defend, and maybe he's a 1st rd pick. But if you think his sudden found ability to shoot the three is an aberration, then he's likely a 2nd rd pick. That's what makes this fun, if your not the GM!

And so it begins!

 

[bajaden]

Cam Spencer: UConn, SG, 6'4", 205 Lb's, Senior
31.8 mpg - 15.2 ppg - 49.6% fgp - 6.4 3pa - 45.6% 3pp - 88.9% ftp - 3.9 rpg - 3.3 apg - 1.1 steals

Spencer is a is a four year player who when through the transfer portal from Rutgers to UConn, and he's been a difference maker for UConn. He's a hustle player who sometimes makes you feel that there's two of him on the floor. He a slightly above average athlete, and maybe that's being a bit generous, but he knows how to play, and is a better defender than you might think. He certainly doesn't lack effort.

He has decent to good handles and can score from anywhere on the floor, with his strength being his 3pt shooting. You can't leave him open if your the opposition. He's a very smart team defensive player, and is an excellent weakside help defender. He's a good finisher at the basket, but he's not in the same realm with Rob Dillingham. In short, he's a solid second rd pick who is more ready to step in and play right away. Not my first choice, but you never know who will be there when it's your turn.

To be honest, there are quite of few players in this draft that are similar to Spencer, so it will come down to the eye of the beholder and fit. Spencer could go in the 2nd rd, and he could be signed as an undrafted free agent. He's someone to keep an eye on!

 

[bajaden]

Reed Sheppard: Kentucky, PG/SG, 6'3", 175 Lb's, 6'3" ws, Freshman
26.3 mpg - 12.5 ppg - 57.8% fgp - 56.0% 3pp - 90.0% ftp - 4.7 rpg - 4.3 apg - 2.8 steals - 0.9 blk's

Sheppard is one of the biggest surprises of the college basketball season. I don't think anyone thought he would be this good. I know I said I was concentrating on who might be available in the 2nd rd, but I had to do a write up on Sheppard. He's a lot of fun to watch, especially when he's on the floor with Rob Dillingham. When the smoke clears a couple of years down the road, Sheppard might end up being the best player in this draft. The question is, can he sustain what he's doing right now?

He's not an elite athlete, and if he has a weakness, it's his ability to stay in front of some of the quicker players. However he's a very smart player who recovers well, and many times ends up blocking a shot from behind or stealing the ball. He has great anticipation in the passing lanes, and great hands, poking the ball away for a steal. He's a very good passer who makes some incredible outlet passes that make you think he should be a quarterback. He's made some terrific pocket passes as well as skip passes.

But where he really stands out is with his shooting. It wasn't long ago that he was shooting over 60% from three. I thought there's no way he can sustain that, but here we are well into the college season and he's still shooting outrageous numbers while taking over 4 a game. His form is almost picture perfect, so I don't think this is a fluke. He can score at all three levels with his finishing at the basket being his weakest area. But leave him a lane, or over close out, and he make you pay. To be more clear, he is a good finisher, it's just that he doesn't attack the basket very much. Which is a shame because he has a wicked crossover and a very quick first step.

I've already heard the sceptics out there saying he's an average athlete. He has short arms! He doesn't play above the rim! His handles will never make it in the NBA! All those comments sound familiar. I heard them about Steph Curry. But to be fair, I also heard them about Jimmer. Point being, you just don't know. In his defense, he's a far better ballhandler than Jimmer and he actually plays defense, something Jimmer had no idea about when entering the NBA. Right now, I'm sold on him, and I have him in my top five. But, I can also change my mind!

 

[bajaden]

Kevin McCullar: Kansas, SF, 6'6", 205 Lb's, Senior
34.2 mpg - 20.4 ppg - 49.4% fgp - 37.7% 3pp - 85.2% ftp - 6.9 rpg - 3.4 apg - 1.8 steals

McCullar is having an offensive break out year. It appears that Kansas has deemed him it's number one offensive weapon, and so far, he's excelling at the job. McCullar was likely a high to mid level 2nd rd pick. As a freshman he probably would have gone undrafted, and now, if he continues to shoot the ball this effectively, he's likely a first rd pick. Had he stayed in the draft last year, I thought he would be a steal in the 2nd rd simply for his defense.

He's an excellent defender and a very good rebounder for his position. One of his biggest improvements is his ballhandling. He has no problem getting to the rim now, and if he needs to, he'll bully his way there. He's listed at 205 Lb's, but I think he's heavier than that. He's very physical around the basket and moves bodies. Another area he's vastly improved in is his ability to create for others. He's turned himself into a good passer who seems to have a knack for finding the open man.

He's a good finisher as well. But the elephant in the room is his 3pt shooting. It's an area where his game suffered. But this year, at least so far, he's been very good. He was shooting over 40% for over 7 or 8 games and I wondered if he could continue to shoot that well. His percentages are starting to come down, but it still very respectable at just a tick under 38%. If Kevin can shoot around 37 or 38 percent at the next level, then you've got yourself a heck of a player.

So it will be interesting to see where he's drafted. He's a senior, so he's an older player, of which there are many in this draft, and many times GM's like to go with youth and potential, although that trend seems to be changing a bit. The new players agreement is having some influence in that area, and no, I'm not going to explain why now. Go read it and you'll figure it out. It has to do with contracts and the amount of money available and how to manage it and still stay competitive. Not just on the floor, but in free agency, the draft and the ability to make trades.

 

[bajaden]

Dillon Jones: Weber St., SF, 6'6", 235 Lb's, 6'11" wingspan, Senior
35.4 mpg - 19.4 ppg - 50.6% fgp - 39.1% 3pp - 82.8% ftp - 10.2 rpg - 4.9 apg - 1.8 stl's

Jones is another player that I think is a borderline 1st rd pick, but could slide into the 2nd rd. He's a senior and plays in a mid-level conference, so you never know. He's a player that plays taller than he is, thanks to his huge wingspan, and as attested to by his 10 rebounds a game. That's not a fluke as he's averaged that for the last couple of preceding years. He's a very muscular player with excellent handles who can score with either hand at the basket. He get's to the basket by weaving his way through traffic, or by simply bullying his way through the opposition.

He's shooting a very respectable 39% from three (3 attempts per game), and 82% from the free throw line. He does have a little hitch in his shot, but if it isn't broke, don't fix it. He's a very good passer with decent court vision. He plays with confidence and good BBIQ. In short, he's the kind of player that I love. He knows how to play!!!!! Athletically, I would say he's a slightly above average athlete. Hard to judge because at times he has a sort of herky jerky motion to his game, which serves him well when attacking the basket. Other times he looks very fluid and smooth.

Defensively he's definitely above average with an excellent plus/minus. His ORtg is 113.1 and his DRtg is 82.3. Once again his huge wingspan serves him well. He's a smart player with good anticipation in the passing lanes, either poking the ball away and stealing it, or deflecting it to a teammate. How all this will translate to the NBA is anyone's guess, but I'd put my money on Jones. He's the type of player the Kings should be looking for. He's more ready to step in and contribute now rather than later. Plus, he a versatile player who can play multiple positions. Of course if I like him that much, he'll probably go in the first round!

https://youtu.be/B2prKMUSENc?si=OyOB62YXsKqOd7ul

 

[Gilles]

I watched UConn vs Kansas where McCullar often guarded Tristen Newton (another UConn senior with good ballhandling). Thoughts:
1. McCullar hit all the open shots and was active defensively. All his hustle stats (OReb%, Stl% and Blk%) are down this year as is his foul rate since he's obviously asked to remain on the floor as long as possible due to offensive role. As an NBA role player he should be good at both aspects of 3&D, plus cuts.
2. He struggled to contain change of direction from Newton after screens. 1-on-1 he had no trouble containing penetration though, plus I don't remember him losing off the ball players. I don't think, he'll defend ballhandling guards well, but with his strength he should be fine against other big guards and wings.
3. McCullar was already effective in straight line drives last year, but I doubt he's an NBA-level creator with the ball in his hands.

Dillon Jones made another jump this year after getting feedback and withdrawing from 2023 draft. He's very crafty with the ball both as a passer and finisher. Jones is the best player for his team on both ends, works hard both on and off the floor. His 6 career blocks and no dunks this season is weird to see from a 6'6" NBA prospect though. For a 230 pound guard less than 1 offensive rebound per game is also questionable. Jones only played 2 top50 teams (no other opponent is in top100) and had 5 TOs against both. He was really bad in Conference Tourney last year as his team didn't win and thus missed on March Madness. Jones might be BPA in 50s where Kings second-rounder will be, but there are certainly questions.

 

[bajaden]

I watched UConn vs Kansas where McCullar often guarded Tristen Newton (another UConn senior with good ballhandling). Thoughts:
1. McCullar hit all the open shots and was active defensively. All his hustle stats (OReb%, Stl% and Blk%) are down this year as is his foul rate since he's obviously asked to remain on the floor as long as possible due to offensive role. As an NBA role player he should be good at both aspects of 3&D, plus cuts.
2. He struggled to contain change of direction from Newton after screens. 1-on-1 he had no trouble containing penetration though, plus I don't remember him losing off the ball players. I don't think, he'll defend ballhandling guards well, but with his strength he should be fine against other big guards and wings.
3. McCullar was already effective in straight line drives last year, but I doubt he's an NBA-level creator with the ball in his hands.

Dillon Jones made another jump this year after getting feedback and withdrawing from 2023 draft. He's very crafty with the ball both as a passer and finisher. Jones is the best player for his team on both ends, works hard both on and off the floor. His 6 career blocks and no dunks this season is weird to see from a 6'6" NBA prospect though. For a 230 pound guard less than 1 offensive rebound per game is also questionable. Jones only played 2 top50 teams (no other opponent is in top100) and had 5 TOs against both. He was really bad in Conference Tourney last year as his team didn't win and thus missed on March Madness. Jones might be BPA in 50s where Kings second-rounder will be, but there are certainly questions.

I agree with most of what you posted, so not going to nit pick. As far as there being questions in regards to Jones, I would venture there are questions about every player in the 2nd rd, and probably in the 1st rd as well. This isn't a great draft if you're looking for superstars, but there is talent there, and I have no doubts that a star or two will come out of this draft. As to who, I have no idea!

 

[iowamcnabb]

If the Kings miss the playoffs they would likely end up with #14 pick. Normally I would try to package that with future picks for something but if he is available I would take Ryan Dunn. First heard about him from Vecenie. He says he is the defensive player of the year and this seasons version of Herb Jones. He can’t shoot but I’d take the risk that he could develop that shot like Herb did. He’s a game changer on defense and if you could have him on a rookie scale that’s huge.

I don’t want to miss the playoffs but this could be a nice consolation price. A locked in Fox Keegan and Dunn changes things for our defense. We are likely fighting Dallas ( who has a stupid easy schedule over the next month by nba standards) pelicans who own the tie breaker and the Warriors who have figured it out. We on the other hand have a stupid hard schedule that we just started. If we go on a 5 games winning streak in the next 20 or so games I think we can end up 6th. If we end up in the play in we might face the Pelicans and then the Warriors if we don’t win that first game…