March Madness Day 1 to Final 4: Share Your Impressions on Top Prospects and Wannabes!

#1
I will be updating this thread as the tourney progresses. Share your impressions on the top prospects and wannabes!

Observations on Trae Young:
  • Meh
  • Premature balding
  • Looks malnourished :eek:
  • Got royally faked out of his shoes on one play and probably cost himself three draft spots right then and there :p
  • Reminds me of David Stockton with his gliding style and smallish frame; not a compliment
  • Won't be able to guard anybody in the NBA; massive liability defensively
  • When he drives to the rim his release point is about 8.5 to 9.0 feet; not a compliment
  • Has oversized hands which is a plus for handles and passes
  • Has a beautiful smooth shooting stroke but there's a problem....
  • He picks up his dribble and shoots in one motion, he's NOT rooted to the floor when he shoots....
  • He's hoisting the ball in one prayerful motion. I don't care if it goes in....
  • When has this flick style of shooting without base under him ever been replicated with any degree of accuracy....?!?!?
  • He will never be more than a 35% shooter with these gunslinger mechanics against NBA defenders....
  • Cannot guard anybody and athletically challenged...
  • I do not know how he stays on the floor against starting NBA PGs.....
  • NBA GMs are going to be scared to death to draft this guy but....
  • Natural scorer and fearless....
  • Has tremendous poise FWIW....
  • Glides all over the place.....
  • Project as 10-15 pick
Observations on Marvin Bagley Jr:
  • Makes game look easy
  • Coasting and boasting
  • Cruising and bruising
  • Beasting and feasting
  • Rebounds the ball at the apex
  • Soft hands
  • Soft touch
  • Runs well in transition
  • Big Forward version of De'Aaron Fox.....
  • Highly coordinated uber athlete like Fox with lefty unorthodoxy
  • Projects as a three position player
  • I don't think we have seen what he can do because the cast around him is so strong
  • Project as 2-5 pick after Ayton and maybe Bamba
Non-Observations on Wendell Carter Jr:
  • According to Givony, Bagley's teammate is projected to go 6th to the Chicago Bulls....:eek:
  • Then again Givony has Porter Jr going ahead of Miles Bridges....:eek:
  • And Jaren Jackson (#3 to Hawks) ahead of Bagley (#4 to Kings).... :eek:
  • Carter and Bagley is like Fox and Monk from last year, Fox is obviously the superior prospect
  • I didn't pay attention to Carter today, so I will reserve comment until I pay closer attention next Duke game
  • Seems a little sluggish
Non-Observations on Mikail Bridges:
  • I missed the game (win over Radford) but he only scored 13 points and 6 rebs
  • If you want a spot up shooter and straight line driver Mikail may be your guy!
  • I will reserve detailed analysis following Cats next game....
  • Here's the deal on this type of player in general....
  • The Kings need shot creators on the wing....
  • We need players who are going to create gravity
  • Mikail is the inferior Bridges to Miles relative to physicality and shot creation
  • As a consolation prize in 7-12 range, maybe he is not a bad....
  • But I see a player lacking burst and creativity...not a dynamic force!

Observations on DeAndre Ayton:

  • COMING SOON!
 
#2
I was only able to catch the Oklahoma game with Young, I was not overly impressed in the loss, lack of defensive effort mainly, but would consider him with a latter lottery pick.
Unfortunately here in Australia ESPN did not play the Duke or Villanova game.
 
#3
I was only able to catch the Oklahoma game with Young, I was not overly impressed in the loss, lack of defensive effort mainly, but would consider him with a latter lottery pick.
Unfortunately here in Australia ESPN did not play the Duke or Villanova game.
I think any team who takes Trae Young has to be desperate for PG help.

Certainly he has a scorers mentality and knack, but superior athletes, of which they are 40-50 in the NBA at his position - are going to put him on lock.

What is Trae Young going to do against stronger and bigger athletes?

He is going to resort to rushed heaves and low percentage floaters in the lane. Those shots do not project as high efficiency.

And the defense issues are more problematic than the offensive challenges!

So you have a player on one end severely challenged and at the other end resorting to 30 foot bombs and high challenge floaters....I don't like those odds!

So this notion Trae Young is a Top 5 or Top 10 pick is farfetched. I have a hard time with that.

He does have oversized hands but he is small and thin and David Stockon-esque.

I would like to see the underdog succeed but think his chances are slim.

Perhaps as a back-up he can find his niche with 2-3 year weight training regimen.
 
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#4
Observations of Miles Bridges:
  • Bridges has 12 points early in second half vs Bucknell as I type this....
  • He can dominate but that is not the role he is asked to play
  • MSU plays a structured system and they don't readily defer to their best players....
  • Bridges has to pick his spots
  • Unselfish and makes the simple pass
  • Rises over defender and shoots it easy and pure
  • Does not concern himself with "getting his", team player
  • Changes ends well
Observations of Jaren Jackson Jr:
  • Mechanical but fundamentally solid
  • Long but lacks explosiveness
Observations of Zach Thomas:
  • Pretty pretty pretty good :p
 
#9
I really like his energy and enthusiasm and that extra year makes me feel like he’s ready to contribute. I can imagine him on the receiving end of those Bogie lobs and fits a position of need for us. Sign me up
The only criticism I have of Bridges is he's not in elite shape.

He launched an airball towards the end of the game that was fatigue-related.

He needs to get his wind up and body fat down.

At one point he called for a substitution when the pace of the game was hardly light speed.

That said, Bucknell showed up to play tonight. They could have pulled the shocking upset if Bridges did not take over.

Meanwhile you have a brain dead zombie like ESPN Jonathan Givony (formerly of Draft Express) ranking Scarecrow Michael Porter Jr ahead of Miles Bridges !!!

Givony has been doing this over a decade and has the IQ of a door knob or turnip take your pick!

And you have same said zombie ranking Jaren Jackson ahead of Bagley Jr?!?!

(Jackson was invisible tonight and does NOT impress me as a dynamic multi-positional multi-dimensional player like Bagley).

Wait for the next ESPN Mock Draft Version XX and magically Bridges and Bagley will jump ahead of Porter and Jackson!

This is what you do when you are a fraud and phony like Mr. Jonathan Givony! (Hey that rhymes :p)
 
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#13
It will be a shame if Michael Porter Jr gets bad advice from agent family friends coach whomever and chooses to declare for the NBA Draft.

His career and future earning potential will be hindered if he comes out before he's ready. He obviously has talent but this season was a waste.

He needs a season of health and domination under his belt. He needs a season of 22 / 10 / 3 as launching pad to the pros.

He has NO polish NO strength and NO meaningful credentials. This is an easy decision but I think the voices in his ear are going to complicate it.
 
#15
It will be a shame if Michael Porter Jr gets bad advice from agent family friends coach whomever and chooses to declare for the NBA Draft.

His career and future earning potential will be hindered if he comes out before he's ready. He obviously has talent but this season was a waste.

He needs a season of health and domination under his belt. He needs a season of 22 / 10 / 3 as launching pad to the pros.

He has NO polish NO strength and NO meaningful credentials. This is an easy decision but I think the voices in his ear are going to complicate it.
He's going to get drafted on potential alone and as long as he's first round it's guaranteed and he's one year closer to his first max deal. I know what you are saying and it may be painful for the team that drafts him to have to wait a year or two for it to pay off and then make a decision on incomplete information, but there is no way he is staying.

He's best served if he gets in a Giles like situation but I won't be shocked if some team desperate picks him early and forces him into action right away.
 
#16
He's going to get drafted on potential alone and as long as he's first round it's guaranteed and he's one year closer to his first max deal. I know what you are saying and it may be painful for the team that drafts him to have to wait a year or two for it to pay off and then make a decision on incomplete information, but there is no way he is staying.

He's best served if he gets in a Giles like situation but I won't be shocked if some team desperate picks him early and forces him into action right away.
Well us picking somewhere 8-10 could well be that team.
 
#17
It will be a shame if Michael Porter Jr gets bad advice from agent family friends coach whomever and chooses to declare for the NBA Draft.

His career and future earning potential will be hindered if he comes out before he's ready. He obviously has talent but this season was a waste.

He needs a season of health and domination under his belt. He needs a season of 22 / 10 / 3 as launching pad to the pros.

He has NO polish NO strength and NO meaningful credentials. This is an easy decision but I think the voices in his ear are going to complicate it.
Why?

He's going to be a top 10 pick and probably closer to a top 5 pick. I'd advise that he'd have waaay more to lose going back to school (bad year, rust, injury possibly affecting him) than to key in on his high-school hype. No scout is really going to worry about his couple games this season. But if he comes back next year and is still looking affected by his injury? That's where he might drop into the 20's.
 
#20
Why?

He's going to be a top 10 pick and probably closer to a top 5 pick. I'd advise that he'd have waaay more to lose going back to school (bad year, rust, injury possibly affecting him) than to key in on his high-school hype. No scout is really going to worry about his couple games this season. But if he comes back next year and is still looking affected by his injury? That's where he might drop into the 20's.
100% staying in school will do nothing but most likely tank his value and expose him to injury risk where he would get nothing. Idiotic to turn down millions for the hope of maybe getting just a little more the following year but risk getting nothing at all.

Never followed the logic behind staying in school for any prospect that is guaranteed to go in 1st round, especially the lotto. Take Miles Bridges, he will be aelected in the same range as he was last year but exposed himself to all the risk of getting a major injury and losing it all. Can always go back to college a few years later with pockets loaded if things dont work out in NBA.
 
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#21
I really like Kevin Knox game. I think he'll be a really solid 3 at the pro level.
Ive missed the Kentucky games. Want to watch Knox and Shai Alexander to get a better feel for them. Since im getting more and more on board with trading WCS for a later pick Knox would be at the forefront of who WCS might be able to fetch straight up.
 
#24
100% staying in school will do nothing but most likely tank his value and expose him to injury risk where he would get nothing. Idiotic to turn down millions for the hope of maybe getting just a little more the following year but risk getting nothing at all.

Never followed the logic behind staying in school for any prospect that is guaranteed to go in 1st round, especially the lotto. Take Miles Bridges, he will be aelected in the same range as he was last year but exposed himself to all the risk of getting a major injury and losing it all. Can always go back to college a few years later with pockets loaded if things dont work out in NBA.
No way. Scouts and GMs are going to be very skittish about drafting Porter Jr. higher than #10.

Does the kid believe in his talent or not? That is the question. The guy is skilled but obviously not ready.

He needs the experience of dominating and showcasing his skills against NCAA Division One players.

Is he capable of that or not? Or is he a phony who just wants to cash in as soon as possible?

Now let's say he is truly talented. I think he is if he gets healthy. Then he proves it and pumps his value with one more year at Mizzu.

He is not as overwhelmed and underprepared when he enters the NBA. The transition is smoother and the trajectory of his career can change.

There is something called being "in the zone". There was a book called "Flow" written about being in the zone. Being in the zone is the sweet spot.

Being in the zone is where you want. to be. I know about being in the zone. I have spent most of my life there. ;)

Being in the zone is associated with a challenge level commensurate with your ability: not too low (boring) and not too high (anxiety-inducing).

Another season after accomplishing nothing as a freshman is the appropriate challenge level for Porter Jr to get "into the zone". It is all so simple.

Then his progression is incremental and commensurate with his skill. Then he will earn his way into the pros in his own mind.

This is far better course of action than a quick cash grab with detrimental long term effect.
 

kingsboi

Hall of Famer
#25
Gileous Alexander should of not taken the last shot for Kentucky, Knox needs to declare. He looks promising. He scored in many different facets for UK.
 
#26
Man, absolute stinker game for Miles Bridges and Jaren Jackson. Both no shows today vs Syracuse and an early exit for Michigan State.
I do not see a lot to get excited about with Jaren Jackson.

If this kid is the #3 pick in this draft, as projected by ESPN fraudster Jonathon Givony, then this is a terrible draft.

But I do not think he will be the #3 pick and I do not think this is a terrible draft!

Jaren Jackson was 0-4 FGs vs Syracuse and 2-3 FGs vs Bucknell. No impact there.

No putting his imprint on the most important games of his career. Just blah.

That said, MSU did a terrible job of attacking the Syracuse zone defense.

They should have put Bridges in the center of the zone at the free throw line.

Then throw it to him to face and drive or shoot or make plays. Bridges would be unstoppable from the high post.

Instead MSU had Jackson Jr in the high post and he was a total non-threat!

It is easy to bust a zone with penetration and picks or a high pick roll player with versatility.

Instead all MSU did was pass it around the perimeter as the shot clock expired.

Miles Bridges returned for his sophomore season because he had "unfinished season".

Welp. After his 4-18 performance he has more unfinished business!

I am not down on the kid however. It was a tight squeeze against the zone defense and he started to press and the pressure of the moment got the best of them. In a way it could be a positive (for us to land him given our prospective draft spot) since if his team goes all the way to Final Four perhaps if draft stock is buoyed.

The unceremonious demise of MSU was function of poor coaching and gameplan but there is plenty of blame to go around including choke performance of two "blue chippers".
 
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#27
No way. Scouts and GMs are going to be very skittish about drafting Porter Jr. higher than #10.

Does the kid believe in his talent or not? That is the question. The guy is skilled but obviously not ready.

He needs the experience of dominating and showcasing his skills against NCAA Division One players.

Is he capable of that or not? Or is he a phony who just wants to cash in as soon as possible?

Now let's say he is truly talented. I think he is if he gets healthy. Then he proves it and pumps his value with one more year at Mizzu.

He is not as overwhelmed and underprepared when he enters the NBA. The transition is smoother and the trajectory of his career can change.

There is something called being "in the zone". There was a book called "Flow" written about being in the zone. Being in the zone is the sweet spot.

Being in the zone is where you want. to be. I know about being in the zone. I have spent most of my life there. ;)

Being in the zone is associated with a challenge level commensurate with your ability: not too low (boring) and not too high (anxiety-inducing).

Another season after accomplishing nothing as a freshman is the appropriate challenge level for Porter Jr to get "into the zone". It is all so simple.

Then his progression is incremental and commensurate with his skill. Then he will earn his way into the pros in his own mind.

This is far better course of action than a quick cash grab with detrimental long term effect.
He will go in the top 10 no doubt about it. Its not an either or with "cash grab" or improving his career. With his injury it would be a strong argument that the most important factor in his career trajectory is health and not your odd argument about reaching "flow" state against college competition lol

Reaching flow state isnt going to heal his back. BUT the best medical treatment money can buy and with the help of a team tbat drafted him to be their player for next 10 years and values his health over a 1 yeat run will do a lot more for him that rushing him back at Mizz who is motivated to get everythjnv out of him tbey can regardless of his health.

Flow state lol maybe you can help teach him tbis at your Jedi school :)