Start of College Basketball season:

bajaden · Feb 7, 2016

My top five at every position as of now. Could still change between now, and after the tournament.

PG's:
1. Kris Dunn: 6'4", Providence
2. Wade Baldwin: 6'3", Vanderbilt
3. Demetrius Jackson: 6'1", Notre Dame
4. Melo Trimble: 6'3", Maryland
5. Gary Payton II: 6'3", Oregon St.

SG's:
1. Jamal Murray: 6'5", Kentucky
2. Bobby Hield: 6'4", Oklahoma
3. Denzel Valentine: 6'6", Mich St.
4. Caris Levert: 6'7", Michigan
5. Wayne Selden: 6'6", Kansas

SF's:
1. Ben Simmons: 6'10", LSU
2. Brandon Ingram: 6'9", Duke
3. Jaylen Brown: 6'7", California
4. Taurean Prince: 6'7", Baylor
5. Dorian Finney-Smith: 6'8", Florida

PF's:
1. Dragan Bender: 7'1", Maccabi Tel Aviv
2. Henry Ellenson: 6'10", Marquette
3. Ivan Rabb: 6'10", California
4. Domantas Sobonis: 6'10", Gonzaga
5. Cheick Diallo: 6'9", Kansas

Center's:
1. Jakob Poeltl: 7'0", Utah
2. Diamond Stone: 6'10", Maryland
3. Damian James: 6'11", Vanderbilt
4. Stephen Zimmerman: 7'0", UNLV
5. Daniel Ochefu: 6'11", Villanova

These are my personal choices, which in some cases matches up with most draft sites. The fifth spot at most of the positions could easily be switched with other players, so it's just a matter of personal choice.

Capt. Factorial · Feb 7, 2016

bajaden said:

A guy who stands out a lot to me every time I see him is Damion Lee of Louisville. Another 6'6" shooting guard who plays with a ton of fire and seems to be able to do just about everything out there. Since he's a senior he'll have to come out, but he's not even listed in the second round on the most popular draft sites, which kind of mystifies me. Seems like he could really be a second-round or undrafted steal. You have any thoughts on him, Baja?

206Fan · Feb 8, 2016

Capt. Factorial said:

Forgot all about him..I think he'd go hand in hand with Ingram.

bajaden said:

Interesting Baja. No Skal?

Just curious, do you watch a lot of international ball?
Cordinier has been on my list since last year, and I was really hoping we could grab him with a 2nd round pick.. just saw that DX recently put him at 29.

Cordinier has been playing outstanding this year. However, he's playing for Pro B...so you expect him to play outstanding anyways. Good athleticism and he's already become a really stout defender. I think he can come into the NBA and become a 3&D player immediately. Much more pro-ready than Mario Hezonja was.

His stats this year are:
23mins 11pts 4rebs 2.4asts 1.3stls 2.2tos

Shooting-
2pt: 48.6%
3pt: 53.1%
Ft: 76.7%

Capt. Factorial · Feb 8, 2016

206Fan said:

I like both guys - Ingram can shoot better right now, but Simmons just oozes the ability to do every single thing on the court at 6'10" with supreme athleticism. Both should be fantastic players, Simmons just probably has the lower floor and the higher ceiling.

I won't speak for Baja, but I've been singularly unimpressed by Skal this year. Mocks still love him, but he looks lost and timid and I'd be real nervous drafting him. Allegedly he was great in high school, but I want to see the intestinal fortitude to adjust to the next level. If I were his advisor (no agents in college!) I'd probably suggest staying at Kentucky for his sophomore year at this point.

206Fan · Feb 8, 2016

Capt. Factorial said:

If the Kings were to draft one of them with Cousins on the roster, I'd go for Ingram. Ingram has such a high ceiling, but sadly I have 0 confidence in this organization's ability to develop. He has a higher ceiling than Wiggins, and he's still only 18.

I've been really underwhelmed by Skal too. I wouldn't draft him in the lotto for the Kings.
If I were Skal, I'd declare immediately this year. Reason why? His stock is still 1st round and if he doesn't improve next year, it'll just give scouts another year of tape to nitpick on him.

A lot of his problems revolve around his lack of strength. I think it'll take more than 1 more year of college for him to be able to add the necessary strength. Skal is also turning 21 next year. Lots of raw potential.

bajaden · Feb 10, 2016

206Fan said:

I've probably watched more international ball this year than any other year. I subscribed to a couple of sites that stream some of the games, and of course they show some games on ESPN stations. Unfortunately, I don't know the names of all the teams like I do in college, so for me, it's catch as catch can. But at least I'm building a small base of info to rely on. International ball is so different from NBA basketball. In general it's more about skill than athleticism, and it's more about seniority at times than ability. Too often the player I want to see, only plays 12 minutes a game. Anyway, in short, yes Iám watching, but since my overall knowledge is limited, I choose not to comment on them, or project where they might go in the draft.

Yep, I left Skal off my top five. He doesn't belong there, and if he's smart, he'll stay in school another year, or two. I think someone will take a shot at him in the lottery, but not till late lottery, and who knows, maybe he turns into what everyone thought he would be prior to this season. As for Cordinier, we don't at present have a 2nd round pick, but I think he's someone that Vlade would use a 2nd round pick on.

bajaden · Feb 10, 2016

Capt. Factorial said:

There are several players that I like, that border on being in my top five, and Lee is one of them. I could have easily put him into the five spot instead of Selden, and maybe he deserves to be there. Selden has played for a major school in a major program for the last three years, and that did influence my decision. But you could argue that Lee has risen to the occasion this year in his one year in a major program. He's actually a five year senior because he sat out most of his junior year at Drexel due to injuries, thus gaining another year of eligibility. I think his age is being held against him to some extent. Not that big a deal for me. I would rather most players drafted be seniors. More ready to contribute.

bajaden · Feb 10, 2016

Capt. Factorial said:

I like both guys - Ingram can shoot better right now, but Simmons just oozes the ability to do every single thing on the court at 6'10" with supreme athleticism. Both should be fantastic players, Simmons just probably has the lower floor and the higher ceiling.

I won't speak for Baja, but I've been singularly unimpressed by Skal this year. Mocks still love him, but he looks lost and timid and I'd be real nervous drafting him. Allegedly he was great in high school, but I want to see the intestinal fortitude to adjust to the next level. If I were his advisor (no agents in college!) I'd probably suggest staying at Kentucky for his sophomore year at this point.

You can speak for me anytime! By the way, my wife wants to have a discussion this afternoon. Are you free?

Your spot on about about Skal.

bajaden · Feb 10, 2016

206Fan said:

Unless his family needs the money, I'd stay in school. Willie Cauley-Stein is an example of how your stock can rise by staying in school. Skal has a lot of upside, and if he has confidence in his ability, then stay in school and develop your skills. Get stronger. Even if he should slide down in the draft, and get less money, it might be better for his overall career. He'll go to a better team that won't need him to be their savior. He'll be able to play with less pressure and expectations. Wouldn't you rather be drafted by the Spurs than the Kings? The kid isn't ready for the NBA, and he's one of those guys that could tip either way. I'm sure he'll get good advice from Calapari.

bajaden · Feb 14, 2016

I watched the LSU/Texas A&M game yesterday. Simmons never ceases to amaze me. Sometimes I think he has eye's in the back of his head. I'm becoming more and more convinced that he can play PF in the NBA if a team needs him to. He's always around the ball. He rebounds out of his area and reminds me a bit of Dennis Rodman, in that he always seems to be where the ball is coming down. He's a very good athlete, but could use a little more strength, and some imporvement on the defensive side of the ball. He's not a bad defender by any means, but he could be better.

His obvious weakness is his three pt shot. I think he's only taken 3 three point shots all year. However he does have a pretty good midrange jumpshot, and is a fairly good freethrow shooter at right around 70%. So it appears that with some work, he can develop into a good three point shooter. Other than the outside shot, he's probably the most talented player in the draft, or at least the most talented big man in the draft. Like most young creative passers, he turns the ball over a tad to much for my likening, but not enough to lose sleep over. Right now it looks like LSU is going to make the tourney, which would be great. I have my fingers crossed.

lwc · Feb 14, 2016

bajaden said:

As a life-long Wildcats fan, I would love to see Skal back in Lexington next year. He just needs to bulk up. With our incredible strength & conditioning coach and state of the art facilities, he can certainly do that.

bajaden · Feb 19, 2016

lwc said:

Not to mention, the Cat's have a great recruiting class coming in next year, so he could be a part of something special. Right now Kentucky has commitments from 4 players in the top 15 highschool players in the nation. They're in the running for Josh Jackson who has narrowed his choice to Kentucky, Duke, and Michigan St. and is reported to be leaning toward Kentucky. He's the third ranked player in the nation. It's also rumored that the Cat's are after the big Turkish center that's been playing professionally in Europe.

206Fan · Feb 20, 2016

I can't help but feel like draft experts are giving Grayson Allen the short end of the stick a bit.

Last year, he was criticized for not being strong enough for such a limited height/wingspan. He's added 15lbs to his frame and is probably at 6'5 right now. They also criticized him for not being a good enough playmaker. He's averaged 3.6asts/g with a 2:1 TO ratio. They said he wasn't aggressive enough in attacking. Per 40, he averages 7.5FTAs. He also finishes around the rim at 63%.

He's doing almost everything scouts wanted him to do last year. He does have limitations, but I don't see how he isn't a top 20 prospect. He's currently leading a team full of freshmen.

I think he's going to pick up a lot of steam during the Tournament. He reminds me a lot of Tyler Johnson.

bajaden · Feb 21, 2016

206Fan said:

Grayson can shoot the ball, there's no doubt about that, but I can't get the Duke/Kentucky game out of my mind when Kentucky really defended him well, and he struggled big time. I think he went something like 2 for 10 or 11, and again in the Duke/Utah game where once again, a good defender got into his grill, he went something like 3 for 17. Plus, when he's asked to defend a good player, he comes dangerously close to fouling out. He really struggled against Jamal Murray. I hate to say it, but he reminds more of a taller version of Jimmer. I think if you leave Allen open, he'll kill you, but when he's well defended, he has trouble creating his own shot. I'm just not sure how his current game translates to the NBA. But hey, someone will always take a chance on a shooter.

Murray is a far better player than Allen, though athletically, they're both fairly equal. Murray responds to pressure better and is a better ball handler. But then, that's why he's going to get drafted higher.

206Fan · Feb 21, 2016

bajaden said:

I think Allen is Duke's best player which is why the defenses focus on him a lot more than they do anyone else. In the NBA, he's going to be your 4th or 5th best player. He's going to get much more lee-way in the NBA. The defensive gameplan wouldn't be to contain and limit him.
His role in the NBA will be dramatically different than it is now. He won't be forced to be a playmaker, and it'll allow him to focus on everything else he does best.
Defensively, I think he has the quickness and athleticism to be an above-average defender. He just needs the fundamentals. A lot of his defense now relies on his scrappyness and effort.

Right now, he reminds me of Tyler Johnson right because they're both scrappy players who can shoot the ball. Both players have very limited ball handling, but Johnson has improved since his first year. On defense, they rely on their quickness and athleticism. Johnson has the upper hand in a defensive-mind Spostra team.

However, I think you want Allen's NBA game to model after a former Duke...JJ Reddick. I think he'll be Jimmer 2.0 if his drafted team forces him to run an offense.

bajaden · Feb 22, 2016

206Fan said:

When you say that Allen is the best player on Duke, have you forgotten about Ingram? Honestly, I don't think there's any comparison between the two. Ingram is a better athlete and a better ballhandler than Allen. I think Ingram's ballhandling skills are good enough for him to play SG at times. I don't know if you saw the game against Kentucky, or the one against Utah, and there are a couple more, but when a defender gets up in Allen's grill, he really struggles, and in the NBA, that's going to happen every night. In the Kentucky game you could tell he was frustrated. He couldn't get his shot off, and he couldn't get to the basket. He had the same problem against Utah.

I think defensively he's athletic enough, and has good enough lateral quickness to be a fairly good defender. Most of his problems on defense are just mistakes that have nothing to do with ability. For instance, in the Kentucky game, he lost focus and as a result lost track of Murray who got open for a couple of three's. Right now, Ingram is a better defender. Ingram reminds me a lot of a young Rudy Gay, except with better ballhandling skills, and he's better outside shooter than Gay was at the same point in their careers. Ingram needs to get stronger, but he's not afraid to get in and bang under the basket. Right now, I think it's a two man race for the number one spot in the draft between Ingram and Simmons.

I don't want you to think I'm crapping on Allen, I just don't see him the same way you do. I do think he can play in the NBA, but there's a few things about him that scare me. Put him up against a good defender, especially one that's longer than him, and in the NBA, most will be, and right now, he has no ability to create his own shot. I've seen him disappear countless times this season when aggressively defended. Fortunately for him, he's not the focus of the defense, and he doesn't come up against top defenders every night. His ballhandling isn't at the same level of most NBA SG's, and as a result, he struggles to get to the basket against good defenders. I'm not saying he can't overcome some of these things, but he has some work to do.

As a parting note. I was very excited to see Allen this year. And he blew me away with a couple of early games, but I knew that they were against chump competition. I was really looking forward to the Kentucky game as a measuring stick because Kentucky always plays good defense. Well he crashed back to earth. I reminded myself that Jimmer put up gaudy numbers in college as well, and I allowed myself to ignore his less than stellar ballhandling or inability to finish at the basket. I think if your drafting Allen late in the first round, or early second round, he's worth the gamble. But I wouldn't take him in the top half of the first round. But hey, that's just me.

206Fan · Mar 10, 2016

Buddy damn Hield....

Can he be a franchise player? This is a serious question. If we had to pick between Hield and Murray, that would be extremely difficult. One is 22, and the other is 19. The 19yearold has a higher ceiling, but Hield is on another level of utter-d0minance against the best teams in college.

bajaden · Mar 11, 2016

206Fan said:

Really good question. I like both players. I think Hield is a better athlete than Murray, and a better defender as well. Murray is a little taller, and if you comopare them at the same age, you'd have to give the edge to Murray. But right now, Hield is the better player. If our choice came down to the two of them, it would be a nice problem to have.

Whether Hield can be a franchise player is a different question. My impluse is to say no, because the percentage of players that can is very small. However, no one thought Curry would be a franchise player. Not many thought Lillard would be a franchise player, and I do think it's easier to find a guard that might be one than it is a big man. Right now, I think one could make a good argument for Hield. He's certainly taken his game up to a different level this year.

I have no idea where the draft boards have him going, but I have him ahead of Murray firmly planted in the fifth spot. I have Dunn at six, and Murray at seven. I'm sure many would disagree with me. I have Brown at three, but with reservations. He's such a terrific athlete, and he has improved a lot over the season, which gives me hope for his future. At worse, I see Brown being a lock down defender, and at best, an all star in the future. His real future probably falls somewhere in the middle.

206Fan · Mar 11, 2016

bajaden said:

Hield and Murray both play tonight. Hield coming off of a back to back, and Murray off a week break.
If we retain Cuz, I think Murray would be a better roster fit. He's a better off-ball player that wouldn't demand the ball. I think Hield in the NBA will do best as the primary or secondary ball handler. (Only 68% of his 3s are assisted compared to Murray's 91.1%) Just don't see that being a good fit with Cuz who has a high usage.

I'd be ok with gambling on Hield as a franchise player as long as the Kings have a 2nd guy who comes close too. Similar to the likes of the Bucks with Giannis/Parker/Middleton, Wolves with Wiggins/Towns, or Orlando with Oladipo/Vucevic/Hezonja.

I think Brown has a high ceiling. My biggest question marks around him is his decision making. There's been a few times where he has a lane opening up for an easy dunk, but as he's hes driving, he suddenly decides to kick it out to a non-open shooter? Then there are other times where he decides he should attack the rim with 4 guys in the paint.
I think Brown is going to be a lot more raw than some anticipate. I could see him doing very well on a young team that is willing to let him play through mistakes. If he goes to the Lakers, I see him getting 25mpg(as long as Byron isn't the coach) and showing lots of potential with a lot of bonehead plays though. However, if he's drafted to a team like Phoenix or NO, I could see him getting a tighter leash without the free-flowing ability. That's where he would probably struggle.

kingsboi · Mar 11, 2016

that Buddy Hield is something special...unbelievable shot, too bad it didn't count. Murray with 7 straight 20+ point games.

206Fan · Mar 11, 2016

Jake Layman=Sam Dekker. Every year since his freshman year, he's shown potential to be a real breakout player...however, it's not going to be until his final collegiate season during March that he will decide to.

bajaden · Mar 12, 2016

kingsboi said:

Hield had a rough night, but it happens. I think he can be a special player. He still has some areas he needs to improve. Lets see what he does in the tourney.

bajaden · Mar 12, 2016

206Fan said:

You know, I really like Jake Layman. He's one of my favorite players to watch for some reason. I have a few of those every year, and I'm amazed at how many of those guys, that aren't ranked that high, go on to have productive NBA careers. I see your comparison, but I think Layman is a lot more consistent than Dekker, who used to drive me nuts with his 21 or 22 points in one game, shooting over 50%, and then 4 or 5 points in the next game shooting 35% overall. I think Layman might be the better athlete of the two. He's a more fluid athlete than Dekker, and can play above the rim And I think Layman is a better defender with a chance to be a very good defender.

Actually, Layman reminds me more of Chandler Parsons coming out of college. I was excited when Parsons was sitting there for us to pick in the second round, and instead we chose Tyler Honeycutt, who I liked, but I liked Parsons a hell of lot more. We don't have a second round pick, but if we were to acquire one and pick Layman, it would be a steal, just like Parsons turned out to be. I also think that Layman could play some stretch four with the right matchup. He's a very good shooter when set. He needs to get a little stronger, and improve his handle a bit, but those are almost givens coming out of college.

kingsboi · Mar 12, 2016

Been watching this Big East tournament the last couple of days and I've come away impressed with Isaiah Whitehead. Thoughts on him as a NBA prospect?

206Fan · Mar 12, 2016

kingsboi said:

I think he'd be suited best as an off-the bench player. I see him similar to a smaller Evan Turner. Solid defender, nice passer, but inconsistent scoring.

My biggest problem with him is that as of right now is that he can't score. He can, but it's not effiicent at all. He loves to attack, but he finishes at 48% which is terrible. He loves to settle for mid-range Js..33.3%. Pretty poor since that's where 1/3 of his scoring comes from. Decent 3pt shooter.

I think he's an ok overall player

biltalent · Mar 13, 2016

206Fan said:

Its close between the two. Personally I would probably go with Hield because he is the safer pick in my mind. He has already shown a lot of development. Of course if Murray develops as well this could be a mistake.
I think in the end it depends on the context of the decision. For example, if Vlade decides to build around Rondo and Cousins this would led me to prefer Hield because I think Murray will take a few years until his body is ready for big NBA minutes.

206Fan · Mar 13, 2016

bajaden said:

I think Layman and Parsons are very comparable. Still drives me nuts that he puts up 26pts vs. Nebraska, then comes back with 9 vs. MSU. I know he was in foul trouble though.

The Kings have the Spurs' 2nd rounder this year from the Ray Mac trade. I think he'll probably be gone in the late 30s-40s.

I think the Kings should take a flyer on someone like Georges Niang. He's an extremely skilled player who has a very decent ceiling because of his basketball smarts. We all know the Kings could use more bball IQ on this team. I think he's a low-risk, good upside type of player.

biltalent said:

Murray has been looking amazing..no slack whatsoever from him. It would be hard to pick between the 2 guys because Murray does have a higher overall ceiling.

Anyone have any thoughts on Jarron Blossomgame? Athletic 6'7 GF who loves to attack the rim. He's not the best driver, but he does an amazing job finishing and drawing contact. He's improved his jumpshot this year, hitting 44.6% on 3.3 3ptA/G. He's a very good defensive rebounder and also averages 1.3blks/game which all come from hustle and effort. He can be a very good defensive player, but as of right now, he's pretty average. Lots of potential with Blossomgame.

Capt. Factorial · Mar 13, 2016

206Fan said:

Haven't seen him, is he a late bloomer?

206Fan · Mar 13, 2016

MSU just got shafted...didn't get the #1 seed. I think they were a clear cut over Virgina...but what do I know?

Holy cow, the South is damn stacked...Kansas, Nova, Maryland, Miami, Cal, Uconn, and Arizona. How is Vandy getting a shot?

kingsboi · Mar 13, 2016

biltalent said:

I don't think you can really go wrong with Kentucky players. I mean they are all either all-stars or productive players, you can count more productive UK players than not so I would pick Murray between the two.

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