Willie Cauley-Stein is your newest Sacramento King

[hrdboild]

I should also say that Cauley-Stein seems like a really good guy. He wasn't my pick yesterday, but now that he's a King I'm rooting for him all the way.

Go Kings!

 

[VF21]

MOD NOTE: Dave's cryptic tweet, which may or may not be about a trade with Phoenix, has been moved to its own thread. We've really got to get back to the thread concept.

 

[bajaden]

It's up to Vlade to get the damned info, not to passively accept what is readily available. It may be *hard* to get the info, but that doesn't preclude him from getting it. This is the damned professional basketball association. The Kings have a multi-million dollar budget in order to scout players. You get the info by hook or crook - beg, borrow, steal. I don't care how you get it. You get it! You buy info from a scout, you hire a scout who has scouted him, you talk to Larry Brown and get all the contacts and info he has on the guy, you just do it. No matter how hard it is. This is a consensus top 10 pick in the NBA who you don't know about him before the draft begins? Does anybody sincerely think that SA and the Lakers and Miami don't have info on Mudiay? Seriously, what do you think the response would be from Pop when he asks his head scout: What can you tell me about Mudiay. Answer: I don't know about him. Good luck to that career (and maybe his lifespan). I guess people this board don't know much about doing research. I've had 30 years of experience in research, finding stuff out, and there is no question in my mind that with an ordinary NBA budget I could *know* about Mudiay. So why couldn't the Kings? Because it's just too hard?

Let me see if I can't help you here. If you were to go around the league and talk to scouts and GM's, and ask them about Mudiay, most of them would tell you he's the mystery man in the draft. I did everything I could to find video of him and the best I came up with, and I'm sure NBA teams have better access, was two complete games, one was the championship game where I think he played around 24 or 25 minutes, and the other game he played a whooping 12 minutes. He played in a total of 12 games overall. I also saw one of his highschool games, and then of course the usual youtube crap. By comparison, I saw every game that Willie Cauley-Stein played for the last two years, around 64 games. I also saw around 20 of his freshman year games. So in total I saw him play around 80 or so times. He played in a big, pressure packed program against the best college players, and along side some of the best college players. As a result, I think I have a pretty good handle on what Stein can, and can't do. At least at the college level, and I feel very certain that his skills will translate to the NBA.

By the same token, I saw almost every game that Winslow and Okafor played this year, and I could say the same thing about a lot of the current players in the draft. The info I was able to obtain about Mudiay, is extremely small when compared to other players. My point is, there just isn't a lot to go on with Mudiay, other than he came out of highschool with a lot of potential. So personally, if I have to choose between a player that I know inside and out, and like, and a player that I've only see play a few times, and he won't even come in for an interview, much less a workout, guess who I'm going to choose. It's not a matter of not making an effort to get the info, its that there really wasn't much to go on. What I did see of Mudiay, I liked, but he didn't blow me away like Russell did. I didn't have any wow moments with Mudiay. Doesn't mean he won't turn into the next greatest PG in the NBA. But I came away with a lot of questions, none to be answered.

 

[bajaden]

I should also say that Cauley-Stein seems like a really good guy. He wasn't my pick yesterday, but now that he's a King I'm rooting for him all the way.

Go Kings!

There you go. If the Kings had chosen Mudiay, or your guy, Turner, I would have become their biggest fan. Go Kings!

 

[bajaden]

Yes, maybe Vlade should have a black-ops hit squad who can touch down anywhere in the world in under 8 hours, break into private workouts unnoticed, film, eavesdrop with CIA spy equipment, and leave no traces behind that would tie the operation to us.

You mean we don't do that already?

 

[kingsboi]

Not only that, but one would hope that WCS might help us avoid those catastrophic defensive falloffs everytime Cuz left the floor.

The guards need to step it up on the perimeter, while Cauley Stein will be capable of playing on the perimeter, that shouldn't justify the guards not being able to keep their man in front.

 

[IfAt1st]

How about the timing of that uproar over WCS's sickle cell trait and ankle?
Why did it happen exactly when it did?
It occurred exactly when WCS was projecting to be selected earlier in the draft than us (4 or 5).

Conspiracy theory: what if someone from the Kings leaked that info because we wanted other teams skittish enough to stay away from him so high?

What if we even cleared this leak with WCS to ensure he got here, instead of New York or Orlando?

 

[ElRey]

How about the timing of that uproar over WCS's sickle cell trait and ankle?
Why did it happen exactly when it did?
It occurred exactly when WCS was projecting to be selected earlier in the draft than us (4 or 5).

Conspiracy theory: what if someone from the Kings leaked that info because we wanted other teams skittish enough to stay away from him so high?

What if we even cleared this leak with WCS to ensure he got here, instead of New York or Orlando?

Good thought, but it's not a secret that Willie has sickle cell trait...It's been publish since 2013.

 

[ElRey]

Cal said, that Camby had the same condition. He played in Denver into his 30s.

I can't find anything about Camby having sickle cell trait. I think Calipari was just talking about how some players just get so hyped during a game, and gave Camby as an example. Please correct me if I'm wrong.

 

[VF21]

How about the timing of that uproar over WCS's sickle cell trait and ankle?
Why did it happen exactly when it did?
It occurred exactly when WCS was projecting to be selected earlier in the draft than us (4 or 5).

Conspiracy theory: what if someone from the Kings leaked that info because we wanted other teams skittish enough to stay away from him so high?

What if we even cleared this leak with WCS to ensure he got here, instead of New York or Orlando?

You might want to check the size on your tin-foil hat.

 

[IfAt1st]

You might want to check the size on your tin-foil hat.

You know, I'm cool with people razzing me about conspiracy theorizing, and I invite it by calling it such:

But really?
How is what I theorized not simply good business? What is so laughably unbelievable about the Kings (with or without WCS's consent) seeing him rise in mock drafts, and then doing what they could to throw uncertainty into WCS's health conditions so that he might fall to them?

If you think that basketball players, coaches, executives, owners, and reporters don't (almost) all lie, leak, conspire, and mislead so that they get what they want, then you're simply naive about the way business is done nowadays.

Heck, there's the obvious conspiracy we just experienced with Dan Fegan and Woj, leaking all that info for mutual benefit that you astutely pieced together on the other thread.

 

[jdbraver]

You know, I'm cool with people razzing me about conspiracy theorizing, and I invite it by calling it such:

But really?
How is what I theorized not simply good business? What is so laughably unbelievable about the Kings (with or without WCS's consent) seeing him rise in mock drafts, and then doing what they could to throw uncertainty into WCS's health conditions so that he might fall to them?

If you think that basketball players, coaches, executives, owners, and reporters don't (almost) all lie, leak, conspire, and mislead so that they get what they want, then you're simply naive about the way business is done nowadays.

Heck, there's the obvious conspiracy we just experienced with Dan Fegan and Woj, leaking all that info for mutual benefit that you astutely pieced together on the other thread.

I am sure with social media rumors somehow happen when convenient. Until the league starts cracking down on leaks this will become more than a standard practice.

 

[John Galt]

You know, I'm cool with people razzing me about conspiracy theorizing, and I invite it by calling it such:

But really?
How is what I theorized not simply good business? What is so laughably unbelievable about the Kings (with or without WCS's consent) seeing him rise in mock drafts, and then doing what they could to throw uncertainty into WCS's health conditions so that he might fall to them?

If you think that basketball players, coaches, executives, owners, and reporters don't (almost) all lie, leak, conspire, and mislead so that they get what they want, then you're simply naive about the way business is done nowadays.

Heck, there's the obvious conspiracy we just experienced with Dan Fegan and Woj, leaking all that info for mutual benefit that you astutely pieced together on the other thread.

I'm totally with you on that one bro. I suspected as much when I saw WCS dropping in the mocks. Kings might not have been the only one's doing it.

In fact I bet that little crying Knicks fan (and Melo) would have been happier with WCS than the foreign whats-his-name that Phil drafted and I bet he wasn't sliding much further than us although we'll never know that for sure.

 

[VF21]

You know, I'm cool with people razzing me about conspiracy theorizing, and I invite it by calling it such:

But really?
How is what I theorized not simply good business? What is so laughably unbelievable about the Kings (with or without WCS's consent) seeing him rise in mock drafts, and then doing what they could to throw uncertainty into WCS's health conditions so that he might fall to them?

If you think that basketball players, coaches, executives, owners, and reporters don't (almost) all lie, leak, conspire, and mislead so that they get what they want, then you're simply naive about the way business is done nowadays.

Heck, there's the obvious conspiracy we just experienced with Dan Fegan and Woj, leaking all that info for mutual benefit that you astutely pieced together on the other thread.

You could easily be right. I just don't want to believe that it's that prevalent. And it's not about being naive. It's about clinging to that last shred of hope that there are a few people (like Vlade) who are men of character and above that kind of crap. I've known Fegan was a snake for years (remember he represents Kevin Martin); I think sports agents have to be snakes to succeed. I will not easily or readily accept that Vlade is there in the grass with Mr. Fegan.

 

[Sac.1989]

Well he's already put on 20 pounds since college ended and he said in one of the videos that he improved his vertical by 5" in like a 3 week span. So i think he's gonna be fine

yeah he will and the skys the limit. Surprised he mentioned he's only recently started lifting in the gym.

 

[Sac.1989]

I should also say that Cauley-Stein seems like a really good guy. He wasn't my pick yesterday, but now that he's a King I'm rooting for him all the way.

Go Kings!

your know what, hes really well spoken, seems like a genuine good kid who is super happy to be here and just wants to get in some work.

He seems like the over enthusiastic younger brother Demarcus never had in the locker room. I hope those two hit it off and Willie can with time pull Boogie out of those brooding, cryptic moods he seemingly goes into from time to time.

If boogie can be introverted at times, Willie is every bit the extrovert - my only hope is that our locker room dynamics dont sap him of his positive attitude.

 

[VF21]

Willie Cauley-Stein got into Sacramento Intergalactic Airport at about 11 p.m. tonight.

Pictures courtesy of CrownDowntown's Twitter account. Love to see the fans out late to greet our newest King. I am truly #SacramentoProud.

 

[VF21]

Willie Cauley-Stein ‏@THEwillieCS15 2m2 minutes ago
One of the coldest feelings of my life #Speechless #TrillNation #KingsOnTheRise
pic.twitter.com/Jrq6vFvDHn

He posted a 10 second clip of the rousing welcome he got from Kings fans. Follow the link.

 

[gunks]

If this dude can be Tyson Chandler with a jumper (lesser rebounder of course, but we have Cuz for that) we are in good shape.

We passed on a few 20ppg potential players, but WCS can be a different kind of difference maker.

Can't wait until summer league.

 

[sactownfan]

webber on WCS

bit OTT i think. Kid obviously needs to put in time in the gym and fill out but hes goona be just fine

whats funny is jordan's college stats were horrible and WCS tested taller and longer than DeAndre Jordan. WCS also beat him in every athletic category including no step max vert and max vert

DeAndre Jordan height no shoes... 6'9.75.... WCS 6'11.25
DeAndre Jordan Max vert 30.5 .... WCS 37 !!!!!! WCS OWNES JORDAN

 

[Guy Larboni]

Mudiay refused to come practice with Sacramento. You don't pick a PG who doesn't want to play for the team, right? and to think that Ty Lawson's really intested to come and play for us, how many players wants to be on Sacramento really? this is absurd to think about , WCS is the best pick for the Kings. Period.

so in 2-3 years Winslow is going to be an all-star, so what? our team finally picked D, I really don't remember myself this excited about Sacramento 2 days after the draft. Let's just wait and see who are we going to give up to get Lawson, I don't mind watching Nik go, but Landry jusr cannot stay with the team with his fat contract.

Kings on the rise.

 

[Peter_Gibbons]

Glad to see the big welcome for wcs.

What's the deal with his ankle though? I read somewhere that teams were afraid because there is a chance he'll need surgery half way through the season. Anyone know more about that?

 

[The Hammer]

your know what, hes really well spoken, seems like a genuine good kid who is super happy to be here and just wants to get in some work.

He seems like the over enthusiastic younger brother Demarcus never had in the locker room. I hope those two hit it off and Willie can with time pull Boogie out of those brooding, cryptic moods he seemingly goes into from time to time.

If boogie can be introverted at times, Willie is every bit the extrovert - my only hope is that our locker room dynamics dont sap him of his positive attitude.

Their birthdays are five days apart, both in August. DMC Aug 13, WCS Aug 18. Btw... Rudy Aug 17.

 

[lawlman91]

You might want to check the size on your tin-foil hat.

We need him to be our conspiracy guy. Disagree with him, but let him be. I like him.

 

[c-webb1s#1]

I think WCS and DMC will be good friends on and off the court They could form quite the tandem together!

 

[Gilles]

I can't find anything about Camby having sickle cell trait. I think Calipari was just talking about how some players just get so hyped during a game, and gave Camby as an example. Please correct me if I'm wrong.

People are not going to advertise conditions, so given that this study http://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/preview/mmwrhtml/mm6349a3.htm shows, that around 7% of African Americans have this trait, I would guess, that there are about 10 guys in the NBA right now with this trait. As for Camby, I guess, you're right. Listening to Cal without being careful one falls into mind trap of making connections, where one shouldn't: "I've coached other players, who have it, that trait" - "if I see him winded, make sure, he gets fluids and all the other things" - "the thing, that's happening for him" - "I had guys like him" - story about Camby.

Glad to see the big welcome for wcs.

What's the deal with his ankle though? I read somewhere that teams were afraid because there is a chance he'll need surgery half way through the season. Anyone know more about that?

To ensure proper bone healing titan plate and two screws were put in. X-ray doesn't show any problems with the bone right now, but 1 of the screws is at 45 degrees angle rather than 90 that it was put in initially, so he might have to go through "maintenance" surgery to either remove the screw or re-align it back. I would guess, they might even do it after SL to get it out of the way and not wait for next off-season.

 

[HereWeBoogie]

Willie is a large man. His athleticism at 7'0 is insane

 

[sactownfan]

whats funny is jordan's college stats were horrible and WCS tested taller and longer than DeAndre Jordan. WCS also beat him in every athletic category including no step max vert and max vert

DeAndre Jordan height no shoes... 6'9.75.... WCS 6'11.25
DeAndre Jordan Max vert 30.5 .... WCS 37 !!!!!! WCS OWNES JORDAN

Btw WCS also tested taller and longer than joakim Noah. WCS beat him in all the combine drills too

 

[Bricklayer]

whats funny is jordan's college stats were horrible and WCS tested taller and longer than DeAndre Jordan. WCS also beat him in every athletic category including no step max vert and max vert

DeAndre Jordan height no shoes... 6'9.75.... WCS 6'11.25
DeAndre Jordan Max vert 30.5 .... WCS 37 !!!!!! WCS OWNES JORDAN

Jordan was a frosh when he came out. Big big difference. He's still of course massively unskilled, but he was at an early stage of development. WCS on the other hand stayed 3 years, and never upped that level of production (of course if you look at Jordan, he never really improved either until Doc arrived adn convinced him to become a rebounding fool).

 

[Amit149]

Jordan was a frosh when he came out. Big big difference. He's still of course massively unskilled, but he was at an early stage of development. WCS on the other hand stayed 3 years, and never upped that level of production (of course if you look at Jordan, he never really improved either until Doc arrived adn convinced him to become a rebounding fool).

He reffered to C-Webb's analysis saying DJ is a much bigger and more athletic than WCS, DJ didn't grew in the NBA to become bigger than WCS (though his wingspan was always better) and athleticly I'll go out and say that even comparing current DJ to current WCS- WCS can jump just as good if not better and he is certainly faster (he is weaker at the moment without a doubt). Anyway i don't like that comp from him.