Official Draft Thread: Prospects Watch

[OrlChamps2030]

Brandon Paul had a pretty good game against #12 Mizzou last night. 23 points, 8 boards, 5 assists, 2 blks, and a steal. Shot 15 free throws as well. I'm really curious where he will end up in the draft.. he was originally supposed to go undrafted/2nd and now he is a POTY candidate.

[Skin]

Brandon Paul had a pretty good game against #12 Mizzou last night. 23 points, 8 boards, 5 assists, 2 blks, and a steal. Shot 15 free throws as well. I'm really curious where he will end up in the draft.. he was originally supposed to go undrafted/2nd and now he is a POTY candidate.

Thing I like about Paul is that he doesn't just have a good stat line, he makes big plays in big moments too. So clutch.

[OrlChamps2030]

Brandon Paul had a pretty good game against #12 Mizzou last night. 23 points, 8 boards, 5 assists, 2 blks, and a steal. Shot 15 free throws as well. I'm really curious where he will end up in the draft.. he was originally supposed to go undrafted/2nd and now he is a POTY candidate.

Thing I like about Paul is that he doesn't just have a good stat line, he makes big plays in big moments too. So clutch.

Yup. Great shooter, has good ball handling and passing, and athletic. I like that his athleticism translates into defensive playmaking - for a 6"4 SG (although he is pretty long and athletic) he gets a lot of blocks.

This was last year, but here's a little bit of the clutch you're talking about and the defensive playmaking I'm talking about:
[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qtdoBGlmmEQ[/youtube]

I'd be very happy to pick him up in the 2nd round.. It's hard to tell where he is going to end up at this point though since conference play has not started.

[Skin]

We're going to have to maneuver our way back into round 2. That sucks.

[OrlChamps2030]

We're going to have to maneuver our way back into round 2. That sucks.

It does indeed.. With Rob's drafting so far I would have liked to see what he could do with a 2nd rounder this year. O'Quinn seems like he is a guy who will stick around in this league, which is all you can ask for from a 2nd rounder.

[MagicFan32]

Bennett is a beast, I watched him play during that CAL game, only question is he is kind of short, is he a Dejaun Blair? solid role player, or something more? he certainly is very explosive and has a great motor

[Truth24]

Bennett is a beast, I watched him play during that CAL game, only question is he is kind of short, is he a Dejaun Blair? solid role player, or something more? he certainly is very explosive and has a great motor

I think he is going to play the three in the league but he could play spot minutes at the four because he is strong and has great length.

[Skin]

I'm not interested in Bennett. A guy with talent but without a position. I'll pass and get another player with a similar grade.

[Noonskadoodle]

Erick Green continues to be impressive.

Last 3 games:

28 pts, 7 boards, 4 assists
31 pts, 8 boards, 2 assists
26 pts, 5 boards, 3 assists

Leading the country in scoring now at 25.5 on 51% shooting

[Def Swami]

Zach (Oregon)
Am I crazy to still think Shabazz is the top player in the draft?

Chad Ford (1:35 PM)
Not crazy. He's been playing much better. There was a great story in the LA Times this weekend on him. He's been putting in extra sessions training, lost 13 pounds and it's really shown on the court. What I like the most about it is that it shows he's willing to work hard to get better. That means a lot. The No. 1 pick is wide open at the moment and if he keeps improving at this rate, he could very well be the No. 1 pick.

Chad (Burbank)
Chad, what do scouts think of Jamaal Franklin from San Diego State? I think he has some big time potential in the NBA

Chad Ford (1:41 PM)
I think he's a warrior. So tough. Crazy athlete. Does a little bit of everything. Had a 19 point, 15 rebound game on Sunday in which he led his team in scoring, rebounding and assists. His jump shot is broken, but he contributes in so many other ways. Reminds me a lot of a young Gerald Wallace. He's a Top 20 pick in my opinion and the best prospect I saw this weekend.

Santa (World)
Will the Myck Kabongo fiasco hurt his draft rank?

Chad Ford (1:45 PM)
Sure it has. I think that was the punishment the NCAA was trying to deliver. At least he can start playing in mid February, but I think the suspension was ridiculous. The NCAA, in all of it's hypocrisy, never ceases to amaze me. As for Kabongo, I still think he's a first round pick if he comes back in February and can play great. But he could've been a lottery pick had he played the whole season.

Moses (Boise, ID)
If thew draft were tomorrow, who would you take at #1?

Chad Ford (1:48 PM)
I don't think there's a clear No. 1 pick this year so it probably would depend on what I needed. Nerlens Noel is still No. 1 on our Big Board and has been since July 1st. But if I didn't need a big athletic defensive presence, I might opt for Shabazz or McLemore. And if I needed a big who could really generate offense, I might lean toward Alex Len. I know that's a wishy-washy answer, but right now, that's what the talent justifies.

bob (utah)
how high do you think Ben Mclemore can rise on draft boards?

Chad Ford (1:50 PM)
He's at No. 4 on our Big Board and he could easily pass Shabazz Muhammad at No. 3. For him to get higher, a team drafting at 1 or 2 would need a wing more than a big. But that's a real possibility with several of the team vying for the No. 1 pick. So I guess his ceiling right now is the No. 1 pick. That seems a little high, but in this draft? Why not.

dwight (mpls,MN)
is the carter-Williams shaun Livingston comparison accurate

Chad Ford (1:52 PM)
I think so. It's who he reminds me of -- pre the Shaun Livingston devastating knee injury.

John (TX)
Will the 2012 draft class be remembered as the worst in history?

Chad Ford (1:56 PM)
No. Lots of talent. Just no clear franchise No. 1 picks at the top. If you have the 5th pick or the 10th pick -- this isn't a bad draft. I just wouldn't want to be picking in the Top 3.

Paul (Las Vegas, NV)
If Anthony Bennett continues to impress at UNLV, where do you see him going in the draft?

Chad Ford (1:58 PM)
1 to 8. Bennett is another guy that is getting a pretty large bandwagon at the moment. He's No. 6 on our Big Board, but I could see him rising all the way to No. 1. He, along with McLemore, have been the best freshmen in the country.

[Noonskadoodle]

VIA DRAFTNET

RISERS
----------

Anthony Bennett UNLV, 6'7'' PF

The transition process so far has been seamless for Bennett. He went for 25 and 13 against California, not only overpowering defenders inside, but facing up and attacking them off the dribble from the perimeter. A hard worker and high character guy by all accounts, Bennett is sure to impress in workouts and interviews leading up to the draft.

He's got talent and instincts to go with explosive athleticism and muscle. He's simply too much to handle for most 18 and 19 year-olds. Bennett is an undersized (6'7) power forward, but with a 7'3 wingspan and enormous hands, he plays bigger than his height. He can face the basket and score, but his inability to defend on the perimeter limits his ability to play the 3 position. Behind a blazing hot start to the season, Bennett has moved into the top 10 on the 2013 mock.


Ben McLemore, Kansas, 6'5'' SG

McLemore's got all the makings of being a highly productive off-ball scorer, with elite shooting potential and an efficient in-between game. His rhythm is so sweet as a catch and shooter it could put a baby to sleep.

McLemore always looks under control, rarely taking bad shots and doing a nice job of choosing when to attack. I'm loving the Ray Allen comparison right now. McLemore could be the Bradley Beal of this year's draft, and similarly sneak into the top three based on his mature game and high upside.


Michael Carter Williams, Syracuse, 6'6" PG

Carter-Williams leads the nation in assists by more than 2 per game at 10.7 per and he has the Orange out to a terrific start to the year at 10-0. He's become the premiere table setter in college and appears to be a more athletic version of Kendall Marshall. An intriguing prospect due to his 6'6 size and point guard skills. If he can improve upon his jumpshot, he could solidify a spot in the top 10 in this year's draft.

Not even a shoplifting incident a week ago can slow Carter-Williams' upswing in momentum. It remains to be seen how much the incident at Lord and Taylor, where photos of him being taken in handcuffs went viral, will ultimately affect his draft stock. He paid a $500 fine for allegedly slipping a bathrobe and gloves into a backpack in a changing room. It wasn't as serious as, for instance stealing laptops, and there was no arrest made, but this will certainly be noted when team's assess his character. His best option will be to own it and come clean with NBA brass in individual interviews and admit to his mistake, instead of saying it was "a misunderstanding", and denying any wrong doing, which could be perceived indicative of a potential character flaw.

Despite the off court concerns, Carter-Williams has moved into the top 10 of the most recent mock update.


Mason Plumlee, Duke, 6'11" PF

He's no longer just a tip-in master or simple finisher at the rim, but someone capable of creating his own scoring opportunities facing up and with his back to the basket. His season low is 16 points. This type of consistency illustrates his pure dominance over anyone called on to contain him.

At 7'0'' with top notch athleticism, his effectiveness is likely to translate. He's tough to defend a foot above the rim in college, and that's unlikely to change in the pros. The fact that he's making 6.3 free throws at a 73% clip, compared to the 2.7 he made on 52% last year, eliminates a tally that was originally in the weakness column.

There's little risk with Plumlee. Even if he's not generating his own offense he should still be able to contribute in other areas of the game.


Alex Len, Maryland, 7'1" C

Len's early season performance against Kentucky's athletic frontline remains the biggest feather in his cap on the season. He has shown solid consistency this year and some mid range shooting touch to go along with his tremendous size and above average mobility for a 7-footer.

The Ukrainian bigman has been scoring a lot of ally oop dunks of late, showing good coordination to catch and finish and excellent efficiency. He's 14-18 from the field over his last three games and averaging just under 14 ppg on the season. He's moved up to the 5th spot on the mock in the most recent update.


Trey Burke Michigan, 6'0'' PG

Burke went off for 27 and 8 assists against West Virginia, and has clearly taken the next step in his development as a prospect.

Burke's appeal stems directly from his dribble creativity- whether it's breaking down a defense to set up a teammate (7 assists/game) or using a dribble-hesitation to get to the rim off ball-screens. When Burke steps into his jumper, which is usually the case when his defender is forced to go under ball-screens, he shows confidence and balance pulling up from 20 feet.

With NBA quickness and added strength to his frame, Burke is now in the hunt for a late first round spot. He's no sure thing, though. At 6'0, his upside is limited, and you can't help but think of guys like DJ Augustin. But his floor-general qualities have stood out, and could ultimately help negate his size disadvantages.


Semaj Christon Xavier, 6'3'' PG

Christon has good size and a confident handle for a point guard, which allows him to score easy baskets in the half court. He's averaging 15 points 51% from the floor, an extremely high number for a scoring point guard.

Christon is a likely two-year college player with room to grow, especially as a shooter, where he's only attempted 9 three-pointers all season, but he's clearly entered the NBA draft conversation in just his freshman year.


Victor Oladipo Indiana, 6'4'' SG

While Oladipo isn't the most adept shot-creator, his quickness and athleticism contribute to 5 made field goals a game. He's now scored at least 12 points in 8 consecutive games, almost all of which coming at the rim as a slasher in the half court, or finisher in transition.

He remains under control at full-speed, even when eluding defenders with with a shake or spin attacking the basket. Couple that with lockdown defensive tools and a relentless motor, and Oladipo has appeal as a hard-working reserve with the ability to inject life into a lineup. He's slightly undersized for the 2 and isn't the most skilled offensively, but a playoff team looking for an instant-impact off-ball contributor could choose Oladipo as early as the late-first round.

He's currently at #37 on latest mock draft.


FALLERS
------------

Tony Mitchell 6'8" PF

Mitchell had a solid performance in front of numerous scouts on Thursday but has been really struggling this season and will need to show more consistency if he plans on being a lottery pick. He's surely got the talent, as he appeared to be a potential top 5 pick before the season.

His numbers remain down accross the board as he has had a number of disappointing games. It's still early enough in the season, but with the low level of North Texas' league play, now is the time for Mitchell to shine against a higher level of competition.


Adonis Thomas, Memphis, 6'7'' SF

You want to believe Thomas has the potential to be an NBA stud, based on his immaculate physique in terms of strength and athleticism. But we're not sure what his positional outlook is at the next level.

He's not making any threes (16%) as a spot-up shooter, and isn't finding ways to create easy baskets for himself. 43% from the floor and 3.8 rebounds per game are unacceptable numbers for someone with Thomas' physical tools. At this point consider him an athlete, but not yet a basketball player. Without any visual improvements, another year at Memphis seems like the most appropriate move for his draft stock.

Despite considerable athelticism, he's dropped out of the first round in the 2014 mock draft.


Lorenzo Brown NC State,

Brown's numbers are inexplicably down across the board, most notably 20% from downtown, 42% from the floor and 3.8 turnovers a game.

it's disappointing considering the heavy expectations coming in. Now a junior, this was supposed to be the year he makes a jump. It appears as if the goal has shrunk for Brown, who just can't seem to score unless it's a floater in the lane or an athletic finish at the rim.

He was completely shown up by Oklahoma State's Marcus Smart and Michigan's Trey Burke, two prospects he'll be directly competing against as potential NBA point guards. Backwards steps after two years of college ball is a bad look.The arrow is currently pointing down for Brown.

[thelead]

Shabazz is about to be on ESPN2. I would love to see how Shabazz is playing after the reports that he has lost 10+ pounds.

[Truth24]

Shabazz is about to be on ESPN2. I would love to see how Shabazz is playing after the reports that he has lost 10+ pounds.

Also keep an eye on Jordan Adams.

[Def Swami]

Shabazz was awesome tonight. Really impressed with his game. Doesn't have the athleticism that McLemore has, but he's very fundamentally sound and a pretty good rebounder. I think he'll fare well in the NBA mostly because of the intangibles he brings. He has a relentless motor and a "Kobe" swagger to him. You can tell he's got a bit of a killer instinct. Not a lot of players have that confidence. And I admire his pursuit to lose wait during the season, which isn't an easy feat. Definitely shows his self-discipline and desire to be great and win. Those intangibles will go a long way for him.

Got to give him props for his clutch performance as well. Bright lights don't seem to shake him.

[Orlando Prodigy]

Shabazz has been BALLIN lately

[MagicFan32]

Yeah Bazz looks good, he's very crafty and strong. also a very good shooter he seems like a Harden/Mayo hybrid if that makes sense. in this draft i don't think you can go wrong with Goodwin/McLemore/Bazz i'd be pretty happy with either of them....just seems like a weak PG class so far

[Noonskadoodle]

Leading scorer in the country Erick Green will be on ESPU at 2.

Will be my first time getting to see him live & I wanna see if he is capable of running the point well enough.

[Noonskadoodle]

Also Anythony Bennett vs McAdoo on ESPN2

[thelead]

Shabazz looked much more athletic last night. I'm still concerned that all he does is score. I see the Harden comparison when we talk about him scoring but it stops there as Bazz isn't the playmaker that Harden is. Still, with the weight loss, he now looks like a solid top 5 pick.

I do not like McAdoo. He has sucked against good competition.

[Noonskadoodle]

Rough day for a few guys climbing boards.

Erick Green & Va Tech got SMACKED & he went 4-18 with 12 points 6 assists

Brandon Paul is 3-11 with 10 points 4 assists & 4 boards

Anthony Bennett is 6-16 with 15 points 12 boards