What does everybody think of Cleanthony Early?

[Big_C_KU]

How about his teammate Ron Baker? I think he'll eventually be a late 1st/early 2nd combo guard and has enough athleticism, intelligence, and aggressive competitiveness to become a worthwhile bench player for a winning team. Maybe something like a guard version of Luke Walton, but a bit better.

Not sold on Baker being anything NBA. He's only about 6-3 and while he's skilled he's not super athletic or strong. He's not a PG. I see him as a 4 year kid only goes undrafted after he graduates and ends up having a great career overseas. He's going to be incredible though the next 2 years at WSU. Going to be apart of one of the very best backcourts in the nation with VanVleet.

Speaking of VanVleet I really think he might end up being the best NBA player out of WSU's trio. He does everything extremely well and nothing really bad. Probably only 6-0 at most though and not ultra athletic or fast. Can see him eventually getting picked in the 2nd round after his senior year and being a really good bench PG on a team maybe even a starter eventually. One of the very best floor generals in the nation this past season.

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[doordoor123]

How about his teammate Ron Baker? I think he'll eventually be a late 1st/early 2nd combo guard and has enough athleticism, intelligence, and aggressive competitiveness to become a worthwhile bench player for a winning team. Maybe something like a guard version of Luke Walton, but a bit better.

I would say so too after his last game, but we have to remember it was only one game. And there are players with better stats and size than him. Point guard is also a really deep position. He'd have to be picked over DeAndre Kane, Elfrid Payton, Shabazz Napier, Tyler Ennis, Marcus Smart, Kendall Williams, Dante Exum, Deonte Burton, Russ Smith, Semaj Christon, Juwan Staten, etc. (I'm sure you're noticing missing names -- that's how stacked it is)

Point guard is the most stacked position in the league already. How many of those teams will draft point guards when there are four other positions to draft? And if teams draft based on needs, what are the odds of it being a point guard? Even then, with all the point guards, why would it be Ron Baker? And even if they are drafted, how many of them will actually make a team?

I hope Baker gets drafted, but what are the odds of him being drafted in the first? The first 15 or so prospects are pretty much locked with only three point guards being projected in that range (Smart, Exum and Ennis). What does that mean for the rest of the draft? It means there's a slim chance Baker is in the first round. Especially when there are players with better stats and intangibles than his.

[Mr.Raptorsingh]

Early looks like a pretty skilled player to me.

[CBB_Fan]

The problem with Van Vleet and Baker simple statistics. By my napkin math, there are around 22 million men in the US that are six feet tall or better, and at best about 90 roster spots for NBA PGs. That puts the odds for any man over 6' making the NBA at 0.000409%, or 1 in 250,000.

So being in the top 1% skillwise isn't enough. Being in the top 1% as an athlete isn't enough. To be the worst PG in the league you have to be better than the 99th percentile in both skill and athleticism. Even considering that most six foot men have no shot at the NBA, we are still talking a huge pool of people competing for the same spot.

In comparison, the number of American seven footers is estimated at around 70. Not 70,000, but 70 total. 17% of those men have played in the NBA. A seven footer doesn't have to top out the athleticism charts to make the NBA like a PG does.

[kiwibrindle]

Cleveland wishes he as in the last draft. I watched the UK game and was very impessed. I'd take him as high as 8th in the draft. I'd take him over Doug McDermott who got shut down by the first atheletic team he faced.

[doordoor123]

Cleveland wishes he as in the last draft. I watched the UK game and was very impessed. I'd take him as high as 8th in the draft. I'd take him over Doug McDermott who got shut down by the first atheletic team he faced.

Yeah, he was impressive, but that was ONE game. Terrence Ross had 51 points in one game. Does that make him a superstar?

I think he can definitely be a steal of the draft, but we have to put things in perspective here. That was his best game of the season.

[Who-rod]

Early would be a nice stretch four on a team like Houston, or effective beside a true center like Drummond.

[Marcus]

Cleveland wishes he as in the last draft. I watched the UK game and was very impessed. I'd take him as high as 8th in the draft. I'd take him over Doug McDermott who got shut down by the first atheletic team he faced.

Yeah, he was impressive, but that was ONE game. Terrence Ross had 51 points in one game. Does that make him a superstar?

I think he can definitely be a steal of the draft, but we have to put things in perspective here. That was his best game of the season.

Yeah funny how dude goes from generally unknown to a lottery pick based on a good performance in a loss. They were undefeated all year and nobody thought to speak on him.

[karkinos]

he played well last year in the final four
him and baker aren't new.