King Ken's Big Board 2023 (Final)

King Ken · Post #1 » by **King Ken** » Sun May 14, 2023 6:34 am

KK's Big Board:

Update: 6/5/2023

Big Board v2.0

Positions: https://www.sportstalk2319.com/positiondictionary

My 1st round grades:

Stats: 36/MPG

Tier 1: Elite Cornerstone Prospect:

Victor Wembanyama F/C | Metropolitans 92 7'5" 230 lbs 19.4 yrs 24.0 PTS 11.1 REB 2.4 AST 3.6 BLK 0.8 STL

Wemby is the 2nd best prospect I’ve ever evaluated and he’s going to have an impact on day 1. He’s not just a stat, he really impacts the game on both ends and really can’t get removed from the floor. He will have to develop more strength before he’s a permanent center but he’s already a top 5 PF in the NBA, right now. He and LeBron are just on another level. Even though both are tier 1s with Zion and others, Bron and Wemby are different classes above the others. They are the best of the best. Championship cornerstones.

If I had to compare him. Defensively, he reminds me of a young KG. Just a lot longer, taller, and not quite as athletic or explosive as KG but he does a lot on defense and he is very switchable even at his size. Offensively, on the perimeter, I see a lot of Kevin Huerter. Not quite the shooter or close but the shot selection, movement skills, and comfort to attack closeouts are similar. In the post and paint area, it's not pretty at all. He does have great footwork and hands but his strength isn't there yet and he doesn't have a go-to move yet in the paint. He does uses his length and height well and that's how he does damage in the paint. This isn't unusual, a lot of young bigs usually score off of athleticism, size, or length at this stage till they develop an understanding and their bodies. It's a grown man's game.

Tier 2: Tier 2: All-Star potential –

Scoot Henderson
PG | G League 6'2" 195 lbs G League 19.3 yrs 21.1 PTS 6.1 REB 7.6 AST 0.5 BLK 1.4 STL
Scoot was a tier 1 guy for me, but his season just wasn’t good enough. I am one who thinks the G league is far more real than the college game for translating, and Scoot translated but he really didn’t take the leap I expected and saw in the showcase. For me, his effort can be elite, and it can be awful. I just want to see a lot more consistency. That said, he’s still special. I just don’t know if he’s better than Ja Morant at PG.

That said, I do think he has a lot of great qualities, and he will be much better in the NBA where his teammates can shoot, and he’s not always outgunned. He’s going to be a four-category guy with PTS/REB/AST/BLK. He just needs to improve his discipline on defense, it reminds me of JJJ where he’s wild on defense. He also needs to finish must better in traffic but once again, he had no space with his squad. I think his upside is unique, he reminds me a lot of Gary Payton on offense with tremendous explosiveness like Steve Francis, but his defense reminds me of Anthony Edwards. Great defensive upside but is a bad defensive player right now. He’s not ready right now but he will be at some point.

Tier 3: All-Star Possibilities –

Brandon Miller SF | Alabama 6'9" 200 lbs Freshman 20.5 yrs 20.7 PTS 9.1 REB 2.3 AST 1.0 BLK 1.0 STL
Miller is a special player but he doesn’t translate the way people think he would. He’s not really a true 3 but he’s not quick enough to be a 2 but he’s tall enough with good handles to still be effective on a full-time basis. I don’t know anyone like him previously and in this draft, he has a poor man’s twin named Emoni Bates who’s also in this draft. He’s going to be a 25 PPG guy as a 2. He can defend. He can rebound. Passing isn’t really his thing but he’s not awful at it. Trey Murphy is also this size and he plays both forward spots, but Miller has better handles by a mile. He is interesting.

I don’t see Paul George, but I do see a future star. I think his prototype is more like Cam Reddish but he’s way better than Cam Reddish. I think he also has a tremendous feel for the game. The difference is while those two (Bates and Reddish) peaked early, Miller like PG is still growing and doesn’t have the physical limitation that hampered Reddish and Bates. For Reddish that’s hands, handles, feel for the game, etc. I feel like PG is the go-to for big wings with tremendous skill, but PG is really a big wing and he can pass. Those guys are more like big guard scorers with a bag. Miller being the least limited. Murphy more like Cam Johnson to me. I am not sure how valuable Miller will be to winning but he’s definitely someone that can be your 1st option if you have a really good playmaker who can create for everyone else.

Tier 3.5 - Decent Role player potential with All-Star possibilities down the road.

Bilal Coulibaly
SF | Metropolitans 92 6'7" 205 lbs International 18.8 yrs 18.2 PTS 6.6 REB 2.2 AST 1.0 BLK 2.5 STL

Part 1 – Tier 3.5 - 18.9 yrs 18.2 PTS 6.6 REB 2.2 AST 1.0 BLK 2.5 STL
The biggest mover in the class for me. Tremendous upside. He’s a player who at every level before Jeep Elite, he was at a 13-16 AST%. He played half of the season in the previous tier within the organization. While some of his numbers are down with the move. He has been one of the most impactful players for his team and a big part of their improvement when they moved him up a level.
What I love about him is his hand size. Hand strength and motor skills. The speed with the ball, especially in transition is special.

His explosiveness with or without the ball. His flexibility in air. I personally think he explodes like Victor Oladipo. I like him. Are there so issues? Yes. His ball handling is basic. His decision-making is not consistent. His jump shot needs to be polished. But he’s as favorable of a big wing as I’ve seen in some time. I really think a comparison to Scottie Pippen is warranted for Bilal. He may be more advanced considering the age Pippen entered the NBA. I really like his feel for the game. I really questioned if I should rate him as highly as Brandon Miller. I like Bilal a lot, especially long term.

Part 2 – Tier 4 – 5/14 In the NBA, they want prototypes and he really doesn’t fit any but he’s unique. Excellent in transition on the open floor, extremely athletic, and has a nice floor game, jumper is all over the place and reminds you of Dante Exum, a tremendous off-ball defender who reminds you of Westbrook. In fact, he reminds me a lot of UCLA Westbrook. While he disappears way too much at times on offense, his upside like GG is real.

Amen Thompson
SG/PG | Overtime Elite 6'7" 202 lbs 20.3 yrs 20.8 PTS 8.2 REB 7.9 AST 1.0 BLK 3.1 STL

Amen is basically if Evan Turner and Michael Kidd-Gilchrist have a rich man’s baby. Amen has the frame to get to Turner’s height. Amen is as explosive and as athletic as MKG with a lot more twitch but he’s a worse shooter than MKG with a worse shot selection too. He’s my Trae Young of this class. Boom or bust. It can either be amazing or it can be awful. Amen because of his feel for the game, explosiveness, and twitch can get to the rack at will and really put a lot of pressure. His defense is legit as well. He’s different. His handles are as good as Turner’s.

He’s either going to be out of the league because his shooting is worse than current Westbrook for the Lakers or he’s going to be a star. No in-between. Westbrook had a much higher floor as a prospect, so I don’t think Amen is a good comp for Russ. That said, he has the potential to be even better than Russ who was an MVP. That’s the type of ceiling we are talking about here. Elite! He might be the only other guy outside of Wemby that has multi-time MVP potential in this class.

Ausar Thompson
SG/SF | Overtime Elite 6'7" 207 lbs 20.3 yrs 21.3 PTS 9.1 REB 7.9 AST 1.6 BLK 3.5 STL
He’s an easy eval. He reminds everyone of Andre Iguodala. Now what also made Iggy special was his personality, work ethic, and natural intelligence and while I don’t know for sure if Ausar has it, I can say he showed me he could have it. He’s nowhere close to the upside of his brother but his floor is so much higher than Amen it’s insane. Ausar is unlikely to be a bust and he can potentially be a pseudo-star depending on how much he wants it.

Jarace Walker
F | Houston 6'8" 220 lbs Freshman 19.7 yrs 14.7 PTS 8.9 REB 2.4 AST 1.7 BLK 1.3 STL
I like Jarace. He reminds me a lot of Ron Artest without the headcase things. I think he’s special but then again, I thought the same for Ron if he could ever get his mental right. I would probably take him above all of these guys in this tier because everything he is works at the NBA level and he has rare lateral ability for his size and he’s also extremely strong. He’s going to be a bigger deal than Artest because this era values what Artest brought 10x in today’s NBA. For me, he’s a top guy even if he’s never going to be a star.

Cam Whitmore
F | Villanova 6'7" 225 lbs Freshman 18.8 yrs 16.6 PTS 7.0 REB 1.0 AST 0.5 BLK 1.9 STL
Sam Vecenie loves Cam Whitmore and it’s because Cam has some rare traits that only Anthony Edwards also has with as his ability to dribble, create his own shots, accelerate, and deaccelerate at elite levels while using elite strength and size for the position. He can play the 2.

Here is where I stand with Whitmore. He’s just not a good Basketball player and yes, neither was Ant at UGA but Ant had the same potential grade as John Wall. He was traits-wise, a 100% marvel and it’s more important to be that at the 2 than the 1. That said, Whitmore is also a 2 or 3 in the NBA so I am not down on him, just not sky high either. I see J.R. Rider Lite currently. Rider was a four-year guy and Whitmore is much younger as a true freshman, but he doesn’t have the headcase issues I saw with Rider. With development, it will be interesting to see where his upside takes him. Look at LaVine for example.

Anthony Black
SG/SF | Arkansas 6'7" 195 lbs Freshman 19.3 yrs 13.2 PTS 5.2 REB 4.0 AST 0.6 BLK 2.1 STL
I love Black. He reminds me of Dyson Daniels in last year’s draft. Not as talented as Daniels but a better athlete and a better shooter. I really like Black a lot. Good upside. Safe bet.

Tier 4 - Tier 4: Decent Role player potential or raw with AS possibilities.

High End

Gradey Dick
SG/SF | Kansas 6'7" 195 lbs Freshman 19.5 yrs 15.5 PTS 5.7 REB 1.8 AST 0.3 BLK 1.6 STL
Dick is a tall 2 guard who can develop into a 3 who can shoot and defend decently. I liken his game to Austin Reaves but without the playmaking chops, more athletic and a better shooter with more defensive upside. Austin ended up in a perfect situation. That’s difficult to do as a draft pick.

Cason Wallace
PG | Kentucky 6'4" 185 lbs Freshman 19.5 yrs 13.1 PTS 4.2 REB 4.8 AST 0.5 BLK 2.2 STL

Part 1 – 6/5 – He’s a mover. I just like his floor way too much. I don’t believe he has the upside of Jrue Holiday but he clearly has a higher floor. I still think his range is right around there making him an easy top 10 choice.
Part 2 – 5/14 - The only thing that is keeping Wallace from being a tier 4 high-end player is self-creation. He just didn’t look as good at it in college as Maxey or Fox did to me. That said, he was a better player than Maxey for sure and his defense is legit right now. I would love him as a PG next to a playmaking type like Harden who can guard a different position while Wallace guards PGs. I would strongly consider Wallace in the top 10 if I have an elite playmaker who plays a different position than PG. He has tremendous upside as a role player and could be a low-end star. I like Wallace a lot. I like several of the Kentucky guys in this class. This is a weak mid-end class. Last year, I would have said after Walker Kessler, TyTy Washington, and Tari Eason, that the rest of the 1st round guys are low-end. This year, I don’t even think I am out of the lottery yet.

Mid End

Brandin Podziemski
PG | Santa Clara 6'5" 205 lbs Sophomore 20.2 yrs 19.9 PTS 8.8 REB 3.7 AST 0.5 BLK 1.8 STL

I am fully aware that he will not be a high pick and I am also aware that he might not be the prereqs for PGs which some haven’t and failed like Kendall Marshall and some haven’t and succeeded like Jalen Brunson. It will be interesting, to say the least with Podz. I do believe in his game. The post-up, floater, good off the ball and on the ball, PnR threat, very good vision, good passer, and a quality shooter who can defend at a decent level for a team defender. I like him a lot.

A lot of Jalen Brunson in his game. Not as polished but he’s much younger so he has an upside with his age. I can see him shining in the right situation and system. To me, he's a lottery pick but I am pretty sure he will be a late 1st as teams are scared **** of players who don’t meet the prereqs and that’s fair because so many have flopped.

Kobe Bufkin
G | Michigan 6'4" 175 lbs Sophomore 19.6 yrs 14.8 PTS 4.8 REB 3.1 AST 0.7 BLK 1.4 STL

Part 1 – 6/5 – The ceiling is just too high for a lesser tier. There is a chance he can be an all-star. I gotta push him up.
Part 2 – 5/14 - Kobe is a player with a limited ceiling but has a high floor as he can play both the 1 and 2 while adjusting to the NBA quite well. I honestly see a lot of Dejounte Murray in his game. Just that Murray is a much better isolation scorer and 1v1 player. That’s where I see the gap and I am not sure Kobe is capable of the upside that Murray had but his floor is clearly better and he’s a much better shooter at this stage.

Low End

Taylor Hendricks
F | UCF 6'9" 210 lbs Freshman 19.5 yrs 15.7 PTS 7.2 REB 1.4 AST 1.8 BLK 0.9 STL
I get why people like the profile of Hendricks. 6’9 210 and 19 who can guard multiple positions potentially and can shoot. But he’s not a good basketball player right now and he’s years away from helping you. The upside is there but the floor is extremely low.

Dereck Lively II
C | Duke 7'1" 230 lbs Freshman 19.2 yrs 9.1 PTS 9.5 REB 1.9 AST 4.2 BLK 0.9 STL
I don’t see future legit starters after Dick so it’s difficult for me. Lively is the best defensive player in this draft after Wemby. He reminds me legit of Larry Sanders. That said, Sanders was stronger, a much better rebounder, and he was far closer to being NBA-ready. To be honest, I don’t even think he’s as good as Jaxson Hayes who has been a bust. Lively is probably two years away from being two years away but realistically, not trying to be funny like we were with Bruno. What you hope for is Claxton, but Claxton was closer to being NBA-ready when he entered the league.

Leonard Miller
SF | G League 6'10" 211 lbs 19.5 yrs 20.5 PTS 12.3 REB 1.9 AST 1.0 BLK 1.2 STL
I like Miller more than most because his game is obvious. He’s going to rebound, score, and play hard. But his feel for the game is weak and he’s probably not going to get a lot of minutes on a good team but looks nice on a team that’s bad and playing for lottery balls. I like these types of players more than most in this range because occasionally, they get it and do become helpful players to winning teams but at least they can make an impact even if it’s empty stats early in their careers. People did this to Tari Eason last year and I liked Eason more as I had him on the mid-tier for 4-tier prospects. I do value these types. JaVale McGee and Nick Young were one of these types.

GG Jackson
PF | South Carolina 6'9" 215 lbs Freshman 18.4 yrs 17.4 PTS 6.7 REB 1.0 AST 0.9 BLK 0.8 STL
I don’t believe GG is any good right now at basketball for this level as he wasn’t for the last level(college), but his abilities are intriguing. He can really shoot, put the ball on the deck, has a skill set, and he’s very athletic. GG is one of those kids who should have been in HS still and it reflects in the age. He’s extremely raw but at this point, you must look at the terrible floor, high ceiling guys as they are safer bets than the rotational at best backups and specialists.

Nick Smith Jr.
G | Arkansas 6'5" 185 lbs Freshman 19.1 yrs 17.5 PTS 2.3 REB 2.4 AST 0.2 BLK 1.2 STL
I like Nick Smith Jr. I think if he works you have Quickley but if it doesn't, you have Bouknight. Either way, this player in today’s NBA is generally an undersized 2. I don’t see the value in that in the lottery. If you can get him in that 18-25 range which is where are you generally fine with long-term backups, I think he’s a great get but where Bouknight got picked is a big reach. He’s a talented 3-level score who can C&S at a high level and does show defensive activity and is good at getting steals.

Keyonte George
SG | Baylor 6'4" 185 lbs Freshman 19.5 yrs 19.3 PTS 5.2 REB 3.5 AST 0.2 BLK 1.4 STL
I actually like George more in the 6th man role as he is a good PnR passer and creator like Lou Williams whereas Smith is more like Jamal Crawford. The decision-making and defensive issues at key moments will likely glue him to the bench forever but I like his floor as a future 6th man.

Jordan Hawkins
SG | UConn 6'5" 195 lbs Sophomore 21.0 yrs 19.8 PTS 4.6 REB 1.6 AST 0.6 BLK 0.9 STL
I believe Hawkins can be a starter sooner than later as he fits what NBA teams like but playmaking concerns and passing concerns, limits his upside as a starter. That said, shooting and a legit skill to shoot, movement skills, and legit movement skills for a guard at that, and defensive potential to be a movement/D player like Kyle Korver developed into Atlanta is something that teams will covet. His limited upside as a starter is the only reason he’s in this tier.

Rayan Rupert
SG | NZ Breakers 6'6" 192 lbs International 18.9 yrs 13.6 PTS 4.8 REB 1.6 AST 0.3 BLK 1.5 STL
Rupert is a talented toolsy player like Dieng was last year. Rupert just doesn’t have the same upside but he does have a lot of potential. Rupert's upside is due to his 3/D plus playmaking ability which is why he’s high on many team’s boards. This type of player is a high-end starter but his lack of 1v1 skills, shooting consistency, and poor ability in traffic and contact means he’s limited to even make the rotation. The upside is promising and like Bilal and GG, teams will really do their homework on him.

Kris Murray
PF | Iowa 6'8" 225 lbs Junior 22.7 yrs 20.9 PTS 8.2 REB 2.1 AST 1.2 BLK 1.1 STL
I really love Murray. I know he’s not an ideal starter, but he reminds me so much of Robert Horry. You know he’s going to shoot exceptionally well. He’s going to be playing smart basketball. He’s never going to be more than a low-end starter at best but he’s critical especially if you have a pretty good team around him. A bad team would waste him as he’s just too limited. I would run to the podium to draft him if I was a good team and I just needed PF to space the floor at an elite level and play smart basketball. His lack of defensive versatility would bite him in the butt at times but it’s a low-end starting 4, what more can you expect.

Maxwell Lewis
SF | Pepperdine 6'7" 195 lbs Sophomore 20.8 yrs 19.6 PTS 6.5 REB 3.2 AST 0.9 BLK 1.0 STL

Part 1 6/5 – No combine play. Not sure what to make of him. I’ll pass on him. Just not going to make a serious decision with the limited viewing which I have.
Part 2 5/14 - I haven’t had a chance to watch him beyond Adam’s videos. I am hoping he’s playing in the combine as that’s usually how I evaluate guys like him from smaller schools. Jalen Williams was in this range last year and shot up the board. I like his film breakdown, let’s see if he’s for real.

Sidy Cissoko
SG | G League 6'5" 176 lbs G League 19.1 yrs 14.4 PTS 3.5 REB 3.9 AST 1.2 BLK 1.3 STL
I think Sidy has a chance to be a 10–15-year starter in this league. It’s all about how his jump-shot develops but the mentality is there. The size is there. The upside is there.

Brice Sensabaugh
F | Ohio State 6'6" 235 lbs Freshman 19.5 yrs 23.9 PTS 7.9 REB 1.7 AST 0.6 BLK 0.8 STL
The next group of guys are low-end tier 4 guys who can play basketball at the next level but I don’t see a clear role for them.
What I love: Brice, who had an under-the-radar all-time great scoring season for a freshman, pouring in over 40 points/100 possessions on good efficiency. That is the second-highest number I’ve seen in recent major D1 history among freshmen behind Zion (2010+).

Points per 100/True Shooting %
1. Zion – 41.2/70% (Freshman GOAT)
2. Trae – 40.4/58.5%
2. Brice – 40.3/58.7%
3. Jabari Parker – 38.2/56%
4. Sexton – 36.5/56.7%
5. Markelle – 36/56%

What I don’t love: Though his handles are adequate, he lacks elite quickness and athleticism making him a mostly below-the-rim player who doesn’t earn a lot of trips to the free-throw line, despite efficient percentages.
His lack of athleticism and average foot speed makes him a below-average defender, and could really limit his potential overall in the NBA.

While Sensabaugh’s 40 percent three-point shooting should translate smoothly, his other skills, matched with his unique frame don’t draw obvious professional comparisons.

He may not be tall enough to match up with pros in the frontcourt, and might not have the speed, or playmaking skills to play in the backcourt.

Brice is a legit good basketball player and for his age, he’s tremendous but he doesn’t have a defensive position nor does he have anything outside of the 3 that really translates. There is value in this for a backup and with his age, you definitely think there is more upside to unlock.

Jett Howard
SG | Michigan 6'8" 215 lbs Freshman 19.7 yrs 16.1 PTS 3.2 REB 2.3 AST 0.7 BLK 0.5 STL
Jett is interesting. His offensive profile reads exactly like Kevin Huerter. Tremendous short movement guy. Elite C&S potential. Elite pull-up shooter. Solid playmaker for a 2. He’s even taller, stronger, and bigger. Kevin is a superior athlete and a better ball handler though.

Then it gets ugly. His man defense is horrendous. He should be better in the NBA due to his size and body and the fact that NBA refs allow you to use your body unlike in college. He dies on screens a lot. He can defend multiple positions at all. He can’t defend any at the college level. His athleticism is underwhelming, and he cannot take anyone going left. I don’t see him being anything more than a low-end starter at his best but he’s interesting. He fits what teams want from a 2 in the modern NBA offensively.

Oscar Tshiebwe
C | Kentucky 6'9" 260 lbs Senior 23.5 yrs 17.6 PTS 14.6 REB 1.7 AST 1.1 BLK 1.7 STL
Part 1 – Look. We all like who we like. I like Oscar. I really think he could be a pretty good NBA player. The issue is, what’s his best position? I see him as a small ball 5 but people who don’t love him will say, defending in space, shooting, and rim protection. Then you got people like me who will say, movement skills, motor, rebounding, garbage points, and likely to be able to play the Montrezl Harrell role. Well, Harrell is explosive, Oscar isn’t.

True but what makes him different than Shelden Williams? That’s a great question. Williams was a better post player and shot blocker but none of that really helped in the NBA. Oscar is a better passer, is much more fluid than Williams, and his motor is clearly better. So let’s say, he is a slightly better Shelden Williams. Is that worth a 1st? I think it could be but probably not. Shelden always had good per36 stats but it’s hard to play someone so many minutes. I like Oscar. I just see him as a sure rotational player who’s a 9th to 10th man right now on any team. It’s not easy to find these guys to be honest, especially in this draft where you might have ten 1st rounders not crack the 10-man rotation when their rookie deals are up.

Late Mover

Noah Clowney
PF | Alabama
6'10"
210 lbs
Freshman
18.8 yrs
13.8 PTS 11.2 REB 1.1 AST 1.3 BLK 0.8 STL

6/6 - If he hits, he's a legit big wing 3 which everyone is looking for right now. Chances are, he's could be a lottery pick. Starting big wings are a premium right now.

Tier 5 – Backups and G-Leaguers –

Markquis Nowell
PG | Kansas State 5'8" 160 lbs Senior 23.4 yrs 17.2 PTS 3.4 REB 8.1 AST 0.1 BLK 2.5 STL
Part 1 6/5 – I love Nowell but he’s not going to get a real shot at first. He will have to prove it in the G-League or overseas.
Part 2 5/14 - Watching him play in the G League elite game confirms what I saw in college. He’s a legit NBA player with starter abilities. I understand his size is a massive issue especially with this game being more in space than ever before but he’s this generation’s Muggsy Bogues. Defenses twice his size are bouncing off of him. He’s strong, has elite hands, tremendous at steals, elite playmaker, and is a tremendous floor general.

He’s not going to be a starter in today’s NBA. Too much talent at PG these days unlike in the 90s. That said, he’s going to be an elite backup PG like Tyus Jones. Teams will pass on him, and I don’t think they should.
Colby Jones
SG | Xavier
6'6"
207 lbs
Junior
20.9 yrs
15.9 PTS 6.1 REB 4.7 AST 0.6 BLK 1.4 STL

Bobi Klintman
SF/PF | Wake Forest 6'10" 225 lbs Freshman 20.2 yrs 9.3 PTS 8.0 REB 1.4 AST 1.1 BLK 0.8 STL

Jalen Hood-Schifino
PG/SG | Indiana 6'6" 213 lbs Freshman 19.9 yrs 14.7 PTS 4.5 REB 4.0 AST 0.3 BLK 0.9 STL

Dariq Whitehead
SF | Duke
6'6"
190 lbs
Freshman
18.8 yrs
14.4 PTS 4.2 REB 1.7 AST 0.4 BLK 1.3 STL

Marcus Sasser
PG/SG | Houston
6'2"
195 lbs
Senior
22.6 yrs
19.6 PTS 3.3 REB 3.6 AST 0.2 BLK 1.9 STL

James Nnaji
C | Barcelona
6'10"
225 lbs
International
18.7 yrs
14.9 PTS 8.0 REB 1.3 AST 1.8 BLK 0.5 STL

Trayce Jackson-Davis
PF | Indiana
6'9"
245 lbs
Senior
23.2 yrs
21.8 PTS 11.3 REB 4.2 AST 3.0 BLK 0.9 STL

Terquavion Smith
SG | NC State
6'3.75"
165 lbs
Sophomore
20.4 yrs
19.2 PTS 3.8 REB 4.4 AST 0.4 BLK 1.5 STL

Jaime Jaquez Jr.
SG/SF | UCLA
6'7"
225 lbs
Senior
22.2 yrs
19.3 PTS 8.9 REB 2.5 AST 0.6 BLK 1.7 STL

Jalen Wilson
SF/PF | Kansas
6'8"
225 lbs
Senior
22.5 yrs
20.4 PTS 8.4 REB 2.2 AST 0.5 BLK 1.0 STL

Julian Strawther
SG | Gonzaga
6'7"
208 lbs
Junior
21.1 yrs
17.6 PTS 7.2 REB 1.5 AST 0.5 BLK 1.0 STL

Julian Phillips
SF | Tennessee
6'7"
200 lbs
Freshman
19.5 yrs
12.4 PTS 7.0 REB 2.2 AST 0.8 BLK 0.9 STL

DaRon Holmes II
PF | Dayton
6'10"
225 lbs
Sophomore
20.7 yrs
19.3 PTS 8.5 REB 1.8 AST 2.0 BLK 0.8 STL

Andre Jackson Jr.
SG | UConn
6'6"
210 lbs
Junior
21.5 yrs
8.2 PTS 7.7 REB 5.8 AST 0.6 BLK 1.3 STL

Jaylen Clark
SG | UCLA
6'5"
205 lbs
Junior
21.6 yrs
15.3 PTS 7.1 REB 2.2 AST 0.3 BLK 3.1 STL

Ricky Council IV
SG | Arkansas
6'6"
205 lbs
Junior
21.8 yrs
17.0 PTS 3.8 REB 2.4 AST 0.3 BLK 1.2 STL

Terrence Shannon Jr.
SG | Illinois
6'6.5"
207 lbs
Senior
22.8 yrs
19.3 PTS 5.2 REB 3.1 AST 0.5 BLK 1.4 STL

Coleman Hawkins
PF | Illinois
6'10"
225 lbs
Junior
21.4 yrs
10.9 PTS 6.9 REB 3.4 AST 1.3 BLK 1.2 STL

Nikola Djurisic
SG/SF | KK Mega Basket
6'8"
214 lbs
International
19.2 yrs
16.1 PTS 4.0 REB 4.8 AST 0.1 BLK 1.3 STL

Keyontae Johnson
SF | Kansas State
6'6"
230 lbs
Senior
22.9 yrs
18.4 PTS 7.2 REB 2.3 AST 0.2 BLK 1.1 STL

Adem Bona
C | UCLA
6'10"
235 lbs
Freshman
20.1 yrs
12.1 PTS 8.3 REB 1.1 AST 2.7 BLK 0.9 STL

Kobe Brown
PF | Missouri
6'8"
250 lbs
Senior
23.4 yrs
19.3 PTS 7.7 REB 3.1 AST 0.5 BLK 1.8 STL

Tristan Vukčević
PF | Real Madrid B
6'10"
218 lbs
International
20.2 yrs
17.4 PTS 7.6 REB 2.8 AST 1.2 BLK 1.4 STL

Amari Bailey
SG | UCLA
6'4"
190 lbs
Freshman
19.2 yrs
14.9 PTS 5.1 REB 2.9 AST 0.4 BLK 1.5 STL

Part 1 – 6/5 –
I really liked his combine but not enough to give him a 1st round grade. That said, he looks like he can be an NBA player.

Azuolas Tubelis
PF | Arizona
6'11"
245 lbs
Junior
21.1 yrs
23.7 PTS 10.9 REB 2.4 AST 0.8 BLK 1.4 STL

Dillon Mitchell
SF | Texas
6'7"
200 lbs
Freshman
19.6 yrs
8.9 PTS 8.0 REB 0.8 AST 0.7 BLK 1.2 STL

***** Adama Sanogo *******
C | UConn
6'9"
245 lbs
Junior
21.2 yrs
23.3 PTS 10.4 REB 1.7 AST 1.1 BLK 0.9 STL

Reece Beekman
PG | Virginia
6'3"
190 lbs
Junior
21.6 yrs
10.5 PTS 3.3 REB 5.8 AST 0.6 BLK 2.0 STL

Kevin McCullar
SG | Kansas
6'6"
210 lbs
Senior
22.2 yrs
12.6 PTS 8.2 REB 2.8 AST 0.9 BLK 2.3 STL

**** Emoni Bates ****
SF | Eastern Michigan
6'9"
190 lbs
Sophomore
19.3 yrs
20.5 PTS 6.1 REB 1.5 AST 0.6 BLK 0.8 STL

Mouhamed Gueye
PF | Washington State
6'11"
210 lbs
Sophomore
20.5 yrs
16.1 PTS 9.4 REB 2.1 AST 1.0 BLK 0.9 STL

Drew Timme
PF/C | Gonzaga
6'9.25"
232 lbs
Senior
22.7 yrs
24.2 PTS 8.6 REB 3.7 AST 1.1 BLK 0.7 STL

Trey Alexander
SG | Creighton
6'4"
190 lbs
Sophomore
20.0 yrs
15.2 PTS 4.7 REB 2.9 AST 0.5 BLK 1.2 STL

Jordan Walsh
SF | Arkansas
6'7"
200 lbs
Freshman
19.2 yrs
10.5 PTS 5.8 REB 1.4 AST 0.7 BLK 1.6 STL

Ryan Kalkbrenner
C | Creighton
7'1"
256 lbs
Junior
21.3 yrs
17.8 PTS 6.8 REB 1.3 AST 2.4 BLK 0.7 STL

Arthur Kaluma
PF | Creighton
6'7"
220 lbs
Sophomore
21.2 yrs
14.4 PTS 7.4 REB 2.0 AST 0.7 BLK 0.7 STL

Isaiah Wong
PG/SG | Miami
6'3"
180 lbs
Senior
22.3 yrs
17.4 PTS 4.7 REB 3.4 AST 0.4 BLK 1.5 STL

Bryce Hopkins
SF | Providence
6'7"
220 lbs
Sophomore
20.7 yrs
16.3 PTS 8.7 REB 2.4 AST 0.6 BLK 0.8 STL

Ousmane N'Diaye
PF/C | Telekom Bonn
6'10"
210 lbs
International
19.2 yrs
14.6 PTS 11.8 REB 0.6 AST 1.3 BLK 0.9 STL

Malcolm Cazalon
SG | Leuven
6'6"
186 lbs
International
21.7 yrs
17.0 PTS 4.6 REB 4.2 AST 0.4 BLK 2.6 STL

Mojave King
SG | G League
6'5"
195 lbs
G League
20.8 yrs
12.7 PTS 5.9 REB 1.8 AST 0.5 BLK 0.7 STL

Harrison Ingram
SF | Stanford
6'7"
233 lbs
Sophomore
20.5 yrs
13.5 PTS 7.5 REB 4.7 AST 0.6 BLK 1.0 STL
Olivier-Maxence Prosper
SF/PF | Marquette
6'7.75"
212 lbs
Junior
20.9 yrs
15.4 PTS 5.8 REB 0.8 AST 0.2 BLK 1.1 STL
I like Maxence-Prosper. I think he could be a decent big wing with more development. The upside is there and the talent is as well.

My take so far is this class is one of the worst in the last five years. It’s just that it’s very top-heavy and Wemby has GOAT potential and Amen has multi-time MVP upside while having a criminally bad floor. If you have a top-10 pick. Be happy. This draft lacks a lot of depth. The good is, the depth that it has is a lot of big wings. The issue is, most aren't any good.

2022: viewtopic.php?f=38&t=2200888

2021: viewtopic.php?f=38&t=2115824

2020: viewtopic.php?f=38&t=1949379

2019: viewtopic.php?f=38&t=1814119

Tiers:

Tier 1: Elite Cornerstone Prospect: Greg Oden, Zion Williamson, LeBron James, Kevin Durant

Tier 2: Tier 2: All-Star potential – Ja Morant, Cade Cunningham, Evan Mobley, Luka Doncic (yeah, I got that one wrong), Carmelo Anthony, R.J. Barrett, DeAndre Ayton, AD, Ben Simmons, Brandon Ingram, Kyrie, O.J. Mayo (I know, don’t ask), KAT, etc.

Tier 3: All-Star Possibilities – Mikal Bridges, Bradley Beal, Victor Oladipo, James Harden, Hasheem Thabeet(bustaroo), Al Horford, Dwight Howard, and Emeka Okafor. Tier 3 is difficult for me because very few guys have been on this list over the last 20+ years for me.

Tier 3.5 - Decent Role player potential with All-Star possibilities down the road. I do see these guys as Day 1 contributors to a degree. This list is massive, it includes guys like Fultz, Tatum, Brown, Garland, Rui, Cam Reddish, Bargnani, LMA, Lillard, Okafor, KP, man, so many guys. Usually, like 5-8 a year. Of course, the miss rate is high.

Tier 4 - Tier 4: Decent Role player potential or raw with AS possibilities. This is most players in the NBA. Some get a high-end tier 4 status which is like, a really good role player who usually dominated college or showcases their NBA role at a very high level with the potential to be more.

Tier 5 – Backups and G-Leaguers – A lot of players.

Tier 6 – International Pros who don’t have much of a shot at the NBA.

I am pretty low on this class.

Too many booms or busts and not enough low-floor/high-ceiling types. A lot of athletes this year but many are lacking offensively. The ones with offense lack way too much defense. This class is underwhelming.

Floor/Ceiling:

Victor Wembanyama F/C | Metropolitans 92 7'5" 230 lbs 19.4 yrs 24.0 PTS 11.1 REB 2.4 AST 3.6 BLK 0.8 STL

Floor: Top 15 PF in the NBA. Stretch 5 – Kevin Huerter on the perimeter without accuracy. Weaker post-up player but his length and skill level are so high, it’s going to be hard to cover him without fouling. Defensively, a young KG. Not quite as mobile or explosive but far longer and his gravity will be noticed in the NBA on defense.

Ceiling: Perennial MVP candidate. All around 5. Would like to see a lot more playmaking. Defensively, a prime KG. Not quite as mobile or explosive but far longer and his gravity will break the NBA on defense.

Scoot Henderson
PG | G League 6'2" 195 lbs G League 19.3 yrs 21.1 PTS 6.1 REB 7.6 AST 0.5 BLK 1.4 STL

Floor: Top 25 PG. He will be better than most think. Gary Payton like game offensively with Francis like explosiveness.

Ceiling: Same, just the prime edition and top-end PG (All NBA). I think the defense will come along with age. He has the tools and the will. Just needs experience.

Brandon Miller SF | Alabama 6'9" 200 lbs Freshman 20.5 yrs 20.7 PTS 9.1 REB 2.3 AST 1.0 BLK 1.0 STL

Floor: Cam Reddish when he’s good.
Ceiling: Sharpshooting Brandon Ingram, not as versatile, but more flexible scoring-wise due to his bag.

Bilal Coulibaly
SF | Metropolitans 92 6'7" 205 lbs International 18.8 yrs 18.2 PTS 6.6 REB 2.2 AST 1.0 BLK 2.5 STL

Part 1 – Tier 3.5 - 18.9 yrs 18.2 PTS 6.6 REB 2.2 AST 1.0 BLK 2.5 STL

Floor: Rotational wing. Flashes insane upside but young.
Ceiling: Playmaking wing who can rebound, get blocks and steals, and create havoc defensively. A Scottie Pippen type.
Amen Thompson
SG/PG | Overtime Elite 6'7" 202 lbs 20.3 yrs 20.8 PTS 8.2 REB 7.9 AST 1.0 BLK 3.1 STL

Floor: Worst player in the NBA. Similar to how Ant and Trae were as rookies for a couple of months.
Ceiling: It can be really bad and really great. He could be an MVP. He could really fill up the stat sheet. I question his impact but not his productivity.

Ausar Thompson
SG/SF | Overtime Elite 6'7" 207 lbs 20.3 yrs 21.3 PTS 9.1 REB 7.9 AST 1.6 BLK 3.5 STL
Floor: A young Iggy
Ceiling: Polished Iggy

Jarace Walker
F | Houston 6'8" 220 lbs Freshman 19.7 yrs 14.7 PTS 8.9 REB 2.4 AST 1.7 BLK 1.3 STL
Floor: A better young Artest without the headcases issues.
Ceiling: A better Artest without the headcase issues.

Cam Whitmore
F | Villanova 6'7" 225 lbs Freshman 18.8 yrs 16.6 PTS 7.0 REB 1.0 AST 0.5 BLK 1.9 STL
Floor: A clearly worse rookie Rider without the headcases issues.
Ceiling: A better Rider without the headcase issues.

Anthony Black
SG/SF | Arkansas 6'7" 195 lbs Freshman 19.3 yrs 13.2 PTS 5.2 REB 4.0 AST 0.6 BLK 2.1 STL

Floor: Rotational backup G. His shot will matter. Difference between his career being Delon Wright or Ricky Rubio.
Ceiling: Starting PG. His shot will matter. Difference between his career being Delon Wright or Ricky Rubio.I don’t believe his upside is top 15 starting PG but he can be a starter.
Looking at his floor and ceiling, it’s probably a good question to ask why is he higher than Wallace. IDK.

High End

Gradey Dick
SG/SF | Kansas 6'7" 195 lbs Freshman 19.5 yrs 15.5 PTS 5.7 REB 1.8 AST 0.3 BLK 1.6 STL
Floor: I compare him to Reaves even though he’s not like Reaves. Reaves is more of an aggressive player who can create for himself and others. Dick is more of a smart BBIQ player who can score, shoot, and create for himself, understands when it is time to pass, and is a good team defender. It’s going to take time for him to start. Maybe year 2.
Ceiling: Same, just a legit starter. Helps a winning team. SG. His frame and size are like Huerter so he’s limited to the 2. He’s worth a lottery pick for sure. Everyone is looking for winning players who can start.

Cason Wallace
PG | Kentucky 6'4" 185 lbs Freshman 19.5 yrs 13.1 PTS 4.2 REB 4.8 AST 0.5 BLK 2.2 STL

Floor: Better rookie Jrue Holiday.
Ceiling: Jrue Holiday with less upside and better shooting potential

Brandin Podziemski
PG | Santa Clara 6'5" 205 lbs Sophomore 20.2 yrs 19.9 PTS 8.8 REB 3.7 AST 0.5 BLK 1.8 STL

Boom or Bust
Floor: Worse Jalen Brunson with more upside
Ceiling: What if he can get much better as Brunson did?

Low End

Taylor Hendricks
F | UCF 6'9" 210 lbs Freshman 19.5 yrs 15.7 PTS 7.2 REB 1.4 AST 1.8 BLK 0.9 STL

Floor: G-League
Ceiling: Starting SF who’s a top 10 big wing.

Dereck Lively II
C | Duke 7'1" 230 lbs Freshman 19.2 yrs 9.1 PTS 9.5 REB 1.9 AST 4.2 BLK 0.9 STL

Floor: Rotational backup C
Ceiling: Shooting adjusts like John Collins and he’s a top-10 center in the NBA in his prime.

Leonard Miller
SF | G League 6'10" 211 lbs 19.5 yrs 20.5 PTS 12.3 REB 1.9 AST 1.0 BLK 1.2 STL

Floor: The biggest issue is his feel for the game. That said, young Lamar Odom with more athleticism.
Ceiling: Prime Lamar Odom with more athleticism. He should be a lottery pick for sure if his feel translates.

GG Jackson
PF | South Carolina 6'9" 215 lbs Freshman 18.4 yrs 17.4 PTS 6.7 REB 1.0 AST 0.9 BLK 0.8 STL

Floor: Worse MarShon Brooks who will be in the GLeague.
Ceiling: Rich man’s MarShon Brooks due to his size, length, and athleticism.

Clearly a boom or bust and his boom ain’t even special.

Nick Smith Jr.
G | Arkansas 6'5" 185 lbs Freshman 19.1 yrs 17.5 PTS 2.3 REB 2.4 AST 0.2 BLK 1.2 STL

I honestly like him more than others. I think his scoring is real.
Floor: Young Monta Ellis, not as explosive.
Ceiling: Monta Ellis, not as explosive but more upside on both ends due to measurements and will.

Keyonte George
SG | Baylor 6'4" 185 lbs Freshman 19.5 yrs 19.3 PTS 5.2 REB 3.5 AST 0.2 BLK 1.4 STL

Floor: Young Lou Williams, more explosive with a stronger frame.
Ceiling: Lou Williams, more explosive with a stronger frame.

Jordan Hawkins
SG | UConn 6'5" 195 lbs Sophomore 21.0 yrs 19.8 PTS 4.6 REB 1.6 AST 0.6 BLK 0.9 STL

Floor: My biggest fear with Hawkins is his size and I would like to see more playmaking but the shooting is legit. I really think he’s worse at shooting and scoring J.J. Redick but his length is better so his defense should be better in time but still bad. He’s basically the NBA’s Lexie Brown. Hopefully, he pops.

Ceiling: Transitioning physically should take time but see the floor but polished. I think there is tremendous bust potential with Hawkins.

Rayan Rupert
SG | NZ Breakers 6'6" 192 lbs International 18.9 yrs 13.6 PTS 4.8 REB 1.6 AST 0.3 BLK 1.5 STL

Floor: G-League
Ceiling: Backup 2 with 3&D potential. His shot will decide if he starts or not. I think there is tremendous bust potential with Rupert.

Kris Murray
PF | Iowa 6'8" 225 lbs Junior 22.7 yrs 20.9 PTS 8.2 REB 2.1 AST 1.2 BLK 1.1 STL

Floor: Reserve PF. Backup 4 on a winning team where they just need floor spacing and not much else.
Ceiling: Same, he is what he is. He’s the Robert Horry in this draft. Maybe this becomes more valuable considering the new CBA.

Kobe Bufkin
G | Michigan 6'4" 175 lbs Sophomore 19.6 yrs 14.8 PTS 4.8 REB 3.1 AST 0.7 BLK 1.4 STL
Floor: I really think he’s a D. Murray type without the defensive upside of Murray but more of a natural scorer and shooter than young D. Murray.

Ceiling: He will have to work but basically a polished version of the above. Likely should be a lottery pick. He honestly should be moved up and will.

Maxwell Lewis
SF | Pepperdine 6'7" 195 lbs Sophomore 20.8 yrs 19.6 PTS 6.5 REB 3.2 AST 0.9 BLK 1.0 STL

NA

Sidy Cissoko
SG | G League 6'5" 176 lbs G League 19.1 yrs 14.4 PTS 3.5 REB 3.9 AST 1.2 BLK 1.3 STL
Floor: Danny Green lite with more upside depending on his jumper.
Ceiling: Better Danny Green with more upside depending on his jumper.

Brice Sensabaugh
F | Ohio State 6'6" 235 lbs Freshman 19.5 yrs 23.9 PTS 7.9 REB 1.7 AST 0.6 BLK 0.8 STL

Floor: He's an odd player. His offensive bag reminds me of Joe Johnson. Not quite as tall but more prominent with more bounce. That said, Joe was miles better as a playmaker as a prospect. Defensively, Sensabaugh looks like a poor man's Saddiq Bey.

Ceiling: He's young and he's one of the few with an offensive bag to be a potential #2 or #3 option on a contender but the growth he has to make on offense and defense is substantial. I am not sure he will ever be more than a 6th man for a good team.

Jett Howard
SG | Michigan 6'8" 215 lbs Freshman 19.7 yrs 16.1 PTS 3.2 REB 2.3 AST 0.7 BLK 0.5 STL

Floor: The idea of Jett is better than reality. He’s a G-Leaguer
Ceiling: The idea is still nice. A movement wing who’s 6’8, 215, and plays on the perimeter offensively. There is a good chance he could fall to the 2nd round but there is enough upside to where he could play a key role for an RS team even if he doesn’t get many playoff mins throughout his career due to defense and athleticism. With his size, you wonder if he can have an A.J. Griffin-like rookie year and be more defensive-minded than what he’s shown in college because the NBA allows you to defend using your size.

Oscar Tshiebwe
C | Kentucky 6'9" 260 lbs Senior 23.5 yrs 17.6 PTS 14.6 REB 1.7 AST 1.1 BLK 1.7 STL
Floor: Better Shelden Williams
Ceiling: Better prime Shelden Williams

Markquis Nowell
PG | Kansas State 5'8" 160 lbs Senior 23.4 yrs 17.2 PTS 3.4 REB 8.1 AST 0.1 BLK 2.5 STL

Floor: G-Leaguer
Ceiling: Bougues in the NBA
Colby Jones
SG | Xavier
6'6"
207 lbs
Junior
20.9 yrs
15.9 PTS 6.1 REB 4.7 AST 0.6 BLK 1.4 STL

NA

Bobi Klintman
SF/PF | Wake Forest 6'10" 225 lbs Freshman 20.2 yrs 9.3 PTS 8.0 REB 1.4 AST 1.1 BLK 0.8 STL
NA

Jalen Hood-Schifino
PG/SG | Indiana 6'6" 213 lbs Freshman 19.9 yrs 14.7 PTS 4.5 REB 4.0 AST 0.3 BLK 0.9 STL

Floor: G League
Ceiling: Backup PG if the shot comes around.

Dariq Whitehead
SF | Duke
6'6"
190 lbs
Freshman
18.8 yrs
14.4 PTS 4.2 REB 1.7 AST 0.4 BLK 1.3 STL

Floor: G League
Ceiling: Key rotational player

Marcus Sasser
PG/SG | Houston
6'2"
195 lbs
Senior
22.6 yrs
19.6 PTS 3.3 REB 3.6 AST 0.2 BLK 1.9 STL

Floor: Backup PG
Ceiling: Backup PG

Noah Clowney
PF | Alabama
6'10"
210 lbs
Freshman
18.8 yrs
13.8 PTS 11.2 REB 1.1 AST 1.3 BLK 0.8 STL

Floor: G League
Ceiling: starting big wing player similar to Jaden McDaniels if he hits.

James Nnaji
C | Barcelona
6'10"
225 lbs
International
18.7 yrs
14.9 PTS 8.0 REB 1.3 AST 1.8 BLK 0.5 STL
Floor: G League
Ceiling: rotational player

Trayce Jackson-Davis
PF | Indiana
6'9"
245 lbs
Senior
23.2 yrs
21.8 PTS 11.3 REB 4.2 AST 3.0 BLK 0.9 STL

Floor: G League
Ceiling: rotational player

Terquavion Smith
SG | NC State
6'3.75"
165 lbs
Sophomore
20.4 yrs
19.2 PTS 3.8 REB 4.4 AST 0.4 BLK 1.5 STL

NA

Jaime Jaquez Jr.
SG/SF | UCLA
6'7"
225 lbs
Senior
22.2 yrs
19.3 PTS 8.9 REB 2.5 AST 0.6 BLK 1.7 STL

Floor: G League
Ceiling: rotational player

Jalen Wilson
SF/PF | Kansas
6'8"
225 lbs
Senior
22.5 yrs
20.4 PTS 8.4 REB 2.2 AST 0.5 BLK 1.0 STL

Floor: G League
Ceiling: rotational player

Julian Strawther
SG | Gonzaga
6'7"
208 lbs
Junior
21.1 yrs
17.6 PTS 7.2 REB 1.5 AST 0.5 BLK 1.0 STL

Floor: G League
Ceiling: rotational player

Julian Phillips
SF | Tennessee
6'7"
200 lbs
Freshman
19.5 yrs
12.4 PTS 7.0 REB 2.2 AST 0.8 BLK 0.9 STL

Floor: G League
Ceiling: rotational player

DaRon Holmes II
PF | Dayton
6'10"
225 lbs
Sophomore
20.7 yrs
19.3 PTS 8.5 REB 1.8 AST 2.0 BLK 0.8 STL

Floor: G League
Ceiling: rotational player

Andre Jackson Jr.
SG | UConn
6'6"
210 lbs
Junior
21.5 yrs
8.2 PTS 7.7 REB 5.8 AST 0.6 BLK 1.3 STL

Floor: G League
Ceiling: Key rotational player

Jaylen Clark
SG | UCLA
6'5"
205 lbs
Junior
21.6 yrs
15.3 PTS 7.1 REB 2.2 AST 0.3 BLK 3.1 STL

Floor: G League
Ceiling: rotational player

Ricky Council IV
SG | Arkansas
6'6"
205 lbs
Junior
21.8 yrs
17.0 PTS 3.8 REB 2.4 AST 0.3 BLK 1.2 STL

Floor: G League
Ceiling: rotational player

Nikola Djurisic
SG/SF | KK Mega Basket
6'8"
214 lbs
International
19.2 yrs
16.1 PTS 4.0 REB 4.8 AST 0.1 BLK 1.3 STL

Floor: G League
Ceiling: Key rotational player

Keyontae Johnson
SF | Kansas State
6'6"
230 lbs
Senior
22.9 yrs
18.4 PTS 7.2 REB 2.3 AST 0.2 BLK 1.1 STL

Floor: G League
Ceiling: Key rotational player – depending on Health

Kobe Brown
PF | Missouri
6'8"
250 lbs
Senior
23.4 yrs
19.3 PTS 7.7 REB 3.1 AST 0.5 BLK 1.8 STL

Floor: G League
Ceiling: rotational player

Tristan Vukčević
PF | Real Madrid B
6'10"
218 lbs
International
20.2 yrs
17.4 PTS 7.6 REB 2.8 AST 1.2 BLK 1.4 STL

Floor: G League
Ceiling: Key rotational player

Amari Bailey
SG | UCLA
6'4"
190 lbs
Freshman
19.2 yrs
14.9 PTS 5.1 REB 2.9 AST 0.4 BLK 1.5 STL

Part 1 – 6/5 –
I really liked his combine but not enough to give him a 1st round grade. That said, he looks like he can be an NBA player.
Floor: G League
Ceiling: Key rotational player

Azuolas Tubelis
PF | Arizona
6'11"
245 lbs
Junior
21.1 yrs
23.7 PTS 10.9 REB 2.4 AST 0.8 BLK 1.4 STL
Floor: G League
Ceiling: rotational player

Adama Sanogo
C | UConn
6'9"
245 lbs
Junior
21.2 yrs
23.3 PTS 10.4 REB 1.7 AST 1.1 BLK 0.9 STL
Floor: G League
Ceiling: rotational player

Kevin McCullar
SG | Kansas
6'6"
210 lbs
Senior
22.2 yrs
12.6 PTS 8.2 REB 2.8 AST 0.9 BLK 2.3 STL
Floor: G League
Ceiling: rotational player

Emoni Bates
SF | Eastern Michigan
6'9"
190 lbs
Sophomore
19.3 yrs
20.5 PTS 6.1 REB 1.5 AST 0.6 BLK 0.8 STL

Floor: G League
Ceiling: 6th man in the NBA

Mouhamed Gueye
PF | Washington State
6'11"
210 lbs
Sophomore
20.5 yrs
16.1 PTS 9.4 REB 2.1 AST 1.0 BLK 0.9 STL
Floor: G League
Ceiling: rotational player

Drew Timme
PF/C | Gonzaga
6'9.25"
232 lbs
Senior
22.7 yrs
24.2 PTS 8.6 REB 3.7 AST 1.1 BLK 0.7 STL
Floor: G League
Ceiling: rotational player

Jordan Walsh
SF | Arkansas
6'7"
200 lbs
Freshman
19.2 yrs
10.5 PTS 5.8 REB 1.4 AST 0.7 BLK 1.6 STL
Floor: G League
Ceiling: rotational player

Isaiah Wong
PG/SG | Miami
6'3"
180 lbs
Senior
22.3 yrs
17.4 PTS 4.7 REB 3.4 AST 0.4 BLK 1.5 STL

Floor: G League
Ceiling: rotational player

Ousmane N'Diaye
PF/C | Telekom Bonn
6'10"
210 lbs
International
19.2 yrs
14.6 PTS 11.8 REB 0.6 AST 1.3 BLK 0.9 STL

Floor: G League
Ceiling: rotational player

Malcolm Cazalon
SG | Leuven
6'6"
186 lbs
International
21.7 yrs
17.0 PTS 4.6 REB 4.2 AST 0.4 BLK 2.6 STL

Floor: G League
Ceiling: rotational player

Mojave King
SG | G League
6'5"
195 lbs
G League
20.8 yrs
12.7 PTS 5.9 REB 1.8 AST 0.5 BLK 0.7 STL

Floor: G League
Ceiling: rotational player

Ben Sheppard
SG | Belmont
6'6.25"
195 lbs
Senior
21.9 yrs
19.7 PTS 5.5 REB 3.0 AST 0.2 BLK 1.4 STL
Floor: G League
Ceiling: Key rotational player

Zvonimir Ivisic
C | SC Derby
7'2"
220 lbs
International
19.7 yrs
17.7 PTS 12.8 REB 1.1 AST 3.2 BLK 1.2 STL
Floor: G League
Ceiling: Key rotational player

Seth Lundy
SG/SF | Penn State
6'5"
214 lbs
Senior
23.2 yrs
16.1 PTS 7.1 REB 1.0 AST 0.7 BLK 0.9 STL
Floor: G League
Ceiling: rotational player

Mike Miles Jr.
PG | TCU
6'1.75"
205 lbs
Junior
20.8 yrs
20.2 PTS 3.1 REB 3.0 AST 0.3 BLK 1.3 STL
Floor: G League
Ceiling: rotational player

Jordan Miller
SF | Miami
6'5.5"
192 lbs
Senior
23.4 yrs
15.7 PTS 6.4 REB 2.8 AST 0.4 BLK 1.3 STL

Floor: G League
Ceiling: rotational player

Colin Castleton
C | Florida
6'11"
250 lbs
Senior
23.0 yrs
18.4 PTS 8.9 REB 3.2 AST 3.5 BLK 1.1 STL

Floor: G League
Ceiling: rotational player

Chris Livingston
SF | Kentucky
6'7"
219 lbs
Freshman
19.6 yrs
10.2 PTS 6.7 REB 1.1 AST 0.6 BLK 0.7 STL
Floor: G League
Ceiling: rotational player

Adam Flagler
PG/SG | Baylor
6'2"
192 lbs
Senior
23.5 yrs
16.6 PTS 2.6 REB 4.9 AST 0.1 BLK 1.3 STL
Floor: G League
Ceiling: rotational player

Marcus Bagley
SF | Arizona State
6'7.75"
217 lbs
Junior
21.6 yrs
15.8 PTS 5.1 REB 1.9 AST 0.6 BLK 0.0 STL
Floor: G League
Ceiling: rotational player

King Ken · Post #2 » by **King Ken** » Mon May 15, 2023 1:12 pm

Even though I just posted this list, I do these lists in order in Jan. By May, I am going through the tape for the non-top guys. I've completed my evaluation on the Tier 1-3.5 guys but I am still working on tier 4 and 5.

Big Movers:
Considering moving Bilal up from low-end tier 4 to tier 3 with Amen. His 2nd half-jump has been massive. I would consider him in the top 5.

Leonard Miller - Another massive 2nd half jump like last year's Dyson Daniels. I am looking at tier 3.5 for him. This is definitely making this draft much better.

Cidy - While he's likely not moving up much, I am considering him in mid-tier - tier 4. His defensive upside and ability are next tier and has Tony Allen potential on him but he doesn't have the hip flexibility you saw from Allen at OSU. Offensively, it's the jumper for me. I just don't find it to be consistent at all. He can fix it of course, but it needs a lot of work. Could end up a good finisher and is an excellent passer for his age. The ideal is for him to develop as a 3&D big guard but I really want him to work on his hip flexibility because being able to lock in on quick PGs is what's gonna get him massively paid as a player. Teams need 2s who can guard 3 positions effectively.

All of the **** and ****** are guys I am watching at the combine which is the determining factor.

All of the guys who earned an invite from the GLeague game to the NBA Combine. I will keep an eye on them and add them to the tier 5 if not already there.

Moving Down

While he's unlikely to drop to tier 5, Nowell had an awful 2nd game at the GLeague Elite showcase and was not invited to the combine. He's currently only worked out for the Rockets. He's someone that I am very high on and much higher on than the NBA or the industry. I think people are making a mistake on him but that 2nd game was bad and while the 1st game spoke volumes, he had ended it with a -1 and game 2 with a -13. That's just not what he needed.

Sadly, he's a guy that's likely to see the world before he gets a real shot at the NBA considering the limited interest. I won't drop him as this list is career based but it's looking like he's going the path of guys I listed higher than the masses like Copeland than guys like P.J. Tucker and Pat Beverly who I was very high on as prospects. You must dominate these games if you are a tier 4 guy. That's an eventually low-end starter or high-end backup NBA player long-term. I am a believer will and continue to be. Maybe when he's elite at getting steals, playmaking, and a good pro shooter from deep, he will get his chance. That might not be for a while.

That's it for now, still going through tape.

King Ken · Post #3 » by **King Ken** » Mon Jun 5, 2023 12:22 am

I should be releasing the last BB update next week. Wasn't too many big changes.

King Ken · Post #4 » by **King Ken** » Tue Jun 6, 2023 4:20 am

King Ken wrote:KK's Big Board:

Update: 5/14/2023

Big Board v1.0

Positions: https://www.sportstalk2319.com/positiondictionary

My 1st round grades:

Stats: 36/MPG

Tier 1: Elite Cornerstone Prospect:

Victor Wembanyama F/C | Metropolitans 92 7'5" 230 lbs 19.4 yrs 24.0 PTS 11.1 REB 2.4 AST 3.6 BLK 0.8 STL

Wemby is the 2nd best prospect I’ve ever evaluated and he’s going to have an impact on day 1. He’s not just a stat, he really impacts the game on both ends and really can’t get removed from the floor. He will have to develop more strength before he’s a permanent center but he’s already a top 5 PF in the NBA, right now. He and LeBron are just on another level. Even though both are tier 1s with Zion and others, Bron and Wemby are different classes above the others. They are the best of the best. Championship cornerstones.

If I had to compare him. Defensively, he reminds me of a young KG. Just a lot longer, taller, and not quite as athletic or explosive as KG but he does a lot on defense and he is very switchable even at his size. Offensively, on the perimeter, I see a lot of Kevin Huerter. Not quite the shooter or close but the shot selection, movement skills, and the comfort to attack closeouts are similar. In the post and paint area, it's not pretty at all. He does have great footwork and hands but his strength isn't there yet and he doesn't have a go-to move yet in the paint. He does uses his length and height well and that's how he does damage in the paint. This isn't unusual, a lot of young bigs usually score off of athleticism, size, or length at this stage till they develop an understanding and their bodies. It's a growth man's game.

Tier 2: Tier 2: All-Star potential –

Scoot Henderson
PG | G League 6'2" 195 lbs G League 19.3 yrs 21.1 PTS 6.1 REB 7.6 AST 0.5 BLK 1.4 STL
Scoot was a tier 1 guy for me, but his season just wasn’t good enough. I am one who thinks the G league is far more real than the college game for translating, and Scoot translated but he really didn’t take the leap I expected and saw in the showcase. For me, his effort can be elite, and it can be awful. I just want to see a lot more consistency. That said, he’s still special. I just don’t know if he’s better than Ja Morant at PG.

That said, I do think he has a lot of great qualities, and he will be much better in the NBA where his teammates can shoot, and he’s not always outgunned. He’s going to be a four-category guy with PTS/REB/AST/BLK. He just needs to improve his discipline on defense, it reminds me of JJJ where he’s wild on defense. He also needs to finish must better in traffic but once again, he had no space with his squad. I think his upside is unique, he reminds me a lot of Gary Payton on offense with tremendous explosiveness like Steve Francis, but his defense reminds me of Anthony Edwards. Great defensive upside but is a bad defensive player right now. He’s not ready right now but he will be at some point.

Tier 3: All-Star Possibilities –

Brandon Miller SF | Alabama 6'9" 200 lbs Freshman 20.5 yrs 20.7 PTS 9.1 REB 2.3 AST 1.0 BLK 1.0 STL
Miller is a special player but he doesn’t translate the way people think he would. He’s not really a true 3 but he’s not quick enough to be a 2 but he’s tall enough with good handles to still be effective on a full-time basis. I don’t know anyone like him previously and in this draft, he has a poor man’s twin named Emoni Bates who’s also in this draft. He’s going to be a 25 PPG guy as a 2. He can defend. He can rebound. Passing isn’t really his thing but he’s not awful at it. Trey Murphy is also this size and he plays both forward spots, but Miller has better handles by a mile. He is interesting.

I don’t see Paul George, but I do see a future star. I think his prototype is more like Cam Reddish but he’s way better than Cam Reddish. I think he also has a tremendous feel for the game. The difference is while those two (Bates and Reddish) peaked early, Miller like PG is still growing and doesn’t have the physical limitation that hampered Reddish and Bates. For Reddish that’s hands, handles, feel for the game, etc. I feel like PG is the go-to for big wings with tremendous skill, but PG is really a big wing and he can pass. Those guys are more like big guard scorers with a bag. Miller being the least limited. Murphy more like Cam Johnson to me. I am not sure how valuable Miller will be to winning but he’s definitely someone that can be your 1st option if you have a really good playmaker who can create for everyone else.

Tier 3.5 - Decent Role player potential with All-Star possibilities down the road.

Amen Thompson
SG/PG | Overtime Elite 6'7" 202 lbs 20.3 yrs 20.8 PTS 8.2 REB 7.9 AST 1.0 BLK 3.1 STL
Amen is basically if Evan Turner and Michael Kidd-Gilchrist have a rich man’s baby. Amen has the frame to get to Turner’s height. Amen is as explosive and as athletic as MKG with a lot more twitch but he’s a worse shooter than MKG with a worse shot selection too. He’s my Trae Young of this class. Boom or bust. It can either be amazing or it can be awful. Amen because of his feel for the game, explosiveness, and twitch can get to the rack at will and really put a lot of pressure. His defense is legit as well. He’s different. His handles are as good as Turner’s.

He’s either going to be out of the league because his shooting is worse than current Westbrook for the Lakers or he’s going to be a star. No in-between. Westbrook had a much higher floor as a prospect, so I don’t think Amen is a good comp for Russ. That said, he has the potential to be even better than Russ who was an MVP. That’s the type of ceiling we are talking about here. Elite! He might be the only other guy outside of Wemby that has multi-time MVP potential in this class.

Ausar Thompson
SG/SF | Overtime Elite 6'7" 207 lbs 20.3 yrs 21.3 PTS 9.1 REB 7.9 AST 1.6 BLK 3.5 STL
He’s an easy eval. He reminds everyone of Andre Iguodala. Now what also made Iggy special was his personality, work ethic, and natural intelligence and while I don’t know for sure if Ausar has it, I can say he showed me he could have it. He’s nowhere close to the upside of his brother but his floor is so much higher than Amen it’s insane. Ausar is unlikely to be a bust and he can potentially be a pseudo-star depending on how much he wants it.

Jarace Walker
F | Houston 6'8" 220 lbs Freshman 19.7 yrs 14.7 PTS 8.9 REB 2.4 AST 1.7 BLK 1.3 STL
I like Jarace. He reminds me a lot of Ron Artest without the headcase things. I think he’s special but then again, I thought the same for Ron if he could ever get his mental right. I would probably take him above all of these guys in this tier because everything he is works at the NBA level and he has rare lateral ability for his size and he’s also extremely strong. He’s going to be a bigger deal than Artest because this era values what Artest brought 10x in today’s NBA. For me, he’s a top guy even if he’s never going to be a star.

Cam Whitmore
F | Villanova 6'7" 225 lbs Freshman 18.8 yrs 16.6 PTS 7.0 REB 1.0 AST 0.5 BLK 1.9 STL
Sam Vecenie loves Cam Whitmore and it’s because Cam has some rare traits that only Anthony Edwards also has with as his ability to dribble, create his own shots, accelerate, and deaccelerate at elite levels while using elite strength and size for the position. He can play the 2.

Here is where I stand with Whitmore. He’s just not a good Basketball player and yes, neither was Ant at UGA but Ant had the same potential grade as John Wall. He was traits-wise, a 100% marvel and it’s more important to be that at the 2 than the 1. That said, Whitmore is also a 2 or 3 in the NBA so I am not down on him, just not sky high either. I see J.R. Rider Lite currently. Rider was a four-year guy and Whitmore is much younger as a true freshman, but he doesn’t have the headcase issues I saw with Rider. With development, it will be interesting to see where his upside takes him. Look at LaVine for example.

Anthony Black
SG/SF | Arkansas 6'7" 195 lbs Freshman 19.3 yrs 13.2 PTS 5.2 REB 4.0 AST 0.6 BLK 2.1 STL
I love Black. He reminds me of Dyson Daniels in last year’s draft. Not as talented as Daniels but a better athlete and a better shooter. I really like Black a lot. Good upside. Safe bet.

Tier 4 - Tier 4: Decent Role player potential or raw with AS possibilities.

High End

Gradey Dick
SG/SF | Kansas 6'7" 195 lbs Freshman 19.5 yrs 15.5 PTS 5.7 REB 1.8 AST 0.3 BLK 1.6 STL
Dick is a tall 2 guard who can develop into a 3 who can shoot and defend decently. I liken his game to Austin Reaves but without the playmaking chops, more athletic and a better shooter with more defensive upside. Austin ended up in a perfect situation. That’s difficult to do as a draft pick.

Mid End

Cason Wallace
PG | Kentucky 6'4" 185 lbs Freshman 19.5 yrs 13.1 PTS 4.2 REB 4.8 AST 0.5 BLK 2.2 STL
The only thing that is keeping Wallace from being a tier 4 high-end player is self-creation. He just didn’t look as good at it in college as Maxey or Fox did to me. That said, he was a better player than Maxey for sure and his defense is legit right now. I would love him as a PG next to a playmaking type like Harden who can guard a different position while Wallace guards PGs. I would strongly consider Wallace in the top 10 if I have an elite playmaker who plays a different position than PG. He has tremendous upside as a role player and could be a low-end star. I like Wallace a lot. I like several of the Kentucky guys in this class. This is a weak mid-end class. Last year, I would have said after Walker Kessler, TyTy Washington, and Tari Eason, that the rest of the 1st round guys are low-end. This year, I don’t even think I am out of the lottery yet.

Low End

Taylor Hendricks
F | UCF 6'9" 210 lbs Freshman 19.5 yrs 15.7 PTS 7.2 REB 1.4 AST 1.8 BLK 0.9 STL
I get why people like the profile of Hendricks. 6’9 210 and 19 who can guard multiple positions potentially and can shoot. But he’s not a good basketball player right now and he’s years away from helping you. The upside is there but the floor is extremely low.

Markquis Nowell
PG | Kansas State 5'8" 160 lbs Senior 23.4 yrs 17.2 PTS 3.4 REB 8.1 AST 0.1 BLK 2.5 STL
Watching him play in the Gleague elite game confirms what I saw in college. He’s a legit NBA player with starter abilities. I understand his size is a massive issue especially with this game being more in space than ever before but he’s this generation’s Muggsy Bogues. Defenses twice his size are bouncing off of him. He’s strong, has elite hands, tremendous at steals, elite playmaker, and is a tremendous floor general.

He’s not going to be a starter in today’s NBA. Too much talent at PG these days unlike in the 90s. That said, he’s going to be an elite backup PG like Tyus Jones. Teams will pass on him, and I don’t think they should.

Dereck Lively II
C | Duke 7'1" 230 lbs Freshman 19.2 yrs 9.1 PTS 9.5 REB 1.9 AST 4.2 BLK 0.9 STL
I don’t see future legit starters after Dick so it’s difficult for me. Lively is the best defensive player in this draft after Wemby. He reminds me legit of Larry Sanders. That said, Sanders was stronger, a much better rebounder, and he was far closer to being NBA-ready. To be honest, I don’t even think he’s as good as Jaxson Hayes who has been a bust. Lively is probably two years away from being two years away but realistically, not trying to be funny like we were with Bruno. What you hope for is Claxton, but Claxton was closer to being NBA-ready when he entered the league.

Leonard Miller
SF | G League 6'10" 211 lbs 19.5 yrs 20.5 PTS 12.3 REB 1.9 AST 1.0 BLK 1.2 STL
I like Miller more than most because his game is obvious. He’s going to rebound, score, and play hard. But his feel for the game is weak and he’s probably not going to get a lot of minutes on a good team but looks nice on a team that’s bad and playing for lottery balls. I like these types of players more than most in this range because occasionally, they get it and do become helpful players to winning teams but at least they can make an impact even if it’s empty stats early in their careers. People did this to Tari Eason last year and I liked Eason more as I had him on the mid-tier for 4-tier prospects. I do value these types. JaVale McGee and Nick Young were one of these types.

GG Jackson
PF | South Carolina 6'9" 215 lbs Freshman 18.4 yrs 17.4 PTS 6.7 REB 1.0 AST 0.9 BLK 0.8 STL
I don’t believe GG is any good right now at basketball for this level as he wasn’t for the last level(college), but his abilities are intriguing. He can really shoot, put the ball on the deck, has a skill set, and he’s very athletic. GG is one of those kids who should have been in HS still and it reflects in the age. He’s extremely raw but at this point, you must look at the terrible floor, high ceiling guys as they are safer bets than the rotational at best backups and specialists.

Bilal Coulibaly
SF | Metropolitans 92 6'6" 200 lbs International 18.8 yrs 18.2 PTS 6.6 REB 2.2 AST 1.0 BLK 2.5 STL
In the NBA, they want prototypes and he really doesn’t fit any but he’s unique. Excellent in the open floor, extremely athletic, and has a nice floor game, jumper is all over the place and reminds you of Dante Exum, a tremendous off-ball defender where it reminds you of Westbrook. In fact, he reminds me a lot of UCLA Westbrook. While he disappears way too much at times on offense, his upside like GG is real.

Nick Smith Jr.
G | Arkansas 6'5" 185 lbs Freshman 19.1 yrs 17.5 PTS 2.3 REB 2.4 AST 0.2 BLK 1.2 STL
I like Nick Smith Jr. I think if he works you have Quickley but if it doesn't, you have Bouknight. Either way, this player in today’s NBA is generally an undersized 2. I don’t see the value in that in the lottery. If you can get him in that 18-25 range which is where are you generally fine with long-term backups, I think he’s a great get but where Bouknight got picked is a big reach. He’s a talented 3-level score who can C&S at a high level and does show defensive activity and is good at getting steals.

Keyonte George
SG | Baylor 6'4" 185 lbs Freshman 19.5 yrs 19.3 PTS 5.2 REB 3.5 AST 0.2 BLK 1.4 STL
I actually like George more in the 6th man role as he is a good PnR passer and creator like Lou Williams whereas Smith is more like Jamal Crawford. The decision-making and defensive issues at key moments will likely glue him to the bench forever but I like his floor as a future 6th man.

Jordan Hawkins
SG | UConn 6'5" 195 lbs Sophomore 21.0 yrs 19.8 PTS 4.6 REB 1.6 AST 0.6 BLK 0.9 STL
I believe Hawkins can be a starter sooner than later as he fits what NBA teams like but playmaking concerns and passing concerns, limits his upside as a starter. That said, shooting and a legit skill to shoot, movement skills, and legit movement skills for a guard at that, and defensive potential to be a movement/D player like Kyle Korver developed into Atlanta is something that teams will covet. His limited upside as a starter is the only reason he’s in this tier.

Rayan Rupert
SG | NZ Breakers 6'6" 192 lbs International 18.9 yrs 13.6 PTS 4.8 REB 1.6 AST 0.3 BLK 1.5 STL
Rupert is a talented toolsy player like Dieng was last year. Rupert just doesn’t have the same upside but he does have a lot of potential. Rupert's upside is due to his 3/D plus playmaking ability which is why he’s high on many team’s boards. This type of player is a high-end starter but his lack of 1v1 skills, shooting consistency, and poor ability in traffic and contact means he’s limited to even make the rotation. The upside is promising and like Bilal and GG, teams will really do their homework on him.

Kris Murray
PF | Iowa 6'8" 225 lbs Junior 22.7 yrs 20.9 PTS 8.2 REB 2.1 AST 1.2 BLK 1.1 STL
I really love Murray. I know he’s not an ideal starter, but he reminds me so much of Robert Horry. You know he’s going to shoot exceptionally well. He’s going to be playing smart basketball. He’s never going to be more than a low-end starter at best but he’s critical especially if you have a pretty good team around him. A bad team would waste him as he’s just too limited. I would run to the podium to draft him if I was a good team and I just needed PF to space the floor at an elite level and play smart basketball. His lack of defensive versatility would bite him in the butt at times but it’s a low-end starting 4, what more can you expect.

Kobe Bufkin
G | Michigan 6'4" 175 lbs Sophomore 19.6 yrs 14.8 PTS 4.8 REB 3.1 AST 0.7 BLK 1.4 STL
Kobe is a player with a limited ceiling but has a high floor as he can play both the 1 and 2 while adjusting to the NBA quite well. I honestly see a lot of Dejounte Murray in his game. Just that Murray is a much better isolation scorer and 1v1 player. That’s where I see the gap and I am not sure Kobe is capable of the upside that Murray had but his floor is clearly better and he’s a much better shooter at this stage.

**** Maxwell Lewis ****
SF | Pepperdine 6'7" 195 lbs Sophomore 20.8 yrs 19.6 PTS 6.5 REB 3.2 AST 0.9 BLK 1.0 STL
I haven’t had a chance to watch him beyond Adam’s videos. I am hoping he’s playing in the combine as that’s usually how I evaluate guys like him from smaller schools. Jalen Williams was in this range last year and shot up the board. I like his film breakdown, let’s see if he’s for real.

Sidy Cissoko
SG | G League 6'5" 176 lbs G League 19.1 yrs 14.4 PTS 3.5 REB 3.9 AST 1.2 BLK 1.3 STL
I think Sidy has a chance to be a 10–15-year starter in this league. It’s all about how his jump-shot develops but the mentality is there. The size is there. The upside is there.

Brice Sensabaugh
F | Ohio State 6'6" 235 lbs Freshman 19.5 yrs 23.9 PTS 7.9 REB 1.7 AST 0.6 BLK 0.8 STL
The next group of guys are low-end tier 4 guys who can play basketball at the next level but I don’t see a clear role for them.
What I love: Brice, who had an under-the-radar all-time great scoring season for a freshman, pouring in over 40 points/100 possessions on good efficiency. That is the second-highest number I’ve seen in recent major D1 history among freshmen behind Zion (2010+).

Points per 100/True Shooting %
1. Zion – 41.2/70% (Freshman GOAT)
2. Trae – 40.4/58.5%
2. Brice – 40.3/58.7%
3. Jabari Parker – 38.2/56%
4. Sexton – 36.5/56.7%
5. Markelle – 36/56%

What I don’t love: Though his handles are adequate, he lacks elite quickness and athleticism making him a mostly below-the-rim player who doesn’t earn a lot of trips to the free-throw line, despite efficient percentages.
His lack of athleticism and average foot speed makes him a below-average defender, and could really limit his potential overall in the NBA.

While Sensabaugh’s 40 percent three-point shooting should translate smoothly, his other skills, matched with his unique frame don’t draw obvious professional comparisons.

He may not be tall enough to match up with pros in the frontcourt, and might not have the speed, or playmaking skills to play in the backcourt.

Brice is a legit good basketball player and for his age, he’s tremendous but he doesn’t have a defensive position nor does he have anything outside of the 3 that really translates. There is value in this for a backup and with his age, you definitely think there is more upside to unlock.

Jett Howard
SG | Michigan 6'8" 215 lbs Freshman 19.7 yrs 16.1 PTS 3.2 REB 2.3 AST 0.7 BLK 0.5 STL
Jett is interesting. His offensive profile reads exactly like Kevin Huerter. Tremendous short movement guy. Elite C&S potential. Elite pull-up shooter. Solid playmaker for a 2. He’s even taller, stronger, and bigger. Kevin is a superior athlete and a better ball handler though.

Then it gets ugly. His man defense is horrendous. He should be better in the NBA due to his size and body and the fact that NBA refs allow you to use your body unlike in college. He dies on screens a lot. He can defend multiple positions at all. He can’t defend any at the college level. His athleticism is underwhelming, and he cannot take anyone going left. I don’t see him being anything more than a low-end starter at his best but he’s interesting. He fits what teams want from a 2 in the modern NBA offensively.

**** Colby Jones ****
SG | Xavier
6'6"
207 lbs
Junior
20.9 yrs
15.9 PTS 6.1 REB 4.7 AST 0.6 BLK 1.4 STL
NA at this time.

Tier 5 – Backups and G-Leaguers –

**** Jalen Hood-Schifino ****
PG/SG | Indiana 6'6" 213 lbs Freshman 19.9 yrs 14.7 PTS 4.5 REB 4.0 AST 0.3 BLK 0.9 STL

**** Dariq Whitehead ****
SF | Duke
6'6"
190 lbs
Freshman
18.8 yrs
14.4 PTS 4.2 REB 1.7 AST 0.4 BLK 1.3 STL

Marcus Sasser
PG/SG | Houston
6'2"
195 lbs
Senior
22.6 yrs
19.6 PTS 3.3 REB 3.6 AST 0.2 BLK 1.9 STL

Noah Clowney
PF | Alabama
6'10"
210 lbs
Freshman
18.8 yrs
13.8 PTS 11.2 REB 1.1 AST 1.3 BLK 0.8 STL

**** James Nnaji ****
C | Barcelona
6'10"
225 lbs
International
18.7 yrs
14.9 PTS 8.0 REB 1.3 AST 1.8 BLK 0.5 STL

Trayce Jackson-Davis
PF | Indiana
6'9"
245 lbs
Senior
23.2 yrs
21.8 PTS 11.3 REB 4.2 AST 3.0 BLK 0.9 STL

Terquavion Smith
SG | NC State
6'3.75"
165 lbs
Sophomore
20.4 yrs
19.2 PTS 3.8 REB 4.4 AST 0.4 BLK 1.5 STL

Jaime Jaquez Jr.
SG/SF | UCLA
6'7"
225 lbs
Senior
22.2 yrs
19.3 PTS 8.9 REB 2.5 AST 0.6 BLK 1.7 STL

**** Brandin Podziemski ****
SG | Santa Clara
6'5"
205 lbs
Sophomore
20.2 yrs
19.9 PTS 8.8 REB 3.7 AST 0.5 BLK 1.8 STL

Jalen Wilson
SF/PF | Kansas
6'8"
225 lbs
Senior
22.5 yrs
20.4 PTS 8.4 REB 2.2 AST 0.5 BLK 1.0 STL

Julian Strawther
SG | Gonzaga
6'7"
208 lbs
Junior
21.1 yrs
17.6 PTS 7.2 REB 1.5 AST 0.5 BLK 1.0 STL

Julian Phillips
SF | Tennessee
6'7"
200 lbs
Freshman
19.5 yrs
12.4 PTS 7.0 REB 2.2 AST 0.8 BLK 0.9 STL

DaRon Holmes II
PF | Dayton
6'10"
225 lbs
Sophomore
20.7 yrs
19.3 PTS 8.5 REB 1.8 AST 2.0 BLK 0.8 STL

Andre Jackson Jr.
SG | UConn
6'6"
210 lbs
Junior
21.5 yrs
8.2 PTS 7.7 REB 5.8 AST 0.6 BLK 1.3 STL

Jaylen Clark
SG | UCLA
6'5"
205 lbs
Junior
21.6 yrs
15.3 PTS 7.1 REB 2.2 AST 0.3 BLK 3.1 STL

**** Ricky Council IV ****
SG | Arkansas
6'6"
205 lbs
Junior
21.8 yrs
17.0 PTS 3.8 REB 2.4 AST 0.3 BLK 1.2 STL

**** Terrence Shannon Jr. ****
SG | Illinois
6'6.5"
207 lbs
Senior
22.8 yrs
19.3 PTS 5.2 REB 3.1 AST 0.5 BLK 1.4 STL

Coleman Hawkins
PF | Illinois
6'10"
225 lbs
Junior
21.4 yrs
10.9 PTS 6.9 REB 3.4 AST 1.3 BLK 1.2 STL

Nikola Djurisic
SG/SF | KK Mega Basket
6'8"
214 lbs
International
19.2 yrs
16.1 PTS 4.0 REB 4.8 AST 0.1 BLK 1.3 STL

**** Keyontae Johnson ****
SF | Kansas State
6'6"
230 lbs
Senior
22.9 yrs
18.4 PTS 7.2 REB 2.3 AST 0.2 BLK 1.1 STL

**** Zach Edey ****
C | Purdue
7'4"
290 lbs
Junior
21.0 yrs
25.3 PTS 14.6 REB 1.7 AST 2.4 BLK 0.3 STL

Adem Bona
C | UCLA
6'10"
235 lbs
Freshman
20.1 yrs
12.1 PTS 8.3 REB 1.1 AST 2.7 BLK 0.9 STL

**** Baylor Scheierman ****
SF | Creighton
6'7"
205 lbs
Senior
22.6 yrs
14.0 PTS 9.1 REB 3.6 AST 0.3 BLK 1.1 STL

Kobe Brown
PF | Missouri
6'8"
250 lbs
Senior
23.4 yrs
19.3 PTS 7.7 REB 3.1 AST 0.5 BLK 1.8 STL

Tristan Vukčević
PF | Real Madrid B
6'10"
218 lbs
International
20.2 yrs
17.4 PTS 7.6 REB 2.8 AST 1.2 BLK 1.4 STL

**** Amari Bailey ****
SG | UCLA
6'4"
190 lbs
Freshman
19.2 yrs
14.9 PTS 5.1 REB 2.9 AST 0.4 BLK 1.5 STL

**** Azuolas Tubelis ****
PF | Arizona
6'11"
245 lbs
Junior
21.1 yrs
23.7 PTS 10.9 REB 2.4 AST 0.8 BLK 1.4 STL

Dillon Mitchell
SF | Texas
6'7"
200 lbs
Freshman
19.6 yrs
8.9 PTS 8.0 REB 0.8 AST 0.7 BLK 1.2 STL

****** Oscar Tshiebwe ******
C | Kentucky
6'9"
260 lbs
Senior
23.5 yrs
17.6 PTS 14.6 REB 1.7 AST 1.1 BLK 1.7 STL

***** Adama Sanogo *******
C | UConn
6'9"
245 lbs
Junior
21.2 yrs
23.3 PTS 10.4 REB 1.7 AST 1.1 BLK 0.9 STL

Reece Beekman
PG | Virginia
6'3"
190 lbs
Junior
21.6 yrs
10.5 PTS 3.3 REB 5.8 AST 0.6 BLK 2.0 STL

Kevin McCullar
SG | Kansas
6'6"
210 lbs
Senior
22.2 yrs
12.6 PTS 8.2 REB 2.8 AST 0.9 BLK 2.3 STL

**** Emoni Bates ****
SF | Eastern Michigan
6'9"
190 lbs
Sophomore
19.3 yrs
20.5 PTS 6.1 REB 1.5 AST 0.6 BLK 0.8 STL

Mouhamed Gueye
PF | Washington State
6'11"
210 lbs
Sophomore
20.5 yrs
16.1 PTS 9.4 REB 2.1 AST 1.0 BLK 0.9 STL

**** Drew Timme ****
PF/C | Gonzaga
6'9.25"
232 lbs
Senior
22.7 yrs
24.2 PTS 8.6 REB 3.7 AST 1.1 BLK 0.7 STL

Trey Alexander
SG | Creighton
6'4"
190 lbs
Sophomore
20.0 yrs
15.2 PTS 4.7 REB 2.9 AST 0.5 BLK 1.2 STL

Jordan Walsh
SF | Arkansas
6'7"
200 lbs
Freshman
19.2 yrs
10.5 PTS 5.8 REB 1.4 AST 0.7 BLK 1.6 STL

Ryan Kalkbrenner
C | Creighton
7'1"
256 lbs
Junior
21.3 yrs
17.8 PTS 6.8 REB 1.3 AST 2.4 BLK 0.7 STL

Arthur Kaluma
PF | Creighton
6'7"
220 lbs
Sophomore
21.2 yrs
14.4 PTS 7.4 REB 2.0 AST 0.7 BLK 0.7 STL

Isaiah Wong
PG/SG | Miami
6'3"
180 lbs
Senior
22.3 yrs
17.4 PTS 4.7 REB 3.4 AST 0.4 BLK 1.5 STL

Bryce Hopkins
SF | Providence
6'7"
220 lbs
Sophomore
20.7 yrs
16.3 PTS 8.7 REB 2.4 AST 0.6 BLK 0.8 STL

Ousmane N'Diaye
PF/C | Telekom Bonn
6'10"
210 lbs
International
19.2 yrs
14.6 PTS 11.8 REB 0.6 AST 1.3 BLK 0.9 STL

Malcolm Cazalon
SG | Leuven
6'6"
186 lbs
International
21.7 yrs
17.0 PTS 4.6 REB 4.2 AST 0.4 BLK 2.6 STL

**** Mojave King ****
SG | G League
6'5"
195 lbs
G League
20.8 yrs
12.7 PTS 5.9 REB 1.8 AST 0.5 BLK 0.7 STL

Harrison Ingram
SF | Stanford
6'7"
233 lbs
Sophomore
20.5 yrs
13.5 PTS 7.5 REB 4.7 AST 0.6 BLK 1.0 STL

**** - I like what I have seen to a degree but I want to see them PLAY at the combine
****** - I love what I have seen to a degree but I want to see them PLAY at the combine

My take so far is this class is one of the worst in the last five years. It’s just that it’s very top-heavy and Wemby has GOAT potential and Amen has multi-time MVP upside while having a criminally bad floor. If you have a top 8 pick. Be happy. 9th pick, Gradey is not that bad but could be worse. 10th pick, hope you need a pseudo-PG because it goes way downhill after that. It reminds me of 2020 but maybe worse. I like the 2nd round of this draft class a lot more than the 15-30 range in the 1st round. The value just isn’t there for a guaranteed contract.

2022: viewtopic.php?f=38&t=2200888

2021: viewtopic.php?f=38&t=2115824

2020: viewtopic.php?f=38&t=1949379

2019: viewtopic.php?f=38&t=1814119

Tiers:

Tier 1: Elite Cornerstone Prospect: Greg Oden, Zion Williamson, LeBron James, Kevin Durant

Tier 2: Tier 2: All-Star potential – Ja Morant, Cade Cunningham, Evan Mobley, Luka Doncic (yeah, I got that one wrong), Carmelo Anthony, R.J. Barrett, DeAndre Ayton, AD, Ben Simmons, Brandon Ingram, Kyrie, O.J. Mayo (I know, don’t ask), KAT, etc.

Tier 3: All-Star Possibilities – Mikal Bridges, Bradley Beal, Victor Oladipo, James Harden, Hasheem Thabeet(bustaroo), Al Horford, Dwight Howard, and Emeka Okafor. Tier 3 is difficult for me because very few guys have been on this list over the last 20+ years for me.

Tier 3.5 - Decent Role player potential with All-Star possibilities down the road. I do see these guys as Day 1 contributors to a degree. This list is massive, it includes guys like Fultz, Tatum, Brown, Garland, Rui, Cam Reddish, Bargnani, LMA, Lillard, Okafor, KP, man, so many guys. Usually, like 5-8 a year. Of course, the miss rate is high.

Tier 4 - Tier 4: Decent Role player potential or raw with AS possibilities. This is most players in the NBA. Some get a high-end tier 4 status which is like, a really good role player who usually dominated college or showcases their NBA role at a very high level with the potential to be more.

Tier 5 – Backups and G-Leaguers – A lot of players.

Tier 6 – International Pros who don’t have much of a shot at the NBA.

Finished 6/5

King Ken · Post #5 » by **King Ken** » Tue Jun 6, 2023 5:20 pm

I am on the cusp of moving up Ben Sheppard, Amari Bailey, and Drew Timme into the 1st round low tier. I am going over more film. I am pretty sure I'll move Sheppard to the 1st round.

King Ken · Post #6 » by **King Ken** » Sat Jun 24, 2023 8:22 am

King Ken wrote:I am on the cusp of moving up Ben Sheppard, Amari Bailey, and Drew Timme into the 1st round low tier. I am going over more film. I am pretty sure I'll move Sheppard to the 1st round.

I didn't get a chance to move up these three and really only settled on Sheppard and Bailey moving up. I kept Timme at 2nd round.

Was there anyone in the draft I am a lot higher on because of where they landed or I had more time to see them play. Yes?

1. Jaime Jaquez Jr. - While I liked him as a college player, I couldn't get over his lack of clear upside for majority of NBA teams. Once he got drafted by the Heat or if he landed with Thibs and the Knicks, he shot up my chart because those are culture teams and they develop guys above their level. While I am not expecting him to be the next Jimmy Butler, don't be surprised that he's a star.

2. Mouhamed Gueye- I will be honest, I did not really watch this guy at all . I just saw his stats, Measurements, measured analytical metrics, and saw center next his name and size. Every year, I miss about 8 guys and generally none of them come back to bite me. Gueye could. He's far more impressive on film. He has legit flags but with his limited experience playing his polish for someone who's lacking experience and versatility. He could really become special but it's all on the Hawks and their player development.

3. Amari Bailey - That said, he was moving up already. I like the fit with Charlotte as well.

Obviously love the fit with Wemby and the Spurs.

While I don't like Houston for Amen, I like Udoka.

I don't like Hawkins to the Pelicans

I don't like Jalen Hood-Schifino to the Lakers either. I liked their Maxwell Lewis pick more. A lot more. Passing on Podz for JHS really confused me.