Is Kelly Olynyk playing himself into the lottery?

[UGA Hayes]

He's climbing. Seven Footers who can score like that and move well are valuable.

And overrated. He does look to have NBA caliber offense but guys like him need to be dynamite offensively (like young Amare awesome) or their deficiency rebounding and defensively kill you. Also you guys are missing mualram's point It doesn't matter if Gonzaga is the best team in the country being in a mid major conferenerenc makes comparing his production to prospects from other team difficult because half of the games he plays will be against weak team, even with the strong nonconference schedule.

Interesting prospect though. REminds me of Scola, but I think Scola is a better rebounder.

[23-7]

Well look at the games he's played against good teams then. Guy can't help who he plays.

[Johnlac1]

He's climbing. Seven Footers who can score like that and move well are valuable.

And overrated. He does look to have NBA caliber offense but guys like him need to be dynamite offensively (like young Amare awesome) or their deficiency rebounding and defensively kill you. Also you guys are missing mualram's point It doesn't matter if Gonzaga is the best team in the country being in a mid major conferenerenc makes comparing his production to prospects from other team difficult because half of the games he plays will be against weak team, even with the strong nonconference schedule.

Interesting prospect though. REminds me of Scola, but I think Scola is a better rebounder.

Overrated?? The fact is that Olynyk has rarely been discussed by any of the so-called "experts" until recently. He's barely been rated by anybody. You can look at a number of lists of potential draft picks and not find his name mentioned. In reality, many people are just discovering Olynyk. He's definitely better on offense than defense, but he does look like he can be a decent rebounder and defensive player in the pros. He's a good-very good athlete for his size and has quick feet. I'd compare him more to Pau Gasol than Scola. And no, I don't think he's as good as Gasol, just saying his game reminds me of Gasol.

[Golabki]

If you like Olynyk do you LOVE Cooley?

[UGA Hayes]

He's climbing. Seven Footers who can score like that and move well are valuable.

And overrated. He does look to have NBA caliber offense but guys like him need to be dynamite offensively (like young Amare awesome) or their deficiency rebounding and defensively kill you. Also you guys are missing mualram's point It doesn't matter if Gonzaga is the best team in the country being in a mid major conferenerenc makes comparing his production to prospects from other team difficult because half of the games he plays will be against weak team, even with the strong nonconference schedule.

Interesting prospect though. REminds me of Scola, but I think Scola is a better rebounder.

Overrated?? The fact is that Olynyk has rarely been discussed by any of the so-called "experts" until recently. He's barely been rated by anybody. You can look at a number of lists of potential draft picks and not find his name mentioned. In reality, many people are just discovering Olynyk. He's definitely better on offense than defense, but he does look like he can be a decent rebounder and defensive player in the pros. He's a good-very good athlete for his size and has quick feet. I'd compare him more to Pau Gasol than Scola. And no, I don't think he's as good as Gasol, just saying his game reminds me of Gasol.

I meant more his type at the NBA level then him specifically. I could definitely see him getting draft and having a decent NBA career, just suspect that he is one of those guys who b/c he can score, will be overrated . Obviously Right now he is underrated, given that draft boards don't even list him.

[black bart]

How is Olynyk overrated? He is more underrated. He is putting up 18 points and 7 rebounds on 70 ts%. Who does that and isn't automatically in the lottery when they are seven feet tall? If players like jimmer fredette can get in the lottery, Olynyk should easily get in too if he keeps up this pace.

[Johnlac1]

If you like Olynyk do you LOVE Cooley?

No. He's a gamer but at best he could just be a 12th man in the pros. Just doesn't have the length or athletic ability.

[Leolovinliberal]

He's climbing. Seven Footers who can score like that and move well are valuable.

And overrated. He does look to have NBA caliber offense but guys like him need to be dynamite offensively (like young Amare awesome) or their deficiency rebounding and defensively kill you. Also you guys are missing mualram's point It doesn't matter if Gonzaga is the best team in the country being in a mid major conferenerenc makes comparing his production to prospects from other team difficult because half of the games he plays will be against weak team, even with the strong nonconference schedule.

Interesting prospect though. REminds me of Scola, but I think Scola is a better rebounder.

When I read comments like this, I feel like I've been transported back to the mid 90's. Butler has played in 2 finals in the past few years, George Mason and VCU made recent ff's.

[Leolovinliberal]

He's climbing. Seven Footers who can score like that and move well are valuable.

And overrated. He does look to have NBA caliber offense but guys like him need to be dynamite offensively (like young Amare awesome) or their deficiency rebounding and defensively kill you. Also you guys are missing mualram's point It doesn't matter if Gonzaga is the best team in the country being in a mid major conferenerenc makes comparing his production to prospects from other team difficult because half of the games he plays will be against weak team, even with the strong nonconference schedule.

Interesting prospect though. REminds me of Scola, but I think Scola is a better rebounder.

Scola? Wow, you should have your mod status revoked for that comparison. See Kellys ally opp dunk against Wazzu that made the ESPN top 10 that night; Scola could never have done that.

[Leolovinliberal]

Olynyk has already made it to the 1st round in NBADraft, btw.

[teamjosh04]

Kelly Olynyk is a great college basketball success story but I dont see him as a first round pick. He has yet to face a good defensive frontcourt and is a horrible defender himself.

[Leolovinliberal]

Kelly Olynyk is a great college basketball success story but I dont see him as a first round pick. He has yet to face a good defensive frontcourt and is a horrible defender himself.

Like who? He did just fine against Isiah Austin. What specific frontcourt do you have in mind? And how specifically is he a horrible defender?

[JN]

Also you guys are missing mualram's point It doesn't matter if Gonzaga is the best team in the country being in a mid major conferenerenc makes comparing his production to prospects from other team difficult because half of the games he plays will be against weak team, even with the strong nonconference schedule.

http://www.rpiforecast.com/sos.html

Forecasted SOS (for the entire year)

51. UCLA
64. Gonzaga
68. Kentucky

I guess we should think the same for Kentucky this year?

The bottom half of the WCC is really weak. But you have to remember that 3 of the 9 teams are very good programs - Gonzaga, St. Mary's, BYU. And Santa Clara is fairly good.

Look at the garbage in the SEC this year - Georgia, Vanderbilt, Miss St, Auburn, South Carolina. And than a bunch of mediocore programs.

The WCC is about equal this year to the SEC.

A fan of the SEC should not be looking down at mid-majors this year. The MWC and A-10 are better, and the SEC is more comparable to the WCC amd the MVC

[Johnlac1]

I don't what the big deal is about playing in a less than top conference. As I recall Damian Lillard didn't play in a supposedly top-fllght conference, and he could very well be roty in the NBA. McCollum plays for Lehigh and they're certainly not in a great conference. Olynyk has done very well against some real good schools. A good analyst can evaluate a player whatever conference or country they play in.

[Leolovinliberal]

Another ho hum 21/8 in 19 minutes. He's now up to #17 in NBAdraft.net.

[Leolovinliberal]

Best stat line of the year so far last night against BYU:
26 points on 100% shooting (no, that wasn't a typo, he went 9-9 in fg's 8-8 fts, 9 rebs, 5 assists, 1 steal, 1 block

[Blast Tyrant]

I love this guys game. Totally transformed himself both physically and on the court. Good story, I hope he does well.

[Laowai]

He will likely be one of the 3 Canadian's in the 1st. Bennet, Olymyk and Kabonga.
Kabonga may be iffy since he got shaffted by the NCAA.

[Keshavarzi]

The only thing that worries me about him (and perhaps wrongfully so) is the number of busts that have come from Gonzaga.

[Johnlac1]

Busts come from every school. John Stockton came out of Gonzaga. Didn't like Morrison's prospects that much, and a major knee injury didn't help much either. I don't see Olynyk as being a major star, but he definitely has possibilities. He'll have to get tougher on defense and rebounding.