Individual Daily Draft Prospect Discussion/Index
Moderators: HomoSapien, Ice Man, dougthonus, Michael Jackson, Tommy Udo 6 , kulaz3000, fleet, DASMACKDOWN, GimmeDat, RedBulls23, AshyLarrysDiaper, coldfish, Payt10
Re: Individual Daily Draft Prospect Discussion
-
Guru
- Analyst
- Posts: 3,698
- And1: 780
- Joined: Oct 29, 2001
Re: Individual Daily Draft Prospect Discussion
The games I watched of Egor he didn't even pass. He was a complete non factor. They had another dark haired guy of similar build and I had to keep trying to figure out which one he was. I understand this is a tight sample size but, combined with the fact that he offers similar positives and negatives to Giddey I want a more complimentary player
Re: Individual Daily Draft Prospect Discussion
-
Rose2Boozer
- Veteran
- Posts: 2,644
- And1: 816
- Joined: Apr 07, 2011
Re: Individual Daily Draft Prospect Discussion
Guru wrote:The games I watched of Egor he didn't even pass. He was a complete non factor. They had another dark haired guy of similar build and I had to keep trying to figure out which one he was. I understand this is a tight sample size but, combined with the fact that he offers similar positives and negatives to Giddey I want a more complimentary player
Richie Saunders was the best player for BYU. I'm kinda surprised he's not testing the waters. A good NBA combine and workouts could spring him into the mid-first round. I guess he's going to get a lucrative NIL deal to play with AJ.
ROLES & HOLES
Re: Individual Daily Draft Prospect Discussion
-
Andi Obst
- General Manager
- Posts: 9,453
- And1: 6,812
- Joined: Mar 11, 2013
- Location: Germany
Re: Individual Daily Draft Prospect Discussion
I would always go talent over need, but with Giddey already being on the team, drafting Demin should just straight up not be an option. The fit is just too bad for both of them to develop well. On top of that, there's no way Demin will be the best talent available at 12 IMO.
Do I think that AK could draft Demin, though? Absolutely.
Do I think that AK could draft Demin, though? Absolutely.
Re: Individual Daily Draft Prospect Discussion
-
Guru
- Analyst
- Posts: 3,698
- And1: 780
- Joined: Oct 29, 2001
Re: Individual Daily Draft Prospect Discussion
22 F-Liam McNeeley-Uconn 5/4/2025
SCOUTING REPORT BY J. Kyle Mann
McNeeley’s case as a prospect was undermined during his lone college season in Storrs. He shoots a beautiful ball, but then you see the percentages and wonder what the hell happened. If you look more closely at his shooting sample, two major factors jump out.
First, speed and movement seemed to affect his accuracy. During UConn’s incredible run in the past three years, the Huskies successfully leveraged shooters who could splash it while moving laterally at top speed. Despite reading screens well and being bigger (and younger) than the previous options in that role, McNeeley didn’t meet that standard, converting only 28.6 percent of these looks. But second, on the more positive side: If McNeeley was catching and shooting from 3 at a standstill and with any space, he was money, hitting on 43.1 percent. It’s just that this UConn team took a major dip in unguarded catch-and-shoot looks compared to Dan Hurley’s past two (national champion) squads. In a more balanced offense, his real identity as a shooter could reemerge.
Less defensible was how he performed inside the arc, as he often seemed stiff as a finisher and as a decision-maker once he was within 15 feet of the basket. McNeeley handles the ball reasonably well for the “movement shooter” archetype, but he too frequently seemed at the mercy of his defender once he reached the paint; often he'd jump awkwardly outside the restricted area, angle his body to avoid them, and fail to convert as a result.
Because of his athletic limitations, McNeeley will never make a major impact defensively, but his size and feel for where to be and when should allow him to avoid being a major negative on the floor, assuming that the other aspects of his offensive game even out. Corey Kispert is a popular comp for McNeeley and a reasonable bar to set. The major caveat is that Kispert spent four seasons at Gonzaga, climbing from an average bench shooter to a knockdown bomber as a senior. In other words: Time is on McNeeley’s side. If he improves his body, he has the kind of connective passing and work ethic to shoot above even any modest projections.
SCOUTING REPORT BY J. Kyle Mann
McNeeley’s case as a prospect was undermined during his lone college season in Storrs. He shoots a beautiful ball, but then you see the percentages and wonder what the hell happened. If you look more closely at his shooting sample, two major factors jump out.
First, speed and movement seemed to affect his accuracy. During UConn’s incredible run in the past three years, the Huskies successfully leveraged shooters who could splash it while moving laterally at top speed. Despite reading screens well and being bigger (and younger) than the previous options in that role, McNeeley didn’t meet that standard, converting only 28.6 percent of these looks. But second, on the more positive side: If McNeeley was catching and shooting from 3 at a standstill and with any space, he was money, hitting on 43.1 percent. It’s just that this UConn team took a major dip in unguarded catch-and-shoot looks compared to Dan Hurley’s past two (national champion) squads. In a more balanced offense, his real identity as a shooter could reemerge.
Less defensible was how he performed inside the arc, as he often seemed stiff as a finisher and as a decision-maker once he was within 15 feet of the basket. McNeeley handles the ball reasonably well for the “movement shooter” archetype, but he too frequently seemed at the mercy of his defender once he reached the paint; often he'd jump awkwardly outside the restricted area, angle his body to avoid them, and fail to convert as a result.
Because of his athletic limitations, McNeeley will never make a major impact defensively, but his size and feel for where to be and when should allow him to avoid being a major negative on the floor, assuming that the other aspects of his offensive game even out. Corey Kispert is a popular comp for McNeeley and a reasonable bar to set. The major caveat is that Kispert spent four seasons at Gonzaga, climbing from an average bench shooter to a knockdown bomber as a senior. In other words: Time is on McNeeley’s side. If he improves his body, he has the kind of connective passing and work ethic to shoot above even any modest projections.
Re: Individual Daily Draft Prospect Discussion
-
Guru
- Analyst
- Posts: 3,698
- And1: 780
- Joined: Oct 29, 2001
Re: Individual Daily Draft Prospect Discussion
23 C-Joan Beringer-Slovenia 5/5/2025
SCOUTING REPORT BY J. Kyle Mann
Beringer is probably the most uncomplicated player in our first round, but simple is also effective. With a November 2006 birthday, this Frenchman will be among the youngest players in this draft. And if that weren’t enough, he’s also a recent convert to the game. You’ll be hard-pressed to find footage of him taking a jump shot from any distance, and there are very few instances of him wheeling and dealing from any position as a passer. At this point, he’s a rim-running screener and a lurker in the short corner when other plays are unfolding, but he rarely deviates from those actions because he does them well.
Despite his lankiness, Beringer looks comfortable in rough-and-tumble situations, inspiring visions of what he might look like once he fills out and is able to dish out physicality around the rim. Sure, he has his moments when mature players knock him off his spot and cause his limbs to collapse as if a wrecking ball just hit a tower of popsicle sticks, but these types of players very frequently have their revenge when the dust is settled—just this season we saw Yves Missi, the no. 21 overall selection, grow in a similar way.
The combination of mobility in open space and legitimate rim protection, at this size, will always be alluring. Beringer is already shuttling with full-grown ball handlers and blocking their shots at the high point with either hand. He’s a longer-term project but one well worth undertaking.
SCOUTING REPORT BY J. Kyle Mann
Beringer is probably the most uncomplicated player in our first round, but simple is also effective. With a November 2006 birthday, this Frenchman will be among the youngest players in this draft. And if that weren’t enough, he’s also a recent convert to the game. You’ll be hard-pressed to find footage of him taking a jump shot from any distance, and there are very few instances of him wheeling and dealing from any position as a passer. At this point, he’s a rim-running screener and a lurker in the short corner when other plays are unfolding, but he rarely deviates from those actions because he does them well.
Despite his lankiness, Beringer looks comfortable in rough-and-tumble situations, inspiring visions of what he might look like once he fills out and is able to dish out physicality around the rim. Sure, he has his moments when mature players knock him off his spot and cause his limbs to collapse as if a wrecking ball just hit a tower of popsicle sticks, but these types of players very frequently have their revenge when the dust is settled—just this season we saw Yves Missi, the no. 21 overall selection, grow in a similar way.
The combination of mobility in open space and legitimate rim protection, at this size, will always be alluring. Beringer is already shuttling with full-grown ball handlers and blocking their shots at the high point with either hand. He’s a longer-term project but one well worth undertaking.
Re: Individual Daily Draft Prospect Discussion
-
Guru
- Analyst
- Posts: 3,698
- And1: 780
- Joined: Oct 29, 2001
Re: Individual Daily Draft Prospect Discussion
I dont know how deep this draft really is but this is player 23 we have done and there hasn't been one if they went at 9-10-11-12 that I would be shocked.
Re: Individual Daily Draft Prospect Discussion
-
sco
- RealGM
- Posts: 27,390
- And1: 9,201
- Joined: Sep 22, 2003
- Location: Virtually Everywhere!
Re: Individual Daily Draft Prospect Discussion
Guru wrote:I dont know how deep this draft really is but this is player 23 we have done and there hasn't been one if they went at 9-10-11-12 that I would be shocked.
Yeah, that's why I'd love to nab a 2nd 1st rounder with our ancillary assets.
Re: Individual Daily Draft Prospect Discussion
-
Guru
- Analyst
- Posts: 3,698
- And1: 780
- Joined: Oct 29, 2001
Re: Individual Daily Draft Prospect Discussion
24 W-Will Riley-Illinois 5/6/2025
SCOUTING REPORT BY Danny Chau
Riley plays with a modern intuition that, paradoxically, makes him hard to place in today’s NBA game. Skilled 6-foot-8 wings with the ability to confidently pull up from 28 feet out, throw a hook pass off a live dribble, and capably navigate and relocate off the ball into open space don’t grow on trees. Riley’s size grants him novel angles and vantage points alongside what is ostensibly a guard’s skill set. But the young Canadian’s thin frame presents a daunting burden of proof. On good nights, Riley’s well-rounded, rhythm- and timing-based offense flows like lava—methodical but scintillating. On off nights, you wonder whether he’ll ever be strong enough to survive the NBA’s rigors.
Fans of the Fighting Illini grew more and more accustomed to Riley’s absurd shot taking over the course of the season. At his height, with his length, he is unbothered by most contests—in fact, he curiously hit a higher percentage of off-the-dribble 3s and 3s with a hand in his face than unguarded catch-and-shoot attempts this year. His percentages at the NCAA level aren’t impressive, but Riley was a 40 percent 3-point shooter his senior year of high school, and a majority of those 3s were self-created attempts taken off the dribble. It’s unclear which sample is the mirage here, although it portends well that Riley’s audacity translates at the college level. There is potential for him to become a high-gravity connector, making plays for others off a warped defense attuned to his deep range and off-ball movement.
His pull-up remains a threat in spite of his lack of accuracy, largely due to his ancillary skills. He’s an instinctual off-ball mover, zigzagging across the court off Iverson cuts and darting down into the paint with incision. For such a slight player without much explosion to his game, Riley has shown strong flashes as a driver. He’s comfortable stringing together a few crossovers and has, on a number of occasions, frozen defenders with a shimmying stutter rip en route to the basket. Combine his shooting threat, his handling, and his very real passing talent—he’s got great touch on lobs and great zip on his crosscourt skips—and there is an incredibly versatile offensive player whose development of functional strength might just be the key to unlocking his multilayered utility.
Riley’s height advantage may afford him more opportunities than most players of his ilk, but getting stronger isn’t a suggestion so much as an imperative, especially on the defensive end. Riley’s situational awareness on D is nice, but it’s meaningless if a bump or a hard-set screen can completely dislodge him from any given play. Still, it wouldn’t take much for a team to fall in love with all that he can offer an offense. Bulking season awaits.
;t=2217s
SCOUTING REPORT BY Danny Chau
Riley plays with a modern intuition that, paradoxically, makes him hard to place in today’s NBA game. Skilled 6-foot-8 wings with the ability to confidently pull up from 28 feet out, throw a hook pass off a live dribble, and capably navigate and relocate off the ball into open space don’t grow on trees. Riley’s size grants him novel angles and vantage points alongside what is ostensibly a guard’s skill set. But the young Canadian’s thin frame presents a daunting burden of proof. On good nights, Riley’s well-rounded, rhythm- and timing-based offense flows like lava—methodical but scintillating. On off nights, you wonder whether he’ll ever be strong enough to survive the NBA’s rigors.
Fans of the Fighting Illini grew more and more accustomed to Riley’s absurd shot taking over the course of the season. At his height, with his length, he is unbothered by most contests—in fact, he curiously hit a higher percentage of off-the-dribble 3s and 3s with a hand in his face than unguarded catch-and-shoot attempts this year. His percentages at the NCAA level aren’t impressive, but Riley was a 40 percent 3-point shooter his senior year of high school, and a majority of those 3s were self-created attempts taken off the dribble. It’s unclear which sample is the mirage here, although it portends well that Riley’s audacity translates at the college level. There is potential for him to become a high-gravity connector, making plays for others off a warped defense attuned to his deep range and off-ball movement.
His pull-up remains a threat in spite of his lack of accuracy, largely due to his ancillary skills. He’s an instinctual off-ball mover, zigzagging across the court off Iverson cuts and darting down into the paint with incision. For such a slight player without much explosion to his game, Riley has shown strong flashes as a driver. He’s comfortable stringing together a few crossovers and has, on a number of occasions, frozen defenders with a shimmying stutter rip en route to the basket. Combine his shooting threat, his handling, and his very real passing talent—he’s got great touch on lobs and great zip on his crosscourt skips—and there is an incredibly versatile offensive player whose development of functional strength might just be the key to unlocking his multilayered utility.
Riley’s height advantage may afford him more opportunities than most players of his ilk, but getting stronger isn’t a suggestion so much as an imperative, especially on the defensive end. Riley’s situational awareness on D is nice, but it’s meaningless if a bump or a hard-set screen can completely dislodge him from any given play. Still, it wouldn’t take much for a team to fall in love with all that he can offer an offense. Bulking season awaits.
;t=2217s
Re: Individual Daily Draft Prospect Discussion
-
Guru
- Analyst
- Posts: 3,698
- And1: 780
- Joined: Oct 29, 2001
Re: Individual Daily Draft Prospect Discussion
25 F-Nique Clifford-Colorado St 5/7/2025
SCOUTING REPORT BY J. Kyle Mann
In the NIL era, transferring from a Power Five school to a smaller high major gives certain types of players much-needed open road to work through things and build out NBA skill sets. Clifford, who spent three years at Colorado before adding two more at Colorado State, is one of them. He is an older prospect (just turned 23 in February), and while that may not leave him with the ultra-upside of some of the other perimeter prospects in this class, he has a high floor because of the wide variety of things he can offer.
Nique seems to enjoy the smaller details that create impact on the defensive end. He’s a solidly built wing, and although you wouldn’t categorize him as a mistake eraser, his high steal and block percentages are the result of his positional savvy. He rebounds his position extremely well and finds opportunities to create turnovers—positioning himself to deflect passes, getting a fingertip on an unsuspecting shooter’s release, or making a timely dig at a driver that dislodges the ball. He should hold up well within a team scheme.
A fifth college season has given Clifford a chance to experiment with the ball in his hands. He’s always been a willing and clever passer. His pick-and-roll reps skyrocketed this season (interestingly enough, he shot the ball significantly better in those actions than in any other situation, and at decent volume). He also created his own offense in isolation more than ever, and he even took on some post reps. A traceable pattern among those three avenues is that Nique depends on his very sophisticated footwork while facing the basket and bumps off the dribble to find separation for his jumper rather than cook defenders with violent changes of direction or speed. His left hand can be wobbly against pressure or when he’s finishing. I expect his ceiling as a scorer to be driven by his mastery of those types of subtle technical details. Shooting consistency could drastically change everything. Although Clifford isn’t a disaster from 3, he is prone to streakiness and dry spells—this season he had four separate stretches of eight or more perimeter misses in a row, and one stretch to start the year where he missed 14 of 19. But all in all, Clifford is someone who can chip in for a lot of teams.
SCOUTING REPORT BY J. Kyle Mann
In the NIL era, transferring from a Power Five school to a smaller high major gives certain types of players much-needed open road to work through things and build out NBA skill sets. Clifford, who spent three years at Colorado before adding two more at Colorado State, is one of them. He is an older prospect (just turned 23 in February), and while that may not leave him with the ultra-upside of some of the other perimeter prospects in this class, he has a high floor because of the wide variety of things he can offer.
Nique seems to enjoy the smaller details that create impact on the defensive end. He’s a solidly built wing, and although you wouldn’t categorize him as a mistake eraser, his high steal and block percentages are the result of his positional savvy. He rebounds his position extremely well and finds opportunities to create turnovers—positioning himself to deflect passes, getting a fingertip on an unsuspecting shooter’s release, or making a timely dig at a driver that dislodges the ball. He should hold up well within a team scheme.
A fifth college season has given Clifford a chance to experiment with the ball in his hands. He’s always been a willing and clever passer. His pick-and-roll reps skyrocketed this season (interestingly enough, he shot the ball significantly better in those actions than in any other situation, and at decent volume). He also created his own offense in isolation more than ever, and he even took on some post reps. A traceable pattern among those three avenues is that Nique depends on his very sophisticated footwork while facing the basket and bumps off the dribble to find separation for his jumper rather than cook defenders with violent changes of direction or speed. His left hand can be wobbly against pressure or when he’s finishing. I expect his ceiling as a scorer to be driven by his mastery of those types of subtle technical details. Shooting consistency could drastically change everything. Although Clifford isn’t a disaster from 3, he is prone to streakiness and dry spells—this season he had four separate stretches of eight or more perimeter misses in a row, and one stretch to start the year where he missed 14 of 19. But all in all, Clifford is someone who can chip in for a lot of teams.
SCOUTING REPORT BY J. Kyle Mann
In the NIL era, transferring from a Power Five school to a smaller high major gives certain types of players much-needed open road to work through things and build out NBA skill sets. Clifford, who spent three years at Colorado before adding two more at Colorado State, is one of them. He is an older prospect (just turned 23 in February), and while that may not leave him with the ultra-upside of some of the other perimeter prospects in this class, he has a high floor because of the wide variety of things he can offer.
Nique seems to enjoy the smaller details that create impact on the defensive end. He’s a solidly built wing, and although you wouldn’t categorize him as a mistake eraser, his high steal and block percentages are the result of his positional savvy. He rebounds his position extremely well and finds opportunities to create turnovers—positioning himself to deflect passes, getting a fingertip on an unsuspecting shooter’s release, or making a timely dig at a driver that dislodges the ball. He should hold up well within a team scheme.
A fifth college season has given Clifford a chance to experiment with the ball in his hands. He’s always been a willing and clever passer. His pick-and-roll reps skyrocketed this season (interestingly enough, he shot the ball significantly better in those actions than in any other situation, and at decent volume). He also created his own offense in isolation more than ever, and he even took on some post reps. A traceable pattern among those three avenues is that Nique depends on his very sophisticated footwork while facing the basket and bumps off the dribble to find separation for his jumper rather than cook defenders with violent changes of direction or speed. His left hand can be wobbly against pressure or when he’s finishing. I expect his ceiling as a scorer to be driven by his mastery of those types of subtle technical details. Shooting consistency could drastically change everything. Although Clifford isn’t a disaster from 3, he is prone to streakiness and dry spells—this season he had four separate stretches of eight or more perimeter misses in a row, and one stretch to start the year where he missed 14 of 19. But all in all, Clifford is someone who can chip in for a lot of teams.
SCOUTING REPORT BY J. Kyle Mann
In the NIL era, transferring from a Power Five school to a smaller high major gives certain types of players much-needed open road to work through things and build out NBA skill sets. Clifford, who spent three years at Colorado before adding two more at Colorado State, is one of them. He is an older prospect (just turned 23 in February), and while that may not leave him with the ultra-upside of some of the other perimeter prospects in this class, he has a high floor because of the wide variety of things he can offer.
Nique seems to enjoy the smaller details that create impact on the defensive end. He’s a solidly built wing, and although you wouldn’t categorize him as a mistake eraser, his high steal and block percentages are the result of his positional savvy. He rebounds his position extremely well and finds opportunities to create turnovers—positioning himself to deflect passes, getting a fingertip on an unsuspecting shooter’s release, or making a timely dig at a driver that dislodges the ball. He should hold up well within a team scheme.
A fifth college season has given Clifford a chance to experiment with the ball in his hands. He’s always been a willing and clever passer. His pick-and-roll reps skyrocketed this season (interestingly enough, he shot the ball significantly better in those actions than in any other situation, and at decent volume). He also created his own offense in isolation more than ever, and he even took on some post reps. A traceable pattern among those three avenues is that Nique depends on his very sophisticated footwork while facing the basket and bumps off the dribble to find separation for his jumper rather than cook defenders with violent changes of direction or speed. His left hand can be wobbly against pressure or when he’s finishing. I expect his ceiling as a scorer to be driven by his mastery of those types of subtle technical details. Shooting consistency could drastically change everything. Although Clifford isn’t a disaster from 3, he is prone to streakiness and dry spells—this season he had four separate stretches of eight or more perimeter misses in a row, and one stretch to start the year where he missed 14 of 19. But all in all, Clifford is someone who can chip in for a lot of teams.
SCOUTING REPORT BY J. Kyle Mann
In the NIL era, transferring from a Power Five school to a smaller high major gives certain types of players much-needed open road to work through things and build out NBA skill sets. Clifford, who spent three years at Colorado before adding two more at Colorado State, is one of them. He is an older prospect (just turned 23 in February), and while that may not leave him with the ultra-upside of some of the other perimeter prospects in this class, he has a high floor because of the wide variety of things he can offer.
Nique seems to enjoy the smaller details that create impact on the defensive end. He’s a solidly built wing, and although you wouldn’t categorize him as a mistake eraser, his high steal and block percentages are the result of his positional savvy. He rebounds his position extremely well and finds opportunities to create turnovers—positioning himself to deflect passes, getting a fingertip on an unsuspecting shooter’s release, or making a timely dig at a driver that dislodges the ball. He should hold up well within a team scheme.
A fifth college season has given Clifford a chance to experiment with the ball in his hands. He’s always been a willing and clever passer. His pick-and-roll reps skyrocketed this season (interestingly enough, he shot the ball significantly better in those actions than in any other situation, and at decent volume). He also created his own offense in isolation more than ever, and he even took on some post reps. A traceable pattern among those three avenues is that Nique depends on his very sophisticated footwork while facing the basket and bumps off the dribble to find separation for his jumper rather than cook defenders with violent changes of direction or speed. His left hand can be wobbly against pressure or when he’s finishing. I expect his ceiling as a scorer to be driven by his mastery of those types of subtle technical details. Shooting consistency could drastically change everything. Although Clifford isn’t a disaster from 3, he is prone to streakiness and dry spells—this season he had four separate stretches of eight or more perimeter misses in a row, and one stretch to start the year where he missed 14 of 19. But all in all, Clifford is someone who can chip in for a lot of teams.
SCOUTING REPORT BY J. Kyle Mann
In the NIL era, transferring from a Power Five school to a smaller high major gives certain types of players much-needed open road to work through things and build out NBA skill sets. Clifford, who spent three years at Colorado before adding two more at Colorado State, is one of them. He is an older prospect (just turned 23 in February), and while that may not leave him with the ultra-upside of some of the other perimeter prospects in this class, he has a high floor because of the wide variety of things he can offer.
Nique seems to enjoy the smaller details that create impact on the defensive end. He’s a solidly built wing, and although you wouldn’t categorize him as a mistake eraser, his high steal and block percentages are the result of his positional savvy. He rebounds his position extremely well and finds opportunities to create turnovers—positioning himself to deflect passes, getting a fingertip on an unsuspecting shooter’s release, or making a timely dig at a driver that dislodges the ball. He should hold up well within a team scheme.
A fifth college season has given Clifford a chance to experiment with the ball in his hands. He’s always been a willing and clever passer. His pick-and-roll reps skyrocketed this season (interestingly enough, he shot the ball significantly better in those actions than in any other situation, and at decent volume). He also created his own offense in isolation more than ever, and he even took on some post reps. A traceable pattern among those three avenues is that Nique depends on his very sophisticated footwork while facing the basket and bumps off the dribble to find separation for his jumper rather than cook defenders with violent changes of direction or speed. His left hand can be wobbly against pressure or when he’s finishing. I expect his ceiling as a scorer to be driven by his mastery of those types of subtle technical details. Shooting consistency could drastically change everything. Although Clifford isn’t a disaster from 3, he is prone to streakiness and dry spells—this season he had four separate stretches of eight or more perimeter misses in a row, and one stretch to start the year where he missed 14 of 19. But all in all, Clifford is someone who can chip in for a lot of teams.
Re: Individual Daily Draft Prospect Discussion
-
kodo
- RealGM
- Posts: 21,081
- And1: 15,475
- Joined: Oct 10, 2006
- Location: Northshore Burbs
-
Re: Individual Daily Draft Prospect Discussion
Andi Obst wrote:I would always go talent over need, but with Giddey already being on the team, drafting Demin should just straight up not be an option. The fit is just too bad for both of them to develop well. On top of that, there's no way Demin will be the best talent available at 12 IMO.
Do I think that AK could draft Demin, though? Absolutely.
I'm not even seeing elite passing ability...he's an unselflish player for sure and looking for his teammates but I haven't seen a single assist where I think most guards in the NBA could not have made that pass. Coby is also unselfish and gets a lot of assists but they're mostly just a simple pass to a wide open stationary C&S or a standard P&R. I also haven't seen any plays where he manipulates the defense to overloading one side and leading the play in that direction only to fire the pass to complete opposite side like Giddey does. He also doesn't seem to seek out contact.
I hope it's not another Dalen Terry situation where you have a 6' 8" guy who is unselfish and makes standard passes in college but without any rare passing ability there's no need for him to run point in the NBA. You could have a Hedo Turkoglu type player, but with his really poor 3P shooting even that ceiling seems unlikely.
And agreed, I can see AK absolutely taking him.
Re: Individual Daily Draft Prospect Discussion
-
Guru
- Analyst
- Posts: 3,698
- And1: 780
- Joined: Oct 29, 2001
Re: Individual Daily Draft Prospect Discussion
26 G-Ben Saraf-Israel 5/8/2025
SCOUTING REPORT BY Danny Chau
Name a pass, any pass. Saraf has it in his bag. Crosscourt wraparounds. No-look, over-the-shoulder, hanging midair overhead passes. Not to mention every variant of a pocket pass out of a pick-and-roll—arguably the one skill that he’s better at than any other player in the draft. At just 18 years old, Saraf is a high-usage initiator in the Bundesliga, one of the best leagues in Europe, and coming off a dominant summer in the FIBA youth tournament circuit. The raw production across different levels of competition at such a young age is encouraging. His aesthetic as a southpaw combo guard is immediately familiar—there are any number of immediate stylistic comparisons to draw from, both positive and damning. Comps to Goran Dragic, a fellow lefty driver, make themselves, and since Saraf is also a youngster gaining valuable reps on Ratiopharm Ulm, the ghost of Killian Hayes haunts him.
Generating separation as a ball handler is king, and despite how effective Saraf has been at getting to the rim in Europe, there will be questions about how he’ll create his advantages in the NBA. (He has good size on paper but often plays smaller than his listed height, which could limit his viability as a wing on either side of the ball.) He’s a natural when it comes to changing speeds and directions, and he has a strong first step on drives. But there is an impossibly high threshold for on-ball creators in terms of generating paint touches. He likely won’t get where he wants with speed, but there is an avenue for him should he build up his strength to take full advantage of his excellent deceleration ability on drives. What last-step explosiveness he lacks could be mitigated by creating space through bumps and step-throughs. While he was tasked with plenty of on-ball reps in Ulm, it’s not difficult to imagine Saraf as more of an off-ball cutter at the next level, given his ability to read space and make snap decisions against a tilted defense. Darting along the baseline from the corners, crossing the court on Iverson cuts—Saraf’s size and passing tool kit afford him a multitude of playmaking outlets.
As ever, shooting better would also help. He’s been an inconsistent 3-point shooter at best, across all stages of play, which could create a sort of no-man’s-land against more athletic competition. Saraf’s knack for getting clean looks on midrange pull-ups is encouraging, but there probably aren’t too many teams looking to build around that as a fixture in an offense. Still, there is a clarity to Saraf’s game that teams in the back end of the lottery could appreciate—the areas for improvement are apparent, and any progress made in those realms can open up his nuanced playmaking.
SCOUTING REPORT BY Danny Chau
Name a pass, any pass. Saraf has it in his bag. Crosscourt wraparounds. No-look, over-the-shoulder, hanging midair overhead passes. Not to mention every variant of a pocket pass out of a pick-and-roll—arguably the one skill that he’s better at than any other player in the draft. At just 18 years old, Saraf is a high-usage initiator in the Bundesliga, one of the best leagues in Europe, and coming off a dominant summer in the FIBA youth tournament circuit. The raw production across different levels of competition at such a young age is encouraging. His aesthetic as a southpaw combo guard is immediately familiar—there are any number of immediate stylistic comparisons to draw from, both positive and damning. Comps to Goran Dragic, a fellow lefty driver, make themselves, and since Saraf is also a youngster gaining valuable reps on Ratiopharm Ulm, the ghost of Killian Hayes haunts him.
Generating separation as a ball handler is king, and despite how effective Saraf has been at getting to the rim in Europe, there will be questions about how he’ll create his advantages in the NBA. (He has good size on paper but often plays smaller than his listed height, which could limit his viability as a wing on either side of the ball.) He’s a natural when it comes to changing speeds and directions, and he has a strong first step on drives. But there is an impossibly high threshold for on-ball creators in terms of generating paint touches. He likely won’t get where he wants with speed, but there is an avenue for him should he build up his strength to take full advantage of his excellent deceleration ability on drives. What last-step explosiveness he lacks could be mitigated by creating space through bumps and step-throughs. While he was tasked with plenty of on-ball reps in Ulm, it’s not difficult to imagine Saraf as more of an off-ball cutter at the next level, given his ability to read space and make snap decisions against a tilted defense. Darting along the baseline from the corners, crossing the court on Iverson cuts—Saraf’s size and passing tool kit afford him a multitude of playmaking outlets.
As ever, shooting better would also help. He’s been an inconsistent 3-point shooter at best, across all stages of play, which could create a sort of no-man’s-land against more athletic competition. Saraf’s knack for getting clean looks on midrange pull-ups is encouraging, but there probably aren’t too many teams looking to build around that as a fixture in an offense. Still, there is a clarity to Saraf’s game that teams in the back end of the lottery could appreciate—the areas for improvement are apparent, and any progress made in those realms can open up his nuanced playmaking.
Re: Individual Daily Draft Prospect Discussion
-
Guru
- Analyst
- Posts: 3,698
- And1: 780
- Joined: Oct 29, 2001
Re: Individual Daily Draft Prospect Discussion
27 F-Noah Penda-France 5/9/2025
SCOUTING REPORT BY Danny Chau
In a French league populated with former NBA talents and grizzled basketball lifers, it’s the 20-year-old Penda who leads the league in combined steals and blocks per game—his “stock” rates edging out even those of Andre Roberson, the former NBA ace defender. But Penda hasn’t reached those heights just by having young legs; more often than not, he wins on defense with advanced pattern recognition and hand-eye coordination. That’s not to say he isn’t athletic—his functional strength and movement skills serve as the chassis for his processor. He is comfortable diagnosing plays on the spot, communicating assignments, and seamlessly rotating and recovering to fill gaps on defense. There is immense value in simply knowing where to be and how to get there as urgently as possible.
Penda’s spatial awareness is one of his greatest gifts on offense, too. He makes quick decisions both with the ball in his hands as a driver and on the catch as a cutter, passing into open windows for easy buckets. He’ll never be confused for a full-time point forward, but Penda has the vision and instincts to keep the wheels greased on offense as a connective arm.
The defining question in his evaluation: How will he score at the next level? Penda has yet to prove that he can consistently shoot from 3 at respectable levels (although, to his credit, he’s improved his accuracy this season and isn’t shy with his attempts). He has a confident handle and the power to work his way into the lane, but there’s a degree of inflexibility in his forays, a lack of the decelerative capacity that usually serves as the basis for most power-based drivers. Having some reliable form of offense will be essential if he’s to have a place in a lineup. Penda has all the ancillary skills; as is so often the case, how he develops his jumper will determine just how much of an impact he can make.
SCOUTING REPORT BY Danny Chau
In a French league populated with former NBA talents and grizzled basketball lifers, it’s the 20-year-old Penda who leads the league in combined steals and blocks per game—his “stock” rates edging out even those of Andre Roberson, the former NBA ace defender. But Penda hasn’t reached those heights just by having young legs; more often than not, he wins on defense with advanced pattern recognition and hand-eye coordination. That’s not to say he isn’t athletic—his functional strength and movement skills serve as the chassis for his processor. He is comfortable diagnosing plays on the spot, communicating assignments, and seamlessly rotating and recovering to fill gaps on defense. There is immense value in simply knowing where to be and how to get there as urgently as possible.
Penda’s spatial awareness is one of his greatest gifts on offense, too. He makes quick decisions both with the ball in his hands as a driver and on the catch as a cutter, passing into open windows for easy buckets. He’ll never be confused for a full-time point forward, but Penda has the vision and instincts to keep the wheels greased on offense as a connective arm.
The defining question in his evaluation: How will he score at the next level? Penda has yet to prove that he can consistently shoot from 3 at respectable levels (although, to his credit, he’s improved his accuracy this season and isn’t shy with his attempts). He has a confident handle and the power to work his way into the lane, but there’s a degree of inflexibility in his forays, a lack of the decelerative capacity that usually serves as the basis for most power-based drivers. Having some reliable form of offense will be essential if he’s to have a place in a lineup. Penda has all the ancillary skills; as is so often the case, how he develops his jumper will determine just how much of an impact he can make.
Re: Individual Daily Draft Prospect Discussion
-
Chi town
- RealGM
- Posts: 29,435
- And1: 9,101
- Joined: Aug 10, 2004
Re: Individual Daily Draft Prospect Discussion
If no one drops and Noa is gone I’m looking to trade back and get Beringer followed by Riley or Penda.
Re: Individual Daily Draft Prospect Discussion
-
Guru
- Analyst
- Posts: 3,698
- And1: 780
- Joined: Oct 29, 2001
Re: Individual Daily Draft Prospect Discussion
28 G-Nolan Traore-France 5/10/2025
SCOUTING REPORT BY Danny Chau
Just a year ago, Traore was commonly thought of as one of the five best NBA prospects in the world. He had dominated the international youth circuit and made a strong impression in his promotion to the French big leagues as a 17-year-old. He was deemed a savior of sorts, the true heir apparent to Tony Parker, after a string of French guard prospects fizzled out of the NBA for one reason or another. But the road to the draft is hardly ever linear. Traore’s 2024-25 season has been turbulent. There were a handful of games before the turn of the New Year in which he shot no better than 25 percent from the field and, in most cases, way worse. But his scoring efficiency has course corrected in 2025. And that resilience is an encouraging sign.
Speed has always been Traore’s gift, though it’s rendered a bit differently than, say, Russell Westbrook’s or John Wall’s. Traore’s first step is less a concentrated bolt of lightning and more like the kick of an endurance runner being propelled by gale-force winds. Less power but more grace. There might not be a player in the draft better equipped to turn the corner on a screen, bending his way around the defense. Traore has a strong understanding of the dynamic between his quickness and the attention of the defense, too. There is a thrill in seeing him diagnose the floor, recognize that he has three sets of eyes on him during his initial bolt toward the rim, and punish the over-indexed defense with a crosscourt skip pass, a lofting lob delivered upon a dead stop, a perfect pocket pass on a live dribble. It’s high-level basketball intuition from a player so young.
When it works, Traore’s self-generated offense honors past icons. He has good touch on his floaters and runners, as one would expect of a Parker acolyte; his contortionist body control and use of the glass on driving layups conjure grainy footage of Rod Strickland in the ’90s. But he is largely a below-the-rim player, and he’s had significant struggles finishing around the rim at the French league level; it’ll only get more difficult against longer, more athletic NBA competition. He has smooth pull-up mechanics—again, working off the threat of his first step—and there have been flashes of legitimate shotmaking ability, but the overall accuracy from 3 simply has not been there throughout his young career. It’s a crucial piece of the puzzle. The lack of development in that regard could wind up being a deciding factor between becoming a lottery selection and wading in the morass that is the back half of the first round.
Given his age, build, and lack of strength training to this point, Traore’s largely been an absentee on defense in his first full season as a top-tier French professional, but he has the tools and court sense to become an on-ball hound in time. Ultimately, the bet on Traore is a bet on youth and his particular avenue of advantage creation on offense. How his dismal start to the season will weigh against his distinct traits looms large.
SCOUTING REPORT BY Danny Chau
Just a year ago, Traore was commonly thought of as one of the five best NBA prospects in the world. He had dominated the international youth circuit and made a strong impression in his promotion to the French big leagues as a 17-year-old. He was deemed a savior of sorts, the true heir apparent to Tony Parker, after a string of French guard prospects fizzled out of the NBA for one reason or another. But the road to the draft is hardly ever linear. Traore’s 2024-25 season has been turbulent. There were a handful of games before the turn of the New Year in which he shot no better than 25 percent from the field and, in most cases, way worse. But his scoring efficiency has course corrected in 2025. And that resilience is an encouraging sign.
Speed has always been Traore’s gift, though it’s rendered a bit differently than, say, Russell Westbrook’s or John Wall’s. Traore’s first step is less a concentrated bolt of lightning and more like the kick of an endurance runner being propelled by gale-force winds. Less power but more grace. There might not be a player in the draft better equipped to turn the corner on a screen, bending his way around the defense. Traore has a strong understanding of the dynamic between his quickness and the attention of the defense, too. There is a thrill in seeing him diagnose the floor, recognize that he has three sets of eyes on him during his initial bolt toward the rim, and punish the over-indexed defense with a crosscourt skip pass, a lofting lob delivered upon a dead stop, a perfect pocket pass on a live dribble. It’s high-level basketball intuition from a player so young.
When it works, Traore’s self-generated offense honors past icons. He has good touch on his floaters and runners, as one would expect of a Parker acolyte; his contortionist body control and use of the glass on driving layups conjure grainy footage of Rod Strickland in the ’90s. But he is largely a below-the-rim player, and he’s had significant struggles finishing around the rim at the French league level; it’ll only get more difficult against longer, more athletic NBA competition. He has smooth pull-up mechanics—again, working off the threat of his first step—and there have been flashes of legitimate shotmaking ability, but the overall accuracy from 3 simply has not been there throughout his young career. It’s a crucial piece of the puzzle. The lack of development in that regard could wind up being a deciding factor between becoming a lottery selection and wading in the morass that is the back half of the first round.
Given his age, build, and lack of strength training to this point, Traore’s largely been an absentee on defense in his first full season as a top-tier French professional, but he has the tools and court sense to become an on-ball hound in time. Ultimately, the bet on Traore is a bet on youth and his particular avenue of advantage creation on offense. How his dismal start to the season will weigh against his distinct traits looms large.
Re: Individual Daily Draft Prospect Discussion
-
BullsSD
- Sophomore
- Posts: 140
- And1: 75
- Joined: May 17, 2015
-
Re: Individual Daily Draft Prospect Discussion
Guru wrote:23 C-Joan Beringer-Slovenia 5/5/2025
SCOUTING REPORT BY J. Kyle Mann
Beringer is probably the most uncomplicated player in our first round, but simple is also effective. With a November 2006 birthday, this Frenchman will be among the youngest players in this draft. And if that weren’t enough, he’s also a recent convert to the game. You’ll be hard-pressed to find footage of him taking a jump shot from any distance, and there are very few instances of him wheeling and dealing from any position as a passer. At this point, he’s a rim-running screener and a lurker in the short corner when other plays are unfolding, but he rarely deviates from those actions because he does them well.
Despite his lankiness, Beringer looks comfortable in rough-and-tumble situations, inspiring visions of what he might look like once he fills out and is able to dish out physicality around the rim. Sure, he has his moments when mature players knock him off his spot and cause his limbs to collapse as if a wrecking ball just hit a tower of popsicle sticks, but these types of players very frequently have their revenge when the dust is settled—just this season we saw Yves Missi, the no. 21 overall selection, grow in a similar way.
The combination of mobility in open space and legitimate rim protection, at this size, will always be alluring. Beringer is already shuttling with full-grown ball handlers and blocking their shots at the high point with either hand. He’s a longer-term project but one well worth undertaking.
This dude reminds me of P.E. class when we had to play bball, and that tall but awkward, uncoordinated kid winds up your team. Zero handle, questionable shot, not usually in the right place on the floor, but can be effective just due to motor and height. I know people are high on him but he’s not a first round pick imo. Can take a flyer for him with #45, but I rather go for someone like mini Peja Stojacovic who could pan out as a cheaper Kevin Huerter.
Re: Individual Daily Draft Prospect Discussion
-
Muzbar
- Assistant Coach
- Posts: 4,253
- And1: 2,876
- Joined: Apr 03, 2002
- Location: Australia
- Contact:
-
Re: Individual Daily Draft Prospect Discussion
BullsSD wrote:Guru wrote:23 C-Joan Beringer-Slovenia 5/5/2025
SCOUTING REPORT BY J. Kyle Mann
Beringer is probably the most uncomplicated player in our first round, but simple is also effective. With a November 2006 birthday, this Frenchman will be among the youngest players in this draft. And if that weren’t enough, he’s also a recent convert to the game. You’ll be hard-pressed to find footage of him taking a jump shot from any distance, and there are very few instances of him wheeling and dealing from any position as a passer. At this point, he’s a rim-running screener and a lurker in the short corner when other plays are unfolding, but he rarely deviates from those actions because he does them well.
Despite his lankiness, Beringer looks comfortable in rough-and-tumble situations, inspiring visions of what he might look like once he fills out and is able to dish out physicality around the rim. Sure, he has his moments when mature players knock him off his spot and cause his limbs to collapse as if a wrecking ball just hit a tower of popsicle sticks, but these types of players very frequently have their revenge when the dust is settled—just this season we saw Yves Missi, the no. 21 overall selection, grow in a similar way.
The combination of mobility in open space and legitimate rim protection, at this size, will always be alluring. Beringer is already shuttling with full-grown ball handlers and blocking their shots at the high point with either hand. He’s a longer-term project but one well worth undertaking.
This dude reminds me of P.E. class when we had to play bball, and that tall but awkward, uncoordinated kid winds up your team. Zero handle, questionable shot, not usually in the right place on the floor, but can be effective just due to motor and height. I know people are high on him but he’s not a first round pick imo. Can take a flyer for him with #45, but I rather go for someone like mini Peja Stojacovic who could pan out as a cheaper Kevin Huerter.
This is the same sort of vibe I get from him too.
I personally don't get the hype.
Here to argue about nonsensical things and suck away your joy. 
Re: Individual Daily Draft Prospect Discussion
-
Guru
- Analyst
- Posts: 3,698
- And1: 780
- Joined: Oct 29, 2001
Re: Individual Daily Draft Prospect Discussion
29 C-Maxime Raynaud-Stanford 5/11/2025
This one is from Yahoo as well
Height: 7-1 • Weight: 245 • Class: Senior • Age: 22
Summary: Raynaud has leveled up every year at Stanford, turning into a player who pops 3s, slashes to the rim with a smooth handle, and makes eye-popping passes. As a talented passer who also offers solid defense, there’s little reason to think the Frenchman won’t carve out an NBA role.
Comparisons: Brook Lopez, Rasheed Wallace
Stanford logo
Maxime
Raynaud
F - STAN - #42
2024 - 2025 season
20.2
Pts
10.8
Reb
1.7
Ast
1.2
Blk
34
Min
Strengths
Shooting ability: Raynaud made 34.5% of his 3-pointers as an upperclassman at Stanford, a respectable amount for a 7-foot-1 center that puts him in Brook Lopez territory. But as a senior he took 5.4 per game, and it's not as if all of those are standstill 3s. Sometimes Stanford would run him off a screen, or have him pick-and-pop, and he even took a handful off the dribble. With a cleaner shot diet his numbers could improve even more, since on catch-and-shoot 3s, he made 37.4% of his attempts, per Synergy.
Ball-handling: In addition to traditional big-man moves like taking hook shots over either of his shoulders, it’s not often a player his size can move as fluidly as he does as a shot creator, whether he’s ball-faking then attacking a closeout, slingshotting toward the basket off a screen, or dribbling in transition. He has a tight crossover, mixes in euro-steps, and can get into soft floaters, touch layups, or ferocious tomahawk dunks. This blend of skills makes him especially threatening in ball screens, since he can set a mean pick then roll hard, or pick-and-pop and make a series of plays.
Passing: Raynaud’s negative assist-to-turnover ratio is misleading since he actually has excellent feel as a passer, making touch passes, bounce passes, and passes with velocity. He can facilitate from the high-post, operate as a dribble-handoff hub, and be relied on to pass out of the low post too.
More from Kevin O'Connor
Additional select Yahoo articles
The Buddy Hield game Pacers wakeup call Clippers collapse again and the zone wars ahead in Round 2 The Kevin OConnor Show
The Buddy Hield game, Pacers wake-up call, Clippers collapse (again), and the zone wars ahead in Round 2 | The Kevin O'Connor Show
Hello Game 7! + Pop steps down, LeBron's leverage & clutch Brunson | The Kevin O'Connor Show
Luka’s flaws, LeBron’s future & Lakers carnage with Nick Wright + 7 NBA Playoff questions and KOC’s latest mock draft | The Kevin O'Connor Show
Rebounding: Boxes out well and uses his frame to carve out space in the paint. Following defensive boards, he quickly identifies his guard or outlets it, and on offense he has a great feel for kicking the ball back out to the perimeter or putting it back up himself.
Rim protection: Uses his height and length to contest shots effectively. He’s bulked up over the years and become more effective at standing strong against beefy bigs, using his immense standing reach to bother them. He isn’t an elite leaper, but he has good timing and positioning as a shot-blocker.
Concerns
Ball control: A large chunk of his turnovers come in the interior, whether his back is to the basket, or he’s driving to the rim. Sometimes he gets too loose with it, leading to him getting stripped in traffic, in part because he tries to get tricky by overdribbling the ball.
Post offense: He can hit basic hook shots over his left and right shoulder, an important tool for him. But he doesn’t yet have one of two extremes: either finesse turnaround jumpers, using his size to shoot over defenders, or pure power moves, burying defenders under the rim.
Midrange shooting: Despite his shooting touch from 3, his midrange game is surprisingly underdeveloped. Defenses will gladly let him take those shots off the bounce, and right now, he hasn’t shown the ability to punish them for it. He looks fairly uncomfortable, and has a low hit rate. Considering his track record of improving his shooting, on top of his ball-handling ability, it’s at least conceivable he could someday become a threat.
Defensive production: While his size allows him to alter shots, he lacks the explosive leaping ability or aggressive shot-blocking instincts of elite rim protectors. He relies more on positioning and verticality, which limits his block totals but still makes him a deterrent at times. You’d expect more than 1.4 blocks per game from a dude that size that’s challenged as much as he was in college.
This one is from Yahoo as well
Height: 7-1 • Weight: 245 • Class: Senior • Age: 22
Summary: Raynaud has leveled up every year at Stanford, turning into a player who pops 3s, slashes to the rim with a smooth handle, and makes eye-popping passes. As a talented passer who also offers solid defense, there’s little reason to think the Frenchman won’t carve out an NBA role.
Comparisons: Brook Lopez, Rasheed Wallace
Stanford logo
Maxime
Raynaud
F - STAN - #42
2024 - 2025 season
20.2
Pts
10.8
Reb
1.7
Ast
1.2
Blk
34
Min
Strengths
Shooting ability: Raynaud made 34.5% of his 3-pointers as an upperclassman at Stanford, a respectable amount for a 7-foot-1 center that puts him in Brook Lopez territory. But as a senior he took 5.4 per game, and it's not as if all of those are standstill 3s. Sometimes Stanford would run him off a screen, or have him pick-and-pop, and he even took a handful off the dribble. With a cleaner shot diet his numbers could improve even more, since on catch-and-shoot 3s, he made 37.4% of his attempts, per Synergy.
Ball-handling: In addition to traditional big-man moves like taking hook shots over either of his shoulders, it’s not often a player his size can move as fluidly as he does as a shot creator, whether he’s ball-faking then attacking a closeout, slingshotting toward the basket off a screen, or dribbling in transition. He has a tight crossover, mixes in euro-steps, and can get into soft floaters, touch layups, or ferocious tomahawk dunks. This blend of skills makes him especially threatening in ball screens, since he can set a mean pick then roll hard, or pick-and-pop and make a series of plays.
Passing: Raynaud’s negative assist-to-turnover ratio is misleading since he actually has excellent feel as a passer, making touch passes, bounce passes, and passes with velocity. He can facilitate from the high-post, operate as a dribble-handoff hub, and be relied on to pass out of the low post too.
More from Kevin O'Connor
Additional select Yahoo articles
The Buddy Hield game Pacers wakeup call Clippers collapse again and the zone wars ahead in Round 2 The Kevin OConnor Show
The Buddy Hield game, Pacers wake-up call, Clippers collapse (again), and the zone wars ahead in Round 2 | The Kevin O'Connor Show
Hello Game 7! + Pop steps down, LeBron's leverage & clutch Brunson | The Kevin O'Connor Show
Luka’s flaws, LeBron’s future & Lakers carnage with Nick Wright + 7 NBA Playoff questions and KOC’s latest mock draft | The Kevin O'Connor Show
Rebounding: Boxes out well and uses his frame to carve out space in the paint. Following defensive boards, he quickly identifies his guard or outlets it, and on offense he has a great feel for kicking the ball back out to the perimeter or putting it back up himself.
Rim protection: Uses his height and length to contest shots effectively. He’s bulked up over the years and become more effective at standing strong against beefy bigs, using his immense standing reach to bother them. He isn’t an elite leaper, but he has good timing and positioning as a shot-blocker.
Concerns
Ball control: A large chunk of his turnovers come in the interior, whether his back is to the basket, or he’s driving to the rim. Sometimes he gets too loose with it, leading to him getting stripped in traffic, in part because he tries to get tricky by overdribbling the ball.
Post offense: He can hit basic hook shots over his left and right shoulder, an important tool for him. But he doesn’t yet have one of two extremes: either finesse turnaround jumpers, using his size to shoot over defenders, or pure power moves, burying defenders under the rim.
Midrange shooting: Despite his shooting touch from 3, his midrange game is surprisingly underdeveloped. Defenses will gladly let him take those shots off the bounce, and right now, he hasn’t shown the ability to punish them for it. He looks fairly uncomfortable, and has a low hit rate. Considering his track record of improving his shooting, on top of his ball-handling ability, it’s at least conceivable he could someday become a threat.
Defensive production: While his size allows him to alter shots, he lacks the explosive leaping ability or aggressive shot-blocking instincts of elite rim protectors. He relies more on positioning and verticality, which limits his block totals but still makes him a deterrent at times. You’d expect more than 1.4 blocks per game from a dude that size that’s challenged as much as he was in college.
Re: Individual Daily Draft Prospect Discussion
-
Guru
- Analyst
- Posts: 3,698
- And1: 780
- Joined: Oct 29, 2001
Re: Individual Daily Draft Prospect Discussion
30 G-Walter Clayton-Florida 5/12/2025
SCOUTING REPORT BY J. Kyle Mann
The speed of the NBA can humble even the most talented rookie shooters. Life is not as simple as catching in an empty gym and taking shots against air; a shooter needs separating skills—the unheralded art form in a shooter’s repertoire—to cement himself as a consistent threat. And the more Clayton played college basketball, the clearer it became that he has many of those skills. Clayton is very comfortable shooting “in the phone booth”—in other words, his mechanics and focus on the rim seem unaffected by how close the trailing defender or closing contest is. He can quickly square himself coming off of a down screen or move side to side off of a flare. In general, his game is heavily predicated on the threat of his dribble pull-up shooting and working with the ball in his hands beyond the 3-point line. He was wildly effective this season on a huge (for college) sample: Clayton shot 36.9 percent on 195 attempts from 3. But it’s his willingness to get off the ball and use pace and hesitation moves—including manipulating his posture to sell his shot—that makes him such a slippery cover.
Righty shooters typically prefer moving to the left and shooting from the left side of the floor, but Clayton isn’t burdened by directional preference, and he’s shown that in high-pressure situations. But Clayton’s well-equipped shooting tool belt can work against him, as he’ll often try to force tough shots. There are reservations about his finishing, too. Clayton’s heavy preference is to work above the break, and while he does show creativity and touch in the paint, he’ll need to use physicality to balance out the pressure that his shooting creates.
Because of his age and size, his upside may be limited. But, at some point, consistent production becomes undeniable, to the point where you don’t worry much about ceiling. Translating his technique will be key, as will continuing to be smart with his hands defensively to compensate for his shortcomings on that end. His performance in the NCAA tournament didn’t dispel those questions, but it definitely raised the optimism that he can work to answer them.
SCOUTING REPORT BY J. Kyle Mann
The speed of the NBA can humble even the most talented rookie shooters. Life is not as simple as catching in an empty gym and taking shots against air; a shooter needs separating skills—the unheralded art form in a shooter’s repertoire—to cement himself as a consistent threat. And the more Clayton played college basketball, the clearer it became that he has many of those skills. Clayton is very comfortable shooting “in the phone booth”—in other words, his mechanics and focus on the rim seem unaffected by how close the trailing defender or closing contest is. He can quickly square himself coming off of a down screen or move side to side off of a flare. In general, his game is heavily predicated on the threat of his dribble pull-up shooting and working with the ball in his hands beyond the 3-point line. He was wildly effective this season on a huge (for college) sample: Clayton shot 36.9 percent on 195 attempts from 3. But it’s his willingness to get off the ball and use pace and hesitation moves—including manipulating his posture to sell his shot—that makes him such a slippery cover.
Righty shooters typically prefer moving to the left and shooting from the left side of the floor, but Clayton isn’t burdened by directional preference, and he’s shown that in high-pressure situations. But Clayton’s well-equipped shooting tool belt can work against him, as he’ll often try to force tough shots. There are reservations about his finishing, too. Clayton’s heavy preference is to work above the break, and while he does show creativity and touch in the paint, he’ll need to use physicality to balance out the pressure that his shooting creates.
Because of his age and size, his upside may be limited. But, at some point, consistent production becomes undeniable, to the point where you don’t worry much about ceiling. Translating his technique will be key, as will continuing to be smart with his hands defensively to compensate for his shortcomings on that end. His performance in the NCAA tournament didn’t dispel those questions, but it definitely raised the optimism that he can work to answer them.
Re: Individual Daily Draft Prospect Discussion
-
Guru
- Analyst
- Posts: 3,698
- And1: 780
- Joined: Oct 29, 2001
Re: Individual Daily Draft Prospect Discussion
F-Adou Thiero-Arkansas
SCOUTING REPORT BY J. Kyle Mann
Late-growth-spurt players are always fascinating to track, and Thiero’s transition from scrappy lead guard to a physically dominant forward-sized bully has been stunning to behold. Adou was 6 feet tall as a junior in high school and shot up to 6-foot-6 by the time John Calipari took a chance on him at Kentucky. Now, he’s a 6-foot-8 highlight machine on both ends of the floor with, by his account, nuanced skills that are still acclimating to the newfound power that he now wields.
Thiero is a chaos agent with a sky-high steal percentage and an appetite for deflections. When he played against fellow superathlete V.J. Edgecombe earlier this season, it was impossible to tell who was the likely lottery talent just by looking at them side by side. Broad-shouldered, with long arms and a chiseled frame, Thiero would raise eyebrows at an NFL combine. He also has a deep love for contact and will fearlessly hurl himself into any situation—which is partly why he’s missed stretches at both Kentucky and Arkansas. That physicality is the driving force behind much of his impact, as he’s primarily a finisher at this point, although the door is open for more. Among perimeter players, Thiero was the most dominant offensive rebounder in the country. His vertical pop and foot speed are electric in transition. He attacks straight-line drives with a reckless abandon and doesn’t bat an eye if a bigger defender is in his way.
Rounding out his game will be an uphill battle, albeit not an unrealistic one. Thiero is a sometimes shooter with a slower release that could be workable enough to get by. He has moments of connective brilliance and displays quick touch on his passing. His unselfish approach is nonnegotiable for him—it’s hardwired into how he plays. Thiero seems willing to embrace an identity that best suits his strengths, and for that reason, his game is worth betting on.
SCOUTING REPORT BY J. Kyle Mann
Late-growth-spurt players are always fascinating to track, and Thiero’s transition from scrappy lead guard to a physically dominant forward-sized bully has been stunning to behold. Adou was 6 feet tall as a junior in high school and shot up to 6-foot-6 by the time John Calipari took a chance on him at Kentucky. Now, he’s a 6-foot-8 highlight machine on both ends of the floor with, by his account, nuanced skills that are still acclimating to the newfound power that he now wields.
Thiero is a chaos agent with a sky-high steal percentage and an appetite for deflections. When he played against fellow superathlete V.J. Edgecombe earlier this season, it was impossible to tell who was the likely lottery talent just by looking at them side by side. Broad-shouldered, with long arms and a chiseled frame, Thiero would raise eyebrows at an NFL combine. He also has a deep love for contact and will fearlessly hurl himself into any situation—which is partly why he’s missed stretches at both Kentucky and Arkansas. That physicality is the driving force behind much of his impact, as he’s primarily a finisher at this point, although the door is open for more. Among perimeter players, Thiero was the most dominant offensive rebounder in the country. His vertical pop and foot speed are electric in transition. He attacks straight-line drives with a reckless abandon and doesn’t bat an eye if a bigger defender is in his way.
Rounding out his game will be an uphill battle, albeit not an unrealistic one. Thiero is a sometimes shooter with a slower release that could be workable enough to get by. He has moments of connective brilliance and displays quick touch on his passing. His unselfish approach is nonnegotiable for him—it’s hardwired into how he plays. Thiero seems willing to embrace an identity that best suits his strengths, and for that reason, his game is worth betting on.
Re: Individual Daily Draft Prospect Discussion
-
Guru
- Analyst
- Posts: 3,698
- And1: 780
- Joined: Oct 29, 2001
Re: Individual Daily Draft Prospect Discussion
32 F-Cedric Coward-Wash St 5/14/2025
SCOUTING REPORT BY J. Kyle Mann
Coward looks the part. He’s got prototypical size for a perimeter player, a capital-T-shaped frame, long arms and huge hands, and a graceful way of gliding up and down the floor. It’s the kind of physical profile that you could find on an NBA court today. The question is whether he can connect the dots from tools to skills.
Coward’s path has been a long one: He started his college career in Division III, spent two years at Eastern Washington, and then transferred to Washington State. But over his three seasons at the Division I level, his shooting was unwaveringly good. At Eastern Washington, he ramped up the volume and improved his form, tightening the details and minimizing the dip in his release without affecting his effectiveness. He should be a solid spacer in the pros. As a handler and decision-maker, he’s still coming into his own. Because of those long arms, his control of the ball can be wobbly, but he has a knack for slithering to the rim, and his footwork in the paint is evolving. If his body continues to fill out, his potential combination of length, strength, and precision could be a hassle for opponents to deal with.
The hope is that the improvements to his footwork will translate on defense, too, where mirroring opponents in on-ball situations can be a challenge for him at times because of his decent but not spectacular lateral speed. Coward’s also skinny, to the point where stronger drivers can push through him. But if he gets bigger, he can use his length to bother shooters or snuff out finishers.
This past season was intended to be a validation tour for Coward, who followed coach David Riley from Eastern Washington to Washington State, but his chance to cement his status as a bigger prospect in a bigger conference was derailed in November, when he suffered a season-ending shoulder injury. It still might come: The 21-year-old committed to Duke on April 28. But he’s keeping his name in the draft, meaning there’s a chance he’ll never make it to Durham and head to the NBA instead. If he does make the leap to the pros this year, the team that lands him will be moonwalking in the war room: Coward has the upside to become a high-impact role player on both ends of the floor and could end up being one of the steals of the draft.
SCOUTING REPORT BY J. Kyle Mann
Coward looks the part. He’s got prototypical size for a perimeter player, a capital-T-shaped frame, long arms and huge hands, and a graceful way of gliding up and down the floor. It’s the kind of physical profile that you could find on an NBA court today. The question is whether he can connect the dots from tools to skills.
Coward’s path has been a long one: He started his college career in Division III, spent two years at Eastern Washington, and then transferred to Washington State. But over his three seasons at the Division I level, his shooting was unwaveringly good. At Eastern Washington, he ramped up the volume and improved his form, tightening the details and minimizing the dip in his release without affecting his effectiveness. He should be a solid spacer in the pros. As a handler and decision-maker, he’s still coming into his own. Because of those long arms, his control of the ball can be wobbly, but he has a knack for slithering to the rim, and his footwork in the paint is evolving. If his body continues to fill out, his potential combination of length, strength, and precision could be a hassle for opponents to deal with.
The hope is that the improvements to his footwork will translate on defense, too, where mirroring opponents in on-ball situations can be a challenge for him at times because of his decent but not spectacular lateral speed. Coward’s also skinny, to the point where stronger drivers can push through him. But if he gets bigger, he can use his length to bother shooters or snuff out finishers.
This past season was intended to be a validation tour for Coward, who followed coach David Riley from Eastern Washington to Washington State, but his chance to cement his status as a bigger prospect in a bigger conference was derailed in November, when he suffered a season-ending shoulder injury. It still might come: The 21-year-old committed to Duke on April 28. But he’s keeping his name in the draft, meaning there’s a chance he’ll never make it to Durham and head to the NBA instead. If he does make the leap to the pros this year, the team that lands him will be moonwalking in the war room: Coward has the upside to become a high-impact role player on both ends of the floor and could end up being one of the steals of the draft.