2025 Draft prospects - thread 2

[League Circles]

I’m not married to drafting a center in this draft at all. But there are plenty of very mobile “bigs” that can play a full court brand of basketball.

And Jalen Smith should be very much in consideration. He can run, can shoot threes, has a lot of positives IMO. He's the reason we shouldn't be desperate to reach for a C in theory - he's a recent #10 pick that's producing after all.

I agree with this 100%. I don't really talk about him much though because BD stopped playing him and I really have zero idea why. Not a BD hater (or lover), but I didn't understand his use of Smith in the second half of the season. Sure we added Collins, but by then Pat was either injured or significantly demoted. I don't get it. The opportunities were there.

I'm perhaps naively optimistic that the benching of Smith was a convenient way to just maximally "showcase" Vuc and Collins for summer trades, as they're less likely part of our future than Smith. I still gotta believe one of those two is gone. I'd also like to add one in the draft with either of our picks though cause Smith is far from a sure thing. Zikarsky in the 2nd round would be amazing and not implausible.

[drosestruts]

He's not the mobile big some are looking for (though I don't thinks hes bad in that regard) - but I still think Kalkbrenner is the best center in this draft.

Will protect the paint. Can score in the post, score off the pick and roll, good lob catcher and finisher. Decent 3-point shot.

Watch on YouTube

Would love if we traded down to get 2 picks and Kalk is one of them.

Do you think he'll last to early 2nd? I'd buy a pick. It should be a productive few bigs available past the first.

He's pretty high on my big board. I'd just draft him at 12

This team needs to win games and they need players that impact winning

I could care less if we get "low draft grades" from bloggers saying we reached for someone if that someone produces on the court - and I'm pretty confident Kalkbrenner will produce.

[Dan Z]

I’m not married to drafting a center in this draft at all. But there are plenty of very mobile “bigs” that can play a full court brand of basketball.

And Jalen Smith should be very much in consideration. He can run, can shoot threes, has a lot of positives IMO. He's the reason we shouldn't be desperate to reach for a C in theory - he's a recent #10 pick that's producing after all.

I agree with this 100%. I don't really talk about him much though because BD stopped playing him and I really have zero idea why. Not a BD hater (or lover), but I didn't understand his use of Smith in the second half of the season. Sure we added Collins, but by then Pat was either injured or significantly demoted. I don't get it. The opportunities were there.

It seems like he's been underrated his whole career. Phoenix declined his player option and traded him to Indiana for a 2nd round pick and Torrey Craig. Indiana played him, but let him walk (to be fair they have too many power forwards). Then, as you point out, Billy didn't play him that much.

It's strange.

[Chi town]

Great tape on Coward.

https://youtu.be/fgPHHRap0HQ?si=tUj0quH1vewr9zJz

[drosestruts]

Bulls were....

30th in Rim FGA allowed

30th in Opp points in the paint

26th in Rim FGA

26th in paint touches

24th in Offensive rebounds

I know you shouldn't draft for need, but Ryan Kalkbrenner helps solve a lot of those issues

[Chi town]

Would love if we traded down to get 2 picks and Kalk is one of them.

Do you think he'll last to early 2nd? I'd buy a pick. It should be a productive few bigs available past the first.

He's pretty high on my big board. I'd just draft him at 12

This team needs to win games and they need players that impact winning

I could care less if we get "low draft grades" from bloggers saying we reached for someone if that someone produces on the court - and I'm pretty confident Kalkbrenner will produce.

I see BroLo. Good player.

Don’t know how he fits in our speed pace.

[drosestruts]

Do you think he'll last to early 2nd? I'd buy a pick. It should be a productive few bigs available past the first.

He's pretty high on my big board. I'd just draft him at 12

This team needs to win games and they need players that impact winning

I could care less if we get "low draft grades" from bloggers saying we reached for someone if that someone produces on the court - and I'm pretty confident Kalkbrenner will produce.

I see BroLo. Good player.

Don’t know how he fits in our speed pace.

He'll be an improvement from Vuc in the speed department

I by no means think he's fast, but the play at ~45 seconds here show him blocking a shot, running the floor, then finishing an alley-oop. So again, not a speed demon or freak athlete, but he'll run the floor.

Watch on YouTube

[rosenthall]

Not a Sorber fan. The only non-mobile guy I’m interested in is Maluach who won’t be there.

I want runners.

Ouch. A surprising burn on Maluach from Duck. He's a big guy, but not lumbering like Vuce.

Watch on YouTube

These highlights are a little overhyped because they show Maluach hitting threes when in reality he has no perimeter game whatsoever, but those routine alley oop dunks should translate. He really CAN block, he really IS a rim runner.

He's not lumbering, but he's not a Gazelle either. If you compare him to other bigs that have been projected to go mid-lottery in the past, I think he's definitely in the bottom half of athletes in the list:

James Wiseman
Jaxson Hayes
Alexandre Sarr
Donovan Clingan
Dereck Lively
Chet
JJJ

I dunno......sometimes I kind of feel like I'm missing the point with Maluach. I see how he translates, but he looks like a Jacob Poeltl level prospect to me. Which is nice, but not something I salivate over.

[Bulls Fan 23]

I like Yanic Konan Niederhauser. Don't know if he will last to pick 45 tho. Athletic rim runner and shot blocker.

[Chi town]

Watching more Drake as AK always signals his moves. He’s def more than Dalen Terry as an athlete, shooter and scorer. I see more like Aaron Nesmith as elite defender on and off ball and a good transition player. I like how he shoots 3 when contested without hesitating. He has the athleticism for some future on ball get your own shot juice. Also think he could draw alot of fouls. His go to move is the double pull through and go ala Jimmy G Buckets. He def has more JDub in his game than Coward but Coward id much better player right now with a higher shooter ceiling but lower floor on ball.

I can totally see AK making life difficult on himself and drafting him at 12. I’m hoping he’s sending those signals so someone jumps ahead of us and drafts him and Demin.

Good video.

https://youtu.be/39Goae2zLu8?si=rn3kl5yOo1jDk2q1

[keobulls]

He's pretty high on my big board. I'd just draft him at 12

This team needs to win games and they need players that impact winning

I could care less if we get "low draft grades" from bloggers saying we reached for someone if that someone produces on the court - and I'm pretty confident Kalkbrenner will produce.

I see BroLo. Good player.

Don’t know how he fits in our speed pace.

He'll be an improvement from Vuc in the speed department

I by no means think he's fast, but the play at ~45 seconds here show him blocking a shot, running the floor, then finishing an alley-oop. So again, not a speed demon or freak athlete, but he'll run the floor.

I said I saw him as a BroLo/M.Turner mix. He is more nimble than BroLo in the following video. And I don't get why he doesn't get talked about physically the way Maluach does, they have basically identical measurements. Anyway, this is a long watch, but shows great detail of what he can do already:

Watch on YouTube

[samwana]

Noa Essengue can go coast to coast dribbling the ball and dunk on fools. Seen him do that multiple times in videos. That's incredible for a kid his size.
Also, passing ability is GREAT. Not having passing ability places limitations on any player.

He's playing in the German League, everyone that is a little bit more athletic looks amazing. Don't you remember Killian Hayes? He looked great in Ulm and just flamed out.
I would be very careful before I take a guy like Noa in the lottery. Yeah he dunks on fools, now imagine that fools being average NBA players, not much will be left of his abilities.

I actually had a different reaction to the Noa videos. The competition was so bad it made me think you can't get anything from watching the clips. He's grabbing rebounds, dribbling up court and meeting zero resistance at the rim or on the dribble at times. People play better D in an AU game. Not saying he can't be good, but the videos made me question the league he played in.

Absolutely right, that is just what I was saying.

[Chi town]

He's playing in the German League, everyone that is a little bit more athletic looks amazing. Don't you remember Killian Hayes? He looked great in Ulm and just flamed out.
I would be very careful before I take a guy like Noa in the lottery. Yeah he dunks on fools, now imagine that fools being average NBA players, not much will be left of his abilities.

I actually had a different reaction to the Noa videos. The competition was so bad it made me think you can't get anything from watching the clips. He's grabbing rebounds, dribbling up court and meeting zero resistance at the rim or on the dribble at times. People play better D in an AU game. Not saying he can't be good, but the videos made me question the league he played in.

Absolutely right, that is just what I was saying.

He looked pretty good at 17 putting up 20 on the Blazers in a preseason game last year. He always looks like he belongs.

[drosestruts]

I see BroLo. Good player.

Don’t know how he fits in our speed pace.

He'll be an improvement from Vuc in the speed department

I by no means think he's fast, but the play at ~45 seconds here show him blocking a shot, running the floor, then finishing an alley-oop. So again, not a speed demon or freak athlete, but he'll run the floor.

I said I saw him as a BroLo/M.Turner mix. He is more nimble than BroLo in the following video. And I don't get why he doesn't get talked about physically the way Maluach does, they have basically identical measurements. Anyway, this is a long watch, but shows great detail of what he can do already:

Watch on YouTube

I agree certainly more nimble. To me he's easily better than Maluach. And I don't really see a difference in cieling for them.

And we have games even from last year where Kalkbrenner and Creighton beight UConn (who had two top 10 picks).

Kalkbrenner had 15 points on 5-7 shooting (was also 5-7 from the line) and had 4 blocks (including a great rejection of Castle)

Watch on YouTube

Can he hang against NBA level talent? Looked pretty good in this game going against #1 UConn with Clingan and Castle.

[Chi town]

Good video on his feet on D here.

https://youtu.be/EYm_GBL0eoI?si=cW7Y73K1MDZuliwN

I’d take him over Sorber for sure. As much as I want Beringer u don’t think AK will pick a C that can’t shoot. He won’t go with a defense only player.

[Muzbar]

Kalkbrenner at 12 would be horrendous. If that's your target then trade back for him and get additional assets.

[Chi town]

Kalkbrenner at 12 would be horrendous. If that's your target then trade back for him and get additional assets.

Yeah. No way before 25. Trade for a late 1st. I do think he goes late 1st.

[DuckIII]

Watching more Drake as AK always signals his moves. He’s def more than Dalen Terry as an athlete, shooter and scorer. I see more like Aaron Nesmith as elite defender on and off ball and a good transition player. I like how he shoots 3 when contested without hesitating. He has the athleticism for some future on ball get your own shot juice. Also think he could draw alot of fouls. His go to move is the double pull through and go ala Jimmy G Buckets. He def has more JDub in his game than Coward but Coward id much better player right now with a higher shooter ceiling but lower floor on ball.

I can totally see AK making life difficult on himself and drafting him at 12. I’m hoping he’s sending those signals so someone jumps ahead of us and drafts him and Demin.

Good video.

https://youtu.be/39Goae2zLu8?si=rn3kl5yOo1jDk2q1

If we’re going for this player type I prefer Bryant.

[keobulls]

Kalkbrenner at 12 would be horrendous. If that's your target then trade back for him and get additional assets.

Yeah. No way before 25. Trade for a late 1st. I do think he goes late 1st.

If Kalkbrenner is a "no way before 25", why does Maluach get top 10 love? Just because he is 4 years younger? From all I have seen you would wish that Maluach could be in 4 years what Kalkbrenner is now, no? (not saying you are propping up Maluach, just honestly don't understand the difference in mock positions)

[2weekswithpay]

Kalkbrenner at 12 would be horrendous. If that's your target then trade back for him and get additional assets.

Yeah. No way before 25. Trade for a late 1st. I do think he goes late 1st.

If Kalkbrenner is a "no way before 25", why does Maluach get top 10 love? Just because he is 4 years younger? From all I have seen you would wish that Maluach could be in 4 years what Kalkbrenner is now, no? (not saying you are propping up Maluach, just honestly don't understand the difference in mock positions)

Ages 19-23 are important in a player's development. I think front offices underrate older prospects, but it's worth mentioning that many older prospects are passed over by their younger peers within 2-3 years. Maluach is better than Kalkbrenner was at the same age. I wouldn't rule out Maluach being better than Kalkbrenner by year 3.