Individual Daily Draft Prospect Discussion/Index

[Guru]

I had proposed a thread where we pick a day, collectively discuss one draft prospect, and then move on to the next day. The other Draft prospect thread is great, but by its nature, it's disjointed, and that's what makes it great. I'm hopeful this can be its own stand-alone thread and complement that one.

I originally had the order of my list, but changed it to alphabetical.

C-Joan Beringer-Slovenia 5/5/2025(Page 8)
F-Carter Bryant-Arizona 4/27/2025 (Page 6)
G-Miles Byrd-SD State 5/16/2025 (Page 9)XXXXXXXOPT OUT
G-Walter Clayton-Florida 5/12/2025 (Page 8)
F-Nique Clifford-Colorado St 5/7/2025 (Page 8)
C-Alex Condon-Florida 5/20/2025 (Page 9)XXXXXXXOPT OUT
F-Cedric Coward-Wash St 5/14/2025 (Page 8)
G-Egor Demin-BYU 5/3/2025 (Page 7)
F-Noa Essengue-Germany 4/25/2025 (Page 5)
G-Jeremiah Fears-Oklahoma 4/17/2025 (Page 1)
W-Rasheer Fleming-St Joseph's 4/26/2025 (Page 6)
W-Hugo Gonzalez-Spain 5/24/2025 (Page 9)
PG-Kasparas Jakuciois-Illinois 4/23/2025 (Page 4)
G-Tre Johnson-Texas 4/18/2025 (Page 1)
C-Ryan Kalkbrenner-Creighton 5/18/2025 (Page 9)
W-Kon Kneuppel-Duke 4/22/2025 (Page 3)
F-Yaxel Landeborg-UAB 4/29/2025 (Page 7)XXXXXXXOPT OUT
C-Khaman Maluach-Duke 4/24/2025 (Page 4)
F-Liam McNeeley-Uconn 5/4/2025 (Page 8)
F-Collin Murray-Boyles-S Carolina 4/20/2025 (Page 2)
F-Asa Newell-Georgia 5/1/2025 (Page 7)
F-Noah Penda-France 5/9/2025 (Page 8)
G-Tahaad Pettiford-Auburn 5/15/2025 (Page 9)XXXXXXXOPT OUT
G-Labaron Philon-Alabama 4/28/2025 (Page 6)XXXXXXXOPT OUT
F-Drake Powell-NC 5/29/2025 (Page 9)
C-Derik Queen-Maryland 4/19/2025 (Page 1)
C-Maxime Raynaud-Stanford 5/11/2025 (Page 8)
G-Jase Richardson-Michigan St 4/21/2025 (Page 2)
W-Will Riley-Illinois 5/6/2025(Page 8)
G-Ben Saraf-Israel 5/8/2025 (Page 8)
C-Thomas Sorber-Georgetown 5/2/2025 (Page 7)
F-Adou Thiero-Arkansas 5/13/2025 (Page 8)
G-Nolan Traore-France 5/10/2025 (Page 8)
C-Danny Wolf-Michigan 4/30/2025 (Page 7)
C-Hansen Yang-China 5/17/2025 (Page 9)
C-Rocco Zikarsky-Australia 5/30/2025 (Page 9)

[Guru]

5 G-Jeremiah Fears-Oklahoma 4/17/2025

The Ringer Scouting report
SCOUTING REPORT BY Danny Chau
Fears presents a strong case against nominative determinism. The young Sooner, in defiance of his name, plays with determination and audacity. He invites physicality on drives, using the force of his downhill velocity to shield him from the contact that awaits him near the basket. If you factor in both ball and body control, there might not be another prospect with a better first step and handle in the class. The ability to consistently pressure the rim is one of the most sought-after skills in basketball, and Fears has a natural blend of top-end speed, slithery pacing, and relentless attitude. He has some of the hard parts down pat. The rest is a work in progress.

Although one of the youngest prospects in the draft, not turning 19 until mid-October, Fears had the highest usage rate of any freshman in the nation. There are a few things that come with that territory. For starters, he turns the ball over a ton. And while he can be an effective playmaker, he often finds openings for his teammates as a by-product of his physical skills rather than creatively processing several frames ahead. He confidently takes deep, NBA-range pull-up jumpers, but his accuracy has been brutal outside of a few streaky performances. He gets into the paint with ease and draws fouls at an excellent rate for a player his size—even better than either Ja Morant or Damian Lillard in their final college seasons—but he’s not a particularly nuanced finisher once he gets to the rim, hampered by a lack of strength and unremarkable vertical explosiveness. He expertly shifts gears and changes speeds with the ball moving downhill, but it’s when he’s set his mind on scoring around the basket that he runs into the young man’s tendency of playing too fast. He hasn’t acquired the full decelerative tool kit yet, and it occasionally shows in the lack of control he has going up with the ball.

That’s a lot of buts! But—when it all clicks? When the controlled handle couples with the speed as he turns the corner, when the pull-up game is aligned just so, he has the look of a top-five prospect with clear pathways to stardom. With refinement of his jumper and some time spent building his core and lower body strength, Fears has the makings of a potent lead guard. Without them, Fears’s glaringly obvious gifts could get obscured at the next level.

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[Guru]

I have been all over the place on Fears. At first I thought he was too small. Then you realize how rare his offensive skills are, especially for such a young player. To me he falls in the risk but very high reward guy. He could end up amongst the top group in the right situation.

[drosestruts]

Not very high on Fears and think he's all potential and ifs. I can't think of a single thing he does well enough to contribute at on day 1.

He can't shoot. He can't finish at the rim. He's not a particularly good playmaker. His athletic advantages at the college level immediately decrease the moment he steps on the court in the NBA.

If you draft Fears, you're basically throwing a hail mary that he becomes a completley different player than what he is today.

[Guru]

Not very high on Fears and think he's all potential and ifs. I can't think of a single thing he does well enough to contribute at on day 1.

He can't shoot. He can't finish at the rim. He's not a particularly good playmaker. His athletic advantages at the college level immediately decrease the moment he steps on the court in the NBA.

If you draft Fears, you're basically throwing a hail mary that he becomes a completley different player than what he is today.

He's polarizing for sure. His ability to attack the basket is pretty rare and he would be great in transition. Much of the other stuff is a projection. He had a great postseason.

[Guru]

6 G-Tre Johnson-Texas 4/18/2025

SCOUTING REPORT BY J. Kyle Mann
Johnson is one of the Real Hooper champions of this draft, a player sure to spawn swarms of feisty Twitter warriors huffing the fumes of the unbelievable highlight reels of him scoring in every which way. Falling down, spinning over either shoulder, hand glued to his face—it doesn’t seem to matter. Johnson is the most talented pure scorer in this class. His production as a freshman in the cold and ruthless SEC tournament was undeniably impressive, but his team’s success was very up-and-down. This raises a question: Has he been put in a tough position because of the quality of his roster (or his coaching), or has his roster been put in a tough position because of his style of play?

Johnson’s intoxicating combination of size and scoring gives him the look of a primary offensive option at the highest levels, but his tools may be better suited for a different role. Johnson’s speed, mobility, and dynamism as a shooter give him immense gravity on the floor, which should translate immediately to the NBA level. He’s also flashed some signs that he could become a nifty passer within the flow of an offense. Overall, he’s what I like to call a “pilot light” guy—someone who burns hot enough to fuel an entire offense … but can also burn everything down if the flame isn’t controlled. My instinct would be to put him in a position where his voracious scoring appetite can run wild, primarily working when the ball is swung to him, moving off the ball, or attacking switches where he has an advantage.

Because of his higher center of gravity, narrower side-to-side range in his handle (he’s particularly weak going left), and decent-but-not-super speed from a standstill, Johnson is doing the bulk of his work beyond the arc and facing up in the midrange. It’s good to have size if you’re going to play that way, and he does. At 6-foot-6 with a 6-foot-10 wingspan, he’s got the frame and the type of high release point on his shot that allow him to reach into the tool bag and get to work whenever he wants. On that front, he’s been very effective this season: Through 33 games (17 in conference) at decent volume, he’s been incredibly effective from 3 in transition, handling it in the pick-and-roll, and coming off screens. He’s a threat with the ball and is a creative and angular scorer, although his rim pressure could stand to improve, which eats into his opportunities at the line. Tre is like that “Wolverine looking at a picture frame” meme, and his pull-up jumper is what’s in the frame. This leads to a lot of settling: Through 33 games, Johnson has taken 95 dribble pull-up 2s and 99 dribble 3s, but only 80 total shots at the rim.

Johnson’s frame and attentiveness can be a challenge defensively as well. He’s not particularly disruptive creating deflections or turnovers. Screen awareness and navigation are a challenge for all young perimeter players, so it’s not a surprise that Tre will have stretches when it seems like his attentiveness is causing his feet to be behind the play and his arms and hands are trying to do the catching up, which has caused him to be fairly foul prone.

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[coldfish]

Good thread

[Chi town]

Good thread

Was thinking the same thing.

Thanks Guru.


Fears is a great FT shooter and is elite at getting them. I think his 3 ball will become above average and now you have a player that can really score. His ceiling is right there with VJ and Ace.

[Chi town]

As for Tre. His shooting is so elite and his handle is so good that his floor is relatively high. High IQ on both ends but will be sub par on D for a while.

If AK does trade Coby he’s the only guy in the draft I think could replace him in time and fit well with Giddey.

[2weekswithpay]

Different perspective.

Tre can't create struggles to create separation from defenders and doesn't get to the rim.

He's a better passer than given credit for, but not someone who will initiate the offense.

Not bad size, but he's a non-factor on defense.

Volume scoring is important, but if you can't defend or create enough separation to draw an extra defender, what role do you have? A one-way off-ball SG.

[Rose2Boozer]

How can you not love Jeremiah Fears. He handles the ball effortlessly, his attack vision is top notch, and his speed and ability to get downhill will enhance his playmaking. When I watched Fears, I always kept in mind he's a reclass. Fears should've been dominating high school players, but he played his way into top ten lottery status. The fact that he's only a couple months older than Cooper Flagg shouldn't go unnoticed. I've had him mocked to the Brooklyn Nets for quite some time. A backcourt of Jeremiah Fears and Cam Thomas is problems for opposing defenses.

My NBA comp for Jeremiah Fears

Spoiler:

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[Chi town]

Different perspective.

Tre can't create struggles to create separation from defenders and doesn't get to the rim.

He's a better passer than given credit for, but not someone who will initiate the offense.

Not bad size, but he's a non-factor on defense.

Volume scoring is important, but if you can't defend or create enough separation to draw an extra defender, what role do you have? A one-way off-ball SG.

How many full games did you watch?

Dude barely touched the ball when it was t a CS because his guards were awful chucks.

He can get separation on his jumper anytime. His handle is really good and he knows how to use it. Hes very smart and knows how manipulate the D TJ get to his spots. I think he will be more than an elite movement shooter. I think he will get FTs and middies. He’d be electric in this offense.

[Chi town]

How can you not love Jeremiah Fears. He handles the ball effortlessly, his attack vision is top notch, and his speed and ability to get downhill will enhance his playmaking. When I watched Fears, I always kept in mind he's a reclass. Fears should've been dominating high school players, but he played his way into top ten lottery status. The fact that he's only a couple months older than Cooper Flagg shouldn't go unnoticed. I've had him mocked to the Brooklyn Nets for quite some time. A backcourt of Jeremiah Fears and Cam Thomas is problems for opposing defenses.

My NBA comp for Jeremiah Fears

Spoiler:

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I see Fears as a reverse Lillard. More rim pressure but over time he will learn to get lots of 3s with that handle.

[2weekswithpay]

Different perspective.

Tre can't create struggles to create separation from defenders and doesn't get to the rim.

He's a better passer than given credit for, but not someone who will initiate the offense.

Not bad size, but he's a non-factor on defense.

Volume scoring is important, but if you can't defend or create enough separation to draw an extra defender, what role do you have? A one-way off-ball SG.

How many full games did you watch?

Dude barely touched the ball when it was t a CS because his guards were awful chucks.

He can get separation on his jumper anytime. His handle is really good and he knows how to use it. Hes very smart and knows how manipulate the D TJ get to his spots. I think he will be more than an elite movement shooter. I think he will get FTs and middies. He’d be electric in this offense.

Tre John had the 4th highest usage among high-major freshmen. The players higher than him were Fears, Flagg, and Harper. Only 18% of Tre's non-paint 2pt shots were assisted on. He's had plenty of on-ball reps over the season.

The best measure of separation is the ability to get to the rim IMO. I posted this image in the first draft thread, and Tre didn't get to the rim much. Someone who creates separation shouldn't rely on contested jumpers so much. Tre didn't get to the line much in college, and players who don't get FTs in college usually don't get to the line much in the NBA.

[Chi town]

2Weeks. FT rate in college to pro normally does translate. Agree.

If Tre is to become an elite scorer he will have to get 6-7 FTs per game and that won’t come right away if it does. Much like Giddey and Coby took time.

My point is he can get plenty of separation to get clean looks and his ability off the bounce to do that for 3s I think will be top shelf and very valuable.

[2weekswithpay]

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[Guru]

Fears and Tre and the next guy all fall under the same category for me. Offensive game is so strong that defensive shortcomings can be overlooked...for most/many teams

[Rose2Boozer]

We don't know how the lottery will play out, but if Flagg and Harper are off the board when the Hornets pick, I don't know how they pass on Johnson. Tre Johnson brings very good size and athleticism for the position, and an advanced skill level. I think that Texas team was holding him back. I can only imagine Tre Johnson's game with teammates who are threats, and NBA level spacing. IMO, he's a no brainer type of prospect. There's no need to overthink it, and let this kid end up torching you for 40 points in the future.

I'm probably jumping out the window with this NBA comp, but I see Tre Johnson as a taller more athletic:

Spoiler:

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[Guru]

7 C-Derik Queen-Maryland 4/19/2025

Yas Queen!

SCOUTING REPORT BY J. Kyle Mann
Queen is one of the tougher calls in this draft class—a true glass-half-full-or-empty player. He’s an older freshman, having turned 20 years old in December, but he’s also a balletic behemoth, with uncommon nimbleness in open space and surprising balance and body control when he’s driving to the rim.

Queen’s hands and touch are among his best physical qualities. He has a real knack for extracting rebounds out of the chaos around the basket, even if he manages to get only a fingertip on the ball. He’s just as clever and accurate with those mitts on defense and can create deflections or strip a driver without fouling. That said, he’s not exactly a deterrent around the rim; he’s mostly ground bound on defense and will have stretches when you’re left wondering, “Why didn’t he even attempt to go for that?” But a moment later, he can surprise with his ability to move with smaller players in ways that a lot of bigs cannot. So while he’s rarely, if ever, making the emphatic block over the top, he’s capable of snuffing out attempts at ground level before they happen.

That touch carries over into his offensive game and is particularly visible in his passing. Few big guys in this draft, if any, can go toe to toe with Queen when it comes to overall passing tools. He’s produced some eye-popping moments this season with his passing touch, whether in tight spaces around the rim, firing a laser to a cutting teammate, or rifling one-handed skips to shooters on the opposite side who are spotting up.

We expect prospect bigs who play strictly inside the arc to be highly efficient scorers—after all, they’re playing right near the rim. Typically, we’d want a big’s 2-point percentage to be north of 65, but Queen has shot only 55.8 percent inside the arc. But there’s some important context to consider. For one, when he’s actually at the rim, he’s great—68.4 percent there and 48.8 percent in the paint overall. For another, he played a large percentage of his minutes with Julian Reese, a rim-running, post-up big. As a result, Queen attempted way more 15- to 18-foot 2-pointers than he should have. I don’t see Queen ever becoming a dynamic shooter, but when his feet are set, he has the touch, energy transfer, and release point to eventually turn those long 2s into 3s. He’s also smooth and looks the part from the free throw line, at 75.5 percent on 208 attempts.

Overall, scouting Queen is a never-ending back-and-forth between marveling over his skill and fretting over how he’ll adapt to the NBA—the speed of the game, the size of the athletes, the ruthless accountability. If he doesn’t become a semi-dependable shooter or a lob threat, what are the conditions in which he’d thrive? There are still too many instances when, because of his lapses in attention to detail, he leaves opportunities on the table for his talent to impact the game. To maximize who he can be, Queen will have to find a way to adopt a mentality of doing his work early as opposed to waiting until a situation is dire before he springs into action.

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[2weekswithpay]

Not the sexiest comparison, but I think Horford would be a better outcome for Queen than who we normally see Queen compared to. At 38 years old, Horford still plays high-leverage minutes for a contender. He can pass, shoot, switch, and play both big positions in the Celtics' defensive scheme. I don't think Queen lacks the foot speed to switch, although he plays too upright IMO, which makes it harder for him to defend drives. Queen has to improve his intensity, positioning, and overall awareness on defense. Against Michigan, Queen was in no man's land with 5 seconds on the clock in a 1 score game. Queen has more offensive upside, but the offensive upside may not be worth it if the trade-off is a neutral defender at best.

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I see the Sengun and Sabonis comparisons, and both are good players, and drafting a good player is always better than drafting a bust, but Sabonis has clear limitations that make him a non-factor in big games. I believe his defense is better than people think against the Kings; the Warriors had an offensive rating of 112.8 in their 2023 playoff match-up. 3.3 points less than their regular season offensive rating. The Kings' defense was fine, the big issue was Sabonis' 16ppg on 52% TS. Sabonis isn't good enough at scoring to leverage his passing, combined with his average at best defense.