Ford Mock 6.0 #2 Embiid

[JayMKE]

We don't have to find a PG this draft, I don't really like anybody besides Smart and realistically we probably aren't going to get him anyways. This rebuild isn't 1 and done, it's going to take time and maybe another tank. Hopefully we take him some home run swings in the 2nd round.

[breakchains]

All this debate over Jabari's position makes me more sold on Wiggins. We know he can play 2 or 3 easily within a conventional lineup.

I think it's all overblown. Parker will be a walking mismatch on offense. He already has a post game against conventional 3's, and if you're big, he will blow by you, or pull up on you. On defense, he won't be nearly as overmatched as some suggest IMO, and we have two of the better rim protectors behind him, and one of the best weakside shot blockers in the game playing aside him as well.

My main concern with Parker is a worry regarding him committing himself to building up his body and the potential that he "lets himself go". If he commits to the gym/diet, he will be a total monster.

[El Pooch Grande]

All this debate over Jabari's position makes me more sold on Wiggins. We know he can play 2 or 3 easily within a conventional lineup.

I think it's all overblown. Parker will be a walking mismatch on offense. He already has a post game against conventional 3's, and if you're big, he will blow by you, or pull up on you. On defense, he won't be nearly as overmatched as some suggest IMO, and we have two of the better rim protectors behind him, and one of the best weakside shot blockers in the game playing aside him as well.

My main concern with Parker is a worry regarding him committing himself to building up his body and the potential that he "lets himself go". If he commits to the gym/diet, he will be a total monster.

Totally agree. And Parker is a person with the "it" factor attitude. I can't see him not committed to a gym/diet to better his game. He has the charisma, the intangibles. His personality is basically that of Grant Hill. That is why he is such a safe pick. You KNOW he is going to work hard.

[RiotPunch]

As much as I love Exum, and I do a lot, Parker has really distanced himself as my clear-cut #3. I'll be happy as a clam with either of the Jayhawks or Parker.

[Max Green]

Let's not act like Wiggins won't go through his share of growing pains if he plays the 2. He will have to improve his ball handling, play-making and lack of consistent jumper if he's gonna thrive as a Shooting Guard.

[AussieBuck]

All this debate over Jabari's position makes me more sold on Wiggins. We know he can play 2 or 3 easily within a conventional lineup.

Parker is a good size for a PF and he'd be more athletic than 90% of the guys at his position. For the guys who like him more as a SF you draft him and put him at PF while he gets his game and body in shape to play the 3. A couple of years down the line he can be your three while Giannis moves to the 4 where he'll compare favourably to KG in size. If his game doesn't translate to SF that well Giannis can stay there.

[buckboy]

We don't have to find a PG this draft, I don't really like anybody besides Smart and realistically we probably aren't going to get him anyways. This rebuild isn't 1 and done, it's going to take time and maybe another tank. Hopefully we take him some home run swings in the 2nd round.

I agree with this sentiment. Point guard is not a huge priority in this draft. BPAx4.

[VooDoo7]

Let's not act like Wiggins won't go through his share of growing pains if he plays the 2. He will have to improve his ball handling, play-making and lack of consistent jumper if he's gonna thrive as a Shooting Guard.

I like everybody knows all rookies will go thru some growing pains.

[skones]

I just don't see Wiggins at the 2 long term at all. I think he settles in at the three.

[Max Green]

Let's not act like Wiggins won't go through his share of growing pains if he plays the 2. He will have to improve his ball handling, play-making and lack of consistent jumper if he's gonna thrive as a Shooting Guard.

I like everybody knows all rookies will go thru some growing pains.

Hell, I can't tell by reading some of the replies in this thread.

[paulpressey25]

Here are my negatives on Jabari:

Foot fracture in high school
Not sure of position
May be defensive slug
I don't take for fact he would never go on a mission.


Positives:
From Chicago
Floor is Big Dog
The guy does sort of remind me if a poor man's LeBron. I mean that in a good way.

You guys need to keep selling me though. If we had pick #3 I'd be thrilled with him.

[SkilesTheLimit]

All this debate over Jabari's position makes me more sold on Wiggins.

Don't let 'positions' sway you.

I'm not a Coach K enthusiast but I loved the quote from his SI piece on Jabari written by Jeff Benedict several months ago:

"The great ones -- Durant, LeBron, Kobe, Carmelo -- don't have positions," Krzyzewski said. Jabari nodded. "You're a great player. And at Duke you will be a player without a position."

Then Krzyzewski offered an analogy: "If you put a plant in a pot, it might take the shape of the pot. But if you put a great plant in great soil and let it go, some crazy good things can happen. If I put you in a box and call you a two or a three, that would be a pretty good box. But if I give you the freedom to play multiple areas, there wouldn't be a box. You would be growing up everywhere."


Read More: http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/colleg ... z334gFt8ZG

[El Pooch Grande]

I know these likely have all been posted earlier in the thread, but for those who don't have the time to scroll through the previous 90 pages, below you will find videos of last weekend's workouts in Southern California of Embiid, Parker and Wiggins.

Wiggins' video piece is not on Youtube, but ESPN.com, and includes an interview with him by Chad Ford.

My biggest takeaway? The talk about Parker's weight has been greatly exaggerated. Dude looks like a potential physical monster as he develops into a young man with NBA weight room training. Wiggins looked good in his shot and Embiid looked like Embiid (a generational talent with the back question still lingering).

Watch and judge for yourself my fellow RealGMers!

Jabari Parker:
[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DSDl9JF5hvU[/youtube]

Joel Embiid:
[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Gp7PX7hYUFQ[/youtube]

Andrew Wiggins:
http://insider.espn.go.com/nba/draft2014/story/_/id/10988987/andrew-wiggins-joel-embiid-jabari-parker-all-play-no-1-pick-nba-draft

[El Pooch Grande]

Milwaukee Bucks director of scouting Billy McKinney spoke to the media following Tuesday’s pre-draft workout at the team’s practice facility. While the workout included six likely second-round prospects, McKinney spoke about his experience watching Joel Embiid and Jabari Parker – both very much in play for the Bucks at No. 2 overall – over the past week.

“We saw a lot of players over the last several days,” McKinney said, noting Embiid and Parker, specifically. “There was some rumor going around at the pre-draft camp that Jabari Parker had gained 20 to 25 pounds. And that’s kind of gamesmanship of the draft; he looked fantastic, from a physical standpoint.”

http://behindthebuckpass.com/2014/05/28/joel-embiid-jabari-parker-impress-bucks-workouts/

[MrPerfect1]

All this debate over Jabari's position makes me more sold on Wiggins. We know he can play 2 or 3 easily within a conventional lineup.

I think it's all overblown. Parker will be a walking mismatch on offense. He already has a post game against conventional 3's, and if you're big, he will blow by you, or pull up on you. On defense, he won't be nearly as overmatched as some suggest IMO, and we have two of the better rim protectors behind him, and one of the best weakside shot blockers in the game playing aside him as well.

My main concern with Parker is a worry regarding him committing himself to building up his body and the potential that he "lets himself go". If he commits to the gym/diet, he will be a total monster.

Totally agree. And Parker is a person with the "it" factor attitude. I can't see him not committed to a gym/diet to better his game. He has the charisma, the intangibles. His personality is basically that of Grant Hill. That is why he is such a safe pick. You KNOW he is going to work hard.

The "It" factor is very debatable. Supposedly Melo had it coming out of college and he is an egregious chucker who regularly shoots his team out of games. Many who had "It" in college suddenly seem to lose it in the Pros

[skones]

All this debate over Jabari's position makes me more sold on Wiggins.

Don't let 'positions' sway you.

I'm not a Coach K enthusiast but I loved the quote from his SI piece on Jabari written by Jeff Benedict several months ago:

"The great ones -- Durant, LeBron, Kobe, Carmelo -- don't have positions," Krzyzewski said. Jabari nodded. "You're a great player. And at Duke you will be a player without a position."

Then Krzyzewski offered an analogy: "If you put a plant in a pot, it might take the shape of the pot. But if you put a great plant in great soil and let it go, some crazy good things can happen. If I put you in a box and call you a two or a three, that would be a pretty good box. But if I give you the freedom to play multiple areas, there wouldn't be a box. You would be growing up everywhere."


Read More: http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/colleg ... z334gFt8ZG

I think Coach K demonstrated this with Parker based on his style of play at the beginning of the season vs. his style of play at the end. The fact that Parker made that large of an alteration and did it successfully midseason speaks volumes, at least to me, with regards to his ability to learn the game and be coached. It's the sign of a very very smart player IMO.

With an established training regimen in place, I think Parker embraces it, gets his body in the right place, and will eventually dispel the notion that he's the worst defender of all time at small forward (which is what it sounds like at times on this board), though him embracing it is more of a hunch than anything else.

[RiotPunch]

Henson and Parker are not allowed to be friends if we draft Jabari.

[El Pooch Grande]

I think it's all overblown. Parker will be a walking mismatch on offense. He already has a post game against conventional 3's, and if you're big, he will blow by you, or pull up on you. On defense, he won't be nearly as overmatched as some suggest IMO, and we have two of the better rim protectors behind him, and one of the best weakside shot blockers in the game playing aside him as well.

My main concern with Parker is a worry regarding him committing himself to building up his body and the potential that he "lets himself go". If he commits to the gym/diet, he will be a total monster.

Totally agree. And Parker is a person with the "it" factor attitude. I can't see him not committed to a gym/diet to better his game. He has the charisma, the intangibles. His personality is basically that of Grant Hill. That is why he is such a safe pick. You KNOW he is going to work hard.

The "It" factor is very debatable. Supposedly Melo had it coming out of college and he is an egregious chucker who regularly shoots his team out of games. Many who had "It" in college suddenly seem to lose it in the Pros

I would wager that Jabari Parker's basketball IQ, as well as non-basketball IQ, is vastly higher than Carmelo Anthony's. Jabari is a worldly human being with ulterior interests who comes from a well-to-do family who's Dad played in the NBA. Jabari's attitude/IQ/upbringing far more resembles that of Kobe Bryant's than Carmelo's.

[craig]

The "it" factor is important, but I question whether Parker really has it. Guys with the really competitive, intense "it" factor don't tend to be lazy on defense. If Parker's defense has been sometimes a function of effort more than ability, that doesn't encourage.

The "it" thing also seems important for our particular situation as a losing team. We're going to remain a losing team for another couple of years. I want a guy who has the extreme determination and will to change all that, and to lift everything up. As opposed to a guy who, come January and below .500, doesn't have enough "it" to still be able to play great defense, or make good shot decisions, or to sustain defensive intensity for 24 seconds per possession every possession of the game.

Easy to get into a dog approach when you'll be playing for a high-lottery team for a couple of years at least.

[Licensed to Il]

Just my opinion, but Jabari is Carmello Anthony. Many discount the comparison with concerns that Parker is less athletic and has a worse first step. I can't remember a perimeter guy who was as big, skilled, and strong as Jabari at 19 years old. I would take Embiid first, but Jabari second without a pause. Has the talent to lead the league in scoring once / if Durant ever slows down.