College players thread/ Draft Related thread

[big3_8_19_21]

Our 3rd PG next yr should be Ben Woodside

He's fun to watch. This game is amazing. He really has a feel for change of pace moves.

Woodside at least earned himself a summer league slot somewhere with that monster performance. I still don't think he'll be an NBA PG, but I admit that I could be wrong. I just think his physical tools aren't good enough. I would love to give him a look in the summer league, though.

[PeeDee]

Hopefully Wake's early exit means that the Wolves don't value Teague as much. I really don't like him for this team.

Also, DeRozan had another good game. He's really come on lately.

[revprodeji]

Teague lost primary ball handling responsibilities a while ago. There is no way he is a legit pg prospect.

Budinger with the uta/Bos pick if we moved Miller in a trade would be ok.

[big3_8_19_21]

The more I think about it, the more and more I like Woodside, but I'm trying not to get my expectations too high. I guess I always knew he was good, but I kind of wrote him off since he goes to NDSU. But just his pure shooting ability combined with his quickness, which he just used to blow by any Kansas defender, screen or no screen and his good court vision...DX compared him to Jose Juan Barea, which isn't a bad comparison, except Woodside is a much better shooter. Putting up 37 points on Kansas and doing it shooting over 50% from the field, plus drawing 10 FT's...that's not Summit League team that Woodside did that against. Granted he had 2 assists and 6 TO's, but he HAD to play the way he did for the Bison to even have a chance at keeping it close. He's shown in the past that 2 assists/6 TO's is not what you would expect normally.

[Krapinsky]

Rev--

Check out what DX had to say about your boy Holiday:

"UCLA’s other backcourt starter, Jrue Holiday, was unable to build on the strong showing he had against VCU on Thursday, having a particularly awful second half. He finished the game 1/6 from the field and 1/3 from the line, with 6 assists and 4 turnovers. His shot-selection and decision making skills looked very questionable, as he forced the issue on a couple of bad 3-point attempts, and also committed some bone-headed turnovers. It’s pretty evident that Holiday isn’t quite as good right now as some people (ourselves included) had him pegged going into the season, as he’s not at anywhere near the level of other fab-freshmen we’ve become accustomed to over the past few seasons. Combine that with the fact that Holiday isn’t all that naturally gifted from a physical standpoint—being an average athlete by NBA standards—and it’s safe to say that he would be well served returning for another year of college basketball. Holiday’s point guard skills, perimeter shooting ability and decision making need a lot of polish, and since he won’t be deemed to have quite as much upside as other combo guards in this draft (such as Jeff Teague for example) he’s no lock to be drafted in the lottery, or maybe even the top 20? That’s not just a gut reaction based on one poor game today—he’s been very disappointing for the last six weeks now, as a few NBA people have pointed that out to us. "

http://www.draftexpress.com/blog/Jonath ... hree--3143

[Krapinsky]

^^^In the same blog, there's a note on Thabeet:

"The box-score indicates that Hasheem Thabeet wasn’t much of a factor, as he has just 6 points, 1 rebound, 3 fouls and no blocks in 13 minutes. We just saw him getting schooled badly in the post on one possession by Chinemelu Elonu, DeJuan Blair style. "

[Krapinsky]

Turner says he's returning.

[revprodeji]

Mayo said he was after the tourney last year too.

[Klomp]

AJ Price anyone? Had a real good game today 27 pts, 5 reb, 8 ast

[Krapinsky]

Mayo said he was after the tourney last year too.

"Will O.J. Mayo return to USC?

O.J. Mayo wouldn't say whether he would return for a second season of college basketball following the final game of his freshman year, but the USC guard was emphatic about one thing: The Trojans need more quality big men.
Mayo said the Trojans could get the help they need from DeMar DeRozan, a 6-foot-6 swingman from Compton High who will join the Trojans next season. Asked whether he would consider coming back to play alongside the fellow McDonald's All-American, Mayo said, "DeMar's a good player. . . . I'll look at that."
Mayo said there was no timetable for when he would make a decision about whether to return or make himself available for the NBA draft. Gibson also declined to address his status for next season."

Source: Los Angeles Times

http://rivals.yahoo.com/ncaa/basketball ... caab,72853

[Jonathan Watters]

Dr Krap - it never ceases to amaze me what people come up with around here...

[revprodeji]

I know Watters would rather eat rusty nails before affirming something I said, but after the NCAA game I got txts from people claiming mayo said he was staying.

[Krapinsky]

I know Watters would rather eat rusty nails before affirming something I said, but after the NCAA game I got txts from people claiming mayo said he was staying.

Well as far as Mayo goes, I've said before that I am a USC grad and still live about 4 miles from the campus and still have plenty of friends that still go there. Taj Gibson and two other USC basketball players actually rushed and joined my former frat. I follow SC very closely, go to the occasional game and listen to sports talk radio in LA whenever I'm in the car.

I don't doubt that people texted you, but I am pretty sure any rumors of him returning were unfounded. I do know that during the season he did often say he was probably going to return, but at the time it's pretty much the PC thing to say. Those in the know knew all along he was going to be a one and done. Even Tim Flloyd never said anything publicly about the possibility of him ever returning.

Anyways, it doesn't really matter. The point is I think Turner will probably return. First, because he said so. And second, because he has a lot to gain. He probably has lottery potential right now, but next year he very well could be a top 5 pick. If Mullens decides to return as well (he stated he was still thinking about it), Ohio state could be a final four contender next year.

[Rakocevicftw]

By Scott Wolf on March 8, 2008 3:04 PM | Permalink | Comments (8) | ShareThis

Freshman guard O.J. Mayo said after the game that as of right now, he intends to return next season, but note the words, ``so far.'' in his quotes.
``So far, I'll be back next year. Classes-wise I'm scheduling for summer school in the next two weeks. So far, I'll be returning.''
Mayo was asked what would cause him to change his mind?
``I don't know. I think it's kind of selfish to worry about what I'm going to do next year. We had a great win
here against Stanford and we're trying to get ready for the Pac-10 Tournament.''

[Rakocevicftw]

Never ever believe what a player says about coming back.

I remember people thought Carmelo Anthony was coming back!

[Jonathan Watters]

I know Watters would rather eat rusty nails

Well, hopefully the ones Dr Krap attached you to the wall with aren't rusty...

IE, you probably ought to focus on posting factually correct information instead of what I would do before admitting you posted correct information.

[PeeDee]

Watters = Fact Gestapo

The point is I think Turner will probably return. First, because he said so. And second, because he has a lot to gain. He probably has lottery potential right now, but next year he very well could be a top 5 pick. If Mullens decides to return as well (he stated he was still thinking about it), Ohio state could be a final four contender next year.

I think the idea he wants to improve his draft stock has nominal weight right now. There's really no way to base where he might be drafted right now. I could easily see him going top 10. Others think he would go late 1st. I'd think if he were even considering declaring, he'd wait till the NBA releases the list of players likely to be drafted in the lottery.

Didn't someone say that he was going to declare after his sophomore year if he was a lottery pick? I forget where I read that.

[jpatrick]

I don't know if it would be a good idea for Turner to come back. He could improve of course. Developing a three point shot would be a nice start.

It all depends on how many of the freshman from this year decide to stick in school an extra year. If some of Mullens, Holiday, Derozan, Aminu, Warren, Rubio, etc don't come out this year, it's a risky proposition for Turner to return. All of those players could still go in front of him next year and from everything I've heard the freshman crop coming into the NCAA is miles ahead of the crop that came in this year. So he'd have to compete with the sophs who returned plus the one and dones plus whatever Euros or juniors and seniors that are out there. It might be a safer proposition to jump this year where outside of Rubio there are no impact Euros (I think) and not many freshman who made an impact in college ball.

In other words, jump this year when he's coming off a great season, it's a weak draft and he is still young enough that teams can say he still has great potential.

[Krapinsky]

DX has more Turner notes:

"Jardy also managed to get a fairly solid commitment out of Evan Turner that he’ll be back next season. “My plan is to have a good offseason, gain 10 pounds, come back and win a Big Ten championship, a Big Ten tournament championship and an NCAA championship,” he said. “My teammates and I didn’t want to come here and just do four years for no reason. We wanted to come here and leave a legacy of winning. That’s why you play the game.”"

And this tidbit on Warren:

• Barring national title, Willie Warren will return to Oklahoma

""I'm going to be back unless we win the championship," Warren said. "I don't really pay attention to any projections or anything like that. I thought Marcus Williams [from Connecticut] should have been a lottery pick a few years ago, but he went 22nd to the Nets. So you never know how to take those projections. I mean, it'd be great to hear my name called, but I want to come back."

This confirms what we’ve been hearing for quite some time, from virtually everyone we’ve spoken to in the know. Apparently Warren’s mother, a driving force (in more ways than one) in his recruitment process according to college coaches who went after him, is very much in favor of this move. The precedent is certainly there, as Blake Griffin did the same exact thing last year, and as the article mentions, Oklahoma will be restocking in a major way with McDonald’s All-Americans Tommy Mason-Griffin and “Tiny” Keith Gallon, who play the point guard and center positions respectively. At the 3 and 4 spots Oklahoma returns Tony Crocker and Juan Pattillo, seniors next year.

Excuse us for being a bit skeptical, as we’ve seen these type of situations play out year after year, with the likes of Chris Paul, Julian Wright and dozens of other underclassmen every spring. But if Warren wants to go back to school, then more power to him, as he clearly has things he can work on. "


They cite Paul and Wright as better examples than Mayo, but puts it in the same perspective nonetheless.

[PeeDee]

James Harden has had a very poor tourney so far. I wonder how this will effect his draft stock.