This is not a predictor of when these players will be taken. These rankings, based on discussions with dozens of NBA and college coaches, and NBA college scouts and team executives, address the question of how ready players are to play the position which they are assigned: In other words, if there was a game tonight, who would play better at that position tonight, not in three years. Players are ranked based on the position that the coaches and scouts believe is their best NBA position, and even then, there is always disagreement between teams.
• "Sleepers" are players almost certain to go in the second round but who may have first-round talent or otherwise have an impact on the teams that select them if they overcome perceived shortcomings.
• "Some Scouts Like" are players who are not certain to declare, but are viewed as potentially draftable if they do -- with an emphasis on "potentially."
• All measurements are the ones listed from a player's school or team. Official player measurements will be available after the Chicago pre-Draft camp.
Regarding Burke:
Burke thought about entering last year's Draft after his freshman season, but wisely went back to Ann Arbor to work on his game. Had he entered last year, he likely would have been a second-round pick. Now, he's a lock to be in the lottery, despite being under six feet (few believe his listed 6-foot height).
"Unless you know of a way you can improve on 5-11, there's nothing you can do about that," a Central Division personnel man said. "The number one thing he's done is he's leading his team. He's shown he can lead a team into a very successful season. He's one of the most talented point guards in the Draft."
Said a Northwest Division personnel man: "He's an extremely hard worker, gym rat, has a competitive spirit that he wants to get better, wants to be one of the better point guards. And he worked at it. (Michigan Coach John) Beilein gave the ball and let him make his mistakes, and he grew in confidence."
Burke's ability to create space and get his shot off also bodes well for his pro prospects. Some teams believe Burke is the best player in the Draft, period.
"If Burke was 6-foot-2, 6-foot-3, we wouldn't be having this conversation," a Southeast Division executive said. "These are the same questions as when Chris Paul was coming out. [Burke]'s a very clever basketball player. You watch him play, and you've got to go back to when Chris was coming out of college ... Burke already knows how to play screen and roll better than most college kids. And he must have been watching film on Chris. When [Burke] gets around the first guy, he immediately gets in front of that guy and keeps that guy on his back. He keeps his dribble alive and surveys what he sees. Those little things, those are hard to teach. He does it time and time again."
But size still matters.
"You question what is he going to be able to defend -- starting guys or backup guys?" the Central Division personnel man says. "There aren't that many 5-foot-11 starting point guards. I think that will be the toughest thing will be the workouts. The guys in his range are Marcus Smart and Michael Carter-Williams, and one of them is 6-foot-6 and the other is 6-foot-3. Don't get me wrong; I do think Burke is talented enough that teams are going to want to figure out a way for him to be their starter."
Indeed, with their size, Smart and Carter-Williams are more prototypical NBA lead guards.
Good in-depth analysis about Marcus Smart, Michael Carter-Williams, and CJ McCollum in here too.
http://www.nba.com/news/features/david_ ... index.html
