Official Draft Thread: Prospects Watch

[ChildishGambino]

Well TD it's been proven that you don't really need a defensive guy to frustrate Howard/Bynum.....All you really need is just bodies to throw at them....i.e what Charlotte did to Dwight in 2010....they had bodies and basically took Dwight out of that series.....Atlanta did a great job of that as well...jason collins and pachulia flopping around did it's job....what we have is tremendous length though if you look at it.....I can see Vucci getting blocks he's a 7 footer and he has a 7"4 wingspan....O'Quinn has 7"5 wingspan....Nicholson has a 7"4 wingspan....Harkless who could end up being 6"10 has a 7" wingspan as well.....that's a lot of length which could bode well defensively straight up and on the weak side......

[TDJacksonville]

Well TD it's been proven that you don't really need a defensive guy to frustrate Howard/Bynum.....All you really need is just bodies to throw at them....i.e what Charlotte did to Dwight in 2010....they had bodies and basically took Dwight out of that series.....Atlanta did a great job of that as well...jason collins and pachulia flopping around did it's job....what we have is tremendous length though if you look at it.....I can see Vucci getting blocks he's a 7 footer and he has a 7"4 wingspan....O'Quinn has 7"5 wingspan....Nicholson has a 7"4 wingspan....Harkless who could end up being 6"10 has a 7" wingspan as well.....that's a lot of length which could bode well defensively straight up and on the weak side......

its also Proven that u need 2-3 stars of which 1 has to be a Big. i think Nicholson could be good but i dont think he will be a star. now if we drafted adams we could have a STAR big.

look at the Lakers when they beat us, it was 2 Stars(Kobe and Pau + 2 Above Average Bigs(bynum wasnt a star yet and Odom was actually Good then).

to be a great team Now in the NBA u need a great SF(Wiggins>>>>>Harkless), a SG(attacking guy), and a Nice good Big and a Solid PG.
Vucevic can be Our Pau, Nicholson can be our atleast our Odom. we dont have a Kobe or Bynum on this team.

Joshua Moore from UCLA looks like a guy who can be a Possible Bynum meaning we still need Kobe and Maybe Wiggins can be that guy or Hes going to be Durant/Lebron.

[Noonskadoodle]

Could Barton be the guy from this last draft who makes all the GMs REGRET letting him fall to the 2nd round?

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v_IEA6n9nPA[/youtube]

[Noonskadoodle]

Found an ESPN Insider article from the 8th.

The truth is, there isn't an offseason anymore. College players serve as camp counselors at events like LeBron's Nike Skills Academy and the adidas Nations camp. At the end of the day, the camp counselors play full-court scrimmages against each other and sometimes against NBA players.

NBA scouts are in attendance and the impressions that these players make in the summer can have a huge effect on how they are ranked and evaluated throughout the course of the year.

Over the past few weeks I've spoken with a number of NBA scouts who were in attendance at these camps. Here's a look at a handful of guys who have helped or hurt their stock this summer.

The freshmen

Nerlens Noel, F/C, Kentucky Wildcats Noel showed up at the adidas Nations camp last weekend and, by virtually every account, was a major disappointment. While longtime high school gurus knew that Noel was incredibly raw, NBA scouts got a pretty big taste of just how raw he was. Offensively, Noel struggled to do anything other than dunk the ball. Defensively he showed why he was a terrific shot-blocker, but did little else to impress.

Last year Anthony Davis showed up at the LeBron James Skills Academy and virtually every scout in attendance claimed he was the best prospect there. I couldn't find anyone who was willing to say the same about Noel.

"He's got the raw abilities, but he doesn't have any of the intangibles of Anthony Davis," one scout said. "I think he's going to get better and [UK coach John Calipari] will help him a lot. But I told my GM to temper his expectations. We're probably going to see a season closer to Andre Drummond's than Anthony Davis."

Noel began the season in late June ranked No. 1 on our Big Board. A lot of NBA scouts are now questioning whether he really belongs there. On the other hand, if Noel isn't No. 1, then who is? No one had a clear favorite to replace him.

Isaiah Austin, F/C, Baylor Bears While Noel disappointed, most NBA scouts came away with a lot of positive things to say about Austin. He didn't necessarily put up huge numbers all week, but Austin's skill set and size really intrigued scouts.

"I think he's a better prospect than Perry Jones or Quincy Miller," one NBA scout said. "I wish he was 25 pounds heavier and I wish Baylor had guards that would get him the ball, but I do think he's got a chance to be the best freshman in his class."

Steven Adams, PF, Pittsburgh Panthers Adams wowed folks at the adidas Nations camp last summer. The 6-foot-10, physical big man led the camp in rebounding and physically destroyed the competition he played against. His NBA body, strength, motor and willingness to attack the glass convinced virtually everyone who saw him that he's the real deal.

This year, with increased expectations, competition and scrutiny, he didn't have quite the same impact. However, NBA scouts all felt like Adams had a good week and shows enormous potential. He is still very raw and needs to improve his feel for the game, but all of them said they felt he had the physical tools to still be an NBA lottery pick someday.

The returning collegians

Tony Mitchell, F, North Texas Mean Green NBA scouts all raved about Mitchell's performance in Las Vegas at the LeBron James Skills Academy. Mitchell's combination of length (he measured with a 7-foot-3 wingspan), toughness and rebounding ability caught scouts' eyes.

"If he was at Missouri instead of North Texas, we'd be talking about him as top-5 pick in the upcoming draft," one NBA scout said. "He's that good and the draft is that bad. But he's got all the tools to be a very effective NBA player."

If some of the elite freshmen stumble, don't be surprised to see Mitchell becoming the default safe pick in the top five.

Otto Porter, SF, Georgetown Hoyas Porter began to catch scouts' eyes at the Maui Classic last year and this summer, at the LeBron camp, he took things to the next level. While he doesn't have any one thing to really hang his hat on as a prospect, he is good at just about everything, has great size for his position and has a tireless work ethic on the court. Virtually every scout I spoke with said they believe Porter could be a lottery pick in the 2013 draft.

Gorgui Dieng, C, Louisville Cardinals Dieng has improved his body over the summer and is finally coming into his own as the monster defensive presence scouts began to see last season. He is playing with more aggression and physicality. In a draft devoid of big men who are legitimate NBA players, Dieng has a chance to make a major impression this season. If he really takes his game to the next level, he too could end up sneaking into the mid-first round or late lottery.

Mason Plumlee, F/C, Duke Blue Devils After Mason's brother, Miles, snuck into the first round last year, scouts began re-evaluating Mason. Mason is taller, also a terrific athlete and he's produced better than his brother --despite being young. If Miles Plumlee is the 26th pick in a loaded draft, what is Mason in a weak one?

Plumlee impressed scouts at both events this summer and, if he gets the ball enough, could work his way into that same late lottery to mid-first-round range.

Ray McCallum, PG, Detroit Titans McCallum was mentioned along with Arkansas' B.J. Young and Missouri's Phil Pressey as the best point guard teams saw this summer. McCallum has always been a scout favorite, but didn't exactly dominate as a freshman or sophomore at Detroit. His play at adidas Nations gave scouts hope that this is the season he will break out. He was shooting the ball better and was much more aggressive. In a draft with very few point guard prospects, McCallum may have a chance to sneak into the first round.

Deshaun Thomas, G/F, Ohio State Buckeyes Thomas is a scoring machine. College fans already know that. This summer, he lost some weight and improved his quickness. That's going to be the biggest question for him in the draft: Does he have the athleticism to score the way he does in college at the NBA level? He made a stronger case this summer, but a number of scouts are still on the fence.

Isaiah Canaan, G, Murray State Racers Canaan doesn't really look much like a point guard. The question is whether he can play point guard in the pros. Some scouts walked away from Canaan's play at both LeBron and Nations questioning that. But many more felt convinced that Canaan could actually pull it off. In a draft that lacks a ton of point guard prospects, a great season could get him into the first round.

[ChildishGambino]

Well TD it's been proven that you don't really need a defensive guy to frustrate Howard/Bynum.....All you really need is just bodies to throw at them....i.e what Charlotte did to Dwight in 2010....they had bodies and basically took Dwight out of that series.....Atlanta did a great job of that as well...jason collins and pachulia flopping around did it's job....what we have is tremendous length though if you look at it.....I can see Vucci getting blocks he's a 7 footer and he has a 7"4 wingspan....O'Quinn has 7"5 wingspan....Nicholson has a 7"4 wingspan....Harkless who could end up being 6"10 has a 7" wingspan as well.....that's a lot of length which could bode well defensively straight up and on the weak side......

its also Proven that u need 2-3 stars of which 1 has to be a Big. i think Nicholson could be good but i dont think he will be a star. now if we drafted adams we could have a STAR big.

look at the Lakers when they beat us, it was 2 Stars(Kobe and Pau + 2 Above Average Bigs(bynum wasnt a star yet and Odom was actually Good then).

to be a great team Now in the NBA u need a great SF(Wiggins>>>>>Harkless), a SG(attacking guy), and a Nice good Big and a Solid PG.
Vucevic can be Our Pau, Nicholson can be our atleast our Odom. we dont have a Kobe or Bynum on this team.

Joshua Moore from UCLA looks like a guy who can be a Possible Bynum meaning we still need Kobe and Maybe Wiggins can be that guy or Hes going to be Durant/Lebron.

I think we did alright with Harkless....He himself and other pundits has said he could be a Joe Johnson/Rudy Gay type at the high end......Paul George/Danny Granger somewhere in the middle....Me personally i think Nicholson can be a star in the same way David West is.....but i agree with you that we need a Kobe....but who can that guy be? Wiggins is out of the question as i don't think it's realistic to put him in the conversation....we need either a PG or SG with elite potential....if we don't have one we can just trade for another....

I think we should get a PG so Nelson can groom and mentor him for a few years until our PG of the future is ready to take over....The SG's in this upcoming draft class seem week so i can't really say for sure if we can find our Kobe in that group.....IDK maybe there is an overseas gem we don't know about yet......

[TDJacksonville]

Canaan compares to Jameer For wat it is worth.

i think we did alright with Harkless but again hes More about Potential than Actual Substance. i think my reasonable Expectation from him is a Solid but Unspectacular SG/SF.

David west isnt really a star though. when he had the Leagues best PG ya he did play great but it was more from Paul Setting west up than West actual talent. West is a Solid Role Player and a Solid PF but not a star.

a guy whos pretty Intriguing to me is Adonis Thomas from Memphis if he can actually develop better perimeter Play but ur talking about a 6 foot 6 240 Pound SF with a 7 foot Wingspan. he plays right now more like a PF but he just needs to develop Perimeter shooting and such and he can be a good SF.

[Noonskadoodle]

A shooting guard Ill be watching closely this year is Jamaal Franklin from SDSU. He is more under the radar, but a repeat of last season could put him in the mid 1st late lottery area.

JAMAAL FRANKLIN - The San Diego State Aztecs were expected to fall off last season after Kawhi Leonard departed for the NBA after leading the team to a 30-3 record and NCAA Tournament appearance in 2010-2011. Franklin clearly had different plans as he stepped up to claim the role of leader for the Aztecs. The athletic shooting guard earned the Mountain West Player of the Year award and an Honorable Mention All-American selection by the Associated Press in 2011-2012, after he averaged a league-high 17.4 points and a team-high 7.9 rebounds per game. The Aztecs reached the NCAA Tournament once again with their new go-to-guy. Franklin improved his scoring average by 14.5 points per game from his freshman to his sophomore seasons, which was the second best improvement in the nation. His jump shot is developing to the point of matching the effectiveness of his athleticism, making him extremely difficult to guard.

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-atqGl67eUs&feature=youtube_gdata_player[/youtube]

You can see just how ATHLETIC he is

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rv_OpbtBd_s&feature=youtube_gdata_player[/youtube]

[Noonskadoodle]

Another Jamaal Franklin video. His athletic ability is off the charts, & he clearly has the ability to knock down shots.

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ukd10GrEdUQ&feature=youtube_gdata_player[/youtube]

[ChildishGambino]

Canaan compares to Jameer For wat it is worth.

i think we did alright with Harkless but again hes More about Potential than Actual Substance. i think my reasonable Expectation from him is a Solid but Unspectacular SG/SF.

David west isnt really a star though. when he had the Leagues best PG ya he did play great but it was more from Paul Setting west up than West actual talent. West is a Solid Role Player and a Solid PF but not a star.

a guy whos pretty Intriguing to me is Adonis Thomas from Memphis if he can actually develop better perimeter Play but ur talking about a 6 foot 6 240 Pound SF with a 7 foot Wingspan. he plays right now more like a PF but he just needs to develop Perimeter shooting and such and he can be a good SF.

I don't know about Harkless only being just potential he is talented he won Big east Rookie of the year....same award Iverson/Pat Ewing/Rudy Gay/Melo won....He has talent that is recognized on the college level and is only 19 but on the same token he does have a lot of work to do to reach that potential.....I guess people have different definitions of a Star...i think D.West is a star in this league...but that's just me...the way i see things is...Star---->All-Star---->Super-Star....different tiers for me.....Nicholson i can see in the same light....everything i've read about this guy just says that if he does his part he can be a star in this league....read quotes from opposing coaches that have said that at times Andrew can be just unstoppable and that was with double and triple teams every night.....

Adonis is someone i'll keep an eye on....he looks pretty good but is he going to be stuck with that tweener tag?

[Nemesis21]

I still like Kabongo over any other PG right now. That and he is getting comparisons to CP3 gets me excited.


I'd like Orlando to go more of the Pass first prototypical PG


IMO John Wall type PGs don't pan out on winning teams except for westbrooks case

The comparison's I've read on Kabongo, is Rajon Rondo. Which isn't bad either.

[kookie_819]

I actually attend UT right now, and having seen most of Kabongo's games so far, I'm very underwhelmed. Of course, Rick Barnes is a terrible coach and he played next to a dominating SG in J'Covan Brown, but Kabongo has no shot at all (it's worse than Rondo's) and looked complacent at times. We'll see how he does this year as the #1 guy, but I'm not expecting much. But he's a really good passer and willing defender, so I think he has potential to be a poor man's Kyle Lowry.

If we get a top 5 pick, I want us to pick Steven Adams (assuming he declares). Originally I wanted Shabazz, but I don't think we'll get a top 3 pick. From what I've seen and read, Adams is VERY athletic, but also VERY raw. That's actually good, because that would allow us to be bad for another year for a chance at a marquee player in the 2014 draft (Wiggins, Parker, Randle, Andrew Harrison, Gordon, etc.), which is supposed to be much, much better than 2013.

[ChildishGambino]

I actually attend UT right now, and having seen most of Kabongo's games so far, I'm very underwhelmed. Of course, Rick Barnes is a terrible coach and he played next to a dominating SG in J'Covan Brown, but Kabongo has no shot at all (it's worse than Rondo's) and looked complacent at times. We'll see how he does this year as the #1 guy, but I'm not expecting much. But he's a really good passer and willing defender, so I think he has potential to be a poor man's Kyle Lowry.

If we get a top 5 pick, I want us to pick Steven Adams (assuming he declares). Originally I wanted Shabazz, but I don't think we'll get a top 3 pick. From what I've seen and read, Adams is VERY athletic, but also VERY raw. That's actually good, because that would allow us to be bad for another year for a chance at a marquee player in the 2014 draft (Wiggins, Parker, Randle, Andrew Harrison, Gordon, etc.), which is supposed to be much, much better than 2013.

Adams i could see being a 3 or 4 year college guy....i've read some and the consistent thing i hear is that he's not used to high level basketball just yet....he's not comfortable....so for him to jump to the NBA that fast i don't know....but he does have the skills from what i discern.....he is definitely a top 10 pick as it stands right now

[kookie_819]

Adams i could see being a 3 or 4 year college guy....i've read some and the consistent thing i hear is that he's not used to high level basketball just yet....he's not comfortable....so for him to jump to the NBA that fast i don't know....but he does have the skills from what i discern.....he is definitely a top 10 pick as it stands right now

If that ends up being the case, then I'm even more disappointed in this upcoming draft Outside of the top 3 in Bazz, Zeller and Noel (and maybe Tony Mitchell, I really like him for some reason), I don't see any of those guys in the 1st round being All-Star players. And there's probably a good chance Cody Zeller will be a 3 or 4 year guy like his brothers. Looks like 2013 is shaping up to be a very weak draft.

[ChildishGambino]

Looking at Nbadraft.net and where they have the PG prospects in the Mock Draft.....They have Ryan Harrow going 14th.....CJ McCollum 15th......Lorezno Brown 17th......Ian Miller 21st....Trey Burke 22nd......Myck Kabongo 26th....

Also hearing Nerlens Noel didn't have a good showing at the Adidas camp looked EXTREMELY raw....Adams did well from what i read.....Nbadraft.net has them both in the lottery...4th and 9th respectively......

[Noonskadoodle]

Save this post & check on all these guys throughout the season. Wish the season started tomorrow haha.

Point Guard & Center looks to be the deepest positions heading into the season.

Top PGs 2 Watch:
-Zo Brown NC State
-Rodney Purvis NC State
-Trey Burke Michigan
-Myck Kabongo Texas
-Ian Miller Florida St
-Ryan Harrow Kentucky
-BJ Young Arkansas
-Ray McCallum Detroit
-CJ McCollum Lehigh
-Peyton Siva Louisville
-Anthony Collins USF
-Justin Edwards Maine
-Michael Carter-Williams Cuse
-Keith Appling Michigan St
-Ryan Boatright UConn

Top SGs 2 Watch
-Shabazz Muhammad UCLA
-Jamaal Franklin San Diego State
-Archie Goodwin Kentucky
-Kentavious Caldwell-Pope Georgia
-Ben Mclemore Kansas
-Ricky Ledo Providence
-CJ Wilcox Washington
-Tim Hardaway Jr Michigan
-Alex Abrines Spain
-Reggie Bullock North Carolina
-Dmitry Kulagin Russia
-Wayne Blackshear Louisville
-PJ Hairston North Carolina
-Michael Snaer Florida St
-Rodney McGruder Kansas St

Top SFs 2 Watch
-Tony Mitchell North Texas
-Adonis Thomas Memphis
-LeBryan Nash Oklahoma St
-Otto Porter Georgetown
-Branden Dawson Michigan St
-Deshaun Thomas Ohio St
-Alex Poythress Kentucky
-LaQuinton Ross Ohio St
-Mike Moser UNLV
-Kyle Anderson UCLA
-Andre Roberson Colorado
-Doug McDermott Creighton
-Rodney Williams Minnesota
-Elias Harris Gonzaga
-Dario Saric Croatia

Top PFs 2 Watch
-James McAdoo North Carolina
-CJ Leslie NC State
-Chane Behanan Louisville
-Patric Young Florida
-Mason Plumlee Duke
-Richard Howell NC State
-Jarnell Stokes Tennessee
-Mitch McGary Michigan
-Milton Jennings Clemson
-Brandon Davies BYU
- Maximilian Kleber Germany
- Mouphtaou Yarou Villanova
-Brandon Ashley Arizona
-Alex Oriakhi Missouri
-Rakeem Christmas Cuse

Top Cs 2 Watch
-Cody Zeller Indiana
-Nerlens Noel Kentucky
-Rudy Gobert France
-Steven Adams Pittsburgh
-Isaiah Austin Baylor
-Alex Len Maryand
-Gorgui Dieng Louisville
- Joshua Smith UCLA
-Jeff Withey Kansas
-Zeke Marshall Akron
-Reggie Johnson Miami
-Adriean Payne Michigan St
-Aaric Murray West Virginia
-Kaleb Tarczewski Arizona
-Joffrey Lauvergne France

[TDJacksonville]

Adams i could see being a 3 or 4 year college guy....i've read some and the consistent thing i hear is that he's not used to high level basketball just yet....he's not comfortable....so for him to jump to the NBA that fast i don't know....but he does have the skills from what i discern.....he is definitely a top 10 pick as it stands right now

If that ends up being the case, then I'm even more disappointed in this upcoming draft Outside of the top 3 in Bazz, Zeller and Noel (and maybe Tony Mitchell, I really like him for some reason), I don't see any of those guys in the 1st round being All-Star players. And there's probably a good chance Cody Zeller will be a 3 or 4 year guy like his brothers. Looks like 2013 is shaping up to be a very weak draft.

maybe this year we trade player rights on draft night. do something like a Mid 1st round Pick this year and a 1st next year

Grab one of the PGs and pick up a Possible Lottery Pick

[LetItRain]

We should sticky this thread

[ChildishGambino]

We should sticky this thread

I'm hoping it does get stickied.......it's a decent thread imo unlike.....**cough** UCF Football **cough** just kidding.....i think it would be pretty cool to track the prospect as the college season goes on and see which prospects stock rise and who's stock falls and finally when the draft does roll around it will feel that much sweeter if Orlando picks prospects we've been scouting and tracking as well.....

[RYgoBOOM]

Adams i could see being a 3 or 4 year college guy....i've read some and the consistent thing i hear is that he's not used to high level basketball just yet....he's not comfortable....so for him to jump to the NBA that fast i don't know....but he does have the skills from what i discern.....he is definitely a top 10 pick as it stands right now

If that ends up being the case, then I'm even more disappointed in this upcoming draft Outside of the top 3 in Bazz, Zeller and Noel (and maybe Tony Mitchell, I really like him for some reason), I don't see any of those guys in the 1st round being All-Star players. And there's probably a good chance Cody Zeller will be a 3 or 4 year guy like his brothers. Looks like 2013 is shaping up to be a very weak draft.

maybe this year we trade player rights on draft night. do something like a Mid 1st round Pick this year and a 1st next year

Grab one of the PGs and pick up a Possible Lottery Pick

I just realized, this, would actually be an amazing idea.

I say we take Isiah Austin in the lotto and then trade our picks and what not to go balls deep into next years lotto and hopefully come out with Wiggins or Parker. Unless we get top 3, in which case we go for shabazz imo

[glove1989]

I actually attend UT right now, and having seen most of Kabongo's games so far, I'm very underwhelmed. Of course, Rick Barnes is a terrible coach and he played next to a dominating SG in J'Covan Brown, but Kabongo has no shot at all (it's worse than Rondo's) and looked complacent at times. We'll see how he does this year as the #1 guy, but I'm not expecting much. But he's a really good passer and willing defender, so I think he has potential to be a poor man's Kyle Lowry.

If we get a top 5 pick, I want us to pick Steven Adams (assuming he declares). Originally I wanted Shabazz, but I don't think we'll get a top 3 pick. From what I've seen and read, Adams is VERY athletic, but also VERY raw. That's actually good, because that would allow us to be bad for another year for a chance at a marquee player in the 2014 draft (Wiggins, Parker, Randle, Andrew Harrison, Gordon, etc.), which is supposed to be much, much better than 2013.

Adams i could see being a 3 or 4 year college guy....i've read some and the consistent thing i hear is that he's not used to high level basketball just yet....he's not comfortable....so for him to jump to the NBA that fast i don't know....but he does have the skills from what i discern.....he is definitely a top 10 pick as it stands right now

So this is my expertise because of me attending Pitt. So I can definitely be the first hand look of Adams and update. As far as the 3-4 years of college I am completely unsure what he will do. He dominated our summer league here against much more experienced players (NBADL & foreign players) but he never acted like he knew how good he was. I hope he stays for multiple years because that will help the ACC jump immensely but for the most part Pitt fans think its a 1 and done.