2024-2025 College Basketball / NBA Draft

[ProcessDoctor]

Who projects to be a better defender between Tre Johnson and Kon Knueppel? Their numbers on offense look very similar with Tre scoring more, Kon rebounding more, and everything else very close.

Kon is better at almost everything.

Effort, STOCKS, rebounds, DRTG, and DPM. Pretty much no case for Tre there.

[mjkvol]

Who projects to be a better defender between Tre Johnson and Kon Knueppel? Their numbers on offense look very similar with Tre scoring more, Kon rebounding more, and everything else very close.

Kon is better at almost everything.

You beat me to it. Kon and Tre isn't even a choice in my mind.

[Negrodamus]

Well Tre is definitely the better scorer by quite a bit which is why his value is what it is.

[stormi]

Who projects to be a better defender between Tre Johnson and Kon Knueppel? Their numbers on offense look very similar with Tre scoring more, Kon rebounding more, and everything else very close.

Kon is better at almost everything.

Effort, STOCKS, rebounds, DRTG, and DPM. Pretty much no case for Tre there.

Tre is a nuclear shooter but you don’t provide much value if that's all you do. We just picked up Q Grimes off the street to fill a similar archetype and it's probably the most accessible archetype to find in the game.

KK's offensive ability is misconstrued because of his role on a talented Duke team but Kon was the leading scorer of his EYBL team(s) for 3 years straight. His ability to scale down is a plus, not a negative.



If you split Kon's season into halves it paints an extremely interesting picture.

from 11/4 - 2/15 (25G) Knueppel operated primarily as a spacer/shooter with a 7.5 BPM, 125 ORTG, 60% TS, 14% AST, 25.2 FTr and a ridiculous 60.3 3PR. In this span Kon was taking 2.7 attempts per game at the rim, and finishing at just 57.4%.

His profile up to this point was still late lotto level as a high volume 3P shooter (12.0 3P/100) and great connectivity (2.1 A:TO) but his offensive game was not well rounded and he had obvious limitations athletically and on defense (3.2 OR%, 2-4 dunks, 0.6 BLK%, 1.7 STL%).

From 2/16 - 4/15 Kon was a completely different player on offense with a 12.8 BPM, 139 ORTG, 70.9% TS, 17% AST, 49.3 FTr.

Kon was otherworldly efficient shooting 70% at the rim, 47.5% from three, and 94% from the free-throw line. 17/4.5/3.3 for PRA fans.

Kon’s offensive game was fleshed out in this span. His 3 point attempt rate dropped to 44.9 and his FT and rim volume jumped significantly to 3.8 ATT/G (+1.1) and 4.7 FTA/G (+2.3) while jumping in efficiency (+13% at the rim, +5.5% FT) and while his OREB% jumped to 6.1 (+2.9) and STL% to 2.5 (+0.8).

Kon is also a nuclear shooter (40.6% 3P, 91.4 FT%) with ++ feel (1.8 A:TO) and with a curious offensive ceiling, (73% rim + 90% long-two makes unassisted).

Athletic concerns will hinder him from significantly scaling-up in the NBA but I believe he's capable of being a #2 or an elite #3 for a great team.

[Negrodamus]

I’ll watch more Kon tonight. I feel like I’ve only seen him in unimpressive stretches and might be unfair to him.

[ivysixer2000]

I just pray we get the #4 pick or above, cause after that it seems to be very cloudy on who to pick later than that.

[ivysixer2000]

With that said above, if we end up with #5 or #6, I would love a trade down if possible for a 1st next year.

I just can't get out of my mind us ending up with a bust there, with our current situation. Every team in the league sees our situation, and I know Morey does too. At least Morey is good at drafting, but this high, I do wonder.

[Negrodamus]

Btw, I’m back on board with Tre Johnson. Currently, the All-NBA potential talents in this draft, imo, are:

Flagg
Harper
Tre
Fears
Queen

I think Queen has the biggest mountain to climb since he needs to completely overhaul his body.

I can tell Tre’s favorite NBA player is Kobe. He has that type of iso offensive game that’s built in elite footwork. And he can make an all NBA team without playing a lick of defense.

Edgecombe would make sense making the list, but I don’t feel like that iso game is ever going to reach elite status like it could with the aforementioned list. Still love him as a prospect, but you need to completely be the focus of the defense to reach that level of NBA stardom and I don’t feel like that’ll be the case for him.

Fade Queen.

Undersized bigs that can't protect the rim or switch onto the perimeter are red flags.

Derik Queen instantly destroys your roster malleability and just isn’t talented enough offensively to compensate for that.

Besides Murray-Boyles I'm drafting Maluach over Queen out of straight principle.

I’ll eat a hat if either of those guys are anywhere as good as Queen.

[Negrodamus]

I’ll watch more Kon tonight. I feel like I’ve only seen him in unimpressive stretches and might be unfair to him.

I put Kon in the Edgecombe category: worthy of a top 10 pick, has all the stats for a winning player, not a superstar. I actually think he’d be great on the Sixers.

He definitely plays high effort defense. Not sure if he’ll ever be a “lockdown” defender, but would provide resistance against the stars of the league. His athleticism caps how effective he’d be on that end.

Offensively, the difference between him and Tre is that he gets consistently excellent looks by nature of being on Duke. Not a knock in of itself, but when he does create, it’s fairly basic stuff. Handles, passes, post moves, etc are all pretty unspectacular but get the job done… in college. Maybe I’ll eat my words, but I see him as a high level role player. Great fit for Maxey, McCain, Embiid, and PG. I’m just not confusing him for Luka or Kawhi.

[Negrodamus]

If we land at three, there’s a part of me that says to trade down, rob a team of their future picks, and just select Yaxel Lendeborg. He is a perfect PF to go with Embiid and PG. His defense is stellar; switchable, stocks, rebounds at an elite level. Offensively, he’s comfortable on the wing with the ball in his hands. He passes exceptionally well regardless of position. Upside on his shot. My gripe with his offensive game is his touch around the rim at times.

He’s everything we need from a front court player paired with Embiid. Unless he’s a psycho in interviews, I don’t get why he’s not firmly in the lottery, even top ten.

[ProcessDoctor]

I just pray we get the #4 pick or above, cause after that it seems to be very cloudy on who to pick later than that.

Who are your clear top 4?

[stormi]

Btw, I’m back on board with Tre Johnson. Currently, the All-NBA potential talents in this draft, imo, are:

Flagg
Harper
Tre
Fears
Queen

I think Queen has the biggest mountain to climb since he needs to completely overhaul his body.

I can tell Tre’s favorite NBA player is Kobe. He has that type of iso offensive game that’s built in elite footwork. And he can make an all NBA team without playing a lick of defense.

Edgecombe would make sense making the list, but I don’t feel like that iso game is ever going to reach elite status like it could with the aforementioned list. Still love him as a prospect, but you need to completely be the focus of the defense to reach that level of NBA stardom and I don’t feel like that’ll be the case for him.

Fade Queen.

Undersized bigs that can't protect the rim or switch onto the perimeter are red flags.

Derik Queen instantly destroys your roster malleability and just isn’t talented enough offensively to compensate for that.

Besides Murray-Boyles I'm drafting Maluach over Queen out of straight principle.

I’ll eat a hat if either of those guys are anywhere as good as Queen.

In terms of 'damn that boy nice' per 100, DQ might be the best in this very draft, but does his playstyle constitute to winning basketball?

What's Queen's elite skill? He's older, undersized, no shooting (yet). He’s a worse interior scorer than CMB, a worse playmaker and eons apart on D.

[stormi]

If we land at three, there’s a part of me that says to trade down, rob a team of their future picks, and just select Yaxel Lendeborg. He is a perfect PF to go with Embiid and PG. His defense is stellar; switchable, stocks, rebounds at an elite level. Offensively, he’s comfortable on the wing with the ball in his hands. He passes exceptionally well regardless of position. Upside on his shot. My gripe with his offensive game is his touch around the rim at times.

He’s everything we need from a front court player paired with Embiid. Unless he’s a psycho in interviews, I don’t get why he’s not firmly in the lottery, even top ten.

The top end talent in this class maybe is a bit underwhelming compared to how it was hyped a year out, but the depth this year seems rather strong and extremely intriguing. I'll be irate if #35 is sold for cash or traded for fake draft capital.

[Negrodamus]

Fade Queen.

Undersized bigs that can't protect the rim or switch onto the perimeter are red flags.

Derik Queen instantly destroys your roster malleability and just isn’t talented enough offensively to compensate for that.

Besides Murray-Boyles I'm drafting Maluach over Queen out of straight principle.

I’ll eat a hat if either of those guys are anywhere as good as Queen.

In terms of 'damn that boy nice' per 100, DQ might be the best in this very draft, but does his playstyle constitute to winning basketball?

What's Queen's elite skill? He's older, undersized, no shooting (yet). He’s a worse interior scorer than CMB, a worse playmaker and and eons apart on D.

I regret to inform you, that "dat boi nice" per 100, plus qualifying stats, is basically how I function when looking at prospects particularly at the top of the draft. Not to take away from Mr CMB, he's definitely a great prospect, but he doesn't appear to have a unique offensive game. I'm speed running his games with Cashiggy but he appears to be: Energy big, great defensive instincts, also undersized. Will never really be an initiator or be asked to get his own offense.

I don't think that's really a knock on him, but Queen can do that stuff. Queen has very good handles with countermoves. He served as a high key big man who was essentially the secondary creator to JaKobi Gillespie despite his fit being better as a perimeter creator, imo. Teams can also conclude that Queen isn't good enough to do that stuff in the NBA and he's not worth the usage, isn't athletic/big enough to be a role player and send him to China. CMB has a better chance of sticking around in the league longer, but Queen looks like he can be a superstar. At the top of the draft, I'm swinging for the superstar guys.

[stormi]

presented w/o context

https://www.sports-reference.com/cbb/players/jalen-johnson-24.html
https://www.sports-reference.com/cbb/players/carter-bryant-1.html

[Negrodamus]

presented w/o context

https://www.sports-reference.com/cbb/players/jalen-johnson-24.html
https://www.sports-reference.com/cbb/players/carter-bryant-1.html

But that per 40 minutes though.

[stormi]

presented w/o context

https://www.sports-reference.com/cbb/players/jalen-johnson-24.html
https://www.sports-reference.com/cbb/players/carter-bryant-1.html

But that per 40 minutes though.

Jalen clears him for sure, but if I were betting on one of these genuine super-athlete big wing sized forwards (6'8+ barefoot) to blow up in the next few seasons I'd bet on him.

I think the mechanics on the jumper look real and his traits are intriguing.

He might just end up along the Toumani Camara -> OG Anunoby axis but I see him as a riser as draft season progresses. Late lotto wouldn't surprise me.

Also seems like a really good kid.

[76ciology]

Carter Bryant is intriguing, and I wouldn’t mind taking him as high as 5th overall, especially if we’re not planning to swing for the fences.

[76ciology]

I’m not sure what the exact word is, but doesn’t it feel off to just add another high-floor guy to a group that already includes Oubre, Yabusele, McCain, Grimes, Bona and Edwards?

We’re in a position where it makes more sense to take a big swing, someone with real upside. It’s a hedge against Embiid’s knee issues and George’s decline. A pick like that could re-engage the fanbase. So when the current core ever falls apart, at least we’ll have a young, raw talent to dream on while we shift into tank mode and raw player have his moments while this team struggles to win.

[Mik317]

my motto (which is worth **** nothing lol) is to always reach for the stars instead of just taking safe dudes.

I remember back in the day when it was Thad vs Al Thorton. Thad never became that star but Thorton was out of the league in a few seasons.