The Draft (Postseason Edition): 1/16/31/59 (NEW POLL)

[Kerrsed]

Would rather Mitch Robinson than Bamba because Robinson is slated outside top 10 and Bamba is projected top 6...

Not to mention Robinson was projected at the very top of the class with Ayton and Porter Jr. (Ahead of Bagley/Bamba) coming out of Highschool. He was recruited by all the top schools/programs around the country. He was also a better rebounder and defender than Bamba as well. A McDonald’s All-American, Robinson has also made the coveted Jordan Brand classic and played for USA Basketball. Robinson has the highest Player Efficiency Rating of all time on Nike’s EYBL AAU circuit.

Where are you getting that? His prospect ranking on rivals was high #9, but those guys were 2 and 4. What prospect ranking are you talking about?

https://n.rivals.com/prospect_rankings/rivals150/2017

I guess you are right, im not even going to bother looking for where i got it from, i believe it was an article that stated that and not from the actual rankings page (It was probably months ago when i went on the Mitchell Robinson kick). Looking at the actual rankings boards from the 3 major sites, they all have him right about the same place (Top 10). I was misinformed.

[WeekapaugGroove]

What's the deal with Robinson's personality/character? I've heard a few of the draftniks make vague comments about it being a bit concerning but no one really gives any specific details.

[ImNotMcDiSwear]

What's the deal with Robinson's personality/character? I've heard a few of the draftniks make vague comments about it being a bit concerning but no one really gives any specific details.

I've had trouble finding anything in particular, myself. It seems that his decision to forego college this season has created a lot of uncertainty. Is he avoiding it to maintain some mystique, to focus exclusively on his basketball development, or is it because he cannot be bothered and doesn't really care?

Yes, I'm aware of the WKY scandal. But most spectators did not think it would prevent him from at least trying to play somewhere else... maybe I didn't get the memo.

IDK!

[Kerrsed]

What's the deal with Robinson's personality/character? I've heard a few of the draftniks make vague comments about it being a bit concerning but no one really gives any specific details.

People question his decision making due to the utter clusterf**k situation he went through with Texas A&M and WKU. To me it sounds like he was a 17 year old kid that got plenty of bad advice from the grown-ups around him.

But here are a few write ups from Givony & Schmitz before they abandoned DraftExpress:

Spoiler:

USA BASKETBALL U18 TRAINING CAMP SCOUTING REPORTS:
Jonathan Givony & Mike Schmitz Jun 20, 2016, 01:33 pm

MITCHELL ROBINSON, 6'11", CHALMETTE HS, FL, 2017 CLASS, UNCOMMITTED

STRENGTHS -Good size for a center at 6'11 in shoes. Also has a 7'2 ½ wingspan and a big 9'2 standing reach -Strong upper body. Big shoulders -Reasonably mobile, can cover ground. Runs the floor well -Can play above the rim in space -Makes his presence felt on the glass, on both ends of the floor. Can go out of his area -Has excellent potential defensively with his mobility and length. Blocks shots and shows some ability to cover ground on the perimeter -Shows flashes of toughness and effort -Only started playing basketball in the 10th grade

WEAKNESSES -Frame still has a long way to go. Only 215 pounds. Very skinny legs. Struggles to bend his knees -Very limited offensively. Strictly a catch and finish guy at this stage. Doesn't have the best hands -Lack of strength makes it very difficult for him to assert himself at this point in his development. Doesn't handle contact well. Doesn't know how to dish it out -Still at a very early stage of his development, which is not surprising considering how late he picked up the game. Basketball IQ is a major work in progress. -Fundamentals and awareness are poor. Looked lost early on. Effort level comes and goes. Plays at half speed at times. Sets poor screens. Foul prone -Lacks confidence. Drops his head at the first sign of adversity. Reacts to everything on the floor

OUTLOOK Late bloomer who has only started to get serious about basketball recently. Committed to Texas A&M early on, but recently elected to open his recruitment back up. Arrived late in Colorado Springs and really struggled early on. Came out of his shell and started to show more flashes as the week moved on. A long-term project, both physically and skill wise, but has some intriguing characteristics thanks to his physical tools and how new he is to the game.

Spoiler:

JORDAN BRAND CLASSIC NATIONAL AND REGIONAL GAME SCOUTING REPORTS
Jonathan Givony & Mike Schmitz Apr 17, 2017, 02:17 pm

MITCHELL ROBINSON, CHALMETE HS, C, CLASS OF 2017, COMMITTED TO WESTERN KENTUCKY, 19.0

STRENGTHS-Great combination of height, length, reach and athleticism for a center prospect. Measured 7'0 in shoes, with a 7'3 ½ wingspan and a 9'2 standing reach. -Not bulky or strong right now, but has wide shoulders that look like they can add weight over time. Lower body isn't bad either -Moves extremely well. Fluid. Terrific rim-runner. Quick off his feet. Pogo stick type leaper. Gets up for lob finishes with ease. Great potential as a finisher off two feet. Covers ground exceptionally well -Very good hands -Has a budding skill-level that can be harnessed into something productive over time. Shooting stroke looks decent. Ball comes out of hand cleanly with nice rotation. Throws in mid-range and turnaround jumpers. Shows flashes of finishing with both hands. -Has a bit of a handle and some footwork. Doesn't really know what he's doing but has some skill -Averaged 20 rebounds per-40 minutes in the EYBL, best in the competition's history. 8 offensive rebounds per-40 also #1 in EYBL history. -Quick off his feet as a shot blocker. Led the EYBL in both blocks per-game and per-40. Second best shot-blocker in EYBL history after Nerlens Noel. -Length and ability to cover ground gives him tremendous potential as a pick and roll defender -Average feel isn't that much of a detriment considering his expected role. Doesn't overthink things. Just goes out and makes plays

WEAKNESSES-Has high hips and a bit of an awkward frame. Has a ways to go to maximize his frame -Skill-level is a work in progress in five on five settings. Shows flashes in practice but is a ways away from translating that to game competition. -Doesn't really know how to play. Awareness, fundamentals, IQ all have a long ways to go. -Gets lost off the ball defensively. Gives up deep post position without resistance. Gets overpowered by stronger players on a regular basis. -Foul prone. Will likely have some trouble staying on the court early on until he learns how to play without fouling -Gets rebounds off his tools, doesn't really box out. -Doesn't always appear to have the most serious approach. Laid-back demeanor -A year old for his class

OUTLOOK- Robinson made a much stronger impression on us over the course of the week in New York, including practices, scrimmages and the game, than he did last summer at the USA Basketball Training Camp. He was fabulous in the game, running the floor exceptionally well and catching alleyoop after alleyoop in highlight reel fashion, and also showed serious sparks of potential in the highly competitive practice session. Robinson has elite physical tools and ticks quite a few boxes as a modern day NBA center, even if he's obviously a late bloomer with plenty of things he'll need to keep improving.

That last one is now over a year old.

[Kerrsed]

What's the deal with Robinson's personality/character? I've heard a few of the draftniks make vague comments about it being a bit concerning but no one really gives any specific details.

I've had trouble finding anything in particular, myself. It seems that his decision to forego college this season has created a lot of uncertainty. Is he avoiding it to maintain some mystique, to focus exclusively on his basketball development, or is it because he cannot be bothered and doesn't really care?

Yes, I'm aware of the WKY scandal. But most spectators did not think it would prevent him from at least trying to play somewhere else... maybe I didn't get the memo.

IDK!

It did.

As i previously posted, when he left WKY he then went to find a new school and visited both LSU & Kansas but was then told by the NCAA that since he decided to take Summer School classes at WKY (Only took them for like a week before leaving WKY) that he was officially a WKY student and would have to sit out the season if he went elsewhere.

From there he tried to get into the G-League but was turned down because of an obscure rule that disqualified him from being able to join.

His options then were to go overseas and play, or spend the time working on himself and his game to get ready for the draft, so thats what he did. He moved to Dallas and got in touch with some strength and conditioning coaches, as well as some skills coaches and has been spending the year doing that. Last i heard they brought Jermaine O'Neal in to help him work on his post game.

[Mulhollanddrive]

Strikes me as a Marquese Chriss type personality from his interviews.

[ImNotMcDiSwear]

FWIW, I thought he was the most impressive of Ayton/Bamba/Robinson/Carter in the All-America Game. Then again, Collin Sexton had like 16 assists that day. Not much of a data point. But gawd it would suck to take Ayton #1 only for Robinson to end up the best of the bunch. Catastrophe.

[bhawk]

Strikes me as a Marquese Chriss type personality from his interviews.

That is my concern as well... a little "me against the world" type attitude. I gotta take care of #1 and my family. Doesn't strike me as a leader at all.

[bwgood77]

Not to mention Robinson was projected at the very top of the class with Ayton and Porter Jr. (Ahead of Bagley/Bamba) coming out of Highschool. He was recruited by all the top schools/programs around the country. He was also a better rebounder and defender than Bamba as well. A McDonald’s All-American, Robinson has also made the coveted Jordan Brand classic and played for USA Basketball. Robinson has the highest Player Efficiency Rating of all time on Nike’s EYBL AAU circuit.

Where are you getting that? His prospect ranking on rivals was high #9, but those guys were 2 and 4. What prospect ranking are you talking about?

https://n.rivals.com/prospect_rankings/rivals150/2017

I guess you are right, im not even going to bother looking for where i got it from, i believe it was an article that stated that and not from the actual rankings page (It was probably months ago when i went on the Mitchell Robinson kick). Looking at the actual rankings boards from the 3 major sites, they all have him right about the same place (Top 10). I was misinformed.

I mean they are all super highly rated top 5 recruits so he could have been as good as some...some they are wrong on anyway. Duval shouldn't have been that high. I don't even know what Billy Preston did. Maybe darealjuice knows that.

[bwgood77]

What's the deal with Robinson's personality/character? I've heard a few of the draftniks make vague comments about it being a bit concerning but no one really gives any specific details.

I read something a while back that seemed a bit concerning but can't remember what it was. Maybe it was about some of the stuff he was tweeting or something....maybe that he was immature or something like that...but that might be off.

[bwgood77]

Strikes me as a Marquese Chriss type personality from his interviews.

That was kind of what I gleaned from the what I read (I think), but nothing that was really concrete...just maybe a slight concern.

[bwgood77]

FWIW, I thought he was the most impressive of Ayton/Bamba/Robinson/Carter in the All-America Game. Then again, Collin Sexton had like 16 assists that day. Not much of a data point. But gawd it would suck to take Ayton #1 only for Robinson to end up the best of the bunch. Catastrophe.

Well what the hell are you going to do? Not playing much for a year couldn't have helped him. But perhaps if that's the case, that he does end up the best of the bunch we draft Doncic or take Young or Porter at 3/4 and Robinson at 16 if he happens to slide that far. I imagine he'd be pretty raw for awhile so we'd probably need to still try to sign a Dedmon or something.

[ImNotMcDiSwear]

FWIW, I thought he was the most impressive of Ayton/Bamba/Robinson/Carter in the All-America Game. Then again, Collin Sexton had like 16 assists that day. Not much of a data point. But gawd it would suck to take Ayton #1 only for Robinson to end up the best of the bunch. Catastrophe.

Well what the hell are you going to do? Not playing much for a year couldn't have helped him. But perhaps if that's the case, that he does end up the best of the bunch we draft Doncic or take Young or Porter at 3/4 and Robinson at 16 if he happens to slide that far. I imagine he'd be pretty raw for awhile so we'd probably need to still try to sign a Dedmon or something.

Well, it'll be a whole lot easier to get a decent veteran center this summer than it will be to get a decent veteran PG. My biggest worry in pursuing that plan would be that Robinson could very well go closer to 10 than 16. OTOH, Johntay's not a bad backup plan.

Ayton is clearly the surer thing and has more tools on offense than Robinson. So maybe you're better off taking him anyway and not inviting the risk. For comparison's sake, what is the likelihood that Bridges ends up better than Doncic, or that Gilgeous-Alexander or Sexton ends up better than Trae?

Looking at it that way, if it's the sure thing you're after, you really can't do better than Doncic, as its basically impossible to imagine that that guy won't have major success in the L. If it's ceiling you're looking for, well, I don't know if you can go wrong with any of the players projected to go in the top 6.

If there were perfect options for us, and everything were obvious, there wouldn't be much to talk about!

[bhawk]

Bruno Fernando declared. Thoughts? Maybe our 16th pick? Better than Chriss?

http://www.baltimoresun.com/sports/terps/tracking-the-terps/bs-sp-kevin-huerter-nba-draft-0420-story.html

"Freshman center Bruno Fernando has also declared for the draft, but has not signed with an agent, according to Turgeon. The 6-foot-10, 245-pound Angolan is the only one of the three who might be a first-round draft choice this year."

[bhawk]

How about this guy? Maybe with our 31st pick? Is he athletic enough?

https://www.cbssports.com/college-basketball/news/2018-nba-draft-news-villanovas-donte-divincenzo-to-test-stock-but-two-starters-return/

"Because he was so good on such a big stage, if DiVincenzo were to return to college hoops, he'd easily be among the two or three most recognizable players in the sport.

DiVincenzo, who also won the Sixth Man of the Year award in the Big East, scored 31 points in the national championship game against Michigan and set the record for most points in a Final Four or national title game by a someone who came off the bench. His 31 was the most in a title game since 1989. The Big Ragu averaged 13.4 points and 4.8 rebounds last season and is considered, undeniably, an NBA-level athlete. "

[bwgood77]

FWIW, I thought he was the most impressive of Ayton/Bamba/Robinson/Carter in the All-America Game. Then again, Collin Sexton had like 16 assists that day. Not much of a data point. But gawd it would suck to take Ayton #1 only for Robinson to end up the best of the bunch. Catastrophe.

Well what the hell are you going to do? Not playing much for a year couldn't have helped him. But perhaps if that's the case, that he does end up the best of the bunch we draft Doncic or take Young or Porter at 3/4 and Robinson at 16 if he happens to slide that far. I imagine he'd be pretty raw for awhile so we'd probably need to still try to sign a Dedmon or something.

Well, it'll be a whole lot easier to get a decent veteran center this summer than it will be to get a decent veteran PG. My biggest worry in pursuing that plan would be that Robinson could very well go closer to 10 than 16. OTOH, Johntay's not a bad backup plan.

Ayton is clearly the surer thing and has more tools on offense than Robinson. So maybe you're better off taking him anyway and not inviting the risk. For comparison's sake, what is the likelihood that Bridges ends up better than Doncic, or that Gilgeous-Alexander or Sexton ends up better than Trae?

Looking at it that way, if it's the sure thing you're after, you really can't do better than Doncic, as its basically impossible to imagine that that guy won't have major success in the L. If it's ceiling you're looking for, well, I don't know if you can go wrong with any of the players projected to go in the top 6.

If there were perfect options for us, and everything were obvious, there wouldn't be much to talk about!

There is a good chance, depending on the team, that Mikal Bridges will be more effective than Doncic as a rookie, but he's a 3 year guy who progressed a ton and is an elite defender and solid 3 pt shooter, and will be more of a role player.

Doncic will likely have a lot more adjustment, pressure, responsibility, etc, so that's tough. You never know who will be the best PG but they will likely be good at different things. Trae will be a lot different than Shai, just like Lonzo is a lot different than Fultz or DSJ. Depends on what you need.

As much as I like Mikal Bridges, unless we wanted to trade JJ or something, he's probably not worth considering.

[In2ition]

To me, Doncic plays a lot like Larry Bird did or the closest I've ever seen to Bird. Robinson's story though is closer to Bird's. I wouldn't be opposed to moving a bit up in the draft from 16 and getting both.

At 31, take Shake or Landry.

[thamadkant]

What's the deal with Robinson's personality/character? I've heard a few of the draftniks make vague comments about it being a bit concerning but no one really gives any specific details.

he doesnt know how to play basketball.... apparently

so maybe Javale like or at best Chris Andersen

[dremill24]

I’m generally against going off nothing but high school mix tapes and some 1 on 0 workouts to draft a kid (LeBron the obvious exception). That’s how you end up with Thon Maker. Porter and Robinson are way down on my list for that reason.

[thamadkant]

I’m generally against going off nothing but high school mix tapes and some 1 on 0 workouts to draft a kid (LeBron the obvious exception). That’s how you end up with Thon Maker. Porter and Robinson are way down on my list for that reason.

Thon Maker has been good here and there.
His ball handling is rarely shown in game because he plays center and he is playing with Giannis, who is playing a Lebron role.

Hence rookies landing in teams where they can put their skills to practice (apply in game) is HUGE for development, and thats what the Suns have been doing with Booker, Jackson... and TRIED with Bender and Chriss