2024 NBA Draft Thread

[HadAnEffectHere]

Someone convince me why a team should spend a first round pick on Isaiah Collier. He isn't good enough to go in the lottery and he would be utterly useless to a playoff team, who's better off picking someone like Kolek or Simpson. What does he provide?

Guaranteed paint touch.

And paint touches are the most valuable in the NBA by far. That’s why. He’s got lots and lots of warts but his ability to get to the rim is enough to take him top 20 no questions asked.

He's not getting to the rim at all in the NBA without elite shooting, lol.

Everyone will just sag off him and go under screens.

He's not close to Ja so he needs to be an elite shooter, maybe he can get there.

[SelfishPlayer]

Someone convince me why a team should spend a first round pick on Isaiah Collier. He isn't good enough to go in the lottery and he would be utterly useless to a playoff team, who's better off picking someone like Kolek or Simpson. What does he provide?

Guaranteed paint touch.

And paint touches are the most valuable in the NBA by far. That’s why. He’s got lots and lots of warts but his ability to get to the rim is enough to take him top 20 no questions asked.

He's not getting to the rim at all in the NBA without elite shooting, lol.

Everyone will just sag off him and go under screens.

He's not close to Ja so he needs to be an elite shooter, maybe he can get there.

This is something that only exists on the Internet. In real life hall of famers like Tony Parker, Dwyane Wade, and Russell Westbrook say hello. All stars like John Wall also give salutations. In the real world skilled super athletes feast on sagging defenders by attacking them DOWNHILL using that disrespectful "I'm going to let you shoot" defense as a sign to attack a defender at full speed, which is virtually impossible to guard when you are this fast.

[EmpireFalls]

Someone convince me why a team should spend a first round pick on Isaiah Collier. He isn't good enough to go in the lottery and he would be utterly useless to a playoff team, who's better off picking someone like Kolek or Simpson. What does he provide?

Guaranteed paint touch.

And paint touches are the most valuable in the NBA by far. That’s why. He’s got lots and lots of warts but his ability to get to the rim is enough to take him top 20 no questions asked.

He's not getting to the rim at all in the NBA without elite shooting, lol.

Everyone will just sag off him and go under screens.

He's not close to Ja so he needs to be an elite shooter, maybe he can get there.

I can’t tell if you’re serious by saying “he’s not getting to the rim at all” or just using hyperbole, either way it’s an incredibly dumb statement

I hate a lot of things about Collier but I’ve watched enough basketball to know that his ability to get by defenders and use his leverage is going to work at the pro level. It’s purely a testament to how strong he is and how good his driving instincts are that he’s a first rounder.

[HadAnEffectHere]

Guaranteed paint touch.

And paint touches are the most valuable in the NBA by far. That’s why. He’s got lots and lots of warts but his ability to get to the rim is enough to take him top 20 no questions asked.

He's not getting to the rim at all in the NBA without elite shooting, lol.

Everyone will just sag off him and go under screens.

He's not close to Ja so he needs to be an elite shooter, maybe he can get there.

This is something that only exists on the Internet. In real life hall of famers like Tony Parker, Dwyane Wade, and Russell Westbrook say hello. All stars like John Wall also give salutations. In the real world skilled super athletes feast on sagging defenders by attacking them DOWNHILL using that disrespectful "I'm going to let you shoot" defense as a sign to attack a defender at full speed, which is virtually impossible to guard when you are this fast.

Isaiah Collier is nowhere near the athlete of Russell Westbrook in his prime, what.

Collier's athleticism is comparable to Westbrook now and... Westbrook now can't get to the rim or score at all.

Like, Collier tested as having pretty much the worst standing reach+max vert in the class...

Scoot Henderson is way more athletic than Collier (and still not that athletic!) and Scoot has no way to get to the rim.

Like, why will Collier get to the rim more than Scoot? Collier's athletic testing numbers were really really bad at the combine and his tape doesn't suggest an elite athlete at all.

Just like... Why?

[SelfishPlayer]

He's not getting to the rim at all in the NBA without elite shooting, lol.

Everyone will just sag off him and go under screens.

He's not close to Ja so he needs to be an elite shooter, maybe he can get there.

This is something that only exists on the Internet. In real life hall of famers like Tony Parker, Dwyane Wade, and Russell Westbrook say hello. All stars like John Wall also give salutations. In the real world skilled super athletes feast on sagging defenders by attacking them DOWNHILL using that disrespectful "I'm going to let you shoot" defense as a sign to attack a defender at full speed, which is virtually impossible to guard when you are this fast.

Isaiah Collier is nowhere near the athlete of Russell Westbrook in his prime, what.

Collier's athleticism is comparable to Westbrook now and... Westbrook now can't get to the rim or score at all.

Like, Collier tested as having pretty much the worst standing reach+max vert in the class...

Scoot Henderson is way more athletic than Collier (and still not that athletic!) and Scoot has no way to get to the rim.

Like, why will Collier get to the rim more than Scoot? Collier's athletic testing numbers were really really bad at the combine and his tape doesn't suggest an elite athlete at all.

Just like... Why?

The facts are the facts, I gave several ball dominant super athletes that didn't have elite jump shots who got to the rim. Your response included what Westbrook can't do after playing 43,000 career minutes, lol... Andre Miller says hello...

[FarBeyondDriven]

Jaylon Tyson is the sort of NBA role player prospect I expect to see more frequently. If you are a NBA role play then surely you were the man at lower levels of competition, right? Well he is a junior that just had a 30% usage rate on the season. He was used as a primary scorer and can he seen running the pick and role, isolation, and post ups. He has good size for a SG and passable size for a SF. He's an ordinary athlete, but he's very very crafty. He shot 36% from three with a superstar green light, after shooting 40% from three the previous season on a 18% usage rate. He says that Josh Hart and Caleb Martin are the players that he models his game after. That's a very realistic goal for his NBA career, although he just had a higher usage rate than both of those guys ever had in college. Buddy Hield had a 30% usage rate his final year in college.

this "weak" draft is loaded with these types of players well into the 2nd round. Covid and NIL gave a bunch of these kids time to develop and many of them did. These guys will be making NBA teams and contribute as either #5 starters, 6th men or end of rotation types.

[SelfishPlayer]

Jaylon Tyson is the sort of NBA role player prospect I expect to see more frequently. If you are a NBA role play then surely you were the man at lower levels of competition, right? Well he is a junior that just had a 30% usage rate on the season. He was used as a primary scorer and can he seen running the pick and role, isolation, and post ups. He has good size for a SG and passable size for a SF. He's an ordinary athlete, but he's very very crafty. He shot 36% from three with a superstar green light, after shooting 40% from three the previous season on a 18% usage rate. He says that Josh Hart and Caleb Martin are the players that he models his game after. That's a very realistic goal for his NBA career, although he just had a higher usage rate than both of those guys ever had in college. Buddy Hield had a 30% usage rate his final year in college.

this "weak" draft is loaded with these types of players well into the 2nd round. Covid and NIL gave a bunch of these kids time to develop and many of them did. These guys will be making NBA teams and contribute as either #5 starters, 6th men or end of rotation types.

College players in general appear to be improving, entering the league with more pro oriented games. These guys are vastly more pro ready than guys like Evan Turner, Josh Jackson, Justise Winslow, and Stanley Johnson. The transfer portal may have something to go with it too, because players can simply leave programs that aren't putting them in the best position to be a pro. Jaylon Tyson left one program that had him at a 18% usage rate and went to another program that had him at a 30% usage rate, so there is tape on him being featured and complimentary. That may not of happened if he stayed, but in the transfer portal these things can be negotiated.

[FarBeyondDriven]

Jaylon Tyson is the sort of NBA role player prospect I expect to see more frequently. If you are a NBA role play then surely you were the man at lower levels of competition, right? Well he is a junior that just had a 30% usage rate on the season. He was used as a primary scorer and can he seen running the pick and role, isolation, and post ups. He has good size for a SG and passable size for a SF. He's an ordinary athlete, but he's very very crafty. He shot 36% from three with a superstar green light, after shooting 40% from three the previous season on a 18% usage rate. He says that Josh Hart and Caleb Martin are the players that he models his game after. That's a very realistic goal for his NBA career, although he just had a higher usage rate than both of those guys ever had in college. Buddy Hield had a 30% usage rate his final year in college.

this "weak" draft is loaded with these types of players well into the 2nd round. Covid and NIL gave a bunch of these kids time to develop and many of them did. These guys will be making NBA teams and contribute as either #5 starters, 6th men or end of rotation types.

College players in general appear to be improving, entering the league with more pro oriented games. These guys are vastly more pro ready than guys like Evan Turner, Josh Jackson, Justise Winslow, and Stanley Johnson. The transfer portal may have something to go with it too, because players can simply leave programs that aren't putting them in the best position to be a pro. Jaylon Tyson left one program that had him at a 18% usage rate and went to another program that had him at a 30% usage rate, so there is tape on him being featured and complimentary. That may not of happened if he stayed, but in the transfer portal these things can be negotiated.

transfer portal has been huge. Really just comes down to coaching and opportunity for most of these guys. Just look at Ware, Grant-Foster, Knecht, and Carter. Will we be seeing any of (awful to some) players making leaps with a change of scenery: Stojakovic, Power, Stewart, Mitchell, Boswell and Bradshaw?

[HadAnEffectHere]

This is something that only exists on the Internet. In real life hall of famers like Tony Parker, Dwyane Wade, and Russell Westbrook say hello. All stars like John Wall also give salutations. In the real world skilled super athletes feast on sagging defenders by attacking them DOWNHILL using that disrespectful "I'm going to let you shoot" defense as a sign to attack a defender at full speed, which is virtually impossible to guard when you are this fast.

Isaiah Collier is nowhere near the athlete of Russell Westbrook in his prime, what.

Collier's athleticism is comparable to Westbrook now and... Westbrook now can't get to the rim or score at all.

Like, Collier tested as having pretty much the worst standing reach+max vert in the class...

Scoot Henderson is way more athletic than Collier (and still not that athletic!) and Scoot has no way to get to the rim.

Like, why will Collier get to the rim more than Scoot? Collier's athletic testing numbers were really really bad at the combine and his tape doesn't suggest an elite athlete at all.

Just like... Why?

The facts are the facts, I gave several ball dominant super athletes that didn't have elite jump shots who got to the rim. Your response included what Westbrook can't do after playing 43,000 career minutes, lol... Andre Miller says hello...

... Which facts? My original post:

"You need to have athleticism as elite as Ja Morant to get to the rim without a jumpshot and Collier isn't that athlete so he needs a jumpshot."

Your post:

"lol, but historically elite athletes can get to the rim without a jumpshot???"

And it's like... Are you really trying to argue that Isaiah Collier's tools are just incredibly elite?

Because they definitely aren't...

Collier's tools are ehhhhhh

[SelfishPlayer]

Dalton Knecht is definitely qualified to be a NBA guard. The characterizations of him being a SF/wing highlight the lack of assists he had in college, which I think was a result of how he was utilized instead of any limits to his game. Buddy Hield was a guy that similarly didn't have many assists in college but had some seasons in the NBA where he was allowed to do more creating. Knecht can be more of 4-6 assist guy if the organization wants him to be. I do think that Dalton Knecht can spend time as a lead guard/primary ball handler in the NBA. He's definitely a big guard like Gordan Giricek and Bogdan Bogdanović. You can throw Mike Miller and Šarūnas Marčiulionis in there as well.

[SelfishPlayer]

Reed Sheppard was a reserve in college. Is there much of a positive history of drafting college reserves in the lottery? Dion Waiters and Marvin Williams were drafted off of the bench of college teams in the lottery, and so was Zach LaVine, although at the back end of it.

[Dalek]

Reed Sheppard was a reserve in college. Is there much of a positive history of drafting college reserves in the lottery? Dion Waiters and Marvin Williams were drafted off of the bench of college teams in the lottery, and so was Zach LaVine, although at the back end of it.

I think Scottie Barnes was coming off the bench at FSU. Same with OG Anunoby who likely would have been a lotto guy if not for his injury prior to the draft.

[BigGargamel]

Reed Sheppard was a reserve in college. Is there much of a positive history of drafting college reserves in the lottery? Dion Waiters and Marvin Williams were drafted off of the bench of college teams in the lottery, and so was Zach LaVine, although at the back end of it.

Meh. He played 30 minutes a game. I am going to guess he was only a bench guy because DJ Wagner was promised a starting spot when he was recruited. That doesn't matter.

[Chuck Everett]

Reed Sheppard was a reserve in college. Is there much of a positive history of drafting college reserves in the lottery? Dion Waiters and Marvin Williams were drafted off of the bench of college teams in the lottery, and so was Zach LaVine, although at the back end of it.

I think Scottie Barnes was coming off the bench at FSU. Same with OG Anunoby who likely would have been a lotto guy if not for his injury prior to the draft.

Patrick Williams was a sixth man on FSU as well. Scottie came off the bench but played starter's minutes.

[SelfishPlayer]

Jalen Hood-Schifino was the #17th pick last year after his freshman season. He shot .333 from three his freshman season and .432 from three in the GLeague.This draft probably has the best group of shooting prospects of all drafts. You have guys projected to go second round that shot around 40%. Past drafts you had to project shooting from the former NCAA line, and that was difficult.

[FarBeyondDriven]

I'm struggling with where to put Hunter Sallis and Ja'Kobe Walter. I feel like they're both dawgs on defense and that will play at the NBA level but Sallis is a more well-rounded player on offense. Walter has the better NBA body with Sallis just 180 lbs. Sallis is much older. I kinda expected Walter to play like Sallis did this year and if he had, with his body and at that age, he'd justify all the pre-season hype. But he really was nothing more than a 3 and D player that somehow got the FT line a lot and didn't actually shoot all that well from three. So he's a tough eval and I've dropped him. But I might be too low on Sallis.

[BigGargamel]

Jalen Hood-Schifino was the #17th pick last year after his freshman season. He shot .333 from three his freshman season and .432 from three in the GLeague.This draft probably has the best group of shooting prospects of all drafts. You have guys projected to go second round that shot around 40%. Past drafts you had to project shooting from the former NCAA line, and that was difficult.

People are calling this a bad draft because the top talent is just not really there. But on the flip side, I think this class is ridiculously deep. Even doing a 2 round mock I left a bunch of guys out that should be drafted. There should be a lot of rotation players to come out of this class. Glad Denver still has their first rounder.

[lastb1ckman]

Guaranteed paint touch.

And paint touches are the most valuable in the NBA by far. That’s why. He’s got lots and lots of warts but his ability to get to the rim is enough to take him top 20 no questions asked.

He's not getting to the rim at all in the NBA without elite shooting, lol.

Everyone will just sag off him and go under screens.

He's not close to Ja so he needs to be an elite shooter, maybe he can get there.

This is something that only exists on the Internet. In real life hall of famers like Tony Parker, Dwyane Wade, and Russell Westbrook say hello. All stars like John Wall also give salutations. In the real world skilled super athletes feast on sagging defenders by attacking them DOWNHILL using that disrespectful "I'm going to let you shoot" defense as a sign to attack a defender at full speed, which is virtually impossible to guard when you are this fast.

C'mon, don't set Collier up like that. Those are hall of fame players and perennial all-stars. Along with being some of the fastest and most athletic players the game has ever seen. If Collier turns into a Stefon Marbury or Baron Davis level player, THAT's a top end result. It's more likely he'll be like an Eric Bledsoe.

[SelfishPlayer]

He's not getting to the rim at all in the NBA without elite shooting, lol.

Everyone will just sag off him and go under screens.

He's not close to Ja so he needs to be an elite shooter, maybe he can get there.

This is something that only exists on the Internet. In real life hall of famers like Tony Parker, Dwyane Wade, and Russell Westbrook say hello. All stars like John Wall also give salutations. In the real world skilled super athletes feast on sagging defenders by attacking them DOWNHILL using that disrespectful "I'm going to let you shoot" defense as a sign to attack a defender at full speed, which is virtually impossible to guard when you are this fast.

C'mon, don't set Collier up like that. Those are hall of fame players and perennial all-stars. Along with being some of the fastest and most athletic players the game has ever seen. If Collier turns into a Stefon Marbury or Baron Davis level player, THAT's a top end result. It's more likely he'll be like an Eric Bledsoe.

The bizarre Internet where super fast highly skilled guys can only get to the basket if they have an elite jumper.
De'Aaron Fox gives his greetings... Collier is fine, his game is made for being a PG in the NBA not college. For anyone that doubts Collier's NBA value, look at the two back to back one handed assists by Collier against European pros starting at 0:28-50

Watch on YouTube

[lastb1ckman]

This is something that only exists on the Internet. In real life hall of famers like Tony Parker, Dwyane Wade, and Russell Westbrook say hello. All stars like John Wall also give salutations. In the real world skilled super athletes feast on sagging defenders by attacking them DOWNHILL using that disrespectful "I'm going to let you shoot" defense as a sign to attack a defender at full speed, which is virtually impossible to guard when you are this fast.

C'mon, don't set Collier up like that. Those are hall of fame players and perennial all-stars. Along with being some of the fastest and most athletic players the game has ever seen. If Collier turns into a Stefon Marbury or Baron Davis level player, THAT's a top end result. It's more likely he'll be like an Eric Bledsoe.

The bizarre Internet where super fast highly skilled guys can only get to the basket if they have an elite jumper.
De'Aaron Fox gives his greetings... Collier is fine, his game is made for being a PG in the NBA not college. For anyone that doubts Collier's NBA value, look at the two back to back one handed assists by Collier against European pros starting at 0:28-50

Watch on YouTube

What I'm saying is that there's levels to this. Comparing Collier to the 99th percentile of nba athletes all time is unfair to him. Every draft there's guys with a good first step and some skill around the basketball. But that doesn't mean we're getting a Dwade or Russell Westbrook in every draft. Hell. Look at Scoot, he was getting comparisons to Westbrook and DRose! When he actually hit the nba, we saw quickly he's a far worse athlete than either of them, and he's struggling accordingly. The same will happen to Collier.