Luka Doncic

[Mirotic12]

NBAdraft.net simply seems like it's ran by some casual fans ... DraftExpress has always been a lot more professional, although even they make some serious blunders sometimes.

Draftexpress.com is much worse than NBADraft.net at scouting and evaluating European players that are playing in Europe. They are better with assessing American and Canadian players, and with assessing players in general that are in the US high school basketball system, or in the US NCAA college system...but they are so bad at evaluating European players that are in Europe, that's it almost embarrassing.

[kayath]

NBAdraft.net simply seems like it's ran by some casual fans ... DraftExpress has always been a lot more professional, although even they make some serious blunders sometimes.

Draftexpress.com is much worse than NBADraft.net at scouting and evaluating European players that are playing in Europe. They are better with assessing American and Canadian players, and with assessing players in general that are in the US high school basketball system, or in the US NCAA college system...but they are so bad at evaluating European players that are in Europe, that's it almost embarrassing.

Fair comment. What is your personal opinion where Doncic should be in 2018 mock draft right now?

[Mirotic12]

NBAdraft.net simply seems like it's ran by some casual fans ... DraftExpress has always been a lot more professional, although even they make some serious blunders sometimes.

Draftexpress.com is much worse than NBADraft.net at scouting and evaluating European players that are playing in Europe. They are better with assessing American and Canadian players, and with assessing players in general that are in the US high school basketball system, or in the US NCAA college system...but they are so bad at evaluating European players that are in Europe, that's it almost embarrassing.

Fair comment. What is your personal opinion where Doncic should be in 2018 mock draft right now?

It's so early for 2018, and most of these players are in high school. So it's hard to say where any of them should definitively be. I would just say Doncic should be ranked in the top 5, and anywhere from 1-5 would be OK. It's still too early to have an accurate mock for 2018.

[SportsGuy8]

NBAdraft.net simply seems like it's ran by some casual fans ... DraftExpress has always been a lot more professional, although even they make some serious blunders sometimes.

Draftexpress.com is much worse than NBADraft.net at scouting and evaluating European players that are playing in Europe. They are better with assessing American and Canadian players, and with assessing players in general that are in the US high school basketball system, or in the US NCAA college system...but they are so bad at evaluating European players that are in Europe, that's it almost embarrassing.

Personally I think that the main problem is that it seems like they're more interested in evaluating European players in the way they expect NBA teams are going to evaluate them. They probably try to be as close to the actual draft as possible, which means you need to look at players the same way NBA teams are going to look at at draft time, which leads to some strange rankings ...

[Upperclass]

He looks an awful lot like James Harden to me. I like his game alot. Unless he's hidden on opposing small forwards or small power forwards.. he will likely be an extremely challenged defender. But imo, he's an NBA point guard all day. Even at his size. His wingspan is likely relative to his height or even shorter. But he seems to possess good functional core strength that a guy like deangelo russell.. lacks.

[jrob23]

so I guess I'm alone in thinking he's just a better version of Luke Kennard? lottery pick 8-13? His fans wouldn't be happy with that?

[Upperclass]

^^ It's very early.. but I dont think there is even a chance he falls out of the top 5. Philly in particular would be a great fit for him with that Lakers pick that wont be rendered this year.

[reanimator]

The James Harden comp is just odd on so many levels...

[UcanUwill]

The James Harden comp is just odd on so many levels...

Wouldn't say its that odd. Its definitely optimistic.

[Mirotic12]

Personally I think that the main problem is that it seems like they're more interested in evaluating European players in the way they expect NBA teams are going to evaluate them. They probably try to be as close to the actual draft as possible, which means you need to look at players the same way NBA teams are going to look at at draft time, which leads to some strange rankings ...

Maybe, but that still doesn't explain how they can't even get the positions of guys in Europe right in so many cases. Like they will list a guy as a PF and say PF or C possible for NBA, when the guy never played a minute at either position in his life. The same with European players in all positions - it's common. Or how they lots of times list the heights and weights or players in Europe from when they were like 15-16 and never update it....stuff like that just seems incredibly lazy.

so I guess I'm alone in thinking he's just a better version of Luke Kennard? lottery pick 8-13? His fans wouldn't be happy with that?

You have said here over and over and over in these forums that the players in Europe he is playing with and against couldn't even make the lineup of a good NCAA college team.

So yeah, your opinion of how he should ranked in the draft is definitely very skewed - to put it mildly.

He looks an awful lot like James Harden to me. I like his game alot. Unless he's hidden on opposing small forwards or small power forwards.. he will likely be an extremely challenged defender. But imo, he's an NBA point guard all day. Even at his size. His wingspan is likely relative to his height or even shorter. But he seems to possess good functional core strength that a guy like deangelo russell.. lacks.

Luka Doncic has a much higher basketball IQ than James Harden. James Harden is way more athletic than Luka Doncic is. Harden is also noticeably smaller and worse defensively. Doncic has nowhere near the ability to finish around the rim, or to beat people with his dribble that Harden has. I'm not sure you can compare these two.

[Ruzious]

Luka Doncic has a much higher basketball IQ than James Harden. James Harden is way more athletic than Luka Doncic is. Harden is also noticeably smaller and worse defensively. Doncic has nowhere near the ability to finish around the rim, or to beat people with his dribble that Harden has. I'm not sure you can compare these two.

You're way underrating Harden's basketball smarts and skills and overrating his athleticism. In fact, the knock a lot of folks had when Harden was in college was that he wasn't a great athlete. What he has are absolutely tremendous skills, really good strength to go with size and length, and good athleticism.

[reanimator]

While he is underrating Harden's IQ, he is spot on with the rest of his assessment.

[Mirotic12]

Luka Doncic has a much higher basketball IQ than James Harden. James Harden is way more athletic than Luka Doncic is. Harden is also noticeably smaller and worse defensively. Doncic has nowhere near the ability to finish around the rim, or to beat people with his dribble that Harden has. I'm not sure you can compare these two.

You're way underrating Harden's basketball smarts and skills and overrating his athleticism. In fact, the knock a lot of folks had when Harden was in college was that he wasn't a great athlete. What he has are absolutely tremendous skills, really good strength to go with size and length, and good athleticism.

I'm not overrating Harden's athleticism at all. I said he is much more athletic than Doncic, which is totally true.

[Upperclass]

Of course Harden is more athletic. Most American hoopers are more athletic than their European contemporaries. However, the way they play the game is very similar aside from James Garden's penchant for flopping.

Doncic's drive and kick game, the way he sets the defense up for passes to cutting teammates, the quick pullups threes off of the triple threat, the way he takes contact and hangs in the air, the footwork and step backs and even the crossovers are very similar. It's all much slower, but through my eyes.. very similar.

I draw conclusions based on what I see and I see this comparison is apt and I think he has room to become more athletic as well when he begins to play in a quicker system as to what's played in America.

[reanimator]

Doncic definitely doesn't finish through contact nor have the crossovers/footwork of James Harden. Can't pull up from anywhere like him, either.

[Mirotic12]

Of course Harden is more athletic. Most American hoopers are more athletic than their European contemporaries. However, the way they play the game is very similar aside from James Garden's penchant for flopping.

Doncic's drive and kick game, the way he sets the defense up for passes to cutting teammates, the quick pullups threes off of the triple threat, the way he takes contact and hangs in the air, the footwork and step backs and even the crossovers are very similar. It's all much slower, but through my eyes.. very similar.

I draw conclusions based on what I see and I see this comparison is apt and I think he has room to become more athletic as well when he begins to play in a quicker system as to what's played in America.

If you meant once he plays in a quicker system as to what's played in Europe - he's not going to be in any quicker team in NBA. Real plays extremely quick and fast basketball. It's Houston Rockets / Golden State Warriors. Just look at their preaseason game against the Thunder if you don't believe it.

People just think it's slower because EuroLeague has such different rules from NBA, which favor the defense, while NBA rules are all geared to favor the offense.

Actually, when you factor in how much more passing and ball movement there is in EuroLeague in half court, and on the perimeter, the half court basketball in EuroLeague is definitely faster than it is in the NBA. And the Spanish League is by far the fastest league in Europe in terms of up and down play, with Real being the fastest playing of all the ACB teams. ACB is also the European league with the least defense emphasis and least physicality allowed by the refs - so most NBA like.

Doncic is already used to playing a really fast and wide open style of basketball. If he improves his athleticism, it will be from getting older and working on it, not from faster play style.

[jrob23]

Personally I think that the main problem is that it seems like they're more interested in evaluating European players in the way they expect NBA teams are going to evaluate them. They probably try to be as close to the actual draft as possible, which means you need to look at players the same way NBA teams are going to look at at draft time, which leads to some strange rankings ...

Maybe, but that still doesn't explain how they can't even get the positions of guys in Europe right in so many cases. Like they will list a guy as a PF and say PF or C possible for NBA, when the guy never played a minute at either position in his life. The same with European players in all positions - it's common. Or how they lots of times list the heights and weights or players in Europe from when they were like 15-16 and never update it....stuff like that just seems incredibly lazy.

so I guess I'm alone in thinking he's just a better version of Luke Kennard? lottery pick 8-13? His fans wouldn't be happy with that?

You have said here over and over and over in these forums that the players in Europe he is playing with and against couldn't even make the lineup of a good NCAA college team.

So yeah, your opinion of how he should ranked in the draft is definitely very skewed - to put it mildly.

He looks an awful lot like James Harden to me. I like his game alot. Unless he's hidden on opposing small forwards or small power forwards.. he will likely be an extremely challenged defender. But imo, he's an NBA point guard all day. Even at his size. His wingspan is likely relative to his height or even shorter. But he seems to possess good functional core strength that a guy like deangelo russell.. lacks.

Luka Doncic has a much higher basketball IQ than James Harden. James Harden is way more athletic than Luka Doncic is. Harden is also noticeably smaller and worse defensively. Doncic has nowhere near the ability to finish around the rim, or to beat people with his dribble that Harden has. I'm not sure you can compare these two.

and you've said the opposite which makes me believe your opinion is skewed so....

[Bob8]

Doncic definitely doesn't finish through contact nor have the crossovers/footwork of James Harden. Can't pull up from anywhere like him, either.

Is it really fair to compare 18 years old Doncic to Harden, who is playing game of his life? Other prospects are judged on what they would eventually maybe do in some years time, Doncic on what is he doing at the moment? Was Harden always that good? Will Doncic be stronger, better in 5 years time? Or maybe there is consensus he won't improve anymore?

[Upperclass]

He definitely finishes through contact, hangs in the air against taller/longer opponents and seems to pull up from anywhere that he sees an opportunity. His game is similar imo to rookie year/6th man James Harden.

[reanimator]

Doncic definitely doesn't finish through contact nor have the crossovers/footwork of James Harden. Can't pull up from anywhere like him, either.

Is it really fair to compare 18 years old Doncic to Harden, who is playing game of his life? Other prospects are judged on what they would eventually maybe do in some years time, Doncic on what is he doing at the moment? Was Harden always that good? Will Doncic be stronger, better in 5 years time? Or maybe there is consensus he won't improve anymore?

There is tons of footage of 17-18 year old Harden. Maybe he will improve, but if I have to project him improving in a bunch of areas then maybe its a bad comparison?