2022 NBA Draft

[azcatz11]

That was such a great game. Maybe it would be nice to have a dedicated NCAA game thread

[Duke4life831]

That was such a great game. Maybe it would be nice to have a dedicated NCAA game thread

Ya that was just a damn good basketball game. Great mix of elite young talent and veteran older talent. Just sound offense being run on both ends by both sides.

[clyde21]

OT but how does Linda Cohn have this job after all these yrs? she's terrible. she gotta know someone high at ESPN.

[yoyoboy]

His final statline doesn't look too bad, but yeah, this game really didn't help a lot of my fears with Chet. I really can't see him being a game-changing defender in all honesty. Good rim protector, but his instincts, understanding of positioning, and mobility on the perimeter just aren't even close to the level of say, a Mobley. And he really showed his lack of strength tonight obviously. It's hard to imagine him being able to secure boards against and box out dudes in the NBA. I think offensively, while he's skilled, his speed and handles aren't necessarily good enough to where he'll actually be able to use them at a functional level at the next level. He really strikes me as someone who, despite unicorn-like skills, will mostly be relegated to a spot-up shooting role at the 4 in the NBA because he can't actually take advantage of those unique abilities due to his shortcomings - really narrow frame/poor strength but no mobile enough to play like a perimeter player.

[NaturalThunder]

Also won’t lie. Chet isn’t in my top 3 anymore. Just has too big of question marks. He has skills, just don’t think he has the physical attributes that will allow those skills to translate against NBA size and athleticism.

I'm inclined to agree. I watched some of the Gonzaga/UCLA and Gonzaga/Texas games. He was more than underwhelming against Texas. He had good, solid all-around numbers against UCLA. And tonight was similar to the UCLA game. I know foul trouble was a problem tonight, but he had a long stretch in the 2nd half to show some flashes of "takeover" with Timme on the bench in foul trouble and never showed it. I was really high on Holmgren as a "can't miss" type of prospect coming into the season...not so much anymore. We'll see in the longterm, but I need to see a 28-10-3(blk) string of performances from him to get back on the "Holmgren Train".

[CptCrunch]

Chet needs 2 years of gumbo that Zion dined on.

But I would like to see Chet's dad and uncles to better understand how his family puts on weight. A lot of skills but a crippling level of lack of weight and strength.

[Duke4life831]

His final statline doesn't look too bad, but yeah, this game really didn't help a lot of my fears with Chet. I really can't see him being a game-changing defender in all honesty. Good rim protector, but his instincts, understanding of positioning, and mobility on the perimeter just aren't even close to the level of say, a Mobley. And he really showed his lack of strength tonight obviously. It's hard to imagine him being able to secure boards against and box out dudes in the NBA. I think offensively, while he's skilled, his speed and handles aren't necessarily good enough to where he'll actually be able to use them at a functional level at the next level. He really strikes me as someone who, despite unicorn-like skills, will mostly be relegated to a spot-up shooting role at the 4 in the NBA because he can't actually take advantage of those unique abilities due to his shortcomings - really narrow frame/poor strength but no mobile enough to play like a perimeter player.

Ya to be clear, I don't doubt the skills of Chet. They're clearly there. But every time I see him going against guys with NBA size and athleticism, I just dont see that skillset translating.

Im sitting here thinking to myself, do I see Chet being able to attack NBA players off the dribble from the perimeter? I honestly dont. He has a nice handle for his size, but its not wow. And ya his foot speed isn't great either, then you add in he will probably be the weakest player in the NBA when it comes to physical strength. I also dont see him being able to work guys in the post either.

And ya defensively when he gets to camp down in the paint, he's a good rim protector. Im not seeing advanced defensive awareness and positioning from him. I think Mark Williams really shined a light on it as well. On one side you see this dude with crazy length not just getting block shots, but having a clear impact on the defense. His awareness was great, he knew when to make rotations, and was smart with his positioning. Ya Chet got a few blocks, but either than those possessions, you didnt feel his defensive impact. I wont compare him to Mobley because that isn't fair in my opinion. Mobley was a freak defensive prospect.

But ya I just really question if Chet has the physical abilities where he can take advantage of his skills and have his skills translate against NBA players. Right now I dont see his unique skills translating against good legit college players. And ya not talking about his stat line or his impact overall at the college level. Talking about not really seeing a clear line of his skills translating to the NBA.

And because of that, my top tier is 2 players at the moment and its Jabari and Paolo and Chet probably isn't 3rd for me.

[Duke4life831]

Chet needs 2 years of gumbo that Zion dined on.

But I would like to see Chet's dad and uncles to better understand how his family puts on weight. A lot of skills but a crippling level of lack of weight and strength.

In all honesty Im not sure that would do it. Unless he gets Jokic size and not just that size, but knowing how to use that size and girth. Its more the foot speed and 1st step quickness that I'm really questioning with him. I get this is a very unfair comparison, but KD was rail thin and he had no issue at the college level. KD was obviously more skilled but his movement was just so much better. Chet kind of moves like your typical 7'+ guy out there. And again he doesnt have this super tight handle either to make up for that.

[yoyoboy]

It's not just a lack of weight though. It's a narrow frame. If it was simply a matter of bulking up, I don't think nearly as many people would be concerned.

When you see NBA players who are "wiry strong," it's because despite not having a lot of mass to their muscles, they have broader shouldered frames that allow them to dislodge defenders and carve up space. Anthony Davis was a guy who was skinny but you could see his body would be able to support additional size without sacrificing too much mobility.





Chet, not so much... He's 19 here and his shoulders look more narrow than a kid next to him who looks all of about 5'10. With those kinds of skinny shoulders, hips, legs, joints, etc, not only is it way more difficult to pack on enough size and strength to compete with NBA athletes, but you have to factor in that he's 7'0 with extremely long arms, a not ideal combination when it comes to weight lifting movements. Consider the fact that Durant looked rail thin in college yet he was about 20 pounds heavier than Chet despite being 2 inches shorter. Mobley was about an inch shorter and 20 pounds heavier. It's just dishonest when people say Chet's body isn't an issue because X player and Y player were also thin in college and went on to become great NBA players. Holmgren is on an entirely different level of concern.

[crows2]

His final statline doesn't look too bad, but yeah, this game really didn't help a lot of my fears with Chet. I really can't see him being a game-changing defender in all honesty. Good rim protector, but his instincts, understanding of positioning, and mobility on the perimeter just aren't even close to the level of say, a Mobley. And he really showed his lack of strength tonight obviously. It's hard to imagine him being able to secure boards against and box out dudes in the NBA. I think offensively, while he's skilled, his speed and handles aren't necessarily good enough to where he'll actually be able to use them at a functional level at the next level. He really strikes me as someone who, despite unicorn-like skills, will mostly be relegated to a spot-up shooting role at the 4 in the NBA because he can't actually take advantage of those unique abilities due to his shortcomings - really narrow frame/poor strength but no mobile enough to play like a perimeter player.

Ya to be clear, I don't doubt the skills of Chet. They're clearly there. But every time I see him going against guys with NBA size and athleticism, I just dont see that skillset translating.

Im sitting here thinking to myself, do I see Chet being able to attack NBA players off the dribble from the perimeter? I honestly dont. He has a nice handle for his size, but its not wow. And ya his foot speed isn't great either, then you add in he will probably be the weakest player in the NBA when it comes to physical strength. I also dont see him being able to work guys in the post either.

Yeah that’s always been my main concern with Chet. I just don’t think his on-ball offense will translate at this stage, particularly in comparison to Banchero and Jabari. Him handling the ball and crossing defenders over just isn’t going to work in the NBA in my opinion.

[clyde21]

after Chet who's the #2 center? it's Chet and a cloud of dust right now.

[Duke4life831]

after Chet who's the #2 center? it's Chet and a cloud of dust right now.

Oh I agree, I think you can make the legit argument that Mark Williams is the 2nd best C in this draft (dont know what the over seas prospects look like). And with that said, even with my Duke blue shade glasses on, Mark Williams is a late 1st - early 2nd round pick.

My main thing with what Im saying with Chet is, I dont know how much longer people will keep viewing Chet as a #1 overall prospect. I will say this board seems to always be about a month or so ahead of the MSM narrative with the draft. So I wont be shocked by Christmas time ESPN will be talking about how the #1 pick is going to be a battle between Paolo and Jabari.

[yoyoboy]

I honestly don't love this draft class beyond my personal favorites Jabari and Ivey. Are people convinced Banchero will be that much more than a scorer at the next level? We've seen how guys like Parker and Beasley for instance have fared. Banchero has more passing chops than those guys so that's already comforting. But it's not like he has wing-level handles or outstanding playmaking. You'd hope that tonight's game is an indication of the kind of shooter he can be. But what if all he becomes in the NBA is a Randle-style player? Not in terms of having the same play style but more so in how they make an impact. Below average defense, good 1-on-1 scoring aided by physicality and good handles for the 4 position, decent playmaking but not at true creator-level, and just enough 3P shooting to keep the defense honest.

Going forward, I would want to see at least one, maybe two of the following: more defensive ability, three point shooting that makes me confident it can be a real weapon for him, consistent on-ball creation for others. Because right now I'm not sure how much of an all-around impact he'll make especially when his shot isn't falling. To me, a number one pick should be a guy that you're confident if X ability doesn't translate in his arsenal exactly the way we expect, he can still fall back on Y, Z, etc.

[Duke4life831]

I honestly don't love this draft class beyond my personal favorites Jabari and Ivey. Are people convinced Banchero will be that much more than a scorer at the next level? We've seen how guys like Parker and Beasley for instance have fared. Banchero has more passing chops than those guys so that's already comforting. But it's not like he has wing-level handles or outstanding playmaking. You'd hope that tonight's game is an indication of the kind of shooter he can be. But what if all he becomes in the NBA is a Randle-style player? Not in terms of having the same play style but more so in how they make an impact. Below average defense, good 1-on-1 scoring aided by physicality and good handles for the 4 position, decent playmaking but not at true creator-level, and just enough 3P shooting to keep the defense honest.

Going forward, I would want to see at least one, maybe two of the following: more defensive ability, three point shooting that makes me confident it can be a real weapon for him, consistent on-ball creation for others. Because right now I'm not sure how much of an all-around impact he'll make especially when his shot isn't falling. To me, a number one pick should be a guy that you're confident if X ability doesn't translate in his arsenal exactly the way we expect, he can still fall back on Y, Z, etc.

I think Knicks Randle is a solid comparison for Paolo. With that said, I think Paolo has some advantages over Randle in some areas. I think BBIQ, Paolo is far ahead of Randle at the same age and Randle right now. Randle in college was very bull in a china shop and he still gets that way sometimes. I haven't really seen that with Paolo and I think Paolo plays pretty damn well within a team system. One huge plus I give Paolo and K (been awhile since I gave him props from a coaching stand point), I think the offense is a great mix of a team system with also getting Paolo the ball. Paolo doesnt dominate the ball, and until he has his stretches where he gets gassed and cramps, he stays busy within the offense. Randle is a more ball dominate player in my opinion.

Defensively I honestly dont know what Paolo is. And like Ive said before, I dont think we will get an answer to what he is defensively before the draft. The dude is tucked in between some stud defenders. Mark Williams inhaling everything at the rim, Theo John comes in and plays good defense as well at the 5. Then you got really good perimeter defenders as well. So I think its tough to get a good read on his defense. He definitely isn't a high impact defender. But he's not looking like a Jabari Parker bad defender either. He seems to be asked to have a pretty simplistic role defensively and he does it solidly.

I think he can be Julius Randle with a better head and more team functional. That is a pretty damn good player. Ya not someone Im looking to tank a season for. But not someone I would be disappointed with either with a top 3 pick. Seems like most games watching Paolo I just come away with a, ya he's a really solid good player. I will say, I feel like his shooting form kind of falls apart when he is shooting 3s. Inside the arc it seems to be a very reputable and tight form. Outside the arc it seems like a little pushing motion gets added into it. Just something Ive kind of noticed so far.

[clyde21]

my comp for Paolo has always been Randle with a quicker developmental curve, he's way ahead as a player at the same stage, higher BBIQ and he has some real leadership qualities about him that Randle didn't and still doesn't really have.

you take him top3 and not really look back. that said, gun to my head and I have the 1st overall pick today, and I am taking Jabari over anyone. still early but that's where I am at right now.

[EMG518]

I don't get the Randle comps. The guy looks like a perennial all star in the making and plays nothing like Randle.

He is way better defensively with better instincts, he can actually play above the rim, he can take people off the dribble with his handle and athleticism while most importantly he can shoot better than Randle can now. He actually can shoot and can develop a variety of go to moves.

I don't get what people are watching, he is going to be great in the league.

[DroseReturnChi]

my comp for Paolo has always been Randle with a quicker developmental curve, he's way ahead as a player at the same stage, higher BBIQ and he has some real leadership qualities about him that Randle didn't and still doesn't really have.

you take him top3 and not really look back. that said, gun to my head and I have the 1st overall pick today, and I am taking Jabari over anyone. still early but that's where I am at right now.

paolo is boozer not close to randles athleticism.

[DroseReturnChi]

It's not just a lack of weight though. It's a narrow frame. If it was simply a matter of bulking up, I don't think nearly as many people would be concerned.

this is just ridiculous mocking of chet. ad and mobley all had the same weight issue and look what happened.
the chance of chet busting is 0 %.

[The Moose]

Watch on YouTube

I'm still taking Jabari over anyone else

[The-Power]

Ahead, not alongside, which I fully maintain even after watching Banchero light it up in this half because Jabari is impressive on both ends.

To be honest, I'm not sure I'd agree with that. To me, both Paolo and Jabari look pretty average defensively despite being different types of defenders – good enough for it not to be a concern, but even at the college level I don't see a lot of impact and I'm not sure what they'd hang their hat on at the next level. Jabari plays with a bit more – but still not eye-popping – intensity I feel, which could explain the difference in perception perhaps.

I completely agree with your assessment of Chet, by the way.

this is like the third time this yr Banchero cramps up mid game

I noticed that as well. And that is despite not playing with particularly high intensity on defense, and him having a tendency to settle for jumpers on offense. I'd be curious to see if that's something he'll work out and he'll play better and with higher intensity as a result, or if we should be concerned about his level of conditioning and his ability to play hard at his current weight level.