Greatest college player who wasn't considered a good pro prospect

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Greatest college player who wasn't considered a good pro prospect 

Post#1 » by Laimbeer » Thu Apr 5, 2018 6:54 pm

Not talking about guys who were thought to become good pros and were a bust, but guys it was pretty much agreed would never be good pros from the start.
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Re: Greatest college player who wasn't considered a good pro prospect 

Post#2 » by BadWolf » Thu Apr 5, 2018 7:36 pm

Adam or Tyler?
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Re: Greatest college player who wasn't considered a good pro prospect 

Post#3 » by eminence » Thu Apr 5, 2018 7:43 pm

Steve Alford would be my pick. 2x 1st Team All American goes in the 2nd round (26th overall) after leading his team to the title.

Scotty Thurman as a more extreme example.
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Re: Greatest college player who wasn't considered a good pro prospect 

Post#4 » by SeattleJazzFan » Thu Apr 5, 2018 7:55 pm

BadWolf wrote:Adam or Tyler?


hansbrough is good, but Morrison was a consensus top 5 pick.
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Re: Greatest college player who wasn't considered a good pro prospect 

Post#5 » by SeattleJazzFan » Thu Apr 5, 2018 7:56 pm

Draymond is a pretty good example. awesome college player, big 10 POY, triple doubles, etc. lasted until mid second.
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Re: Greatest college player who wasn't considered a good pro prospect 

Post#6 » by EvanZ » Thu Apr 5, 2018 8:01 pm

SeattleJazzFan wrote:Draymond is a pretty good example. awesome college player, big 10 POY, triple doubles, etc. lasted until mid second.


I mean he was projected late first round. That's definitely a "good pro prospect".

I think we're talking more about guys like Przemek Karnowski who was a very good college player, helped his team go far in the tourney, but is not even on the NBA radar. There are so many players like this that are great in college but just don't look like NBA players. That kid from Wofford who is off the charts 3P% probably never sniffs an NBA contract (although who knows). Or a guy like Mike Daum who is a lights out shooter and incredible college player. He'll struggle to get an NBA contract.
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Re: Greatest college player who wasn't considered a good pro prospect 

Post#7 » by eminence » Thu Apr 5, 2018 8:01 pm

SeattleJazzFan wrote:Draymond is a pretty good example. awesome college player, big 10 POY, triple doubles, etc. lasted until mid second.


Wasn't really thinking of guys who went on to be great in the NBA too, but Dray's a great example.

Brogdon another example from recent years.
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Re: Greatest college player who wasn't considered a good pro prospect 

Post#8 » by Justwar » Thu Apr 5, 2018 8:09 pm

Rival players but Scotty Thurman and Jon scheyer
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Re: Greatest college player who wasn't considered a good pro prospect 

Post#9 » by SeattleJazzFan » Thu Apr 5, 2018 8:10 pm

EvanZ wrote:
SeattleJazzFan wrote:Draymond is a pretty good example. awesome college player, big 10 POY, triple doubles, etc. lasted until mid second.


I mean he was projected late first round. That's definitely a "good pro prospect".

I think we're talking more about guys like Przemek Karnowski who was a very good college player, helped his team go far in the tourney, but is not even on the NBA radar.


his college production and accolades were that of one of perhaps a top 5 player in the country, yet he wasn't taken until 35th overall in round 2. he definitely fits what the OP described.
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Re: Greatest college player who wasn't considered a good pro prospect 

Post#10 » by Justwar » Thu Apr 5, 2018 8:11 pm

John pelphrey would be a great example I think too, Travis Ford.
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Re: Greatest college player who wasn't considered a good pro prospect 

Post#11 » by EvanZ » Thu Apr 5, 2018 8:17 pm

SeattleJazzFan wrote:
EvanZ wrote:
SeattleJazzFan wrote:Draymond is a pretty good example. awesome college player, big 10 POY, triple doubles, etc. lasted until mid second.


I mean he was projected late first round. That's definitely a "good pro prospect".

I think we're talking more about guys like Przemek Karnowski who was a very good college player, helped his team go far in the tourney, but is not even on the NBA radar.


his college production and accolades were that of one of perhaps a top 5 player in the country, yet he wasn't taken until 35th overall in round 2. he definitely fits what the OP described.


To me a "good pro prospect" is *anyone* who has a chance to be an NBA player. I mean every year there are maybe 100 guys in America who have some non-zero chance to be an NBA player. If you're in that group you're what I call a "good pro prospect". Some guys are great college players but they will never have a chance of being an NBA player because they lack the length, athleticism, or skill set. I thought this thread was about those guys. But maybe I'm wrong.
I was right about 3 point shooting. I expect to be right about Tacko Fall. Some coach will figure out how to use Tacko Fall. This movement towards undersized centers will sweep ng back. Back to the basket scorers will return to the NBA.
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Re: Greatest college player who wasn't considered a good pro prospect 

Post#12 » by nolang1 » Thu Apr 5, 2018 8:52 pm

There's a hilarious Bill Simmons column from a while back about how Omar Samhan and Jacob Pullen were going to be difference-makers in the NBA based on their "alpha-dogness" or something during March Madness.
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Re: Greatest college player who wasn't considered a good pro prospect 

Post#13 » by peZt » Thu Apr 5, 2018 8:59 pm

Jimmer? I guess it wasn't universally agreed on that he would suck as a pro but based on his college performances the expectations were quite low.
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Re: Greatest college player who wasn't considered a good pro prospect 

Post#14 » by DirtyDez » Thu Apr 5, 2018 9:29 pm

Simon Says Championship. First team AA and F4 MVP. I think he went middle 2nd rd then flamed out.
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Re: Greatest college player who wasn't considered a good pro prospect 

Post#15 » by EvanZ » Thu Apr 5, 2018 9:42 pm

peZt wrote:Jimmer? I guess it wasn't universally agreed on that he would suck as a pro but based on his college performances the expectations were quite low.


Dude he was the 10th pick.

Save him for a discussion on greatest college players that the Sacramento Kings thought would be stars but actually sucked. Grab a Snickers bar while you're at it. Gonna be a long thread.
I was right about 3 point shooting. I expect to be right about Tacko Fall. Some coach will figure out how to use Tacko Fall. This movement towards undersized centers will sweep ng back. Back to the basket scorers will return to the NBA.
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Re: Greatest college player who wasn't considered a good pro prospect 

Post#16 » by Homerclease » Thu Apr 5, 2018 11:13 pm

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Re: Greatest college player who wasn't considered a good pro prospect 

Post#17 » by 916fan » Thu Apr 5, 2018 11:24 pm

This is hard because there's a bunch of good college players who just aren't NBA material. However, I think the most recent is Tyler Haws. He carried that BYU team for years.
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Re: Greatest college player who wasn't considered a good pro prospect 

Post#18 » by vincecarter4pres » Fri Apr 6, 2018 5:26 am

eminence wrote:Steve Alford would be my pick. 2x 1st Team All American goes in the 2nd round (26th overall) after leading his team to the title.

Scotty Thurman as a more extreme example.

Oh man, Scotty Thurman! I had his Arkansas jersey when I was a kid, one of my favorite college players of all time.
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Re: Greatest college player who wasn't considered a good pro prospect 

Post#19 » by KobesScarf » Fri Apr 6, 2018 1:18 pm

Tons of great college guards like:
Salim Stoudamire
Khalil El Amin
Matean Cleaves
Tyus Edney
Dee Brown
Shabaz Napier
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Re: Greatest college player who wasn't considered a good pro prospect 

Post#20 » by hawkmanreturns » Fri Apr 6, 2018 3:53 pm

Chris Carrawell out of Duke.

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