Official Raptors 2011 NBA Draft Thread, Part 5

[KG1585]

Can't wait for the Kentucky-UNC game later today!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

BRANDON KNIGHT VS HARRISON BARNES

WHO WILL PREVAIL?

For the sake of my bracket hopefully it will be Barnes and NC.

[Comeatme_Bro]

Yo no homo but anyone else think Jonas Valanciunas looks like channing tatum?

[Silk Wilkes]

Yo no homo but anyone else think Jonas Valanciunas looks like channing tatum?

...pause...

[TheRealDeal]

Here is my top-10 Big Board as of 03/27/11:

1. Perry Jones
2. Jonas Valanciunas
3. Derrick Williams
4. Brandon Knight
5. Tristan Thompson
6. Kyrie Irving
7. Enes Kanter
8. Harrison Barnes
9. Alex Burks
10. Kemba Walker

Obvioulsy I form my own opinions and don't rely on what the media tells me.

obviously

Not a fan of Harrison Barnes.... at all. Guy is playing on an uber-talented North Carolina squad and routinely doesn't look like the best player on the team.

How do you define the best player? It isn't necessarily about who scores the most points because good basketball is about taking advantage of matchups. Their starting 5 is very talented so some nights they need to feed the hot hand. It's much easier for big men to dominate in college.

The hype-campaign is strong for Kyrie Irving but at times the one for Barnes exceeds him. Wings who can't create for themselves or others don't go to-5... period.

What makes you think Barnes can't create? He's able to get his mid-range/3 pt shot off against the best defenders. I understand that he needs to work on his driving ability but you can't expect these 18 year olds to have the complete package just yet.

That's even moreso when that player hasn't proven he's great at the one thing that's supposed his strength -- shooting.

Are you saying Barnes isn't a good shooter? How did you come to this conclusion? Explain please.

Unless Barnes improves tremendously, he will get eaten up at the next level. I see players like Kentucky's DeAndre Liggins having comparable two-way effect in the NBA as Barnes. Barnes offensive skills are overrated and Liggins are underrated.

DeAndre Liggins is averaging 1/2 the points Barnes is in 3 more minutes per game. Barnes received plenty of criticism about his offense this year and responded, while Liggins was barely discussed.

While both project to be plus defenders at the next level, Liggins defensive abilities are more versatile at the moment and he can guard point guards as well. Liggins screams a more athletic Bruce Bowen to me. At the end of the day, I thinks its a real argument if Barnes is even the highest rated true/prototypical small forward in this draft. I think Terrence Jones gives him a run for his money.

I'm a big T-Jones supporter but Barnes has been playing much better as of late. I know that scouts look at the entire season and don't base their opinions solely on the tournament but we'll see.

Brandon Knight, I'm big on. That's just a fact. Guy has that fire inside. Born leader. He isn't afraid of the moment and I think his game translates to the NBA better than almost anyone sans Jones III. He has change of directions, explosion with the dribble, and finishing skills/measurables Irving lacks.

Kyrie Irving has just about every tool a PG could ask for. Brandon Knight is a very talented prospect but I'd be very upset if we chose him over Irving.

p.s. your top 5 is full of bust potential

[wegetitin08]

We have the 4th worst record now

[phailing101]

I'm of the opinion the Raps need to stay in the top 4 to land one of Williams, Irving, Barnes and Kanter.

I know we haven't seen enough of Kanter to judge but his Hoops Summit showing alone paired with his size and our need at C make him a very intriguing prospect.

If he were to pan out, we would have a very tough front court with Davis. Great rebounding and shot blocking....which I think would really put us in a good position in the East.

If we fall out of the top 4, I don't mind taking a chance on Perry Jones or one of those chucker undersized PGs.

[TheRealDeal]

I wish they could approve Kanter's last second appeal, put Jonas Valanciunas on VCU, give Butler Jan Vesely and see how the tournament ends up.

[wegetitin08]

Irving or Williams there's nothing left to say

[phailing101]

I wish they could approve Kanter's last second appeal, put Jonas Valanciunas on VCU, give Butler Jan Vesely and see how the tournament ends up.

Ya its really hard for the North American fan to have a good idea about these players! Drives me crazy!

Kanter absolutely killed Sullinger at the Hoops Summit and put up silly numbers in 20min of playing...that's my only basis for wanting him right now!!

[wanker]

I wish they could approve Kanter's last second appeal, put Jonas Valanciunas on VCU, give Butler Jan Vesely and see how the tournament ends up.

Ya its really hard for the North American fan to have a good idea about these players! Drives me crazy!

Kanter absolutely killed Sullinger at the Hoops Summit and put up silly numbers in 20min of playing...that's my only basis for wanting him right now!!

These the numbers from Kanter's 2009 U18 match against Valanciunas:

Kanter - 35 pts, 19 reb, 1 ast, 3 stl, 4 bs, 2 pf (36 min)
Valanciunas - 14 pts, 5 reb, 1 ast, 0 stl, 4 bs, 4 pf (26 min)

Edit: there was actually a second match-up in that tourney:

Kanter: 22, 12, 1, 2, , 2 pf (33 min)
Valanciunas: 20, 5, 1, 0, 2, 4pf (28 min)

[OneTime86]

Sacramento won their 20th game today. We still have one more loss too.

[phailing101]

I wish they could approve Kanter's last second appeal, put Jonas Valanciunas on VCU, give Butler Jan Vesely and see how the tournament ends up.

Ya its really hard for the North American fan to have a good idea about these players! Drives me crazy!

Kanter absolutely killed Sullinger at the Hoops Summit and put up silly numbers in 20min of playing...that's my only basis for wanting him right now!!

These the numbers from Kanter's 2009 U18 match against Valanciunas:

Kanter - 35 pts, 19 reb, 1 ast, 3 stl, 4 bs (36 min)
Valanciunas - 14 pts, 5 reb, 1 ast, 0 stl, 4 bs (26 min)

That's ridiculous.

I think he's going to climb quickly once teams get a chance to work him out. A big man like that is rare to find.

[5DOM]

All Valanciunas has done since is continue to improve steadily every time we've seen him. There he was in the U-18 European Championships in Metz in the summer of 2009, going up against arch-rival Enes Kanter in a pair of epic matchups that frequently get mentioned by NBA scouts as pivotal moments in their evaluations. 19.3 points, 10.6 rebounds, 2.6 blocks, on 72% FG and 79% FT were the final tallies in France.

And there he was again in the Under-18s the following summer, helping Lithuania win the European Championship and hoisting the tournament MVP trophy after averaging 19.4 points (70% FG, 78% FT), 13.4 rebounds and 2.7 blocks.

In between, Valanciunas has continued to progress from year to year on the club level, starting in hometown Utena in the Lithuanian third division, then moving to Perlas Vilnius in the second division and later to Lietuvos Rytas in the first division.

This year, he is competing in the highest level of European basketball in the Euroleague as well, and ranks as one of the top players in the competition on a per-40 minute basis in points (21.8), rebounds (13.6), blocks (1.8), field goal percentage (74.4%), free throw percentage (87.5%), and fouls (9.1). That's quite an accomplishment for a skinny 18-year-old.

The natural question to ask would be—“Where will it end?” The answer to which seems quite obvious: shaking David Stern's hand at the NBA Draft.

How Valanciunas managed to make such large strides over the last two and a half years is a more interesting question to ponder.

Sounds like he improved A LOT in 2 years

[5DOM]

It looks likely that all four #1 seeds are knocked out.
Butler and VCU in the Final Four?

[Sizemore24]

It looks likely that all four #1 seeds are knocked out.
Butler and VCU in the Final Four?

game is not over at all.

[Rude Boy 1]

It looks likely that all four #1 seeds are knocked out.
Butler and VCU in the Final Four?

game is not over at all.

Ya it is.

Kansas can't make shots

[Mr. Perfect]

Kansas choke job. I'm loving it. I wonder what's the lowest seed to ever make the final four?

EDIT: LSU in 1986, also an #11 seed. But I'm guessing this has to be the lowest seeded matchup with 8 vs 11.

[DatHomieYouHaTe]

I'm of the opinion the Raps need to stay in the top 4 to land one of Williams, Irving, Barnes and Kanter.

stay in the top 4? they're 5 and it looks like they're stuck there unless sac gets some more wins.

EDIT: oh wait damn sac kings are on fire baby! nice lets keep the 4th spot lol

[5DOM]

Yeah. Truly over

[Dr Positivity]

11 VCU or Butler again in the Finals. wow