2025 NBA Draft Prospect Part 3

[DG88]

Previous thread viewtopic.php?f=32&t=2426512

Continue the discussion here.

[WuTang_OG]

[REJECTEDBYCLARK]

Watch on YouTube

17-19 from FT line over 8 game synergy sample last year in HS
33-37 from FT line at 17U EYBL

76.7% rim finisher with Arizona this year, 1/3rd of all his rim attempts are dunks

[grant101]

Watch on YouTube

17-19 from FT line over 8 game synergy sample last year in HS
33-37 from FT line at 17U EYBL

76.7% rim finisher with Arizona this year, 1/3rd of all his rim attempts are dunks

One of the main reasons I’ve called for us to move into the mid-to-late first. Diamond in the rough.

[WuTang_OG]

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[LoveMyRaps]

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The top 10 of this draft is truly stacked, specifically the top 8.

I'll be super happy as long as we don't fall out of the top 8. Obviously the higher we pick, the better.

But even prior to the season, I said the goal was to secure a top 8 pick (which would land us another talented starting calibre player).

I'm glad we did things right and didn't make a pointless push for the play-ins.

[RoteSchroder]

Watch on YouTube

17-19 from FT line over 8 game synergy sample last year in HS
33-37 from FT line at 17U EYBL

76.7% rim finisher with Arizona this year, 1/3rd of all his rim attempts are dunks

One of the main reasons I’ve called for us to move into the mid-to-late first. Diamond in the rough.

Ja’Kobe and Bryant need to be on the same team.

Bryant’s draft stock should rise if his numbers keep up and/or he gets more minutes. 6’8 fast, athletic with a 7 foot wingspan that can produce on both ends of the floor. Looking at where Coulibaly, Saluan, Thompsons were drafted, teams will be drooling at this archetype.

Wouldn’t be surprised if Masai reached..considering he did the same with another college bench player that had a high BPM

[God Squad]

It's interesting that the addition of Ingram does complicate things draft-wise. If you draft Bailey/Coop/VJ? do you trade RJ or bench the rookie? Anyway, I think Bobby/Masai did good work at this deadline. Add a top 8 pick to this team and it begins to resemble an actual young core or something you can work with.

[Nature]

It's interesting that the addition of Ingram does complicate things draft-wise. If you draft Bailey/Coop/VJ? do you trade RJ or bench the rookie? Anyway, I think Bobby/Masai did good work at this deadline. Add a top 8 pick to this team and it begins to resemble an actual young core or something you can work with.

Bench the rookie to start the year. Then, you hope the rookie takes over RJ's spot by EOY (Ingram can move to the 2 if we end up drafting Coop/Bailey).

RJ then is either traded next offseason or permanently moved to the bench as an all-league 6th man.

[REJECTEDBYCLARK]

I'm going against the grain, I don't believe this draft class has good high end talent. I believe it's loaded with guys who have the potential to be quality role playing wings and rotational bigs. I also believe there will be a number of 22 and 23 year olds who beat the odds to become positive NBA contributors from this class.

[ontnut]

I'm going against the grain, I don't believe this draft class has good high end talent. I believe it's loaded with guys who have the potential to be quality role playing wings and rotational bigs. I also believe there will be a number of 22 and 23 year olds who beat the odds to become positive NBA contributors from this class.

I'm somewhere in between. I see a few all-stars at the top, but I don't see MVPs.

[REJECTEDBYCLARK]

For a guy who is apparently all about rim pressure and efficiency Dylan Harper is only .473 from 2pt land vs conference opponents. You can say what you want about the flu and his ankle, he is going to need to really sell me down the stretch vs. NBA level size and athleticism. Even that wouldn't entirely quell the reservations I have about his shooting.

The one positive for him is his size/length as he is in fact contributing in the stock department even though he only turns on the burners when he wants and has a tendency to be lazy on D which might be magnified when given the keys to the gym on offense. Another positive about Harper is he is a pretty good cutter and at finishing his putbacks. He actually has wing traits that in a way look stronger than his lead guard traits (again really hindered by shooting history).

He has a big 7 game stretch with some road tests coming up.

[mtcan]

It's interesting that the addition of Ingram does complicate things draft-wise. If you draft Bailey/Coop/VJ? do you trade RJ or bench the rookie? Anyway, I think Bobby/Masai did good work at this deadline. Add a top 8 pick to this team and it begins to resemble an actual young core or something you can work with.

Cooper is going to sell some Raptors 905 tickets.

[REJECTEDBYCLARK]

Does anyone else on this board see the vision with Braden Smith?

https://videos.files.wordpress.com/GWLah3N7/smith-diving-pass.mp4

People will doubt him because of his size but if his size were truly an obstacle he wouldn't be doing what he is against 2nd strongest schedule in CBB 2 years in a row. He's a better prospect than Shead was because his game is more complete - while he doesn't have
Shead's functional strength he comes equipped with a stroke and superior dimensions. Ability to become a volume 3 shooter is essential for modern undersized guards because their lack of length usually translates to low 2pt%.

But impressively Braden Smith over the past few weeks has taken his rim finishing from around 50% to 58.2%, a career high. This is a kid who is improving still. The one issue he will need to overcome at NBA level is switching defensively and holding his ground switched onto bigger players and denying them with strip blocks since he doesn't have FVV type of functional strength. He does have the instincts, length, hands and timing to achieve this with continued development.

He also has unwavering self-confidence, the NBA is a man's league and Braden thinks he's THE man the instant he steps on a court.

[Jerry Lucas]

It's still a bit early in college season but I'm going to post my first "Masai-type FRP" list of the 2025 draft cycle as a reply to this post. This list is subject to change throughout the season as some guys rise and fall based on production inconsistency (list will most likely shrink). In brackets will be where they are currently ranked on ESPN's mock (generally Masai-types rise in mocks throughout the college season), and their school.

First, my track record so far (check the dates on these posts). I didn't know about Torvik until the 2023 draft cycle which is the site I use to filter for Masai-types:

Gradey:
https://forums.realgm.com/boards/viewtopic.php?p=105427438#p105427438
https://forums.realgm.com/boards/viewtopic.php?p=106576531#p106576531

Ja'Kobe (his 1st half of the season stood out big time, before his knee issues in the 2nd half caused a drop off in production):
https://forums.realgm.com/boards/viewtopic.php?p=110746921#p110746921
https://forums.realgm.com/boards/viewtopic.php?p=110829460#p110829460
https://forums.realgm.com/boards/viewtopic.php?p=110830588#p110830588

Mogbo (pick 31 I was tracking as a psuedo-FRP, considering it was a very early SRP):
https://forums.realgm.com/boards/viewtopic.php?p=112340825#p112340825

Tier 1 - Masai-type Lottery level Freshmen:
-6'6" G Dylan Harper (Rutgers, #2)
-6'9" G Egor Demin (BYU, #7)
-6'6" PG Kasparas Jakucionis (Illinois, #8)
-6'4" PG Labaron Philon (Alabama, #19)
-6'10" PF/C Derik Queen (Maryland, #23)
-6'11" C Asa Newell (Georgia, #24)
-6'10" PF/C Thomas Sorber (Georgetown, unranked)

Tier 2 - Masai-type Lottery level Sophomores:
-6'8" F Collin Murray-Boyles (South Carolina, #18)
-7'1" PF/C Tomislav Ivisic (Illinois, #42)
-6'11" PF/C Alex Condon (Florida, unranked)
-6'6" F Devin Royal (Ohio State, unranked)
-6'3" PG Anthony Robinson II (Missouri, unranked)
-6'8" F Eric Dailey Jr. (UCLA, unranked)

Tier 3 - General Masai-type FRPs (Class added preceding their listed position):
-6'6" Jr. G Adou Thiero (Arkansas, #20)
-7'1" Sr. C Ryan Kalkbrenner (Creighton, #30)
-6'6" Jr. G Darrion Williams (Texas Tech, #59)
-6'4" So. PG Bennett Stirtz (Drake, unranked)
-6'7" So. F Andrew Meadow (Boise State, unranked)
-6'3" So. G Mason Falslev (Utah State, unranked)
-6'6" So. G Eian Elmer (Miami OH, unranked)
-6'7" So. G Miles Byrd (San Diego State, unranked)
-6'9" Jr. F Malik Reneau (Indiana, unranked)

With a new draft thread up, figure it's a good time to update my "Masai-type FRP" list as a reply to my previous post:

Tier 1 - Masai-type Lottery level Freshmen:
-6'9" F Cooper Flagg (Duke, #1)
-6'6" G Dylan Harper (Rutgers, #2)
-6'5" G VJ Edgecombe (Baylor, #4)
-6'6" G Kasparas Jakucionis (Illinois, #5)
-6'7" G Kon Knueppel (Duke, #6)
-6'10" PF/C Derik Queen (Maryland, #14)
-6'11" PF/C Asa Newell (Georgia, #21)

Tier 2 - Masai-type Lottery level Sophomores:
-6'8" F Collin Murray-Boyles (South Carolina, #19)
-6'11" PF/C Alex Condon (Florida, #36)
-6'8" F Eric Dailey Jr. (UCLA, unranked)
-6'10" C Malique Ewin (Florida State, unranked)

Tier 3 - General Masai-type FRPs (Class added preceding their listed position):
-6'6" Jr. G Adou Thiero (Arkansas, #23)
-7'1" Sr. C Ryan Kalkbrenner (Creighton, #41)
-6'3" So. G PJ Haggerty (Memphis, #98)
-6'7" So. G Miles Byrd (San Diego State, unranked)
-6'0" Jr. PG Braden Smith (Purdue, unranked)
-6'4" Jr. PG Bennett Stirtz (Drake, unranked)
-6'8" Jr. F Joshua Jefferson (Iowa State, unranked)

[WuTang_OG]

https://www.cbssports.com/nba/news/2025-nba-mock-draft-dukes-cooper-flagg-the-better-pro-prospect-than-auburns-johni-broome/

[WuTang_OG]

Is Tre Johnson a defender?

[niQ]

Watch on YouTube

17-19 from FT line over 8 game synergy sample last year in HS
33-37 from FT line at 17U EYBL

76.7% rim finisher with Arizona this year, 1/3rd of all his rim attempts are dunks

One of the main reasons I’ve called for us to move into the mid-to-late first. Diamond in the rough.

Ja’Kobe and Bryant need to be on the same team.

We couldn't make Dino-Sarr happen. Ja'Kobe Bryant still in play.

[God Squad]

Is Tre Johnson a defender?

No, not really. I think there's room for improvement on that end. But I think he has more playmaking skills than he's displayed at Texas thus far.

[TheRaptor!]

this is our last chance at a franchise altering star, we must knock it out of the park or its mid seed for the forseeable future