2019 NBA Draft Prep

[Spud2nique]

WTF ... ok folks I rest my case. Just saying you’d draft a 19 year old Marvin top 5 makes me win any and all arguments we’ve had on this top.

Who are you Billy Knight?

You’re getting really good at this “make up an argument and argue against it..” thing

It's called straw man fallacy. Those who are not skilled in honest, fair debate often employ this technique.

Thanks for weighing in haas. I’m sure easyroc appreciates the backup, or maybe he thinks your annoying who knows. No straw hat pizza fallacy here.

[Jamaaliver]

Shout out to a long time RealGM poster for this analysis on RJ Barrett:

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Spoiler:

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Share wherever you'd like (please! would be really appreciated) if you like it and please send me any comments/suggestions/thoughts you have!

[Jamaaliver]

Outdated scouting report from The Stepien:

Sekou Doumbouya Draft Profile

Strengths

PHYSICAL TOOLS/UPSIDE:

• Really fast and fluid at his size with a good frame. Great burst in post up situations. Blows by most forwards with ease
  
• Tough to stay in front of in transition, good ball control, agile
  
• Big time defensive tools, potential to be super versatile
  
• Jump shot is very inconsistent but mechanics look good

Weaknesses

• Defensive positioning needs work, instincts still catching up. Not always where he needs to be but overall solid feel on D, smarter D player than plenty players his age. Mental lapses
• Gets lost chasing guys around screens off ball but speed and leaping ability allows him to recover at youth levels. Not great position off ball, lost in no man’s land.
• Forces drives at times, beats guy with athletic ability, will it work at higher levels? A little out of control at times.
• 27% from 3, 64% from FT on close to 200 attempts so far in career. Decent mechanics but at some point going to need to have results.

Overall

An immense physical talent with as much untapped potential as anyone on the list but also a player who is still learning the fundamentals and has a very raw skill set. High risk but with versatile two-way upside.

[King Ken]

Based on what ?

I think Marvin had really good & consistent form. So it’s not like Cam has a significant edge here.

We don’t even want to talk about percentages. Cam has better range but it means nothing when you’re an extremely inefficient shooter.

What are you basing this on exactly ?

Data. Volume. Shot types, etc. Marvin didn't show much in terms of volume at UNC. Barely shot college threes.

Yeah at some point you have to factor in complete lack of efficiency from Reddish. He does have better range and has shown more range than Marvin. Marvin’s form does look better IMO and he was still a very effective mid range shooter in college. Also when you factor in the fact that FT% is also a better indicator of NBA 3pt success than College 3pt%, I don’t think it clear cut at all.

I agree with Cam and his lack of efficiency and his ability within the arc. It's my big red flag on him. Cam is a better FT shooter than his numbers indicate. With his playing time, the lack of getting to the line is more bothersome to me. I watch every Duke game. He is clearly one of our better FT shooters, just struggles at getting to the line. His playmaking potential and ability to attack in space gives me hope. I see him as a blend of Paul George and DeMarre Carroll. Like those two, it will take at least a year or two to get adjusted to his role in the NBA. His potential is through the roof for me. His defensive potential is amazing. Not as excited about his offensive potential but in the right system and personnel which I feel like the Hawks are, I think he could be tremendous.

Marvin was a better prospect. No question about it. If Marvin played in today's NBA and developed that 3pt shot before he entered the NBA, he is a JJJ like prospect. No offense, that's just much better than Cam. That said, Cam is an excellent 3/D prospect potentially while Hunter is a great 3/D prospect period but doesn't have Reddish potential long term.

[Spud2nique]

Data. Volume. Shot types, etc. Marvin didn't show much in terms of volume at UNC. Barely shot college threes.

Yeah at some point you have to factor in complete lack of efficiency from Reddish. He does have better range and has shown more range than Marvin. Marvin’s form does look better IMO and he was still a very effective mid range shooter in college. Also when you factor in the fact that FT% is also a better indicator of NBA 3pt success than College 3pt%, I don’t think it clear cut at all.

I agree with Cam and his lack of efficiency and his ability within the arc. It's my big red flag on him. Cam is a better FT shooter than his numbers indicate. His playing time and lack of getting to the line is more bothersome to me. I watch every Duke game. He is clearly one of our better FT shooters, just struggles at getting to the line. His playmaking potential and ability to attack in space gives me hope. I see him as a blend of Paul George and DeMarre Carroll. Like those two, it will take at least a year or two to get adjusted to his role in the NBA. His potential is through the roof for me. His defensive potential is amazing. Not as excited about his offensive potential but in the right system and personnel which I feel like the Hawks are, I think he could be tremendous.

Marvin was a better prospect. No question about it. If Marvin played in today's NBA and developed that 3pt shot before he entered the NBA, he is a JJJ like prospect. No offense, that's just much better than Cam. That said, Cam is an excellent 3/D prospect potentially while Hunter is a great 3/D prospect period but doesn't have Reddish potential long term.

I want to clarify that I give the first paragraph a like but don’t agree on the 2nd paragraph. Marvin didn’t have handles and ball control of Cam. Marvin just flopped into drives and rode them to the basketball most often resulting in a missed layup.

[EazyRoc]

Data. Volume. Shot types, etc. Marvin didn't show much in terms of volume at UNC. Barely shot college threes.

Yeah at some point you have to factor in complete lack of efficiency from Reddish. He does have better range and has shown more range than Marvin. Marvin’s form does look better IMO and he was still a very effective mid range shooter in college. Also when you factor in the fact that FT% is also a better indicator of NBA 3pt success than College 3pt%, I don’t think it clear cut at all.

I agree with Cam and his lack of efficiency and his ability within the arc. It's my big red flag on him. Cam is a better FT shooter than his numbers indicate. His playing time and lack of getting to the line is more bothersome to me. I watch every Duke game. He is clearly one of our better FT shooters, just struggles at getting to the line. His playmaking potential and ability to attack in space gives me hope. I see him as a blend of Paul George and DeMarre Carroll. Like those two, it will take at least a year or two to get adjusted to his role in the NBA. His potential is through the roof for me. His defensive potential is amazing. Not as excited about his offensive potential but in the right system and personnel which I feel like the Hawks are, I think he could be tremendous.

Marvin was a better prospect. No question about it. If Marvin played in today's NBA and developed that 3pt shot before he entered the NBA, he is a JJJ like prospect. No offense, that's just much better than Cam. That said, Cam is an excellent 3/D prospect potentially while Hunter is a great 3/D prospect period but doesn't have Reddish potential long term.

Cams defensive potential is through the roof and that to me is his most redeeming quality. 6’8” 220 lbs with a 7 ft wingspan can’t be taught.

The ball handling and playmaking have been there but I never see it in the games I watch. He lacks the creativity he will need to create consistent separation IMO and I haven’t seen any PnR action from him that encourages me. Perhaps you have because you’ve seen way more of him than I have..

It’s his passive, lackadaisical mentality that truly scares him away. He’s been the 2nd most talented player on the court in most of the games he’s played. He never seems to put it all together to make an impact though..

In this system where he catches and goes, he could perform better. I just don’t see the justification for a high lottery pick. Most talking heads still have this guy as a top-5ish prospect. He’s more mid-1st in my eyes..

[King Ken]

Yeah at some point you have to factor in complete lack of efficiency from Reddish. He does have better range and has shown more range than Marvin. Marvin’s form does look better IMO and he was still a very effective mid range shooter in college. Also when you factor in the fact that FT% is also a better indicator of NBA 3pt success than College 3pt%, I don’t think it clear cut at all.

I agree with Cam and his lack of efficiency and his ability within the arc. It's my big red flag on him. Cam is a better FT shooter than his numbers indicate. His playing time and lack of getting to the line is more bothersome to me. I watch every Duke game. He is clearly one of our better FT shooters, just struggles at getting to the line. His playmaking potential and ability to attack in space gives me hope. I see him as a blend of Paul George and DeMarre Carroll. Like those two, it will take at least a year or two to get adjusted to his role in the NBA. His potential is through the roof for me. His defensive potential is amazing. Not as excited about his offensive potential but in the right system and personnel which I feel like the Hawks are, I think he could be tremendous.

Marvin was a better prospect. No question about it. If Marvin played in today's NBA and developed that 3pt shot before he entered the NBA, he is a JJJ like prospect. No offense, that's just much better than Cam. That said, Cam is an excellent 3/D prospect potentially while Hunter is a great 3/D prospect period but doesn't have Reddish potential long term.

I want to clarify that I give the first paragraph a like but don’t agree on the 2nd paragraph. Marvin didn’t have handles and ball control of Cam. Marvin just flopped into drives and rode them to the basketball most often resulting in a missed layup.

Cam has better handles but both are crap in tight areas on the dribble drive. Cam also can be a lead guard in terms of playmaking. Marvin never had those perimeter skills.

Marvin is really a modern 4 who played in an era that just didn't value him like that. He needed to develop his shooting volume from deep.

Marvin really had no business being a SF. Honestly, he was always a PF but he needed to be a stretch 4. Marvin just came too soon. Today would have benefited Marvin more. I used to say that about him years ago that he doesn't have a position. Now he does but it's too late. He's my age now. Not a spring chicken Basketball wise.

[Spud2nique]

I agree with Cam and his lack of efficiency and his ability within the arc. It's my big red flag on him. Cam is a better FT shooter than his numbers indicate. His playing time and lack of getting to the line is more bothersome to me. I watch every Duke game. He is clearly one of our better FT shooters, just struggles at getting to the line. His playmaking potential and ability to attack in space gives me hope. I see him as a blend of Paul George and DeMarre Carroll. Like those two, it will take at least a year or two to get adjusted to his role in the NBA. His potential is through the roof for me. His defensive potential is amazing. Not as excited about his offensive potential but in the right system and personnel which I feel like the Hawks are, I think he could be tremendous.

Marvin was a better prospect. No question about it. If Marvin played in today's NBA and developed that 3pt shot before he entered the NBA, he is a JJJ like prospect. No offense, that's just much better than Cam. That said, Cam is an excellent 3/D prospect potentially while Hunter is a great 3/D prospect period but doesn't have Reddish potential long term.

I want to clarify that I give the first paragraph a like but don’t agree on the 2nd paragraph. Marvin didn’t have handles and ball control of Cam. Marvin just flopped into drives and rode them to the basketball most often resulting in a missed layup.

Cam has better handles but both are crap in tight areas on the dribble drive. Cam also can be a lead guard in terms of playmaking. Marvin never had those perimeter skills.

Marvin is really a modern 4 who played in an era that just didn't value him like that. He needed to develop his shooting volume from deep.

Marvin really had no business being a SF. Honestly, he was always a PF but he needed to be a stretch 4. Marvin just came too soon. Today would have benefited Marvin more. I used to say that about him years ago that he doesn't have a position. Now he does but it's too late. He's my age now. Not a spring chicken Basketball wise.

Cam can create for others right now. Marvin couldn’t create for himself much less others. To be able to get teammates involved takes the confidence of knowing that you can take your man, first and foremost. Also think that’s why Cam’s taking a backseat in creating opportunities to RJ, just because they are loaded. But I’m telling you, you can run Cam at the 1 in spot minutes in the pros. He’s capable and then some. Marv...uhhhh hell no. Not then not now.

[King Ken]

Yeah at some point you have to factor in complete lack of efficiency from Reddish. He does have better range and has shown more range than Marvin. Marvin’s form does look better IMO and he was still a very effective mid range shooter in college. Also when you factor in the fact that FT% is also a better indicator of NBA 3pt success than College 3pt%, I don’t think it clear cut at all.

I agree with Cam and his lack of efficiency and his ability within the arc. It's my big red flag on him. Cam is a better FT shooter than his numbers indicate. His playing time and lack of getting to the line is more bothersome to me. I watch every Duke game. He is clearly one of our better FT shooters, just struggles at getting to the line. His playmaking potential and ability to attack in space gives me hope. I see him as a blend of Paul George and DeMarre Carroll. Like those two, it will take at least a year or two to get adjusted to his role in the NBA. His potential is through the roof for me. His defensive potential is amazing. Not as excited about his offensive potential but in the right system and personnel which I feel like the Hawks are, I think he could be tremendous.

Marvin was a better prospect. No question about it. If Marvin played in today's NBA and developed that 3pt shot before he entered the NBA, he is a JJJ like prospect. No offense, that's just much better than Cam. That said, Cam is an excellent 3/D prospect potentially while Hunter is a great 3/D prospect period but doesn't have Reddish potential long term.

Cams defensive potential is through the roof and that to me is his most redeeming quality. 6’8” 220 lbs with a 7 ft wingspan can’t be taught.

The ball handling and playmaking have been there but I never see it in the games I watch. He lacks the creativity he will need to create consistent separation IMO and I haven’t seen any PnR action from him that encourages me. Perhaps you have because you’ve seen way more of him than I have..

It’s his passive, lackadaisical mentality that truly scares him away. He’s been the 2nd most talented player on the court in most of the games he’s played. He never seems to put it all together to make an impact though..

In this system where he catches and goes, he could perform better. I just don’t see the justification for a high lottery pick. Most talking heads still have this guy as a top-5ish prospect. He’s more mid-1st in my eyes..

He is closer 6'9 and has a 7'1 wingspan which is top tier for SFs.

He has a lot of work to do defensively but his potential is insane in terms of on and off the ball defensive talent. That's something you just can't teach.


It's there, you just need time to develop it to be consistent. But it is there which is most important. He actually shows flashes running the PnR but he is far in the pecking order. Tre and R.J. for example.

I always seen him as talented as anyone but he is not close to as skilled as R.J., not anywhere near as good as Zion or not as polished as Tre. He is 4th for a reason. He still has a lot of work to do on his game. Consistency is massive issue for him. He also doesn't fully know his strengths or weaknesses yet. He needs to play in more space, he needs to develop the off the ball skills that's critical for his long term success. He has a low floor. He will need time and a lot of development and the right fit.

This draft is one where for some after the big 3, it's a toss up. I easily see why. But his ceiling is appealing to me in general. If you have a good player development program and you have vets in place who can play the bulk of the minutes while he develops. You should be fine slowly integrating him into his comfort zone and develop him to reach his very high ceiling

[jayu70]

Marvin has scarred Hawks fans for life.........every year some prospect is Marvy Marve 2.0 .....so we better not pick him.

[King Ken]

Marvin has scarred Hawks fans for life.........every year some prospect is Marvy Marve 2.0 .....so we better not pick him.

I had no problem with JJJ as a prospect, I love him. I hated him as our centerpiece and still would if we landed him. He just doesn't have that it factor or star qualities we needed at that time. Trae did. Bagley did. Luka did. Even Ayton did.

If Marvin was in this draft, he would be in my top 4 but he would need to show volume from the 3 in college.

Marvin and Cam share consistency issues and both being more raw than ready issues. But those two are different prospects. Marvin was better as a prospect and even then, hated the Marvin pick for the same reasons. No it factor or star qualities. I wanted Deron Williams. CP3 as well but not as much as Deron. Deron was my Bagley and CP3 was my Luka.

JJJ and Marvin were much alike as prospects.

[Radioblacktive1]

How we feel about Jaxson Hayes?

[Spud2nique]

Marvin has scarred Hawks fans for life.........every year some prospect is Marvy Marve 2.0 .....so we better not pick him.

JJJ I agree looked physically like Marv and flopped around the court like Marv.

Cam has 0 Marv in him. I can’t see the comparison. Cam is more of a poor man’s Tmac. That’s really what I’m seeing. Less athletic but he’s got that smooth NBA game. Marv didn’t have a smooth overall game imo, he was choppy and uncoordinated like a crazy duck.

[Spud2nique]

Marvin has scarred Hawks fans for life.........every year some prospect is Marvy Marve 2.0 .....so we better not pick him.

I had no problem with JJJ as a prospect, I love him. I hated him as our centerpiece and still would if we landed him. He just doesn't have that it factor or star qualities we needed at that time. Trae did. Bagley did. Luka did. Even Ayton did.

If Marvin was in this draft, he would be in my top 4 but he would need to show volume from the 3 in college.

Marvin and Cam share consistency issues and both being more raw than ready issues. But those two are different prospects. Marvin was better as a prospect and even then, hated the Marvin pick for the same reasons. No it factor or star qualities. I wanted Deron Williams. CP3 as well but not as much as Deron. Deron was my Bagley and CP3 was my Luka.

JJJ and Marvin were much alike as prospects.

THANK YOU! You can’t compare two players and liken them to one another solely because they are inconsistent, if that’s the case you can compare an inconsistent center to an inconsistent point guard. Agree on jjj, he couldn’t have been our guy, we needed a centerpiece that would set people up and be a main piece to lead, not a great complimentary piece. JJJ would have never developed the right way with our roster imo aka Marv 2.0.

[Jamaaliver]

How we feel about Jaxson Hayes?

I find him intriguing. He's young and raw and only started playing basketball a few years ago.

But he's in that Clint Capela mold of shot-blocking, rim-runners. He's not a sure thing, is very slight at this point and doesn't rebound particularly well. If he could learn to shoot from outside, he's the ideal center. Otherwise, he's limited and can't fit next to John Collins.

He's worth a gamble, though. Particularly with the Dallas pick. The upside is massive.

Spoiler:

7. Jaxson Hayes
Center, Texas, freshman (6-foot-11, 220 pounds, 18 years old)

O’Connor: Hayes fits the mold of a Clint Capela–style center prospect in more ways than one. Their games are similar: Hayes has springs in his legs, which he uses to abuse the rim with dunks or alter shots on defense. This season, he’s flushing over 80 percent of his shots around the rim, per Synergy. Capela took years to become a contributor though: He had to improve his body, develop a softer touch, and learn how to read the floor. Upside can be deceiving since raw talent can sour once it’s exposed to the NBA, but in a fairly uninspiring draft, Hayes is worth a gamble.

The Ringer

[Jamaaliver]

From The Ringer:

The Ringer’s 2019 NBA Draft Lottery Big Board 1.0

Outside of Zion Williamson’s position at the very top of the class, there is little consensus in this year’s draft. Things will inevitably get weird come June, and weird is what our resident draftniks do best. Here are their 14 top prospects




2. Jarrett Culver
Guard, Texas Tech, sophomore (6-foot-5, 195 pounds, 20 years old)

Danny Chau: Culver is the tallest 6-foot-5 basketball player I’ve ever seen. Some weeks he looks taller, some weeks his already strong shoulders seem broader, some weeks his stride is a bit longer than it used to be. His body is transforming, and there are corners of the deep draft web intimating that Culver is not only much taller than his listed height, but also that he might not be done growing. If that’s the case—if he winds up closer to 6-foot-10 than 6-foot-5—the draft could be looking at a massive upheaval at the top (after Zion, of course).

The Texas Tech star is a lottery-caliber player no matter where he lands in the predraft measurements. Culver’s per-40 stats in Year 2 at Lubbock are impressive: 22.8 points on 50 percent from the field and 34 percent from 3, 8.1 rebounds, and 4.7 assists. These numbers reflect a year-to-year spike in production not unlike Evan Turner’s in 2007-08 to 2008-09 or Otto Porter Jr.’s from 2011-12 to 2012-13. Culver is in a similar vein as a prospect, in general: a crafty, rebounding wing comfortable making plays for others while drastically improving his own shot-creation abilities. Turner grew as a slasher, and Porter became a much more deadly 3-point shooter; Culver’s skill development sits somewhere between the two.

These aren’t entirely flattering comparisons at the surface (still, both Turner and Porter were top-three picks in their respective drafts). But Culver’s potential for literal growth turns what would normally be commonplace skills for the guards into gemlike rarities for a player 6-foot-8 or above. Culver has the do-it-all, two-way wing skill set at the top of every team’s wishlist, but the first thing I’d try to find out if I were a front office executive is whether or not his growth plates are still open. That could be the difference between a reliable 3-and-D wing and a type of big man the NBA has rarely seen.

Spoiler:

4. De’Andre Hunter
Forward, Virginia, sophomore (6-foot-7, 225 pounds, 21 years old)

Tjarks: In a draft without much surefire star talent outside of Zion, Hunter has the chance to be a different kind of star. He’s a good athlete with the physical tools (a sturdy frame with a 7-foot-2 wingspan) to be a multipositional defender, and he’s far better offensively than most 3-and-D players. He can shoot from deep (45.5 percent from 3 on 2.2 attempts per game), but he’s not just a spot-up shooter. He has shown the ability to get his own shot (14.8 points per game on 53 percent shooting) and move the ball (2.1 assists on 1.2 turnovers per game) despite playing in a restrictive offensive system at Virginia that doesn’t give players much freedom.

Cavaliers head coach Tony Bennett slows the pace of the game to a crawl with an incredibly conservative scheme on both ends of the floor. His system is not designed to make his players look good, but it does make them better: Malcolm Brogdon, Joe Harris, and Mike Scott have all exceeded expectations in the NBA. The knock on Hunter is that he’s an older prospect (he’s a redshirt sophomore who is already three months older than Brandon Ingram) with a limited ceiling. Put him in a different system in the next level and he could have more potential than we realize.


8. Romeo Langford
Guard, Indiana, freshman (6-foot-6, 215 pounds, 19 years old)

Chau: Aesthetically, there is not a player in college basketball outside of Zion I enjoy watching more than Langford. He has a confident, unrushed floor game, with all the crossover stepbacks and pull-up ability required to be a high-level scoring guard these days. He might have the best glasswork of any athlete in the country—a skill that certainly translated with talents like Dwyane Wade, Brandon Roy, and early-career Derrick Rose. Langford has a remarkable feel for angles, touch, and body control required to get the ball softly through the cylinder by any means possible—likely something honed as a complement to his flowing style of play.

With long arms and a compact frame, he has the tools to be both a volume scorer in the league and a solid two-way player. If he can improve his shooting consistency, he might wind up being the Markelle Fultz we never received. But if he can’t reliably extend his range, much of what makes him special in college could make him a majorly inefficient player in the NBA.


10. Nickeil Alexander-Walker
Guard, Virginia Tech, sophomore (6-foot-5, 205 pounds, 20 years old)

Tjarks: Alexander-Walker is one of the safer players at this point in the draft. He will be able to shoot in the NBA: He’s shooting 39.5 percent from 3 on 4.8 attempts per game, 56.7 percent from 2 on 7.1 attempts, and 74 percent from the free throw line on 4.0 attempts this season. He has made a huge leap from his freshman season at Virginia Tech, where he was primarily used as a spot-up shooter. Alexander-Walker has become a primary option who shoots off movement and creates shots for his teammates (3.8 assists on 2.8 turnovers per game). And while he’s not a great athlete, his long frame (6-foot-9 wingspan) and solid defensive instincts (2.1 steals per game) allow him to hold his own on defense.

Hokies head coach Buzz Williams knows how to turn relatively unheralded recruits into NBA players. He churned out a line of tough-minded wings who outperformed their draft stock (Jae Crowder, Jimmy Butler, Wesley Matthews) at Marquette. While Alexander-Walker will be more of an offensive-minded player in the NBA than his predecessors, he has that style of play in his DNA. His combination of size, shooting ability, basketball IQ, and defensive pedigree should be enough to take him off the board relatively quickly in this draft.

[Jamaaliver]

Marvin has scarred Hawks fans for life.........every year some prospect is Marvy Marve 2.0 .....so we better not pick him.

You are absolutely correct, JayBirdHawk.

Ironically, one of the more recent scouting reports on Nassir Little actually mentions Marvin as a cautionary tale:

Spoiler:

Nassir Little
Forward, North Carolina, freshman (6-foot-6, 220 pounds, 19 years old)

Chau: We’re still waiting on Little. After a 23-point, six-rebound, and three-assist statement game against Virginia Tech in late January, one of the most hyped freshmen in the nation has largely crawled back into obscurity for the Tar Heels. Few prospects in the draft can boast a more impressive, NBA-ready frame than Little, who has the length, bulk, and explosive athleticism to theoretically match up with just about anyone across positions. Despite Little being only 6-foot-6, his few glimmers of NBA potential during his time at Chapel Hill have been unlocked at the 4, where his versatility is truly highlighted. But there just haven’t been many opportunities. He hasn’t shown scouts that his jumper has improved much from high school, and he hasn’t been as strong a defensive presence as his frame would suggest he could be.

Drafting purely off physical potential can easily backfire, the way it did when Marvin Williams was selected in 2005 in a clear overreaction to LeBron James’s early-career dominance. But Williams was drafted no. 2; at no. 11, especially in a draft as scattershot as this one, Little might be worth a gamble.

The Ringer

Considering none of the current decision makers were here for the Marvin Williams draft debacle (we seriously needed a PG), it wouldn't surprise me to see Trav/Lloyd take a shot on Little Nas.

...to the chagrin of Hawks fans everywhere.

[Jamaaliver]

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[Jamaaliver]

A guy who'd pair well with Collins and will likely be available in the latter half of the 1st round.

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[A]sk international scouts which European prospect they'd take first and you'll get a consistent answer: Goga Bitadze, who brings hands, touch and feel at 6-foot-11.

The Georgian big man is not an ideal fit in the modern NBA from a perimeter defense standpoint, but the 19-year-old has more than enough skill to warrant mid-first-round looks...while averaging 13.1 points, 6.6 rebounds and 2.9 blocks per game in 25.3 MPG of EuroLeague action, he may be the most experienced 19-year-old in all of Europe with 86 pro games, Bitadze deserves more mid-first-round buzz given his resume. He's a nimble roller, physical finisher and instinctual offensive rebounder. His finishing might not translate perfectly against long athletes, but his potential as a stretch big along with his feel and shot-blocking instincts make him intriguing in today's NBA.

"I think I can become a great shooter from outside the line," Bitadze said.

He can pop to 3 and the midrange or facilitate out of short rolls. He's not the most polished post scorer or vertical finisher, but he's improved his conditioning. He's quick off his feet for his size and should continue adding more touch shots and craft to his game.

While he shares a physical profile similar to that of Kanter and Willy Hernangomez, Bitadze has instincts and an ability to get off the floor quickly. Dropping deep into the paint every pick-and-roll possession is less than ideal, but if teams can funnel the ball handler to the rim, Bitadze is more than capable of deterring shots.

Bitadze's perimeter defense is where he's going to frustrate more small-ball-oriented coaches. He's not always the most assertive defensive rebounder, either, but he has developed into an excellent rim protector -- something most of the Enes Kanter-type bigs who are getting run off the floor don't have as a skill.

[Jamaaliver]

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