2019 NBA Draft Prep

[shakes0]

I think I would be cool with any two of these players in the 4-10 range....

Hayes
Hunter
Seko
Culver
Reddish

A little too scared of Bol Bol to put him on that list.

[Jamaaliver]

Sekou Doumbouya, F, France

At 6’9 with wide shoulders and strong frame, Doumbouya has the tools to be a lockdown defender and open-floor terror. His offensive skill set is raw, but developing with his jump shot and handle. He has the potential to be a versatile two-way forward.

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SB Nation

[Jamaaliver]

Goga Bitadze, C, Georgia

Bitadze is quickly emerging as one of the most polished and promising prospects in this draft. The 6’11 center was named MVP of the ABA Liga at only 19 years old after showcasing an impressive skill set and advanced feel for the game despite a lack of elite athleticism. Bitadze hit 38 percent of his three-pointers, passed the ball at a high level, competed on the glass, and always seemed to be in the right spot.

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SB Nation

[Spud2nique]

Goga Bitadze, C, Georgia

Bitadze is quickly emerging as one of the most polished and promising prospects in this draft. The 6’11 center was named MVP of the ABA Liga at only 19 years old after showcasing an impressive skill set and advanced feel for the game despite a lack of elite athleticism. Bitadze hit 38 percent of his three-pointers, passed the ball at a high level, competed on the glass, and always seemed to be in the right spot.

Watch on YouTube

SB Nation

So this is the Jokic comparison dude? I love Joke and I’m not even Soth.

[Jamaaliver]

^I've heard Nurkic and 'shot-blocking' Enes Kanter on multiple occasions.

[King Ken]

Suns could be interested in moving up to trade Morant. Bulls maybe too. I hope we get a top 2 pick

[Spud2nique]

Suns could be interested in moving up to trade Morant. Bulls maybe too. I hope we get a top 2 pick

Few others as well I’m sure. West really did us a favor my proclaiming Ja as the king of the draft. Well, that is if we land a top 3..or 2 I guess.

[HMFFL]

John Gambadoro: Some reports yesterday that the Suns would prefer Ja Morant over Zion Williamson are totally off base. If the Suns did get the #1 pick it would be Zion. If they get #2 it’s Ja and if a team like Atlanta gets #2 they may try and trade with them to get Ja because that team has a PG.
– via Twitter

Sent from my SM-N920P using RealGM mobile app

[CP War Hawks]

I'm starting to feel Sekou will be a Siakim clone. John is the fixture at 4, but Sekou would be a good developmental piece for LP.

[King Ken]

Watch on YouTube

[Jamaaliver]

Read on Twitter

[Jamaaliver]

I'm starting to feel Sekou will be a Siakim clone. John is the fixture at 4, but Sekou would be a good developmental piece for LP.

I think that is the realistic ceiling to aim for with his development. I've heard a few scouts say less dominant Giannis. But that feels a bridge to far.

NBA Draft Big Board 6.0

11. Sekou Doumbouya | PF | Limoges

Height: 6'8" | Weight: 230 | Age: 18 | Last Rank: 11

Doumbouya showed some real improvement over the course of his first season playing in France’s top league, and is trending in the right direction moving into the predraft process, particularly given how quickly this class moves into dart-throw territory. He’s still learning the game, but he has solid tools, a projectable body, legitimate shooting potential and a long-term role fit at power forward if all goes well. It’s key to remember that with his December birthday, he is expected to be the youngest player drafted. Teams who can afford to invest some time in a long-term project will continue to evaluate Doumbouya closely. He’s certainly not a mystery at this point, and offers appealing upside in the mid-to-late lottery.

SI.com

[Jamaaliver]

Top Rated Wings per Sports Illustrated:

NBA Draft Big Board 6.0




...the aim with these rankings is to present a picture that helps better understand which prospects warrant serious consideration for the 2019 draft, in which order and why, and to responsibly gauge and contextualize prospects’ individual outlooks.



3. Jarrett Culver, SG, Texas Tech | Sophomore

Height: 6'6" | Weight: 195 | Age: 20 | Last Rank: 3

Culver noticeably took his lumps over the course of the NCAA tournament, but there’s still a lot to like. In a better draft, Culver wouldn’t be flirting with a top-five selection, and this spot on the board is a tick higher than general consensus. There’s an intuitive yet unflashy quality to his game on both sides of the ball that’s extremely appealing, and his size and developing handle profile nicely as an off-guard and secondary playmaker. He’s an instinctive finisher, plays an unselfish style, and should be able to fit in with a variety of lineups and systems. There are two key areas of improvement for Culver going forward, one being his jump shooting off the dribble, which is not quite natural yet. As a set shooter, it’s easy enough to buy his future improvement, but he’s not dynamic with it on the move. The second issue is a lack of elite athleticism, which was exposed against better defenders at times, and he may have to compensate by working diligently on his change of speed off the bounce. Still, when you factor in how much Culver was asked to do this season, how successful he was, and how much responsibility he assumed in a short span of time, it’s encouraging. There are few bad habits here, and while he may not be a star, he offers more untapped ability than he gets credit for.

Spoiler:

7. Cam Reddish, G/F, Duke | Freshman

Height: 6'8" | Weight: 220 | Age: 19 | Last Rank: 5

Only so much benefit of the doubt can be afforded with Reddish at this point, over the course of a season in which he more often than not looked somewhat ordinary. He has clearly flashed NBA ability on an ongoing basis, but he was scarcely a true difference-maker for Duke, often functioning as more of a side dish as Williamson and Barrett carry the load. None of that was a total surprise, but it was disappointing, particularly given his struggles finishing in the paint and subsequent over-reliance on a streaky pull-up game. The fact he was previously used to being a primary scoring option isn’t really an excuse, although Duke’s floor spacing was often poor. Reddish’s size, ability to move the ball and hit open shots, and potential defensive versatility are still strengths, and his theoretical skill set fits neatly into the modern NBA. Still, to this point in his career, he’s mostly been a tease. He passes the eye test as well as anyone, but his inconsistencies continue to spark doubt.

9. De’Andre Hunter, F, Virginia | Sophomore

Height: 6'7" | Weight: 225 | Age: 21 | Last Rank: 9

It’s easy to get caught up in Hunter’s outstanding performance in the national title game, and it may end up inflating his stock a bit, but his weaknesses are a bit more pronounced than has generally been communicated. What he does offer is a solid floor, and depending on which team you are, the fact he’s older and more prepared to play in the NBA tomorrow than most of the teenagers listed ahead of him makes him a lottery option. But the upside with him is not immense. Hunter is functionally strong, but not extremely fluid or explosive, and lacks natural instincts as a scorer playing off the dribble. Most scouts still don’t entirely trust his jumper. He’s an unflashy all-around player who can defend a variety of positions, and won’t hurt you in any one area. It does help that he’s one of the few lottery-caliber options where you more or less know exactly what you’re getting, but that may not mean a franchise-changing player.

12. Nassir Little, F, North Carolina | Freshman

Height: 6'6" | Weight: 220 | Age: 19 | Last Rank: 12

Little finished the season playing with more consistency and is still a late lottery-caliber talent, although the shine has worn off from his buzzy high school days. From a tools standpoint, he has what it takes to be an NBA wing—he’s strong, agile and will be able to match up on the perimeter. Still, scouts question his overall feel and lack of a pronounced pro-ready skill. Little has been iffy playing off the dribble and shooting from distance, and needs shots created for him. But with his natural athletic ability, he may not have too far to go to become a usable role player. There’s obvious untapped potential here, but Little will have to convince teams he’s worth the bet.

[_s_t_u_r_t_]

Just an admittedly self-absorbed comment about myself, but that others here might be able to relate to(?)...

Here it is, the eve of the NFL draft. My own team is arguably on the cusp of legitimate Super Bowl contention.

And what am I preoccupied with this morning?

The NBA draft.

Two months from now.

That might be a first in my life.

[kg01]

Just an admittedly self-absorbed comment about myself, but that others here might be able to relate to(?)...

Here it is, the eve of the NFL draft. My own team is arguably on the cusp of legitimate Super Bowl contention.

And what am I preoccupied with this morning?

The NBA draft.

Two months from now.

That might be a first in my life.

You gotta leave that football stuff alone, bro. I haven't watched a full game in like 8-9 years. Whenever I try to watch, I literally fall asleep. 30 teams all tryna be the same. Booooriiiing.

[Spud2nique]

Just an admittedly self-absorbed comment about myself, but that others here might be able to relate to(?)...

Here it is, the eve of the NFL draft. My own team is arguably on the cusp of legitimate Super Bowl contention.

And what am I preoccupied with this morning?

The NBA draft.

Two months from now.

That might be a first in my life.

You gotta leave that football stuff alone, bro. I haven't watched a full game in like 8-9 years. Whenever I try to watch, I literally fall asleep. 30 teams all tryna be the same. Booooriiiing.

Oh well that’s cuz ur following the Falcons. You gotta follow a real team like the Lions.

[kg01]

Just an admittedly self-absorbed comment about myself, but that others here might be able to relate to(?)...

Here it is, the eve of the NFL draft. My own team is arguably on the cusp of legitimate Super Bowl contention.

And what am I preoccupied with this morning?

The NBA draft.

Two months from now.

That might be a first in my life.

You gotta leave that football stuff alone, bro. I haven't watched a full game in like 8-9 years. Whenever I try to watch, I literally fall asleep. 30 teams all tryna be the same. Booooriiiing.

Oh well that’s cuz ur following the Falcons. You gotta follow a real team like the Lions.

Point-taken, Lions fan.

Still, the NFL is 30 teams all trying to clone each other.

"Oooh, let's be innovative ... instead of running for 2 yards .. let's do a short pass for 2 yards .... *gasp* .. that'll be our "running game" now ... oooohhh soooo innovative and totally different from every other team who're also doing the exact same thing.*

yawn*

[Spud2nique]

You gotta leave that football stuff alone, bro. I haven't watched a full game in like 8-9 years. Whenever I try to watch, I literally fall asleep. 30 teams all tryna be the same. Booooriiiing.

Oh well that’s cuz ur following the Falcons. You gotta follow a real team like the Lions.

Point-taken, Lions fan.

Still, the NFL is 30 teams all trying to clone each other.

"Oooh, let's be innovative ... instead of running for 2 yards .. let's do a short pass for 2 yards .... *gasp* .. that'll be our "running game" now ... oooohhh soooo innovative and totally different from every other team who're also doing the exact same thing.*

yawn*

I feel that. NFL is getting weaker than the new age kids coming into the nba lol. I’m running out of leagues here... mlb? They done juicing yet?..

[_s_t_u_r_t_]

kg and spud, football is king for me... and for the nation... because it's the best blend of the three major revenue sports in terms of the outcome being dictated by both strategy and talent.

The NBA game and basketball in general, is so much more about talent than it is about strategy. And the NBA in particular is hampered with this concentration of talent problem, where there are too many teams in any given year that are not even barely suspected of being competitive... and while that's the same as baseball, unlike baseball... where there are not enough teams in any given year that are legitimate contenders for the holy grail.

So, my love for basketball is much more about just a personal love for playing the game, less about watching it.

But that said, right now is just a fascinating chapter in The Book of the Atlanta Hawks because it is so pivotal.

[Spud2nique]

kg and spud, football is king for me... and for the nation... because it's the best blend of the three major revenue sports in terms of the outcome being dictated by both strategy and talent.

The NBA game and basketball in general, is so much more about talent than it is about strategy. And the NBA in particular is hampered with this concentration of talent problem, where there are too many teams in any given year that are not even barely suspected of being competitive... and while that's the same as baseball, unlike baseball... where there are not enough teams in any given year that are legitimate contenders for the holy grail.

So, my love for basketball is much more about just a personal love for playing the game, less about watching it.

But that said, right now is just a fascinating chapter in The Book of the Atlanta Hawks because it is so pivotal.

Yes I’ve patiently been waiting for this chapter for 34 years now..