Re: 2023 Draft Prospect discussion Part II

[OakleyDokely]

What scares me about Dick is he doesn't get to the line a lot, which is a red flag. He also doesn't really fill that stat sheet in the other categories and while he's a solid defender, he doesn't project as an impact defender.

I'm confident he's going to be a really good catch and shoot guy, but how much is that one quality worth?

[Psubs]

Sidy is nice. He doesn’t get enough attention for what he’s doing. I should also admit that I’ll need to put a bit more respect on Leonard Miller’s name. I didn’t think he’d be able to do what he’s doing in the G-League.

I also feel like we should mention Coulibaly every time we mention Rupert because Bilal is better in my opinion. Rupert is doing nothing impressive this year and we’re only talking about him because of measurements.

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Coulibaly might be better in his role right now, but I think that he plays closer to a 3&D player. I haven't seen any ball skills that really make me think he's a higher end prospect. Rupert's numbers suck in what I feel like is the toughest league outside Spain for young players. But, he's got all the tools to blow up into something better than 3&D. Maybe they both end up there, but I would favour Rupert.

I'm not sure why Miller isn't getting more buzz. Even if his shot never develops he's looking like a highly versatile skilled forward. Cissoko's rebounding is a bit concerning. He looks smooth and slow. He's definitely talented. I don't really know who he reminds me of in the NBA. Boris Diaw?

That’s fair. I think I just like what I’ve seen from Coulibaly more than Rupert. Every time I watch Rupert I’m not impressed. Coulibaly doesn’t make me say wow either, but I find what he does more impressive.

Sidy looks exactly like Marvin Williams on the court. Both darker complexion guys who shoot a lot of 3’s might be the only reason why though

Possibly how he moves. Hmmmm Boris Diaw's mind in Marvin Williams' body.

[Psubs]

What scares me about Dick is he doesn't get to the line a lot, which is a red flag. He also doesn't really fill that stat sheet in the other categories and while he's a solid defender, he doesn't project as an impact defender.

I'm confident he's going to be a really good catch and shoot guy, but how much is that one quality worth?

Jarace Walker doesn't get to the line either. I guess a lot of guys outside of the top 3 have red flags.

[OakleyDokely]

What scares me about Dick is he doesn't get to the line a lot, which is a red flag. He also doesn't really fill that stat sheet in the other categories and while he's a solid defender, he doesn't project as an impact defender.

I'm confident he's going to be a really good catch and shoot guy, but how much is that one quality worth?

Jarace Walker doesn't get to the line either. I guess a lot of guys outside of the top 3 have red flags.

Isn't Walker projected late loto though?

My concern would be taking Gradey top 10.

[REJECTEDBYCLARK]

Regarding Dick, anyone out there who says he is just a shooter has not watched him play. I've seen him dive for loose balls, chase down his own shots for the offensive rebound and putback, he runs well in transition and is solid finishing at the rim even at high speeds, has had some nice passes, has some moves out of the triple threat to get defenders to hesitate before he drives. I've seen him take charges, run around all over the place in the halfcourt set trying to get open which is one of his best traits his off-ball movement. He seems to play with fire, haven't really seen him take plays off. Bill Self keeps them in check at Kansas. He's gonna enter the league coming from a good program and from a basketball family.

I don't really know how much of a gym rat he is but he strikes me as the kind of player who, with his tools, could develop into something special if he devotes himself to becoming great.

And when we're talking about his 3 point shot it doesn't look like a 37-38% NBA 3, it looks more like a 42-43% NBA 3.

He has the tools to be something special, it will come down to whether or not FO's think he is committed enough to bring that to fruition. The point is that he is much more than just a shooter.

[OakleyDokely]

Regarding Dick, anyone out there who says he is just a shooter has not watched him play. I've seen him dive for loose balls, chase down his own shots for the offensive rebound and putback, he runs well in transition and is solid finishing at the rim even at high speeds, has had some nice passes, has some moves out of the triple threat to get defenders to hesitate before he drives. I've seen him take charges, run around all over the place in the halfcourt set trying to get open which is one of his best traits his off-ball movement. He seems to play with fire, haven't really seen him take plays off. Bill Self keeps them in check at Kansas. He's gonna enter the league coming from a good program and from a basketball family.

I don't really know how much of a gym rat he is but he strikes me as the kind of player who, with his tools, could develop into something special if he devotes himself to becoming great.

And when we're talking about his 3 point shot it doesn't look like a 37-38% NBA 3, it looks more like a 42-43% NBA 3.

He has the tools to be something special, it will come down to whether or not FO's think he is committed enough to bring that to fruition. The point is that he is much more than just a shooter.

When I say just a shooter, I mean that's his only elite NBA skill. What will he do at the NBA level at an above average level?

I mean shooting is a great skill to have and it will likely make you a top 15 pick just based off that skill alone, but you need more than that to be impact NBA player.

[REJECTEDBYCLARK]

Gradey Dick isn't gonna get to the line a lot in the NBA. That doesn't really matter if you have other players who can. For Masai to think in the same manner, that we 100% immediately need both a PG and SG that can get to the line at least 6+ times a game each, would make his task of improving the team very difficult.

[Psubs]

What scares me about Dick is he doesn't get to the line a lot, which is a red flag. He also doesn't really fill that stat sheet in the other categories and while he's a solid defender, he doesn't project as an impact defender.

I'm confident he's going to be a really good catch and shoot guy, but how much is that one quality worth?

Jarace Walker doesn't get to the line either. I guess a lot of guys outside of the top 3 have red flags.

Isn't Walker projected late loto though?

My concern would be taking Gradey top 10.

When he was hot, he was projected around #4/5. Tankathon still has him at #6 behind the Thompson's (which I don't agree with then being inside the top 8).

[REJECTEDBYCLARK]

Regarding Dick, anyone out there who says he is just a shooter has not watched him play. I've seen him dive for loose balls, chase down his own shots for the offensive rebound and putback, he runs well in transition and is solid finishing at the rim even at high speeds, has had some nice passes, has some moves out of the triple threat to get defenders to hesitate before he drives. I've seen him take charges, run around all over the place in the halfcourt set trying to get open which is one of his best traits his off-ball movement. He seems to play with fire, haven't really seen him take plays off. Bill Self keeps them in check at Kansas. He's gonna enter the league coming from a good program and from a basketball family.

I don't really know how much of a gym rat he is but he strikes me as the kind of player who, with his tools, could develop into something special if he devotes himself to becoming great.

And when we're talking about his 3 point shot it doesn't look like a 37-38% NBA 3, it looks more like a 42-43% NBA 3.

He has the tools to be something special, it will come down to whether or not FO's think he is committed enough to bring that to fruition. The point is that he is much more than just a shooter.

When I say just a shooter, I mean that's his only elite NBA skill. What will he do at the NBA level at an above average level?

Efficient shooting is one of the most valuable NBA skills if we were to rank all of them in terms of impacting win probability and 3 point shooting even moreso. It also spaces the floor and creates higher percentage opportunities for teammates among a few other things.

He can tire whoever is defending him out with his off-ball movement at an above average level, he shows a willingness to scrap and fight for the ball better than I have seen most college players. For a guard I think he has the chance to become an above average rebounder and his steals and deflection totals are above average but I don't know how that will translate to the NBA but it's a good indicator that he can pick pockets at an above average level.

[REJECTEDBYCLARK]

Regarding Dick, anyone out there who says he is just a shooter has not watched him play. I've seen him dive for loose balls, chase down his own shots for the offensive rebound and putback, he runs well in transition and is solid finishing at the rim even at high speeds, has had some nice passes, has some moves out of the triple threat to get defenders to hesitate before he drives. I've seen him take charges, run around all over the place in the halfcourt set trying to get open which is one of his best traits his off-ball movement. He seems to play with fire, haven't really seen him take plays off. Bill Self keeps them in check at Kansas. He's gonna enter the league coming from a good program and from a basketball family.

I don't really know how much of a gym rat he is but he strikes me as the kind of player who, with his tools, could develop into something special if he devotes himself to becoming great.

And when we're talking about his 3 point shot it doesn't look like a 37-38% NBA 3, it looks more like a 42-43% NBA 3.

He has the tools to be something special, it will come down to whether or not FO's think he is committed enough to bring that to fruition. The point is that he is much more than just a shooter.

When I say just a shooter, I mean that's his only elite NBA skill. What will he do at the NBA level at an above average level?

I mean shooting is a great skill to have and it will likely make you a top 15 pick just based off that skill alone, but you need more than that to be impact NBA player.

What does Klay Thompson really do other than shoot that makes him impactful? Kevin Huerter? Huerter is an important piece of the puzzle in Sacramento that has helped transform them from a perennial losing team to a winning team.

I can easily see Dick having monster nights shooting the ball and dropping 20-30 points like it was nothing. He just turned 19 not long ago and is 6'8 and an underrated athlete as evidenced by his ability to run the floor well in transition. He covers a lot of ground.

[REJECTEDBYCLARK]

Dude is loose like a goose

https://www.youtube.com/shorts/dJ2kvdWjgHM

[BoyzNTheHood]

Dude is loose like a goose

https://www.youtube.com/shorts/dJ2kvdWjgHM

He’s top 10

[Psubs]

Dude is loose like a goose

https://www.youtube.com/shorts/dJ2kvdWjgHM

Resurgence with Matas Buzelis next year and then Cooper Flagg the next? Oh wait Flagg is 2026?

[Psubs]

Dude is loose like a goose

https://www.youtube.com/shorts/dJ2kvdWjgHM

He’s top 10

Ya, OKC should draft him and make the playoffs next year. Maybe eventually Dick outplays Jalen Williams to start at SG?

PG SGA - Dort
SG JalenW - Joe
SF Giddey - Dick
PF Chet - Poku
C JaylinW - JRE

[Dalek]

Jarace Walker doesn't get to the line either. I guess a lot of guys outside of the top 3 have red flags.

Isn't Walker projected late loto though?

My concern would be taking Gradey top 10.

When he was hot, he was projected around #4/5. Tankathon still has him at #6 behind the Thompson's (which I don't agree with then being inside the top 8).

Outside of Cam Whitmore, I see Jarace Walker as the most Raptorsy type of prospect. I kind of think they would have him at the top of their board given he is listed at 230 lbs coming in meaning he has an NBA body that could take on minutes even at C. A PF as quick as him that can be stuck on Cs? That has great value to our system.

Walker is pretty inefficient, but to me he has a high feel for the game that should translate well to the NBA. He makes some very good passes for a big man. Also every prospects has some ups and downs, but Jarace has been a consistent two-way threat.

Out of guys like Whitmore, Murray and Hendricks, Walker has the highest assist percentage so he isn't a ball stopper, he defends several positions, and is a crazy athlete. To me, if they could draft him, Masai/Bobby would in an instant.

[Rapsfan07]

I have been looking at few of the combo guards because there seems to be a lot of decent ones in this draft class. I am not going to focus on the passing, because they all are decent passers statistically. Instead, I want to see who looks like an NBA guard. Where do they score the best? Are they using athleticism? How well do they score from three?

Cason Wallace (6'4 185 lbs): At the rim: 45-63 (71% - 11 total dunks) Mid-range: 36-94 (38%) Perimeter: 36 3P% (86% assisted)
Jalen Hood-Schifino (6'6 213 lbs): At the rim: 35-64 (55% - 3 total dunks) Mid-range: 69-167 (41%) Perimeter: 36 3P% (63% assisted)
Kobe Bufkin (6'4 195): At the rim: 77-112 (69% - 11 total dunks) Mid-range: 36-94 (38%) Perimeter: 35 3P% (74% assisted)
Colby Jones (6'6 207): At the rim: 80-131 (61% - 7 total dunks) Mid-range: 36-77 (47%) Perimeter: 39 3P% (87% assisted)
Anthony Black (6'7 195): At the rim: 75-118 (64% - 19 total dunks) Mid-range: 22-68 (33%) Perimeter: 32 3P% (71% assisted)

Size-wise I really like Hood-Schifino because at 213 lbs he is big enough to play at the NBA level, but he doesn't show a ton of athleticism and instead does well from mid-range and three and even creates a bit more from three than others. He might be a bit frustrating getting into the paint at the next level, but his mid-range bodes well at the next level. If they want a steady like Freddie-type, I would go with Hood-Schifino. I haven't watched him on defense much, but on offense JHS looks like a good size PG, maybe a bit like Jalen Suggs offensively.

All around I think Colby Jones looks like a NBA player given how efficient he is from three levels, his good size and floor game. He is a bit older at 21, but he seems a bit underrated. Play in a tough conference and competes well in big games. If Tor wants a plus offensive type, Colby Jones is a sizeable three-level scorer. Reminds me of Jalen Williams although Williams had 25 dunks in his last season so he is not that caliber of athlete.

Bufkin stands out with his at the rim finishing and I have watched him all season show tremendous skill finishing at the rim with both hands. He has a weak in-between game. He is similar in a lot of ways to Cason Wallace, but nowhere near the same level of defender. If Toronto wants a change of pace guy, I go with Bufkin because he looks like a creative finisher and has some willingness to attack. I don't think he would survive in our defensive schemes.

Black needs to work on the perimeter game and scoring overall. Nice athlete though and looks like he is going to be really effective attacking the basket. Not completely sold on him because the offense looks rough.

Wallace is a special defender and while he looks pretty meh of offense, you have to assume as a Kentucky guy he will show out more in the NBA. If Tor wants a POA defender and solid guard, Wallace makes sense, but he likely gets picked ahead of where Toronto drafts.

Pretty good run down.

I've been talking about Jones on here for a while. If we're able to secure an additional pick in the later first round, I would give him a very hard look. He does everything pretty well but not excellent at any one thing. Still, he's a plus sized guard who can defend, make plays and score from all three levels. He reminds me quite a bit of Malcolm Brogdon.

If we're looking for guard, manage to stay in the lottery and miss out on Wallace, Jones could end up being a sweet consolation price.

[BoyzNTheHood]

Isn't Walker projected late loto though?

My concern would be taking Gradey top 10.

When he was hot, he was projected around #4/5. Tankathon still has him at #6 behind the Thompson's (which I don't agree with then being inside the top 8).

Outside of Cam Whitmore, I see Jarace Walker as the most Raptorsy type of prospect. I kind of think they would have him at the top of their board given he is listed at 230 lbs coming in meaning he has an NBA body that could take on minutes even at C. A PF as quick as him that can be stuck on Cs? That has great value to our system.

Walker is pretty inefficient, but to me he has a high feel for the game that should translate well to the NBA. He makes some very good passes for a big man. Also every prospects has some ups and downs, but Jarace has been a consistent two-way threat.

Out of guys like Whitmore, Murray and Hendricks, Walker has the highest assist percentage so he isn't a ball stopper, he defends several positions, and is a crazy athlete. To me, if they could draft him, Masai/Bobby would in an instant.

Jarace is a beast. I have him #4 on my board behind Wemby, Scoot and Brandon Miller. His floater will be a killer shot in the NBA and damn near impossible to defend. Plus he can guard 1-4. I don’t think he’ll be available when we pick unless we move up.

[Psubs]

When he was hot, he was projected around #4/5. Tankathon still has him at #6 behind the Thompson's (which I don't agree with then being inside the top 8).

Outside of Cam Whitmore, I see Jarace Walker as the most Raptorsy type of prospect. I kind of think they would have him at the top of their board given he is listed at 230 lbs coming in meaning he has an NBA body that could take on minutes even at C. A PF as quick as him that can be stuck on Cs? That has great value to our system.

Walker is pretty inefficient, but to me he has a high feel for the game that should translate well to the NBA. He makes some very good passes for a big man. Also every prospects has some ups and downs, but Jarace has been a consistent two-way threat.

Out of guys like Whitmore, Murray and Hendricks, Walker has the highest assist percentage so he isn't a ball stopper, he defends several positions, and is a crazy athlete. To me, if they could draft him, Masai/Bobby would in an instant.

Jarace is a beast. I have him #4 on my board behind Wemby, Scoot and Brandon Miller. His floater will be a killer shot in the NBA and damn near impossible to defend. Plus he can guard 1-4. I don’t think he’ll be available when we pick unless we move up.

If he's such a beast, why doesn't he get to the FT line?

[BoyzNTheHood]

Outside of Cam Whitmore, I see Jarace Walker as the most Raptorsy type of prospect. I kind of think they would have him at the top of their board given he is listed at 230 lbs coming in meaning he has an NBA body that could take on minutes even at C. A PF as quick as him that can be stuck on Cs? That has great value to our system.

Walker is pretty inefficient, but to me he has a high feel for the game that should translate well to the NBA. He makes some very good passes for a big man. Also every prospects has some ups and downs, but Jarace has been a consistent two-way threat.

Out of guys like Whitmore, Murray and Hendricks, Walker has the highest assist percentage so he isn't a ball stopper, he defends several positions, and is a crazy athlete. To me, if they could draft him, Masai/Bobby would in an instant.

Jarace is a beast. I have him #4 on my board behind Wemby, Scoot and Brandon Miller. His floater will be a killer shot in the NBA and damn near impossible to defend. Plus he can guard 1-4. I don’t think he’ll be available when we pick unless we move up.

If he's such a beast, why doesn't he get to the FT line?

Being a foul merchant doesn’t make you a beast.

[REJECTEDBYCLARK]

Jarace Walker is what Masai wishes Precious would develop into but never will.

His feel for the game and basketball IQ is already more advanced than that of Precious. He shows far more control on drives than Precious and control+touch operating around the rim while also showing potential to develop a solid midrange game as well, which would give him the potential to be a 3 level scorer in the NBA.

I'm a big believer in Jarace Walker. He will need time to develop but he's truly a guy you don't want to bet against.