2023 Draft Discussion Part 5

[LBJKB24MJ23]

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He's like a mix of OG & Giannis. If we draft him I hope we groom him as a SG.

i mean he's only 6'6" no?

[BoyzNTheHood]

I didn’t think anybody was higher on him than me lol

I agree with him wholeheartedly…there is no ceiling with him. Going to be elite. I just hope he has the drive because he definitely has everything else.

Exactly how I feel. His anticipation, length and athleticism will make him such a problem in the NBA. He makes so many winning plays. Score, steal. Steal, score. Block, recover. After he scores, he's right up ready for the next action pressuring the inbounds, looking for the steal. Reminds me of Lowry's tenaciousness. Only he has the tools to be a star.

This year we were on the wrong side of too many 4 and 5pt swings. This guys makes those winning plays consistently.

at 13 i think you can definitely take the gamble on him.

With a guy like him I feel like he needs a great vet to get the most out of him and teach him the ropes. Looking at free agents this off-season I’d target a guy like Iguodala. I’m not sure he’d do anything but ring chase at this point, but he’d be the perfect vet for Bilal in my opinion.

[HumbleRen]

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He's like a mix of OG & Giannis. If we draft him I hope we groom him as a SG.

i mean he's only 6'6" no?

My reaction to seeing him sneak in that Giannis crap.

[ATLTimekeeper]

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Hooper

That acceleration and deceleration.

Dennis Smith Jr had that quality, too. You're making up your own rules here

[LBJKB24MJ23]

He's like a mix of OG & Giannis. If we draft him I hope we groom him as a SG.

i mean he's only 6'6" no?

My reaction to seeing him sneak in that Giannis crap.

its the wild wild west when comparing prospects to NBA players.

[HumbleRen]

i mean he's only 6'6" no?

My reaction to seeing him sneak in that Giannis crap.

its the wild wild west when comparing prospects to NBA players.

Reminds me of the copium people were on last year saying Scottie grew to 6’10 in the off season.

[BoyzNTheHood]

Check this out. This guy on Reddit put together a list of some top prospects versus top 50 competition in college.

Jarace Walker, Gradey Dick, Kobe Bufkin, Trayce Jackson-Davis and Colby Jones look really good here.

https://www.reddit.com/r/NBA_Draft/comments/13uedzv/top_college_prospects_production_against_top_50/?utm_source=share&utm_medium=ios_app&utm_name=ioscss&utm_content=2&utm_term=1

[LBJKB24MJ23]

My reaction to seeing him sneak in that Giannis crap.

its the wild wild west when comparing prospects to NBA players.

Reminds me of the copium people were on last year saying Scottie grew to 6’10 in the off season.

give Raptors fans a break. we all thought FVV grew to 6'0" (or even 6'1") in the last 29 years.

[BoyzNTheHood]

My reaction to seeing him sneak in that Giannis crap.

its the wild wild west when comparing prospects to NBA players.

Reminds me of the copium people were on last year saying Scottie grew to 6’10 in the off season.

Relax, Scottie’s 6’13”

[LBJKB24MJ23]

its the wild wild west when comparing prospects to NBA players.

Reminds me of the copium people were on last year saying Scottie grew to 6’10 in the off season.

Relax, Scottie’s 6’13”

thats FVV's reach.

[HumbleRen]

Check this out. This guy on Reddit put together a list of some top prospects versus top 50 competition in college.

Jarace Walker, Gradey Dick, Kobe Bufkin, Trayce Jackson-Davis and Colby Jones look really good here.

https://www.reddit.com/r/NBA_Draft/comments/13uedzv/top_college_prospects_production_against_top_50/?utm_source=share&utm_medium=ios_app&utm_name=ioscss&utm_content=2&utm_term=1

Bufkin be cooking.

[BoyzNTheHood]

Check this out. This guy on Reddit put together a list of some top prospects versus top 50 competition in college.

Jarace Walker, Gradey Dick, Kobe Bufkin, Trayce Jackson-Davis and Colby Jones look really good here.

https://www.reddit.com/r/NBA_Draft/comments/13uedzv/top_college_prospects_production_against_top_50/?utm_source=share&utm_medium=ios_app&utm_name=ioscss&utm_content=2&utm_term=1

Bufkin be cooking.

Jaden Smith you ARE a Toronto Raptor

[WuTang_CMB]

his length gives him a real advantage when guarding on perimeter and finishing at the rim

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A Big 10 coach: “An aggressive driver. Good in the ball screen and dribble handoff actions, and we had to make him work. He needed to see bodies, and we forced him into tough twos. He is a better shooter than the numbers show and more explosive downhill. Really impressed with the jump he made this year after a relatively quiet freshman year.”

A Big 10 coach: “A dynamic guard with great length, capable of going on big scoring runs. Very good in transition and finishing. Want to make his touches hard and be physical with his drives. He cooked us and made some very tough shots. I would say you have to limit the looks from three and, be physical, try to support early in the gaps on penetration.

A Big 10 coach: “He was a complete combo guard. He would have been an 18-19 point guy easily if Hunter (Dickinson) was not the first option and a lot of sets were run for Jett (Howard). I think he’s a lottery talent.”

[WuTang_CMB]

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Perhaps no player has captivated more of my interest after a recent deep dive than Kobe Bufkin.

There’s a large contingent of draft fans who have begun to fiddle through all of the declared prospects in hopes to build boards for their favorite teams that have dubbed themselves the “Bufkin Boyz.”

I am putting in an application to join said membership group, as I too am enamored with what Bufkin can do on both ends of the floor.

For starters, his measurements at the combine were a plus in his favor, as he stands over 6’5” in shoes. Even though he’s not the longest point guard prospect in his class, he does have the size to play both guard positions in the NBA, and his game does speak to him having true combo ability.

But evaluating a prospect is more than just soaking up any combine data available, the tape has to be up to snuff in order for me to move someone up my board at this stage.

The word around Bufkin’s game is that he doesn’t have any GLARING weaknesses to point to that will hold him back from developing into a starter-level or greater backcourt threat in the league. That sentiment became truer the more I watched.

Starting with his game in the pick-and-roll, Bufkin took over more of the offensive responsibility after Jett Howard’s ankle injuries took a toll on the type of role he was able to have. Bufkin eventually stepped into a higher scoring role, and did a lot of damage playing in ball screen offense. His timing coming off of picks, sound decision-making on when to accept or reject the screen, and understanding the cadence that needs to occur within that play type to deceive defenders is excellent for someone who is likely to play in a similar role at the NBA level.

Knowing when to snake, blow by, stop and pop are all important to making the most out of the pick-and-roll set as a lead ball handler. Hunting for mismatches, exploiting switches, and knowing not only HOW to take space but what to do WITH it are all things Bufkin has in his bag. His pull-up jumper is legit, he can convert on tough floaters in the lane, and the angles he’s able to create and utilize given his proficiency of getting his defender on his hip and shielding the ball on rim finishes are exactly what guards need to take over games at a high level.

Bufkin isn’t a high-flying finisher, but his craft and awareness give him advantages still as a below-the-rim finisher. He has a better handle than given credit for, and his first step is better upon review than I initially thought.

Able to knock down spot-up looks from the wings, corners, and elbow areas, Bufkin’s shot variety plays well into the type of upside he could have as a primary, secondary, or tertiary option within an NBA offense. He’s shown capability from all levels, and his knack for playing passing windows correctly in terms of the types of passes he can throw and placement allows him to keep the offense moving when defenders collapse and put him in a tough spot from a scoring standpoint.

Defensively, Bufkin has the chops to defend in screening actions, as he gets low in a stance, flips his hips well to contain drivers, and recovers well if he’s blown by off the bounce. Generally, he’s not put into a ton of those situations though, as he understands when it’s best to stop crashing through and take the switch to play a different angle.

Not to mention his awareness away from the play to jump passing lanes or rotate to help his teammates contain penetration. There are some plays where Bufkin isn’t quite as locked in as he could be, leading him to play defense from an inopportune position, but I didn’t come across too many of those moments on tape. He’s an aware defender in the backcourt, and given how he’s able to cover ground, defend in pick-and-roll, and contest and close out on shooters, I’m buying he will be able to defend both guard spots at the next level.

Bufkin will have to continue to get stronger to finish through defenders given he won’t finish over them, and he still needs to prove the shooting he’s shown is a consistent improvement across the board. But his COMFORT level in operating from all different areas of the floor offensively, on top of his instincts and awareness on both sides of the ball separates him from the rest of his peers.

He’s not talked about enough with Anthony Black and Cason Wallace as options for lottery teams in need of floor generals like the Washington Wizards or Utah Jazz, but he absolutely should be in play. Bufkin has one of the higher upsides at his position if he hits, and compares favorably to a cross between Mike Conley and D’Angelo Russell at his peak.

Do yourself a favor and go back to study the Bufkin tape if you’re on the fence about where to rank him. He’s among the Top 15 guys on my personal board, and I have a feeling he’ll continue to rank favorably at No Ceilings as well.

[KillaSham23]

Colby Jones as our backup pg would be unreal. Where did he go in the mocks, can't seem to find him.

[Son Goku 25]

Interesting.

The players that come to mind when watching Bufkin are D Russell and Conley. If he can be a mix of them on offense and the floor leader and IQ of Conley then sign me up.

[InfraRedshaw]

There was a post pages ago with a mixtape of Bufkin and someone asked "who does this remind you of?" and tbh I saw all sorts of Dlo in his game, lefty guard getting his shot off and comfy in the midrange, but I didn't want to get flamed, I am glad others see it too

[Son Goku 25]

Imagine coming out with Kobe and Colby in the same draft

[dozo]

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https://www.nbascoutinglive.com/craig-porter-jr/

https://www.sports-reference.com/cbb/players/craig-porterjr-1.html

He played well at the PIT, hopefully the raptors invite him to summer league.

[grant101]

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https://www.nbascoutinglive.com/craig-porter-jr/

https://www.sports-reference.com/cbb/players/craig-porterjr-1.html

He played well at the PIT, hopefully the raptors invite him to summer league.

Big fan. Fun player! He, along with D'moi Hodge, will be penalized for their age, but they're both impactful, winning players that take nothing off the table. The type that teams like the Heat snap up and turn into quality rotation players. Would love for the Raps to pick up either (or both!) as UDFAs. I give Hodge the slight advantage cause of the stronger 3pt shooting, but both are great