With the 31st pick, the Raptors select Jonathan Mogbo

[Anticon]

Despite the obvious offensive troubles, I am intrigued by his game. His physical abilities and instincts are already NBA caliber and he looks quite comfortable as a rookie. I think he'll get a shot with the main team for a fair bit of time this year.

[UnbelievablyRAW]

Wish the best for him but I want some more "hoopers" on this roster. Still lowkey wish we took Whitmore over Grady just for the offensive pop.

Mogbo seems like a guy who can be a high level support player if he can learn to shoot or finish at a high %, but with our already abysmal shooting, whatever areas of positivity he can theoretically bring will be undermined by the fact that he won't get guarded passed the FT line and will clog the rest of the paint for other non-shooters.

He'd need to be some Draymond level defender to be playable against good lineups/teams. Or be a Sabonis level of rebounder and finisher to go with the passing. Right now he is a bottom tier scoring threat and an okay defender. He doesn't really get minutes on any non-tanking team

Gradey doesn't come off as a "hooper" to you?

I've gone from 90% off him to thinking he'll be a good player in the long run after his complete 180 last season. I don't think he is a natural scorer and ball handler, where if a good man defender was on him he could still have a good night.

I think he's smart and his shot will be good in the long run. From all I've heard the Raptors staff work a lot with him so maybe all of this develops from where he's at

[ATLTimekeeper]

Wish the best for him but I want some more "hoopers" on this roster. Still lowkey wish we took Whitmore over Grady just for the offensive pop.

Mogbo seems like a guy who can be a high level support player if he can learn to shoot or finish at a high %, but with our already abysmal shooting, whatever areas of positivity he can theoretically bring will be undermined by the fact that he won't get guarded passed the FT line and will clog the rest of the paint for other non-shooters.

He'd need to be some Draymond level defender to be playable against good lineups/teams. Or be a Sabonis level of rebounder and finisher to go with the passing. Right now he is a bottom tier scoring threat and an okay defender. He doesn't really get minutes on any non-tanking team

Gradey doesn't come off as a "hooper" to you?

I've gone from 90% off him to thinking he'll be a good player in the long run after his complete 180 last season. I don't think he is a natural scorer and ball handler, where if a good man defender was on him he could still have a good night.

I think he's smart and his shot will be good in the long run. From all I've heard the Raptors staff work a lot with him so maybe all of this develops from where he's at

Well, you're right that he's not going to create his own shot off isolation as well as Whitmore. Gradey is an off ball threat that gets open by utilizing screens and a quick release. If a team has to mark him all game, it makes it a lot easier on IQ, Scottie and RJ.

[Psubs]

Gradey doesn't come off as a "hooper" to you?

I've gone from 90% off him to thinking he'll be a good player in the long run after his complete 180 last season. I don't think he is a natural scorer and ball handler, where if a good man defender was on him he could still have a good night.

I think he's smart and his shot will be good in the long run. From all I've heard the Raptors staff work a lot with him so maybe all of this develops from where he's at

Well, you're right that he's not going to create his own shot off isolation as well as Whitmore. Gradey is an off ball threat that gets open by utilizing screens and a quick release. If a team has to mark him all game, it makes it a lot easier on IQ, Scottie and RJ.

Exactly. Just think of Rip Hamilton and Reggie Miller with slightly better size for layups. That's amazing for #13 pick. He could be a taller Devin Booker.

[nivisi9]

I was kinda hoping Mogbo might be a super interesting/mega motor/Draymond Clone but watching him just reminds me of so many recent 6'9 Raptor wings who are low offensive skill/low impact.

Like the same type of flawed player that's been all over this roster last 5 yrs.

He doesn't even pop as super athletic, almost looks like a poor man's Precious athletically but abit smarter and timid.

Also a much older rookie unfortunately .

I'm sure he'll end up as a decent bench wing/big eventually, but these guys with zero offensive threat to their game usually end up very limited and not very valuable.

There's a bunch of athletic wing type players in the league who don't have enough skill to cut it in the league.

Overall kinda disappointed after gutting the whole team and having a ton of pick options for the draft at one point, most of the guys we drafted seem in that same mold..

did we pick even a single prospect with a somewhat exciting ceiling + projectability?

Feels like Management really went worst case scenario in terms of potential to add talent last few yrs when combining --

constantly trading picks for a treadmill team, waiting to long to sell, getting no picks for guys like FVV, Koloko situation, not acquiring great picks or prospect value in trades..

and you can see it on the floor...

watching preseason after Barnes/Quickley/Dick roster is noticeably bleak of talent

[ATLTimekeeper]

It's a little depressing when they don't pop in pre-season, because competition is pretty bad. I remember Malachi went off in his first pre-season and it gave me some hope. I always wait until the beginning of year 2 to lose faith in prospects. I think they deserve a full summer of training after getting a taste of what they can't do in the NBA.

Mogbo is gonna rack up counting stats whether he's with the Raptors or the 905. It is next to impossible to shoot 27% from the field at his size, so he's easily someone that could average like 10/10/6 per 36 with consistent run.

I predict the Raptors send him to the 905 when they start up in order to pump and dump Boucher, and then in the hard tank days of the season he'll be starting for the Raptors.

[manjusaka]

It's a little depressing when they don't pop in pre-season, because competition is pretty bad. I remember Malachi went off in his first pre-season and it gave me some hope. I always wait until the beginning of year 2 to lose faith in prospects. I think they deserve a full summer of training after getting a taste of what they can't do in the NBA.

Mogbo is gonna rack up counting stats whether he's with the Raptors or the 905. It is next to impossible to shoot 27% from the field at his size, so he's easily someone that could average like 10/10/6 per 36 with consistent run.

I predict the Raptors send him to the 905 when they start up in order to pump and dump Boucher, and then in the hard tank days of the season he'll be starting for the Raptors.

I do want a high lottery pick this year. However, tanking probably isn’t the right word. They’re probably developing, which means if BBQ developing and become all star level during the season, we’re probably a play-in team.

[OakleyDokely]

stroke looks solid

Read on Twitter

[OakleyDokely]

2nd nba game

24 minutes, 12 pts, 9 rebs, 5 ast, 3 blks, 2 stls, +21

[Buff]

2nd nba game

24 minutes, 12 pts, 9 rebs, 5 ast, 3 blks, 2 stls, +21

Bust! One in a long line of Massai african busts. Like that bum Scottie, shoulda picked Suggs.

[PushDaRock]

2nd nba game

24 minutes, 12 pts, 9 rebs, 5 ast, 3 blks, 2 stls, +21

sucks we only drafted him because of his best friend

[TakeYourHeart]

Mogbo has insane defensive potential. That block on Maxey's 3 was special.

[BBallInSight]

Mogbo has insane defensive potential. That block on Maxey's 3 was special.

I kept saying we got a Rodman all game.

[MEDIC]

Really liked what I saw tonight. Will probably be our next best PF after Scottie by seasons end. If he can ever figure out how to shoot with consistency from long range, he will be a very valuable player..

[T-d0t]

Play him more

[PushDaRock]

One thing he does very well already that is easy to overlook is his screen navigation on the perimeter, I was extremely impressed at how he was getting over and around them. Most rookies get absolutely killed on screens and get wiped out of the play leading to breakdowns defensively, his awareness level is definitely way ahead of the curve of a typical rookie. It's even more impressive when you consider he wasn't a wing defender in college, he was mostly a small ball 5.

[ishoy123]

Board went from poor man's Achiuwa to Rodman-lite real quick

[Raptorfan2012]

One thing I don’t like about Raptors development is they try to turn players into roles they are not. Please do not try to turn Mogbo into a wing; he is a PF/small ball C. Let him work on that role.

[RoteSchroder]

Mogbo > Risacher

I thought Risacher was supposed to be NBA ready

[Psubs]

Board went from poor man's Achiuwa to Rodman-lite real quick

He's like Andrei Kirilenko.

Watch on YouTube