2025 Draft Thread

[AFM]

From the NYT:

Derik Queen | 6-10 big | 19 years old | Maryland

What’s to like: The skillset is so tantalizing that it’s becoming impossible to overlook him, even with some significant flaws. There aren’t many centers who are three-level creators, but Queen is one of them. He handles the ball like a guard. He has terrific touch around the basket. His footwork is immaculate. He’s a great rebounder, and he is an elite passer. He can run both ends of a pick-and-roll, which is rare for someone his size. He can grab a rebound and take the ball the length of the floor. He’s just an insane offensive talent in almost every way imaginable. He reminds me of … oh, goodness, I don’t want to say his name … (cough, Nikola Jokić, cough) …

What’s the concern: There’s always a concern. If you draft him, you better build an elite defensive infrastructure around him, because Queen isn’t a great defender. He’s not going to protect the rim, and he’s not going to guard on the perimeter. You’re going to have to put him in a lot of drop coverage, and you will need to have to have a ton of good defenders around him to mask his flaws. Now, this is not impossible, because the Denver Nuggets did just that around Jokić in 2023 and won a title, and the Golden State Warriors did that around Stephen Curry and won a bunch of titles. So, it is possible. It just has to be worth it, which means Queen would have to develop offensively.

[nate33]

From the NYT:

Derik Queen | 6-10 big | 19 years old | Maryland

What’s to like: The skillset is so tantalizing that it’s becoming impossible to overlook him, even with some significant flaws. There aren’t many centers who are three-level creators, but Queen is one of them. He handles the ball like a guard. He has terrific touch around the basket. His footwork is immaculate. He’s a great rebounder, and he is an elite passer. He can run both ends of a pick-and-roll, which is rare for someone his size. He can grab a rebound and take the ball the length of the floor. He’s just an insane offensive talent in almost every way imaginable. He reminds me of … oh, goodness, I don’t want to say his name … (cough, Nikola Jokić, cough) …

What’s the concern: There’s always a concern. If you draft him, you better build an elite defensive infrastructure around him, because Queen isn’t a great defender. He’s not going to protect the rim, and he’s not going to guard on the perimeter. You’re going to have to put him in a lot of drop coverage, and you will need to have to have a ton of good defenders around him to mask his flaws. Now, this is not impossible, because the Denver Nuggets did just that around Jokić in 2023 and won a title, and the Golden State Warriors did that around Stephen Curry and won a bunch of titles. So, it is possible. It just has to be worth it, which means Queen would have to develop offensively.

I don't think the Golden State analogy applies. Yeah, Curry is a sub-par defender, but having one weak defensive guard is not nearly as difficult to overcome than having a weak defensive center.

Jokic is literally the only example of a bad defensive center winning a title in decades. All other title contenders have had either a long rim protector or a very mobile and switchable guy at center. Jokic also happens to be the greatest offensive player of all time. I'm guessing Queen won't pan out to be THAT good.

[AFM]

From the NYT:

Derik Queen | 6-10 big | 19 years old | Maryland

What’s to like: The skillset is so tantalizing that it’s becoming impossible to overlook him, even with some significant flaws. There aren’t many centers who are three-level creators, but Queen is one of them. He handles the ball like a guard. He has terrific touch around the basket. His footwork is immaculate. He’s a great rebounder, and he is an elite passer. He can run both ends of a pick-and-roll, which is rare for someone his size. He can grab a rebound and take the ball the length of the floor. He’s just an insane offensive talent in almost every way imaginable. He reminds me of … oh, goodness, I don’t want to say his name … (cough, Nikola Jokić, cough) …

What’s the concern: There’s always a concern. If you draft him, you better build an elite defensive infrastructure around him, because Queen isn’t a great defender. He’s not going to protect the rim, and he’s not going to guard on the perimeter. You’re going to have to put him in a lot of drop coverage, and you will need to have to have a ton of good defenders around him to mask his flaws. Now, this is not impossible, because the Denver Nuggets did just that around Jokić in 2023 and won a title, and the Golden State Warriors did that around Stephen Curry and won a bunch of titles. So, it is possible. It just has to be worth it, which means Queen would have to develop offensively.

I don't think the Golden State analogy applies. Yeah, Curry is a sub-par defender, but having one weak defensive guard is not nearly as difficult to overcome than having a weak defensive center.

Jokic is literally the only example of a bad defensive center winning a title in decades. All other title contenders have had either a long rim protector or a very mobile and switchable guy at center. Jokic also happens to be the greatest offensive player of all time. I'm guessing Queen won't pan out to be THAT good.

What if you pair him with another big, say a 7 footer who’s already a great shot blocker.

[nate33]

From the NYT:

I don't think the Golden State analogy applies. Yeah, Curry is a sub-par defender, but having one weak defensive guard is not nearly as difficult to overcome than having a weak defensive center.

Jokic is literally the only example of a bad defensive center winning a title in decades. All other title contenders have had either a long rim protector or a very mobile and switchable guy at center. Jokic also happens to be the greatest offensive player of all time. I'm guessing Queen won't pan out to be THAT good.

What if you pair him with another big, say a 7 footer who’s already a great shot blocker.

That would be absolutely necessary (sort of like how Jokic is paired with Gordon) but still not enough. Queen still has to guard somebody and teams will constantly put him into pick-and-roll defense.

Ultimately, I think Queen is going to be a situational guy. He'll be really good in certain matchups, but nearly unplayable against others. He'll probably be the kind of guy who helps a lot in the regular season, but becomes a liability in the playoffs. There's nothing wrong with adding a guy like that, but I wouldn't consider it near the top of the lottery. With a pick that high, you have to draft a guy who can stay on the floor in a playoff game.

[SUPERBALLMAN]

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[SUPERBALLMAN]

Saturday, March 22 (Second Round/Round of 32)

(4) Purdue vs. (12) McNeese, 12:10 p.m. | CBS
(2) St. John's vs. (10) Arkansas, 2:40 p.m. | CBS
(4) Texas A&M vs. (5) Michigan, 5:15 p.m. | CBS
(3) Texas Tech vs. (11) Drake, 6:10 p.m. | TNT
(1) Auburn vs. (9) Creighton, 7:10 p.m. | TBS
(3) Wisconsin vs. (6) BYU, 7:45 p.m. | CBS
(1) Houston vs. (8) Gonzaga, 8:40 p.m. | TNT
(2) Tennessee vs. (7) UCLA, 9:40 p.m. | TBS


Sunday, March 23 (Second Round/Round of 32)

(1) Florida vs. (8) UConn, 12:10 p.m. | CBS
(1) Duke vs. (9) Baylor, 2:40 p.m. | CBS
(3) Kentucky vs. (6) Illinois, 5:15 p.m. | CBS
(2) Alabama vs. (7) Saint Mary's, 6:10 p.m. | TNT
(4) Maryland vs. (12) Colorado State, 7:10 p.m. | TBS
(3) Iowa State vs. (6) Ole Miss, 7:45 p.m. | truTV
(2) Michigan State vs. (10) New Mexico, 8:40 p.m. | TNT
(4) Arizona vs. (5) Oregon, 9:40 p.m. | TBS

[SUPERBALLMAN]

Saturday, March 22 (Second Round/Round of 32)

(4) Purdue vs. (12) McNeese, 12:10 p.m. | CBS
(2) St. John's vs. (10) Arkansas, 2:40 p.m. | CBS
(4) Texas A&M vs. (5) Michigan, 5:15 p.m. | CBS
(3) Texas Tech vs. (11) Drake, 6:10 p.m. | TNT
(1) Auburn vs. (9) Creighton, 7:10 p.m. | TBS
(3) Wisconsin vs. (6) BYU, 7:45 p.m. | CBS
(1) Houston vs. (8) Gonzaga, 8:40 p.m. | TNT
(2) Tennessee vs. (7) UCLA, 9:40 p.m. | TBS


Sunday, March 23 (Second Round/Round of 32)

(1) Florida vs. (8) UConn, 12:10 p.m. | CBS
(1) Duke vs. (9) Baylor, 2:40 p.m. | CBS
(3) Kentucky vs. (6) Illinois, 5:15 p.m. | CBS
(2) Alabama vs. (7) Saint Mary's, 6:10 p.m. | TNT
(4) Maryland vs. (12) Colorado State, 7:10 p.m. | TBS
(3) Iowa State vs. (6) Ole Miss, 7:45 p.m. | truTV
(2) Michigan State vs. (10) New Mexico, 8:40 p.m. | TNT
(4) Arizona vs. (5) Oregon, 9:40 p.m. | TBS

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Fears got knocked out last night vs UConn...

Some great games still coming up to check out some potential prospects for the Wizards! Especially the Duke vs Baylor game!

Danny Wolf (Michigan) and JT Toppin (Texas Tech) are 2 prime candidates for our 2nd pick.

Sunday has some great matchups for us...
Florida (Condon) vs UConn (McNeeley)
Duke (Flagg, Maluach) vs Baylor (VJ Edgecombe)
Kentucky vs Illinois (Jakucionis, Ivisic & Riley)
Maryland (Queen) vs Colorado State (Nique Clifford)

Also Michigan State with Jase Richardson & Arizona with Carter Bryant

[Chocolate City Jordanaire]

U Conn might beat Florida.

McNeely and Queen are close friends from being Montverde teammates. Karaban had 4 stocks yesterday. He will be a solid NBA rotation player or starter. Danny Hurley's team manhandled Fears and Oklahoma. Will that work against Florida? I missed the Florida game. On coaching alone, Hurley will compete.

Today, I'll be watching for upsets. McNeese State can beat Purdue. Arkansas can beat St. John's. Charles Barkley could be devastated if Creighton beats Auburn. BYU might make Wisconsin be one of the first B1G teams to lose.

[The Consiglieri]

The big question for me at this point is if we are 4-5-6, who are the guys most likely to be worth the choice, and that our F.O. would prioritize?

Feels like Edgecombe, Bailey if he falls, Maluach (who scares the hell out of me), Jakucionsis, Tre (who seems loved or hated depending upon the FO), and a bunch of guys after that who nobody agrees with. My concerns that Bailey might fall out of the top 3 is backed up by theathletics recent mock, Edgecombe jumping ahead of him. Would be so so much easier if we just land the 1-4, the choice seems pretty obvious in terms of who should go 1-4, even if there's disagreement to some degree over who goes 3 or 4. If we land at 5 it just becomes a colossal migraine.

[DukeLecker]

I’ve watched enough Maryland games this year (15 or so) that I really don’t see the fuss about Queens defense. He’s got very long arms and a good standing reach for a PF. He’s got a great first step on offense so he’ll likely have a pretty good lane agility score. I haven’t examined too closely, but I think he has bow legs.

A good nutrition plan and a professional training program will help too.

[CntOutSmrtCrazy]

From the NYT:

Derik Queen | 6-10 big | 19 years old | Maryland

What’s to like: The skillset is so tantalizing that it’s becoming impossible to overlook him, even with some significant flaws. There aren’t many centers who are three-level creators, but Queen is one of them. He handles the ball like a guard. He has terrific touch around the basket. His footwork is immaculate. He’s a great rebounder, and he is an elite passer. He can run both ends of a pick-and-roll, which is rare for someone his size. He can grab a rebound and take the ball the length of the floor. He’s just an insane offensive talent in almost every way imaginable. He reminds me of … oh, goodness, I don’t want to say his name … (cough, Nikola Jokić, cough) …

What’s the concern: There’s always a concern. If you draft him, you better build an elite defensive infrastructure around him, because Queen isn’t a great defender. He’s not going to protect the rim, and he’s not going to guard on the perimeter. You’re going to have to put him in a lot of drop coverage, and you will need to have to have a ton of good defenders around him to mask his flaws. Now, this is not impossible, because the Denver Nuggets did just that around Jokić in 2023 and won a title, and the Golden State Warriors did that around Stephen Curry and won a bunch of titles. So, it is possible. It just has to be worth it, which means Queen would have to develop offensively.

I don't think the Golden State analogy applies. Yeah, Curry is a sub-par defender, but having one weak defensive guard is not nearly as difficult to overcome than having a weak defensive center.

Jokic is literally the only example of a bad defensive center winning a title in decades. All other title contenders have had either a long rim protector or a very mobile and switchable guy at center. Jokic also happens to be the greatest offensive player of all time. I'm guessing Queen won't pan out to be THAT good.

I lived in Denver when they won the chip that year, so followed the Nuggets pretty closely. I watched most, if not all of their playoff games, felt Jokic was fine on defense when it mattered in those games. Is it his calling card, no, but I felt like he was adequate during their run. They also won that championship despite MPJ playing like an idiot for almost the entirety of the playoffs.

I agree with your point though regarding Cs and guards on defense.

[Chocolate City Jordanaire]

Geno Auriemma's UCONN women's team led 92-24 at the end of the third quarter over Arkansas St.

[Chocolate City Jordanaire]

Watching Arkansas vs. St. John's and Trevon Brazile looks like an NBA sure thing at PF. Thunderous dunker. Tenacious defender.

On the negative side, the Ivisic twin who followed Calipari from Kentucky looks unplayable, ponderously slow. He's considerably heavier than when he was at Kentucky, and it appears to have taken his quickness away.

As for the game, it's 18-13 Arkansas leading ATM. They look quicker, much longer, and more athletic than the 2-seed.

[nate33]

I’ve watched enough Maryland games this year (15 or so) that I really don’t see the fuss about Queens defense. He’s got very long arms and a good standing reach for a PF. He’s got a great first step on offense so he’ll likely have a pretty good lane agility score. I haven’t examined too closely, but I think he has bow legs.

A good nutrition plan and a professional training program will help too.

[Benjammin]

Bow legs. You can't coach that...

Obviously I hope for the top 2 but after that for me it's probably Ace, VJ, the Big M, and TJ in some order.

Sent from my Pixel 9 Pro XL using Tapatalk

[dobrojim]

An observation
Nobody has mentioned Knueppel.
Tank has had him in the general range of
our most likely pick (5/6). Anyone care
to comment about him?

[Dat2U]

An observation
Nobody has mentioned Knueppel.
Tank has had him in the general range of
our most likely pick (5/6). Anyone care
to comment about him?

Corey Kispert vibes albeit he seems to have a little more offensive pop and aggressiveness but to be honest they look about the same size and he is definitely and under the rim type around the basket. A safe pick who you can probably play at SF but defensively he's going to be targeted relentlessly.

I'm sorta over this archetype: Kispert, Harris, Knecht. It hasn't worked or proven valuable recently.

[tontoz]

An observation
Nobody has mentioned Knueppel.
Tank has had him in the general range of
our most likely pick (5/6). Anyone care
to comment about him?

Corey Kispert vibes albeit he seems to have a little more offensive pop and aggressiveness but to be honest they look about the same size and he is definitely and under the rim type around the basket. A safe pick who you can probably play at SF but defensively he's going to be targeted relentlessly.

I'm sorta over this archetype: Kispert, Harris, Knecht. It hasn't worked or proven valuable recently.

If Kon was 2-3 inches taller then I would be interested.

[leswizards]

I want big cozy. Get him a professional dietician to get his weight down to 260 to 280 and he could be a dominant big.

[NatP4]

Flagg

Harper
Edgecombe

Richardson
CMB