2024-2025 College Basketball / NBA Draft

[zaz102]

I'm hoping that the Sixers draft Ace Bailey for a bunch of mumbo jumbo reasons. Typically, I hate mumbo jumbo, which is why I wouldn't pick Ace, but if I have faith in Morey will make the pick using logic reasons and has access to more info and pro scouts.

1. He said PG is one of guy he tries to model himself after and PG said he would pick Ace over Flagg. PG could be Ace's mentor and maybe PG will be more engaged as a mentor.

2. Maxey and McCain are hard workers. Both were considered projects like Ace and quickly developed their game. Hopefully they rub off on and push Ace in practice/off court.

3. Maxey and McCain (and Bona) development was helped in that they got a lot playing time since there wasn't many options. Sixers will not have a lot of options at forward so he should get a lot of burn which hopefully helps him develop like the other guys.

There's a lot of concerns/questions and if Morey doesn't pick him, I think that say it all.

[Kobblehead]

What if Kon Knueppel becomes Desmond Bane?

[Jailblazers7]

The talk that I don't get is Kon Knueppel. You don't have a season that awful and get the #3 pick to come away with Kon freaking Knueppel, I'm sorry.

Disagree, although I doubt it happens and he’d be more of a trade down target.

I think Kon is a baller and will have an excellent career. He’s a 50/40/90 shooter with playmaking chops and he’s a good finisher around the rim. He will elevate your offense with his gravity and IQ.

Defense is the real concern but teams will put him through the paces in private workouts. The hope is that he’s a sturdy 6’5” w/o shoes which will allow him to be a neutral defender by always being in the right spots.

[Kobblehead]

Nips being 6'5" 219 alevites a lot of defensive concern for me. He's a big, strong kid. Even though he doesn't have good footspeed or wingspan.

[FireMorey]

What if Kon Knueppel becomes Desmond Bane?

Desmond Bane is not #3 pick worthy. You want a superstar when you're picking that high. Doesn't mean you'll always get it, but that is the goal.

[agiaco]

The talk that I don't get is Kon Knueppel. You don't have a season that awful and get the #3 pick to come away with Kon freaking Knueppel, I'm sorry.

Disagree, although I doubt it happens and he’d be more of a trade down target.

I think Kon is a baller and will have an excellent career. He’s a 50/40/90 shooter with playmaking chops and he’s a good finisher around the rim. He will elevate your offense with his gravity and IQ.

Defense is the real concern but teams will put him through the paces in private workouts. The hope is that he’s a sturdy 6’5” w/o shoes which will allow him to be a neutral defender by always being in the right spots.

Also disagree. While I don't think 3 is the right spot for him I'd be more confident he's a long term difference-maker on a contender than Bailey

[sodmoraes]

My problem with Nipples is that he´s only 6.5 with a bad wingspan, so he´s probably a SG instead of a SF. And i dont think he´s athletic enough to be a SG on NBA level. Besides that, he didnt go to the Combine, which was a bit suspicious. But he´s a great shooter and will be a solid roleplayer, maybe even an all star some year.

[M2J]

What if Kon Knueppel becomes Desmond Bane?

Desmond Bane is not #3 pick worthy. You want a superstar when you're picking that high. Doesn't mean you'll always get it, but that is the goal.

Sorry, didn't mean to And 1....I love Desmond Bane

I don't think Kon could ever have the athletic ability to defend like Bane.

[FireMorey]

The talk that I don't get is Kon Knueppel. You don't have a season that awful and get the #3 pick to come away with Kon freaking Knueppel, I'm sorry.

Disagree, although I doubt it happens and he’d be more of a trade down target.

I think Kon is a baller and will have an excellent career. He’s a 50/40/90 shooter with playmaking chops and he’s a good finisher around the rim. He will elevate your offense with his gravity and IQ.

Defense is the real concern but teams will put him through the paces in private workouts. The hope is that he’s a sturdy 6’5” w/o shoes which will allow him to be a neutral defender by always being in the right spots.

I think he could be a really high end role player. But when you land the #3 pick in a draft, it's supposed to change the fortunes of your franchise. At least hope it can. I don't think Kon is the type of talent where in 7 years everyone is looking back after the Sixers win multiple titles and going "Thank god the Sixers got Kon, it changed everything for them as a franchise." I'd rather take a guy with a higher bust risk if it means a chance at getting that type of guy. Kon has a high floor, but his ceiling is lower than some of the other guys available. Picking top 3 is all about ceiling to me.

[Jailblazers7]

I think he could be a really high end role player. But when you land the #3 pick in a draft, it's supposed to change the fortunes of your franchise. At least hope it can. I don't think Kon is the type of talent where in 7 years everyone is looking back after the Sixers win multiple titles and going "Thank god the Sixers got Kon, it changed everything for them as a franchise." I'd rather take a guy with a higher bust risk if it means a chance at getting that type of guy. Kon has a high floor, but his ceiling is lower than some of the other guys available. Picking top 3 is all about ceiling to me.

Sounds like I have a higher ceiling in mind for Kon than you - I think his ceiling is 3-4x all star. I get you rationale tho but the tricky part is that you’ve gotta evaluate a players ceiling + their likelihood of achieving it. Someone like Ace might have a higher ceiling in theory but I think Kon is much more likely to actually achieve his.

[76ciology]

What if Kon Knueppel becomes Desmond Bane?

I thought Grimes with the Sixers was already nearly as good as Bane.

And both Kneuppel and Edgecombe strike me as classic Morey type (and Grizz type) players that he tends to draft from mid to late first round (i.e Sam Dekker, McCain or Springer).

[M2J]

I was looking for Tre too; but was bit harder, I did stumble across one where he played against McCain in H.S. Nice to see McCain has played same way from H.S to college to the Sixers. Can't wait to see him back.

43 mins of Tre Johnson looking like SGA 2.0

Watch on YouTube

MUST WATCH.

Tre Johnson should have been the lead guard at Texas. Had he been given that role, he might’ve been projected as the No. 2 overall pick.

*30min mark, Flagg’s Montverde went up against Tre’s HS team. Flagg defended him entire game and Tre ended up being the top scorer of the game with 25pts on like 10-16 (i’ll check again)

I like this draft a lot. Reminds me a bit of the 2016 or 2018 draft where the top guys ended up all as all stars, but probably better.

I see Tre Johnson and Harden potential and VJ or Fears upside. There could be some real stars in this draft, which is why I'm excited to see what Morey does. I would say that Ace and Harper and Cooper have flashed the most 2 way star ability with some athleticism... Though they have things to work on.

Daryl said that this is a top 5 draft he's been involved in since like 2003 and I'd agree with that

[ProcessDoctor]

I keep coming back to, we're not going to be in position to draft the #2 SF prospect again for quite a while. That's my biggest hangup with the idea of passing up on Ace.

I get the feeling. On the other hand, Josh Jackson was the #2 SF in his class. Not a similar prospect to Ace Bailey, just sayin.

[Kobblehead]

I keep coming back to, we're not going to be in position to draft the #2 SF prospect again for quite a while. That's my biggest hangup with the idea of passing up on Ace.

I get the feeling. On the other hand, Josh Jackson was the #2 SF in his class. Not a similar prospect to Ace Bailey, just sayin.

But Josh was crazy. Had a rap sheet before even drafted. Ace isn't a nutjob so there's that, at least.

[ExplosionsInDaSky]

Ace Bailey comes from a basketball family. Both parents played college ball. He may not have had private school coaching, but he's been well schooled and groomed in the sport since he was three years old.

Tre Johnson also comes from a basketball family. His dad Richard was quite the hooper at Midwestern University. Transfered from Baylor where he played with future 76er Brian Skinner.

[youngcrev]

My problem with Nipples is that he´s only 6.5 with a bad wingspan, so he´s probably a SG instead of a SF. And i dont think he´s athletic enough to be a SG on NBA level. Besides that, he didnt go to the Combine, which was a bit suspicious. But he´s a great shooter and will be a solid roleplayer, maybe even an all star some year.

Yeah, that wingspan is a bummer.

[mjkvol]

What if Kon Knueppel becomes Desmond Bane?

Kon is the main reason I wish we had #6 instead of #3.

The guys I like the best in this draft are all mid-late lottery picks.

[mjkvol]

I think Kon is a baller and will have an excellent career. He’s a 50/40/90 shooter with playmaking chops and he’s a good finisher around the rim. He will elevate your offense with his gravity and IQ.

To me, Kon is the classic high floor / ? ceiling kid in the lottery portion of the draft. I'll be stunned if he doesn't end up as a valuable contributor on a winning team. Possibly the closest to a sure thing in this draft IMO.

[ivysixer2000]

You guys are killing me, just keep it simple. In order to trade down, you need a trade partner, which might not happen.

We made a huge mistake with Fultz and a bad GM. I actually do trust Morey to make a good decision with this pick, I just hope he doesn't go star hunting again with a crazy trade.

[Negrodamus]

https://www.reddit.com/r/sixers/comments/1koztqy/a_zach_lowe_sync_where_he_talks_about_the_live/

Pretty interesting