If I was Philly, I would consider taking Cedric Coward at 3

[King Ken]

What's the counter argument with this guy not being scouted for the first 3 years? Because he was playing JUCO + low tier I? All the scouts just failed?

After testing out as a greek god physically and committing to Duke via transfer, he is a top 10 pick now? Which I buy based on his skills and measurables, but sheesh.

Watch on YouTube

This guy interviews well. I am getting really good vibes with this kid and could justify him at #3 really, anywhere after Cooper and Harper.

He entered the draft. Same happened to Jalen Williams and Scottie Pippen. Once they entered and people seen them live, they were like wtf and move them up the board as expected. College Basketball is not the NBA. It's a game of inches in the NBA. In college basketball, it's a coaching, feel, and overall BBIQ. Villanova was the one of the greatest teams I've watched in college basketball history and they only had one guy I felt was a lottery pick during their top end run. Mikal Bridges. DDV, Brunson, and Hart all had 1st round grades. All were tier 4 guys. The NBA values feel too but not really. The Miami Heat with Bron had no feel whatsoever but they dominated.

[clyde21]

#3 overall is rich but I like him, don't see why he can't be in serious consideration 6-10. really after Coop/Harper it's a very flat class.

not a crazy take KK

[NO-KG-AI]

I love these threads because there are always unexpected stars, and identifying them is super hard.

King Ken and I haven’t seen eye to eye on a lot of things, but he’s never scared to have an out of left field opinion based on things he likes in a player.

[King Ken]

I love these threads because there are always unexpected stars, and identifying them is super hard.

King Ken and I haven’t seen eye to eye on a lot of things, but he’s never scared to have an out of left field opinion based on things he likes in a player.

You gotta go with the gut. When the gut tells you, this isn't normal, you gotta go with it. I still remember watching Giannis and he was on a fast break from a DX 15 minute highlight clip when he was 16 turning 17 and I remember saying, this isn't normal. He was 6'9 at the time. Not the 6'11 he is today but he had such pace and he had such control over the ball with that pace. It was clear, as awful as he was at the time that he really didn't have a ceiling cap. For workers like me who grinded non stop, that ceiling cap is a freaking killer. It's basically the point where you know you can't significantly improve anymore. That's painful for most of us. Especially those like me who wanted to be better than Jordan.

It's hard to be in my body and see skill cap than it is in other bodies because you just want to be the best. You aren't a coach or scout or anything but a player. When you are a scout or scouting, you are looking for context clues. You know what the skill caps are and you ultimately know when they come. Sure, some people just break their skill caps but those are far and few. Most don't and can't no matter how hard they work.

[bucknut]

Just took a look, I said this guy comp to me is ruebon patterson

Looks like him too !

....So his defensive tape shows hardly any 1 on 1 undressing, and strips from what i saw going through the video below. In fact a highlight of his 202:35 he lets the guy get by him for a dunk attempt - in the nba hes not blocking that and will be posterized. offensive guys can get him on his hip or even, and in the nba he is done against physical guys. maybe he is just baiting because he's so quick and can recover. Idn where is the chest to chest beating guys to spots and undressing.

His off ball defense and activity looks Elite. Elite hustle , rotation, active hands and feet. See ton of blocks in this film but he averaged like one block a game and one steal a game in college which seems just ok. His offense was surprisingly nice, good 3 point shooter and can pull up off the dribble

https://youtu.be/YwPNJ44gzXc?si=6cP1Ce9y8wTXRgpG

[tmorgan]

I don’t particularly like Coward, but it’s not odd at all to have him in the lottery. After Flagg, this whole thing looks like a scout’s dream — a crapshoot where opinions are all over the place and some teams are going to score big (and others the opposite).

Like, I get why Harper is going to go second, but there’s nothing about him that says “star” to me. Bailey has a little more star potential, but his bust potential is really high, too. And everyone else is all plusses and minuses and development potential and fit. Great year to have more than one first, even if they aren’t lottery. Let’s see how the Nets do with this class, for example.

[EvanZ]

I don’t particularly like Coward, but it’s not odd at all to have him in the lottery. After Flagg, this whole thing looks like a scout’s dream — a crapshoot where opinions are all over the place and some teams are going to score big (and others the opposite).

Like, I get why Harper is going to go second, but there’s nothing about him that says “star” to me. Bailey has a little more star potential, but his bust potential is really high, too. And everyone else is all plusses and minuses and development potential and fit. Great year to have more than one first, even if they aren’t lottery. Let’s see how the Nets do with this class, for example.

My brother in Christ, please tell me you know the difference between “having him in the Lottery” and #3.

[bucknut]

does anyone have a link of a coward full game ? Nothing but highlights out there

[tester551]

does anyone have a link of a coward full game ? Nothing but highlights out there

Not a full game, but this compilation is nice.

Give a few more seconds of action & provides both the good & bad plays:
https://youtu.be/YwPNJ44gzXc?feature=shared

[BigGargamel]

I don’t particularly like Coward, but it’s not odd at all to have him in the lottery. After Flagg, this whole thing looks like a scout’s dream — a crapshoot where opinions are all over the place and some teams are going to score big (and others the opposite).

Like, I get why Harper is going to go second, but there’s nothing about him that says “star” to me. Bailey has a little more star potential, but his bust potential is really high, too. And everyone else is all plusses and minuses and development potential and fit. Great year to have more than one first, even if they aren’t lottery. Let’s see how the Nets do with this class, for example.

My brother in Christ, please tell me you know the difference between “having him in the Lottery” and #3.

Yeah....late lottery could happen. I expect him to come off the board late teens/early 20's. But there's a world of difference between pick 3 and pick 13.

Just look at history. A guy like him is NOT going top 3.

[MrTribbiani]

He hasn't proved himself on a consistent basis against better competition. Also, his skillset still needs refinement, and he isn't that young. I have him at 29 to Phoenix.

[azcatz11]

I don’t particularly like Coward, but it’s not odd at all to have him in the lottery. After Flagg, this whole thing looks like a scout’s dream — a crapshoot where opinions are all over the place and some teams are going to score big (and others the opposite).

Like, I get why Harper is going to go second, but there’s nothing about him that says “star” to me. Bailey has a little more star potential, but his bust potential is really high, too. And everyone else is all plusses and minuses and development potential and fit. Great year to have more than one first, even if they aren’t lottery. Let’s see how the Nets do with this class, for example.

No one heard about this kid until the hype train started at the combine. I'm not calling you out specifically but 6 games in a high major conference...yeah. This kid is a lotto ticket.

[tmorgan]

I don’t particularly like Coward, but it’s not odd at all to have him in the lottery. After Flagg, this whole thing looks like a scout’s dream — a crapshoot where opinions are all over the place and some teams are going to score big (and others the opposite).

Like, I get why Harper is going to go second, but there’s nothing about him that says “star” to me. Bailey has a little more star potential, but his bust potential is really high, too. And everyone else is all plusses and minuses and development potential and fit. Great year to have more than one first, even if they aren’t lottery. Let’s see how the Nets do with this class, for example.

No one heard about this kid until the hype train started at the combine. I'm not calling you out specifically but 6 games in a high major conference...yeah. This kid is a lotto ticket.

My comment was less about Coward and more about this draft class. Thought that was clear.

[JMAC3]

Givony who I feel like is much more intel based on his big board/mock than most has Coward 29th

[The-Power]

No one heard about this kid until the hype train started at the combine.

He was not an unknown prospect but he was a prospect few people had properly watched. His raw numbers, and efficiency in particular, were quite eye-popping, though.

[azcatz11]

I don’t particularly like Coward, but it’s not odd at all to have him in the lottery. After Flagg, this whole thing looks like a scout’s dream — a crapshoot where opinions are all over the place and some teams are going to score big (and others the opposite).

Like, I get why Harper is going to go second, but there’s nothing about him that says “star” to me. Bailey has a little more star potential, but his bust potential is really high, too. And everyone else is all plusses and minuses and development potential and fit. Great year to have more than one first, even if they aren’t lottery. Let’s see how the Nets do with this class, for example.

No one heard about this kid until the hype train started at the combine. I'm not calling you out specifically but 6 games in a high major conference...yeah. This kid is a lotto ticket.

My comment was less about Coward and more about this draft class. Thought that was clear.

My bad

[JMAC3]

I think people like the idea of what he can be and immediately jump to this flawless 3D type of player. Had he returned to Duke, was he going to be a top 5 player in the country? I would think he would have had to been right? at age 22 to be worth a top 10 pick right now.

Feels likely that media are probably higher on him than NBA teams, because Givony still has him as a near 2nd rounder in his latest big board update. I don't think he is doing that if teams are telling him he is going in the lottery.

[BlazersBroncos]

Just took a look, I said this guy comp to me is ruebon patterson

Looks like him too !

....So his defensive tape shows hardly any 1 on 1 undressing, and strips from what i saw going through the video below. In fact a highlight of his 202:35 he lets the guy get by him for a dunk attempt - in the nba hes not blocking that and will be posterized. offensive guys can get him on his hip or even, and in the nba he is done against physical guys. maybe he is just baiting because he's so quick and can recover. Idn where is the chest to chest beating guys to spots and undressing.

His off ball defense and activity looks Elite. Elite hustle , rotation, active hands and feet. See ton of blocks in this film but he averaged like one block a game and one steal a game in college which seems just ok. His offense was surprisingly nice, good 3 point shooter and can pull up off the dribble

https://youtu.be/YwPNJ44gzXc?si=6cP1Ce9y8wTXRgpG

I mean, Ruben made 35 3PT shots his entire career and was a 64% FT shooter. I dont see how you can make that comparison when Coward has a beautiful shot.

They sorta have similar super low defensive stances I suppose.

[bucknut]

Just took a look, I said this guy comp to me is ruebon patterson

Looks like him too !

....So his defensive tape shows hardly any 1 on 1 undressing, and strips from what i saw going through the video below. In fact a highlight of his 202:35 he lets the guy get by him for a dunk attempt - in the nba hes not blocking that and will be posterized. offensive guys can get him on his hip or even, and in the nba he is done against physical guys. maybe he is just baiting because he's so quick and can recover. Idn where is the chest to chest beating guys to spots and undressing.

His off ball defense and activity looks Elite. Elite hustle , rotation, active hands and feet. See ton of blocks in this film but he averaged like one block a game and one steal a game in college which seems just ok. His offense was surprisingly nice, good 3 point shooter and can pull up off the dribble

https://youtu.be/YwPNJ44gzXc?si=6cP1Ce9y8wTXRgpG

I mean, Ruben made 35 3PT shots his entire career and was a 64% FT shooter. I dont see how you can make that comparison when Coward has a beautiful shot.

They sorta have similar super low defensive stances I suppose.

Pretty much everything about their game is identical except three point shooting my man. First would be biomechanically which is most important. the way they move. People talking about how coward moves. That's exactly how ruebon moved.

He also had a little bit of Post game, and athletic crossover J

Look at the defensive side of the ball. It doesn't get anymore similar

A ruebon who can shoot efficient threes and has a longer wingspan prbly is a number 3 overall pick. I've got him seven right now, because I still think he's a role player. But for winning he prbly is number 3 overall. Theiro I have right behind him.

[King Ken]

Memphis won the draft