2025 NBA Draft Thread: Detroit Pick Edition

[Devilzsidewalk]

BPA, but I hope the BPA is a big defensive center with good hands or a shot creating PG.

Connelly has been nailing this picks so I believe

He's feeling a little early at 17, but maybe not because it feels like people are warming up on him lately...Ryan Kalkbrenner. He's kinda boring b/c 5th year senior, but if you were looking for the closest match to Rudy's defensive playstyle, I think it'd be him. Offensive bag is obviously much deeper too with a legit jumper and exponentially better touch around the rim than Rudy. He looks thin to me, but he weighed in at 257. Wingspan is very strong 7'6". 9'4" standing reach (Wemby is 9'7")

I could definitely see him going higher than projections. If it was to guess, I'd bet there's more teams that have him in their top 25 than have him as a 2nd rounder.

[Klomp]

This was interesting, from one of the ESPN scouting reports:

With several guards expected to come off the board in the second half of the first round, and perhaps a limited appetite among teams to absorb all of them, there will be considerable jockeying in this part of the draft as prospects look to position themselves through private team workouts. -- Givony

[Klomp]

If Nolan Traore is closer to 6'5" he's listed at on ESPN than the 6'3" he's listed at on Tankathon, he becomes very intriguing for me.

[BlacJacMac]

BPA, but I hope the BPA is a big defensive center with good hands or a shot creating PG.

Connelly has been nailing this picks so I believe

He's feeling a little early at 17, but maybe not because it feels like people are warming up on him lately...Ryan Kalkbrenner. He's kinda boring b/c 5th year senior, but if you were looking for the closest match to Rudy's defensive playstyle, I think it'd be him. Offensive bag is obviously much deeper too with a legit jumper and exponentially better touch around the rim than Rudy. He looks thin to me, but he weighed in at 257. Wingspan is very strong 7'6". 9'4" standing reach (Wemby is 9'7")

I could definitely see him going higher than projections. If it was to guess, I'd bet there's more teams that have him in their top 25 than have him as a 2nd rounder.

Before anyone points to Zach Edey as a success story for gigantic players who primarily play drop defense and have a heavy dependence on post play on offense, be aware that Kalkbrenner, while similarly skilled and balanced, moves at a more glacial pace than even Edey. Luke Kornet might be a better comp: less quick twitch, more quicksand twitch. Kalkbrenner has legitimate size, he’s a hassle to navigate around as a screener, he’s deceptively nimble when getting to the rim on drives, and he has a simple and effective enough repertoire around the rim to garner attention. In all likelihood, he’ll be battling for a spot in the late rotation or on the roster altogether in this NBA job market, but he functioned well for Greg McDermott in a complex offensive scheme for five seasons at Creighton. While he might be a simple proposition, he’s a safe one.

https://nbadraft.theringer.com/

[KGdaBom]

The Tankathon mock draft has been updated with the Wolves taking Hugo Gonzalez a SF from Madrid Spain at 31. He's at 28 on their big board, but this one puzzles me as he is youngish, but not young and his stats are all underwhelming. They have us taking Nique Clifford at 17 so this would be back to back SF. Can somebody in the know help me with this?

I don’t know why they have us taking two wings, but Gonzalez is interesting. Is currently playing for Real Madrid, one of the best teams in Europe, which is filled with a bunch of ex-NBAers. Prior to that was on the Real Madrid junior team with Demin. Gonzalez being the ultra athletic wing while Demin more the passer. Each, reportedly, was offered seven figures to go to BYU. Demin took it. Gonzalez did not. I think in the future, these high level players are going to take the college money. Much easier to get playing time in college than the elite Euro teams and now the money is probably better too. In U18 events, he was seen as an equal to Demin, Jakucionis, etc.

He’d be an interesting pick at 31. Swing skills would be shooting and BBIQ (which can’t tell based on highlights). I know Givony (Draft Express/ESPN) is high on him and today noted his playing time has increased lately.

Good info. Tankathon gives him a + for draft age, but all the other cats are -. 10 negative cats.

[moss_is_1]

If Nolan Traore is closer to 6'5" he's listed at on ESPN than the 6'3" he's listed at on Tankathon, he becomes very intriguing for me.

Measured: 6’3.75″, 8’6.25″ standing reach, 184 lbs, 6’8″ wingspan, 34.5″ max vert at the 2024 Basketball Without Borders … Measured: 6’3″, 8’6″ standing reach, 184 lbs, 6’6″ wingspan at the 2024 Nike Hoop Summit

according to NBAdraft.net

Starting to think he should be a target, he struggled early but played much better late. Has a lot of tools we could use and that Finch spoke about wanting. Plus he has one of the highest upsides in the draft and some real star upside.

[moss_is_1]

Yanic Konan Niederhauser - add him to the list of 2nd round centers that are intriguing.
6'11.25" - 9'3" standing reach - 7'3.25" wingspan - also really great mobility, but he's a little raw. Could fair well to sit and be coached up/tutored by Rudy.

https://www.nbadraft.net/players/yanic-konan-niederhauser/

Best write-up I could currently find, but sounds like he's been shooting up boards since the combine.

[KGdaBom]

Yanic Konan Niederhauser - add him to the list of 2nd round centers that are intriguing.
6'11.25" - 9'3" standing reach - 7'3.25" wingspan - also really great mobility, but he's a little raw. Could fair well to sit and be coached up/tutored by Rudy.

https://www.nbadraft.net/players/yanic-konan-niederhauser/

Best write-up I could currently find, but sounds like he's been shooting up boards since the combine.

Tankathon has him 45th. He's old. His FG% and Blocks are crazy good Rudy like. His 3pt and FT shooting are also very Rudy like. I wouldn't hate it.

[moss_is_1]

Yanic Konan Niederhauser - add him to the list of 2nd round centers that are intriguing.
6'11.25" - 9'3" standing reach - 7'3.25" wingspan - also really great mobility, but he's a little raw. Could fair well to sit and be coached up/tutored by Rudy.

https://www.nbadraft.net/players/yanic-konan-niederhauser/

Best write-up I could currently find, but sounds like he's been shooting up boards since the combine.

Tankathon has him 45th. He's old. His FG% and Blocks are crazy good Rudy like. His 3pt and FT shooting are also very Rudy like. I wouldn't hate it.

https://edemirnba.substack.com/p/yanic-konan-niederhauser-scouting

Another good write up. Watching more and reading more, he's got great hands and already has a couple moves in the post. But man i love that he's just dunking everything. He's got some beefy legs and still has lateral quickness to guard a little on the perimeter. Looks like Daniel Gafford.

[Klomp]

Yanic Konan Niederhauser - add him to the list of 2nd round centers that are intriguing.
6'11.25" - 9'3" standing reach - 7'3.25" wingspan - also really great mobility, but he's a little raw. Could fair well to sit and be coached up/tutored by Rudy.

https://www.nbadraft.net/players/yanic-konan-niederhauser/

Best write-up I could currently find, but sounds like he's been shooting up boards since the combine.

Justin Patton has permanently scarred me.

[moss_is_1]

Yanic Konan Niederhauser - add him to the list of 2nd round centers that are intriguing.
6'11.25" - 9'3" standing reach - 7'3.25" wingspan - also really great mobility, but he's a little raw. Could fair well to sit and be coached up/tutored by Rudy.

https://www.nbadraft.net/players/yanic-konan-niederhauser/

Best write-up I could currently find, but sounds like he's been shooting up boards since the combine.

Justin Patton has permanently scarred me.

Patton was really talented, just broke his foot. Hes scarred me and thats why im weary of Sorbers foot.

[minimus]

Patton was really talented, just broke his foot. Hes scarred me and thats why im weary of Sorbers foot.

If I'm not mistaken Sorber has toe injury

[minimus]

Yanic Konan Niederhauser - add him to the list of 2nd round centers that are intriguing.
6'11.25" - 9'3" standing reach - 7'3.25" wingspan - also really great mobility, but he's a little raw. Could fair well to sit and be coached up/tutored by Rudy.

https://www.nbadraft.net/players/yanic-konan-niederhauser/

Best write-up I could currently find, but sounds like he's been shooting up boards since the combine.

I am okay with drafting him at 31. Reminds me of WCS, hopefully not as dumb as WCS

[minimus]

If Nolan Traore is closer to 6'5" he's listed at on ESPN than the 6'3" he's listed at on Tankathon, he becomes very intriguing for me.

Ben Saraf? measured: 6'5″, 8'6″ standing reach, 202 lbs, 6'7.5″ wingspan, 31.5″ max vert at the 2024 Basketball Without Borders

I hope both Saraf and Traore will be next week in Treviso, so we will get actual measurements.

[minimus]

BPA, but I hope the BPA is a big defensive center with good hands or a shot creating PG.

Connelly has been nailing this picks so I believe

He's feeling a little early at 17, but maybe not because it feels like people are warming up on him lately...Ryan Kalkbrenner. He's kinda boring b/c 5th year senior, but if you were looking for the closest match to Rudy's defensive playstyle, I think it'd be him. Offensive bag is obviously much deeper too with a legit jumper and exponentially better touch around the rim than Rudy. He looks thin to me, but he weighed in at 257. Wingspan is very strong 7'6". 9'4" standing reach (Wemby is 9'7")

I could definitely see him going higher than projections. If it was to guess, I'd bet there's more teams that have him in their top 25 than have him as a 2nd rounder.

I like his skillset, and Edey and Clingan examples give me a positive idea about new wave of sevenfooters. I wonder MIN will have a private workouts for such guys.

[minimus]

Read on Twitter

[Mattya]

Read on Twitter

Im a big fan at 31

[Mattya]

Strong Derrick Jones Jr. If the Wolves can develop his jumper he would be an incredible small ball 4 to play off the ball.

[moss_is_1]

Bassala Bagayoko - surprised he stayed in the draft. 18 years old who looked great but he tore his ACL and missed like 27 months? 6'10 supposedly 7'6" wingspan who is ultra athletic. Definitely a long term project. Can barely find anything about him.

https://edemirnba.substack.com/p/bassala-bagayoko-scouting-report

[KGdaBom]

Bassala Bagayoko - surprised he stayed in the draft. 18 years old who looked great but he tore his ACL and missed like 27 months? 6'10 supposedly 7'6" wingspan who is ultra athletic. Definitely a long term project. Can barely find anything about him.

https://edemirnba.substack.com/p/bassala-bagayoko-scouting-report

Interesting. He's not on the 64 player Tankathon Big Board.