2024-2025 College Basketball / NBA Draft - Volume III

[okboomer]

Again, watching these Finals I come away thinking the Sixers need their own SGA or Haliburton more than a Holiday, White, Mathurin, Nembhard type. Need a dynamic lead guard with playmaking ability and that ain’t VJ. Maxey can be our J-Dub. I see Grimes as a Nembhard type.

So you trade down and ideally Fears is there. Cause Ace, Tre, or Kon arent "lead guards" either. Though if you draft Fears you have to trade one of McCain or Maxey. And remember, the light years Warriors and Spurs could have drafted Haliburton. So these draft evaluations are always tricky.

I disagree that Tre can’t be a lead guard.

I like Fears a lot but he can’t shoot a lick. I’m done with those types.

If you trust him that he wont be a burnt orange traffic cone, maybe. His defensive effort and rebounding at his size is very concerning. Same thing as with Kon, if he isnt a complete defensive liability think he would be a fine pick at 3.

[Iverson Armband]

So you trade down and ideally Fears is there. Cause Ace, Tre, or Kon arent "lead guards" either. Though if you draft Fears you have to trade one of McCain or Maxey. And remember, the light years Warriors and Spurs could have drafted Haliburton. So these draft evaluations are always tricky.

I disagree that Tre can’t be a lead guard.

I like Fears a lot but he can’t shoot a lick. I’m done with those types.

If you trust him that he wont be a burnt orange traffic cone, maybe. His defensive effort and rebounding at his size is very concerning. Same thing as with Kon, if he isnt a complete defensive liability think he would be a fine pick at 3.

Fair.

[Mik317]

also need more guys willing to just let it fly
OKC has a lot of guys shook rn

[76ciology]

Hugo Gonzalez also coming in at a good wing size. Interesting target with our 2nd rounder.

Read on Twitter

Same standing reach with VJ.

[Negrodamus]

Noa Essengue measurements:

6'10" (no shoes), 7'0.75" wingspan, 9'1.75" standing reach.

Damn, surprised by that underwhelming wingspan.

Definitely disappointing. But being nearly 7'0 in shoes is pretty decent. Wish he were a little longer so it would be easy to ignore his tiny frame.

[76ciology]

My bar for dominant paint scorer for a 4&5 is 9’5” standing reach

[Mik317]

I always just take other peoples word on the wingspan stuff lol

[ExplosionsInDaSky]

I remember Oliver Miller for the Phoenix Suns had like a 7'7 wingspan. Totally irrelevant to anything going on today, but damn...That's a big ass wingspan. I wonder what Wembanyamas is? Gotta be 8 or 9 feet.

[76ciology]

These 6’4” to 6’6” guards can punish bigs in space. They can either pull up when the big drops or blow by them off the dribble. That kind of pressure bends the defense and opens up lanes for non-stars like Nembhard to attack someone like Chet.

Most wings can’t do that, they’re not quick enough to blow past most bigs who are asked to be more mobile because of these small ball movement on order for them to survive this era. And when they try to hunt smaller guards, the league for the last 2 seasons, lets those 6’4” to 6’6” guys play physical and bump them off their spots.

[Arsenal]

Tre Johnson is the only guy who looks like he could top out as a SGA type aside from Harper.

Picking VJ instead of Tre would be a big mistake.

[Negrodamus]

Tre Johnson is the only guy who looks like he could top out as a SGA type aside from Harper.

Picking VJ instead of Tre would be a big mistake.

I'm on board with Tre over some others discussed at 3, but SGA was a foul merchant at Kentucky. Tre is totally averse to going to the rim.

[Arsenal]

Tre Johnson is the only guy who looks like he could top out as a SGA type aside from Harper.

Picking VJ instead of Tre would be a big mistake.

I'm on board with Tre over some others discussed at 3, but SGA was a foul merchant at Kentucky. Tre is totally averse to going to the rim.

He can learn to get to the rim, especially since his shooting is so devastating. A better shooting less foul drawing version of Shai would still be pretty great.

[Negrodamus]

Tre Johnson is the only guy who looks like he could top out as a SGA type aside from Harper.

Picking VJ instead of Tre would be a big mistake.

I'm on board with Tre over some others discussed at 3, but SGA was a foul merchant at Kentucky. Tre is totally averse to going to the rim.

He can learn to get to the rim, especially since his shooting is so devastating. A better shooting less foul drawing version of Shai would still be pretty great.

I'll stand by this, but he reminds me mostly of Jamal Murray but worse on defense. SGA didn't shoot three much. He was a guy who got in the lane and capitalized on what the defense gave him. Tre was a flamethrower from everywhere other than in the lane.

If we got Tre, I think we'd have to have a serious conversation about what to do with Maxey in the next year or two, especially if Tre shows he's an elite level scorer. They are totally at odds with each other (which I'm not against having that conversation).

[76ciology]

Tre Johnson is the only guy who looks like he could top out as a SGA type aside from Harper.

Actually, Kasparas too, but I’m not fully confident in his ability to become a volume scorer. Harper is the most likely candidate then Kasparas would be the next in my list. Tre could get there if he develops his finishing at the rim and increases his free throw rate. VJ has a shot if he makes an Oladipo or Westbrook-type leap.

[Arsenal]

Tre Johnson is the only guy who looks like he could top out as a SGA type aside from Harper.

Actually, Kasparas too, but I’m not fully confident in his ability to become a volume scorer. Harper is the most likely candidate then Kasparas would be the next in my list. Tre could get there if he develops his finishing at the rim and increases his free throw rate. VJ has a shot if he makes an Oladipo or Westbrook-type leap.

Agree KJ won’t be a volume scorer. He profiles more as a Hali type if he hits his ceiling.

VJ I think has no shot at that level. Oladipo upside, who was a tier below the top guys.

[76ciology]

Tre Johnson is the only guy who looks like he could top out as a SGA type aside from Harper.

Actually, Kasparas too, but I’m not fully confident in his ability to become a volume scorer. Harper is the most likely candidate then Kasparas would be the next in my list. Tre could get there if he develops his finishing at the rim and increases his free throw rate. VJ has a shot if he makes an Oladipo or Westbrook-type leap.

Agree KJ won’t be a volume scorer. He profiles more as a Hali type if he hits his ceiling.

VJ I think has no shot at that level. Oladipo upside, who was a tier below the top guys.

Hmm… it’s tough to project how good or bad he can be. But if you compare VJ’s first-year numbers to Oladipo and Westbrook’s, they’re actually in the same ballpark. Westbrook was clearly the best distributor of the three, while VJ seems to have the best shooting profile. They also share similar archetypes and are all known for having strong work ethics.

VJ has some solid foundational skills, most notably his shooting profile, the %s with a high release and good verticality to get that shot off. Among his 82 total FGAs, 19% came from unassisted midrange shots, where he shot 38%, which is promising. It’s also hard to imagine he wont improve as a halfcourt finisher given his explosive athleticism.

Then there’s his HS top 3 recruit, FIBA experience, where he led a team of NBA guys, and his clear top 3 two-way metrics at Baylor. And how easy it is for guys of his archetype (OKC like this archetype for high floor and high upside; derrick white, Suggs or Jrue floor). All of those are reasonable pedigrees to bet on for future growth.

He’d be a clear top-3 pick for a rebuilding team that can afford to give him the reins. Like what Oladipo, Westbrook, and Devin Booker got early in their careers, multiple seasons to run the offense and learn through. More recent examples would be Tyler Herro and Anfernee Simons, although they’re of the Tre Johnson’s archetype.

But we’re in a win-now situation with established talent, so we just don’t have the luxury to give him that kind of developmental runway.

[Negrodamus]

Watched the VJ vs Spain game (his worst performance of FIBA) and although he struggled scoring, he made a decent amount of winning plays to keep it close at the end. Huge O-Reb throughout the game. Was called on some brutal fouls that weren’t fouls which affected his minutes. 2 of his threes were desperations at the end. Almost crammed on Garuba but was instead blocked.

The upside is intriguing because he’s blazing fast when driving off the catch and he makes some really underrated passes. Clean lobs. I’d focus on him being early Spurs Kawhi, “boardman gets paid” type player early in which he seems to love doing. He was ripping boards away from grown ass men.

[76ciology]

Just to add, my read with his physique is VJ has narrow shoulders, which makes him look smaller than he is on eyetest and why he’s measured at only 6’7.5” wingspan, but he actually has long arms given his 8’5.5” standing reach.

[okboomer]

Watched the VJ vs Spain game (his worst performance of FIBA) and although he struggled scoring, he made a decent amount of winning plays to keep it close at the end. Huge O-Reb throughout the game. Was called on some brutal fouls that weren’t fouls which affected his minutes. 2 of his threes were desperations at the end. Almost crammed on Garuba but was instead blocked.

The upside is intriguing because he’s blazing fast when driving off the catch and he makes some really underrated passes. Clean lobs. I’d focus on him being early Spurs Kawhi, “boardman gets paid” type player early in which he seems to love doing. He was ripping boards away from grown ass men.

It's quite hilarious and infuriating to keep reading/listening to people who think he doesnt have "star" potential . When you have the motor and athleticism he has, along with the basketball skills he already possesses, an All NBA player is there potentially. You cant teach the athleticism he has and his mentality to constantly to improve. So ill just keep laughing at the only role player upside . Whatever his upside, Im quite confident he will reach. If there any overthinking, it's not picking him. I do like Tre and Kon as well though.

[76ciology]

[x]

Read on Twitter

?s=46&t=bJcUtOCSwzTqqyZgysWpbQ[/x]

I’d like to have this guy with the 35th pick. I wouldn’t mind burning one of those 2nd rounders we got from the Wiz to move up.