NBA Draft Thread 2025

[UcanUwill]

what made Kon rise so high, they don't even play anymore. I know they had practices, interviews and combine, was he so good there. In April felt like most do not have him in a lottery, and now he is in everyones top 6.

Cant remember someone rise so much AFTER they stopped playing.

[G R E Y]

what made Kon rise so high, they don't even play anymore. I know they had practices, interviews and combine, was he so good there. In April felt like most do not have him in a lottery, and now he is in everyones top 6.

Cant remember someone rise so much AFTER they stopped playing.

Maybe a combo of good shooting/interviews by Kon and sub par one or both by others? It may be that trades of picks affect team needs and therefore order. Some overlap of the above?

[UcanUwill]

what made Kon rise so high, they don't even play anymore. I know they had practices, interviews and combine, was he so good there. In April felt like most do not have him in a lottery, and now he is in everyones top 6.

Cant remember someone rise so much AFTER they stopped playing.

Maybe a combo of good shooting/interviews by Kon and sub par one or both by others? It may be that trades of picks affect team needs and therefore order. Some overlap of the above?

I wonder how much these mock makers are connected. Mock is not big board, mock is to predict actual draft, and maybe these mock making journalists get a real feel what teams like only by the time the combine and interviews start. COmbine is when journalists and actual NBA scouts are in the same room. Ace Bailey was projected to go third by most mocks, but in the past few weeks we get more and more credible reports that teams do not like him, so he drops in the mocks instantly, and we get reports that teams like Kon, and raises in the mocks also instantly.

[scrabbarista]

Spurs, you better not get Coward! It will ruin my day!

[G R E Y]

Kon is a great shooter, but his limitations in other aspects of the game are quite glaring. Obviously he's young and can make improvements, but he is not a "perfect fit" for the Spurs.

Some scouts overrate certain players. I remember multiple scouts saying that Cody Williams was worth a top ten pick (some even said that he should be a top five pick) in last year's draft. His rookie season was awful; obviously he isn't a finished product, but he needs quite a bit of work to be even a competent NBA player.

I don't know. Shooting, toughness, and intangibles are all there. Hes underrated going to the basket too. Hes far more NBA ready than a guy like Cody Williams, I don't see that comparison. You see a lot of high athleticism consensus guys flame out, and wonder why they were consensus to begin with in hindsight. Again I didn't watch any Rutgers games though, and only have seen Harper highlights. I just know Rutgers stunk with him and Bailey. Seems to me Kon is a perfect fit, with ball handling (fox and castle) already in place, and Wemby there as a 25-30 ppg guy. I'm no expert on college ball by any means though. Just see Kon as a sure thing with his floor being a quality starter with elite shooting.

IMO he has too many weaknesses to justify a top 5 pick, and he isn't a "perfect fit" for the Spurs. They should draft Harper, period.

We're nowhere near good enough to pick for fit over BPA. And anyway, even a good team should take BPA rather than fit/need and figure it out. Look at GSW and Wiseman... TO passed on LMA because they had Bosh and Rasho (but picked Bargs).

Pick BPA to upgrade talent and make adjustments from there when you pick this high.

Harper will need a contract extension around the time Fox's expires... Then we have a Harper/Castle back court. That's very solid.

[UcanUwill]

I don't know. Shooting, toughness, and intangibles are all there. Hes underrated going to the basket too. Hes far more NBA ready than a guy like Cody Williams, I don't see that comparison. You see a lot of high athleticism consensus guys flame out, and wonder why they were consensus to begin with in hindsight. Again I didn't watch any Rutgers games though, and only have seen Harper highlights. I just know Rutgers stunk with him and Bailey. Seems to me Kon is a perfect fit, with ball handling (fox and castle) already in place, and Wemby there as a 25-30 ppg guy. I'm no expert on college ball by any means though. Just see Kon as a sure thing with his floor being a quality starter with elite shooting.

IMO he has too many weaknesses to justify a top 5 pick, and he isn't a "perfect fit" for the Spurs. They should draft Harper, period.

We're nowhere near good enough to pick for fit over BPA. And anyway, even a good team should take BPA rather than fit/need and figure it out. Look at GSW and Wiseman... TO passed on LMA because they had Bosh and Rasho (but picked Bargs).

Pick BPA to upgrade talent and make adjustments from there when you pick this high.

Harper will need a contract extension around the time Fox's expires... Then we have a Harper/Castle back court. That's very solid.

TO is not good example IMO, they just really thought Bargnani was best player, I think you pick for need later in draft, not when you have second pick.

[G R E Y]

what made Kon rise so high, they don't even play anymore. I know they had practices, interviews and combine, was he so good there. In April felt like most do not have him in a lottery, and now he is in everyones top 6.

Cant remember someone rise so much AFTER they stopped playing.

Maybe a combo of good shooting/interviews by Kon and sub par one or both by others? It may be that trades of picks affect team needs and therefore order. Some overlap of the above?

I wonder how much these mock makers are connected. Mock is not big board, mock is to predict actual draft, and maybe these mock making journalists get a real feel what teams like only by the time the combine and interviews start. COmbine is when journalists and actual NBA scouts are in the same room. Ace Bailey was projected to go third by most mocks, but in the past few weeks we get more and more credible reports that teams do not like him, so he drops in the mocks instantly, and we get reports that teams like Kon, and raises in the mocks also instantly.

That's part of it, too, as is misdirection. Teams will draft players in part because they know other teams really want to try and get extra assets.

Teams will send strong interest signals to player A to get their interest scent off of player B.

Cloak and shadows time.

[G R E Y]

Spurs, you better not get Coward! It will ruin my day!

Read on Twitter

You never know... Why not draft MORE GUARDS when you already have a surplus of them.

Cloak and shadows and trade season.

[UcanUwill]

Maybe a combo of good shooting/interviews by Kon and sub par one or both by others? It may be that trades of picks affect team needs and therefore order. Some overlap of the above?

I wonder how much these mock makers are connected. Mock is not big board, mock is to predict actual draft, and maybe these mock making journalists get a real feel what teams like only by the time the combine and interviews start. COmbine is when journalists and actual NBA scouts are in the same room. Ace Bailey was projected to go third by most mocks, but in the past few weeks we get more and more credible reports that teams do not like him, so he drops in the mocks instantly, and we get reports that teams like Kon, and raises in the mocks also instantly.

That's part of it, too, as is misdirection. Teams will draft players in part because they know other teams really want to try and get extra assets.

Teams will send strong interest signals to player A to get their interest scent off of player B.

Cloak and shadows time.

Weeks ago i made a bet that Bailey goes 3, so I really hope all latest leaks is missirection, since its not looking good for me now

[UcanUwill]

Spurs, you better not get Coward! It will ruin my day!

Read on Twitter

You never know... Why not draft MORE GUARDS when you already have a surplus of them.

Cloak and shadows and trade season.

Is Coward a guard? I senced him as forward.

[MrTribbiani]

I don't know. Shooting, toughness, and intangibles are all there. Hes underrated going to the basket too. Hes far more NBA ready than a guy like Cody Williams, I don't see that comparison. You see a lot of high athleticism consensus guys flame out, and wonder why they were consensus to begin with in hindsight. Again I didn't watch any Rutgers games though, and only have seen Harper highlights. I just know Rutgers stunk with him and Bailey. Seems to me Kon is a perfect fit, with ball handling (fox and castle) already in place, and Wemby there as a 25-30 ppg guy. I'm no expert on college ball by any means though. Just see Kon as a sure thing with his floor being a quality starter with elite shooting.

IMO he has too many weaknesses to justify a top 5 pick, and he isn't a "perfect fit" for the Spurs. They should draft Harper, period.

We're nowhere near good enough to pick for fit over BPA. And anyway, even a good team should take BPA rather than fit/need and figure it out. Look at GSW and Wiseman... TO passed on LMA because they had Bosh and Rasho (but picked Bargs).

Pick BPA to upgrade talent and make adjustments from there when you pick this high.

Harper will need a contract extension around the time Fox's expires... Then we have a Harper/Castle back court. That's very solid.

Agreed.

[scrabbarista]

Spurs, you better not get Coward! It will ruin my day!

Read on Twitter

You never know... Why not draft MORE GUARDS when you already have a surplus of them.

Cloak and shadows and trade season.

I've spent some minutes watching some players (my bona fides), and here are my most intriguing guys:

1. Coward
2. Beringer
----
3. Murray-Boyles
4. Traore
----
5. Queen

HM: Clayton Jr.

I haven't seen Sorber.

[scrabbarista]

Spurs, you better not get Coward! It will ruin my day!

Read on Twitter

You never know... Why not draft MORE GUARDS when you already have a surplus of them.

Cloak and shadows and trade season.

Is Coward a guard? I senced him as forward.

He projects to shoot and defend like a guard. He's a wing.

[EmpireFalls]

Kon Knueppel at 4 is such a terrible pick the Hornets will never ever be good

[UcanUwill]

Spurs, you better not get Coward! It will ruin my day!

Read on Twitter

You never know... Why not draft MORE GUARDS when you already have a surplus of them.

Cloak and shadows and trade season.

I've spent some minutes watching some players (my bona fides), and here are my most intriguing guys:

1. Coward
2. Beringer
----
3. Murray-Boyles
4. Traore
----
5. Queen

HM: Clayton Jr.

I haven't seen Sorber.

Random, but not sure how good Beringer and Sorber are, but their names remind me of two other people, one good fictional character, and one very very unpleasant person, you might figure out the latter.

[The-Power]

I keep hearing that Queen is great passer, but his assist numbers are low, negative asi/to ratio. What is the deal with 1.9 assists if he is that great of a passer? Not enough on ball time or smth? 2.5 TOs suggest he gets ball a ton.

Per 100 Possessions:

Queen: 3.5 AST / 4.4 TOV
Sabonis: 2.9 AST / 4.6 TOV (over two seasons)
Embiid: 3.4 AST / 5.9 TOV
Adebayo: 1.5 AST / 3.0 TOV
Cousins: 2.4 AST / 5.0 TOV

Raw assist and turnover numbers do not necessarily mean all that much for college big men. There's role considerations, team strategy, teammates and spacing, and of course individual growth potential (being an offensive hub is not something most big men are used to this early in their career). So we should be looking at the passes and reads they can make, the passing windows they create with their scoring threat, the feel for the game they display on the regular, and the flashes of advanced playmaking that can be seen on tape.

Edit: And it's hard not to be enticed by Queen's upside and flashes as a passer (see video in spoiler tags, starting from 10:54). He can make quick passes, he passes on the move and off the dribble, and he will make some advanced passes and reads. Whether he can become a premier passing big and offensive hub depends on a lot of factors (attitude, scoring ability, ball handling, conditioning, and of course becoming consistent in what he does). But he has shown a degree of aptitude that is worth exploring further the NBA team that drafts him.

Spoiler:

Watch on YouTube

[Bornstellar]

Spurs, you better not get Coward! It will ruin my day!

Read on Twitter

You never know... Why not draft MORE GUARDS when you already have a surplus of them.

Cloak and shadows and trade season.

I feel like if you're hearing the Spurs are interested in some player during the draft, it's a smokescreen since teams love drafting the dudes we're eyeballing. SA doesn't leak, generally

[UcanUwill]

I keep hearing that Queen is great passer, but his assist numbers are low, negative asi/to ratio. What is the deal with 1.9 assists if he is that great of a passer? Not enough on ball time or smth? 2.5 TOs suggest he gets ball a ton.

Per 100 Possessions:

Queen: 3.5 AST / 4.4 TOV
Sabonis: 2.9 AST / 4.6 TOV (over two seasons)
Embiid: 3.4 AST / 5.9 TOV
Adebayo: 1.5 AST / 3.0 TOV

Raw assist and turnover numbers do not necessarily mean all that much for college big men. There's role considerations, team strategy, teammates and spacing, and of course individual growth potential (being an offensive hub is not something most big men are used to this early in their career). So we should be looking at the passes and reads they can make, the passing windows they create with their scoring threat, the feel for the game they display on the regular, and the flashes of advanced playmaking that can be seen on tape.

OK, I get it. Arvydas Sabonis averaged like 2 assists per game back in the day, so I get it, teams just did not play the way NBA teams do now. I do not know how college teams play so I just asked.

[hardenASG13]

IMO he has too many weaknesses to justify a top 5 pick, and he isn't a "perfect fit" for the Spurs. They should draft Harper, period.

We're nowhere near good enough to pick for fit over BPA. And anyway, even a good team should take BPA rather than fit/need and figure it out. Look at GSW and Wiseman... TO passed on LMA because they had Bosh and Rasho (but picked Bargs).

Pick BPA to upgrade talent and make adjustments from there when you pick this high.

Harper will need a contract extension around the time Fox's expires... Then we have a Harper/Castle back court. That's very solid.

Agreed.

That could certainly be true, as long as Harper is the BPA. It's an important pick for the spurs, if they hit on it they're set. I feel like Kon is cant miss for them, but if Harper is a cant miss prospect hes the guy, as he seems to have the higher ceiling. I just wonder why Rutgers was so bad with 2 top 10 players.

[The-Power]

OK, I get it. Arvydas Sabonis averaged like 2 assists per game back in the day, so I get it, teams just did not play the way NBA teams do now. I do not know how college teams play so I just asked.

I edited my post for additional context FYI. Have a look at the video I linked, too. I believe in Queen as a playmaker (though there are levels to it and I am unsure where he'll end up on the scale from decent to great big men playmakers), not least because he can do it on the move, too. I am, however, concerned about other things when it comes to him (a lot of it broadly relating to attitude (motor, effort, conditioning, etc.)).