Another Australian set to be drafted in the NBA......

Bballer2306 · Post #1 » by **Bballer2306** » Tue Jan 22, 2008 12:39 am

http://nbadraft.net/admincp/profiles/nathanjawai.html

NBAdraft.net so far has him going at the 24th pick.

His name is Nathan Jawai, he plays NBL in Australia. Now being Australian myself, I have seen he play a lot of he seems pretty good. He is raw, but has lots of potential.

Down here in Australia everybody calls him "Baby Shaq"

Would any of you be interested in drafting this guy if we got the chance? Obviously a lot of you have not seen him play, so here is the only Youtube video I could find of him....

http://youtube.com/watch?v=LX42AEpO-EY

paul · Post #2 » by **paul** » Tue Jan 22, 2008 12:44 am

What I particularly liked about that video was the really strong interior D being played in the all star game :lol:

Comet · Post #3 » by **Comet** » Tue Jan 22, 2008 12:45 am

Well, he can play two positions: PF and C.

PF: Yi already plays here and I'm not sure if Jawai is fit or athletic enough to play PF.

C: This is the position where Jawai seems to be best-suited, but unless Bogut's progress goes haywire, there'd be no point in drafting Jawai.

stellation · Post #4 » by **stellation** » Tue Jan 22, 2008 12:51 am

How about Aleks Maric at Nebraska? 6'11" C, a senior this year and averaging 16/8... I think he will level out at a better Jake Voskhul and should go in the 2nd round somewhere this year. Great guy, smart and bangs with the best of them.

Most folks on here have already heard of AJ Ogilvy by now, but he isn't coming out this year. I think the other potential early entry guys that have been touted as draft prospects (Nevill at Utah, Mills at St Mary's, Bruce at Baylor) won't come out this year either.

skones · Post #5 » by **skones** » Tue Jan 22, 2008 12:53 am

stellation wrote:How about Aleks Maric at Nebraska? 6'11" C, a senior this year and averaging 16/8... I think he will level out at a better Jake Voskhul and should go in the 2nd round somewhere this year. Great guy, smart and bangs with the best of them.

Most folks on here have already heard of AJ Ogilvy by now, but he isn't coming out this year. I think the other potential early entry guys that have been touted as draft prospects (Nevill at Utah, Mills at St Mary's, Bruce at Baylor) won't come out this year either.

As for your AJ Ogilvy not coming out comment. I wouldn't be so sure. A LOT of guys say one thing during the season and do another afterwards.

stellation · Post #6 » by **stellation** » Tue Jan 22, 2008 12:54 am

Will Joe Ingles nominate this year or stick around for another season in the NBL? I'd like to see him nominate and it least come over and work out, then pull out if he isn't happy.

stellation · Post #7 » by **stellation** » Tue Jan 22, 2008 12:56 am

skones wrote:-= original quote snipped =-
As for your AJ Ogilvy not coming out comment. I wouldn't be so sure. A LOT of guys say one thing during the season and do another afterwards.

I don't think AJ has said he isn't coming out, I just get the feeling he'll stick around for at least another year (maybe 2). The knocks against him are the sort of thing that will be erased working out for another year in a good program... that said I think most NBA GMs will be looking at him pounding away in the low block already with a decent collection of moves and would be happy to add him to their roster.

moistie · Post #8 » by **moistie** » Tue Jan 22, 2008 1:22 am

Could anyone with any idea give a rundown on how Patrick Mills, with the Saint Mary's Gaels, is faring? I've kept track of his play online but without seeing any of his games, it's impossible to tell how he has been playing.

Bballer2306 · Post #9 » by **Bballer2306** » Tue Jan 22, 2008 1:36 am

moistie wrote:Could anyone with any idea give a rundown on how Patrick Mills, with the Saint Mary's Gaels, is faring? I've kept track of his play online but without seeing any of his games, it's impossible to tell how he has been playing.

Look, Patrick Mills is doing pretty good. Averaging like 15 points 5 assists a game.

But the one problem with him is that he is short, very short. When you are as short as he is you have to be an absolute gun to play NBA. I do not think he would fair to well in the NBA.

But I seriously think Jawai is going to be a sleeper in this draft, just watch.

Bballer2306 · Post #10 » by **Bballer2306** » Tue Jan 22, 2008 1:38 am

paul wrote:What I particularly liked about that video was the really strong interior D being played in the all star game

Well NBA scouts have been coming down to Australia and watching him for a while now.

The Media has interviewed some of the scouts and they said that he is a great player, and will most likely be a first round pick.

One really suprising thing about him is he has an outstanding midrange jumpshot for a big guy with his frame.

moistie · Post #11 » by **moistie** » Tue Jan 22, 2008 1:48 am

Bballer2306 wrote:-= original quote snipped =-

Look, Patrick Mills is doing pretty good. Averaging like 15 points 5 assists a game.

But the one problem with him is that he is short, very short. When you are as short as he is you have to be an absolute gun to play NBA. I do not think he would fair to well in the NBA.

But I seriously think Jawai is going to be a sleeper in this draft, just watch.

Thanks for that. I figured that would be the case. He'll likely go on to carve out a career for himself in Europe if he decides he wants the money. Otherwise he'll likely just play the NBL (Aussie league).

magpies · Post #12 » by **magpies** » Tue Jan 22, 2008 1:50 am

AJ won't nominate this year I expect next year, if he continues the way he is playing I expect top 10 when drafted

Patrick Mills will wait a couple of years, his size while is a issue he will be drafted if he stays injury free, will be compared to TJ.

Jawai if he nominates he will be a first rounder, very strong, good shot from 15ft and a great defender, yes the NBA is a couple of steps above the NBA but he is a couple of steps above most Cs and PF in the NBL.

Aleks Maric will be drafted in the 2nd round,

All of these guys will in the Australian team in Beijing this year

stellation · Post #13 » by **stellation** » Tue Jan 22, 2008 1:50 am

Bballer2306 wrote:-= original quote snipped =-

Look, Patrick Mills is doing pretty good. Averaging like 15 points 5 assists a game.

But the one problem with him is that he is short, very short. When you are as short as he is you have to be an absolute gun to play NBA. I do not think he would fair to well in the NBA.

15/5 leading your team to a very strong start to the year isn't too far off gun play. Mills isn't as short as people seem to think, I'm 6' and standing next to Patty he is taller than I am. I wouldn't be shocked if he measure out like 6'1 1/2" in shoes when he decides to nominate, you know how they like to inflate that

He's about the quickest under control PG I've seen.

aussie_ash · Post #14 » by **aussie_ash** » Tue Jan 22, 2008 2:24 am

magpies wrote:AJ won't nominate this year I expect next year, if he continues the way he is playing I expect top 10 when drafted

Patrick Mills will wait a couple of years, his size while is a issue he will be drafted if he stays injury free, will be compared to TJ.

Jawai if he nominates he will be a first rounder, very strong, good shot from 15ft and a great defender, yes the NBA is a couple of steps above the NBA but he is a couple of steps above most Cs and PF in the NBL.

Aleks Maric will be drafted in the 2nd round,

All of these guys will in the Australian team in Beijing this year

You think we are taking 4 C's? I'd say that the big man lineup will look like:
Anderson/Neilsen
Bogut/Anstey (he's still the best player in the NBL)/one of Jawai/AJ/Maric

magpies · Post #15 » by **magpies** » Tue Jan 22, 2008 2:38 am

aussie_ash wrote:-= original quote snipped =-

You think we are taking 4 C's? I'd say that the big man lineup will look like:
Anderson/Neilsen
Bogut/Anstey (he's still the best player in the NBL)/one of Jawai/AJ/Maric

Anstey won't go my understanding is he has retired from international duties. and who knows if Neilsen goes not playing well overseas.
Jawai goes unless he is drafted and they ask him not to go

aussie_ash · Post #16 » by **aussie_ash** » Tue Jan 22, 2008 2:49 am

Well if Anstey doesn't go then...

Still I reckon Nelly would have to be a lock, provided we don't have the whole insurance issues again?

playmaker24 · Post #17 » by **playmaker24** » Tue Jan 22, 2008 3:13 am

magpies wrote:-= original quote snipped =-

Anstey won't go my understanding is he has retired from international duties. and who knows if Neilsen goes not playing well overseas.
Jawai goes unless he is drafted and they ask him not to go

I don't believe that Anstey has retired from international duties. The only reason he didn't play in the last series against NZ was because of injury.

As for Nielsen, i'm not sure why you're saying he doesn't play well overseas. He's currently in one of the top European Leagues and averaging close to 11pts and 5rebs per game.

By comparison, Brad Newley is only averaging about 9pts 3rebs for his team in Greece.

Nielsen is definitely still a very strong player and should be a certainty for the Boomers line-up in Beijing.

I reckon we'll see a squad of:

C Bogut / Anstey / Jawai
PF Andersen / Anstey / Nielsen
SF McKinnon / Redhage (he's now an Aussie Citizen) / Saville
SG Smith (because he's a Sydney King) / Newley / Ingless
PG Bruton / Mills / Bruce or Markovic (might go with a combo gaurd like kendall here to)

NBL.com.au now has weekly updates on Australian players performing overseas.

Check out the latest installment here http://www.nbl.com.au/default.aspx?s=ne ... y&id=73904

stellation · Post #18 » by **stellation** » Tue Jan 22, 2008 3:16 am

Patty has started great in the Gaels game on now. 0/4 from the floor

stellation · Post #19 » by **stellation** » Tue Jan 22, 2008 3:20 am

[quote="playmaker24"][/quote]
Where did you get the 9/3 for Newley? I've got him at 13 ppg from here but I think that is just in the Greek championship.

Post #20 » by **blkout** » Tue Jan 22, 2008 3:28 am

Anstey can play PF, he shoots well enough from the outside and he's decent enough on his feet. God knows how we've ended up with such a wealth of big men though.