Official Raptors 2011 NBA Draft Thread

[bboyskinnylegs]

Eww Irving has 2 fouls already, looks like he'll be benched for the 1st half

yep all kyrie has is 2 fouls so far :s

[fredericklove]

Ivring's back on the floor

[fredericklove]

Irving's got blazing speed wow

[fredericklove]

Recap of the duke game:

Irving: 19 mins, 3 of 4 shooting (13 points), 1 three's, 6 of 7 at the line, 5 reb, 2 ast, 2 to

Pros:

He played just 3-4 minutes in the first half due to 2 personal fouls, in the 2nd half, he scored 6 straight points in 2 minutes, scored a few more points in the late 2nd half

- he was on the fastbreak, going all the way drew the contact shot 2 free throws
- did a crossover and pull up for a jumper
- he drives and lays it up and 1
- catch and shoot 3

He ran the break pretty well, there were 3 miami guys in the lane, he dribbles and stops and passes right to an open shooter, he really excells in transition in this game despite with only 2 assists, he didn't do too much and is always in control, he drew a lot of contact (basically he can go at the basket AT WILL if he wanted to), I'm also impressed by his rebounding ability, when his teammate Plumlee was battling it out for the rebound Irving sneaks in and got the offensive rebound

Cons:

Got 2 early fouls, got only 2 assists due to Miami's defense that forces him to go 1 on 1 in this game, despite sitting out mostly in the 1st half he did manage to be productive in the 2nd half, didn't see much cons except there were few situations where Irving gets caught in the screen or pick.

Overall, 13 points in 19 minutes is pretty impressive, he also displays a John Wall-like speed, coasting from one end to the other end in blazing speed. He's fun to watch for sure.

[Mr.Raptorsingh]

Has anybody watched Harrison Barnes play yet? When is North Carolina playing?

[Ponchos]

he also displays a John Wall-like speed, coasting from one end to the other end in blazing speed. He's fun to watch for sure.

This is just flat out false. He is very fast, no denying that, but he is not as fast as Wall.

[fredericklove]

he also displays a John Wall-like speed, coasting from one end to the other end in blazing speed. He's fun to watch for sure.

This is just flat out false. He is very fast, no denying that, but he is not as fast as Wall.

Umm, forgot to add: what I meant was in that one single play where he displays similarity, but obviously not having the same speed but that one spectacular play tho. He's still pretty fast though.

[fredericklove]

Has anybody watched Harrison Barnes play yet? When is North Carolina playing?

I only watched the 2nd half where he played pretty clueless although didn't turn the ball over much, but he didn't attack at all and was soft and every time he has the ball he passes it back out. Ford says he had a decent debut, but he better explodes for 20 pts this next game! The next game is this thursday at 5 pm against Hofstra

[fredericklove]

So far in 2 games, these elite prospects average:


Kyrie Irving: 15 pts, 5.5 ast, 1 stl,
Perry Jones: 11.5 pts, 9.5 reb, 3 blks,
Jared Sullinger: 22.5 pts, 12 reb, 1 stl

[Rude Boy 1]

Kyrie Irving is still my top Raptor pick he is a true floor general out there. He looked good in the second half but by then the game was already in garbage time. His next few games will be the real test Marquette, 2 Michigan st, 16 Butler.

[DG88]

Saw some highlights of Irving's play last night. They way how this guy manages a game is truly incredible for a freshman point guard. He's legit and we need to draft this kid. Our point guard play has been horrible and will be all year long.

[Reignman]

Has anyone seen Fab Melo play yet?

He's actually a very intriguing prospect with his height/wing span and seems to have some decent tools.

Any info would be appreciated.

[Abba Zabba]

Don't look now but Miami is 5th in the conference and 11th over all.

I know it's early and they'll probably go on some streaks as they figure out how to play together, but we might have been too quick to write off this pick as useless. Assuming they improve from 19th this pick can still very realistically end up in the 21 to 25 range. If they don't improve and the league continues to figure them out (pound them inside and dominate the point) this pick could even end up in the 17 to 21 range.

That's useful either for trade or getting lucky and picking a good player.

Time to start looking down the draft board too!

[DG88]

Has anyone seen Fab Melo play yet?

He's actually a very intriguing prospect with his height/wing span and seems to have some decent tools.

Any info would be appreciated.

Here's his page on ESPNU so far he's been pretty foul prone average 4.3 PF per game while playing 15 minutes a game.
http://espn.go.com/ncb/player/profile?playerId=51343

[dagger]

Some good news early on from the first NCAA games.

Sullinger (Ohio State freshman) looks like a major beast, so he should rise closer to the top. Jared is a PF, ranked #9 at the start by DX, but he could draw attention away from other players we want (if we don't have first overall)

Also, Quincy Acy of Baylor, a junior, has had a great start and may be the real deal. He's a SF with legit size and athleticism. He might force his way into the mid first round. The thing with Acy is that he could end up as a nice target for the Miami pick. As a junior, he may have a hard time making the lottery, but the early book on him is that he's much improved.

[fredericklove]

Saw some highlights of Irving's play last night. They way how this guy manages a game is truly incredible for a freshman point guard. He's legit and we need to draft this kid. Our point guard play has been horrible and will be all year long.

NBAdraft.com had us at 2nd drafting Jones over Irving lol, if I picture this to happen on the draft day oh man I think alot of us will bang our head against the wall and cry in tears.

[DG88]

Johnathon Givony of Draftexpress did a write up of the top 25 prospects in college on SI.com. Here are some guys we could be looking at

Brandon Knight
PG, Kentucky
Freshman, 6-3, 170 lbs.
Strengths: Point guard with size and athleticism. Capable shot-creator who can operate effectively in both the half and full court. Gets to the rim effectively and finishes well around the basket. Intelligent prospect who can make plays for others. Has great potential defensively with his physical tools and smarts.
Needs Work: Tends to get out of control at times and force the issue looking for his own offense. Needs to improve consistency, shot selection and decision-making skills.
Early 2011 NBA Draft Projection: 10-20 overall

http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/multim ... nt.12.html

Kemba Walker
PG, UConn
Junior, 6-0, 180 lbs.
Strengths: Pure point guard with jet-like quickness. A terror in transition and a constant threat to create his own shot in the half court. Good mix between scoring and passing, likes to get others involved. Has improved his perimeter shooting ability. Does a good job putting pressure on the ball.
Needs Work: Undersized at just 6-foot. Struggles finishing around the basket at times. Decision-making and consistency still a work in progress. Jumper can get very streaky at times.
Early 2011 NBA Draft Projection: Late lottery pick

http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/multim ... nt.17.html

Jared Sullinger
PF, Ohio State
Freshman, 6-8, 250 lbs.
Strengths: Very advanced freshman with a tremendous skill level. Excellent post-up threat with soft touch, huge hands and smooth footwork. Can also step outside and knock down a mid-range jumper. Very productive rebounder. Coach's son who brings outstanding intangibles to the table.
Needs Work: Undersized, and not particularly athletic to compensate. Conditioning has improved but still not ideal. Upside won't be deemed as high as other freshman.
Early 2011 NBA Draft Projection: All over the board: anywhere from 5-25 overall

http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/multim ... nt.21.html

Josh Selby
SG, Kansas
Freshman, 6-1, 180 lbs.
* Kansas is still waiting for the NCAA to make a decision on Selby's eligibility.

Strengths: Scoring machine combo guard with highly developed natural instincts for putting the ball in the basket. Can create his own shot effortlessly, but is also a highly capable shot-maker from perimeter, particularly off the dribble.
Needs Work: Has the size of a point guard but the mentality of a shooting guard. Needs to learn to operate more effectively and efficiently in the half court, especially with his playmaking and decision-making skills.
Early 2011 NBA Draft Projection: 5-20 overall

http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/multim ... nt.22.html
Here's the top 3

Kyrie Irving
PG, Duke
Freshman, 6-2, 180 lbs.
Strengths: Point guard with prototypical physical tools, standing 6-2, with an excellent frame and very good athleticism. Pretty complete offensive player for a freshman. Very aggressive shot creator who excels on the pick and roll. Can also make shots from the perimeter. Competitive defensively. Has great intangibles.
Needs Work: Must polish playmaking skills and show that he can run a team in the half court. Lacks experience like all freshman do.
Early 2011 NBA Draft Projection: Top 10 pick

http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/multim ... nt.23.html

Perry Jones
PF, Baylor
Freshman, 6-11, 220 lbs.
Strengths: Rare physical specimen with phenomenal size, length and athleticism. Smooth, talented big man with intriguing perimeter skills. Handles the ball extremely well in transition, which, coupled with his long and very quick first step, can make him a huge mismatch threat attacking defenders off the dribble. Also shows signs of a nice perimeter jumper. Finishes everything around the basket with the greatest of ease. Has excellent potential defensively, and appears to be a highly coachable and humble young prospect as well.
Needs Work: Doesn't always play up to his potential. Had relatively underwhelming numbers as a high school senior (16.3 ppg, 10.3 rpg), and did not enjoy much team success either. Has a laid-back demeanor that causes him to coast at times. Needs to continue to add strength and develop his inside game. Can get too enamored with his perimeter game at times.
Early 2011 NBA Draft Projection: Top 5 pick

http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/multim ... nt.24.html

Harrison Barnes
SG/SF, North Carolina
Freshman, 6-8, 210 lbs.
Strengths: Smart, competitive small forward with size, strong rebounding skills and both the willingness and talent to make his presence felt on both ends of the court. Brings a very complete package to the table, with excellent physical attributes, a versatile skill set, and outstanding intangibles.
Needs work: Must prove that he can produce under the bright lights of the national spotlight, play winning basketball and lead Carolina back to the NCAA tournament.
Early 2011 NBA Draft Projection: Top 3 pick

http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/multim ... nt.25.html

[roundhead0]

Don't look now but Miami is 5th in the conference and 11th over all.

I know it's early and they'll probably go on some streaks as they figure out how to play together, but we might have been too quick to write off this pick as useless. Assuming they improve from 19th this pick can still very realistically end up in the 21 to 25 range. If they don't improve and the league continues to figure them out (pound them inside and dominate the point) this pick could even end up in the 17 to 21 range.

That's useful either for trade or getting lucky and picking a good player.

Time to start looking down the draft board too!

I suspect the MIA pick will be more useful packaged with something else to move up a few spots. Getting a good player that low in the draft is pretty unusual. Considering that they've only lost to teams that were playing really, really well I suspect their pick will be around 24 at best.

[Truthrising]

Johnathon Givony of Draftexpress did a write up of the top 25 prospects in college on SI.com. Here are some guys we could be looking at

Brandon Knight
PG, Kentucky
Freshman, 6-3, 170 lbs.
Strengths: Point guard with size and athleticism. Capable shot-creator who can operate effectively in both the half and full court. Gets to the rim effectively and finishes well around the basket. Intelligent prospect who can make plays for others. Has great potential defensively with his physical tools and smarts.
Needs Work: Tends to get out of control at times and force the issue looking for his own offense. Needs to improve consistency, shot selection and decision-making skills.
Early 2011 NBA Draft Projection: 10-20 overall

http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/multim ... nt.12.html

Kemba Walker
PG, UConn
Junior, 6-0, 180 lbs.
Strengths: Pure point guard with jet-like quickness. A terror in transition and a constant threat to create his own shot in the half court. Good mix between scoring and passing, likes to get others involved. Has improved his perimeter shooting ability. Does a good job putting pressure on the ball.
Needs Work: Undersized at just 6-foot. Struggles finishing around the basket at times. Decision-making and consistency still a work in progress. Jumper can get very streaky at times.
Early 2011 NBA Draft Projection: Late lottery pick

http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/multim ... nt.17.html

Jared Sullinger
PF, Ohio State
Freshman, 6-8, 250 lbs.
Strengths: Very advanced freshman with a tremendous skill level. Excellent post-up threat with soft touch, huge hands and smooth footwork. Can also step outside and knock down a mid-range jumper. Very productive rebounder. Coach's son who brings outstanding intangibles to the table.
Needs Work: Undersized, and not particularly athletic to compensate. Conditioning has improved but still not ideal. Upside won't be deemed as high as other freshman.
Early 2011 NBA Draft Projection: All over the board: anywhere from 5-25 overall

http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/multim ... nt.21.html

Josh Selby
SG, Kansas
Freshman, 6-1, 180 lbs.
* Kansas is still waiting for the NCAA to make a decision on Selby's eligibility.

Strengths: Scoring machine combo guard with highly developed natural instincts for putting the ball in the basket. Can create his own shot effortlessly, but is also a highly capable shot-maker from perimeter, particularly off the dribble.
Needs Work: Has the size of a point guard but the mentality of a shooting guard. Needs to learn to operate more effectively and efficiently in the half court, especially with his playmaking and decision-making skills.
Early 2011 NBA Draft Projection: 5-20 overall

http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/multim ... nt.22.html
Here's the top 3

Kyrie Irving
PG, Duke
Freshman, 6-2, 180 lbs.
Strengths: Point guard with prototypical physical tools, standing 6-2, with an excellent frame and very good athleticism. Pretty complete offensive player for a freshman. Very aggressive shot creator who excels on the pick and roll. Can also make shots from the perimeter. Competitive defensively. Has great intangibles.
Needs Work: Must polish playmaking skills and show that he can run a team in the half court. Lacks experience like all freshman do.
Early 2011 NBA Draft Projection: Top 10 pick

http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/multim ... nt.23.html

Perry Jones
PF, Baylor
Freshman, 6-11, 220 lbs.
Strengths: Rare physical specimen with phenomenal size, length and athleticism. Smooth, talented big man with intriguing perimeter skills. Handles the ball extremely well in transition, which, coupled with his long and very quick first step, can make him a huge mismatch threat attacking defenders off the dribble. Also shows signs of a nice perimeter jumper. Finishes everything around the basket with the greatest of ease. Has excellent potential defensively, and appears to be a highly coachable and humble young prospect as well.
Needs Work: Doesn't always play up to his potential. Had relatively underwhelming numbers as a high school senior (16.3 ppg, 10.3 rpg), and did not enjoy much team success either. Has a laid-back demeanor that causes him to coast at times. Needs to continue to add strength and develop his inside game. Can get too enamored with his perimeter game at times.
Early 2011 NBA Draft Projection: Top 5 pick

http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/multim ... nt.24.html

Harrison Barnes
SG/SF, North Carolina
Freshman, 6-8, 210 lbs.
Strengths: Smart, competitive small forward with size, strong rebounding skills and both the willingness and talent to make his presence felt on both ends of the court. Brings a very complete package to the table, with excellent physical attributes, a versatile skill set, and outstanding intangibles.
Needs work: Must prove that he can produce under the bright lights of the national spotlight, play winning basketball and lead Carolina back to the NCAA tournament.
Early 2011 NBA Draft Projection: Top 3 pick

http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/multim ... nt.25.html

Good stuff, keep the updates coming. Right now i'd be happy with anybody given the state we're in...BPA FTW.

[bboyskinnylegs]

Don't look now but Miami is 5th in the conference and 11th over all.

I know it's early and they'll probably go on some streaks as they figure out how to play together, but we might have been too quick to write off this pick as useless. Assuming they improve from 19th this pick can still very realistically end up in the 21 to 25 range. If they don't improve and the league continues to figure them out (pound them inside and dominate the point) this pick could even end up in the 17 to 21 range.

That's useful either for trade or getting lucky and picking a good player.

Time to start looking down the draft board too!

I suspect the MIA pick will be more useful packaged with something else to move up a few spots. Getting a good player that low in the draft is pretty unusual. Considering that they've only lost to teams that were playing really, really well I suspect their pick will be around 24 at best.

I think where we're likely to end up picking, we won't be able to trade up easily.

I think there could be some solid talents available later in the 1st round with that Miami pick. A lot depends on who declares, but there could be a few decent PG prospects available: CoJo, Marshall, Harrow, and Walker. If we're in a situation where the BPA with our pick is a wing or big (and given our roster, we're in absolutely no position to not go with the BPA), I think having the ability to also draft a good PG prospect later on in the 1st round will go a long way towards improving our team.