Official Raptors 2012 NBA Draft Thread

[fredericklove]

I pray to God someone takes Bargs for a 2012 lottery pick and a horrible contract.

Kabongo/Wroten
DeRozan
Barnes/Gilchrist/Miller
Davis
Valanciunas

Jizz.

This could be the youngest and sickest roster in the league They're all young gunz!

[7-Day Dray]

There's this new scout on NBADraft.net named Jorrye Nixon. He's only a freshman in college, but he's the best scout I know, and his scouting reports are EXCELLENT. He made a scouting report on all the Big 12 prospects today.

Baylor:

Perry Jones- A big-time talent at PF…Can handle the ball well for a 6'10 guy...Very good athlete…Pretty smooth…Possesses decent shooting touch...Can pass the ball well... Lacks consistent shooting range, and is best from 18 feet...Isn't all that polished yet...Not very aggressive or tough...Will shy away from the paint, and doesn’t care for contact…Still getting stronger…Will disappear at times…Doesn’t have a killer instinct, so likely not a franchise player type

Quincy Miller- A top SF prospect…6’9 SF with a thin, but developing 215 lb body…Long…Good athleticism…Smooth…Excellect footwork and ball-handling skills for a 6’9 guys make him a threat as a slasher…A potential matchup nightmare…Can operate in the post or face up and hit shots…Very confident…Not a devoted defender or rebounder right now…His ACL injury is a concern, athough he has gotten bigger and stronger through rehab…Great scoring potential

Anthony Jones- A 6'10 210 SG/SF, who can shoot the deep ball and handle the ball…Very good athlete who will make "wow" plays at times..Very nice touch...Long arms...Not a bad rebounder…Has underachieved given his tools and athleticism...Been waiting for him to break out for a while…Very much lacking in aggression…Similar to Omri Casspi

Quincy Acy- 6'7 235 athletic freak with very long arms...Will try and dunk EVERYTHING at the rim, and usually succeeds...Works hard to get himself shots at the rim...Runs the floor well…Sets strong screens…Very strong and tough...Decent rebounder...His blocks and dunks often change the momentum of games...Doesn’t defend all that well for a guy who will have to to have a spot in the NBA…Pretty low skill level...Not likely to score with his back to the basket or shooting facing up...

Deuce Bello- A thin 6’4 SG/SF…Explosive athlete, with big-time speed, quickness and leaping skills…Pretty long…Loves to play above the rim…Will be a huge threat in the passing lanes in college…Terrific in transition…Dynamite 1st step…Not a very good shooter…Ball-handling can improve…Plays more like a swingman than a 6’4 180 lb guy should

Kansas:

Tyshawn Taylor- 6’3 190 PG who is probably the most experienced player in the conference…Solid athlete with nice quickness and size...He's a PG, but his floor vision and ball-handling are decent at best...OK shot, but is pretty good when left open...Some times falls asleep on the floor and lacks awareness…Has some character concerns...Focused enough?

Thomas Robinson- 6’9 225 PF…Great athleticism…Pretty strong…Plays with energy…Able to be a mismatch player offensively, using his quickness against bigger matchups and strength on smaller ones…Can score without plays being run for him…Great running the floor…Solid rebounder…Has a developing mid-range game…Low post game is a work in progress…Should watch out for fouls...Should be very productive for a KU team that loss 1st rounds talent as his position

Elijah Johnson- 6’2 combo guard with freak athleticism and good size if he was an actual PG…Good defensive potential…Not a real PG and a mediocre shooter…Really just an athlete who plays basketball right now

Kansas State:

Jamar Samuels- One of the bigger matchup problems in the Big 12....Can face up and post up at 6'8 215....Can use quickness against big PF's...Played great D at times, but he's a bit too foul prone and is prone to gambling...Poor ball-handler...Makes mental mistakes at times...Complains to the refs too much...Needs more lbs…Struggled pretty badly last year…Will be look at for production next year as a Sr. leader

Mizzou:

Kim English- 6'6 195 Sr. SG with a nice upside...Mid-range skills are good, and he has a nice 3-ball too...His shooting skills off screens is promising...Decent athlete and physical presence on the wing...Charismatic leader...Needs to improve his defense and shot-selection a bit...Also needs more strength...Ball-handling isn’t very good

Lawrence Bowers- Sr. athletic monster who finishes explosively at the rim...A combo forward at 6'8 210, he's not a scorer really and plays like a Renaldo Balkman/DeMarre Carroll type...Rebounds and plays energetic D, especially off the ball for steals and blocks...Not an offensive player

Marcus Denmon- A sturdy 6’2 205 combo guard…Great mid-range game…Solid athlete…Good scoring skills…Competes on D, and will get steals…Good fit in the up-tempo style Mizzou loves to play…Not a true PG

Ricardo Ratcliffe- A solid talent as a 6'8 240 PF...Pretty strong...Strong rebounder and plays with the energy needed for their press...Decent scorer...Needs to refine his low post game more...Relies on his strength a bit too much at times

Phil Pressey- Long term prospect...5'10 160 Soph. combo guard...Very quick and athletic...Sweet shot...A very good scorer...Not all that true a PG...His lack of size hurts him on D and around the rim...Pesky ball thief

Oklahoma State:

LeBryan Nash- A physical specimen for a SF as a Fr., having an NBA body already at 6’7 225…Excellent athleticism…Pretty good perimeter game…Nice shot…Can post up, and will only get better as he continues to grow and work on his game…Will put points on the board in a hurry…Pretty decent rebounding skills…Not all that unselfish…Has a rep as a bit of a malcontent on the court…Mediocre D…Will be an immediate impact player in OK State’s wide open style of play offensively…Probably a 2 year guy, but wouldn’t surprise me AT ALL to see him being 1 and done

Texas:

Myck Kabongo- A skinny 6’1 160 Fr. PG…Great athlete…Big-time quickness…Pure PG…Understands how to change pace off the dribble…Remarkable passing ability…Will thread the needle from far away…Unselfish…Long arms…Excels in the drive in dish…Can pressure the ball on D, and use his length to be a pest as a ball thief…Mediocre shooter, who’s mechanical form is only truly effective when he’s left open…Doesn’t look for his own shots a lot…Lacks strength and size and likely will struggle finishing around the rim in the Big 12…Touted PG prospect

J’Covan Brown- 6’2 combo guard with a stocky frame…Confident scorer and shooter and will let it fly when he gets the ball…Nice shooting touch…Makes no mistakes from the foul line…Not a PG…Very selfish…Doesn’t defend well…Lacks athleticism…Not very quick…Character concerns?

Texas A&M:

David Lobeau- Athletic and long 6'8 Sr. PF/C...Can finish at the rim...Really looks good running the floor...Can face up a little...Not very polished...Weak at 220 lbs...Doesn’t block shots or rebounds anywhere near as good as he should, considering his physical and athletic profile…Has a jump hook, but past that it's tough for him to score with his back to the basket...Long term intrigue

Khris Middleton- A 6'7 205 Jr. SF with very good scoring skills...Very smooth athlete...Plays the game at his own pace...Nice jump shot and can shoot the 3 ball...Best from mid-range though...Unselfish player...Average defender and rebounder...Can improve his handle and shot-creating ability...Will be a candidate for a 1st round pick and for the Big 12 Player or the Year award next year

http://www.nbadraft.net/forum/big-12-pr ... ent-370165

He also wrote about the ACC prospects yesterday.

Clemson:

Trevor Booker- A springy and pretty long 6’8 245 PF…Younger brother of former Tiger Trevor Booker, who was a 1st round selection by the Wizards in 2010…High motor…Can score a few points without plays being ran for him…Watch out for his tip-slams.. Pretty rough around the edges on offense…Doesn’t make a big impact on D…Can be shot over by height down low…4-year prospect

Milton Jennings- 6’9 215 combo forward…Nice athleticism and length…Runs the floor very well..Has a soft touch around the basket…Improved a good bit from his Fr. season…Still his skills are far behind his physical and athletic tools…Not much range on his shot..Shaky handle…Pretty weak…Is better the closer he is to the rim, but doesn’t have a real post game…Long-term prospect with raw skills

Duke:

Austin Rivers- A highly touted 6’4 Fr. combo guard…Son of Boston Celtics coach Doc Rivers…Understands how to score…Has NBA range already…Can score effectively at all 3 levels…Confident attitude and very competitive…Good 1st step…Needs to improve on D…Not very strong right now…A bit stuck between the guard positions, but plays much more like a SG…A likely 1 or 2-year player

Andre Dawkins- 6’4 shooter with a solid frame…Outstanding shot, and is very unlikely to miss when open…Is best spotting up…Can score off screens too…Will show suprising athletic ability when he’s on the move…Very one-dimensional…Not very quick…Won’t pass much, offer more than OK D, or get on the glass…Not a very good ball-handler…Not a threat in the passing lane with his length

Seth Curry- 6’2 190 SG is the brother of GSW PG Stephen Curry and son of former NBA player Dell Curry…Jump shooter with NBA range…Can come off screens or spot up…Lacks quickness…Very much below average physically for an NBA caliber guard…Not much PG skills…Struggles against athletic guys to get his shot off

Mason Plumlee- 6’10 220 PF with great athleticism…Definitely looks the part of a sleek face-up PF…Runs the floor very well…Is a good alley-oop target…Can play in the pick and roll game…Solid rebounding and shot-blocking skills…Developing 15-18 foot shot…Struggles a bit when he has to create his own shots…Can be stiff at times on the floor…Doesn’t have the softest touch as a shooter or finisher…Lacks toughness…Not a very good defender…Not your man at the free throw stripe

Mike Gbinije- 6’6 195 Fr. SG/SF with good athleticism…Pretty long…Makes smart plays and should be able to factor immediately on the wing for Duke…Will be a threat in transition…Can finish with both hands well…Good shot…Utilizes his mid-range skills better than most incoming Fr…Can improve off the dribble…Should look to be more aggressive.

Quinn Cook- a 6’2 185 Fr. combo guard with solid quickness and athleticism…Very competitive and aggressive…Nice scorer…Can get to the rim…Shows a solid jumper…Will compete on D…Not a true PG…Body language is often poor on the court when things don’t go well…Can get wild and force action…Will need time

Marshall Plumlee- 6’11 big with a developing body…Plays hard and will rebound…Good athlete for his size…Shows a developing post game…Needs strength, although he has a promising frame…Lacks polish…Wont play a lot, until he gets stronger and gets more polish…Long term guy

Florida State:

Mike Snaer- 6’4 wing with a mature build…Dynamite athlete…Terrific in transition…Raw shot-making skills…Impressive defender on the ball…Has the size and length to defend both guard spots…A bit wild and erratic…Not an efficient shooter…Ball-handling is very improvable

Ian Miller- A 6’3 combo guard with great length and athleticism…Has considerable potential as a slasher and defender…Possesses a decent jumper…Not a real PG…Needs polish with his overall game

Bernard James- A 6’7 240 grinder who rebounds and defends well...Long arms and quick leaping ability make him a big factor as a shot-blocker…Will finish with authority when set up at the rim…Not going to create offense…Lacks a soft touch and isn’t a threat facing up…Is extremely old after serving 6 years for the Air Force

Jon Kreft- 7’ C…Has the size of an NBA big…Not bad athleticism either…Shot-blocking presence…Not likely to score…Has legit character concerns that will have to be disected…Wasn’t productive, and is pretty old for an average college Sr…Size is the only thing that will earn him whatever looks he gets

Georgia Tech:

Glen Rice Jr.- Rangy 6’5 wing…Son of former NBA All-Star Glen Rice….Pretty good athlete…Solid spot-up shooter…Willing defender, rebounder and plays he plays tough…Had an ugly shooting slump for most of last season…Fairly poor ball-handler…Still hasn’t completely grown into his body

Mfon Udofia- A 6’2 185 combo guard with a pretty solid build…Smooth athlete…Solid handle…Has upside as a big PG…Has hit the wall hard for 2 years straight against ACC competition after starting the slate off strong…Looks for his own shots too much for a PG prospect…Sometimes seems to struggle with the speed of the game…Inconsistent jumper and decision making...A major work in progress despite the talent he possesses

Maryland:

Sean Mosley- 6’4 SG who will be the Sr. leader for a rebuilding Terrapin squad…Pretty strong…Plays at his own pace…Solid mid-range game…Plays good D…Below average ball-handler and shot-creator…Not very quick or athletic…A bit inconsistent, and floats in and out of games quite a bit

Miami:

Durand Scott- Athletic and long-armed 6'3 combo guard...Confident and aggressive...Not selfish really...Great slasher and finisher around the rim..Strong defender with the ability to get even better...Needs to show a better jump shot, and develop his playmaking skills, since he'll play mostly PG in the NBA...Jumper is pretty mechanical right now

DeQuan Jones- Freak athlete and good size at SF at 6'7 195...Competes on D and is a big threat in transition...Not much else going for him besides that right now...Might be time to give up on him as a prospect after 3 underwhelming years

Reggie Johnson- A 6’10 300 wide body...Possesses soft touch and good hands...Not as lumbering as most his size are, and is fairly agile for his size...Great rebounder...Has the obvious advantages sealing his man down low, and appears to have long arms...Struggles with the clear issues of conditioning a bit...Will always have to have his minutes monitored...Not explosive...Teams will want to see him play closer to 275-280 than 300...Intriguing big guy

NC State:

C.J. Leslie- 6'8 combo forward who makes great plays around the rim on both ends...Should get a bunch of chances to finish at the rim...Needs to polish his offensive game...Ball-handling needs work...Not great shooting ability...Very energetic and long...Rebounds and is a versatile defender...Will be interesting to see if he tries to show off his perimeter game over his at the rim game, for scouts...More effective the closer he is to the rim...Could use more strength...Shaky motor...2012 prospect

North Carolina:

Harrison Barnes- Physically gifted 6'8 SG/SF...Solid athleticism, rebounding, IQ, passing ability, shooting skills, and defensive skills...Very good at nearly every aspect of the game...Handles are mediocre though...More of an off-ball scorer...Coaches are saying he's the hardest worker they've ever seen...Has great upside and ability to get better...Early favorite for the 2012 1st pick

Tyler Zeller- Quick and athletic 7'0 PF/C...Good offensive game...Displays a decent low post game, with a highly effective jump hook...Long arms...Can put the ball on the floor some...Has the ability to score with both hands...Soft touch...Can block shots..Very good passer...Can play above the rim...Has the raw ability to score shooting jumpers...Lacks strength and toughness... 2012 prospect..

Kendall Marshall- Good size as a 6'4 185 PG, and the frame to get bigger...Pretty strong already...Pure PG...Incredible playmaking skills and the floor vision that comes with being that tall...Probably the runaway best passer in college basketball...Can thread the needle, from REAL far away...Makes solid decisions most times, especially for a young player...Creates offensive exceptionally well for teammates...Not a very good shooter...Not going to score or look for his shot alot...Lacks athleticism...2012 1st round prospect probably

John Henson- Very tall and long for a combo forward at 6'10 195... Extremely quick and athletic...Big-time shot-blocker...Can rebound very well...Capable of grabbing a rebound and dribbling the ball up in transition...Still, his handle is loose in half-court...Has a raw post and face-up game...Extremely narrow and weak...Has trouble dealing with contact...Lack of strength holds him back a bit, but he'll be a 1st round pick when he declares more than likely though..Has high potential

James McAdoo- A skilled 6’9 Fr. PF...Nice low post skills already...Can finish with both hands around the rim...Pretty good athleticism and length...Runs the floor well...Shows the length and reactivity to be a shot-blocker...Developing mid-range game, with soft touch...Works hard on the glass...Pretty solid motor...Needs more strength...Should look to polish his face-up game some more

PJ Hairston- A physically mature 6’5 220 Fr. SG...Big-time shooter...Outstanding range...Has the size and enough athleticism to take guys off the bounce on straight-line slashes and finish through contact...Can score in bunches...Will be able to play SF too...Struggles a little with ball-handling...Only average athleticism...Can struggle with his weight

Dexter Strickland- Very fast and aggressive 6'1 combo guard...Good athlete...Looks pretty good driving to the rim...Excels on the break...Likes to look for his shots...Can be a bit TO prone...Not a confident shooter...Limited PG skills...Fringe prospect

http://www.nbadraft.net/forum/acc-nba-prospects-0

Thoughts?

[Dr Positivity]

Did the Booker family name both their kids Trevor? Wow that'll be confusing if he makes the NBA... lol

[Reignman]

Please stop talking about Austin Rivers people, he looks like a flippin' undersized SG chucker to me.

And another thing, the 2012 draft does look strong, especially since we just passed a crappy draft but things do change over a year. Soon-to-be-freshmen that look hot now might not be as good come draft time. That's why I'm sticking to sophs like Barnes/PJ being the top pick.

Also, there's no way in hell I'm trading Demar or Ed for a lottery pick in 2012. Sure, at the draft if we've targetted someone we REALLY want then do it, but not blindly just for a random lottery pick, that would be stupid.

[Dr Positivity]

Austin Rivers should not be deemed a top 10 pick in 2012 right now. He is a dime a dozen undersized 3pt shooting SG. And he'd have virtually no role on our team with Demar here, to that point.

[SwiftyV]

Austin Rivers should not be deemed a top 10 pick in 2012 right now. He is a dime a dozen undersized 3pt shooting SG. And he'd have virtually no role on our team with Demar here, to that point.

As far as role on our team yea you're right. But LOL at your assessment of him.

[Silk Wilkes]

I see Austin Rivers as more of a Jamal Crawford/Jason Terry/Leandro Barbosa off the bench scorer.

[Truthrising]

Please stop talking about Austin Rivers people, he looks like a flippin' undersized SG chucker to me.

And another thing, the 2012 draft does look strong, especially since we just passed a crappy draft but things do change over a year. Soon-to-be-freshmen that look hot now might not be as good come draft time. That's why I'm sticking to sophs like Barnes/PJ being the top pick.
Also, there's no way in hell I'm trading Demar or Ed for a lottery pick in 2012. Sure, at the draft if we've targetted someone we REALLY want then do it, but not blindly just for a random lottery pick, that would be stupid.

the good thing is, knowing our situation it looks like we may have a top 5 pick again. We may have options to picks for the SF position. thank god we didn't make a pick for someone like Vesely or Leonard this year.

[7-Day Dray]

Did the Booker family name both their kids Trevor? Wow that'll be confusing if he makes the NBA... lol

Oh, that was a typo. He meant to put "Devin" Booker.

[Reignman]

Agreed, if J Val does become our C of the future then we just plugged a MASSIVE hole that this franchise has had for most of our existence. You add that we already have Ed/Amir at PF and all we really need is a back up C on the cheap.

Moving forward we can focus on the PG/SF starting spots. Hopefully Bayless and/or Johnson show substantial improvement but if they don't they can easily occupy the back up spots.

[fredericklove]

Please stop talking about Austin Rivers people, he looks like a flippin' undersized SG chucker to me.

And another thing, the 2012 draft does look strong, especially since we just passed a crappy draft but things do change over a year. Soon-to-be-freshmen that look hot now might not be as good come draft time. That's why I'm sticking to sophs like Barnes/PJ being the top pick.
Also, there's no way in hell I'm trading Demar or Ed for a lottery pick in 2012. Sure, at the draft if we've targetted someone we REALLY want then do it, but not blindly just for a random lottery pick, that would be stupid.

the good thing is, knowing our situation it looks like we may have a top 5 pick again. We may have options to picks for the SF position. thank god we didn't make a pick for someone like Vesely or Leonard this year.

yeah, thats why I LOL'd at the Leonard bandwagon fans prior to the draft.

[Mr Swagtastic]

I still like Michael Gilchrist on our team looks like he will be a great fit for us. Plays a high level defense and is a explosive player and looks like he could be a Andre Igoudala clone. Miller looks like he will be a athlete and scorer but I don't think he's as good as a defender as Michael Gilchrist is.

[7-Day Dray]

Gilchrist please!

[Reignman]

I'm a pretty big Gilchrist fan but his offensive game needs a lot of work, namely his J. The way our team is shaping up we need a dynamic two way player, preferrably at SF or PG.

That guy, IMO, is Barnes right now until we see one of these other kids like Gilchrist/McAdoo/Davis/et all play some games.

[Silk Wilkes]

I still like Michael Gilchrist on our team looks like he will be a great fit for us. Plays a high level defense and is a explosive player and looks like he could be a Andre Igoudala clone. Miller looks like he will be a athlete and scorer but I don't think he's as good as a defender as Michael Gilchrist is.

lol Why'd you change your username?

[fredericklove]

I still like Michael Gilchrist on our team looks like he will be a great fit for us. Plays a high level defense and is a explosive player and looks like he could be a Andre Igoudala clone. Miller looks like he will be a athlete and scorer but I don't think he's as good as a defender as Michael Gilchrist is.

YUP Gilchrist fits perfectly in Casey's system, he's on my 2nd to draft on the list behind HB only because he doesn't have a 3 point range and how will our team survive with no one shooting 3's especially with Demar (not sure if he will have one next yr)

Quincy is 3rd on the list! His skillset is ridiculous and prolly has 20-25 pts potential in the nba...he's going to piss alot of teams if he plays with us coz of his cocky swagger (his favorite quote: IT'S EASY!) lol..but I worried if he' be a cancer to the locker room coz of his cocky attitude.

[CanadaB-Ball]

I'm a pretty big Gilchrist fan but his offensive game needs a lot of work, namely his J. The way our team is shaping up we need a dynamic two way player, preferrably at SF or PG.

That guy, IMO, is Barnes right now until we see one of these other kids like Gilchrist/McAdoo/Davis/et all play some games.

This is how I see it as well.

Gilchrist's shot is broken. Terrible form. Saying that, I'm a huge fan. Love the effort he brings, and the intangibles. It's his shot, which happens to be something we need (outside shooting), is just not where you'd want it to be at this point.

After Barnes, I think Miller has the best chance to develop a good two-way game. He can score in many different ways, and he has all the physical tools to be a god defender and rebounder. It remains to be seen, however, if he'll give adequate effort on that side of the ball.

[Gold Dragon]

My ranking list for the Raptors right now is
Quincy Miller
Harrison Barnes
Anthony Davis
Michael Gilchrist

Myck Kabongo
Marquis Teague
Perry Jones
Tony Wroten
Adonis Thomas

Do not want
Austin Rivers
James McAdoo
Jared Sullinger

[LascelleL]

Barnes or Rivers

[Relentless88]

My ranking list for the Raptors right now is
Quincy Miller
Harrison Barnes
Anthony Davis
Michael Gilchrist

Myck Kabongo
Marquis Teague
Perry Jones
Tony Wroten
Adonis Thomas

Do not want
Austin Rivers
James McAdoo
Jared Sullinger

I pretty much agree with this. I think Perry Jones and Tony Wroten will surprise some people. IMO it will come down to Davis and Barnes for that #1 pick next season. I really like Miller in Toronto, very good fit. I like Barnes as well, and I think he'll be very improved next season.

I'd probably add LeBryan Nash to the "Do not want" list.