Raptors NBA Draft Thread: Damian Lillard (POR)

[DG88]

Lillard wants to prove that he's the best PG in the draft.

Best Point Guard in the 2012 NBA Draft: Damian Lillard was projected as a second-round pick entering his junior season at Weber State. While his name was being mentioned in NBA circles, the 6’2 point guard still had a lot to prove. Now, after averaging 24.5 points and emerging as one of the best players in the nation, Lillard is projected as a lottery pick and considered the top point guard in this year’s draft.

“I do feel like I’m the best point guard in the draft class,” Lillard told HOOPSWORLD. “If I’m not the best, I feel like I’m just as good as anyone else. I just want to prove it now. I want to show people.”

In college, Lillard was forced to carry the scoring load for Weber State. He averaged the second-most points in the country. However, in the NBA, Lillard will likely be more of a distributor.

“I think my game will translate well to the NBA,” Lillard said. “I think I’ll still be able to score the ball, especially since I’ll have NBA-level players around me, but I’ll be able to make the players around me better as well. I don’t think I get enough credit for how I pass the ball because at Weber State I had to score a lot. That’s fine though. People will see what I can do at the next level.”

Lillard can’t wait to go through the pre-draft process and play against some of the best players in the country. Coming out of high school, Lillard was a two-star recruit and Weber State was the only school that offered him a scholarship. That has always motivated him and he’s looking forward to matching up against the players who have been ranked ahead of him until now.

“I’ve always had a chip on my shoulder and going into the draft, it’s only going to get bigger,” Lillard said. “People are going to doubt me and I’m ready for that. I’m looking forward to shocking people when I can match up with the big-name guys. I’m not afraid of anyone. I’m ready to go out and prove myself.”

“I’m really looking forward to it,” Lillard said. “Over the past six months, teams have come in and focused on shutting me down. Going against double teams and triple teams made everything a lot harder. Now, in these workouts and at the next level, I won’t have an entire group of players focusing on me. I’m looking forward to the workouts, going one-on-one or two-on-two. I think that’s going to be make things a lot easier for me.”

When asked to compare himself to a current NBA player, Lillard pauses for a moment before answering.

“Jeff Teague,” Lillard said. “I would compare myself to Jeff Teague. I study film of Derrick Rose and Russell Westbrook, but I think when I get to the league, I’ll be similar to Jeff Teague. He’s about the same size as me, he can shoot, he’s a scoring point guard and he’s athletic.”

In the last six months, Lillard has proven himself and climbed draft boards as a result. He has solidified himself as a first round pick and now only one question remains. How much further will he climb?

Lillard is projected as the eighth overall pick in HOOPSWORLD’s latest mock draft.

http://www.hoopsworld.com/nba-saturday- ... nt-revenge

[torsport]

I really don't like this pick. I agree it could be high risk high reward, but see him asaproject not unlikeBayless

[dagger]

I really don't like this pick. I agree it could be high risk high reward, but see him asaproject not unlikeBayless

There aren't too many guys who won't be a project of sorts at this pick. Indeed, most first round picks start as projects. Even Anthony Davis wouldn't start as a rookie on many teams, even some late lottery teams with playoff aspirations.

[ATLTimekeeper]

He should have said, "a much, much better version of Jeff Teague."

[GRidge]

I really want Tony Wrotten

[DG88]

I really want Tony Wrotten

Yes getting a guy who turns the ball over more then his dishes assists and can't shoot anywhere outside the paint. He was one of the most inefficient PGs in college no thanks.

[JamesNaismith]

Pretty much a perfect rebuild season in my mind.

Total revamp of team defense, some player development and a lotto pick in a deep draft.

If we fluke into the top 3.....absolutely.

If not......you can't be serious.

Why are people saying top 3? We were never going to get a top 3 pick.

I never said we were GOING TO end up top 3....it simply means the fact we have fallen out of the top 6 (which is where I believe we could have EASILY been ie lose to the Nets lol) has been an utter waste. There is a drop of atleast a tier in what type of prospect we are getting (of course someone past 7th+ will shock but the likelyhood to succeed is obviously greater BEFORE then, not after). Now in order to be back in that higher tier of prospect we need to fluke into the top 3 and not by our own merit....that`s all it means.

[Cobra Kai Dojo]

Really would prefer anyone else aside from Lilard just doesn't seem to me what we need, I'm still all for trading down or trying to get a second lotto pick. Picking at 8 right now just seems terrible.

[bonjovi0308]

if beal is not available, i would definitely want him. other than the hornets and the blazers not much team would want a pg with their first pick so the chance is pretty high he is available with our pick. i see he has much higher potential than derozan has with us

[Waylon Mercy]

He kind of reminds me of Rafer Alston a bit maybe the way he moves or his shot mechanics
anyways this draft is not the one to get a PG. Theres a bunch in FA and on the trade market.
This is a good wing draft and there isn't many good wings in FA or the trade market or next
years draft as well if we don't get one this draft we might hurt ourselves. If Lillard and
Marshall are the best PG prospects in a draft I would pass and be patient to wait for
something better to come along and with Colangelo strongly hinting at keeping Calderon
and Bayless I don't know how a PG draft pick would develop here.

[ty123]

he's really good at getting to the basket. And can run pick and roll unlike Bayless.

[40 Guzzle]

from the interview it really looks like the reporter, university & community have made him one of their own. Asking questions about how he would fit with the Jazz etc.

I know alot of lottery picks don't roll through Ogden, Utah but they seem genuinely happy and appreciative of his time spent there and want him to do well at the next level.

It's the big sky conference so it's hard to say how he will translate but the character/maturity is definitely there

[malachii]

He sure does seem to fit our needs pretty well, and goes along with what was stated we wanted to get (shooting).

[JN]

I really do want to believe in Lillard...especially since I think he will be the best player we have available at the time we draft but I just have a hard time believing in him when he played in such a weak conference and awful competition.

This is the same argument that was used against Kawhi Leonard and Danny Granger. Both fell, not only because of the conference in Granger's case, but it was a significant consideration. So was the fact both were juniors or seniors and were dismissed out of hand by the upside crowd.

At one point, Leonard had eye-popping draft workouts, and he was rising in the mock drafts but then the question of playing for San Diego State made some teams back off and he began to slide. He's a top 3 rookie who was a 15th overall pick.

Granger went to New Mexico State, and had a history of knee trouble, and as we know only too painfully, was picked right after Babcock selected Joey Graham.

I think people get trapped in concepts, that stars only come out of one-and-done players, not withstanding that a lot of one and doners bust or do not achieve the lofty expectations set for them. Players like Lillard, who have improved every single year of their college careers and get to the point of leading the nation in scoring, are sure talents. If Lillard is not a superstar in the making, he's nevertheless a potential major upgrade at his position, good size, solid D, penetrates and dishes but is also one of the best shooters in college basketball.

I'm not bigging him up as the second coming, but I also think he will exceed the low expectations of this board by a large margin. He's a smart, hard-working kid. Another California gym rat type with quite a bit of Jason Terry in him.

Dagger, do you actually think you understand the college landscape or just pretend?

Because comparing the competitive situation in a Mountain West to a Big Sky school is extremely flawed (to be kind), The gap between the Oklahoma City Thunder and the Charlotte Bobcats is closer then the gap between the Mountain West and the Big Sky.

The MWC has actually had 4 out of 8 schools get into the NCAA tourney both of the last two years. The Big Sky typically get a 15 or 14 seed, and has never had at an large team even close to consideration for an at large bid.

I like the skillset Lillard, but I am not going to compare situations that are not comparable, and make up stuff as to why Leonard dropped.

I'm not dismissing Lillard at all. You just can't compare his situation to a MWC kid either.

[kingz32]

I guess the obvious question is Lillard vs. Marshall and how they fit on the Raptors. We obviously have a lack of offensive threat as far as scoring goes when it comes to the PG position. Lillard is a dynamic guard who can be a playmaker on his own and create his own shot. He is a leader by nature and will bring that to the organization running the PG. However, he is not the pass first PG that Marshall is. And we all don't expect Marshall to come in to the league and drop 9 APG as NBA defenses are a lot more complicated to dissect at the college level. Marshall is no where as near as athletic, and on a team like the Raptors where you could use a floor general but there's not exactly enough scoring punch on the roster, I say you roll the dice and take a risk on a kid like Lillard with his scoring potential and decent assist rate on a team at Weber State where there was basically no one worth while passing to. I think he will do well in the NBA.

I'm projecting 13.3ppg, 4.3 ast, 3.6 rpg for him in his rookie year. And at pick #8 you gotta take that.

Let's face it, regardless of what BC tries to tell you guys, this team isnt going to be competing for anything for at least another two years. 2013-2014 season should be the target date once Lillard and Valanciunas get their feet wet. We need to solidify our SG position with a bench scorer like Jamal Crawford as sixth man and ship out James Johnson as he will net positive value in a trade (at least more than Kleiza) because of his cheaper contract in exchange for a veteran SF on a more expensive contract that is more consistent and needing a change of scenery.

This is a guards league, and unless you see Kendall Marshall turning into Deron Williams then you need to take Lillard. I've been going back in forth between the two of them for the last couple days and I really think this teams needs a guy with All-Star potential and can make dynamic plays. No disrespect to Marshall of course though.

[DG88]

I think once workouts start Lillard is going to wow scouts and GMs. At 8th he'd be a great pick for us. I've been saying this throughout this thread Lillard has been the type of dynamic PG that we've needed for the longest time. I like Marshall and his passing ability but I have a hard time seeing him dissect a defense and creating havoc in the paint like Lillard would with his quicks and ball handling. I still question Marshall's defense at the next level as well. Lillard has a great build, long arms and good lateral quicks to keep up with opposing PGs. His ability to score and score efficiently is another plus. He's not like Kemba Walker or Brandon Knight, who were scoring PGs but we're efficient with the ball. He's a huge threat in the p&r with his shooting and dribble penetration.

[Ackshun]

Just wondering how many here have seen ONE game with Weber State in action?

Just saying, I catch a pretty good amount of NCAA per week on the Rogers package, and will even stream online if possible with some of the lesser known teams. I have yet to have access more than 1 BCS tournament game.

I like his stats, and followed him closely stat wise for the 2nd half the year. He's a dominant scorer.

But where are all these specific assessments coming from?

[OAKLEY_2]

I wonder what they were saying about Nash coming from Santa Clara?
"When Steve Nash was selected as the fifteenth pick in a star-studded draft that included AI, Kobe and Ray Allen among others, he was booed by Suns fans simply because he was from an unknown college team. Today, I don't think there's a single Suns fan out there that isn't thankful."

[dagger]

I really do want to believe in Lillard...especially since I think he will be the best player we have available at the time we draft but I just have a hard time believing in him when he played in such a weak conference and awful competition.

This is the same argument that was used against Kawhi Leonard and Danny Granger. Both fell, not only because of the conference in Granger's case, but it was a significant consideration. So was the fact both were juniors or seniors and were dismissed out of hand by the upside crowd.

At one point, Leonard had eye-popping draft workouts, and he was rising in the mock drafts but then the question of playing for San Diego State made some teams back off and he began to slide. He's a top 3 rookie who was a 15th overall pick.

Granger went to New Mexico State, and had a history of knee trouble, and as we know only too painfully, was picked right after Babcock selected Joey Graham.

I think people get trapped in concepts, that stars only come out of one-and-done players, not withstanding that a lot of one and doners bust or do not achieve the lofty expectations set for them. Players like Lillard, who have improved every single year of their college careers and get to the point of leading the nation in scoring, are sure talents. If Lillard is not a superstar in the making, he's nevertheless a potential major upgrade at his position, good size, solid D, penetrates and dishes but is also one of the best shooters in college basketball.

I'm not bigging him up as the second coming, but I also think he will exceed the low expectations of this board by a large margin. He's a smart, hard-working kid. Another California gym rat type with quite a bit of Jason Terry in him.

Dagger, do you actually think you understand the college landscape or just pretend?

Because comparing the competitive situation in a Mountain West to a Big Sky school is extremely flawed (to be kind), The gap between the Oklahoma City Thunder and the Charlotte Bobcats is closer then the gap between the Mountain West and the Big Sky.

The MWC has actually had 4 out of 8 schools get into the NCAA tourney both of the last two years. The Big Sky typically get a 15 or 14 seed, and has never had at an large team even close to consideration for an at large bid.

I like the skillset Lillard, but I am not going to compare situations that are not comparable, and make up stuff as to why Leonard dropped.

I'm not dismissing Lillard at all. You just can't compare his situation to a MWC kid either.

No, but what I am saying is that with a kid who doesn't come out of a big D-1 program, there is a tendency to question said player's ability to adapt to the NBA.

You see, in Lillard's case, he routinely faced double and triple teams because he was Weber State's only credible weapon, and he still achieved at a high level.

[kingz32]

This is the same argument that was used against Kawhi Leonard and Danny Granger. Both fell, not only because of the conference in Granger's case, but it was a significant consideration. So was the fact both were juniors or seniors and were dismissed out of hand by the upside crowd.

At one point, Leonard had eye-popping draft workouts, and he was rising in the mock drafts but then the question of playing for San Diego State made some teams back off and he began to slide. He's a top 3 rookie who was a 15th overall pick.

Granger went to New Mexico State, and had a history of knee trouble, and as we know only too painfully, was picked right after Babcock selected Joey Graham.

I think people get trapped in concepts, that stars only come out of one-and-done players, not withstanding that a lot of one and doners bust or do not achieve the lofty expectations set for them. Players like Lillard, who have improved every single year of their college careers and get to the point of leading the nation in scoring, are sure talents. If Lillard is not a superstar in the making, he's nevertheless a potential major upgrade at his position, good size, solid D, penetrates and dishes but is also one of the best shooters in college basketball.

I'm not bigging him up as the second coming, but I also think he will exceed the low expectations of this board by a large margin. He's a smart, hard-working kid. Another California gym rat type with quite a bit of Jason Terry in him.

Dagger, do you actually think you understand the college landscape or just pretend?

Because comparing the competitive situation in a Mountain West to a Big Sky school is extremely flawed (to be kind), The gap between the Oklahoma City Thunder and the Charlotte Bobcats is closer then the gap between the Mountain West and the Big Sky.

The MWC has actually had 4 out of 8 schools get into the NCAA tourney both of the last two years. The Big Sky typically get a 15 or 14 seed, and has never had at an large team even close to consideration for an at large bid.

I like the skillset Lillard, but I am not going to compare situations that are not comparable, and make up stuff as to why Leonard dropped.

I'm not dismissing Lillard at all. You just can't compare his situation to a MWC kid either.

No, but what I am saying is that with a kid who doesn't come out of a big D-1 program, there is a tendency to question said player's ability to adapt to the NBA.

You see, in Lillard's case, he routinely faced double and triple teams because he was Weber State's only credible weapon, and he still achieved at a high level.

Would you endorse us drafting him at #8 though if he's the highest ranked prospect on the board?