Official 2013 Draft Thread - Part I

[Chocolate City Jordanaire]

I don't understand the infatuation with McDermott. Someone tell me how he won't be a liability defensively. Would he be purely a situational stretch 4? He has great shooting %s but maybe it is just that I find DX's "best case" for him to be a bit comical. I mean i guess that's worth a late 2nd. I'd rather take a chance Kadji.

http://www.sports-reference.com/cbb/pla ... ott-1.html

Last season, over 35 games Doug McDermott shot .601 FG and .488 3PT. This season, he is attempting more 3s and still shooting .486 3PT. McDermott is shooting .869 FTs. His 23.8 points per game ranks 2nd in NCAA.

nuposse, in the second round McDermott can be a guy who can play SF or PF not unlike Chris Crawford for the Knicks. Guys who make shots have a place off the bench. I see him as a highly skilled, pick and pop player. Anybody who can knock down shots is going to be wide open with Wall penetrating and two or three bigs who can score inside.

He's a player the Wizards can use because of his accurate shooting and strong fundamental game.

[Ruzious]

WHat do people think of Jeff Withey. Strikes me as a Brendan Haywood type -- in a good way? Dat? Sev? Ruz? YODA?

I think he could have a similar career to Haywood. I guess the question is - does he have the lateral quickness to excel defensively as much in the NBA as he did in college. I do think he'll add enough strength to hold his position in the NBA.

[mhd]

Ernie's MO is to never take the skilled player over the more raw player with upside (OPEC, Singleton, Vessley, Haislip (with the Bucks), McGee). Even if McDermott was a worthy pick (I'm not arguing either way), Ernie wouldn't take him given his draft pedigree.

[doclinkin]

I don't understand the infatuation with McDermott. Someone tell me how he won't be a liability defensively. Would he be purely a situational stretch 4? He has great shooting %s but maybe it is just that I find DX's "best case" for him to be a bit comical. I mean i guess that's worth a late 2nd. I'd rather take a chance Kadji.

Caught Wally Szczerbiak on radio saying he saw much of himself in McDermott. Glancing at stats I'd forgotten (never knew) Wallyworld was a fairly solid rebounder in college. I did recall he was surprisingly decent scoring in the paint, he'd be somewhat ignored on the interior since he was known as an outside gunner and would come off a screen for a close-in finish. Haven't watched Creighton at all so I can't form a judgement on McDermott. I've been watching his stats since last year but have no sight read on him yet. Wally says he'll succeed at the next level though FWIW.

[Knighthonor]

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PFTJW9S5IYE[/youtube]

Man too bad the Wizards will have to do something like tank to get those skilled players!!!

look at them.

[pancakes3]

I'm probably the biggest Booker hater on the board, but this is getting ridiculous. Booker's pre-draft measurements suggest was possibly the most athletic player in the 2010 draft. His 3 quarter court sprint was faster than John Walls. In addition, his jumping ability and agility tests were superb for his size. The problem with Booker is that he has no skills whatsoever, and he seems entitled to jack up jumpers, post up on the block, and drive to the hoop with his eyes closed whenever he wants to. McDermott is the antithesis of Trevor Booker.

I'd like to humbly disagree that Booker has no skills. He's one of the better pick and roll players we've got and he has better post moves than Seraphin. The only reason he's not better is that he's undersized and underlengthed.

Certainly booker is more athletic than McDermott. However, that doesn't change the way that they play. Off-ball interior cutters who can score in a bunch of different ways. Maybe instead of "Booker with range" I should have said "Antawn Jamison" ?

[daSwami]

Man too bad the Wizards will have to do something like tank to get those skilled players!!!

look at them.

iirc Vesely had an impressive highlight reel, too.

[MikeTheKid]

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PFTJW9S5IYE[/youtube]

Man too bad the Wizards will have to do something like tank to get those skilled players!!!

look at them.

You have no idea how much I like Kasey Hill, hes super athletic for a PG and has good vision and ball handling. He has a jumpshot but needs to be a bit more consistent but hes a really nice player. If everyone does one and dones next season the 2014 draft is gonna be hella deep.

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_bqKYiFucLc[/youtube]

[dobrojim]

I'm probably the biggest Booker hater on the board, but this is getting ridiculous. Booker's pre-draft measurements suggest was possibly the most athletic player in the 2010 draft. His 3 quarter court sprint was faster than John Walls. In addition, his jumping ability and agility tests were superb for his size. The problem with Booker is that he has no skills whatsoever, and he seems entitled to jack up jumpers, post up on the block, and drive to the hoop with his eyes closed whenever he wants to. McDermott is the antithesis of Trevor Booker.

I'd like to humbly disagree that Booker has no skills. He's one of the better pick and roll players we've got and he has better post moves than Seraphin. The only reason he's not better is that he's undersized and underlengthed.

Certainly booker is more athletic than McDermott. However, that doesn't change the way that they play. Off-ball interior cutters who can score in a bunch of different ways. Maybe instead of "Booker with range" I should have said "Antawn Jamison" ?

Not sure I'd agree.

Booker is not a particularly good ball handler, nor is he a particularly good shooter.

You're damning with faint praise when you note he has better post moves than KSera.

Booker has great athleticism and a high motor. But he's an undersized 4 without a good
enough outside shot (at this time) to be a stretch 4. Love his attitude and his approach
to the game but also realize his limitations, including his ability to stay healthy.

[Dr Positivity]

You have no idea how much I like Kasey Hill, hes super athletic for a PG and has good vision and ball handling. He has a jumpshot but needs to be a bit more consistent but hes a really nice player. If everyone does one and dones next season the 2014 draft is gonna be hella deep.

He looks so good, but one thing I've been telling myself lately is not to judge any HS player athletically until I see them on NBA/NCAA style pro cameras, the best of which we get is the Nike Hoop Summit. I think the camera angles screw up the frame of reference, honestly. Shabazz looking so much more explosive in his HS clips than at UCLA was the last straw for me. It's the main reason I believe Wiggins is overrated... as amazing as his athleticism looks in his highlight clips and cameras filming him from the floor, in the Nike Hoop Summit game he looks like a totally different guy to me physically and not in a good way. If this was the only thing anybody had seen of Wiggins, would he be a guy getting called an all time physical talent great like Lebron, Tmac and Pippen??? A guy who people think is the best prospect since Lebron almost strictly because of his physical tools, which means his physical tools are supposibly more valuable than Oden, Howard, Rose, Wall and Griffin's? In this video his first step/blow-by ability doesn't show up in this game, and even when it comes to vertical explosiveness (his strength), he has a play where he lays in a "please poster me sir" opportunity and misses another dunk because he doesn't go up strong enough

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M4pK2synQRQ[/youtube]

[stevemcqueen1]

Not really a showcase game for McLemore tonight. Slow first half and he didn't take many shots. He did help keep the game out of reach late at the FT line. He had a couple turnovers off of some loose ball handling and you figure that's going to be the weakness that comes out with him most games. I think he also can struggle to make an impact when he's not in rhythm and putting up points in bunches. He's not the type to take over the offense and he plays very much within the structure of Kansas' offense. It was Releford's night apparently.

All in all, not a bad game from McLemore but I don't think we learned anything new from the performance.

Nerlens has been showing new offensive wrinkles to his game. He's been showing off this nice little set of jump hooks with both hands. He had a nice running hook that was not counted because I think a foul was called before the shot but it was from a good 13 feet out and had nice touch.

His shooting touch, ball handling, and seeming lack of back to basket offense were my major concerns with him before. But he's got much better handles than I thought and does have some post offense that he can go to in ISO situations. He's getting better on offense pretty much every single game.

It makes sense for him to come out this year because he's practically a top two lock. But if he went back to school I think he could add strength, put up great numbers next year, and really grow into a top notch two way player. Shades of Patrick Ewing at Georgetown. He's a really nice big man prospect and we'd be lucky to get him. I'd take him first overall, and ultimately that's where I think he'll go if he comes out.

[Dat2U]

No superstar. One rock solid prospect at C. A bunch of solid role players to be found 2-20. You can get the same quality of player at #12 you can get at #2. Not a deep draft. I don't expect too many 2nd round gems to be found and there will likely be a relatively high number of 1st round busts or disappointments.

Tier Two
C Noel

Tier Three
F Zeller
C Len
F Porter
G Goodwin
G Smart
G McCollum
G Burke
G/F Muhammad

Tier Four
G McLemore
G Oladipo
F Bennett
F Austin
F Polythress
C Olynyk
C Withey
C Goubert
G Young
F McAdoo

Tier Five
G Pressey
F McDermott
F Mitchell
F Nash
C Plumlee
G Paul
C Dieng
G Carter-Williams
G Franklin
F Thomas
F Leslie
C Young

[AFM]

Damn, Shabazz at Tier 3? Are those in order within the tiers? (ie is Shabazz the last in tier 3, about to be tier 4)?

[Dat2U]

Not all that high on Shabazz. See him as a volume scorer.

The order is an approximation of where I rank them. Of course it's subject to change at a moments notice

[AFM]

Okay. He is certainly 1 dimensional. But what he does, he does well.

Wall Beal Shabazz Nene Okafor? That's nasty.

[dangermouse]

A draft where Noel goes #1 certainly does seem like a very poor draft...

[stevemcqueen1]

Shabazz is a multi-dimensional scorer. He does struggle to impact games when he doesn't get the ball. But he's also going to get the ball a ton in the NBA, especially compared to UCLA.

He's got three or four highly developed scoring tools where most prospects only have one or two. He can spot up and catch and shoot at a high level, he can create off the dribble from mid range, he can attack the rim and he's got a nice little post up game with an excellent jump hook.

He's a born scorer. I'd probably take him second. I wouldn't be crazy about it because he's something of a ball stopper and will take bad shots but he's not really a selfish player. And he's a big time source of ISO and crunch time offense.

[stevemcqueen1]

McLemore is also a high tier player just based on physical tools. He has a chance to become a star physically even if the skill set and the mentality to be a go to guy aren't quite there right now.

But those things can be fluid whereas the athletic tools are not. What if McLemore finds his inner Jordan and/or does master his handles? You're talking about a potential superstar then. It doesn't sound all that likely but stranger things have happened.

Remember, Jordan himself wasn't really the man on those UNC teams at the beginning. It took a few years for Jordan to grow into that role and it took James Worthy moving on to the NBA for him to come out of his shell.

Poythress could be a lot better in the NBA than he looks in college too. He's physically overpowering and has flashed the ability to take over games, scoring in bunches and pulling down a ton of boards. As the heir to MKG's role, I see more of a scorer and true forward than MKG was, though less of a winner and all around box score stuffer than MKG was.

And I think Bennett has a chance to be a very good starter. Ditto for James McAdoo. Both nice face up forwards with athleticism and some rebounding grit. Bennett is a Paul Millsap type and McAdoo is something of a cleaner Thaddeus Young. I think those two and Porter are all around the same level.

[Dark Faze]

Seeing the way we lost last night...it's the way we always end up losing, just not being able to score those few points that we need to close things out.

Would be hard to look past Shabazz if he's there for us.

[pancakes3]

McLemore in my opinion is ahead of Shabazz as the top guard in this draft. However let's temper the MJ talk. A handcuffed MJ won the national championship his freshman year with a game winner, then dropped back-to-back 20ppg seasons on 55% shooting. Secondly, McLemore's real red flag is his age. He sat out last season and is essentially a sophomore. Now, he might have Ray Allen-type potential but he's not much more impressive than Beal was last season.