Official Draft Thread 2015-16

[165bows]

[youtube]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_E10d-oCqY4[/youtube]

he needs to keep working on his shooting mechanics, add arc and speed up the release, and fill still a little, but oh man, he is just all over the place.
he is still only 17, his improvement curse is up there with Gasol's or Giannis at the same age, he is more advanced than both I'd say.

Cool thanks for the vid. In all of the highlight videos he really gets on top of the ball on his blocks, where the ball heads straight down or at least downwards. A big departure from the classic volleyball spike it into the third row type of block that so many young guys have. He's an intriguing guy, I'd be down with a 7'1" combo forward that can play D and has skills.

[pfm]

He actually reminds me a bit of a young Pau Gasol. Slightly less size and a bit more range, but similar style/skillset/intelligence combos.

[ryaningf]

Dragan Bender will go #1. You can't pass up a 2-way 7 footer who wants the ball in his hands at the end of the game. All this time I thought he wasn't draft eligible until 2017.

Skal, Simmons, and Ingram are very nice consolation prizes, but Dragan is in a different class.

[pfm]

This is one of the more interesting classes (in terms of the top guys) I can remember. Simmons, Bender, and Ingram are all SO toolsy, but each have their weaknesses/mysteries that will be interesting to watch throughout the year. Skal actually seems fairly straight forward as a prospect and I think he will have a very good year for UK, but he is a year old for his class.

[shawn unkempt]

Anybody know the details on Bender's contract situation? Will he be able to come over right away after he's drafted?

[165bows]

He actually reminds me a bit of a young Pau Gasol. Slightly less size and a bit more range, but similar style/skillset/intelligence combos.

Guy on the draft board made the comparison to a taller Kirilenko which was interesting.

Anybody know the details on Bender's contract situation? Will he be able to come over right away after he's drafted?

I read somewhere they thought he would stay an extra year or two by choice. Not sure what the contract details are. He is still really young, not quite 18 I think.

[shawn unkempt]

He actually reminds me a bit of a young Pau Gasol. Slightly less size and a bit more range, but similar style/skillset/intelligence combos.

Guy on the draft board made the comparison to a taller Kirilenko which was interesting.

Anybody know the details on Bender's contract situation? Will he be able to come over right away after he's drafted?

I read somewhere they thought he would stay an extra year or two by choice. Not sure what the contract details are. He is still really young, not quite 18 I think.

A taller Kirilenko that can shoot 3s? I'd draft that number 1 overall without a second thought.

[Murta]

Anybody know the details on Bender's contract situation? Will he be able to come over right away after he's drafted?

He has a NBA out in 2018, but the manager of the team is his mentor and Maccabi's legend Nikola Vujčić, so they should act in Bender's best interest. IMO, the plan was to enter 2017 or 2018 Draft, but the timeline has been moved.

btw. Dragan has a brother, Ivan, who is currently at Maryland. He was supposed to be kinda like Marc to Pau: center, more physical, less mobile, but also offensively talented, but he had an ugly ugly injury in August 2013 which lead to 3 surgeries since. He hasn't played until a month ago.

[pfm]

Guy on the draft board made the comparison to a taller Kirilenko which was interesting.

Hmm, I actually hadn't thought of that, but I can see where he's coming from there. Not sure Bender will ever be the lock down defender AK was, but I do think Bender will be a good defender with his length/mobility combo. Bender is also 7'1" so that definitely gives him his own advantages over AK.

Murta, as someone living in Croatia, what's your take on Bender?

[Murta]

Murta, as someone living in Croatia, what's your take on Bender?

I've watched only one game of his - the 52 point outing against u18 Lithuania, so I can't say much about him as a player. But from what I read on one Croatian board, his head is in the right place and people at Maccabi seem to have a vision what to do. He has put on ~20 lbs in last 1.5 year without losing much lateral speed.

[No-Man]

My closest comp is a taller Kawhi with more passing/creation skills, he has a better touch, much better actually, than Kirilenko, who was always a gregarious guy even when he was a star as a youngster.
If he get bigger, lose mobility and develops as a big he could look more like Pau, but I think the key with him is getting strong enough to defend inside without losing the versatility that makes him a top prospect, Pau couldnt manage to do that, he became a big all the way, we will see with Bender, his ability to lock down perimeter guys is part of his upside.
He could be like a Kirilenko/Pau mix, I guess, been a worse vertical athlete than both I'd say, but still that's unheard of.

[165bows]

Ed Isaacson ‏@nbadraftblog 2m2 minutes ago

With each player I go through on my 2016 Watch List, become more and more impressed with this senior class. Lot of pro-ready players

Isaacson was saying the same about 2015, and that he felt even prior to the season starting that it had strong potential as a deep draft. Still early but I would say so far that seems the case. Good news if the same holds true this year (with the Celtics holding potentially 8 picks).

Also this from Dean D. on the top end:

Dean Demakis ‏@deanondraft 19h19 hours ago

Dragan Bender up to #3 on Chad Ford's big board. This is shaping up as a surprisingly decent draft to tank for.

Or let someone else tank for you lol. Thing is if 2017 really is a top end draft, doesn't matter what year the Dallas pick lands as long as they are out of the playoffs.

[LobCityRondo2KG]

I think we get Dallas's pick this year

[No-Man]

I am pretty sure you will get Dallas pick this season

[165bows]

[tweet]https://twitter.com/draftexpress/status/651857832262914049[/tweet]

@Mike_Schmitz: So much to like about Ingram. 6-9 w/ a 7-3 wingspan. Super skilled. Smooth stroke, can put it down & create, potential on D, just turned 18.

@Mike_Schmitz: I really think that you could make a case for Ingram, Skal, Simmons, Bender or Jaylen Brown at No. 1. That's the top tier for me right now.

[No-Man]

Those are easily the top5 prospects as of now for me too.
Ingram is painfully thin, I love his upside, but Durant for comparison was 10 pounds heavier, and 20 by the end of his freshmen year.
We will see if Ingram puts on weight.
By the way another versatil forward who is underrated and could skyrocket is Jonah Bolden from UCLA, he is skillset is similar to fellow aussie Simmons, or former Bruin Anderson, but Bolden is longer than Simmons and a better athlete than Slo-mo.
I dunno what are the plans for the Bruins in terms of minutes distribution, they have a bunch of good players, look out for Jrue's younger bro, or Prince Ali who are incoming freshmen as well, but Bolden should play

[165bows]

Dean Demakis ‏@deanondraft

I haven't even properly scouted Baldwin yet but I get the sense that he's for real. Also: Vandy 190-1 to ship is blatantly +EV

Dean Demakis Retweeted
Jon Rothstein ‏@JonRothstein

Kevin Stallings told @CBSSports that Vanderbilt's Wade Baldwin has improved as much as any player he's ever coached in the last 12 months.

Agree on that, he seems like a solid sleeper candidate in the early going. 6'3" 19 year old PG, with 6'10" wingspan.

[165bows]

@BobbyMarks42: Great turnout for @KentuckyMBB practice. All 30 teams represented with 3 members each from their front office.

@nbadraftblog: From talking to those in Lexington, this group definitely lacks energy of last year’s group. Players were hyped last year for opportunity

@nbadraftblog: Not overly impressed with Skal. Still has a long way to go, but raw talent is there

[robbie84]

I don't think we'll get a top 3 pick unless we get lucky in the lottery, but if he fell to 4th or 5th, I'd give up almost anyone except Smart for Jaylen Brown.

This guy is an absolute killer. Took his crappy team to the national champs game 4 years in a row. Is a killer on both ends.
He's like Russell Westbrook but with better ball control. Similar speed, slightly less hops but still an amazing leaper.

Just imagine a triple guard/wing threat of Marcus Smart, Terry Rozier and Jaylen Brown.

Anyone else liking this guy?

[youtube]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gwgIExyXX-I[/youtube]

[youtube]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GCUg0hcP4Xk[/youtube]

[robbie84]

I think Malik Pope will work his way towards being a top 10 pick if he can play every game. His injury history is scary but man he's got that Brandon Ingram length+skill.

[youtube]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9OLlOG53008[/youtube]