Team Canada Basketball Thread

[TooBad]

Biggest game of college career so far for Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, and on a very big stage, in Kentucky's blowout of Louisville.

24 points, 5 rebounds, 4 assists, 3 steals, and game MVP.

Not very quick, strong, or athletic, but very shifty and long (6'6 with 7'0 wingspan) and plays with both passion and poise, making him a very good and pesky defender and allowing him to find cracks in the defense and finish with skill. Nice to see his development.

I am glad he's doing well but I don't know how good he can be in the NBA with his athleticism. He looks like he struggles to dunk at 6'6 and hardly gets off the ground when he shoots. He's is also going to have to bulk up still which could hurt his athleticism even more.

[RaptorsLife]

Biggest game of college career so far for Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, and on a very big stage, in Kentucky's blowout of Louisville.

24 points, 5 rebounds, 4 assists, 3 steals, and game MVP.

Not very quick, strong, or athletic, but very shifty and long (6'6 with 7'0 wingspan) and plays with both passion and poise, making him a very good and pesky defender and allowing him to find cracks in the defense and finish with skill. Nice to see his development.

I am glad he's doing well but I don't know how good he can be in the NBA with his athleticism. He looks like he struggles to dunk at 6'6 and hardly gets off the ground when he shoots. He's is also going to have to bulk up still which could hurt his athleticism even more.

why can't he be like delon? He is 5 years younger when got drafted. 24

[TooBad]

Biggest game of college career so far for Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, and on a very big stage, in Kentucky's blowout of Louisville.

24 points, 5 rebounds, 4 assists, 3 steals, and game MVP.

Not very quick, strong, or athletic, but very shifty and long (6'6 with 7'0 wingspan) and plays with both passion and poise, making him a very good and pesky defender and allowing him to find cracks in the defense and finish with skill. Nice to see his development.

I am glad he's doing well but I don't know how good he can be in the NBA with his athleticism. He looks like he struggles to dunk at 6'6 and hardly gets off the ground when he shoots. He's is also going to have to bulk up still which could hurt his athleticism even more.

why can't he be like delon? He is 5 years younger when got drafted. 24

This guy looks less athletic than delon to me but he might be able to be similar as a backup. His cousin Nikeil Alexander looks a lot better imo. He seems faster, more athletic and less raw.

[Hair Canada]

I am glad he's doing well but I don't know how good he can be in the NBA with his athleticism. He looks like he struggles to dunk at 6'6 and hardly gets off the ground when he shoots. He's is also going to have to bulk up still which could hurt his athleticism even more.

why can't he be like delon? He is 5 years younger when got drafted. 24

This guy looks less athletic than delon to me but he might be able to be similar as a backup. His cousin Nikeil Alexander looks a lot better imo. He seems faster, more athletic and less raw.

I don't know. I think with Shai there's something a bit deceptive. He will never wow you with his athleticism, but he still finds a way to get to his spots and help his team on both offence and defence. More of a point guard than Nickeil and initiates more. Nickeil has games where he looks great, but also ones where he completely disappears. He's the better shooter (a real shooting guard for me, despite how ESPN talk about him), but also just an okay athlete and also on the light side (I think Shai is actually stronger and more assertive). Got to say that when I saw them playing together last year at Hamilton high school I was much more impressed with Shai, especially as a gamer. Seems to play with more passion.

Always hard to assess how it's going to play out in the long run. I think they'll both get a shot at the NBA and it's unlikely that one of them will become a starter at the next level, but they might each find a niche. And yes, both clearly still have a way to go before they are ready.

[frumble]

Another mock draft update from NBAdraft.net.

http://www.nbadraft.net/2019mock_draft

Again no Canadians for 2018 (and I don't expect that to change).

Re 2019, still five in the first round and Brissett in the second, but Jackson now out.

Barrett 1 (1 in their last ranking)
SGA 7 (9)
NAW 11 (8)
Shi-ttu 22 (16)
Wigginton 24 (23)
Brissett 39 (51)
Jackson NR (48)

[TooBad]

Another Good Night for Canada's big 3 (unfortunately Denver lost)

Murray 31 pts 8reb 3 ast 2blk 1 stl 11-23 fg - This guy is going to challenge Nash for Canadian Basketball GOAT
Olynyk 17 pts 6reb 3 ast 3-7 fg
Lyles 16 pts 8reb 1 ast 1 blk 1 stl 6-12 fg
Thompson 11 pts 5 reb 1ast 2blk 1 stl 4-4 fg
Brooks 5 pts 1 reb 1 ast 1-6 fg

[Hair Canada]

Another Good Night for Canada's big 3 (unfortunately Denver lost)

Murray 31 pts 8reb 3 ast 2blk 1 stl 11-23 fg - This guy is going to challenge Nash for Canadian Basketball GOAT
Olynyk 17 pts 6reb 3 ast 3-7 fg
Lyles 16 pts 8reb 1 ast 1 blk 1 stl 6-12 fg
Thompson 11 pts 5 reb 1ast 2blk 1 stl 4-4 fg
Brooks 5 pts 1 reb 1 ast 1-6 fg

Bad loss for the Nuggets, but what a month of December for the Denver duo (pretty big sample of 15 games):

Murray: 19 points, 4.3 rebounds, 3.2 assists (the one area where I'd still like to see some improvement), on 47% from the field, 46% from 3, and 93% from the line.
Lyles: 14.7 points, 6.6 rebounds, 54% from the field, 48% from 3, and 71% from the line, in only 27 minutes a game.

Murray should be a candidate for MIP this year. And seems on his way to being a CJ McCollum, who I always thought was a pretty good comparison for him. Maybe he'll even be able to eclipse that and become an all-star.

Lyles has been a huge surprise. Actually looks like a starting PF in this league the way he's been playing (and a good one at that).

Both very encouraging.

[aminiaturebuddha]

why can't he be like delon? He is 5 years younger when got drafted. 24

This guy looks less athletic than delon to me but he might be able to be similar as a backup. His cousin Nikeil Alexander looks a lot better imo. He seems faster, more athletic and less raw.

I don't know. I think with Shai there's something a bit deceptive. He will never wow you with his athleticism, but he still finds a way to get to his spots and help his team on both offence and defence. More of a point guard than Nickeil and initiates more. Nickeil has games where he looks great, but also ones where he completely disappears. He's the better shooter (a real shooting guard for me, despite how ESPN talk about him), but also just an okay athlete and also on the light side (I think Shai is actually stronger and more assertive). Got to say that when I saw them playing together last year at Hamilton high school I was much more impressed with Shai, especially as a gamer. Seems to play with more passion.

Always hard to assess how it's going to play out in the long run. I think they'll both get a shot at the NBA and it's unlikely that one of them will become a starter at the next level, but they might each find a niche. And yes, both clearly still have a way to go before they are ready.

Shai's first step does worry me a bit in terms of his ability at the next level to break down defenders. He sometimes has a hard time getting past people at the NCAA level, I can only imagine what quicker NBA defenders will do to him. And he doesn't have a quick enough shot, or is a good enough outside shooter yet to be able to compensate by forcing defenders to stay up tight on him.

Luckily, these are things that he can work on. I hope Kentucky's training staff are helping him with workouts designed to improve explosiveness. And his outside shot will improve. Whether it'll be enough to make his game playable at the NBA level will have to be seen.

Where he has been very impressive in the games I've seen this year is at the defensive end. At times he's a real game changer on that end of the floor. I've seen a couple of games where he's almost single-handedly sparked Kentucky runs by being disruptive on the defensive end, leading to easy transition buckets on the other. He's still inconsistent, but every freshman is. Just wait until he becomes more consistent and learns better positioning, rather than just relying on his instincts, length and quick hands. He could become a defensive monster on the perimeter.

[aminiaturebuddha]

Another mock draft update from NBAdraft.net.

http://www.nbadraft.net/2019mock_draft

Again no Canadians for 2018 (and I don't expect that to change).

Re 2019, still five in the first round and Brissett in the second, but Jackson now out.

Barrett 1 (1 in their last ranking)
SGA 7 (9)
NAW 11 (8)
Shi-ttu 22 (16)
Wigginton 24 (23)
Brissett 39 (51)
Jackson NR (48)

I'm not sure what Simi would have done to justify a 6-position drop, but I guess that's probably just others in the NCAA proving more while he toils away in high school.

If Brissett can just improve his shooting numbers, I would imagine he'll continue to rise. He's basically done everything that could ever be expected from a freshman at Syracuse (Carmelo Anthony NCAA championship excepted). He been impressive, making plays in all areas of the game.

[TheFutureMM]

This guy looks less athletic than delon to me but he might be able to be similar as a backup. His cousin Nikeil Alexander looks a lot better imo. He seems faster, more athletic and less raw.

I don't know. I think with Shai there's something a bit deceptive. He will never wow you with his athleticism, but he still finds a way to get to his spots and help his team on both offence and defence. More of a point guard than Nickeil and initiates more. Nickeil has games where he looks great, but also ones where he completely disappears. He's the better shooter (a real shooting guard for me, despite how ESPN talk about him), but also just an okay athlete and also on the light side (I think Shai is actually stronger and more assertive). Got to say that when I saw them playing together last year at Hamilton high school I was much more impressed with Shai, especially as a gamer. Seems to play with more passion.

Always hard to assess how it's going to play out in the long run. I think they'll both get a shot at the NBA and it's unlikely that one of them will become a starter at the next level, but they might each find a niche. And yes, both clearly still have a way to go before they are ready.

Shai's first step does worry me a bit in terms of his ability at the next level to break down defenders. He sometimes has a hard time getting past people at the NCAA level, I can only imagine what quicker NBA defenders will do to him. And he doesn't have a quick enough shot, or is a good enough outside shooter yet to be able to compensate by forcing defenders to stay up tight on him.

Luckily, these are things that he can work on. I hope Kentucky's training staff are helping him with workouts designed to improve explosiveness. And his outside shot will improve. Whether it'll be enough to make his game playable at the NBA level will have to be seen.

Where he has been very impressive in the games I've seen this year is at the defensive end. At times he's a real game changer on that end of the floor. I've seen a couple of games where he's almost single-handedly sparked Kentucky runs by being disruptive on the defensive end, leading to easy transition buckets on the other. He's still inconsistent, but every freshman is. Just wait until he becomes more consistent and learns better positioning, rather than just relying on his instincts, length and quick hands. He could become a defensive monster on the perimeter.

Bare in mind, I have only seen two games, but in my opinion Shai's lateral quickness is pretty weak. Wouldn't be surprised if this was correlated with explosiveness (fast twitch muscles). Smaller guards consistently beat him off the dribble and I have seen him use his hands to try to make up for it which as we know will not fly at the next level. But you are right, his length makes him a helpful off-ball guard helping disrupt things in transition and passing lanes.

Should be interesting to see who sticks around next year at Kentucky from a guard perspective. Pretty sure Diallo is gone but everyone else is in play and Kentucky is bringing in a top 15 SF and SG. Hopefully Shai can carve out a definite spot in the rotation for next year.

[TooBad]

Another Good Night for Canada's big 3 (unfortunately Denver lost)

Murray 31 pts 8reb 3 ast 2blk 1 stl 11-23 fg - This guy is going to challenge Nash for Canadian Basketball GOAT
Olynyk 17 pts 6reb 3 ast 3-7 fg
Lyles 16 pts 8reb 1 ast 1 blk 1 stl 6-12 fg
Thompson 11 pts 5 reb 1ast 2blk 1 stl 4-4 fg
Brooks 5 pts 1 reb 1 ast 1-6 fg

Bad loss for the Nuggets, but what a month of December for the Denver duo (pretty big sample of 15 games):

Murray: 19 points, 4.3 rebounds, 3.2 assists (the one area where I'd still like to see some improvement), on 47% from the field, 46% from 3, and 93% from the line.
Lyles: 14.7 points, 6.6 rebounds, 54% from the field, 48% from 3, and 71% from the line, in only 27 minutes a game.

Murray should be a candidate for MIP this year. And seems on his way to being a CJ McCollum, who I always thought was a pretty good comparison for him. Maybe he'll even be able to eclipse that and become an all-star.

Lyles has been a huge surprise. Actually looks like a starting PF in this league the way he's been playing (and a good one at that).

Both very encouraging.

I was thinking Lyles for MIP. Murray has improved a lot but Lyles transformation has been even more impressive IMO. As for the McCollum comparison, Murray already has a better PER than McCollum so I think that comparison is really limiting him since he's only 20 and clearly has a lot more room for improvement than McCollum. I am thinking he'll be a better version of Brandon Roy.

[TooBad]

Another mock draft update from NBAdraft.net.

http://www.nbadraft.net/2019mock_draft

Again no Canadians for 2018 (and I don't expect that to change).

Re 2019, still five in the first round and Brissett in the second, but Jackson now out.

Barrett 1 (1 in their last ranking)
SGA 7 (9)
NAW 11 (8)
Shi-ttu 22 (16)
Wigginton 24 (23)
Brissett 39 (51)
Jackson NR (48)

I'm not sure what Simi would have done to justify a 6-position drop, but I guess that's probably just others in the NCAA proving more while he toils away in high school.

If Brissett can just improve his shooting numbers, I would imagine he'll continue to rise. He's basically done everything that could ever be expected from a freshman at Syracuse (Carmelo Anthony NCAA championship excepted). He been impressive, making plays in all areas of the game.

Yeah, Simi is a steal if this is how it pans out. He looks like a top 5 pick IMO.

[TheFutureMM]

Another mock draft update from NBAdraft.net.

http://www.nbadraft.net/2019mock_draft

Again no Canadians for 2018 (and I don't expect that to change).

Re 2019, still five in the first round and Brissett in the second, but Jackson now out.

Barrett 1 (1 in their last ranking)
SGA 7 (9)
NAW 11 (8)
Shi-ttu 22 (16)
Wigginton 24 (23)
Brissett 39 (51)
Jackson NR (48)

I'm not sure what Simi would have done to justify a 6-position drop, but I guess that's probably just others in the NCAA proving more while he toils away in high school.

If Brissett can just improve his shooting numbers, I would imagine he'll continue to rise. He's basically done everything that could ever be expected from a freshman at Syracuse (Carmelo Anthony NCAA championship excepted). He been impressive, making plays in all areas of the game.

Yeah, Simi is a steal if this is how it pans out. He looks like a top 5 pick IMO.

This is where I miss DraftExpress's coverage of the high-school guys. I would really like to know how tall Simi is with and without shoes + his wingspan. For the last year it seems like he has been trying to make the transition from PF -> SF and I bet it's due to concerns about his size for the pro-level. Hopefully he elects to play the Hoops-Summit so that we can get some proper measurements (would be nice to see him on a team with RJ as well).

Another Good Night for Canada's big 3 (unfortunately Denver lost)

Murray 31 pts 8reb 3 ast 2blk 1 stl 11-23 fg - This guy is going to challenge Nash for Canadian Basketball GOAT
Olynyk 17 pts 6reb 3 ast 3-7 fg
Lyles 16 pts 8reb 1 ast 1 blk 1 stl 6-12 fg
Thompson 11 pts 5 reb 1ast 2blk 1 stl 4-4 fg
Brooks 5 pts 1 reb 1 ast 1-6 fg

Bad loss for the Nuggets, but what a month of December for the Denver duo (pretty big sample of 15 games):

Murray: 19 points, 4.3 rebounds, 3.2 assists (the one area where I'd still like to see some improvement), on 47% from the field, 46% from 3, and 93% from the line.
Lyles: 14.7 points, 6.6 rebounds, 54% from the field, 48% from 3, and 71% from the line, in only 27 minutes a game.

Murray should be a candidate for MIP this year. And seems on his way to being a CJ McCollum, who I always thought was a pretty good comparison for him. Maybe he'll even be able to eclipse that and become an all-star.

Lyles has been a huge surprise. Actually looks like a starting PF in this league the way he's been playing (and a good one at that).

Both very encouraging.

I was thinking Lyles for MIP. Murray has improved a lot but Lyles transformation has been even more impressive IMO. As for the McCollum comparison, Murray already has a better PER than McCollum so I think that comparison is really limiting him since he's only 20 and clearly has a lot more room for improvement than McCollum. I am thinking he'll be a better version of Brandon Roy.

Picked up Lyles in fantasy due to the coverage you guys have been providing - played great last night for my team. He is looking like the most complete 4 option for Team Canada at this stage. Hoping Murray can convince him to play this summer with us.

[TooBad]

I'm not sure what Simi would have done to justify a 6-position drop, but I guess that's probably just others in the NCAA proving more while he toils away in high school.

If Brissett can just improve his shooting numbers, I would imagine he'll continue to rise. He's basically done everything that could ever be expected from a freshman at Syracuse (Carmelo Anthony NCAA championship excepted). He been impressive, making plays in all areas of the game.

Yeah, Simi is a steal if this is how it pans out. He looks like a top 5 pick IMO.

This is where I miss DraftExpress's coverage of the high-school guys. I would really like to know how tall Simi is with and without shoes + his wingspan. For the last year it seems like he has been trying to make the transition from PF -> SF and I bet it's due to concerns about his size for the pro-level. Hopefully he elects to play the Hoops-Summit so that we can get some proper measurements (would be nice to see him on a team with RJ as well).

Bad loss for the Nuggets, but what a month of December for the Denver duo (pretty big sample of 15 games):

Murray: 19 points, 4.3 rebounds, 3.2 assists (the one area where I'd still like to see some improvement), on 47% from the field, 46% from 3, and 93% from the line.
Lyles: 14.7 points, 6.6 rebounds, 54% from the field, 48% from 3, and 71% from the line, in only 27 minutes a game.

Murray should be a candidate for MIP this year. And seems on his way to being a CJ McCollum, who I always thought was a pretty good comparison for him. Maybe he'll even be able to eclipse that and become an all-star.

Lyles has been a huge surprise. Actually looks like a starting PF in this league the way he's been playing (and a good one at that).

Both very encouraging.

I was thinking Lyles for MIP. Murray has improved a lot but Lyles transformation has been even more impressive IMO. As for the McCollum comparison, Murray already has a better PER than McCollum so I think that comparison is really limiting him since he's only 20 and clearly has a lot more room for improvement than McCollum. I am thinking he'll be a better version of Brandon Roy.

Picked up Lyles in fantasy due to the coverage you guys have been providing - played great last night for my team. He is looking like the most complete 4 option for Team Canada at this stage. Hoping Murray can convince him to play this summer with us.

Here is some info for Shittu (definitely not undersized)

"Outlook: Shittu didn't participate due to injury, but it's notable to mention that he was officially measured at 6'10 1/2 without shoes, with a 7'1 wingspan. We've always felt that he will end up playing mostly at center in college, and he actually has the size to do it if this measurement is accurate. - Source: http://www.draftexpress.com/profile/Simi-Shittu-84537/ ©DraftExpress"

http://www.draftexpress.com/article/Basketball-Without-Borders-Global-Camp-Evaluations-ForwardsBig-Men-5813/


The only thing you have to watch out for with Lyles in terms of fantasy is Millsap's return because that may affect his minutes (not that it should).

[Hair Canada]

I was thinking Lyles for MIP. Murray has improved a lot but Lyles transformation has been even more impressive IMO. As for the McCollum comparison, Murray already has a better PER than McCollum so I think that comparison is really limiting him since he's only 20 and clearly has a lot more room for improvement than McCollum. I am thinking he'll be a better version of Brandon Roy.

Yes, Lyles might be an even better MIP candidate, especially if you consider that mostly these are not second-year players, where improvement is kind of expected. However, to be a contender he'll have to show that December was no fluke. It's the first month of his career where he's been showing any consistency. The signs are very encouraging (in particular that it's not only the outside shooting), but the history of the league is full of players who looked like stars for a month or two and then went back to obscurity or playing mediocre basketball. In any case, most likely the MIP will go to Oladipo this year (Porzingis and Giannis could also be in the mix).

As for Murray being a better version of Brandon Roy, I think that's really a best-best-case scenario (although of course, we'll all be very happy if that happens). Roy at his best, before the injury, was putting up 23, 5 and 5 in the regular season (or something close to that), and then further elevated his game in the playoffs. He was clearly the best player on his team and an all-star. I'd take that any day for Murray. A better version of that? That's a top-ten player in the league. Again, things look quite promising, but I'd be very happy if Murray can first show better consistency. This has been an especially troubling issue for him, even in this excellent month of December. Then he can build from there.

[Hair Canada]

Here is some info for **** (definitely not undersized)

"Outlook: **** didn't participate due to injury, but it's notable to mention that he was officially measured at 6'10 1/2 without shoes, with a 7'1 wingspan. We've always felt that he will end up playing mostly at center in college, and he actually has the size to do it if this measurement is accurate. - Source: http://www.draftexpress.com/profile/****/ ©DraftExpress"

http://www.draftexpress.com/article/Basketball-Without-Borders-Global-Camp-Evaluations-ForwardsBig-Men-5813/

I remember reading that report when it came out at the beginning of the year. But when you look at Simi and see him play, he just doesn't look that tall. Certainly looks much more like a 6'9 (with shoes). I do think that it's not really an issue though. I just don't see him as a SF, especially in terms of outside shooting, but he has a great motor, he's a very good rebounder, and he likes to play physically and doesn't shy away from contact. Where the game is going these days, being a 6'9 PF with good athleticism and length is not a problem at all (think GS Green, Bell, Cavs TT, etc.). much more important to show mobility on defense (which Simi has) and the ability to shoot the 3 (work in progress). The one area I'm still somewhat concerned about with Simi is his touch around the basket. It hasn't been great and I haven't seen him enough lately to be able to tell if that's improved. This might be the difference between another TT (I like TT a lot, but he's a limited player) and something closer to an Amare Stoudemire (which I think is where Simi's ceiling is, although that's really a best-case scenario).

[TooBad]

I was thinking Lyles for MIP. Murray has improved a lot but Lyles transformation has been even more impressive IMO. As for the McCollum comparison, Murray already has a better PER than McCollum so I think that comparison is really limiting him since he's only 20 and clearly has a lot more room for improvement than McCollum. I am thinking he'll be a better version of Brandon Roy.

Yes, Lyles might be an even better MIP candidate, especially if you consider that mostly these are not second-year players, where improvement is kind of expected. However, to be a contender he'll have to show that December was no fluke. It's the first month of his career where he's been showing any consistency. The signs are very encouraging (in particular that it's not only the outside shooting), but the history of the league is full of players who looked like stars for a month or two and then went back to obscurity or playing mediocre basketball. In any case, most likely the MIP will go to Oladipo this year (Porzingis and Giannis could also be in the mix).

As for Murray being a better version of Brandon Roy, I think that's really a best-best-case scenario (although of course, we'll all be very happy if that happens). Roy at his best, before the injury, was putting up 23, 5 and 5 in the regular season (or something close to that), and then further elevated his game in the playoffs. He was clearly the best player on his team and an all-star. I'd take that any day for Murray. A better version of that? That's a top-ten player in the league. Again, things look quite promising, but I'd be very happy if Murray can first show better consistency. This has been an especially troubling issue for him, even in this excellent month of December. Then he can build from there.

Murray right now is averaging 15.8 pts 2.7 assists 3.5 rebounds and he has had 15 games with 10 or less pts this season. Also, he has nights where he'll be 0-7 from 3 and others where he'll be 5-6 (this guy is a pure shooter so these 0-7 games are not the norm). When he figures these things out, which I have no doubt he will, he could be a 25 pt + guy a night. I would put money on him being a superstar in this league and the face of the Nuggets (he has all the traits including personality). This guy is basically the anti-Wiggins.

[Hair Canada]

Three Canadian college freshmen with excellent performances to finish off 2017:

Brissett with 19 and 9, continues his excellent form. Still struggling from behind the arc though. Might be the one thing that he still needs to crack down to get to the big league. He's not afraid to try, but needs to start making them.

Nickeil with 19 in a good shooting night (but VT lost to Oshae's Syracuse). Hope he's getting back to the form he started the year with.

Shai finishes the year with another great all-around game: 21 points, 5 rebounds, 4 assists, 3 steals, and 2 blocks. For me, one of the interesting things about him is how well he's doing considering the expectations. When he committed to KY many questioned whether he'd even have a spot in their rotation. At least six other KY freshmen were considered to be better than him, especially after Diallo decided to take his name off the 2017 draft. Well, as of now, he might be their best player:

http://www.kentucky.com/sports/college/kentucky-sports/uk-basketball-men/article192424594.html

That doesn't mean he has better NBA prospects than the likes of Knox and Diallo, but it's nice to see how far he's come. He's a real late bloomer. Two years ago no one thought he could get this far. I just like his game, even though he's not that athletic or quick (although I think he's quicker than he looks). A mix of passion and poise.


In the NBA, Tyler Ennis with a career high in points (20) and assists (11) in the Lakers' double-overtime loss to the Rockets. Maybe that would give him some playing time after all? (the game before he didn't play at all).

[TooBad]

Three Canadian college freshmen with excellent performances to finish off 2017:

Brissett with 19 and 9, continues his excellent form. Still struggling from behind the arc though. Might be the one thing that he still needs to crack down to get to the big league. He's not afraid to try, but needs to start making them.

Nickeil with 19 in a good shooting night (but VT lost to Oshae's Syracuse). Hope he's getting back to the form he started the year with.

Shai finishes the year with another great all-around game: 21 points, 5 rebounds, 4 assists, 3 steals, and 2 blocks. For me, one of the interesting things about him is how well he's doing considering the expectations. When he committed to KY many questioned whether he'd even have a spot in their rotation. At least six other KY freshmen were considered to be better than him, especially after Diallo decided to take his name off the 2017 draft. Well, as of now, he might be their best player:

http://www.kentucky.com/sports/college/kentucky-sports/uk-basketball-men/article192424594.html

That doesn't mean he has better NBA prospects than the likes of Knox and Diallo, but it's nice to see how far he's come. He's a real late bloomer. Two years ago no one thought he could get this far. I just like his game, even though he's not that athletic or quick (although I think he's quicker than he looks). A mix of passion and poise.


In the NBA, Tyler Ennis with a career high in points (20) and assists (11) in the Lakers' double-overtime loss to the Rockets. Maybe that would give him some playing time after all? (the game before he didn't play at all).

Chris Paul should retire after that haha. Chris Paul is supposed to be a lock down defender and he just let Ennis blow by him on multiple occasions (awful d).

[Hair Canada]

Some updates on the class of 2018.

I recently saw some games with Barrett and Nembhard in a tournament that their high school, Montverde, won.

Here are my impressions from Barrett:

posting.php?mode=reply&f=32&t=1423160#preview

As for Nembhard: He had a pretty solid tournament, with a few very good games (at least one near-triple-double). He's a really good pass-first point guard. Had some beautiful passes, especially to bigs. Also plays very good defense and has a knack for steals. For me, the main issue remains his limited athleticism for an NBA prospect. He's not a bad athlete. Can finish breaks with a jam and has some hang-time. But doesn't have a great first step, so he really doesn't get to the basket all too often in the half court. He does pretty much everything well (shooting, finish around the basket), but except for passing, nothing is really elite. I think he'll have a very good college career, although might take some time. Not sure he can be better than Tyler Ennis though.

And a bit more about Jaelin Llewellyn: That's a guy that is not talked about much in this class, certainly not as much as guys like Barrett, Simi, Nembhard, Dort, and Brezdaikis. But I really liked what I saw from him lately, and he's been having a fantastic senior high school season (something like 35 points a game, with nearly 10 assists per game over his last 5). Very similar physical profile to Lindell Wigginton. 6'2 guard, with excellent scoring abilities and NBA-level athleticism. But from what I can see, Llewellyn is really more of a playmaker and a better decision maker. That's important, because considering his height, it should be his natural NBA position. I think he'll be really good next year in Princeton and has a real chance to be another NBA player from this class.