Greg Oden vs Anthony Davis vs Zion Williamson vs Ben Simmons

cujolll · Post #1 » by **cujolll** » Wed Mar 25, 2020 9:28 pm

If all of these former #1 overall picks were in the same draft, who would go number 1 overall and why? What would make that individual standout in such a talented draft class to go # ? I think Oden would go first due to size, athleticism, and defensive prowess. Your thoughts please.

Norm2953 · Post #2 » by **Norm2953** » Wed Mar 25, 2020 9:38 pm

BlackKnight · Post #3 » by **BlackKnight** » Wed Mar 25, 2020 9:40 pm

1. AD
2. Oden
3. Simmons
4. Zion

SOdisciple · Post #4 » by **SOdisciple** » Wed Mar 25, 2020 9:49 pm

People were calling Oden the next Bill Russell and a HOF-caliber big man years before he was even drafted. I don't remember AD having that level of hype.

Lalouie · Post #5 » by **Lalouie** » Wed Mar 25, 2020 10:11 pm

cujolll wrote:If all of these former #1 overall picks were in the same draft, who would go number 1 overall and why? What would make that individual standout in such a talented draft class to go # ? I think Oden would go first due to size, athleticism, and defensive prowess. Your thoughts please.

in today's game it would probably be AD, although i could easily be convinced it should be oden.

even though there's a move away from the center it is still thought of as a franchise changing position because a great center is rare. if you are looking at the other four positions, it would have to be a multi-skilled player because that's what the other positions demand. on that criteria alone, zion and simmons have more holes.

ad/oden
zion
simmons

i prefer zion's demeanor. simmons yaps too much

Dupp · Post #6 » by **Dupp** » Wed Mar 25, 2020 10:17 pm

Oden is the most overrated prospect of all time. Taking him over KD is one of the worst draft choices ever even if he was healthy.

JasonStern · Post #7 » by **JasonStern** » Thu Mar 26, 2020 12:29 am

Oden had the most hype of any of the listed players, but Center game was still relevant when Oden was drafted. doubt he'd go above Davis in the modern game. So:

* Davis
* Oden/Williamson effectively a tossup
* Simmons an easy 4th.

Dupp wrote:Oden is the most overrated prospect of all time. Taking him over KD is one of the worst draft choices ever even if he was healthy.

Brilliant analysis in 2020. Thoughts on Darko Miličić panning out?

Egg Nog · Post #8 » by **Egg Nog** » Thu Mar 26, 2020 12:36 am

Coming out of college, without 20/20 hindsight:

1) Oden
2) Davis
3) Zion
4) Simmons

This is based on my memory of the hype, each player in their own respective eras.

JasonStern wrote:Oden had the most hype of any of the listed players, but Center game was still relevant when Oden was drafted. doubt he'd go above Davis in the modern game.

This is a fair point. Pretty tough to put Oden first if it was all in today's league.

ProcessDoctor · Post #9 » by **ProcessDoctor** » Thu Mar 26, 2020 12:38 am

1. Davis
2. Zion
3. Simmons
4. Oden

I know that Ayton went #1 recently, but I think it was because of his offensive prowess + the AZ connection with the Suns. I don't think Oden would be viewed in the same light. Zion/Simmons is close, but Zion having a better shot gives him the edge IMO. AD was just an all-time great prospect with so few holes in his game. Clear-cut #1 for me.

IgorK · Post #10 » by **IgorK** » Thu Mar 26, 2020 12:56 am

Based purely on what we knew about each player coming out of school (meaning, we don't know about Oden's tragically bum knees):

1. Oden
2. AD
3. Zion
4. Simmons

I truly expected Oden to be the next Duncan-type player (in terms of impact on the floor). AD was one of the most athletic and versatile big men coming out of college. He'd go above the wings/guards. Zion is a freak athletically but had major question marks (defense, outside shot). Simmons was simply less hyper than the other 3.

babyjax13 · Post #11 » by **babyjax13** » Thu Mar 26, 2020 1:03 am

Simmons is easily the least hyped of the bunch. I think we'd be talking about Oden like the next Shaq, a player who is going to dominate the game because he is taking the most high-efficiency shots, who is mobile enough to be effective on defense, etc. He was a very special prospect. I fully expect, had he been healthy, we'd be talking about him as one of the best centers - if not the best - in the modern game. AD had quite a bit of hype, too, but I think Zion had more. So, purely in terms of pre-draft hype:

1) Oden
2) Zion
3) Davis
.
.
.
4) Simmons

King4Day · Post #12 » by **King4Day** » Thu Mar 26, 2020 1:36 am

Dupp wrote:Oden is the most overrated prospect of all time. Taking him over KD is one of the worst draft choices ever even if he was healthy.

Hindsight says they should have taken KD but I don't think anyone pegged him to be a superstar. Oden averaged nearly a double/double in college,was the perfect fit next to Brandon Roy and was coming in at a time where the leagues bigs (Shaq, Ben Wallace, etc.) were on the downside. So Oden could have kept the era of bigs going and potentially been at the top there.

pootbrah · Post #13 » by **pootbrah** » Thu Mar 26, 2020 2:05 am

Simmons isn't anywhere near the hype of the other 3. Oden number 1 IMO. Toss up Zion and AD with hype off memory.

Dupp · Post #14 » by **Dupp** » Thu Mar 26, 2020 2:08 am

King4Day wrote:
Dupp wrote:Oden is the most overrated prospect of all time. Taking him over KD is one of the worst draft choices ever even if he was healthy.

Hindsight says they should have taken KD but I don't think anyone pegged him to be a superstar. Oden averaged nearly a double/double in college,was the perfect fit next to Brandon Roy and was coming in at a time where the leagues bigs (Shaq, Ben Wallace, etc.) were on the downside. So Oden could have kept the era of bigs going and potentially been at the top there.

KD averaged 26 and 11 on great percentages. Dude had a lot of tools, great skill set and a huge offensive upside back then. I don’t really see it as hindsight with kd. The potential was always there, he didn’t explode out of no where

Dupp · Post #15 » by **Dupp** » Thu Mar 26, 2020 2:08 am

Anyway

AD
Zion

Oden
Ben

Klayforspicy · Post #16 » by **Klayforspicy** » Thu Mar 26, 2020 2:09 am

Ben Simmons has the second highest ceiling among this group, it'll be hard for him to reach it though

Cavsfansince84 · Post #17 » by **Cavsfansince84** » Thu Mar 26, 2020 2:39 am

I don't think it would be Oden now. Look at the draft from two years as an example of how the league has changed. Ayton was considered the best and most athletic big man to come out maybe since AD and he's not really even a game changer. Doncic meanwhile is an mvp candidate in his second season. gms eventually learn from this sort of stuff. Personally I think it would go
1. Zion
2. AD
3. Simmons
4. Oden

Simmons might go second though.

KyletheDingbat · Post #18 » by **KyletheDingbat** » Thu Mar 26, 2020 2:46 am

Wait, how is this not Zion in a landslide? He was by far the best college player of the bunch, and is regarded almost in consensus as the most sought after prospect since Lebron. None of those other guys were talked about like that. Even Oden wasn't. I was in Oregon at the time, and the city I was in was very split on him and Durant. His health concerns were huge red flags.

NCHeels2008 · Post #19 » by **NCHeels2008** » Thu Mar 26, 2020 2:53 am

Oden was incredible his one season in college almost carried his young overmatched team to a title playing with one hand. I think Oden would be number 1 without hindsight, he's a miles better prospect than Ayton

Najee12 · Post #20 » by **Najee12** » Thu Mar 26, 2020 3:24 am

King4Day wrote:
Dupp wrote:Oden is the most overrated prospect of all time. Taking him over KD is one of the worst draft choices ever even if he was healthy.

Hindsight says they should have taken KD but I don't think anyone pegged him to be a superstar. Oden averaged nearly a double/double in college,was the perfect fit next to Brandon Roy and was coming in at a time where the leagues bigs (Shaq, Ben Wallace, etc.) were on the downside. So Oden could have kept the era of bigs going and potentially been at the top there.

I saw Kevin Durant and Greg Oden play in high school, and Durant was by far the better player. Oden was incredibly foul prone, had no real offensive skill outside of the paint and had a questionable motor when he was at Ohio State.

Oden had games where he would put up 7 points and 4 rebounds with four fouls in 11 minutes, so his 15 points and 9 rebounds per game average had wild swings. Then when training doctors looked at Oden's legs before the 2007 draft and saw he had the potential for suffering major leg injuries, he was radioactive to me.