2019-2020 College/Draft thread X [marks the spot] (Knicks own #8 pick, 11/18 DRAFT)

[Manhattan Project]

Conspiracy theory the knicks made him (vassell) a promise and he’s doing his part to make sure nobody else drafts him because he wants to be in NY

I mean it was also reported that it came at the end of a workout where they were just messing around, so it really comes down to once again if you ever like Vassell or not.

Reported by whom, that’s the first I heard of it

Keith Smith of Yahoo. Can't find the tweet on my phone, but this article mentions it.
https://sports.yahoo.com/nba-teams-concerned-devin-vassells-011349172.html

[Worst_to_First]

Kid needs to discover food

listed at 240....sure.....

looking at that kid, he may need to double his weight. looks really talented but I'm always hesitant w/ players above 7'2. the injury history for players that tall is pretty bad

Read on Twitter

This footage is meaningless. In this same game, Rudy Gobert was hitting step back 3’s

Early mocks show 2022 will be between Emoni Bates and Wenbayama but looks like Bates is the clear number 1.

Still prefer Wiseman over Wenbayama. The latter is going to get crushed like a twig and I don’t know how his body will fill out. Could be injury prone.

[knickstape4ever]

if ifs and buts were candy and nuts we'd all have a merry christmas

good news is kenny payne got a few good looks at him coaching at kentucky as well as other players like okoro, maxey, edwards, woodard, etc so hopefully that helps our decision

I mean edwards and okoro played for other SEC teams and are going in the top 10

sexton was the alabama PG before him and went 8th in a better draft

he's not being discriminated against for not playing at kentucky foh

lol who said he was being discriminated against for not going to Kentucky? said he would probs be getting more hype if he had gone to Kentucky. there's a difference between the 2

Collin Sexton was also a 5-star, top-10 recruit, Kira was not. (Okoro wasn't either, but Auburn has also been 1 of the best teams over the past 3 years, so you can make the case that's given him a better platform)

I’m a little biased but I think the SEC is a powerhouse basketball conference and if you do anything on any SEC team people will take notice. Nesmith another example I didn’t mention. Wasn’t even really on people’s radar now a possible lottery pick.

Meanwhile a lot of good players that actually did play at Kentucky went mid 1st such as booker, SGA, Adebayo, and Herro. Maxey will be going right around where Kira yet he didn’t quite get the touches the other two guards on the team did (Hagans and Quickley). Booker didn’t even start a game at Kentucky if you can believe that. They hold dudes back sometimes because the teams have a lot of talent. Would Kira have even started over Ashton Hagans? When they played head to head this year Kira had 10 pts and Hagans had 15 9 and 9

If anything he might have got hurt by not getting to dominate the ball as much

I think Kira will go before Maxey. based on production and skill set, Kira definitely should go before Maxey. If Maxey were to go ahead of Kira it would clearly be a sign of Kentucky bias.

I look at ESPN who has Maxey ranked #15 and Kira #25 and wonder why (not the only analyst who I saw put Maxey above Kira). the only things I areas I could give the edge to Maxey are finishing around the rim/better floater, and better size to defend on-ball (tho he doesn't rack up steals like Kira). other than that, Kira is faster, a better shooter, and a much better, more advanced passer. Maxey is an undersized 2 that doesnt shoot well (possibly b/c low release on his jumper)

yeah, IMO Kira would be the clear starter over Hagans. Hagans is a solid facilitator and defender but can't shoot and didn't finish well around the rim (my comp for him is Elfrid); Hagans is a late 2nd, while Kira is a potential lottery pick

Kira really found his groove at the end of the season:

22.8 PTS
6.4 AST/2.7 TO
1.9 STL

FG%: 49.4
3PT%=47.5%

I could see your point on maybe Kentucky could have held him back, but w/ Kira's skillset, I dont see why he wouldn't be a fit. maybe he wouldn't be so ball dominant, but he'd still be able to showcase his elite speed and his shooting. Kira's usage% wasn't too much higher than Hagans and Maxey and a bit lower than De'Aaron Fox's in 2017 (not saying Kira is Fox, just using an example of Kentucky w/ a speedy PG like Kira)

[NoDopeOnSundays]

I mean it was also reported that it came at the end of a workout where they were just messing around, so it really comes down to once again if you ever like Vassell or not.

Reported by whom, that’s the first I heard of it

Keith Smith of Yahoo. Can't find the tweet on my phone, but this article mentions it.
https://sports.yahoo.com/nba-teams-concerned-devin-vassells-011349172.html

This is damage control, they were not messing around there and you can clearly see he's serious in the video.

[F N 11]

I like this kid already. Him playing defense wrapped it up for me. 6’8 wingspan and was Kentucky go to defender down the stretch.

Watch on YouTube

[knickstape4ever]

At 8:

1a.hayes
1b.okoro
2.Terry
3.Rjh
4.kira
5.Jaden McDaniels

Jaden McDaniels at 8

[Manhattan Project]

This is damage control, they were not messing around there and you can clearly see he's serious in the video.

It very well could be, but I'll be damned if I let a random 20 second clip on the internet discourage his entire career. I'm sure NBA teams are going to know better than us. Even with the release I'd take him if we stay at 8 without a problem.

[knickstape4ever]

Watch on YouTube

I wouldn't mind Joe at 38. another sniper

[3toheadmelo]

Reported by whom, that’s the first I heard of it

Keith Smith of Yahoo. Can't find the tweet on my phone, but this article mentions it.
https://sports.yahoo.com/nba-teams-concerned-devin-vassells-011349172.html

This is damage control, they were not messing around there and you can clearly see he's serious in the video.

Keith Smart isn't even sure about it

Read on Twitter

[Manhattan Project]

Keith Smith of Yahoo. Can't find the tweet on my phone, but this article mentions it.
https://sports.yahoo.com/nba-teams-concerned-devin-vassells-011349172.html

This is damage control, they were not messing around there and you can clearly see he's serious in the video.

Keith Smart isn't even sure about it

Read on Twitter

Hearing from whom? Those in the know will know the legit answer. Again if you support Vassell it's nothing, if you never liked Vassell it's a new form and he will slide.

[NoDopeOnSundays]

This is damage control, they were not messing around there and you can clearly see he's serious in the video.

It very well could be, but I'll be damned if I let a random 20 second clip on the internet discourage his entire career. I'm sure NBA teams are going to know better than us. Even with the release I'd take him if we stay at 8 without a problem.

His shot mechanics in college looked like someone who doesn't have the strength to shoot the NBA three reliably, that video was him shooting from NBA distance and having to use a new form to get the ball to the hoop. They deleted it cause they knew how bad it was and are now trying to spin the damage control.


With that release he won't ever be a good shooter, there's too many moving parts in addition to having to jump so much. If you take him 8 and he failts to be a 38-41% three point shooter it would be a disaster because he has very little to offer on offense outside of the potential to shoot. He's not worth the risk, his freethrow percentage and this video in general should be a massive red flag.

[3toheadmelo]

This is damage control, they were not messing around there and you can clearly see he's serious in the video.

Keith Smart isn't even sure about it

Read on Twitter

Hearing from whom? Those in the know will know the legit answer. Again if you support Vassell it's nothing, if you never liked Vassell it's a new form and he will slide.

I mean you were the one that said Smart reported Vassell to just be having fun. I looked up the tweet and it looks like Keith Smart isn't even sure if it's true. And it doesn't look like at all they're just messing around in the video. He changed his form. If they were just having fun, they wouldn't have taken down the video. It's damage control. Just my 2 cents. I could be wrong, but that's what it looks like to me. If Vassell ends up as a worse shooter than he was in college, then you might as well just draft Okoro who has a better handle if you want a wing.

[Manhattan Project]

His shot mechanics in college looked like someone who doesn't have the strength to shoot the NBA three reliably, that video was him shooting from NBA distance and having to use a new form to get the ball to the hoop. They deleted it cause they knew how bad it was and are now trying to spin the damage control.


With that release he won't ever be a good shooter, there's too many moving parts in addition to having to jump so much. If you take him 8 and he failts to be a 38-41% three point shooter it would be a disaster because he has very little to offer on offense outside of the potential to shoot. He's not worth the risk, his freethrow percentage and this video in general should be a massive red flag.

So what seems more right to you?

Vassell is looking to add range to his shot, so they come up with a form that breaks the internet and tank his stock because it gets leaked? Leaked in a gym that has what, five people in there? In a world in which we live in, people are so scared of putting anything out there that would reflect bad, all these workouts and dudes be hitting 80 shots in a row. So a brief clip gets leaked and he's now Bane?

Again I like Vassell, I'm not buying that his stock is free falling like some want to believe.

[Manhattan Project]

I mean you were the one that said Smart reported Vassell to just be having fun. I looked up the tweet and it looks like Keith Smart isn't even sure if it's true. And it doesn't look like at all they're just messing around in the video. He changed his form. If they were just having fun, they wouldn't have taken down the video. It's damage control. Just my 2 cents. I could be wrong, but that's what it looks like to me. If Vassell ends up as a worse shooter than he was in college, then you might as well just draft Okoro who has a better handle if you want a wing.

I'm saying he's hearing that it might've been joking around, I don't think Vassell and his camp is sweating it because they know what it is All I'm saying is that he's guilty until proven innocent, because two shots have now completely flipped what some people think of him.

[robillionaire]

This is damage control, they were not messing around there and you can clearly see he's serious in the video.

Keith Smart isn't even sure about it

Read on Twitter

Hearing from whom? Those in the know will know the legit answer. Again if you support Vassell it's nothing, if you never liked Vassell it's a new form and he will slide.

Ok but the reason I wasn't high on Vassell in the first place was because I didn't truly believe in his shooting percentage and thought he was being overrated based on that percentage, so I'm not even sliding him I'm just keeping him where I already had him with more confirmation of what I already thought. But surely some who were more high on him are not just ignoring this

[3toheadmelo]

I mean you were the one that said Smart reported Vassell to just be having fun. I looked up the tweet and it looks like Keith Smart isn't even sure if it's true. And it doesn't look like at all they're just messing around in the video. He changed his form. If they were just having fun, they wouldn't have taken down the video. It's damage control. Just my 2 cents. I could be wrong, but that's what it looks like to me. If Vassell ends up as a worse shooter than he was in college, then you might as well just draft Okoro who has a better handle if you want a wing.

I'm saying he's hearing that it might've been joking around, I don't think Vassell and his camp is sweating it because they know what it is All I'm saying is that he's guilty until proven innocent, because two shots have now completely flipped what some people think of him.

If they weren’t sweating it then they wouldn’t have taken down the video

[knickstape4ever]

Keith Smart isn't even sure about it

Read on Twitter

Hearing from whom? Those in the know will know the legit answer. Again if you support Vassell it's nothing, if you never liked Vassell it's a new form and he will slide.

I mean you were the one that said Smart reported Vassell to just be having fun. I looked up the tweet and it looks like Keith Smart isn't even sure if it's true. And it doesn't look like at all they're just messing around in the video. He changed his form. If they were just having fun, they wouldn't have taken down the video. It's damage control. Just my 2 cents. I could be wrong, but that's what it looks like to me. If Vassell ends up as a worse shooter than he was in college, then you might as well just draft Okoro who has a better handle if you want a wing.

this is where I'm at too. seems to me like damage control. he's getting some bad advice: why release the video in the 1st place unless you think you're releasing something positive? releasing a joke video of his shot would only serve to cause confusion about his shot, thus hurting his stock

if the shot isn't there, then yeah, might as well go Okoro. both Vassell and Okoro should be on the Knicks workout list to compare their shots; whoever has the better shot gets the edge

[NoDopeOnSundays]

His shot mechanics in college looked like someone who doesn't have the strength to shoot the NBA three reliably, that video was him shooting from NBA distance and having to use a new form to get the ball to the hoop. They deleted it cause they knew how bad it was and are now trying to spin the damage control.


With that release he won't ever be a good shooter, there's too many moving parts in addition to having to jump so much. If you take him 8 and he failts to be a 38-41% three point shooter it would be a disaster because he has very little to offer on offense outside of the potential to shoot. He's not worth the risk, his freethrow percentage and this video in general should be a massive red flag.

So what seems more right to you?

Vassell is looking to add range to his shot, so they come up with a form that breaks the internet and tank his stock because it gets leaked? Leaked in a gym that has what, five people in there? In a world in which we live in, people are so scared of putting anything out there that would reflect bad, all these workouts and dudes be hitting 80 shots in a row. So a brief clip gets leaked and he's now Bane?

Again I like Vassell, I'm not buying that his stock is free falling like some want to believe.

It's not a matter of what seems right or wrong, the video was uploaded by someone and was deleted once people started talking about the form, and now we have a story about how he was just messing around.

I know what I saw in the video, he was going through a workout to take shots off a side step from NBA range, that was not him messing around. You liking Vassell is why you want to look past this, but that's not how prospects should be judged, that form is a red flag, especially for someone who is supposed to be a 3 & D wing. If his shot doesn't translate he's a terrible pick.

[Manhattan Project]

Listen the truth will come out eventually, all I'm saying is that people still love Haliburton despite the release. This board was split on Vassell and the hate on him poured in after the tweet, for me personally, it's nothing. Maybe Vassell changed his shot and when he goes into workouts teams will take him off the board. It's not like he no longer has 7-foot wingspan, high basketball IQ, fast feet, quick hands, no character concerns and significant improvement since leaving high school as an unheralded recruit.

[F N 11]

Terry shoots 61.5 at the rim and his misses are mostly blocks.