DuckIII wrote:TheSuzerain wrote:DuckIII wrote:
If he goes where currently projected (he won’t, he’ll go higher) he’ll be a steal.
He’ll be a diverse and useful player on any NBA team and has a high floor. He’s got the body and frame, he can finish with either hand and with creativity, he rebounds in traffic, his playmaking took a huge step forward, he has an outstanding mid range game, he has an isolation game that will translate, he’ll be accurate as an opportunistic NBA 3 pt shooter but not prolific (slow release), and he’s got the body to defend adequately but not at a high level.
He’s putting up an efficient 21/6/5/1 in the toughest conference in college basketball and he’s gotten better and expanded his game every season.
Someone’s going to be happy they drafted him in the top 20.
EDIT: He’s rising in the recent mocks. I had not checked in awhile. I reviewed a few of the “main” ones and he appears between 16 and 26. That seems about right, though I ultimately expect him to go in the top 20.
"High basement guard with midrange game" is kind of my point. That's not intriguing. He doesn't really have any tools that separate him from the average NBA guard. He's mostly just all-around adequate.
Not to mention, he has a pretty obvious bust case if he can't shoot from 3 at acceptable percentages. Then suddenly he's a liability offensively as he's not talented enough to be on-ball all the time which can side step perimeter shooting problems (a la Ja Morant). I can't think of many off ball guards who can't shoot from 3 that get any minutes at all.
High floor players in the late teens are not a negative. It also doesn’t mean the ceiling is inadequate at that range. Plus having an outstanding mid range game isn’t a negative unless it’s the only positive, which here it is not. In the toughest conference in college basketball he’s a 3 level scorer and has been a clutch-basket-getting-iso-scoring stud for two straight years.
I’m not going to pretend Ayo has superstar upside, he doesn’t. But he has “very good NBA player who can contribute to winning in multiple ways” upside and in that range would be a good get who I predict will end up playing above his draft position over the course of his career.
If your draft philosophy is “always take the highest upside player no matter what” the Ayo’s not your guy. Nor would have been Jimmy Butler or many others.
To add: I am an Illini fan so I’ve seen him a lot. Prior to this year I would have had him as a second round pick and despite Kofi’s big year and improved play I consider him at best a second round flier now and completely undrafted last year. My opinion is not based on homerism.
The only other potential “quality” NBA player on Illinois is Curbelo, and he’s still got a long way to go.
Yeah, I get tired of peeps slamming because we watch the game of basketball. I can see Ayo maxed out with a Shai type game. Unless Kofi goes back to college while learning to pass out and also shooting some sort of jumper, he is a 2nd rounder at best (15 years ago, would have been lottery). Curbelo is mainly strength and 3 point jumper away from being a draft pick. Size will hurt, but if he can develop a 3 point shot, I see Tony Parkerish type lane game, but better passing. However, will lack of shooting hurt him in today's game?
Sometimes players that are good college players with not elite athleticism get knocked down such as a Malcolm Brogdon, Josh Hart, Desmond Bane, Shai, Jrue Holiday, etc.... Ayo has many great characteristics, is fast, good handles, good mid-range, solid d, high IQ, has added to body mass, and elite closer in the clutch. How dare any team want that in mid first round....
