2022 NBA Draft Thread – (June 23rd, 8PM, ESPN)

[Celts17Pride]

Israeli League MVP Chinanu Onuaku to have a workout with the Celtics

https://www.eurohoops.net/en/nba-news/1353340/israeli-league-mvp-chinanu-onuaku-to-have-a-workout-with-the-celtics/

Not the draft but I didn’t know where to put it

[Hal14]

Israeli League MVP Chinanu Onuaku to have a workout with the Celtics

https://www.eurohoops.net/en/nba-news/1353340/israeli-league-mvp-chinanu-onuaku-to-have-a-workout-with-the-celtics/

Not the draft but I didn’t know where to put it

we're discussing him in the craft your 2022-2023 roster thread.

[sam_I_am]

Israeli League MVP Chinanu Onuaku to have a workout with the Celtics

https://www.eurohoops.net/en/nba-news/1353340/israeli-league-mvp-chinanu-onuaku-to-have-a-workout-with-the-celtics/

Not the draft but I didn’t know where to put it

we're discussing him in the craft your 2022-2023 roster thread.

He was on 2019 summer league team with Tacko, Strus, Langford, JGreen etc. if I recall correctly, he was impactful and physical there.

[Scoonie]

Israeli League MVP Chinanu Onuaku to have a workout with the Celtics

https://www.eurohoops.net/en/nba-news/1353340/israeli-league-mvp-chinanu-onuaku-to-have-a-workout-with-the-celtics/

Not the draft but I didn’t know where to put it

we're discussing him in the craft your 2022-2023 roster thread.

He was on 2019 summer league team with Tacko, Strus, Langford, JGreen etc. if I recall correctly, he was impactful and physical there.

Good memory! I don't remember him myself, but you are correct:

https://basketball.realgm.com/nba/summer/1/NBA-Summer-League/43/stats/Boston-Celtics/2/Minute_Per/Qualified/tpfga/C/asc/1/Summer_League

[165bows]

Israeli League MVP Chinanu Onuaku to have a workout with the Celtics

https://www.eurohoops.net/en/nba-news/1353340/israeli-league-mvp-chinanu-onuaku-to-have-a-workout-with-the-celtics/

Not the draft but I didn’t know where to put it

we're discussing him in the craft your 2022-2023 roster thread.

Here’s a sleeper for you:

http://mavsdraft.com/jeriah-horne-scouting-report/

6’6” shooter with work ethic is a good place to start.

[Hal14]

Israeli League MVP Chinanu Onuaku to have a workout with the Celtics

https://www.eurohoops.net/en/nba-news/1353340/israeli-league-mvp-chinanu-onuaku-to-have-a-workout-with-the-celtics/

Not the draft but I didn’t know where to put it

we're discussing him in the craft your 2022-2023 roster thread.

Here’s a sleeper for you:

http://mavsdraft.com/jeriah-horne-scouting-report/

6’6” shooter with work ethic is a good place to start.

I'll check him out. But in the meantime, this guy looks intriguing:

Watch on YouTube

6'10", with a 7'3" wingspan. Shot 36.4% from 3 this season on 3.7 attempts per game. Watching this video and looking at his stats - is it really that crazy of an idea that he could eventually start for us at the 4?

Best part is, his favorite food is a slice of cheese lol
https://pittsburghpanthers.com/sports/mens-basketball/roster/mouhamadou-gueye/11520

[Half-Full]

we're discussing him in the craft your 2022-2023 roster thread.

Here’s a sleeper for you:

http://mavsdraft.com/jeriah-horne-scouting-report/

6’6” shooter with work ethic is a good place to start.

I'll check him out. But in the meantime, this guy looks intriguing:

Watch on YouTube

6'10", with a 7'3" wingspan. Shot 36.4% from 3 this season on 3.7 attempts per game. Watching this video and looking at his stats - is it really that crazy of an idea that he could eventually start for us at the 4?

Best part is, his favorite food is a slice of cheese lol
https://pittsburghpanthers.com/sports/mens-basketball/roster/mouhamadou-gueye/11520

One more intriguing prospect. NBAdraftroom doesn't even have him in the top 100. Many of the players that have been discussed here may not even get drafted. The Celtics, despite only having a very late second round pick, could end up with a player. Could be that the player comes from the ranks of the undrafted. Right now, I am pretty high on Onuaku. Impressed by his highlight videos, and by the fact he won Israeli League MVP.

[winsomme2]

The second round of this draft is so loaded that we aren't even going to need to dig up an unknown prospect at this point.

There are going to be more than 20 known players available when we pick at 53. It's just a matter of which ones and how well we scout them.

Right now I'm looking at Moussa Diabate. Would love a guy with his upside and skillset.

[Hal14]

The second round of this draft is so loaded that we aren't even going to need to dig up an unknown prospect at this point.

There are going to be more than 20 known players available when we pick at 53. It's just a matter of which ones and how well we scout them.

Right now I'm looking at Moussa Diabate. Would love a guy with his upside and skillset.

But what if the lesser known player is better than the known one?

Just because ESPN, Tankathon or NBADraftNet has a guy ranked higher or lower, I take that with a grain of salt.

[Hal14]

I'm a big fan of Jules Bernard.

He checks a lot of boxes.

-Biggest thing I see in him is he seems to play with a chip on his shoulder. He's got this toughness to him, a tenacity, a fearlessness - doesn't back down from anybody. He'll take the shot at the end of the shot clock - and make it. He can finish through contact. Strong frame so can handle the physicality of the NBA. Just a tough, hard nosed player who plays hard, plays the right way. Seems like a really competitive player. Always plays with an intensity/urgency. Like even in the scrimmages at the G League Elite Camp, out of everyone there at that camp roughly 40 players) Bernard was playing harder than anybody.

-Versatile. Natural position is the 2, but at 6'6" with a strong frame and a 9.1 rebounding % he can also play the 3. He also showed the ability to play some at the 1 for UCLA. Kind of like a bigger, stronger Derrick White

-Really tight handle. While I say he could play some at the 1, he is best suited for the 2 or the 3. Out of all the players in this draft class whose primary position is not the 1, you're not going to find many at all who have as good a handle as Bernard

-Shot 35% from 3 for his career. 77.8% career FT shooter, including 81.8% FT as a senior and good FT shooting is an indicator for future success shooting from 3. Shot 40.8% (20/49) from 3 over his last 9 games of the season

-Played on a really good UCLA team. Yet you look at the stats in terms of net rating, BPM, PER, TS%, Free throw rate, assist % to usage % ratio, turnover %, rebounding %, steals %. Bernard is up there with really good numbers in every damn category. He does NOT turn the ball over. Only other guy on the team who is close to him when you look at all these categories is Jaime Jaquez but Bernard had a better net rating than Jaquez. Jaquez isn't in the draft - he's returning to UCLA. And Jaquez has what many call an "old man's game" along with subpar athleticism which likely won't translate to the NBA.

Here's highlights from one of the games at the G League Elite Camp:

Watch on YouTube

Here we see his potential as a 2-way player and legit 3-level scorer
:01 shows good tenacity here. Pushes the pace, goes coast to coast on the break, finishes strong at the rim
:20 nice shiftiness and handle here, creates some space and hits the step back jumper
:30 defending playing up on him so he fakes the 3 from top of then key, puts it on the floor, gets a step on his defender, then shows good burst to accelerate to the basket, strong finish through contact for the and-1 with his right hand on the finish (he's a lefty)
:51 love this play. Here he shows good anticipation to see the pass was going to be made to his man - shows good tenacity and quick hands to deflect the pass. Then he goes hard like a bat outta hell for the steal and finish at the rim. Dude plays HARD
1:04 guarded by Tyler Burton here. Burton playing up on him defensively, so Bernard isn't gonna shoot it. Burton is also trying to force Bernard right, since Bernard is a lefty. Bernard keeps it simple, doesn't try to do too much here. Bernard then makes a hard jab step towards his left which totally fakes out the defender, freezes the defender, gets the defender to think he's gonna drive so the defender is leaning towards the basket - Bernard then makes a quick dribble to his left - between the jab step and dribble he creates a ton of space. After making the dribble he isn't squared up to the basket for the shot but he does a nice job of gathering the ball in after the dribble, squaring up to the basket and going up for the shot all in 1 fluid motion - hits the shot, nothing but net
1:18 on a switch he's got a big on him, Brady Manek. Manek is giving him some space. Bernard creates additional space with a through the legs dribble into a step back. jumper from 3 - hits the shot (again, nothing but net) with just 2 on the shot clock

One last clip. This is just solid basketball here by Bernard, a good example of his shot creation ability and also ability as a 3 level scorer as he shows soft touch on the mid range floater, hitting the shot over the outstretched arm of a 6'11" defender:

Read on Twitter

I honestly think Jules Bernard has a really good chance at having a solid 10 year career in this league.

Gun to my head, my 2 favorite guys for us with this pick are probably Yoan Makoundou and Jules Bernard. I'd take Bernard just barely over Tyrese Martin. Oh and Alondes Williams and Isaiah Mobley, if they're still on the board will have to be considered as well.

Bernard will likely still be on the board at 53. He's definitely a guy I'd think long and hard about taking with the pick. Wouldn't be at all surprised if he cracks our rotation next season. If we don't take him, there's also a decent chance he'll go undrafted so we could just try and scoop him up as an UDFA.

[winsomme2]

The second round of this draft is so loaded that we aren't even going to need to dig up an unknown prospect at this point.

There are going to be more than 20 known players available when we pick at 53. It's just a matter of which ones and how well we scout them.

Right now I'm looking at Moussa Diabate. Would love a guy with his upside and skillset.

But what if the lesser known player is better than the known one?

Just because ESPN, Tankathon or NBADraftNet has a guy ranked higher or lower, I take that with a grain of salt.

No issues from me with searching for hidden gems. It's interesting and certainly worthwhile..

This year tho there are so many super talented prospects it really is going to come down to the Cs evaluation process IMO...

[Scoonie]

I'm a big fan of Jules Bernard.

He checks a lot of boxes.

I like him, too and I think he was the most complete player on UCLA these past two years. He can do a little of everything and has four years of experience at UCLA. I didn't realize he was in the Draft this year.

I would definitely sign him as an undrafted Free Agent if given the chance and give him a Two-Way contact. Would consider him at 53 as well.

[return2glory]

I watched some UCLA games the past two years. Bernard is solid but he was their 3rd best player player behind Johnny Juzang and Jaime Jaquez. Juzang actually had a down year and Jaquez was their best player. Bernard was solid and did a little bit of everything but wasn't close to being the best player on the floor. He had a down year shooting from 3. He has nice size but lacks explosiveness.
He is worth a look as an undrafted player. Their is a chance that some team might take him late in the 2nd.

[winsomme2]

I watched some UCLA games the past two years. Bernard is solid but he was their 3rd best player player behind Johnny Juzang and Jaime Jaquez. Juzang actually had a down year and Jaquez was their best player. Bernard was solid and did a little bit of everything but wasn't close to being the best player on the floor. He had a down year shooting from 3. He has nice size but lacks explosiveness.
He is worth a look as an undrafted player. Their is a chance that some team might take him late in the 2nd.

Jules Bernard is a great example of a super interesting prospect that would also be well down my list of players I would want to take at 53. Not because I'm not intrigued but there are just sooo many talented players in this draft this year. It is crazy.

For instance, if a guy like Alondes Williams is there at 53 and we took Bernard I would be pretty bummed.

That being said, if the Cs scouting determined that Bernard was the guy, I would certainly be open to the pick. Overall, just really feeling like we are getting a real player even with such a late pick. Definitely making me feel better about not having our first rounder this year...

I think we should all do a big board. If we did we would quickly see that we can't keep saying that someone will definitely be off the board by our pick because there are jus too many prospects that fit the "already off the board" assessment.

If we each did a big board, we would probably each have like 10 guys that another person would say DEFINITE:Y won't be there when we pick. Second round mocks are all over the place at this point and it's because there are just so many talented players staying in this draft.

[winsomme2]

I have an interesting exercise for us to try.

Just as an example, go to the current Tankathon mock draft and identify 5 guys projected in that mock before our pick that should DEFINITELY NOT be picked before 53. I bet you can't do it. You might have certain guys that you personally like or dislike but I bet you can't find guys that 100% percent shouldn't go before 53.

Then look at the prospects still on the board and I pretty much can say for sure there are going to be a bunch of guys left that you would be super happy to pick.

And that's just one mock, if you did that exercise with more mocks out there, you'd find the same thing to be true IMO. So it's not about one mock being way off, it's that there's just too many prospects out there to have them all off the board before we pick.

[Hal14]

I watched some UCLA games the past two years. Bernard is solid but he was their 3rd best player player behind Johnny Juzang and Jaime Jaquez. Juzang actually had a down year and Jaquez was their best player. Bernard was solid and did a little bit of everything but wasn't close to being the best player on the floor. He had a down year shooting from 3. He has nice size but lacks explosiveness.
He is worth a look as an undrafted player. Their is a chance that some team might take him late in the 2nd.

Jules Bernard is a great example of a super interesting prospect that would also be well down my list of players I would want to take at 53. Not because I'm not intrigued but there are just sooo many talented players in this draft this year. It is crazy.

For instance, if a guy like Alondes Williams is there at 53 and we took Bernard I would be pretty bummed.

That being said, if the Cs scouting determined that Bernard was the guy, I would certainly be open to the pick. Overall, just really feeling like we are getting a real player even with such a late pick. Definitely making me feel better about not having our first rounder this year...

I think we should all do a big board. If we did we would quickly see that we can't keep saying that someone will definitely be off the board by our pick because there are jus too many prospects that fit the "already off the board" assessment.

If we each did a big board, we would probably each have like 10 guys that another person would say DEFINITE:Y won't be there when we pick. Second round mocks are all over the place at this point and it's because there are just so many talented players staying in this draft.

I would probably take Alondes Williams over Jules Bernard if they're both still available. But I think it's close. Alondes is a guy who thrived this season with the ball in his hands, as THE 1st, 2nd and 3rd option when it came to shot creation at Wake Forest. He was given the keys to the offense and also he came out of nowhere this season (no one really knew who hew as before this season) which meant teams weren't really game planning around stopping him (at least not till late in the season).

Some people question how well Alondes will translate in the NBA, where he'll likely have to adjust to more of an off-ball role where he'll need to be a supporting piece rather than being THE guy like he was at Wake Forest. In an off-ball role, Alondes' shooting concerns will likely be more of an issue.

Bernard could end up being the better NBA player because he will have much less of an adjustment to make in terms of shifting from his college role to his NBA role. Bernard was a really good supporting piece at UCLA. He's a little better defensively than Alondes and a little more of a reliable shooter.

That being said, I know Alondes is still there at 53 in a lot of the mock drafts but I do think he's gonna go before our pick. All it takes is 1 team to like what they see with the crazy passing ability and ability to get to the rim and finish at the rim..

Here's my personal big board in case anyone wants to have a look: https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1J6eP9TfgbbygU1iVmuWWH5NQFNXgfXXMgWEAHh2eyEw/edit?usp=sharing

I update it fairly frequently..

[winsomme2]

I watched some UCLA games the past two years. Bernard is solid but he was their 3rd best player player behind Johnny Juzang and Jaime Jaquez. Juzang actually had a down year and Jaquez was their best player. Bernard was solid and did a little bit of everything but wasn't close to being the best player on the floor. He had a down year shooting from 3. He has nice size but lacks explosiveness.
He is worth a look as an undrafted player. Their is a chance that some team might take him late in the 2nd.

Jules Bernard is a great example of a super interesting prospect that would also be well down my list of players I would want to take at 53. Not because I'm not intrigued but there are just sooo many talented players in this draft this year. It is crazy.

For instance, if a guy like Alondes Williams is there at 53 and we took Bernard I would be pretty bummed.

That being said, if the Cs scouting determined that Bernard was the guy, I would certainly be open to the pick. Overall, just really feeling like we are getting a real player even with such a late pick. Definitely making me feel better about not having our first rounder this year...

I think we should all do a big board. If we did we would quickly see that we can't keep saying that someone will definitely be off the board by our pick because there are jus too many prospects that fit the "already off the board" assessment.

If we each did a big board, we would probably each have like 10 guys that another person would say DEFINITE:Y won't be there when we pick. Second round mocks are all over the place at this point and it's because there are just so many talented players staying in this draft.

I would probably take Alondes Williams over Jules Bernard if they're both still available. But I think it's close. Alondes is a guy who thrived this season with the ball in his hands, as THE 1st, 2nd and 3rd option when it came to shot creation at Wake Forest. He was given the keys to the offense and also he came out of nowhere this season (no one really knew who hew as before this season) which meant teams weren't really game planning around stopping him (at least not till late in the season).

Some people question how well Alondes will translate in the NBA, where he'll likely have to adjust to more of an off-ball role where he'll need to be a supporting piece rather than being THE guy like he was at Wake Forest. In an off-ball role, Alondes' shooting concerns will likely be more of an issue.

Bernard could end up being the better NBA player because he will have much less of an adjustment to make in terms of shifting from his college role to his NBA role. Bernard was a really good supporting piece at UCLA. He's a little better defensively than Alondes and a little more of a reliable shooter.

Here's my big board in case anyone wants to have a look: https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1J6eP9TfgbbygU1iVmuWWH5NQFNXgfXXMgWEAHh2eyEw/edit?usp=sharing

I update it fairly frequently..

Wow lots of interesting stuff there Hal.

One player who jumps out at me is David Roddy. I think he would be a great fit in Boston.

I love his game and fierceness.

[winsomme2]

Another guy leaping up my big board is Dereon Seabron.

I think he legit could be available and has so much ability but will IMO be overlooked because he doesn't have the three ball yet.

[165bows]

I have an interesting exercise for us to try.

Just as an example, go to the current Tankathon mock draft and identify 5 guys projected in that mock before our pick that should DEFINITELY NOT be picked before 53. I bet you can't do it. You might have certain guys that you personally like or dislike but I bet you can't find guys that 100% percent shouldn't go before 53.

Then look at the prospects still on the board and I pretty much can say for sure there are going to be a bunch of guys left that you would be super happy to pick.

And that's just one mock, if you did that exercise with more mocks out there, you'd find the same thing to be true IMO. So it's not about one mock being way off, it's that there's just too many prospects out there to have them all off the board before we pick.

Somewhere they do a consensus mock of the most prominent sites - anyone have the link for that? Can't remember where it was.

[Half-Full]

NBAdraftroom has us taking Georgetown's Aminu Mohammed. NBAdraftnet has him going a few picks after ours. He seems intriguing, but I don't see the Celtics going for him as he looks a lot like Juhaan Begarin. Looking at the mocks, it seems to me that there is not much difference in the quality of players projected to go early in the second round, and those projected to go later (or even undrafted).

Watch on YouTube