2024-2025 College Basketball / NBA Draft - Volume III

[Negrodamus]

Please don't consider the idea that his age is faked. It's just another random manufactured reason to be turned off by VJ. No one has been reporting it. If were doing that, then anyone from Croatia is fair game to question because Peja was reportedly 3 years older than he actually was (don't know if that's true). Ersan Ilyasova was another one. So why don't we conflate it to anyone in southeast Europe? There's nothing suggesting the Bahamas produce fake aged players.

1) I think this is pretty unlikely, but if I had the resources of an NBA team and was investing my franchise's future into somebody as well as tens of millions of dollars into his salary and development, I'd probably consider investigating this for many prospects outside of the US or other wealthy countries that seem to have a stable political system in place that's hard to bribe or circumvent. How much does a lawyer or private investigator cost to just look into this?

2) I'm not aware of any age-related rumors regarding Peja or Ilyasova, but it might matter a bit more for VJ because his athletic gifts are his main calling card. If his level of athleticism is inflated because he's actually a few years older and more physically mature than we think, that might be a bigger deal for him than it would be for other prospects.

I think it's in the same vein as me saying that Ace probably has some undiagnosed mental illness. It's really rooted in nothing but it's not a zero percent chance. The smear campaigns on here for anyone not named Ace is reaching American politics level crazy.

[Jailblazers7]

I heard a rumor that Ace Bailey is secretly 3 children standing on top of each other. Sixers owe us a full and transparent investigation given the money that’s on the line.

[zaz102]

Gotta love the theories where the main supportive argument is "you can't disprove it"

[Stanford]

I suspect that VJ is actually younger than he's letting on.

[Mik317]

VJ actually doesn't even exist.

Its a government psyop yo

[76ciology]

VJ’s first name, Valdez, already hints that he might be older than what his listed age suggests.

[Sixersftw]

VJ’s first name, Valdez, already hints that he might be older than what his listed age suggests.

Why the **** are these dudes hiding their power levels? The names Airious and Valdez dog walk Ace and VJ.

Ace and VJ are questionable prospects. Airious and Valdez would be taken 2nd and 3rd in the 2003 draft.

[Stanford]

Keep in mind, the name Valdez is most commonly followed by the word disaster.

[Black Mage]

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If the pick is Bailey, my first focus would be getting him stronger because in the small volume he goes to the rim in the half court, he is getting knocked off his mark pretty easily and the shots end up not really having a chance. I've definitely seen enough video to know the intrigue of Bailey, he has a smooth looking jumper and knows how to get those off even under duress. But the bread and butter of the best players who shoot like that in the NBA get to the basket and finish or draw fouls. I'm definitely interested in a guy who can defend across the board and makes effort plays (rebounds, weakside blocks), so I can definitely get on board with Ace if we pick him.

To also do the favorable stat thing (because I don't want anyone getting left out!), when filtering out Ace's nightmare February and March, he does hit some more intriguing stats that would raise an eyebrow for me:

21ppg, 1.4bpg, 1.1 spg, 0.8apg, 8rpg, 42% 3FG, 51% 2FT, 68% FT

So scoring really took a nosedive, the FT% was actually worse during that time, but he did have an estimated higher FTr (didn't feel like going through the entire team's possession numbers) but was likely still under .300. Assists improved as the season went on, because .8 suggests a total non-passer even putting into consideration the talent around him. It's a very TJ Warren type stat-line and I'm not saying that in a good or bad way. Warren was a lottery pick in his draft.

It's funny, I was always a big TJ Warren fan (pre-injury) so at least I'm consistent in the archetype I like. I do think by February/March he had worn down physically just from the tougher more physical style of play.

[Black Mage]

Am I off base here? I’m frustrated reading a lot of these posts because people mention “upside” or “ceiling” without a proper understanding of what that means. I think that our fans don’t really think about the difference between “theoretical max upside”, and “likely good case outcome”. They are two separate concepts.

With theoretical max upside, you’re basically thinking that if basically everything goes perfectly with their development, how good could they conceivably be? This is fun to think about with prospects, but basically never happens. Even somebody like Giannis who had a nearly perfect development for a raw athlete never added a shot for example. Athleticism and size/length are big components here as they’re pretty hard to add.


With likely good case outcome, you’re basically taking an optimistic view of the prospect not being a bust, and thinking about where they’ll be with a pretty typical development curve where over the course of their first 5-6 years or so where they have the best chance to get better: they improve their body a bit (add NBA weight/strength), develop maybe 1 skill they’re lacking to some degree, and refine 1 or 2 skills they already have a bit. IMO, with this, attributes like work ethic, coachability, and basketball-iq matter a lot for picking up new concepts.

How does this relate to some of the main prospects that Sixers fans are locked in on around the 3-7 range?

Ace Bailey: His theoretical max upside is arguably the best here due to his length and natural ability to make tough shots. However, his seemingly low overall basketball-iq and fixation on taking tough shots might give him the worst likely good case outcome. He has to add a lot of skills and break a lot of his mentalities to maybe get there. And even then, I’m not sure if he’s smart enough to ever get it. (I hope I’m wrong)

Tre Johnson: His theoretical max upside is great: maybe like a James Harden-ish offensive engine. But his getting to the rim and finishing at the basket was bad in college. (Not to mention the defense). He won’t take the star leap without fixing at least his driving and finishing.

Kon Kneuppel: His limited athleticism and height gives him by far the lowest theoretical max upside here because he’s never going to consistently beat guys with a first step or explode over people to dunk on them or block their shots in their face. But I think he has one of the better likely good case outcomes. By all accounts he’s very mature, a hard worker, and has a high basketball-iq. IMO, with very modest refinement in existing skills (slightly tighter handle, a pull up shot and floater game, and I’d add finishing with the left hand too if we’re going very nuanced) he has a bit of potential as a creator despite his physical limitations.

VJ Edgecombe: His athleticism gives him super upside if his development goes absolutely perfectly, and by all accounts people praise his work ethic, though the recent posts about him maybe not being his listed age make me a tad nervous. But he’s got a lot of improvement to do in multiple big skills as a shooter, handler, passer, and team defender. The odds of him being useful seem high, but the odds of him fixing all of his weak points seems pretty low.

I think you overvalue Kon. He's a better 3 pt shooting Joe Ingles.

[Eyeamok]

I love the idea of moving up to #2 to take Harper and I've convinced myself that giving up the LA pick (with protection) is not such a big deal. But after all has been said and done more has been said than done. Dallas, SA and the 76ers will pick 1,2 and 3.

When I look at these prospects they all have room to grow. And they tend to be viewed at the level they are now. Hopefully good coaching and player development,which the 76ers have displayed a lot of lately, Maxey, McCain and Edwards, will make a massive difference.

If Ace is the pick, the ace in the hole that the 76ers have is PG. The same way Harden helped elevate Maxey's game, is the same way I am hoping PG can help Ace to become the best player he can possibly be. Having a skilled all star veteran teaching you the ropes, especially for the position you are being groomed for, is invaluable.

[Negrodamus]

It's a real shame that we didn't get the first pick because Cooper is literally the perfect pick for this team. I've felt like he's Ben Simmons but with a shot. That kind of ability would maximize Maxey, McCain, Grimes, Edwards, PG, etc. Takes the ball out of their hands and gets them in a position to do what they do best: catch a pass and either shoot or make a play.

That's why I'm still 100% on the Queen train. Fits the offense like a glove and I trust the shot. Needs to work on his body just like Ace and VJ. Has all the counters on iso offense that many in the top 10 don't have. Still holding out slight hope he's a trade down targe.

[Jailblazers7]

I think these are my preferred outcomes at this point:

1. Draft VJ straight up
2. Trade 3 and Clippers pick for Harper
3. Trade down and draft Queen, Kaspar, etc.

I think I’d be disappointed if we walk away without either Harper or VJ.

[CPops57]

I think you overvalue Kon.

Maybe?

We're all humans with biases. My bias is a preference for certain things like basketball-iq, passing, shooting, and other winning intangibles that Kon possesses.

He's a better 3 pt shooting Joe Ingles.

I get the surface level comparison of comparing White shooters together, but I think they're in pretty different tiers as prospects.

Winning a starting job at Duke as a Freshman and being the ACC MVP is demonstrating good ability at the highest level of basketball accessible to Kon.

In contrast, Ingles started out his career playing in Australia, then moved to Spain and Israel, before only coming to the NBA as a 27 year old.

[sodmoraes]

I doubt we get VJ Ibaka, not a Morey´s pick at all. In my opinion, it will be Ace, Tre or trade up to get Harper. Edgecombe is just bait so we get something of Charlote.

[Iverson Armband]

I doubt we get VJ Ibaka, not a Morey´s pick at all. In my opinion, it will be Ace, Tre or trade up to get Harper. Edgecombe is just bait so we get something of Charlote.

Agreed. He’s being talked about so heavily right now because it was leaked we worked him out, which was such an obvious smokescreen that it’s almost not a smokescreen at all.

[Iverson Armband]

1. Trade up for Harper
2. Select Tre Johnson at 3
3. Select Ace Bailey at 3
4. Select Kon at 3

[sodmoraes]

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Pretty good defensive potential. He can be a defensive playmaker. Since he´s already good CS from 3, seems like a safe pick, with potential to be way more than that, if he develops other parts of his game. And the man has a killer mid range jumper, which is super important in the playoffs, just look what Siakam is doing in the playoffs.

[LeonJordanJr24]

Trade up for Harper
Or Draft Ace straight up...

[Stanford]

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Pretty good defensive potential. He can be a defensive playmaker. Since he´s already good CS from 3, seems like a safe pick, with potential to be way more than that, if he develops other parts of his game. And the man has a killer mid range jumper, which is super important in the playoffs, just look what Siakam is doing in the playoffs.

Impressive plays. I can definitely see him hitting his Herb Jones ceiling if he can consistently do that in the NBA.