Draft Watch

[pdub]

OK.
Remember this?

"And Och isn't buddy hield, so if we're going to do this then lets be realistic.

Selden? How'd it work out?
Dotson? Howd it work out?

Right or wrong, the NBA isn't really all that concerned with college performance in the grand scheme of things. Och having a good year in college against college competition isn't going to significantly change their outlook for him. He's a 2nd round type talent. And that's more than okay. Maybe he knows he's not making the NBA anyway and is ready to go make 6figures overseas playing a sport he loves. Sounds terrible to me."

[Deleted User 863]

OK.
Remember this?

"And Och isn't buddy hield, so if we're going to do this then lets be realistic.

Selden? How'd it work out?
Dotson? Howd it work out?

Right or wrong, the NBA isn't really all that concerned with college performance in the grand scheme of things. Och having a good year in college against college competition isn't going to significantly change their outlook for him. He's a 2nd round type talent. And that's more than okay. Maybe he knows he's not making the NBA anyway and is ready to go make 6figures overseas playing a sport he loves. Sounds terrible to me."

He's a much better player now than he was then, but i will gladly admit (again for the 100th time) that Och made a good choice. And more so than making a good choice, he actually put the work in and improved significantly at basketball. Which in the grand scheme of things is the most important thing no matter where it occurs.

Nobody was projecting 1st team AA type improvement.

Remy was big 12 preseason POY and he's our 3rd 4th or 5th best player depending on who you ask.

[pdub]

"Nobody was projecting 1st team AA type improvement."

"That type of increase would have Ochai scoring 18.3 points per game - and if Ochai had that increase at Kansas, i'd feel very comfortable saying he'd be a first round pick."

( but yes, I projected he'd make the 3rd team AA not 1st )

[CrimsonNBlue]

Something I do find strange is that there are draft media members that still say Och could go in like the 40's.

I just can't see that anymore. He's done everything he was told to work on. I think he could even go at like 10-12.

[CrimsonNBlue]

Plus, this is a very weak draft. Last year's looked very strong the entire season and turned out to be very strong (even though illy called it weak), which hurt Och even more.

This being a weak draft also could mean CB could go in like the 30's.

[pdub]

He ( Ochai ) has around 20 games left to make more noise.
Kentucky, Baylor x2, Texas x2.
Big lights, big stage - then March, the biggest stage.

I could see lotto if he keeps his numbers what they are against competition like this.
With his athleticism, if he's 1st team AA, i'd doubt he'd fall further than 20th.

I think Remy getting healthy could help him get there.

[Deleted User 863]

Plus, this is a very weak draft. Last year's looked very strong the entire season and turned out to be very strong (even though illy called it weak), which hurt Och even more.

This being a weak draft also could mean CB could go in like the 30's.

I thought last year was weak because I didn't expect guys like Scottie Barnes or Franz Wagner or Josh Giddey to be as good as they have been. I also didn't have much faith in Cade but he's been a lot better than I expected even though his team sucks. He's fun to watch.

I thought Suggs was the best player in the draft and he's been just so so.

[CrimsonNBlue]

I was really high on Cade, Mobley, and Green.

The only guy I would put in that class of prospects this year is Jabari Smith.

Holmgren and Banchero just haven't impressed me, and the depth behind is really lacking.

But, the money is real every year, and Och going lotto would be great for him, great for Bill Self, and great for KU. He effing redshirted half a season as a frosh and goes 1st round as a Bill Self guard.

[pdub]

"He effing redshirted half a season as a frosh and goes 1st round as a Bill Self guard."

It's a Ron Howard type of magical story.

[Deleted User 863]

I will wait until last years draft has a 1st or 2nd team all NBA player before i classify it as "very strong", but it certainly isn't looking "weak".

I do agree this year's looks significantly weaker in hindsight.

[pdub]

Cade's looking like the best pick out of that draft.
Mobley is pretty nasty too.

[Deleted User 863]

Cade's looking like the best pick out of that draft.
Mobley is pretty nasty too.

Agree.

Scottie Barnes is a sleeper too. He's putting up really good numbers in Toronto.

[CrimsonNBlue]

Mobley wins Rookie of the Year, but I'd roll with Cade for the potential superstar guard.

A lot will be made of Mobley's defense in the future.

[Deleted User 863]

Mobley wins Rookie of the Year, but I'd roll with Cade for the potential superstar guard.

A lot will be made of Mobley's defense in the future.

Cleveland actually quietly building a good roster. Garland Sexton Okoro Mobley Allen is a nice young squad.

[pdub]

The knock I had on Cade is rearing it's ugly head in the pros so far.
Turnovers.
He's throwing the ball away at Russell Westbrook rates.

But he's a rook. That should drop.

[InfiniteJ]

I realize the NBA drafts on potential, but I wouldn't draft Holmgren if I had a top 5 pick; he's going to get pushed around all over the court in almost any match-up he finds himself in for a minimum of the next 5 years...I'd probably take him towards the bottom of the lottery and try to do what the Sixers attempted to do with Shawn Bradley; get him in the weight room and get calories in him with the hopes that it doesn't screw with his current skill-set.

Banchero is a good player, but his draft projection feels like a direct result of the hype machine that is ESPN. He seems like a studio gangsta to me.

Ochai seems like as close to a solid pick as you can make in the draft...not a top 5 pick or anything, but teams know what they're getting if they draft him. I think Desmond Bane has done a lot for the perception of players in the draft that the NBA recently considered "too old".

With so little top line talent (IMO), it'll be interesting to see who rockets up the draft board after a good showing in the NCAA Tournament.

[pdub]

"I think Desmond Bane has done a lot for the perception of players in the draft that the NBA recently considered "too old"."

Well said.

[CrimsonNBlue]

Or our own Devonte' Graham.

[Deleted User 863]

"I think Desmond Bane has done a lot for the perception of players in the draft that the NBA recently considered "too old"."

Well said.

^^^^

[CrimsonNBlue]

It seems like Och will definitely be the first senior taken. Probably the only one taken in the first round.

I think it's probably less to do with "too old," now and more to do with there just not being a ton of NBA talent in senior classes. They're all gone by then.