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Diamonds in the Rough

Discussion in 'NBA Draft' started by coachbadlee, Jan 17, 2013.

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Rockets1988- Member

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Love to grab Franklin if we could. A little undersized but can create his own shot.

#61 Rockets1988-, May 21, 2013

coachbadlee Member

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Rockets1988- said: ↑

Love to grab Franklin if we could. A little undersized but can create his own shot.
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Yeah, i like Franklin too. He can really score.

<iframe width="560" height="315" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/uac5RqNT5iU" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>

#62 coachbadlee, May 21, 2013
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Shining like a diamond!!!:grin::grin:

http://www.hoopsworld.com/nba-am-who-helped-themselves-at-the-combine

Who Helped Themselves At The Combine?: The 2013 NBA Draft Combine wrapped up in Chicago this weekend, and while the true test of a player’s draft value won’t be known until the June 27 NBA Draft in Brooklyn, there were several players that created some positive buzz about their situation and have clearly elevated interest in their stock with NBA teams.

Trey Burke – 6’1.25″ – Point Guard

Burke didn’t necessarily raise his stock, but by measuring in at a legit 6’1.25” in shoes he helped solidify himself as a top prospect. There was a real consensus among NBA executives on Wednesday night that Burke might not measure in over 6-feet tall, which would have created something of a problem for Burke. Most NBA teams use some level of advanced metrics in evaluating a player’s potential in the NBA and a lot of those models start with physical attributes such as height, wingspan and standing reach in determining a baseline for guys. Burke coming in bigger than expected helps his cause tremendously, especially with so many executives openly questioning his speed and quickness at the next level. More than one executive commented that “college speed is different than NBA speed” and wondered how Burke would fair. Coming in bigger than expected helps knock down one obstacle, winning some head-to-head workouts might knock down a few more.

Jackie Carmichael – 6’9″ – Power Forward

It might be because we spent so much time with Carmichael prior to the combine, but executive after executive commented on him almost as much as anyone in the draft. Carmichael is likely still a fringe first-rounder, but informal surveys asked of more than a dozen NBA executives consisting of “who do you like?” yielded Carmichael in almost every list of players provided. Carmichael has a nice all-around game and an incredibly engaging demeanor that makes him easy to like. It is doubtful Carmichael locked himself into serious first-round discussion, but given the interest expressed in Chicago it’s hard to imagine him not getting drafted somewhere in the second round.

James Ennis – 6′ 7″ – Small Forward

Like Carmichael, Ennis was a name mentioned by a number of NBA executives. Coming from a small school like Long Beach State, Ennis had solid performances at the Portsmouth Invitational and combine that likely put him on the radar of several teams. Ennis will have to back things up in individual workouts, but it seems if the buzz matches the draft stock, Ennis is someone clearly on the rise.

Tim Hardaway Jr. – 6’6.25″ – Shooting Guard

Hardaway Jr. did very well for himself in the combine process. Teams that met with him raved about his maturity and poise. He shot the ball well in drills and seemed to establish himself as a legit first-round candidate. Hardaway looks the part of a late first-round pick, especially for veteran teams that need someone who can play right away. The problem for Hardaway is there is a logjam of guys that look and play like he does and that’s going to make individual workouts extremely important for him. Coming into Chicago, Hardaway was considered by most to be on the back side of the draft, but today he seems like he is firmly in the middle and that’s before working out for anyone.

Colton Iverson – 7’0″ – Center

Like Hardaway, Iverson answered the call. He measured in a legit 7-feet tall in shoes. He ran drills very well, consistently being the second or third big down the court. He shot the ball better than expected and, overall, handled the process very well. The knock on Iverson was shooting and quickness and he proved in drills that neither were significant barriers. Iverson is still in a logjam of bigs fighting for the final spots in the first round, but after a solid showing in Chicago it seems almost a lock that Iverson gets drafted. The question now becomes can he work his way into the first round with some good head-to-head matchups in workouts.

Myck Kabongo – 6’2.75″ – Point Guard

Kabongo was another guy that looked good at the combine. He measured in at 6’2.75” in shoes. But more importantly, he answered a lot of teams’ questions about his maturity and his past eligibility issues at Texas. Kabongo really comes across as mature and poised and while he may not be a first-round pick just yet, he surely put himself in the discussion for a late first or early second selection. There are a number of teams looking for point guards out of this draft and Kabongo looks like he could be in the mix as the fourth or fifth point guard off the board.

Shane Larkin – 5’11.5″ – Point Guard

Unfortunately for Larkin, he measured in small. His 5’11.5” in shoes is a huge setback for a guy that exploded in every other testable area. He put up one of the best max vertical jumps in combine history. Larkin clocked in amazing lane agility scores and put up 14 reps on the bench press. A point guard that is fast, strong and can jump out of the gym and has a reputation as a mean and tough guy is a great combination of assets. However, three inches is going to matter on draft day, but what it really means is Larkin could be on the board in the mid-to-late 20s. It is hard to imagine Larkin not being drafted in the first round; he brings way too much to the table. Larkin just needs to find the team willing to take a shot on a smaller guard and his combine scores should help his cause greatly.

Ricardo Ledo – 6’6″ – Shooting Guard

Ledo had eligibility issues at Providence and that’s really all teams knew about him. The face-to-face meetings opened a number of teams eyes about Ledo and while few people saw him last year, he’s been on the NBA radar for a while coming out of high school and in the AAU circuit. Ledo is going to be a little unknown to fans, but it seems NBA teams are far more comfortable with Ledo after a week with him in Chicago. The hype of him being a late first-round pick is very real. Ledo did well for himself in meetings and in drills. He’ll really cement his draft stock in workouts, but the one thing he did this week was answer some very serious questions and apparently did so extremely well. Watch for Ledo’s stock to rise over the next month.

Shabazz Muhammad – 6’6.25″- Small Forward

A lot was made of Muhammad’s decision to participate in drills on day one of the combine; most top-level picks forego the drills as they have nothing to gain from them. Muhammad wisely took advantage of being the only major name on the floor and forced his game on arguably lesser players. What Muhammad did on the floor will mean very little about who drafts him, but what it did do was force NBA teams to talk about something other than his age and the ho-hum season at UCLA. Muhammad is going to be drafted and he is going to be drafted in the upper part of the first round, but what he doesn’t have right now is a floor – that team he will not get past and that’s something he’ll work toward in team workouts. The one thing Muhammad did do in Chicago is remind people that he is an elite level athlete, something he only showed flashes of at UCLA.

Dennis Schroeder – 6’2″ – Point Guard

Schroeder was a little unknown coming into the combine after a strong showing at the Nike Hoops Summit last month. A number of NBA teams were intrigued by Schroeder and this was really their first chance to sit him down and get to know him. Based on the buzz around the combine, it’s looking more and more likely that Schroeder could be the third or fourth point guard taken on draft night, which considering how little people knew about him two months ago is a huge leap. Individual workouts will help solidify his stock, but Schroeder had a lot of fans in Chicago and most of them work for NBA teams.

Adonis Thomas – 6’5.75″- Shooting Guard

Let’s be real for a minute, if you saw Thomas in his final games at Memphis you saw a kid who was a little fluffy around the middle and not motivated. That’s the last image most NBA teams had of Thomas. In Chicago, Thomas arrived about 15 pounds and about seven percent body fat lighter, his body was defined and lean and his jump shot was really falling. Thomas had bounce and energy that reminded everyone that he once was one of the top high school players in the nation. Thomas also got to explain his train wreck of a season at Memphis and it seems that teams liked what they saw and heard. Thomas now finds himself deep in the discussion as a second rounder coming out of the combine with a chance to move his stock up in individual workouts.

Nate Wolters – 6’4.75″ – Shooting Guard

Unfortunately for Wolters, he strained a hip flexor and was unable to really showcase his game in drills. The one thing he was able to do is sit with teams and let them hear his story. One executive with a pick in Wolters’ draft range said “he’s an easy guy to root for.” Wolters is a flat out scorer and while he’s not a major athlete, teams are interested in working him out in a few weeks once his hip clears up a little. Wolters didn’t catapult himself, but he did gain a few new fans and for a kid sitting squarely in the discussion for the a second round selection he might have created a little competition for his services, which could push his stock higher than the 45-55 range most have him projected at.
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#63 coachbadlee, May 22, 2013
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Jamaal Franklin

http://www.draftexpress.com/profile/...ranklin-17500/
Another good wing player with good scoring instincts.

<iframe width="560" height="315" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/oG8mWEI81h0" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>

Individual workout video.

#64 coachbadlee, May 23, 2013
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Franklin I'm not sold on making a splash in the NBA. He used his hustle and strength to make an impact in the college level. He won't have a strength advantage in the NBA. He has swagger though.

#65 Greg M, May 23, 2013
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http://www.hoopsworld.com/nba-pm-the-drafts-mystery-man#AdZexDXe9rWoi9KD.99

The 2013 NBA Draft’s Mystery Man

Entering the NBA draft combine in Chicago, everyone was talking about Ricky Ledo out of Providence. Executives wanted to meet with him, scouts wanted to evaluate him, reporters wanted to interview him and opposing players wanted to size him up.
The 20-year-old’s draft stock has been on the rise recently, and he’s one of the most intriguing – and mysterious – players in the class.
Ledo has never played a second of college basketball. He practiced with Providence last year, his freshman season, but he wasn’t able to play in any games because he was ruled ineligible by the NCAA.
Even though he’s unproven, he has the game and frame to play in the NBA, and teams lined up to interview and schedule workouts with him while in Chicago. At the combine, he interviewed with nearly half of the league, and he’ll meet with even more teams over the next month. He has already had individual workouts out for the Boston Celtics and Chicago Bulls, and has many others on his calendar.
Every now and then, a player will get drafted based solely off of potential, despite having a very limited body of work. Back when prospects could enter the draft out of high school, this happened all the time. In recent years, Enes Kanter and Bismack Biyombo are the best examples of this. Kanter was picked third overall by the Utah Jazz in 2011 even though he was ineligible for his lone season of college basketball at Kentucky and his game film was hard to come by. In that same draft, Biyombo was selected seventh overall by the Charlotte Bobcats due to his size, length and athleticism, even though he was incredibly raw and his résumé consisted of a strong showing at the Nike Hoops Summit and that’s about it.
Teams are always tempted to pick a player who has seemingly unlimited potential because they’re hoping the risk pays off and they land an eventual star, even if the individual will be a project when he first enters the league.
This year, that high-upside draftee who has a meteoric rise may be Ledo.
Teams were able to watch him practice with Providence and some league personnel saw him back when he was a high school star, since he was rated the No. 2 shooting guard and No. 6 overall prospect in the high school class of 2012, according to Rivals.com. He was a five-star recruit and ranked ahead of familiar names such as Anthony Bennett, Marcus Smart and Archie Goodwin. He has a few highlight reels on YouTube, including the time he had a shootout with Washington Wizards point guard John Wall.
Ledo certainly looks the part of an NBA player at 6’6 and nearly 200 lbs. Not only does he pass the eye test with flying colors, he has also interviewed very well. Several executives raved about Ledo after meeting with him, describing him as intelligent and impressive. Rather than trying to avoid topics like his ineligibility at Providence or habit of switching high schools (he attended four different schools), Ledo answered every question that teams asked. He’s trying to be as transparent and honest as possible.
“I just wanted them to get to know me, the real me, and not what everybody thinks and what everybody says,” Ledo said of his interviews. “Just getting my point across was very important.”
If Ledo had been eligible for his freshman season, the young shooting guard believes he would’ve solidified himself as a top pick in this draft.
“Definitely, if I played this year I think I would be considered one of the top guards in this draft and my stock wouldn’t be questioned,” Ledo said. “But I didn’t, I went a different route. Everyone goes a different route to the NBA, and this is mine.”
“I think I’m one of the best shooting guards in this draft,” Ledo added. “I don’t think many can shoot like me or dribble like me or play the one and the two – some people here just have one position. I’m also one of the biggest two-guards here at 6’6. … I think I’m being overlooked, but if you’re in the GM’s position and you haven’t seen much and you’ve seen all of these other guys, that’s what you have to go off of. But the general managers who have seen what I can do and are willing to take a chance, are taking a good chance.”
After talking with teams, Ledo believes he’ll go somewhere between No. 20 and No. 40. He’s hoping to further improve his draft stock by working out against some of the other top-rated shooting guards in this draft class such as Ben McLemore, Victor Oladipo, Kentavious Caldwell-Pope, Jamaal Franklin, Tim Hardaway Jr., Allen Crabbe, Archie Goodwin and Glen Rice Jr. among others. Because he wasn’t able to match-up against these players during the college basketball season, he wants to make up for that by going to head-to-head with them in the pre-draft workouts.
“I’m open to playing against anyone in individual workouts,” Ledo said. “I’m not running from anyone. I’m open to playing against anyone.”
Because teams have seen so little of him, he understands that he has to perform well and sell himself during the pre-draft process. For some teams, the combine was the first time that they had seen him play. Unlike his peers, who all have plenty of game film to their name, Ledo is surrounded by question marks and he must prove himself in the weeks leading up to June 27.
“I definitely think it’s more important for me, because they got to see the other guys during the year,” Ledo said. “They didn’t get to see me, only practice, so this is what they have to go off of. I definitely think it’s more important for me. … It’s just a new thing, being in front of all the NBA staffs. This is where I want to be. I’m just coming to show my talents and show people that I’m one of the best guards in this draft, that I belong. Just because I didn’t play doesn’t mean I’m less significant in this draft. I feel that whoever is getting me is getting a strong scorer, a leader and a competitor.”
Ledo said that he has modeled his game after Jamal Crawford as well as “old school” Penny Hardaway. He believes his biggest strengths on the court are scoring, playmaking and spacing the floor. Because he’s such a talented scorer, he thinks his passing ability gets overlooked.
“I would say that I’m an underrated passer,” Ledo said. “I see the floor very well and I’m a playmaker. I get others involved and make others better also.”
While some questioned Ledo’s decision to leave school without ever playing a game for the Friars, he felt it was in his best interest to enter this draft class. It was probably a wise choice, considering the 2014 draft class is expected to be loaded with talent so playing his sophomore season at Providence wouldn’t have guaranteed that he’d be selected any higher than he will be this year.
“It was a perfect time to come out,” Ledo said. “I’ve been working hard. I’m always getting better. It seemed like with where I was being projected and what people – scouts and my coaches – were telling me, I would be drafted. Every day isn’t promised so if I can get there and make sure I stay there, this will be my route.”
It’s almost guaranteed that he’ll hear his name on June 27. The only question is who will be calling his name? Will it be Commissioner David Stern, who announces the first-round picks, or will it be Deputy Commissioner Adam Silver, who announces the second-round selections? Ledo has first-round talent, but he needs a team to fall in love with him and overlook his lack of experience and off-court issues.
Ledo certainly has more upside than most players available in his projected range and he could end up being the steal of the draft if he pans out. He’s the type of player who can be as good as he wants to be, and it seems like he’s determined to realize his full potential and make the most of his NBA opportunity.
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You can start looking for him to be in the 1st round of most mocks now.

#66 coachbadlee, Jun 2, 2013
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I'm hoping we draft a high upside euro that we can stash. Any prospects out there that fit the bill?

#67 platypus, Jun 2, 2013

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coachbadlee said: ↑

This kid is big, lanky and kinda slow, but a big man that can shoot the ball is so dam intriguing!!!!!

Zeke Marshall

<iframe width="560" height="315" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/_LxIJOtfVgg" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>
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He has a workout scheduled with the Rockets Wednesday.

Here is a list of upcoming workouts around the league.

http://hoopshype.com/workouts.htm

#68 coachbadlee, Jun 3, 2013
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Guys that can play the 2/3 like James Ennis, Tony Snell and Glen Rice.

#69 Rocket_4_Life, Jun 3, 2013
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Wow! Didn't know he had the range!

<iframe width="560" height="315" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/TexsuZl_zkg" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>

#70 coachbadlee, Jun 8, 2013
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coachbadlee said: ↑

Wow! Didn't know he had the range!

<iframe width="560" height="315" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/TexsuZl_zkg" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>
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....and he is coming into the league Hakeem-ready!!!

#71 coachbadlee, Jun 8, 2013
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our team seems to be workin' a lot with draftee Centers..

#72 Da Wink, Jun 8, 2013
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Anybody have opinions on Colton Iverson? I only ask because he's from my town.

#73 OmenXYZ, Jun 8, 2013

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I guess there are always diamonds year in year out but only a small group of crops do make it to starter or key reserve.

#74 daywalker02, Jun 8, 2013
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coachbadlee said: ↑

Wow! Didn't know he had the range!

<iframe width="560" height="315" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/TexsuZl_zkg" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>
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interesting. i'm surprised as well.

#75 DonatasFanboy, Jun 9, 2013
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andyjohnson2402 said: ↑

Anybody have opinions on Colton Iverson? I only ask because he's from my town.
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I watched him play 4-5 times this year with CSU. Solid fundamentals. Great rebounder. Hard nosed player who should make a quality bench guy with his size and hustle. Can get up and down the court well for a big man, but lacks much athleticism or shot creation.

#76 Greg M, Jun 9, 2013
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I think there's a good D-leaguer you guys should check out.

Only a 6'0" PG, but he has major upside. See the first guy listed:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Template:Fort_Wayne_Mad_Ants_roster

#77 pacertom, Jun 9, 2013
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coachbadlee said: ↑

Wow! Didn't know he had the range!

<iframe width="560" height="315" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/TexsuZl_zkg" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>
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This is the guy I've wanted all along, wanted him last time he entered the draft too. I'm worried he'll go late first to San An or Denver though.

#78 ivenovember, Jun 9, 2013

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ivenovember said: ↑

This is the guy I've wanted all along, wanted him last time he entered the draft too. I'm worried he'll go late first to San An or Denver though.
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I have been reading good things about him lately. He has been doing well in workouts. I think he will move up in the 15-20 range.

#79 coachbadlee, Jun 9, 2013
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Meh. Draft someone useful like Ennis. You can always sign a similar player in Whiteside via free agency.

#80 Rocket_4_Life, Jun 9, 2013

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