[Feigen] The Underrated 20th Draft Pick

I agree!
I know we have a young roster but I'm ready to consolidate/trade/jettison some of the end of the bench players and replace them with young draft talent.

And there's at least 6-8 players that look to be available at 20-30 or so, maybe even the first 4-5 picks of the second round that I think could be at least rotation pieces if not more for us in the future.

I like Whitehead too but two foot surgeries kinda scares me a bit!

 

If we do a package deal to consolidate/get rid of multiple guys like KPJ, KJ Martin, Garuba, TyTy, etc then I'm all onboard with trading up to get a better player with the #20 and/or buying an early second/late 1st. I think this is a really deep draft class and there are lots of intriguing players all the way down to 40 or so.

 

https://theathletic.com/4616878/2023/06/19/dariq-whitehead-nba-draft-outlook/

From top-five national recruit to … what, exactly?

That’s the question teams are trying to answer right now as it pertains to Dariq Whitehead — who, less than a week before the NBA Draft, is one of this year’s true mystery men. It’s not unreasonable to say Whitehead has as wide a range of potential outcomes as any eligible prospect. The former Duke wing could still be selected in the late lottery or shortly thereafter … or he could fall out of the first round entirely. Nothing is off the table.

So, how did Whitehead go from a potential top-10 pick to a potential slide? What are his biggest selling points to NBA teams? And what sort of upside does he still possess, considering he’s one of the draft’s youngest players?

To answer those questions and more, The Athletic put draft expert Sam Vecenie and Duke beat writer Brendan Marks together to discuss:

Marks: The Whitehead situation fascinates me. This is a former top-five national recruit we’re talking about — someone who, at one point in high school, was considered the No. 1 prospect in his class. That’s not something. Even as one of the younger players in his class — he was just 18 years old his lone season at Duke — Whitehead showed flashes of the slashing and defensive versatility that pro teams covet in modern wings. Put it all together, and coming out of the same Montverde Academy that recently produced Cade Cunningham and RJ Barrett, Whitehead looked like he was next.

And then … his freshman season happened.

Or more specifically, injuries happened: A fractured right foot in practice in August, which never healed properly and required a second procedure, and a noncontact lower left leg strain in January. Sam, to what extent are those injuries impacting Whitehead’s stock?

Vecenie: I think there are two answers to that question, Brendan. The first is the way these injuries impacted his play on the court. The second is the way the medical reports teams get could impact his stock heading into the draft itself. Both are incredibly important, and both have a massive impact on Whitehead’s draft stock.

We just didn’t get to see the best of Whitehead this past season. And that is largely due to the initial foot injury he suffered in the summer. Whitehead just didn’t have any explosiveness or bounce at Duke. I’ve never thought he was a lights-out athlete or anything, but he was an aggressive one who used the threat of his shot to consistently attack the rim and was willing to play with force. But due to that foot injury, he didn’t have anything resembling that initial first step we saw from him at Montverde. And on defense, he looked a step slow and a bit more square as an athlete.

Another factor worth noting is that Whitehead looked heavy this past season. Similarly to AJ Griffin in 2021-22 after his initial knee injury, Whitehead seemed to add quite a bit of weight. At Montverde for his senior year, he was listed at about 200 pounds. At Duke, he was listed at 220 pounds. At the NBA Draft Combine, he came in at 217 pounds. And with that weight, I think came a bit less flexibility in his hips. It didn’t seem to be a functional weight that allowed him to compete at his best. Sometimes when you get hurt – especially with foot injuries – it’s hard to maintain the style of conditioning you want or the type of quick-twitch footspeed you need to thrive as a creator.

All of that led to Whitehead being a lot more limited. Frankly, the tape Whitehead put out at Duke is just not that of a first-round pick. It wasn’t even tape worthy of ACC All-Freshman honors. But the good news for Whitehead is that front offices know the context behind his play, know the injury held him back and know his high school seasons were drastically different. There, he was able to showcase dribbling, passing and shooting at nearly 6 foot 7 with a confident, assertive demeanor.

The question now facing teams is whether they think he can get back to that. And that’s an enormous question that I don’t think you can have full certainty on, which is what’s scary. Whitehead’s camp is saying all of the right things publicly. The orthopedic surgeon who conducted his second surgery, Martin O’Malley, stated last week to ESPN that Whitehead should be ready for training camp.

One thing I think often goes under the radar when it comes to the NBA Draft is that teams are very rarely on the same page universally when it comes to medical reports. Just because one team has a player flagged in some way doesn’t mean every team does. And there are often degrees of difference when it comes to those evaluations among team doctors too. One team may have a player off its board when another has real confidence in a player’s long-term outlook. It’s all about an organization’s risk assessment and how risk-averse decision-makers are. Projecting the long-term outlook of a body is an inexact science. At a certain point, the risk certainly becomes worth the reward. …

Marks: Putting aside the injuries (as much as you can), how do you view the way Whitehead played at Monteverde versus the way he was used at Duke?

Vecenie: I don’t think you can for the reasons I said above. I have no problem with the way Duke used him this past season because I don’t think Whitehead was at his best physically.

At Montverde, Whitehead was willing to drive and try to collapse the defense consistently even if the threat of his shot was the key to his game. That allowed him to be more of a creative player and a primary scoring threat. That’s why Whitehead was a consensus top-five player in his recruiting class. Guys who are 6 foot 7 and can dribble, pass and shoot at his level with solid athleticism are very difficult to find.

But at Duke, he had very little ability once he got inside 15 feet. He only took 29 free throws in 577 minutes. He shot just 43 percent in half-court settings with a take-off point that was very far from the rim. He looked like a player adjusting a bit to decreased athleticism due to the foot injury. That inability to collapse the defense took away a lot of his potential passing ability. His inability to beat defenders off the bounce took away the dribbling part of that equation.

I don’t think Whitehead this past season was capable of being more than a spot-up offensive player who consistently spaced the floor for his teammates – a critical skill given how often Duke played two bigs in Kyle Filipowski and Dereck Lively II. Whitehead drilled 43 percent of his 3s, and that included a 45 percent mark off the catch and a 36 percent mark off pull-up 3s, per Synergy. He was valuable in his role, but Duke’s staff handled what Whitehead was giving them well. It was a disappointment, but both parties made the best of it.

 

Marks: So what’s a reasonable best-case scenario for Whitehead at the NBA level? What does hitting his ceiling look like — and on the flip side, what about his floor?

Vecenie: Without the college sample involving his previous high school athleticism, it’s hard to pinpoint a ceiling. One thing that is important to note, though, is that his shooting translated enormously. I always thought he looked like a good potential NBA starter due to his shooting ability and willingness to be aggressive. I think I would maintain that as a ceiling outcome. Every single NBA team looks for shooting with legitimate wing size and athleticism. If Whitehead can regain that athleticism and burst, I’d buy him being a real starting-caliber player. He projects in that case to be a solid defender who can handle multiple positional types while also shooting at a real level. If some of his ability to drive comes back, he might be able to be something in the vicinity of a nine-figure contract player.

On the other hand, the floor has to be that the foot continues to be an issue and he is out of the NBA within five years. But let’s project a positive outlook moving forward. I think his floor is probably that of a solid rotation player because of his shooting. There is no reason to think he won’t do that at the NBA level. Given how important that skill set is, I think he sticks for a while even if he doesn’t get back a ton of the bounce or pop that we’d seen previously. It’s hard to find freshmen who shoot 43 percent from 3 with real wing size.

Marks: Given everything we’ve discussed, Sam, and everything you’re hearing from teams and decision-makers, in what draft range are you expecting Whitehead to be picked? Do any teams stand out to you as potential strong fits?

Vecenie: I would expect his range to be a bit wide due to teams having differing outlooks on Whitehead’s foot. It only takes one team to draft him, though. I would go as wide as No. 15 down to No. 35 or so. The injury is such a substantial variable. I have talked to a couple of teams in the second round that are at the very least doing some due diligence in the preparation that he could be on the board. But I think the most likely range is somewhere between No. 20 to 30.

In terms of best fits, organizations across the league are looking at Brooklyn. The Nets have Nos. 21 and 22. On top of that, the team’s orthopedist is O’Malley, the same person who did the second surgery on Whitehead’s foot. What better intel can you have than a direct line to the person who performed the surgery? Maybe the Nets just don’t have a high grade on Whitehead. But if the Nets pass on him twice, there are executives across the league who will at least pause momentarily wondering what that could mean.

A few other teams have multiple first-round picks and might be more inclined to take the shot on Whitehead. Indiana has both No. 26 and No. 28 with a coach in Rick Carlisle who values shooting at an exceptionally high level. Charlotte has pick No. 27 in addition to No. 34.

The most likely outcome is Whitehead goes somewhere in the first round. But league sources are all over the map in terms of how this plays out.

 

https://theathletic.com/4606733/202...es-scouts-on-the-top-guard-prospects-in-2023/

Jalen Hood-Schifino

College Assistant Coach 3 (his team played Indiana): We love this kid. … He is a midrange nightmare. If he beats you to the elbows, he’s got the size to raise and shoot over you. (He’s ) 6-6, about 215. Played point guard for them after Xavier Johnson got hurt, and they were better with him because he was more dynamic with the ball. He is a little bit turnover-prone. But he loves the screen-roll dribble into his own shot, as long as he’s going right. If he’s going right, he’s deadly. You can’t let him get downhill; you’ve got to get the ball out of his hands. If they did that, they had Trayce Jackson-Davis on the short roll. But he is a really dynamic player. He’s not as good defensively as he was offensively, but he’s such a good player. …

That’s about all (Indiana coach Mike Woodson) does, simple pro stuff: turnouts, floppy, get the ball back to him on a high screen-roll to the right elbow. I know Woody is a fairly demanding defensive coach. I think he is just young, being a freshman. He reminds me a little bit of Chauncey Billups. He’s got similar size — I don’t know if he’s the leader Chauncey is, because they had Trayce there, and this kid’s a freshman. But, a really good player.

College Head Coach 3 (his team played Indiana): I think he could be one of those guys you look up and he’s an All-Star. Because at his size, with his ability, and his IQ, he’s one of those guys that can make the game easy for himself and easy for other people. When we played them, he was the difference. He won the game. … We led most of the game … (but) when it came down to winning time, Hood-Schifino took it to another level. I was like, ‘Man, that’s pretty good.’ As he continues to grow in his game and grow just in his craft, he’s going to be one of those guys that you look up, and it’s not going to be a surprise that he’s an All-Star. I don’t know his work ethic, things like that. If he works, it’s scary how good he can be.

At that guard spot, he has size, but he also has skill. He would have been one of those guys that, back in the day, like Eric Snow played with (Allen) Iverson. He would have been one of those big point guards that can guard a two, to allow the smaller two guard to guard the point guard. I look at his ability not only to create for himself but to create for others. That’s what makes him really intriguing.

The other part is he has that ‘big play’ type of ability. He’s not afraid of the moment. I think you can play him on the ball, you can play him off the ball. I think with more time, depending on where he goes, but every NBA team, for the most part, does a great job with player development, I think he can, his shooting is only going to improve too. I think he has a chance to be really, really good.

College Assistant Coach 4 (his team played Indiana): Super talented. He’s one of the guys, he’ll be a pro for a while. One of the very few guys that, he actually improved his shooting in the course of the season. Came into the season as a non-shooter. But he made a lot of big baskets for them, played with a lot of composure. Very big for them down the stretch of the season. Their season sort of when, if he played well, the team usually played well. Great size and handle, good feel for the game, made plays out of the pick-and-roll. I think he’s going to be a solid pro.

I think he played well with Trayce. He probably deferred more when Trayce was playing because Trayce was who he was for that team. When Trayce was out, it really opened up the floor for him more, made him more of a scorer and driver, as opposed to playing with Trayce, who is a guy that was always around the basket. I don’t see him having a problem making the transition. He is a complete problem in transition. I think he’ll be a better pro than he was in college. He was solid with dribble handoffs, pick-and-rolls, had a good feel, made good reads, made the right plays. I think he’s going to be really good. And because of his size, he’s a point guard for sure, but he can guard multiple positions because he’s got good size, has a strong body.

 

Kobe Bufkin

College Assistant Coach 3 (his team played Michigan): He’s a really good player. Much underrated. At the end of the year, he was their best player. He was the guy we respected the most, more than Jett (Howard), more than Hunter Dickinson. … Bufkin is a really good player. They list him at 195 pounds. Left-handed. Very athletic combo guard. And he’s very capable from 3, although he didn’t shoot it great (35.5 percent from deep). You’ve got to make him dribble, you can’t give him wide-open shots. He’s a good, good player. If he can develop his 3-point shot, that’ll determine his future in the league. He’s just got to develop his shot. Being able to play both guard spots, at his size, is going to help him. He can really guard.

Eastern Conference Executive 3: He was kind of put in on the back burner earlier in the year until Jett (Howard) got hurt, and then he started to shine and bloom. He’s a guy that, when I saw Michigan practice last year, I told the coaches I thought he had a really good chance to be pretty good. He can handle it, he can shoot it, he’s almost as good a shooter as Jett. And he can put it on the floor and do things that Jett can’t do.

They both struggle a little bit defensively. But I think Kobe has a chance. The thing I’m concerned about with Kobe, and this may be strange, but if he gets drafted too soon, by the wrong type of team, he could struggle a little bit. Because he’s so young physically, and probably a little bit mentally. He’s one of those guys that if he gets drafted a little bit later than where the mocks have him, I think he might not play as quickly, but I think he might be in a better situation. ’Cause he’s probably going to be on a team that has some vets he can learn from. He’s with a team that doesn’t have to throw him out there, that can develop him until he gets better.

Nick Smith

Eastern Conference Executive 4: Boy, I’m on the fence on him. I still think somebody might take him late in the lottery or mid-first round. I have him at maybe 16 or 17. And yet, I know there are people who like him well enough that they might jump ahead of that. When you’re a guy like him, you’ve got to be a better shooter than he is. He was back and forth. I thought he did a really good job of competing. When he came back after being out, I guess he wasn’t quite ready. I don’t think it’s fair to say he didn’t come to play. He wasn’t physically ready. I don’t think he had the best advice, the way they handled things. Now, the injury was legit. So I don’t question that. In time, he gets in the weight room and gets stronger, and I think he’s OK. I think he’ll be fine.

Eastern Conference Executive 2: He’s stronger than you think. His arms are three times bigger than KD’s were when he came in.

Western Conference Scout 2: He’s 19. What’s he going to look like when he’s 23, when it really matters? He’s not going to look like this. He’s tall enough, so he’s all right. He’s got length. He’s a good athlete. He can score. This year was really disjointed. People discount this, but he didn’t play all summer, because he had the knee operation. He missed three, four, five, six months of basketball. I’m just talking about shooting. Jumping rope. Weight work. It was all rehab. So he comes back to Arkansas … and the guy dropped out of school. … You have to take that into account. If he’s drafted, ‘Hey, dude, this is a business. This is a routine. You’re in here every day at 8:30, and we’re lifting, and we’re shooting, and we’re jumping rope, and then we’re going to go run stadium steps, and you’re coming back at 6, and we’re going to make 500 3s,’ and that’s what he does. He’s really talented. I think he’ll be fine. … Nick Smith can get buckets. When he’s healthy, he gets buckets.

Colby Jones

College Assistant Coach 5 (his team played Xavier): When he was a freshman, I told our coach, he’s a pro. I’m telling you. He’s big, he’s strong, he’s athletic. Reminds me a little of Josh Hart — that same kind of body, same kind of whatever — is he a three, what is he? I love him. He was my favorite player in the league. Athletic, really strong. I like him a lot. He really got better as he went on. … He wasn’t just relying on trying to prove he was a jump shooter, even though he got better in that area. He’s a problem in transition. Not a great ballhandler but good enough to get to his spots. He really improved his 3-point shooting. When he first came in we kind of played off of him, kind of cat and moused him and made him shoot jump shots. But this year, he was making 3s. When he’s making 3s, he’s pretty hard to guard. And he can post.

I just like the fact that he competes. He’s not cool. Some of these guys are cool and they play cool. He’s not like that. That’s why I fell in love with the kid. I just like his whole DNA. He’s one of the best defenders in the league. He can guard one through four because he’s such a tough competitor. Physical, doesn’t back down. I might be overselling him, but I’ve watched him play for three years, and he’s my scout. I’ve watched him a ton, beyond watching him on TV. I’m glad he’s gone, put it that way.

College Assistant Coach 6 (his team played Xavier): I haven’t figured out how good he is. I think he’s good. I’m not going to say I get unbelievably excited. He’s got a great frame. I like him. Plays hard, does all the other little stuff. He don’t impact the game the way a Jordan Hawkins does, the way an Andre Jackson does. I’m not sure what he’s elite at. He’s good at a lot of things.

College Head Coach 2 (his team played Xavier): Interesting one. He has a chance to be good too, but at 6-6, 6-7, I think he needs to be a little bit better defensively in order to have an impact. You have to think about who he’s going to be going up against each night. I do think he has a chance to be good. Defensively, he’s got to have a little bit more dog mentality. The other part of it is, will he be able to shoot it well enough and consistently enough to really make an impact? I do believe this, again, it all depends on where he’s drafted and what they do with his development that will say everything. … In college, you can get away with some of that stuff and still have an impact on the game. In the pros, they’ll just not guard him if he’s not willing to shoot. They just won’t guard him. Now it’s like, if you won’t guard him, can he still have an impact on the game?

 

Brice Sensabaugh

College Assistant Coach 3 (his team played Ohio State): It went from, he didn’t play his junior year of high school because of the knee injury. He was very under-recruited. He’s got a legit NBA body. Bonzi Wells, but maybe even a little bigger. He’s hungry to score. If you let him get to his left hand, he’s big and strong enough to raise up over you. Great in the midrange and he’s good enough to get by you if you put a bigger guy on him. Good cutter. We wanted to force him right. He’s a pro going left. … He’s a little like Hood-Schifino; can he become a good defender (in time, because he’s so young?

Western Conference Scout 2: He’s a professional scorer. What I saw him do to (North Carolina’s) Leaky Black in the Garden, what I saw him to do Caleb McConnell at Rutgers, who was the (co-) defensive player of the year in the Big Ten, was a joke. Now, he doesn’t guard anybody. He doesn’t even try. I get it. But, at pick 30? He’s going to be in the game, and there’s always going to be some mutt you can guard. There just is. Go guard (Rudy) Gobert, come up with something.

Can (Deni) Avdija score? Not really. And if you can’t, then we can’t play you; we’ll just send you to the G League. But you have to have some kind of pride, right? Give me an effort. Defense, to me, is effort, obviously. But understanding the defensive game plan. What are we trying to do? Are we going to blitz pick and rolls? What’s our rotation pattern? If you’re smart enough to understand that, at least you’re in the right area. Because at the other end, he can score.

Leaky Black is an elite defender. They called timeout on consecutive plays, and (Ohio State coach) Chris Holtman goes, ‘OK, here’s the play; get the (bleep) out of the way and my man’s going to go hoop.’ He got a bucket. He got another bucket. This is a freshman against a fifth-year senior, long, 6-9. And (Sensabaugh) said ‘(bleep) you.’

College Assistant Coach 4 (his team played Ohio State): It had to be something, because they were far too talented to struggle during the season the way they did. He’s super talented. He’s just a baller. Really made changes to his body, got in better shape, leaned out. He knows how to score. Can go get a bucket whenever you need one, can go get his own shot. You don’t see too many guys like that any more. He had an unbelievable year in my opinion. I was looking at his numbers and saying, ‘He’s doing all of this, and he’s not even in shape.’ That was always my thing. Somebody get him, and I don’t know if he’s lazy; I don’t know his habits. But if somebody gets him to really lock in on the things he needs to do from a physical/body standpoint, he should have a chance to be really good. He knows how to play.

Ben Sheppard

College Head Coach 4 (his team played Belmont): I’m glad he’s gone. I didn’t really know Ben until this year. I was kind of thinking, he’s going to have a chance. Somebody asked me (before the season) what I thought, and I was thinking he’s probably going to be a second round, two-way guy. The thing that separates him, and obviously, Belmont has a great program, and they’re well-coached. But he never stops moving. He reminds me in a way of Rip Hamilton. Rip has that lankier body, and Rip’s probably a couple of inches taller. But he never stops moving. He’s always cutting. He really runs the wing, every time. He comes off screens hard, every time. He’s got great size, he shoots it. He’s a really, really good competitor… He’s going to be a guy, four-year guy, gonna be ready for whatever happens — two-way, G League for a minute, then called back up. He’s going to have the maturity and experience to do whatever they need, until he finds his total niche. …

I think his best attribute is he’s got great size and length, but he is a really, really good athlete. When you talk about cutting and running and moving, he does that every time, every possession, as hard as he can. That’s the separator for him. When you watch old Pistons tapes, Rip Hamilton’s coming off a stagger here, baseline runner here, catch, face, knock it down…

Ben never stops moving. Everything they did ran through Ben. There’s three or four actions they’re going to go to, and it’s going to Ben. They love to lift the floor, quick reversal to him, floor’s lifted, and he’s going to catch (and) rip. In situations like that, any time he catches on the wing, we would want him to go back middle. If not, he’s so athletic, he can get to the basket: one, two dribbles, and he’s at the rim. … No catch and shoot 3s for him. He shoots it too good. He’s just so efficient. … He could go to a really good team, because he’s not going to be a lottery pick, and he’s going to have the maturity to fit in with that team.

College Assistant Coach 7 (his team played Belmont): He does a good job, and Casey Alexander’s a good coach. Number one is transition. Belmont, over the course of the years he’s been there, and even without him, they’ve always pushed the pace in transition. We would use him to show our guys, here’s how you sprint in transition. Here’s how you sprint a cut. Everything he does, he does with a purpose.

Number one was transition, just getting out in transition, whether that’s running the wing and getting to the rim, whether that’s running the wing and spotting up for 3s. … In half court, they did have some actions for him, some backdoor actions, some stuff to get him some shots. He can play on ball or he can play without the ball. Legit 6-5, 6-6. Has good ball skills. Even when he’s off the ball, he’s sprinting his backdoor cuts, his sprinting his shake or lifts from the corner to the wing to get open. He has such good size that he can spot up and score over you. He has a good feel for the ball, whether he’s making a play for himself or for his teammates.

He was first team All-Defense in the Missouri Valley. Not an overwhelming athlete, but he’s a good athlete. Doesn’t have overwhelming length, but he’s got good length. Doesn’t have overwhelming quickness, but he’s got good quickness. And he really competes. What really helps him is he’s knowledgeable. He’s got a high IQ. And he competes.

He understands what he can do defensively, and what he can’t. I don’t think he gets outside of himself trying to reach or gamble. He plays good positional defense. Keeps his guy in front. Uses his length to contest shots. He plays with an edge. … After his third 3, he hit one right in front of our bench. And I knew our bench had said something to him before he shot it. He just looked at our bench and smiled after he made it. I walked over to our bench and said, ‘Listen, here’s the deal tonight. Y’all can talk to anyone you want on Belmont except Ben Sheppard. Leave that dude alone. He’s already going. Leave that dude alone. Talk to the rest of them, but don’t talk to him.’

 

Dariq Whitehead

College Assistant Coach 8 (his team played Duke): He made big shots (against us). He just has this ultra pro demeanor to him. Made big shots. He may not do anything (early), but then he’s going to catch it, pump fake it, rip you to the rim, finish over the rim. I think he would have been better under Coach K than (Jon) Scheyer. I don’t think Scheyer did a bad job, but I think early on, everybody was just kind of figuring it out. He was in, he was out, he was just OK early.

I think he had a bigger rep coming out of high school. I don’t know; did Duke say, ‘Listen, you’ve got to leave?’ Not pushing him out, but I don’t know. He’s a good player. He’s very, very talented. They had all those guys, and you had (Kyle) Filipowski trying to find his way. Sometimes when you have all those guys on a team, sometimes it can hurt you.

(Whitehead) was good. He made some shots. Legit 6-6, maybe 6-7. Freak athlete. Probably wanted to do more. … You could tell he was a little frustrated on the court. I watched him on Team Durant a couple of years ago, with him, Judah (Mintz), Chas Kelley, all those guys. And he was terrific. Very, very smooth. Big kid. He’s a prototypical NBA wing. He’s your 3-and-D wing.

College Head Coach 5 (his team played Duke): I saw him a lot in high school. I don’t think this year at Duke is indicative of who he is. Obviously, he had the injury. The thing he never had at Duke was the explosiveness he had in high school, and I would attribute that to the injury. He can really shoot the ball, but you never really saw any pop, like you saw in high school. In high school he could get to the basket, and he could finish on top of you. You just didn’t see that this year, and I’m assuming it was because of the injury.

But he can really, really shoot. Even guys you see in college that are like, you say they’re really good athletes, it seems they get bouncier when they get to the league. … that’s their job. You’re not worried about school. You’re just training, you’re just hooping. … They had all gotten better (by the end of the season). They were all more comfortable with what they were doing, with the system, with the style.

It was very different from how it was with Coach K, some of the things they did offensively. And also, they had a very young group. They had freshmen all across the board, that played an integral part. … he was OK (defensively). He was someone we tried to pick on. And it’s tough for freshmen. It’s tough for freshmen, period, but especially on the perimeter. You’re just not used to guarding out there.

 

The next Jalen Brunson if he's eating in the midrange area

 

Teams and agents do not expect the Houston Rockets to keep the No. 20 pick. This would be a spot on the board where Houston would simply look for a future protected first-rounder in return.

 

https://theathletic.com/4620728/2023/06/19/nba-draft-prospects-rankings-scouts-finch/

Amari Bailey, 6-5 freshman guard, UCLA. “He turned the ball over too much. He played off the ball this year, but he’s gonna have to have the ball in his hands to have success. Will he be able to defend twos? Probably not, because he has average speed. His 3-point shooting isn’t where it needs to be, but it will get better. I liked how he battled through things at UCLA. Mick (Cronin) coached him hard but the kid did not blink.”

Emoni Bates, 6-10 sophomore guard, Eastern Michigan. “He’s not even on our board. Just too much of a circus. He has a scorer’s mentality but bad shot selection. He’s one of those athletic-looking guys that’s not really athletic. He has no interest in playing defense or utilizing his other abilities. He needs to learn how to play with other good players. Very talented skill-wise. He was good at the combine but his body needs a lot of work. I’ve heard he’s done a pretty good job during his workouts.”

Anthony Black, 6-7 freshman point guard, Arkansas. “Guys with that kind of size and ability to handle the ball are successful. He’s gonna become a better finisher as he gets stronger. I’m a little concerned about his lack of foot speed and his shooting, but I think he’s smart enough to figure it out. People are comparing him to Josh Giddy. His shot is going to have to come around so defenders aren’t going under screens against him.”

Kobe Brown, 6-7 senior forward, Missouri. “I’m probably not as high on him as the consensus. I think he’s undersized. I struggle to figure out who he defends. I think the coaching staff at Missouri put him in a role where he was able to excel. He’s done a good job with his conditioning, but that could be a problem down the road. He shot it well last season for the first time in his career. Is that real? The question is whether he’s going to make it athletically. Really high-character kid.”

Kobe Bufkin, 6-5 sophomore guard, Michigan. “Love him. He’s rising big-time. He’s good in the pick and roll, makes good decisions, but needs to become a better shooter. He needs to put on some weight, but you can say that about just about every kid in this draft. I like that he didn’t play a lot as a freshman, but he didn’t pout and transfer. He doubled up his effort and pushed his way into the rotation. He has a scoring mentality but he can also make plays for his teammates, which is intriguing.”

Noah Clowney, 6-10 freshman forward, Alabama. “He’s a tricky one for me. The guy shot 28 percent from 3, and Nate Oats let him shoot it. A future play. Rebounds, blocks shots, capable passer, versatile defensively. He needs to get much stronger. He’s not fluid with the ball. He’s catching and rebounding but not doing a whole lot off the dribble. He didn’t have a great season but you can see the pathway. Really, really nice kid, but you’re looking at two or three years until you can get anything out of him on an NBA court.”

Ricky Council IV, 6-6 junior guard, Arkansas. “If he fails it will be because of his shooting. He has a motor, he’s tough, physical, strong. He’s what you want from an athletic 3-and-D wing in the NBA. He has the D but doesn’t have the consistent 3. Can he get there? I’m not sure his scoring will translate to the NBA because guys are gonna play off him. He’s small for a two guard.”

Gradey Dick, 6-8 freshman forward, Kansas. “One of the top shooters in the draft. Plays with swag. He’s surprisingly tough for a shooter. He’s not afraid of competition. Takes charges, tries to rebound. His weakness is defending the perimeter. If he’s guarding athletic wings, that will be a challenge. He’s not creating off the bounce yet so he’ll need someone to get him shots. My concern is who’s he gonna guard, but the way things are in the NBA with all the switching, he’ll be fine. When you’re 6-8 and can shoot, you don’t have to be a great athlete. He’s not just a shooter, he’s a pretty good basketball player who can put it on the floor and get to the rim. He’s a goofy, funny kind of personality.”

Adam Flagler, 6-3 senior guard, Baylor. “Not a fan at all. He’s a good shooter, not a great shooter. He’s not ready to play point at our level. Tough kid, has some ability to score, but there aren’t too many little guards playing in the NBA. The other question is, can he find a balance between scoring and making plays for his teammates? I like that he’s been in a winning situation. He has to overcome being a little smaller by being a dog, and by playing hard and smart and efficient.”

Keyonte George, 6-4 freshman guard, Baylor. “Is he a two or a one? If he’s a two, he’s a little small. He can be a creative scorer but he didn’t make plays for his teammates. I think he takes bad shots. He has to learn to be more efficient. The question is whether he will commit to the defensive end. He’s not going to be an NBA playmaker. He came a long way in terms of his work ethic and maturity.”

Jordan Hawkins, 6-5 sophomore guard, UConn. “Best shooter in the draft. To me, he’s like Devin Booker. Devin wasn’t that well thought of coming out of college. Has the ability to catch and shoot, or score off one or two bounces. He has a quick release. He has some talent defensively, but he has to get stronger, and you wonder how much he will buy into that. Physical play does bother him. You worry about him getting pushed around. You hope in time he can become a pretty good defender. He has to at least not be a net negative on defense.”

Scoot Henderson, 6-2 point guard, G League Ignite. “Absolute specimen of an athlete. He’s a very good midrange shooter but I don’t think he’s a good 3-point shooter right now. His teammates love playing with him. I hear nothing but good things about his character and his work ethic. He’s still very young. He had a lot of up-and-down games where he didn’t really show up and compete. His game didn’t evolve much this year. He has all the tools to be an all-star-level point guard. He’s Donovan Mitchell and Derrick Rose. The guy’s a killer.”

Taylor Hendricks, 6-9 freshman forward, UCF. “Love his upside right now. Has a lot of versatility offensively and defensively. He can play the three or the four, and even some small five. He’s not a rim protector, but he gives you that Jaren Jackson type of feel. They had to play him out of position because they weren’t that big. Physical strength is a weakness. He’s got kind of a laid-back personality. He can go through stretches in games where he doesn’t assert himself. His game is just so young right now, but his ceiling is so high.”

Trayce Jackson-Davis, 6-9 senior center, Indiana. “Not a fan. He’s an undersized five who’s not a rim protector and can’t be a switchable defender. He’s gonna have to get some kind of offensive package. Pretty good finisher, good size and strength, not the most athletic but good enough. Can he defend stretch bigs? I think he can facilitate your offense from the middle of the floor. He needs to become a consistent 15- to 17-foot jump shooter. At our level, if you can’t shoot the ball you have to be elite at one other skill.”

Jalen Hood-Schifino, 6-6 freshman point guard, Indiana. “Mature and physical. One of the best ball screen guards in the draft. Streaky 3-point shooter. I worry about his ability to get by people. He needs a ball screen to create an advantage. Not the best athlete, but he plays at a good pace and has a good feel for the game. I love his toughness and character. He’s going to have to improve on his decision making. He predetermines a lot of his decisions, especially coming off ball screens. When he gets around the rim he doesn’t have that pop to him.”

 

Jett Howard, 6-8 freshman guard, Michigan. “I think he’s sliding in the draft right now. His lack of rebounding is extremely concerning. He doesn’t go in to fight for rebounds. He’s kind of lazy off the ball defensively. He just doesn’t know how to use all his tools right now. Skilled, high IQ, good size for a two guard, but he has average athleticism. Is he a two or a three? I wonder if the kid works hard enough. I think he plays in the NBA for a while because of his size and shooting ability.”

Andre Jackson, 6-6 junior forward, UConn. “If he could shoot at all he’d be a lottery pick. Competitive locker room leader. Mr. Utility Guy. He can do all the Draymond Green stuff. He won’t fit in everywhere. He came to Chicago for the combine and it looked like he was trying to change his shot from what he did during the season. It was awkward. His shot’s gotta be torn down and rebuilt. He has elite athleticism and the ability to make plays, but he has to be in the right situation.”

G.G. Jackson, 6-9 freshman forward, South Carolina. “Classic high-risk, high-reward. From a talent standpoint he could be first team all-NBA someday. He’s a jack of all trades, master of none right now. Plays with a decent motor. Doesn’t have a clear position yet. Played like a guy that was trying to make it to the NBA instead of trying to win games, but remember, he should have been a senior in high school. He went into a situation at South Carolina where he had to be the guy, and I don’t know that he was mature enough to handle it. He needs a team that will be patient with him.”

Jaime Jaquez, 6-7 senior forward, UCLA. “Winner. He’s a less athletic version of Andre Jackson. He can help you win by doing all the little things. His weakness is athleticism and quickness. His shooting is solid, but he still needs to become consistent. High-character guy, good work ethic, was obviously a tremendous leader. I think with a more reduced role, he’ll be even more athletic. At UCLA, I thought he looked tired because he was asked to do so much. Not the best athlete on the floor, but he’s crafty with the ball, and he knows how to draw fouls.”

Keyontae Johnson, 6-6 senior guard, Kansas State. “I like him but he’s frustrating. He can guard threes and fours, maybe some small fives. Needs to get better with his ballhandling. He has slow feet, but he’s a physically strong kid. He’s a dog. He has a tremendous will but there’s some skill stuff he’s gotta get better at. Two or three years ago he was probably a lottery pick. He had the heart problem, but he’s gotten cleared, so I think everybody is comfortable with his medicals.”

Colby Jones, 6-6 junior guard, Xavier. “He leaves you wanting more. I’m trying to figure out what position he is. Good culture guy, all about the right stuff, but will his lack of overall talent catch up to him? He needs to become a more confident shooter. He doesn’t really pop for me. High IQ guy, good playmaker, good defender, has some toughness.”

Maxwell Lewis, 6-7 sophomore guard, Pepperdine. “He’s a mystery man. Is he just a product of playing for a terrible team? He shot it very poorly the second half of the season. Has good length and physical features. He’s a little loose with the ball when he drives, but he’s a good finisher. He has a lot to learn about how to play the game, but if he puts on weight and gets some reps, I think you’ve got a good NBA player. Doesn’t move as great laterally as you want him to. He’s a pretty good athlete in the open floor, which gives you hope he can be that 3-and-D wing everybody looks for.”

Dereck Lively, 7-1 freshman center, Duke. “He could be Tyson Chandler, or he could be Willie Cauley-Stein. He’s got the rim protection, super length, good quickness for his size. He has shown flashes of having a jump shot but needs to develop that. Tremendous athlete, can really run and jump. He didn’t have a big role offensively but it didn’t impact his effort level. Anybody you talk to in his life says the kid is in a really positive frame of mind. He could spend some time in the G League, but from everything I hear he’s one of those guys who’s grateful for any opportunity he gets. I’ve heard whispers about him being a good shooter, but I haven’t seen it yet.”

Chris Livingston, 6-7 freshman forward, Kentucky. “What does he do? He’s not a high-level 3-point shooter, he’s not a high-level creator off the bounce. He can rebound a little. Never did find himself this year at Kentucky. He’s not a consistent jump shooter. He’s just not very skilled. He has good competitiveness, love his character. Later in the season he started to realize who he is, which is a tough, slashing athlete. He’s not a shooter, but he can make shots. He has first-round talent, but he didn’t have a great year.”

Seth Lundy, 6-6 senior guard, Penn State. “I was really impressed with Lundy at the combine. He’s an average athlete but he’s got a lot of confidence, and he can really shoot the ball. He needs to learn how to play against athletic players. Can he make other guys better? He needs to give you a little more on defense than he has in the past. He has never really embraced it. When he gets out of his role of catching and shooting, things go a little awry for him.”

Brandon Miller, 6-9 freshman forward, Alabama. “That’s the man. All you have to do is watch that South Carolina game to see what he’s capable of. He was going through all that trouble and he was still able to lock in. He has the potential to be a good defender at multiple positions. His decision making off the court is definitely a question. In interviewing people and talking to people around him, there’s no concern about his character. He made a bad decision that turned out to be tragic, but from everything I’ve heard he’s not a bad kid. Hopefully he learned his lesson.”

Jordan Miller, 6-7 senior guard, Miami. “I waver on him because he has played the four most of his career. He’s going to have to transition to a three man at our level. He has a solid motor but he’s inconsistent. He wants to be a scorer but doesn’t have a high-level scorer’s mentality. I worry about his lack of athleticism, but I hear he’s got a tremendous work ethic. I just worry for that position, you’re talking about defending some of the best athletes in any sport. He needs the ball to have success and I don’t see him having the ball at our level. He’ll spend a lot of time in the G League.”

Kris Murray, 6-8 junior forward, Iowa. “He can fit in on a team with a bunch of stars. Pretty good shooting threat. His weakness is creating off the bounce. He’s very smooth. There’s a question there about lack of foot speed. He’s a better shooter than his numbers show. He had to take a lot of tough shots at Iowa. He has a really good feel for the game. He has the size and the IQ to be a good role-playing forward in the NBA. I don’t think he’s the toughest cat, but he fits the NBA the way we play now.”

Julian Phillips, 6-8 freshman forward, Tennessee. “Buyer beware. I don’t see it. He’s got length, he’s got athleticism, but he needs to become a reliable shooter. I don’t know how mentally tough he is. His offensive game needs to come around. He’ll be on the floor first because of his defense. He’s a little weak to finish through contact right now. I’ve heard he’s been tremendous in his workouts.”

Jalen Pickett, 6-4 senior guard, Penn State. “He’s the old man at the Y. If he finds a team that appreciates that, he’ll have a place coming off the bench. Strong off the dribble. Can he shoot it consistently enough from 3? I don’t think he’s a sure thing. Not a very good athlete. I’m not sure what his position is. I don’t think he’s gonna be able to guard point guards. He doesn’t shoot with range.”

 

Olivier-Maxence Prosper, 6-8 junior forward, Marquette. “He’s really made the draft process work for him. He made 3s at the combine and opened people’s eyes, but I don’t know if that’s really indicative of what he can do. Could be a high-level 3-and-D guy. His weaknesses are consistent shooting and ballhandling. He didn’t shoot it well in college. Offensively he’s got a ways to go in terms of his 3-point shooting. Some nights he looks like a big-time player, and some nights you don’t know he’s on the floor. I don’t trust his feel for the game.”

Adama Sanogo, 6–9 junior center, UConn. “I just don’t see him making it. He’s a dinosaur. He’s not a rim protector, not a switchable defender. Great kid, but there may not be a place for him in today’s NBA. He’s going to struggle guarding stretch fives and stretch fours. Sometimes you just run out of talent. Can he make it as a center in this league at his size?”

Marcus Sasser, 6-2 senior guard, Houston. “Love this kid. He has toughness, he has a scorer’s mentality, can score at all three levels. Being able to play point guard will be a determining factor for him, because he’s small at the two spot. Comes from a program that practices as hard as anybody, so he’s not afraid to work. He’s not, like, a jet athlete. He’s gonna be in incredible shape, never gonna get tired. I don’t know if he can create much offensively outside of a stepback right now. He’s a first-round talent but people are afraid of his size.”

Brice Sensabaugh, 6-6 freshman guard, Ohio State. “He’s a very good scorer, but I worry about his body. His lack of defensive ability is a question, or maybe it’s a lack of a desire to play D. I don’t know if the way he scores will translate. He doesn’t rebound, doesn’t defend, not a good passer. He can really shoot, but he’s not a guy that gets all the way to the rim.”

Nick Smith, 6-5 freshman guard, Arkansas. “This was kind of a throwaway year with the knee injuries, and he tried to make up for lost time when he came back. You could tell he was forcing the issue to prove he’s a lottery pick. I’m not sold on him yet. He has to become a better perimeter shooter. He needs to get stronger, because he has a history of being injured. If you go back to his senior year of high school when he played in all those all-star games, a lot of people thought he was the best player at those practices. He doesn’t know a good shot from a bad shot. But for that kid to come back to Arkansas and play in February, to me, that says a lot about him. Because it probably hurt him draft-wise.”

Terquavion Smith, 6-4 sophomore guard, NC State. “I don’t like the way he plays, but he’s athletic and fast, and he can make shots. He could become a good player but he scares me. He’s a scorer more than a shooter. Can’t play without the ball in his hands. He has some defensive capabilities but that’s not what he wants to do. He’s like a Lou Will who comes off the bench and gets you buckets. He took a lot of bad shots in Chicago. I don’t know if he can be a high-usage guard like he was at NC State. His frame is pretty light, so I don’t know if he can handle NBA physicality.”

Julian Strawther, 6-7 junior forward, Gonzaga. “I don’t think he’s as aggressive as he needs to be, but he’s got size, he can shoot it. He’s a plug-and-play guy for a team that’s looking for one. You want him to be a better defender and a better rebounder. He’s a below-average athlete for an NBA wing. It’s questionable if he’s going to be able to get his shot off at our level. He’s got a low release, and he’s a little slow laterally.”

Ausar and Amen Thompson, 6-7 guards, Overtime Elite. “They’re one of the few sets of twins where the talent is pretty equal. They have elite-level speed, quickness, athleticism, versatility, playmaking ability off the bounce. The competition they played against wasn’t very good. None of the OTE guys get better. They’re glorified AAU games. I don’t think they’ll ever be great shooters, but I think they can get to the point where they’re respectable. I like Amen better because he’s more of a true point guard. Their careers will be dictated by how they develop their shots.”

Drew Timme, 6-9 senior forward, Gonzaga. “I hope he makes it, but I just don’t think he can. He scores with his back to the basket, and I don’t think that’s gonna translate to the NBA. He won’t be able to defend anyone. Some guys are just really good college basketball players. He’s a below the rim, undersized center. If he makes it, it’s because of his motor, his toughness and his IQ, but there’s more on the side of why he won’t make it.”

Oscar Tshiebwe, 6-9 senior forward, Kentucky. “He has to improve his shooting but he knows how to go get the ball. He did a workout in Chicago where he shot really well from 15 to 17 feet, and he even made some 3s. More of an offensive rebounder than a defensive rebounder. He’ll struggle to guard stretch fours and fives. He doesn’t have a skill set that’s elite. I don’t know how teams will use him on offense. His hands are just OK, but he’s got a motor and he’s tough and he can rebound the heck out of the ball. I think he would destroy the G League.”

Azuolas Tubelis, 6-11 junior forward, Arizona. “Just not good enough. He’s skilled, but his athleticism is just OK. He’s going to struggle defensively. I don’t see him getting drafted. If he can improve his shooting he has a chance to be a backup big. Banging in the paint will be a problem for him. I don’t think he’s the toughest guy in the world. He’s going to have to be a knockdown shooter in order to make it.”

Jarace Walker, 6-8 freshman forward, Houston. “Great feel and a terrific passer. He can cause offensive mismatch problems because he can take bigs off the bounce and post up little guys. Has to continue to improve as a shooter. His position right now is a four but he may be able to play some three as he gets quicker. I thought he passed the ball well. I don’t see an all-star, but I see a starter down the road. There’s some worry about him not being an alpha type player.”

Cason Wallace, 6-4 freshman guard, Kentucky. “He’s one of the safest picks in the draft. Nothing sexy about him, but he can play the point, he can shoot, he can score in the midrange, he’s got solid athleticism. Doesn’t really have a burst. He never got rattled when Calipari would yell at him. Needs to develop his point guard skills. Still needs to develop his pick-and-roll game. He’s a high-level defender who can guard ones and twos.”

Jordan Walsh, 6-7 freshman forward, Arkansas. “I don’t understand why this kid stayed in the draft. He can facilitate and pass but he needs to become a much better shooter. Good point of attack defender, but offensively he just can’t score. He’s worth a two-way for sure. He’s a good on-ball defender, but he’s not a lockdown guy yet. He’s just all athlete right now. I don’t think he really knows what he’s doing when he’s on the floor.”

Victor Wembanyama, 7-4 center, Metropolitans 92. “What do you want me to say? He’s a freak. Generational talent. Guys don’t do the things he does at that size. He’s hitting stepback 3s like Steph Curry. I guess the main question is that body. He’s not built the same way Chet Holmgren is, but he’s slender. Porzingis is built the same way, and his body hasn’t held up well. Giannis was thin coming in, too. Victor’s got a body that I think he could put some muscle on. I’m sure he’s going to have some growing pains because he’s thin, and the NBA can be a physical league. Let’s give him a little bit of time, but the sky’s the limit.”

Dariq Whitehead, 6-7 freshman forward, Duke. “He was hurt a lot so he didn’t really show what he can do at Duke. Then he gained some weight which also set him back. He’s got good size, good feel for the game, good passing ability. He has deceptive athleticism. I thought there were times this year when he played like he was worried about his draft stock. He was a much better creator when I saw him in AAU. He’s going to have to buy into being a 3-and-D guy. Having those foot surgeries after the season and not being able to do workouts might have hurt his draft stock a little bit.”

Cam Whitmore, 6-7 freshman forward, Villanova. “He’s another one where the injury threw him off. He never really seemed to get in the flow. That said, he’s a freakish athlete who can really go to the rim and finish strong. I question his feel for the game. He plays with blinders on sometimes. I think the NBA game will be better for him. There are questions with his decision making. Things have to be simple for him, but he’s a forceful dude. The shot is not broken, but he’s not a knockdown shooter right now.”

Jalen Wilson, 6-7 junior forward, Kansas. “I don’t think he’s athletic enough. He plays really hard so the game doesn’t look easy. He didn’t play great in Chicago. He’s a good college player, good system guy, but he doesn’t do anything that stands out. Talent is gonna catch up with him. He was a high-usage guy in college, but I don’t know if his game translates to the NBA. I don’t think he’s a great finisher at the basket. He’s not a dunker. He’s a three/four tweener, because he’s not big enough to play the four full-time.”

Isaiah Wong, 6-4 senior guard, Miami. “He can score in the midrange but needs to improve his ballhandling. If he doesn’t get drafted I wouldn’t be surprised if he makes a roster. He’s got a little herky jerky to his game. Defensively I worry about him because of his size, but this guy is shifty, and he can really score. I liked him in person even more than I liked him on film. He’s going to have to develop more of a point guard game. I think he gets a little scoring-focused sometimes. That’s a little harder to do at our level when you’re not the superstar player.”

 

Trade it in a package for Austin. Phoenix needs some cap relief and role player to fill out their roster around their new big three.

send them number 20 KJ Garuba and Tate for Ayton

 

100%

 

no to jett

 

https://theathletic.com/4614044/2023/06/20/nba-draft-confidential-2023-brandon-miller-forwards/

Jett Howard

Michigan’s Jett Howard accepted the extra burden of playing for his dad, Juwan Howard, at Michigan. The Wolverines were up and down for most of the season, but Howard shot nearly 37 percent from beyond the 3-point arc, made third-team All-Big Ten and solidified his first-round status alongside teammate Kobe Bufkin.

College assistant coach No. 2 (his team played Michigan): He’s a very good catch-and-shoot player. If he gets going, he’s streaky. Howard had a good game at Iowa where he made everything in the first half. He’s a shooter, not a scorer. Catch and shoot and off the bounce 3s. He goes right on his drives and wants to shoot the ball every time he caught it. … They weren’t connected at the end of the year. … When I saw him play last summer at the top 100 in Orlando, I thought he was a bona fide NBA guy. I’m not sold on that right now, even though he’s got the measurables. He might be a little bit soft but he’s got the bloodlines. Howard has size, but he has to develop his handle more because he wants to shoot 3s, which is what the NBA is about. But if you crowd him, you can take him out of the game.

Eastern Conference executive No. 1: Jett was never healthy and wasn’t very good defensively, so teams went at him. Juwan coached Jett hard, if not harder, than most of the other players on the team. It wasn’t like he was being soft on him because he was his son. I don’t know if the other players were upset because Jett shot the ball on the perimeter. I don’t know if the other players were upset because he was Juwan’s son. But I know that Juwan coached him as hard as anybody.

Olivier-Maxence Prosper

Marquette junior Olivier Maxence-Prosper helped himself with a strong showing at the Chicago draft combine, eliciting rumors that he was promised a first-round ticket by an anonymous team.

College assistant coach No. 3 (his team played Marquette): I like him and he’s one of those guys who you’re going to realize four or five years from now and be like, “Oh, man, this kid can play.” He’s got a chance and has the tools to make himself into a serious player. Prosper is only going to keep getting better, too. He helped himself in Chicago. If he didn’t get a promise, he should have gone back. Hopefully, he got a promise. He’s an upside kid. I like him and he does a lot of different things.

Leonard Miller

G League Ignite forward Leonard Miller pulled out of last year’s draft to refine his game this season alongside Henderson, but Miller still has work to do on his 6-10 frame.

Western Conference scout No. 1: Physically, Miller is a little weak. He’s skilled, so he couldn’t just take the ball and do his thing. Miller is long, left handed and skilled but needs to put on a lot of weight. I didn’t like him a ton when he came out of high school. But they (Ignite’s coaches/staff) think he’s the best of the guys outside of Henderson because he’s so skilled. He’ll be 20 in November.

Noah Clowney

Alabama’s Noah Clowney got a Green Room invite last week to the draft, likely signaling that the 6-10 freshmen, who did quality work on the glass for the Crimson Tide, will be a top 20 pick.

College assistant coach No. 4 (his team played Alabama): I’m probably higher on Clowney than where people have him projected. If he’s not very good in the NBA at the four, he’ll be a good five, as he continues to grow into his body. Whereas usually a guy his size probably plays five the whole time. He actually played four because they had the big guy, (Charles) Bediako in there at center. Playing the four, he can shoot the 3. Normally big men can pick and choose when they can shoot the three. But he was playing in an offense when they’re like, hey, we pass you the ball out there, you have to shoot. He was thrust into being a stretch four. Runs the court well. Long and athletic. I think his ceiling is super high. If he falls from 18 to 22 or 23, you’re going to be (on) a really good team that’s a playoff team where you can come in as a backup and play right away.

College head coach No. 1 (his team played Alabama): Clowney was more of a Robin. He’s going to emerge a little bit later in his career, but he did a great job of doing the little intangibles offensively and defensively, and not playing outside of his role or his rhythm. He wasn’t a high risk taker, but he was comfortable in what he was able to bring with his length, size, and whatever everybody else wasn’t willing to do. Nate (Oats) did a good job of making sure he was aligned in terms of the intangibles, things that don’t stand out in the stat sheet. But he was a talented role player, that’s for sure. I’m not shocked Clowney wasn’t evaluated well coming out of high school. Nate Oats and them did a good job. He came out of South Carolina, but there was a lot of guys that passed up on him. Nate took the chance on him because of his length and his shooting ability, and it played out. You couldn’t have too many freshmen acting like Batman when you had Brandon Miller doing that. I’m not shocked Clowney is leaving, because I don’t think his stock can get any higher. You’ve got to go when people love you. He could depreciate in value if he came back and tried to show everybody what he got better at, versus just getting better when he caught their eyes as a prospect.

 

Rayan Rupert

France’s Rayan Rupert took the down-under route to the draft, playing this past season for the New Zealand Breakers of Australia’s National Basketball League, one of the best hoops leagues outside of the U.S. and Europe, and which has become a pipeline in recent years for multiple players through its Next Stars program, which is how LaMelo Ball and R.J. Hampton refined their games on their way to the NBA. (Wake Forest sophomore forward Bobi Klintman, projected as a possible first-round pick in this year’s draft, signed last week to play the 2023-24 season for the NBL’s Cairns franchise.)

Western Conference executive No. 2: When I went and saw him this year, my thought on him was, he looks the part. He’s big, has long arms and wide shoulders. When he walks into a building, you notice him. His defense is way ahead of his offense. Offensively, he kind of has a simple game and doesn’t do a lot off the dribble. He doesn’t make players better and is not a tough bruiser. His offense comes down to how many shots he can make. I do think defensively he’s a nice, versatile piece at that end. I could never take him in the lottery … maybe the 20s or 30s. I’m not his biggest fan. He’s a little bit of a flier on some physical traits, but I don’t think the skill set is anywhere near where it’s going to need to be offensively.

He can defend. I think that’s going to be his calling card. He’s a little different in that he’s more of a 4 than a 3, but Jalen Terry was a guy who was highly thought of last year. He was young but another player who you knew some offensive development was going to have to happen. And he didn’t have a lot of impact this year. Part of that is on the Bulls, but sometimes these kids take a little longer if they don’t have that one piece that gets them on the court. You know how the NBA is. If you’re not picking in the top 10, you almost have to force a coach to play a guy. If they don’t do one thing particularly well, it’s harder and harder to make a case to put them on the court.

Eastern Conference executive No. 2: He studies basketball and the sport has been his passion. He’s the son of a pro and has been around locker rooms. All he’s ever wanted to be was be a professional basketball player. He isn’t coming out of nowhere. … Rupert played on all the junior teams in France and went to INSEP. He’s the prototypical French development player who’s going to come over to the U.S. and will take some time to adapt to the speed of the game and the egotisticalness of our game. He’s better at film study and being coached technically. He’s going to break the game down like a pro. He’s long, gangly and has good defensive instincts but he’s more of a loping athlete. He plays above the rim when he’s in open space. Rupert has big hands, long arms and big feet. He’s someone who’s going to fill out. He’s going to end up being 6 foot 7 with broad shoulders and big hands. He’s not Kawhi (Leonard) but a thicker, longer wing. He has a little bit more skill set than Rui (Hachimura) and can shoot it a little bit.

Kris Murray

Iowa’s Kris Murray, the twin of Keegan Murray, who was taken fifth by Sacramento last season, staked his claim this season with a first-team All-Big Ten campaign by finishing third in the conference in scoring (20.2).

College assistant coach No. 2 (his team played Iowa): He’s not Keegan, but people want to think he is. I think his draft status is still high because people think he’s going to turn into his brother. Kris is softer and plays softer than Keegan. The lefty Kris is a good 3-point shooter, (left) driver, good cutter and offensive rebounder. He’s going to run into the screen and either slip it (ghost screen), like (Max) Strus. But don’t allow any pick and pops with him. He is talented but doesn’t want to play with any physicality. He’s got good size at 6 foot 8 and 220 pounds. He’s just not as good as Keegan.

College assistant coach No. 5 (his team played Iowa): He’s a talent, but because he’s not Keegan, I hope it doesn’t do him a disservice. But Kris can play, too. He has a similar skill set to his brother but just isn’t as good. He’s not as strong, even though I think he’s longer. He has the ability to be a rim protector and might be a better defender than Keegan.

Julian Phillips

Tennessee’s Julian Phillips, a former five-star recruit and McDonald’s All-American out of high school, didn’t have a huge statistical season for the Volunteers, averaging just 8.3 points and 4.7 rebounds. But he kept his name in the draft.

College assistant coach No. 4 (his team played Tennessee): He didn’t do much this year. The way they play, and it’s a tough style for rookies, you’ve got to box out and go to the glass every time. It’s a grind offense and a grind style of defense. It usually takes guys a while to get used to that style. He didn’t do much. They tried to do some stuff to get him downhill. I thought he was just testing the waters, doing what guys do.

College head coach No. 1 (his team played Tennessee): I’m shocked he stayed in the draft. I don’t think he had the best freshman year. But everybody’s just going off of potential and talent. I don’t know much about him other than the scouting report we had, and he wasn’t as productive based off of who he was coming into college. He was asked to do some things he couldn’t do. He wanted to be a two guard and a wing in college, but he’s just not there with the talent and the age of guys in college. College was at its oldest the last two years with the COVID guys, 23, 24-year-old guys he was going at, at the age of 18. … He’s a little robotic. But he’s talented. I don’t know if he doesn’t accept who he is. … I don’t know if he knows who he is, versus who he wants to be.

Julian Strawther

Gonzaga’s Julian Strawther is the latest wing out of the Mark Few Factory.

College head coach No. 4 (his team played Gonzaga): Can really shoot the ball. A little bit streaky, but more on than off. A step slow and not real athletic, and that could hurt you at the next level. Doesn’t have the ability to break you down. But in the NBA, there’s so much drive and kick and you’ve got to be able to space the floor. And he can do that. Mark (Few) used him very similar (to other recent Gonzaga wings). He used (Corey) Kispert to make more plays for others with the ball. Strawther, he ran more stuff to get him the ball. ‘Cause Kispert could do both. Strawther tries (defensively). He’s not a dog. He’s limited. I don’t think he has the physical gifts to be a great defender. He’s a functional defender. It’s just in the NBA, they find a weak link, they go after you.

 

G.G. Jackson

South Carolina’s G.G. Jackson II took the unusual step of forgoing his senior year at Ridge View High School in Columbia to enroll early at USC. His season with the Gamecocks was wildly uneven, with Jackson struggling at times with the pressure and expectations. But, considering he turned 18 last December, it would be tough to expect consistency on or off the floor.

College head coach No. 1 (his team played South Carolina): You’ve got to understand this guy gave up prom, he gave up his senior year. He didn’t go to Overtime Elite; he went to college. And that’s tougher than what Henderson did. Because the game is different. The game is wide open at G League Ignite. (Jackson) played in college schemes, and South Carolina’s program wasn’t a good program. What he’s saying is, I’m not afraid of going to a bad franchise. If he had stayed in high school, he would be going to college right now. He’d be on campus right now for the first time. I commend his folks for attempting to speed up the process, but it’s almost like he will get his advantage from it when he signs his second contract, because he’ll have a year ahead of the (incoming) class that’s now in high school, not in college. He passed up being a McDonald’s All-American. He passed up a lot to do it.

He’s very talented. He needs a point guard. He needs shooters (around him). But he’s a good athlete. He can create his own shot, especially off the bounce, he’s Shawn Marion. That’s who he can become. He’s got to accept that, though. Shawn Marion was rebounding the ball, so he has to embrace rebounding the ball, and defending. And Shawn Marion had Steve Nash. He was running like a track star when it was conversion time from defense to offense. That’s a skill. That’s a talent. He’s got to have self-awareness as to what the next phase of his career is, because he did speed up the process. … mentally, was young, immature. And there were some things that took place I’m sure he regrets, as he admitted. But, again, he was 16 going on 17 when he decided to go to college. We would be talking about a top-10 kid if he went to UNC (this year).

Maxwell Lewis

Pepperdine’s Maxwell Lewis has the kind of positional size at 6-foot-7 to be a potential plug-and-play guy for multiple teams.

College head coach No. 4 (his team played Pepperdine): Definitely a first-round talent, in my opinion. I was reading he didn’t shoot it well that second half of the season, but I thought he was a legitimate NBA wing player. He’s got great size, he’s a real athlete, skilled, sort of a knack for scoring. Has some gifts in terms of his ability to finish around the basket, touch, finishing. He’s probably got … high hips. Who does he guard? Can he get down in a stance and chase guys off screens? I don’t know there. Maybe he winds up being a better defender of the four than a wing, even though he’s wing size. I definitely think he’s an NBA player. I would take a flyer him late in the first, because he’s got some gifts. I hate to say it, but he’s much more high risk, high reward.

Jaime Jaquez, Jr.

UCLA’s Jaime Jaquez, Jr., the Pac-12 Player of the Year, is a rarity in today’s draft landscape — a four-year, senior starter.

College head coach No. 5 (his team played UCLA): I don’t know if he’s going to be a star in his career, if ever, in the NBA. What he is going to be able to do is be able to make plays. He’s going to impact the score in a positive way. He’s going to be relentless. He’s scrappy. He’s very tough. He’s one of those guys that finds a way, finds a way to make plays. On defense, he guards you straight up. Jaquez has tenacity. He’s going to find a way to get it done.

Malcolm Cazalon

France’s Malcolm Cazalon has positional size and plenty of international experience.

Western Conference executive No. 2: When he was young, people thought of him more as a guard. As he’s matured and been on the radar for a while, people think of him much more as a wing, which is correct. He’s a little bit in the bucket where I would say he does a few things OK. He doesn’t do any one thing at an NBA level. What’s tough about a kid like him is, it’s not the same thing, but it’s a little bit of the, you can get 90 percent of him in the G League. He’s not an unbelievable athlete, doesn’t have amazing size, he’s not an unbelievable passer, feel, IQ guy, not a Marcus Smart-level defender. So you look at him and you’re like, average size, average athlete, he’s decent at this. But why do I need to draft him? Like Haywood Highsmith, who came up in the G League, he was an example of that — why do I need to draft him when I can go get Haywood Highsmith? And there’s examples of that at every position. You’re like, OK, but what is he going to do that’s really going to impact the team? … there’s no ‘wow’ factor. You want something a little more than that.

Eastern Conference executive No. 2: He’s been around forever. He’s improved a bit every year. He’s going to be a guy that goes late second round. Someone’s going to take him because they want to continue developing him. I don’t know if he’s a stash. He’s been in Europe quite a while. Maybe you bring him to your G League and say you’re going to do one full year in the G League, because he hasn’t had that type of exposure yet. He can shoot a little bit, he can handle a little bit. He’s a lefty. He’s an open book. Everybody kind of knows what he is. You’re taking because you see something, and you want to continue his growth path acclimating to American basketball.

Jordan Walsh

Someone always pops in the second round, so one or more of these could surprise if taken. Arkansas’ Jordan Walsh entered the draft after one season, betting on his 7-2 wingspan and solid performance in Chicago.

College assistant coach No. 4 (his team played Arkansas): I liked him more in high school He played really hard. He shot the ball better and scored better. He didn’t look at the rim much and didn’t shoot it that much at Arkansas. Then in Chicago it looked like maybe he was trying to do too much. You look at that team, going in, you’ve got Walsh. Then you look at that team and it was (Ricky) Council. Walsh was the guy on that team, to me, that’s going to be in the mode of Jae Crowder, where I think he’s going to be a 2-3-4 defender. I thought he was as good a defender as there was. He was guarding everybody, whether he was coming off picks, pick-and-roll. He wanted the assignment. Talent-wise, he has a chance at being a pro for a while. When (Nick Smith, Jr.) came back, even though he (Walsh) has that twitch in his shot, they put him in pick-and-rolls with Smith more than they did (Anthony) Black. He can get downhill, athletic finisher.

Kobe Brown

Missouri’s Kobe Brown brings maturity (123 career games played in Columbia) and physicality.

Eastern Conference executive No. 1: He’s a good athlete. He’s going to be a little bit undersized for a power forward, but he does a little bit of everything. He can shoot the 3, put it on the floor, create for his teammates. He’s got a pretty good basketball IQ. He’s shown improvement each year he’s been in college. … And he’s an absolutely great kid. Works his butt off. Can he be, he’s not the rebounder as this name I’m about to throw out — but he’s about the same size, body is somewhat similar, and the same offensive player at the same stage coming out of college: Paul Millsap. A 6-7, small power forward, plays bigger than they are. Paul learned how to play defense, became a better shooter in time. Kobe is probably a year older than when Paul came out, doesn’t rebound as well. But he is a much better offensive player than Paul was in college.

 

Jordan Miller

Miami’s Jordan Miller did five years between George Mason and the Hurricanes, and had a solid (second team all-ACC) super senior campaign in Coral Gables.

College assistant coach No. 5 (his team played Miami): I love him. I actually think he’s going to be a good pro. I don’t know if he’s a first-round guy, probably a second-round guy. But you talk about able to do a little bit of everything. He’s one of those NBA guys who’s just versatile — can guard, can shoot it, put it on the floor, sneaky good athlete. … I don’t know what they’re looking for, but Miller’s going to be solid. … They didn’t really run a lot for them. He just got it. But he would go post some, he’d go offensive rebound, he’d run a lane, he’d hit a kickout 3. I don’t know if he’s great creating for himself off the dribble, but you talk about spacing the floor, being able to make plays when guys are running at you, being able to catch and shoot, he can do that.

I thought he was their most valuable player. If they didn’t have him, they wouldn’t have gone as far. And I bet if you talk to Coach L (Jim Larrañaga), he would say the same thing. He was their glue. But, you know how you think of ‘glue’ as a guy where, the stats don’t show it? He was their glue, and did work. He put up numbers.

Keyontae Johnson

Kansas State’s Keyontae Johnson collapsed on the court during a game during his sophomore season at Florida in 2020. In a coma for three days, Johnson was ultimately diagnosed with acute myocarditis, also known as “athlete’s heart” — an increase in the cardiac mass around the heart caused by repeated exertion in training. The condition doesn’t normally cause sudden death in athletes if they adjust their workouts. Johnson transferred to Kansas State for his final year of eligibility and made first-team all-Big 12, finishing fourth in the conference in scoring and fifth in rebounds, shooting 41 percent on 3s, as K-State made an Elite Eight run in the NCAAs. He played 36 games and showed no recurrence of the condition. The NBA’s Fitness to Play panel cleared Johnson last month to participate in the draft, several teams contacted by The Athletic said they are taking their cues from that finding, and have him on their draft boards.

College head coach No. 6 (his team played Kansas State): He’s older (23), but … in terms of being able to help a team that’s trying to win now, Keyonte could. Older. Stronger. Been through some (stuff). Keyontae knows, he’s not going to rock the boat at all. Tough. Can make a shot. He’s probably a better defender than he’s given the effort to be, so far. I don’t know if he’s been held to account for it, but I could see him becoming a good defensive player in the NBA, which will give him another opportunity to stick around longer. Obviously, the questions about his health, I hope it’s been answered. But, not afraid. Can rebound it. Can make plays for other people. If you put a smaller, 6-3ish on him, he doesn’t mind getting physical and going down on the block and doing work down there.

Ricky Council IV

Ricky Council IV, who transferred to Arkansas this year after two seasons at Wichita State, joined the exodus of Razorbacks who left Fayetteville for the draft.

College assistant coach No. 4 (his team played Arkansas): Like him a lot. Outside of Brandon Miller, I’m really high on (Clowney and Council. ‘Cause I think they’re multiple position guys. .. he’s got a toughness, an edge to him. I watched him against other teams, and he’ll start off on the leading scorer and be doing a good job on him, then somebody else gets going and he’ll switch off on the other guy. That tells me a lot about his competitiveness and toughness.

Emoni Bates

The star-crossed career of the 19-year-old Bates, who played at Eastern Michigan this year after a difficult 2021-22 season at Memphis, has him waiting to see if he’ll hear his name in the second round Thursday. Bates averaged 19.5 points for EMU, but shot 40.5 percent from the floor for the Eagles, who went 8-23 in the MAC.

Eastern Conference Executive 3: He’s on the board as an acknowledgment of his talent.

College Assistant Coach 7 (his team played Eastern Michigan): He’s an ultra talent He’s a difficult shot maker. Once he gets going, because he’s so talented, he can make those more difficult ones. If he plays the right way, he’s really freaking good. But he’s young, 19 now, and he’s played a certain way. He’s kind of stuck in his ways. If he can figure that part out he has a chance to be pretty good. They let him play very free, and I honestly thought he played really well for the majority of the year. … I just didn’t think he ended the year well. He had some poor games to end it. … If he gets around some veteran guys who can help him he could be in good shape. It’s hard. I couldn’t imagine having all the hype and the media he’s had around him since he was in the seventh or eighth grade.

Hunter Tyson

Clemson’s Hunter Tyson played five seasons, all for the Tigers. Strong work this season (15.3 points, 40 percent on 3s) and a good performance at the G League Elite camp last month have bolstered his draft prospects.

College assistant coach No. 5 (his team played Miami): He plays hard, he can shoot it. I don’t think he’s really a consistent shooter. … Hunter had a heck of a year. Really improved. It was his fifth year of school, so you’re supposed to improve. Good athlete. Better than the average athlete. Can go dunk it on you. I think he slides OK. I’m not as high on him, but he was good. He had a hell of a senior year for Clemson. He had to, or they wouldn’t have been good.

Jalen Wilson

Kansas’ Jalen Wilson didn’t play great in Chicago, but put up big numbers (20.1 ppg., 8.3 rpg.) as a Jayhawk senior.

College head coach No. 6 (his team played Kansas): He’s a unique study. I don’t know how much I believe he’s an NBA player. He is super competitive. He’s more confident than he is good. Like, he believes in himself, which, sometimes, can give you a chance. I just don’t know at his size… he’s 6-7, he’s not a great athlete. He’s not a great shooter. He actually benefitted from Bill (Self) being pretty thin on his roster, and Bill just let him be a volume guy this year. I think Ochai (Agbaji), prior to this year, shot the most shots per game of any player Bill had coached, and he shot 14 shots per game. Jalen shot 19 shots (ed: 16) per game this year. But, he’s confident. He’s won at every level. … he needs to be a 3-and-D guy. Is he going to accept that? Is he going to work himself into being just a catch-and-shoot guy? Or does he still want to be an impact playmaker? And not that he’s a bad kid, but that’s how he’s always played.