If you watch the game, they will say a few players played in the NBA(had a cup of coffee and left) both most of the players play oversea
He can’t shoot…that’s the problem. I’m going to post a video of me playing a bunch of 12 year olds and you’ll want to draft me at #4.
They can do that by trading Jalen Green imo. Not saying I'd do it, but if they really like the Twins so much they can trade Green to Orlando for 6 and 11, take Ausar at 4 and no way in hell Detroit take Amen at 5. Rox then take a shooter like Dick at 11 and you basically have a pretty young and exciting starting 5.
He didn't "dominate" 16 -18 year olds in OTE .... what makes you think he's suddenly going to dominate real NBA players?
Did Miller dominate in the SEC? Because here are Miller's stats per 40 minutes versus Amen's: Player A: 23.8 points, 8.6 assists, 8.6 rebounds, 3.4 steals, 1.3 blocks, 57/25/66 shooting splits Player B: 23.0 points, 2.5 assists, 10.1 rebounds, 1.1 steals, 1.1 blocks, 43/38/86 shooting splits (You're right that Amen won't dominate NBA players as a rookie though, but no rookie in this class is going to "dominate" in the NBA except maybe Wemby) (and yes I know the SEC is far, far better than OTE)
That’s tempting, there are very solid players that may be available at 11 like Hendricks, Walker, Wallace, in addition to the twins at 4 and 6. Not sure I’d do it, though. Green still has upside and his floor has been raised substantially since the first half of his rookie year when he looked headed to bust-ville… I’d need more, but I don’t want Suggs and they won’t include Wendell. Maybe Bol-Bol? He really had moments last year.
It really depends on how you would look against the 12-year-olds. It is a risk, but a risk that cuts both ways. What If he dominates even more against better competition? How would we know whether he would, or wouldn't based on the footage we have? Verrry difficult.
Again, this cuts both ways. How can you tell he won't? How can you tell he doesn't have that potential? A guy playing down is incredibly difficult to scout, good or bad. Let's be consistent. (A lot of people were dogging LaMelo for similar reasons before he was drafted, back when he was chucking bricks in Australia)
https://theathletic.com/4625638/2023/06/21/nba-draft-2023-prospects-college-coaches-analysis/ Amen Thompson, 20, 6-6, G, Overtime Elite OTE regional scout: “More of a trusted ballhandler, crazy athleticism, quick first step, elite passer, can change speeds fast and plays through contact. Likes to get downhill and finish at the rim, better catch-and shoot when feet are set than on the move. His jumper is a work in progress, but progress is being made. … Elite defender with high IQ.” Ausar Thompson, 20, 6-6, W, Overtime Elite OTE regional scout: “Athletic wing, secondary ballhandler, elite defender, solid shooter, still a work in progress, but better mechanics than Amen. Good pull-up shooter from midrange … showed the versatility to guard positions one through four. He’s pesky, scrappy, tough and smart on and off the ball. Reminds me a lot of Andrew Wiggins/Andre Iguodala.”
Iko • Over the weekend as the Rockets’ draft contingent discussed prospects with the No. 4 pick, it appeared to a certain degree — both internally and externally — that Overtime Elite’s Amen Thompson wasn’t a lock just yet and that there was some momentum building with Villanova’s Cam Whitmore as well. Given the number of individuals involved in Houston’s process, strong arguments were also heard for players like Anthony Black, Jarace Walker and Taylor Hendricks but the Thompson twins and Whitmore were the names most frequently linked with the franchise. However, as talks intensified leading up to this week’s midway point with the draft some 24 hours away, Whitmore’s hype train seems to be stuck in its tracks. The Villanova wing’s workout in Houston was more of an informal session, team sources said, compared to that of the Thompson twins. Sources were granted anonymity because they were not authorized to speak on the record. The chatter about his stock sliding grows louder and while the recent national discourse has been Amen or Whitmore, the internal debate has shifted to Amen or Ausar, sources said. League and team sources are becoming increasingly confident the Rockets will stay the course and select Amen with the fourth overall pick should he be on the board. • There’s an important “should he be on the board” caveat to note. As in the case with any draft in any year, there is always the potential element of surprise. Last season, Houston was fairly locked in on Paolo Banchero with their No. 3 pick, following the league-wide assumptions Jabari Smith Jr. and Chet Holmgren were destined for Orlando and Oklahoma City, respectively — before the Magic pivoted at the 11th hour and took Banchero. A day before the draft, Rockets officials are only confident in Victor Wembanyama going first overall to San Antonio. The rest, specifically what happens with Charlotte and Portland at No. 2 and No. 3, isn’t cemented in stone. There has been a huge amount of discourse surrounding the latter two franchises and the directions they could go on draft night, with Damian Lillard’s future and New Orleans reported interest in moving up two subplots to watch. Houston’s discussions about finalizing their draft board also involve the surprise scenarios — if a team jumps up to take Amen, if one of Brandon Miller or Scoot Henderson is there etc. A team like the Rockets in a pivotal period must be prepared for every scenario. • All things considered, Houston is comfortable with the fourth pick. There was an initial wave of disappointment having missed out on a top-three selection in last month’s lottery and league and team sources say the Rockets engaged in conversations with Charlotte and Portland about the concept of moving up. But without knowing exactly what those teams are looking for in a return (and understanding it’s likely a substantial package) it’s unlikely the Rockets move up from No. 4, sources say. For example, the only scenario in which the Blazers would reportedly trade the No. 3 pick would be for a package involving a legitimate win-now veteran, something the Rockets simply don’t have. • It’s also more likely, sources say, that Houston moves out of the draft entirely than moving back from the fourth pick. Teams have inquired about trading up with the Rockets, sources say, but it would take a serious haul of draft compensation or a combination of a great player and a future pick to warrant a serious discussion. There were different scenarios from interested teams proposed but Houston’s brass would prefer to draft high as opposed to moving back. • This hasn’t deterred teams from engaging in talks with Houston, however. Although there hasn’t been an offer to this point that the Rockets have given serious consideration, sources say there have been several teams aggressively attempting to pry the No. 4 pick away, offering good starter-level players. Things can always change, but when weighing factors like age and contract of players being offered against the potential upside available at four, there hasn’t been anything that has aligned with what Houston wants to do. • The more the Rockets have had time to evaluate and dive deeper into this draft class, the more impressed they have been with the talent level. It’s gotten to the point where they are more likely to select a second player than not but it’s more of an on-the-clock situation, sources say. As such, there are several players Houston is targeting at 20 — most of whom have gotten green room invites — and there’s optimism a few could still be on the board by the time the Rockets are on the clock. • One interesting wrinkle to Houston’s interest is the prospect of moving up from the No. 20 pick. Again, conversations up to this point are mainly conceptual, but there have been discussions about potentially moving up from 20 to a range anywhere from the Miami Heat at No. 18 to the Dallas Mavericks at No. 10, sources say. Some iterations have involved the Rockets adding draft compensation while others have involved their own players or the idea of taking on bad salary. Ideally, Houston wants to preserve their nearly $60 million in cap space for free agency but given the abundance of financial flexibility, they could take on a bad contract if the upside of moving up was deemed worth it. On the flip side, if Houston stays put and the players they like are off the board by the time their pick comes around, they would be more open to trading the selection altogether, sources say. • In talks with teams, the Rockets have maintained their stance that they aren’t looking to trade anyone from their core — including top-five picks in Jalen Green and Jabari Smith Jr. and lottery picks Alperen Şengün and Tari Eason. Elsewhere, there has been interest in 22-year-old forward Kenyon Martin Jr., sources say, with his combination of age and upside still intriguing to rival NBA teams and deemed attainable internally for the right price.
The competition level at OTE draws a lot of attention. And granted, for good reasons. But I'd at least like to point out that most NCAA athletes don't go pro. The one-and-done practices have thinned that league out such that it's rare for players to draw matchups against elite size or athleticism. They are playing with a shorter 3-point line and vastly different defense rules that allow help and recovery. With a stacked roster, Dick faced vaunted competition like Duke and Texas as well as Omaha, Harvard, North Dakota State, Southern Utah, Howard, etc. He posted some good numbers along the way. Gradey Dick is a fine shooter, but he put up single digits in 33% of his games (12 of 36). Does that mean he's a terrible player? Does that mean he's non-athletic? Of course not. It means he's a freshman, playing out one year in a college league. He played 1100 minutes, and shot 40% from a college 3-point line and 44% from the field. Historically looking at raw numbers, that's not bad. That's a little better shooting than Chandler Parsons as a freshman (in more minutes). Dick will likely have a solid pro career, but you know that by looking at him, not the people he's playing. Amen Thompson is a polarizing player because his shooting is so underdeveloped at this point, but it looks to me like his game projects.
I wonder if the rockets are looking at Ausar at all if we are stuck between Miller, Whitemore, and Ausar
