So, there is a reason Drew Timme isn't even projected to go in some drafts. The whole "Competition" argument just doesn't matter to scouts as much as people think it does, if it did, Drew Timme would be at least a lottery pick, he dominated college for years, surely that would translate and.... Nope, doesn't work like that. The reason Amen will be picked top 5 most likely is because scouts feel he could turn into a superstar if things go right for him, Timme on the other hand...not so much. Sure, scouts could be wrong. Timme could be an undrafted all-star like Arenas was and Amen could bust, but scouts are usually right. Players are drafted for what they will be 4-5 seasons from now, not for what they would be now. So yes, long term OTE being a trash league doesn't really matter. After all, NBA teams were VERY comfortable drafting kids right out of high school until the NBA put a stop to that and some of those players went on to become GOATs...Kobe, Lebron, Garnett...Amen will be getting drafted for what teams imagine he can be a few seasons from now. That's a Westbrook in his prime kind of player or Simmons like but hopefully with his head in the right place. When people bring up this argument all you have to do is ask why Drew Timme isn't projected to get drafted. Surely the guy that dominated a prestigious league like the NCAA should AT least have a top 20 projection, right? This isn't an argument for or against Amen, just an argument against the OTE. It really doesn't matter. If teams could draft guys out of high school again they 100% would and would draft these guys in the top 5 too.
The bust rate out of high school was so high. Coupled with that, the NBA can’t help themselves drafting high potential HSers. That is one of the likely reasons that the NBA does not want to allow HSers to be draft eligible.
I think part of the reason is you are drafting more of a blank slate. There is more work to be done with a HSer than college player and so teams could actually ruin players with actual potential by putting them in bad systems by bad coaches. There was definitely a boom or bust with high school players. I guess my point was that competition didn't really matter. Like it didn't matter if Lebron was playing against actual children you knew his skills would translate. I could see him having a good career regardless of where he goes, well, I could see him being a good bench depth guy.
How much development is that dude gonna get getting 10 mins to run the team every night? I doubt Amen or any top 5 pick gonna be happy being a backup for multiple years, and I also think that's a waste of a top 4 pick. We even have Tyty who is a decent playmaker waiting in the wings. I understand your concern but PGs are a dime a dozen, we can get Schroeder along with Harden for example and thats all the playmaking we need. Guys like Walker and Hendrix are only available at the draft or if you overpay for them in FA.
The league or competition doesn't matter per se but because of the league you play in it could make you better or worse than you really are. Lamelo Ball for example went to Australia NBL which imo is prob one fo the toughest leagues in the world aside from NBA. And he looked like a scrub there he averaged few points on low efficiency and that's part of the reason GSW took Wiseman over him. OTH Amen looks like God's chosen one but that may be because he is 20 playing vs 19 yr old and under no names in the OTE. If both played in the NCAA then Lamelo would look better and Amen would look worse. How much worse? I guess we'll find out...
Two things….his athleticism is against kids and he is not even close to the OT player when playing in Eorope as per athleticism (HUGE red flag). Also, what coach in his right mind would play a guy who can’t shoot at the SHOOTING guard spot. This guy has g league bust written all over and certainly not a top 4 pick in the best league in the world. I agree with others that Grady is a better pick. With Cam, you get a five star player who was recruited insanely by the best college teams in the nation and still produced at 18 in half of his only college season. Would much rather take a chance at a Good news on Cam as he wowed at the Washington Wizards workout with a best of all prospects 40.5 vertical jump. He’s only 18 and will be a solid NBA starter by the time he hits Thompson’s age.
It's insane to me that Timme is probably not going to get drafted, but I'll bet he doesn't, at least not early, and ultimately that's probably the right call. Great college player but not much more upside for the next level the way the game gets played now. I'd probably still take a chance on him late.
He actually did pretty good at the combine with his numbers and at the scrimmage, too, from what I remember reading.
The cool thing about Amen Thompson is that he can play minutes at the 1,2 and 3. He's quick enough to defend wing guys and he's long enough ( just 1" less standing reach than Jarace Walker) to defend small forwards. If we signed Harden (please don't), You can play him along side Harden and Harden can get him some easy hoops as a cutter or from the dunker position. He's also a one man fastbreak but he can also fill the wings on the break too. If we draft him, he'll play. You wouldn't be drafting him to play with Harden, he'd be our long term PG.
He's a PG not a SG though he could play minutes there. So what coach would play a poor shooter at PG? Taylor Jenkins of the Grizzlies and NBA Coach of the year Mike Brown are two that immediately come to mind. Whitmore's 40.5 vertical was the best of anyone measured at the combine but not the best of all prospects. Amen Thompson was measured at 44" at the OTE pro day. He wasn't measured at the combine. Glad to hear that he impressed the Wizards. They seem to have a keen eye for talent.
He doesnt have a shot which sg you know got mins who cant shoot and has 0 range? He can play 1-3 defensively but if thats what you want why not Ausar? Ausar is better in that case.
If its not at the combine I dont believe this stats, like when Cade was measured at 6'8 or MJ had the 48 ich vert. Amen was willing to showcase his 44 imch vert in OTE but scared to do it at the actual combine? Lol.
Need to get Scoot somehow or trade this year's pick away for next year. We don't need to go best available, we need Scoot or just move on
Whitmore's measurements at the combine: 6'5.75 (without shoes), 8'7.5 standing reach but a 6'8.5 wingspan (which doesn't make a ton of sense to me). At 231 lbs, he ran a 10.82 lane agility, with that 40.5 vertical. For an almost 19-year-old, (July birthday), it's very impressive. FWIW, Amen Thompson measured at the combine at 6'5.75 (without shoes) 8'7.5 standing reach, with a 7'0 wingspan. No athletic testing numbers.
