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Scuzz · 06-27-2022, 10:06 AM

Suns just missed out! Love the Booker/Bam pairing, but I'm curious if they'll go with a big or grab Price at that spot.

studbucket · 06-27-2022, 06:11 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Scuzz


	Suns just missed out! Love the Booker/Bam pairing, but I'm curious if they'll go with a big or grab Price at that spot.

With the way the talent is grouped in this draft, they'll likely go with a 3 or a 4, instead of filling in with a PG.

studbucket · 06-27-2022, 06:13 PM

With the lottery done, here is the final mock draft before the real deal kicks off.

The top two picks are as everyone expects, but the mock draft (and possibly the real draft) gets wild from there. Australian sharpshooter is projected to go third to San Antonio and the Pelicans are projected to add supremely talented USC big man Raynell Ere at the 4^th spot. If they add him, they must be thinking about moving Zion to small forward and perhaps unloading Kuzma or Kevin Knox.

Portland would be thrilled if 7-foot small forward Bobby Drake fell to them at 9. The Syracuse wing has been getting more and more buzz as the draft nears for his potential and toolset.

The Clippers may be disappointed by slotting into picks 13 and 14, but if they truly end up with two Blue Devils back-to-back in Bruff and Jameson, they have to be happy with that.

Varney Grizzard, affectionately known as “The Grizz”, falling to Atlanta at 23 would make the rich richer as he’s a great shooter.

CHoops Recruits – Draft Prospect Update
This marks the second season that players that were part of a College Hoops 2K8 recruiting class will enter the NBA draft. Last year there were only two (Mason Delgado and Reid Ziri), but we have many more this year. Here are some of those recruits who have entered this year’s draft:

2020 Recruiting Class (the first one)

#1 Malcolm Nahra, PG, UCLA. Top overall recruit, Mr. Basketball, and High School All-American from Los Angeles.
#5 Sheldon Newman, SG, Duke. Mr. Basketball and High School All-American from Cincinnati, Ohio.
#15 Britton Wainright, SG, Florida. High school All-American from McAllen, TX.

2021 Recruiting Class (the second one)

#1 David Bruff, PF, Duke. Mr. Basketball, High School All-American from Brooklyn New York.

Here’s a sampling of some of these recruits that we’ll see in next year’s draft.

Marcello Barber, PF, Duke. 2020’s #2 recruit out of Houston, TX. Won freshman of the year in 2021.
Leighton Byerson, SG, Boston College. 2020’s #4 recruit from Bronx, NY.
Keston Mendoza, PF, Stanford. 2020’s #10 recruit from Mountain View, CA.
Randy Vignale, SG, Washington State. 2020’s #15 recruit and member of the 2021 freshman All-American team.
Damond Conklin, PG, Marquette. 2021’s #9 overall recruit and a solid scorer.
Jermaine Faulk, SG, Louisville. 202’s #3 recruit, freshman of the year last year, and a phenom from Biloxi, MS.

Please take the Bulgarian brothers 2023 survey. Your responses will help shape the future of this dynasty! https://forms.office.com/Pages/ResponsePage.aspx?id=DQSIkWdsW0yxEjajBLZtrQAAAAAAA AAAAAMAAII8-q9UM0FHNko3RkZWNE8yOVg5MzRaQkU2Q0lYNS4u

RolePlayer · 06-28-2022, 12:32 AM

Really like the direction you went in with the Sonics, Honu expansion draft. It's always fun to have one team who goes for it and one who tries the slow build then compare who ends out better.

studbucket · 06-28-2022, 12:16 PM

The 2023 NBA draft is now underway. The Orlando Magic are first on the clock and their fans can now hope that their years of misery are finally coming to an end. Orlando had picks 3 and 4 last season, drafting Erroll Reaser (PG, Seton Hall) and Jaan O’Donnell (SF, Duke). It seems a foregone conclusion that they will take another wing player this year in Kansas State’s Jameer Trammell.

And that’s precisely what they do. When you have a prospect like Trammell, there’s no need to worry about what to do with existing SF O’Donnell: Trammell is a very talented player who has drawn comparisons to a shorter Kevin Durant. He is a violent finisher at the rim, excels in the mid-range, and can create opportunities for himself and others. He needs to work on his hustle plays and has been shown to make terrible mistakes – like when he fouled out in 4 minutes in his final college game. Many are wondering why he and Jerry Sparks couldn’t have been more successful together at Kansas State as the two #1 picks made very little impact in their time there.

Phoenix takes 6’10” power forward from Kentucky, Horace Wolfe. Wolfe’s floor is somebody like LaPhonso Ellis, and his ceiling could take him to All-Pro levels. He’s great at scoring within 18 feet and likely will improve his defense as he grows and strengthens. The Suns needed more trustworthy talent around Booker and Bam, and it’s hard to do much better than this.

At pick 3, things get interesting. Which way will San Antonio go? There are a number of options available at nearly every position and there have been no leaks from the Spurs camp revealing where they will go. They could trade the pick for a star – it was rumored that OKC was offering T.J. Warren, but that seems to have been shot down.

Fans of teams across the league cried out in pain as their dreams were dashed. The Spurs selected National Player of the Year and soft-handed big man Raynell Ere out of USC. Ere can score from anywhere on the court, has high upside, and is competent on defense. It will be interesting to see how the Spurs handle having Raynell Ere and journeyman-yet-top-4-pick Juan King on the same roster.

This brings us to New Orleans, who has a lot of flexibility and options here. How do they want to build around Stewart and Zion? What’s the best option? Is there anyone desperate to trade up?

There wasn’t a trade deal that inherently made sense, so the Pelicans stayed pat and drafted talent that complements Zion Williamson and Adrian Stewart. That talent is in the form of 2-time national champion Jerald McLaren out of Duke. The combo guard can hit a shot from anywhere and has clear All-Star potential.

Now, it’s time for the expansion teams.

Their picks are very in line with the identities they have created for themselves so far. The Honu doubled down on their Pacific connections and grabbed Australian sharpshooter Artie Tyler. Tyler won’t be able to join for 1 more year, but it’s not like this was going to be a dream season for the Honu anyway.

The Sonics grabbed raw talent and a player that is a bit reminiscent of another seven foot forward they selected 16 years ago. He has a different game than Kevin Durant, but this pick of Syracuse SF Bobby Drake is a clear signal of their intentions to nail selections from a basketball and culture perspective

Now up are the Thunder. With all their young talent, they are ready to build a roster that can compete. Who can they take with this pick that will help them do that?

The Thunder decided they were done with young assets and ready to push for a playoff run. They traded the 7^th pick and a 2027 first for Lauri Markkanen and the 18^th pick. Markkanen will likely start at center for the Thunder, giving them several vets (including TJ Warren and Dana Bright) around their young talent.

The Bulls jumped up to take high-flying and solid shooting Matthew Carroll, a combo guard from Alabama. They seem to value him very highly and wanted to grab the guard before anyone else could. They have needed better guard play since they let Lavine go, and they hope Carroll is the ticket.

Here are the next few picks:
#8 – Washington Wizards: Roy Grady, PF, Texas
#9 – Portland Trail Blazers: David Bruff, PF, Duke
#10 – New York Knicks: Ndudi Colter, SF, Oklahoma State

I neglected to get a screenshot of Wente being drafted, so here’s the top of his player card instead.

Miami needs to get this pick right. There was plenty of talent left in the draft, and they took the #1 overall point guard, C.W. Wente, just ahead of players like Duke SF Troy Jameson. Wente led MSU to the title game before they lost to Duke and has All-Star potential, being compared to Eric Bledsoe.

With pick #12 – Indiana Pacers: Shawan Guzman, SF, Arizona.

With back-to-back picks the Clippers grab a couple of college stars and household names. Time will tell how well these picks turn out, but for now the internet loved the selections of Oklahoma big man Sherman Turner and Duke shooter Sheldon Newman. Those two players lit up the college scoreboards and give the Clipper fans something to be excited about.

Here were the next few picks of the draft.

#15 – Brooklyn Nets: K.J. Mendiola, PF, Colombia
#16 – Los Angeles Lakers: Troy Jameson, SF, Duke
#17 – Charlotte Hornets: Lamar Olson, C, Ohio State

With the pick they got via trade down, the Oklahoma City Thunder grab the top big man remaining on their board: Texas A&M center Delvon Archie. The second team All-American averaged 23.6 points and 7.8 rebounds per game for the Aggies and may provide a solid backup big in the future for OKC.

The Bulls grab 6’6” PG with 6’11” wingspan Kentrell Werch. The lanky point guard is very tantalizing but it may have been a reach for the Bulls with Tudor Filimon, Devonne Shakur, and Terrell Price still on the board. Werch’s team never lived up to their talent, but he was well rounded in college and a good playmaker.

Things fell to the Timberwolves, who were overjoyed to add Varney Grizzard to their roster. “The Grizz” is a fantastic shooter and should grow into a talented NBA player. He’s in a great situation in Minnesota to learn and grow and get plenty of open looks off the ball.

#21 – Utah Jazz: Enrique Rivera, SF, Argentina
#22 – Cleveland Cavaliers: Steve Beck, PF, Georgia Tech
#23 – Atlanta Hawks: Jave Ibikunle, PF, Florida

The Kings were able to grab 2 players in 3 picks, with the 76ers pick of Kansas center Lou Park sandwiched in between their two picks. They picked Florida’s mature playmaker Terrell Price and went full David Kahn by picking two point guards in a row as they grabbed ‘Euro-stashed’ prospect Tudor Filimon as well, hoping the investment in him can pay off.

The Rockets could not believe their luck as MSU’s Rudolph Butler falls to them. They had the high-powered scorer (who is being compared to Bojan Bogdanovic) as a top 10 player on their board and believe he is already a better player than most of those drafted ahead of him. He could have done more in college, but he helped MSU to the title game in his last season and recorded a 41-inch vertical at the combine.

#28 – Indiana Pacers: Stephan Maclies, C, North Carolina State
#29 – Memphis Grizzlies: Britton Wainright, SG, Florida
#30 – Golden State Warriors: Chip Queen, PF, Providence
#31 – Washington Wizards: Trevor Barrett, PG, Miami

The Bucks close out the first round by celebrating: they select talented guard Malcolm Nahra. He never quite lived up to his #1 high school prospect potential at UCLA, but can play the two or the one in the NBA and will have time to learn and grow on this Bucks team.

Select Second Round Highlights
Pick 36 – New Orleans selects PG Devonne Shakur from USC.
Pick 37 – Hawaii selects SG Viti Hite from Michigan State. Hite has a Fijian grandmother and his first name means “Fiji” in Fijian. The Honu are going in heavily on the Pacific and SE Asia connection where possible.
Pick 39 – Utah selects PF B.B. Falknor from Iowa State.
Pick 42 – Milwaukee selects PG Von Atkinson from Villanova. This gives them two of the ten players I said were interesting in the draft before last season.
Pick 46 – Philadelphia selects PF JaMarcus Myles from Florida.
Pick 54 – Houston selects SG Ramon Mouton from Syracuse.
Pick 58 – San Antonio selects SF Sam Zeigler from Campbell.

Please take the Bulgarian brothers 2023 survey. Your responses will help shape the future of this dynasty! https://forms.office.com/Pages/ResponsePage.aspx?id=DQSIkWdsW0yxEjajBLZtrQAAAAAAA AAAAAMAAII8-q9UM0FHNko3RkZWNE8yOVg5MzRaQkU2Q0lYNS4u

R1zzo23 · 06-28-2022, 01:55 PM

I'm already excited for 2 season from now when Artie Tyler comes to Hawaii from Australia! #HonuSuperFan

trekfan · 06-28-2022, 02:59 PM

Picking up from where I left off here which was in April of 2020 (?!?!?! My Bad!). So, first off — LeBron managed to get to the WCF only to get smacked by the Mavericks. Luka and Giannis in the Finals? Yes, please.

Giannis coming away with the win, 4-1, definitely shows how far Luka and the Mavs have to go — Luka needs a second star. Good win for the Bucks, 2019-20 NBA champs.

Interesting offseason for the NBA — didn’t see any moves big enough to knock off Giannis, but I feel like the Nets have the best chance at winning it all if not the Bucks.

Oggy’s team, UNC, has a tough path to March Madness — gonna be hard to win the conference with the way the roster shook out. Dinko’s squad looks better on paper, I got him having more success this season (we’ll see if I get it right, lol).

Dinko’s Red Flash squad smoked Oggy in the second Drago derby, Dinko definitely had a more talented team but that doesn’t mean anything without a win. Good job on him avoiding the let down.

Whoa, big NBA trades on New Years day! Beal to the Nuggets? Tough but they got a decent return (the 1st rounders are gonna determine how this trade is viewed). Griffin and Dragic to the Wizards to unload Wall’s contract? Solid — that pick protection is gonna be really important. Ayton, Oubre, and Butler to the Warriors for Bam, Green, and picks? Riley is a madman! He’s pulling a Presti and just gobbling up every 1st rounder he can!

Figured Oggy wouldn’t make the tourney, happy Dinko did and got a big win over Robert Morris — that’s the way, Dinko. Great run in the conference tourney to go dancing! Got tight in the conference title game (as it should be), what a win for the program. Dinko will be a hot candidate in the offseason.

Dinko with the win over Providence! I thought that was a good matchup for his squad, great upset for him, huge feather in his cap as a coach. Tough loss to Miami — that was one that just slipped away, but a great run for his program nonetheless. (Also, HAHAHAHAHAHA Tennessee — Go Gators. Sad they lost to ‘Nova but, hey, they made it pretty far.)

Figured Dinko would get an offer, surprised Oggy got the job against the competition — Oggy is ambitious, seems to have a bit of Larry Brown in him; will just hope between coaching gigs every few years. We’ll see if that hurts him down the line.

Can’t believe the Nets lost in the 21 playoffs — come on Brooklyn! I had you as the best chance to beat the Bucks. Giannis gonna walk to his next title I feel. Good lord, Round 2 was a bloodbath out West — favorites fell off hard. Denver and Golden State, winners in the big trade, are now facing off — who’s better?

Can’t believe the Warriors won it all! What a trade that landed them the title. That’s just a crazy deal, that’s not something we’ve seen often where, midseason, a team makes a big trade like that and rides it all the way to the title after being so low in the standings!

I think Oggy is gonna have another rough year with Stetson — I just don’t see that team being better than a .500 squad and that’s really their ceiling.

The Hornets and Heat were the big winners in the NBA draft I feel — good hauls for both those teams.

I like SFU this year for Dinko — still enough talent and upside to ride that team to a conference tourney appearance. Gonna be up to Payne to really be the lead voice for the team.

Big moves in free agency for Charlotte — is MJ finally willing to to spend like he wants to win?

Oggy and Dinko’s seasons starting off well, but Dinko still has the better team in the Derby — big win against Oggy, who has to be fuming with that performance from Stetson in the 2nd half. Big win for Oggy against his old squad though; must not have been fun playing against them but winning was needed I think.

Both brothers are killing it but I got to say, impressed that Oggy was able to turn Stetson around as fast as he has; that team is far better than I thought it’d be, big win against UNF.

Big deadline deals — PG joining LeBron, Ingram to LAC (revenge for Ingram? Let’s see if he can make LeBron pay). Fultz to Dallas is a solid move (I like Fultz a lot and wish him well, really want him to bounce back). Not sure what Minnesota is doing, Hachimura seems … okay, not a player that pushes them over the top. K-Love to WAS says the Wizards are gonna blow it up soon. Like the Memphis/Dallas/NOLA deal for all teams.

Back to college … damn, Stetson beat the snot out of poor East Tennessee. I’ll never feel bad when a Florida team beats a Tennessee team by a healthy margin.

Dinko authored his own beatdown against Fake Francis, nice win. Stetson finished the year way better than I predicted, Dinko and the Red Flash did well too considering the youth in their starting lineup.

Big win for Stetson and Oggy winning the conference tourney — he shattered expectations this season, well done. Big wins for Dinko and the Red Flash, they were clearly a cut above everyone else in the tourney. Both brothers are dancing — someone’s getting a big job offer (either in college or the NBA) in the offseason. Tough opening matchups for the brothers though — not sure an upset is in the cards.

Holy crap, Dinko beat UCONN! Didn’t expect that, I thought a close loss was in the cards — Oggy did well but DINKO, my man, he’s got to land a great job after this. Tough loss to Southern Miss, but not a terrible one I think. Can’t believe Florida fell in the Final Four to Duke — come on Gators, *sigh*

Surprised Dinko didn’t get any big offers from a local place but happy he has stability with his new contract and adopted kids; gonna be interesting to see how he balances work and family life.

Big upsets in round 1 of the NBA playoffs — Golden State going down to Houston wasn’t expected. Houston had a great season getting to the WCF. Nets vs Grizzlies is a fun series (and not very far travel for either squad), but I feel like the Nets have to win this — the Grizzlies just aren’t on their level talent wise.

Good recruiting classes for the brothers, I like Dinko going after size with the Red Flash (those three PFs will be important I feel). Stetson had a solid class too and are well positioned to make some noise next season.

Wow, closer series than expected for the Nets but they got the win when it mattered most — has to be gratifying for Durant and Irving to get that ring.

Love the new expansion teams in the NBA — Seattle being back is always great and Hawaii was not one I expected, but one that presents fascinating storyline possibilities. Will be fun to see how these two franchises develop.

Big 2022 free agency for the NBA — Dame in Boston and Brown in Portland? I’m not sure about those trades AT ALL but I think Portland comes out the better for it. Hawks were busy in the trade market, but I don’t have faith in any of those deals — think Trae Young is gonna be asking out soon.

2022 college season now, the Red Flash looking good early — 77 overall team, definitely a marked improvement from when Dinko took over. Oggy and Stetson had a close win against Davidson. Oggy finally getting a win over the struggling Red Flash — Dinko’s squad is suffering mightily.

Wow, big trade for the Clippers — Kawhi back in Toronto is inspired. DeAndre Jordan ending up in LAL is a solid landing spot for him, but I wonder if LeBron and company can really get it all together.

Rough seasons for Oggy and Dinko — Stetson just can’t keep players on the court. Despite the tough season for Oggy, he made March Madness and Dinko did, too. Great seasons from both those coaches. Tough losses in round 1 of March Madness for the brothers. Liked that both of them decided to stay the course and not leave their schools.

Wow, another 8-1 upset in the NBA! Never be the first seed out West I guess — Mike Malone can’t be comfortable after such an upset. Dallas is just rolling into the WCF, can they make it all the way to the Finals? Yes, they can! Luka vs Giannis for the NBA Finals, a ratings bonanza is born.

Tough loss for Luka and Dallas, but they at least got one more win than last time.

What an NBA draft — looks like it’s loaded.

And with that (and on page 105), I’m all caught up. Great work, fantastic presentation, and I’ve taken your survey — here’s looking forward to a great season!

studbucket · 06-28-2022, 03:36 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by R1zzo23


	I'm already excited for 2 season from now when Artie Tyler comes to Hawaii from Australia! #HonuSuperFan

I love that we have a cheering section, lol.

Alright, this journey through history warmed my heart and was fun to read, thanks for doing it Trek! Here are some responses to select moments.

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