2014 Draft Discussion

[jeebs9]

Re: 2014 Draft Class

That I agree with.... Really good big men are hard to find. An Elite big men comes once in a while lol

[dsallupinyaarea]

Re: 2014 Draft Class

I don't watch much college basketball so grain of salt.

Jabari's defense would scare me off if I were a GM. It's legitimately awful and he's playing against college guys right now.


Side note: way too many basketball fans treat defense like some cool luxury item. It's not. It's literally half the game and it should be 50% of a player's evaluation. So with a guy like Jabari, he's a net minus for 50% of the time he's on the floor. That's a BIG deal. You'd have to be otherworldy offensively (Curry, Harden level) to make up for it. /rant

[ojandpizza]

Re: 2014 Draft Class

Embiid's potential is overrated imo. He has a very high ceiling don't get me wrong, but those comparisons with Hakeem are hilarious and so off.

Might be overrated, but I don't know if the Hakeem comparisons are actually people saying "he's going to be Hakeem". I think it's more a comparison of how they look playing. Post up form is the same, both guys keep their hands and elbow high, neither had played basketball for very long, neither began the freshman year as a starter, both have ambidextrous hooks down low, both have smooth shooting forms, etc.. Hakeem was much quicker off the floor or maybe more "explosive" is the right word.. But Hakeem wasn't looked at as a great player when he was a freshman in college.. Which is why I wish Embiid would stay another year and learn what it's like to be a go-to big man before he enters the league, because lots of NBA teams are horrible at developing potential and 3 years down the line talented big men are ruined.

Not saying I think he's Hakeem, but outside of being less athletic, as freshmen it's not a horrible comparison.. It isn't Embiid compared to NBA MVP Hakeem, it's Embiid compared to freshman in college Hakeem.

Drafting a Wiggins or Parker over him at this point doesn't outweigh the risk you might run of missing out on his potential in my opinion.. Wing scoring is the easiest thing in the league to replace right now. Unless you desperately need a go to scorer, or really believe that Wiggins can develop into a legit NBA superstar who plays both ends at that elite level, then I think it would be much more worth the risk of drafting Embiid.

[Sportsbuck]

Re: 2014 Draft Class

From their first year in CBB...

Hakeem: 18.2 MPG, 8.3 PPG, 6.2 RPG, 0.4 APG, 0.9 SPG, 2.5 BPG, 61.7 FG%, 56.3 FT%
Embiid: 22.6 MPG, 11.0 PPG, 7.8 RPG, 1.2 APG, 0.7 SPG, 2.5 BPG, 62.3 FG%, 67.2 FT%

So their freshman years are very similar, and that's with Hakeem having a redshirt year additionally. Hakeem developed incredibly in between his 1st and 2nd year, more than doubling his blocks to over 5 per game, almost doubling his rebounding to over 11 per game, and raising his points to 13 per game. Perhaps a second year would benefit Embiid in a very similar fashion.

[redsrule]

Re: 2014 Draft Class

From their first year in CBB...

Hakeem: 18.2 MPG, 8.3 PPG, 6.2 RPG, 0.4 APG, 0.9 SPG, 2.5 BPG, 61.7 FG%, 56.3 FT%
Embiid: 22.6 MPG, 11.0 PPG, 7.8 RPG, 1.2 APG, 0.7 SPG, 2.5 BPG, 62.3 FG%, 67.2 FT%

So their freshman years are very similar, and that's with Hakeem having a redshirt year additionally. Hakeem developed incredibly in between his 1st and 2nd year, more than doubling his blocks to over 5 per game, almost doubling his rebounding to over 11 per game, and raising his points to 13 per game. Perhaps a second year would benefit Embiid in a very similar fashion.

Hakeem was also a year younger at the time. Embiid will be 20 in a month, Hakeem's age 20 year was the 14 pts, 11 rebounds and almost 5 blocks a game.
Embiid is arguably the focus of the Kansas offense when he is on the floor. His numbers should be better then they are. He also can't stay on the floor because of foul trouble.

[redsrule]

Re: 2014 Draft Class

Drafting a Wiggins or Parker over him at this point doesn't outweigh the risk you might run of missing out on his potential in my opinion.. Wing scoring is the easiest thing in the league to replace right now. Unless you desperately need a go to scorer, or really believe that Wiggins can develop into a legit NBA superstar who plays both ends at that elite level, then I think it would be much more worth the risk of drafting Embiid.

I wouldn't take Parker over Embiid. I don't think Parker is going to be as good as most in the NBA, partly do to how awful he is on the defensive side of the ball.
I would take Wiggins. I think he has the best chance of becoming a "superstar" from this class.

[ojandpizza]

Re: 2014 Draft Class

Hakeem was also a year younger at the time. Embiid will be 20 in a month, Hakeem's age 20 year was the 14 pts, 11 rebounds and almost 5 blocks a game.

Embiid is arguably the focus of the Kansas offense when he is on the floor. His numbers should be better then they are. He also can't stay on the floor because of foul trouble.

What does age really have to do with it? Whether he was 18 or 25 he already had a years worth of college basketball and two offseasons worth of practice at that point.

[redsrule]

Re: 2014 Draft Class

What does age really have to do with it? Whether he was 18 or 25 he already had a years worth of college basketball and two offseasons worth of practice at that point.

Age is a big deal to GM's. If DeAndre Kane was 19 and not 25 he'd be a lottery pick.
Hakeem had a years worth of college basketball watching from the bench. That's nowhere near the same as playing. I just don't think it is a great comparison, and there is nothing to suggest Embiid is going to develop into a HoF player.
I think it would be good for Embiid to come back for another year, but if you're a top 5 lock, you shouldn't come back. Too much to lose, whether it be a torn ACL/bad play/etc.

[Sportsbuck]

Re: 2014 Draft Class

Hakeem was also a year younger at the time. Embiid will be 20 in a month, Hakeem's age 20 year was the 14 pts, 11 rebounds and almost 5 blocks a game.

If we're going to start comparing this type of stuff, then we also have to take into account Hakeem getting a two year head start on basketball (Embiid started playing in 2011, when he was 17, Hakeem started at 15).

I don't think that their exact age matters as much as their production. Both have similar statistics during their first year playing college ball (Although it should be noted that Hakeem was a reserve and Embiid starts). Hakeem developed tremendously in between his 1st and 2nd years, it remains to be seen whether or not Embiid can make the same kind of jump, however lets not pretend like Hakeem was always Hakeem. Players have to grow and mature, and it's entirely possible that second year Embiid takes a big step in maturation and development.

I'm not saying Embiid is a future HOFer or Hakeem 2.0, but even Hakeem probably didn't seem like the all-world player he turned out to be after his first year.

[Skuxx24]

Re: 2014 Draft Class

I don't know why but really like Doug McDermott game seems to be flying under the radar for a guy that can just flat out score proberly cause of the whole 2014 Super class thing but would love to see his game in the pros think it translates well

[Yeah...THAT Guy]

Re: 2014 Draft Class

Has anybody taken a look at this guy? Really interesting prospect.

<iframe width="560" height="315" src="//www.youtube.com/embed/sx2IXpr5Wzk" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>

[redsrule]

Re: 2014 Draft Class

Has anybody taken a look at this guy? Really interesting prospect.

<iframe width="560" height="315" src="//www.youtube.com/embed/sx2IXpr5Wzk" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>

I have not but I like spending a day or so near draft day watching those videos. Draft Express does such a good job on them

[jeebs9]

Re: 2014 Draft Class

If we're going to start comparing this type of stuff, then we also have to take into account Hakeem getting a two year head start on basketball (Embiid started playing in 2011, when he was 17, Hakeem started at 15).

I don't think that their exact age matters as much as their production. Both have similar statistics during their first year playing college ball (Although it should be noted that Hakeem was a reserve and Embiid starts). Hakeem developed tremendously in between his 1st and 2nd years, it remains to be seen whether or not Embiid can make the same kind of jump, however lets not pretend like Hakeem was always Hakeem. Players have to grow and mature, and it's entirely possible that second year Embiid takes a big step in maturation and development.

I'm not saying Embiid is a future HOFer or Hakeem 2.0, but even Hakeem probably didn't seem like the all-world player he turned out to be after his first year.

Been wanting to say the same thing. Thank you!!

People make seem like it's set in stone. When we compare a player to a legend.

[DamnYanks2]

Re: 2014 Draft Class

The fact that James young and Willie Cauley-Stein are #10 and #15 in the mock draft on nba draft express is hilarious Young should be a 2nd rounder and Willie should be an after thought. Just shows how weak the draft is, minus a few players.

[redsrule]

Re: 2014 Draft Class

The fact that James young and Willie Cauley-Stein are #10 and #15 in the mock draft on nba draft express is hilarious Young should be a 2nd rounder and Willie should be an after thought. Just shows how weak the draft is, minus a few players.

Completely disagree. Cauley-Stein has a boatload of potential as does Young. I wouldn't touch Young right now with a lottery pick, but a late one on Cauley-Stein wouldn't be bad. He's inconsistent, but he's improving his post game and can be a very good shot blocker/rebounder.