NBA Draft 2021

[Yeah...THAT Guy]

Quote: Originally Posted by jeebs9

I've seen hit a few. But I think his college line might benefit him. I guess we'll see. In other news. I know people are calling Cade the number one pick. https://youtu.be/C305pHqybh8 Evan Mobley... I think he could number. I'm high on him. From what I've seen. https://youtu.be/FDyuGzxRsUg

I'm admittedly coming from a place of not watching any high school tape of these guys at all so just a very limited sense of them based on their college games so far...

There's been so much talk about Cunningham being a Luka Doncic type player but aside from being a physically strong lead ball-handler, I haven't really seen much similarities between the two at all. Everyone talks about Cunningham as being super gifted in terms of passing and vision but I haven't really seen any of that through 3 games and I don't think he's able to create his own shot nearly as well as Luka did overseas against much stronger competition.

I still like Cunningham, but people talked about how Cunningham was the type of prospect you tank for and I'm definitely not there yet at least.

Mobley has really impressed me so far. I'm generally a person that tries to stay away from big men towards the top of the draft, but I think he might end up being worth it.

[ehh]

Agreed on Cade so far re: his vision and playmaking. It's a bit underwhelming. I hope we don't get another RJ Barrett in that regard.

It's interesting that his J looks much better than advertised but I need to see more from his vision and passing. But this is always the challenge with scouting college hoops--it's horribly ugly basketball. Luka in EuroLeague was able to play a more modern, prettier form of basketball that allowed him to show off his vision a little more. Still, even on OS there were plenty of doubters when it came to his vision and playmaking abilities, beyond what any purported athletic limitations might have hurt him in the NBA. I watched a fair amount of OSU/Marquette last night and on so many plays Marquette had all five defenders with a foot in the paint. Cade obviously won't see that in the NBA. (Sidenote: does anyone have any thoughts on Dawson Garcia? Just a late-first floor-spacing big off the bench?)

That's what teams have to project with Cade: when you get him into the NBA with a spaced floor and running a 40 ball screens a night, how much better will he look? My takeaway so far is that he's huge for a playmaker, he's smart and smooth and unselfish, he doesn't force things very often, he plays within himself, and his jumper is better than I expected it to be. So although he's not an explosive athlete and his playmaking hasn't stood out I still really like his potential, but I agree that he's not a tank-worthy guy and he's not the lock Luka was. I can see a world where Cade is a better shooting version of Shaun Livingston but I think that's his floor.

I believe he's still the front-runner for the #1 pick but I don't expect him to ever be the consensus top guy and may not end up being the first selection.

[Yeah...THAT Guy]

Quote: Originally Posted by ehh

Agreed on Cade so far re: his vision and playmaking. It's a bit underwhelming. I hope we don't get another RJ Barrett in that regard. It's interesting that his J looks much better than advertised but I need to see more from his vision and passing. But this is always the challenge with scouting college hoops--it's horribly ugly basketball. Luka in EuroLeague was able to play a more modern, prettier form of basketball that allowed him to show off his vision a little more. Still, even on OS there were plenty of doubters when it came to his vision and playmaking abilities, beyond what any purported athletic limitations might have hurt him in the NBA. I watched a fair amount of OSU/Marquette last night and on so many plays Marquette had all five defenders with a foot in the paint. Cade obviously won't see that in the NBA. (Sidenote: does anyone have any thoughts on Dawson Garcia? Just a late-first floor-spacing big off the bench?) That's what teams have to project with Cade: when you get him into the NBA with a spaced floor and running a 40 ball screens a night, how much better will he look? My takeaway so far is that he's huge for a playmaker, he's smart and smooth and unselfish, he doesn't force things very often, he plays within himself, and his jumper is better than I expected it to be. So although he's not an explosive athlete and his playmaking hasn't stood out I still really like his potential, but I agree that he's not a tank-worthy guy and he's not the lock Luka was. I can see a world where Cade is a better shooting version of Shaun Livingston but I think that's his floor. I believe he's still the front-runner for the #1 pick but I don't expect him to ever be the consensus top guy and may not end up being the first selection.

Yep, I was going to add pretty much all of this into my post after the fact but got busy with work and never got back to edit it haha. It's definitely a lot different in college than it will be in the NBA. I do like him as a prospect, but I guess at least for now I don't really see him as being a tier above the other guys like so many expected him to be coming into the year. Way too early for me to be ranking prospects definitively but I think from the guys I've seen so far, Cade, Mobley, and Suggs are my top 3 in some order.

I do love his feel for the game though and I'm a sucker for guys like him that play at a more methodical pace.

[DamnYanks2]

I gotta say. These college coaches really hold alot of these kids back offensively. It's great that they teach them the fundamentals and defense that is glossed over in AAU. And of course you don't see half the zones and presses you see in the NBA that you do in college.

But, these coaches are so outdated. Clogging the paint with bigs. Blocking guards from being able to attack the rim. This isn't how the game is played anymore. You don't post up bigs and run the offense through the paint.

There's not enough PNR and PNP either. No wonder guys come out of Europe and they look so much more fluid then alot of kids out of college.

College needs such a revamp it's sickening.

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[ehh]

I don't think the skill level is high enough in college to play any other way. You can't space the floor without shooting threats and there simply aren't enough shooters out there. Teams like Villanova can get part of the way there but overall college hoops is never going to be a pretty brand of basketball.

College defenses can still pack the hell out of the paint against almost every team without worry. If you're a team with a good PnR game the opposition will just sit in a zone all game. Decent college bigs are so rare as is, let alone ones who can spread the floor. Many of them are in there just to rebound, block shots, and set screens. They're little more than tall, athletic guys.

DI is way too large and the talent pool is too low and too spread out. I think college coaches do the best with what they have, after all their main job is to win, despite what anyone tells us (prepping young men, developing guys for the pros, etc.).

[jeebs9]

Damn... We throwing RJ Barrett under the bus already lol

[ehh]

Quote: Originally Posted by jeebs9

Damn... We throwing RJ Barrett under the bus already lol

Only in terms of how hyped he was as a playmaker, and from someone who watched nearly every game of his rookie season.

[ehh]

So did Suggs tear his achilles tonight?

EDIT: Nope, he's back.