The draft is generally overhyped. 2015’s NBA draft featured one sure All-Star in KAT, and three really good starters who may still make the leap (Porzingis, Booker, Winslow). The doubts about DAR and Okafor’s athleticisim and defense have become certainties, while guys that couldn’t shoot, still can’t shoot.
It will be interesting to look at this article two years from now. Your descriptions below reminded me so much of 2015 that future me traveled back in a time machine to help me figure out who I would draft. (Bonus investing hints: 1) Russian oil, DA; Florida beach front property, NYET)
needs work (33.6 percent from 3), he’s not an elite athlete, and he’s a shaky defender… NO THANKS
doesn’t have the strongest (or biggest) hands or the quickest dribble off the bounce… with a lean frame he prefers to finish with finesse at the rim… PASS
He’s the best passer, defender, and athlete of the trio. His shot is a real question mark, though… MAYBE (If he gets developed by the Spurs)
draft class lacking premier big men…bouncy leaper, but he also has a soft touch near the rim for situations in which he can’t flush down ferocious lob dunks… is extremely raw, though… MERCI, MAIS NON
would benefit greatly from showing more on the defensive end… DANGER, WILL ROBINSON
not particularly long, but he has good lateral quickness for his size, which should allow him to switch pick-and-rolls at the next level… MAYBE
below-average athlete but makes up for it with his craftiness, feel, and killer mentality… NOT GONNA DO IT
two-way potential… pest on defense while making big shots from each level of the floor… OKAY, NOW YOU’VE GOT MY INTEREST
former top-high-school recruit has seen his minutes and role dwindle as the season’s worn on… FUGGETABOUTIT
prove he can find other ways to score when his shot isn’t falling?… THIS GUY BETTER BE THE NCAA ASSIST LEADER
Combine that size with über-elite athleticism… is a dominant player at the college level… shooting 23 percent from 3 and 33.8 percent on 2-point jumpers… MCW 2.0?
outside of shooting and general athleticism, there isn’t really anything about him that stands out… small for a shooting guard… doesn’t have great ballhandling skills, he doesn’t rebound or defend particularly well, and his idea of court vision seems to be locking his eyes on the rim to begin calibrating the machine that he calls his jump shot… SOUNDS LIKE A GUNSLINGER (Arenas 2.0? Too soon?)
43.2 percent shooter from 3… lethal pick-and-pop threat with ability to catch and shoot or take scrambling defenders off the dribble. He might be a 7-footer, but he doesn’t have a big man’s pure strength or interior skill set. WORTH A SHOT (Dirk 2.0?)
turned himself into a well-rounded threat by refining his shooting mechanics and playing consistently hard on defense… averages two made 3s and 1.6 blocks per game; Kevin Durant and Shane Battier are the only lottery picks over the last 20 years to match those numbers… AN ALL-STAR at 6' 10"… still, WORTH A SHOT at 6' 7"
