2019 NBA Draft

[I'mWithDan]

Understandable, though I have this nagging feeling that Little could be really good and playing for UNC as a freshman hurts his stock. So if he comes out, he could be a very good two way player at 5 or later.

To this point, he’s basically been a worse shooting Agbaji. For his athletic gifts, 3.2 BlK+STL per 100 is pretty meh. Then maybe even another notch down if you consider his AST numbers too. Per 100, he’s only producing 2.3 assists....for 5.5 combined BLK / STL / AST. Per 100 possessions, that is just not good.

Consider someone like Cam, who needs to certainly improve but has managed to show he can evenly contribute across categories, while maintaining some higher offensive upside. Per 100, Cam is averaging 4.2 AST, 3.8 STL, .8 BLK for an 8.8 BLK/ STL / AST split.

I think Little has potential but he has hurt his NBA stock. Pre-season, most scouts would have thought Little had atleast a small chance to be the #1 pick, given his defensive versatility, shooting potential and 18 month improvement prior to his first college season. If not #1, certainly in the conversation at #2. He was my favorite wing prospect pre-season but he’s just been ok.

The biggest concern to me, stats aside, is that he just looks stiff laterally against college athletes and that is going to be even more of a problem in the NBA. If he can’t defend at a relatively high level, he’s far less attractive as a wing prospect because he just doesn’t have the handle or passing ability of someone like RJ.

 

[STAT]

The Ringer doesn't have their bells-and-whistles big board up yet, but here is where Kevin O'Connor, Jonathan Tjarks, and Danny Chau are at right now:

1. Zion Williamson
2. Jarrett Culver
3. Ja Morant
4. De'Andre Hunter
5. R.J. Barrett
6. Cam Reddish
7. Jaxson Hayes
8. Romeo Langford
9. Grant Williams
10. Nickeil Alexander-Walker
11. Nassir Little
12. KZ Okpala
13. Darius Garland
14. Brandon Clarke

https://www.theringer.com/nba/2019/2/20/18232463/2019-nba-draft-big-board-february

 

[3 Ball...GOT IT]

Anyone catch up on Kevin Porter yet? I feel like I’m the only person on Earth that still considers him to be worthy of being ranked in the 5-6 range.

I watched the Colorado and Stanford games, and still have to catch the game vs Cal... and none of those recent games have really changed my opinion of him at all.

In past drafts I usually tended to favor safer picks outside of the top tier it seems compared to others - but that doesn’t appear to be the case with Porter for me. With a draft with this many uncertain players wouldn’t you be more willing to take a home run swing on a guy like him?

His offensive flashes are better than anyone in the draft besides Zion and possibly Morant. I also think people devalue his defense based largely on hearsay... which is understandable considering how it can be difficult to watch the PAC 12 network. I hear people mention poor effort on D, but really imo it’s the opposite (I think his real issue is playing out of control on that end).

 

[Nathan S]

The Ringer doesn't have their bells-and-whistles big board up yet, but here is where Kevin O'Connor, Jonathan Tjarks, and Danny Chau are at right now:

1. Zion Williamson
2. Jarrett Culver
3. Ja Morant
4. De'Andre Hunter
5. R.J. Barrett
6. Cam Reddish
7. Jaxson Hayes
8. Romeo Langford
9. Grant Williams
10. Nickeil Alexander-Walker
11. Nassir Little
12. KZ Okpala
13. Darius Garland
14. Brandon Clarke

https://www.theringer.com/nba/2019/2/20/18232463/2019-nba-draft-big-board-february

Pretty surprising, as most big boards have settled on RJ/Morant at 2/3 (in either order). Apparently even that much isn't set in stone.

Anyone catch up on Kevin Porter yet? I feel like I’m the only person on Earth that still considers him to be worthy of being ranked in the 5-6 range.

I watched the Colorado and Stanford games, and still have to catch the game vs Cal... and none of those recent games have really changed my opinion of him at all.

In past drafts I usually tended to favor safer picks outside of the top tier it seems compared to others - but that doesn’t appear to be the case with Porter for me. With a draft with this many uncertain players wouldn’t you be more willing to take a home run swing on a guy like him?

His offensive flashes are better than anyone in the draft besides Zion and possibly Morant. I also think people devalue his defense based largely on hearsay... which is understandable considering how it can be difficult to watch the PAC 12 network. I hear people mention poor effort on D, but really imo it’s the opposite (I think his real issue is playing out of control on that end).

You're not alone...SI has him up at #8, right between Culver and Langford. I'm not a huge fan, but I like him more than fellow Pac-12 star Okpala, who seems to have none of the skill or athleticism to become an NBA star.

 

[Alec]

https://www.si.com/college-basketba...shman-weight-100-points-two-years-high-school

All natty baby

 

[I'mWithDan]

The Ringer doesn't have their bells-and-whistles big board up yet, but here is where Kevin O'Connor, Jonathan Tjarks, and Danny Chau are at right now:

1. Zion Williamson
2. Jarrett Culver
3. Ja Morant
4. De'Andre Hunter
5. R.J. Barrett
6. Cam Reddish
7. Jaxson Hayes
8. Romeo Langford
9. Grant Williams
10. Nickeil Alexander-Walker
11. Nassir Little
12. KZ Okpala
13. Darius Garland
14. Brandon Clarke

https://www.theringer.com/nba/2019/2/20/18232463/2019-nba-draft-big-board-february

There is some seriously weird stuff in this breakdown.

Like Culver being #2 because they think he can possibly grow? Based on him looking taller when they watch him?

Hunter at #4 is the highest I have seen him on any draft board, by several draft slots. And it is exponentially higher than all of his scout evaluations. I agree that the middle of the lottery is wide open but I do not understand why anyone would take Hunter over Reddish, considering range of outcomes. And Hunter over Barrett is laughable.

I think they just weirdly slotted guys so they can be moved around......this late in the season, there is a clearer big board picture than they are presenting here. Is it a finished board? No but some of their choices just strike me as giving them wiggle room to have "updates" to this that are more than 2-3 players shuffling slightly up or down. I only say this because they do peg several players scouts really like (Williams, NAW, Hayes, Clarke) and rank them in ways that aggregates yet do not.....I think those 4 are giving up the jig a bit, on it being an exercise in allowing them room to shuffle Barrett, Morant, Culver, Reddish, Hunter, etc.

 

[3 Ball...GOT IT]

Pretty surprising, as most big boards have settled on RJ/Morant at 2/3 (in either order). Apparently even that much isn't set in stone.



You're not alone...SI has him up at #8, right between Culver and Langford. I'm not a huge fan, but I like him more than fellow Pac-12 star Okpala, who seems to have none of the skill or athleticism to become an NBA star.

I still really like Okpala. I brought him up a few weeks back and it seems like he’s caught other peoples’ attention too now since then, as I’ve seen him late lottery pretty regularly now.

It all starts with his shooting. I think we’re to the point where his freshman year numbers were an aberration... his mechanics are great and he’s had some shot versatility too in the games I’ve watched. We’ll see where his year end shooting % end up... like a lot of others that will probably determine where he gets picked. Plus the size + movement combination is legit. He’s a lot stronger than he looks as well - he defended Ethan Happ pretty well in the post early in the season in a game I watched.

On top of that stuff he’s flashed some pretty impressive slashing ability. If he really works on his handle he can be a problem at his size, and could maybe create a little.

But even without that developing he’s at minimum a solid 3&D prospect imo.

I do worry quite a bit about the vertical athleticism though. That’s definitely his biggest weakness to me. He can really struggle around the rim... wouldn’t surprise me if his 2P% continues to fall from earlier in the season. But even so I think his size on the wing can help make up for that issue just a little bit.

 

[Nathan S]

I still really like Okpala. I brought him up a few weeks back and it seems like he’s caught other peoples’ attention too now since then, as I’ve seen him late lottery pretty regularly now.

It all starts with his shooting. I think we’re to the point where his freshman year numbers were an aberration... his mechanics are great and he’s had some shot versatility too in the games I’ve watched. We’ll see where his year end shooting % end up... like a lot of others that will probably determine where he gets picked. Plus the size + movement combination is legit. He’s a lot stronger than he looks as well - he defended Ethan Happ pretty well in the post early in the season in a game I watched.

On top of that stuff he’s flashed some pretty impressive slashing ability. If he really works on his handle he can be a problem at his size, and could maybe create a little.

But even without that developing he’s at minimum a solid 3&D prospect imo.

I do worry quite a bit about the vertical athleticism though. That’s definitely his biggest weakness to me. He can really struggle around the rim... wouldn’t surprise me if his 2P% continues to fall from earlier in the season. But even so I think his size on the wing can help make up for that issue just a little bit.

Never really struck me as a guy who could defend the post at all given his frame, but maybe that's a facet of his game I've overlooked.

I basically see him as a poor man's Reddish; a long 3&D wing, but whereas Reddish seems to have elite potential as a shooter and a perimeter defender, Okpala is much more pedestrian in his outlook. He's a bit more polished than Reddish as an inside-the-arc scorer, but he has the same inability to get all the way to the rim in the halfcourt, same slow first step, same tendency to dribble with his head down. Makes it hard to imagine him taking on a more significant offensive role at the NBA level.

 

[3 Ball...GOT IT]

Never really struck me as a guy who could defend the post at all given his frame, but maybe that's a facet of his game I've overlooked.

I basically see him as a poor man's Reddish; a long 3&D wing, but whereas Reddish seems to have elite potential as a shooter and a perimeter defender, Okpala is much more pedestrian in his outlook. He's a bit more polished than Reddish as an inside-the-arc scorer, but he has the same inability to get all the way to the rim in the halfcourt, same slow first step, same tendency to dribble with his head down. Makes it hard to imagine him taking on a more significant offensive role at the NBA level.

Yeah, it surprised me also with how much strength he seems to have in relation to how he looks. Never thought of him as a poor man's Reddish, that's interesting. They're certainly a similar archetype.

 

[Nathan S]

Yeah, it surprised me also with how much strength he seems to have in relation to how he looks. Never thought of him as a poor man's Reddish, that's interesting. They're certainly a similar archetype.

I think his skillset is certainly more interesting if he can play the 4 at the NBA level. His rebound rate ticked up significantly this year, which maybe shows some development in that area, though his overall rebound/block numbers still fall short of what you'd want at that position. If he's purely a perimeter guy I don't see the appeal, as he doesn't have top-shelf 3&D wing skills and he's certainly hasn't shown the handle or IQ to be considered a possible point forward type. Thinking along those likes, could Kyle Kuzma be an optimistic but reasonable comp for him?

 

[3 Ball...GOT IT]

I think his skillset is certainly more interesting if he can play the 4 at the NBA level. His rebound rate ticked up significantly this year, which maybe shows some development in that area, though his overall rebound/block numbers still fall short of what you'd want at that position. If he's purely a perimeter guy I don't see the appeal, as he doesn't have top-shelf 3&D wing skills and he's certainly hasn't shown the handle or IQ to be considered a possible point forward type. Thinking along those likes, could Kyle Kuzma be an optimistic but reasonable comp for him?

He's far better defensively than Kuzma... I'd be curious to see Okpala's % on runners this year though, because I've noticed his touch around the rim is hit and miss. That's something Kuzma excels with IIRC.

Why don't you think he has the skills to be a 3&D guy? His shot is solid and he may be able to guard up to 3 positions in the NBA. Not sure what's out there in regards to highlight videos and whatnot, but he has definitely flashed some handling ability this year too.

Would imagine part of the reason for his increased REB% is the Reid Travis transfer. Unfortunately I didn't watch any Stanford last year, so I can't really account for the big changes in his #'s this year.

 

[I'mWithDan]

Anyone catch up on Kevin Porter yet? I feel like I’m the only person on Earth that still considers him to be worthy of being ranked in the 5-6 range.

I watched the Colorado and Stanford games, and still have to catch the game vs Cal... and none of those recent games have really changed my opinion of him at all.

In past drafts I usually tended to favor safer picks outside of the top tier it seems compared to others - but that doesn’t appear to be the case with Porter for me. With a draft with this many uncertain players wouldn’t you be more willing to take a home run swing on a guy like him?

His offensive flashes are better than anyone in the draft besides Zion and possibly Morant. I also think people devalue his defense based largely on hearsay... which is understandable considering how it can be difficult to watch the PAC 12 network. I hear people mention poor effort on D, but really imo it’s the opposite (I think his real issue is playing out of control on that end).

The counter to Porter with many scouts is who is the 1a or 1b who is just a total asshole of a human? I have read two character reports that give him a zero.

He has undeniable talent but I think his NBA destiny will be determined by wether he does or does not go to a team that just doesn’t need him (like a playoff team)....and can instill some sort of structure to keep him focused.

I think he goes in the lottery, based on talent alone but he’s definitely the type of player that can get a GM fired.....or at least that is the prevailing thought by a handful of people who have closely kept tabs on him.

 

[3 Ball...GOT IT]

The counter to Porter with many scouts is who is the 1a or 1b who is just a total asshole of a human? I have read two character reports that give him a zero.

He has undeniable talent but I think his NBA destiny will be determined by wether he does or does not go to a team that just doesn’t need him (like a playoff team)....and can instill some sort of structure to keep him focused.

I think he goes in the lottery, based on talent alone but he’s definitely the type of player that can get a GM fired.....or at least that is the prevailing thought by a handful of people who have closely kept tabs on him.

I'd love to know the intel on him, more than any other player in the draft. To me there has to be some cause vs effect stuff there too I feel like. He was basically the highest/quickest rising recruits in the country and goes to a USC team that's loaded with upper-classmen... and he's asked to come off of the bench pretty much exclusively (including in favor of Derryck Thornton, who is terrible). I see worse body language with their team as a whole than with just about any other team in the country. While it's fair that his body language isn't great, I see it with the entire team. And you never hear the best things about Enfield either lol.

To me he plays a little bit differently than most others who have the same character ?s. It's rare that I see a lack of effort.

Obviously Porter has off the court issues, but I wonder how much of it is rooted in just his overall situation. You hear the excuses being made out there for Little's situation, but not Porter's. There's no way to really know without being inside the process. Hopefully we hear more about what specifically gives rise to the character ?s off the court. I mentioned it in here, but I do recall Schmitz saying in an article that Porter missed some pre-season practices.

The whole timing of his suspension right after coming off the injury is also odd (and the duration of the injury too for what was supposed to be minor).

 

[I'mWithDan]

I'd love to know the intel on him, more than any other player in the draft. To me there has to be some cause vs effect stuff there too I feel like. He was basically the highest/quickest rising recruits in the country and goes to a USC team that's loaded with upper-classmen... and he's asked to come off of the bench pretty much exclusively (including in favor of Derryck Thornton, who is terrible). I see worse body language with their team as a whole than with just about any other team in the country. While it's fair that his body language isn't great, I see it with the entire team. And you never hear the best things about Enfield either lol.

To me he plays a little bit differently than most others who have the same character ?s. It's rare that I see a lack of effort.

Obviously Porter has off the court issues, but I wonder how much of it is rooted in just his overall situation. You hear the excuses being made out there for Little's situation, but not Porter's. There's no way to really know without being inside the process. Hopefully we hear more about what specifically gives rise to the character ?s off the court. I mentioned it in here, but I do recall Schmitz saying in an article that Porter missed some pre-season practices.

The whole timing of his suspension right after coming off the injury is also odd (and the duration of the injury too for what was supposed to be minor).

It’s more than practices, things like that wouldn’t be gated to non executive users of some of the resources I can still log in to.

Just to be transparent, I can’t actually see anything deemed to be sensitive, so I don’t even have anything to relay beyond stuff that is already out there.....but a guy isn’t getting a zero character assessment for missing practices or having bad body language or being offputish on a bit of a toxic team.

I don’t want to even speculate on what it may be but clearly a few guys are pretty uncomfortable with him off the court.

 

[Nathan S]

He's far better defensively than Kuzma... I'd be curious to see Okpala's % on runners this year though, because I've noticed his touch around the rim is hit and miss. That's something Kuzma excels with IIRC.

Why don't you think he has the skills to be a 3&D guy? His shot is solid and he may be able to guard up to 3 positions in the NBA. Not sure what's out there in regards to highlight videos and whatnot, but he has definitely flashed some handling ability this year too.

Would imagine part of the reason for his increased REB% is the Reid Travis transfer. Unfortunately I didn't watch any Stanford last year, so I can't really account for the big changes in his #'s this year.

Maybe better than Kuzma, but that's obviously a really low bar. 6.9 boards and 0.7 blocks per 40 are bad numbers for a prospective 4, obviously.

I think he's a good 3&D guy at the college level, and I think he could be competent at the NBA level. But in the lottery, I obviously would want more than competent in a 3&D type player...I would want a guy who has the potential to be an all-defensive teamer, or a guy who has the potential to be a top-10 three point bomber in the league. He doesn't check either of those boxes.