JHS is ummm extremely confident as well. I think it's mostly a good thing, but obviously to the extreme could mean they aren't going to take coaching well and could limit improvements.
2023 NBA Draft Megathread
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JHS is ummm extremely confident as well. I think it's mostly a good thing, but obviously to the extreme could mean they aren't going to take coaching well and could limit improvements.
Man, how did nbadarft.net ever recover from this. Place is a joke.The GOAT
Overall I would be okay with Bilal at 9. But the whole Exum draft has left a bad taste when it comes to the “possibility” excuse. I’m still holding onto a lot of pain as a fan from that Exum pick. He was even in commercials. Ugh!
Sorry that your analysis got buried but it was quite interesting thank you for that. I see Wallace at 18 on on Givony’s latest mock and I don’t understand it. If he falls that far we will definitely look back and wonder what everyone else was looking at.
Handlogten's Heros
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Its ironic some folks call him boring... if you watch his sizzle reel it will get you hot and bothered... I promise. (bilal and others are similar with that)
Hendricks is not a good passer but he is absolutely a quick ball mover. Almost annoyingly so when I watched him cuz I want him to break out of his shell... but its clear that is not what the coach wanted. The feel concerns are kinda weird to me... he's very much a guy that will benefit his teammates without having a lot of time on ball. He also has some ability in the mid post he could unlock if the off the dribble game doesn't work. The non-dunk finishes are concern because maybe he doesn't have touch... but he dunks a lot so.... IDK.
People talk about how you can learn shooting, but was Siakam a ballhandler prior to the NBA? When you can get and stay on the court, you get opportunities for growth, it's crazy.
But also, maybe Hendricks just isn't good! There will be players in the top-10 that don't even make a 2nd contract.
We know so little, so we should value what we do know very highly. So I get how mystique works but it's not a plus in serious decision making so I am just begging caution on Bilal with such an important pick.
He's might be the best fit there of anyone in the top-10 (assuming they are believers in Ivey and Cade).
Truthfully, ever since the hype-fiasco that was the 2014 draft I have just stopped participating too much in pre-draft conversations because it's very clear almost nobody really knows a damn thing.
Still fun to talk about though, without taking too seriously.
Ceiling is a made up concept to begin with and I think we 1) evaluate it incorrectly and 2) we put too much stock into it. I do think this perceived ceiling gap is probably being oversold. I've been on the Bilal train for awhile, but I've also been saying his most likely outcomes is something along the lines of a Herb Jones or Jaden McDaniels....in other words he will be the player in the NBA that he was for Mets (~15% usage guy). But that's also a reason I like him. I like the guys who have a role if not everything pans out, but do give you some reason to believe they could be much more. Hendricks could and probably should be in that category as well, but there's just something off about his feel/touch that gives me pause. I could be too critical...
If you totally throw out Bilal's youth stuff....meh I don't really blame you. I also think the level of competition and environment itself is also much different in the French league versus college. Not saying you're doing this, but I think it's a little unfair to totally dismiss the youth league without respecting the level of competition in the French League, especially the playoffs. For me, I don't toss the youth stuff completely out. Maybe if we didn't see flashes of it materializing during the playoffs I'd be more dismissive about it, but it was definitely a good sign that 1) he was trusted to do more in the playoffs and 2) it worked out pretty well.
If it was the case that Hendricks was some kind of crazy point forward in HS who used to play PG and had only recently blown up to 6'10.....that's my version of "he played a bunch of sports" lol. Not totally rational, but it's a bias I have. Gonna be honest though, this Cam injury stuff has spooked me enough that I'd feel better if Hendricks fell than Cam.
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View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jzyM-LNaVcU
Familiarize yourself if you ain't on the bandwagon.
Bawse Dawg
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It's tough because Exum without major injury issues probably easily lives up to that pick.
2014 was supposed to be the next 1985/2003 draft, while 2011 - which was supposed to be straight garbage - was one of the best drafts this century.
I'm not gonna pretend to have watched his games at New Mexico state....but he was a 29% USG guy and you don't get to 29% USG without being a creator to some extent. IMO, it's a really good sign that you can be a super usage guy on some level, even if it's low level.
I totally agree with the "get on the court" angle when it comes to upside. For me, Bilal is a guy who can get on the court early because his defense is so good, but Hendricks is obviously more of a two way player right now. If you want to be safe, I get the hesitancy to draft Bilal. But if the choice is between Bilal and Ausar, two mystery boxes, I'm going to shill out for my guy lol. Realistically though, we way overestimate what we think is "safe" and what is "potential". Draft is a crap shoot and multiple players in the lottery will fail.
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Its just weird that some ding guys for being good/solid because they are less theoretical I guess... I know you've harped on this before.
I just see some of the mid range stuff Hendricks does and can see him ducking in on smaller guys and adding that... with the dunks and threes and all of a sudden he's an 18-20 ppg guy on super efficiency and provides a **** ton on the defensive side.
But yeah he prolly ain't breaking out a ton of crossovers and stuff...but we assume maybe Bilal can? Ain't trying to dump on him but its wild to barf over a prospect like Hendricks and get horny over a 9-3-3 performance from Bilal.
I really like Bilal a lot. I also like Taylor and I love Cam. Black felt like a forced marriage. Yeah he will be good for you and has child bearing hips but just isn't sexy. But he has lots of great qualities. If Ainge, Hardy, Justin love him then those are the smartest basketball minds in the state then there is a it factor and I will open my mind to it.
Coach Ellis
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And yet, it did product two MVP caliber centers. One just happened to be picked in the 2nd round.
Bawse Dawg
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Never forget that 5 minutes against the Warriors during that sweep in 2017.
I do think there's more reason to believe that Bilal could be a ball in hand guy. He's been a ball in hand guy for almost his entire career. While his opportunities with the ball are limited, I don't think there's a lack of feel there. Part of the appeal with Bilal is that belief that he can/will develop faster than the others. It's a meme, but he really is that guy who grew a ton and is settling into his body. The developmental trajectory from 3, 6, 9 months etc. is insane. But again to raise your point, why not Hendricks? I don't necessarily agree with the traditional view of what makes someone high potential, but Hendricks does check a lot of those boxes.
One thing in both player's favor for me is that they are late bloomers. I prefer the late bloomer over the blue chip that plateaued.