2023 NBA Draft Megathread

[Ferguson_Mellochill]

Given the fact he went to a school that was bad so he could get minutes, I doubt he wants to get drafted by a NBA franchise that will be hard on him. If Hardy coached him like he does Sexton he might crumble.

I think he wants to be good. I've been watching him all year, and he's actually shown some good improvement. He's moving more efficiently. His jump shot is tighter and more confident. He's starting to grow into his body. He'll be fine. The situation at SC is hopeless. There isn't enough talent on the floor to win games. They don't have guard who can penetrate and get him the ball. He can't get space to drive, so he has to settle for contested mid-range jumpers or shoot from way deep. They rarely run plays. Anyone who actually goes through the film will see this.

For any prospect, there's the question of what happens when things get harder for them. How do they handle adversity? GG needs to answer that, but the SC situation is just so laughably bad that there's no point over-analyzing it. Last night, GG checked in about 6 minutes into the game and SC had 2 points on the scoreboard. That's it. One bucket. SC was down 20 points at half time. The fact that they're content to lose by 20 most nights and get blown out in the 1st half every 2nd or 3rd game shows that it's not a serious program. GG isn't going to turn that around as one guy on the floor. The fact that SC is acting like there's nothing wrong with their program isn't actually to their credit.

You can see in these clips that GG at least draws two defenders, which gives his teammates a shot at creating something.


View: https://twitter.com/heisnotahooper/status/1623292244135407622

 

[Eddie Zero]

Didn't GG commit to UNC then change his mind and go to a school closer to home? He will freefall because of his obvious immaturity, but there is a lot to like for a team with 3 first rounders to gamble on him, late teens early 20's. Somebody might gamble in the lottery even after all this as well. I doubt we would.
Unless interviews prove he is just some angry passion attention sponge , that thinks he is better than he really is or something,most gm's will just think he has an ego that needs checked.

 

[Ferguson_Mellochill]

Tough to see him going lottery in a strong lottery class. Still think he could go in the teens to a team willing to gamble, but there isnt some insane level of talent there. We got Emoni Bates 2.0 without a gun charge. I'd rank Emoni's talent over GG's tbh.

He's such a physically superior and more versatile prospect than Emoni Bates that there's no point comparing the two.

 

[Ferguson_Mellochill]

South Carolina isnt any worse when they bench GG.

They certainly aren't any better.

 

[Eddie Zero]

This is Nick Smith in one of his more productive games. He's a guy whom I could see dropping a bit in the draft.


View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iEX1lny9rQg

still a top 10 prospect but yes injuries have hurt his campaign imo.

 

[Bodhi]

This is Nick Smith in one of his more productive games. He's a guy whom I could see dropping a bit in the draft.


View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iEX1lny9rQg

Man this video doesnt do a lot for me and im getting more and more soured on NSJ.

I just mentioned him but Judah Mintz is kinda the same dudes as NSJ and he's prob better off staying another year and becoming a first rounder. Here he is against way better comp than this vid of NSJ and on a WAY less stacked team as well:


View: https://youtu.be/3iS3acb6ZUo

 

[Ferguson_Mellochill]

Man this video doesnt do a lot for me and im getting more and more soured on NSJ.

I just mentioned him but Judah Mintz is kinda the same dudes as NSJ and he's prob better off staying another year and becoming a first rounder. Here he is against way better comp than this vid of NSJ and on a WAY less stacked team as well:


View: https://youtu.be/3iS3acb6ZUo

The biggest red flag I see with Nick Smith is that he's not beating defenders. He's not getting space. He has a slight build and doesn't have much power. He needs to be quick and shifty, but his moves don't seem to achieve much. You saw how shifty and slippery Haliburton was the other night. That's who Nick Smith needs to pattern his game after. I don't know if it's the injury issue, but he doesn't have it off the dribble right now.

Will check out Mintz.

 

[Saint Cy of JFC]

He's such a physically superior and more versatile prospect than Emoni Bates that there's no point comparing the two.

They are incredibly comparable. You are living in denial if you dont think two 6'9 scoring forwards who were both incredibly young and incredibly disappointing immature players arent comparable.

 

[Saint Cy of JFC]

Dominik Barlow is starting to get playing time on the Spurs. He's the first OTE player in the NBA.

 

[Step-Back Hook]

IF Indiana lucks into 2nd pick... U think we could have a small chance to trade up for scoot with our 2023 picks and some future ones we own? IND is set with Haliburton as their floor general...

 

[Udidthizz]

He's trending towards getting there with the Philly pick.

It's the time of the year I'm starting to enjoy reading mock drafts. Some here might like the latest Bleacherreport one:

12: Cason Wallace (our own pick which should end up a bit higher with some solid tanking);
15: ......GG Jackson (Wolves pick);
27: ......Kyle Filipowski (76ers pick).

 

[The Midnight]

It's the time of the year I'm starting to enjoy reading mock drafts. Some here might like the latest Bleacherreport one:

12: Cason Wallace (our own pick which should end up a bit higher with some solid tanking);
15: ......GG Jackson (Wolves pick);
27: ......Kyle Filipowski (76ers pick).

If that's who we end up with it would be a disappointing year IMO ... team is going nowhere in the League and our best pick is 12?

... smh..

 

[HermanG]

If that's who we end up with it would be a disappointing year IMO ... team is going nowhere in the League and our best pick is 12?

... smh..

I think you meant disappointing draft year? I mean there is no way to be negative about the year as a whole... right?

 

[Chargers Jazz Angels]

It's the time of the year I'm starting to enjoy reading mock drafts. Some here might like the latest Bleacherreport one:

12: Cason Wallace (our own pick which should end up a bit higher with some solid tanking);
15: ......GG Jackson (Wolves pick);
27: ......Kyle Filipowski (76ers pick).

Love Cason Wallace and that would be a good pick. Ehhh about GG and getting fili that late would be a win. It would all come down to who was still on the board.

 

[Chargers Jazz Angels]

It's the time of the year I'm starting to enjoy reading mock drafts. Some here might like the latest Bleacherreport one:

12: Cason Wallace (our own pick which should end up a bit higher with some solid tanking);
15: ......GG Jackson (Wolves pick);
27: ......Kyle Filipowski (76ers pick).

I would prefer Kris Murray or jordan Hawkins before GG but I would take GG with the last pick.

 

[Saint Cy of JFC]

It's the time of the year I'm starting to enjoy reading mock drafts. Some here might like the latest Bleacherreport one:

12: Cason Wallace (our own pick which should end up a bit higher with some solid tanking);
15: ......GG Jackson (Wolves pick);
27: ......Kyle Filipowski (76ers pick).

That's a solid draft to me. Id probably like players over GG at 15, but I'd still be optimistic about it. I think Filippwski would be a steal at 27

 

[Bodhi]

Did any of yall watch highlights of Bilal Coulibaly after seeing his name on the Bleacher Report mock? I'll raise my hand here. Really impressed.

 

[Handlogten's Heros]

https://theathletic.com/4156999/2023/02/16/nba-mock-draft-walker-wembanyama-henderson/

Babe wakeup... new Vecenie mock just dropped... highlights

Jarace up to #5 in Orlando

Black up to 7 with Washington... Vecenie shares my basically exact thoughts...

At the end of the day, I just buy Black being an impact player at the next level because of the way he impacts the game. He’s a monster defender both at the point of attack and as a switchable player up and down the lineup. Offensively, he puts pressure on the rim at a high level because of how quickly he can get downhill. But moreover, all of this is paired with terrific processing speed. He reads and reacts to what’s happening at a super high level. You see this most in his passing ability, when he hits the right guy almost every time while on the move. It’s not an accident that Arkansas is 15 points per 100 possessions better when Black is on the court versus when he’s off it per Pivot Analysis, and he’s the only player on Arkansas with whom the team is better both on offense and defense when he’s on the court. He makes his teammates better, and his presence helps his team. Teams are coming around on Black for these reasons, but he’ll need to prove that his shot isn’t entirely broken during the pre-draft process. The mechanics don’t look awesome, but he doesn’t seem to have bad touch. He’ll just need to show he can make improvement there, and he’ll go in the top 10.

Jazz take Rupert at 13... not a fan...

Jalen Hood Schifino goes at 14... the highest I've seen him.

Jazz take Kris Murray at 16... with Sensabaugh, Hendo, Hawkins, Lewis, Whitehead, GG (I hate GG but would understand the pick at least) on the board... I would literally throw up if this happened.

Dereck Lively at 26... Filipowski on the board still. I actually am cool taking a center there as I think Lively has upside and is an elite rim protector. If we had Robert Williams backing up Kessler that's okay by me. Would like be happier to see Terquavion Smith or Leonard Miller here.

 

[Handlogten's Heros]

I would love to land Black and Hendo... but I would settle for JHS and Hendo. I haven't watched Rupert much at all but I just see Thabo Sefolosha when I do... and Thabo is great and all but I'd be aiming higher.

I do think the mocks firm up a bit but you see how fluid things are between like 5 and 20 ish and I think there are going to be some dudes that slip through the cracks.

 

[Saint Cy of JFC]

https://theathletic.com/4156999/2023/02/16/nba-mock-draft-walker-wembanyama-henderson/

Babe wakeup... new Vecenie mock just dropped... highlights

Jarace up to #5 in Orlando

Black up to 7 with Washington... Vecenie shares my basically exact thoughts...

At the end of the day, I just buy Black being an impact player at the next level because of the way he impacts the game. He’s a monster defender both at the point of attack and as a switchable player up and down the lineup. Offensively, he puts pressure on the rim at a high level because of how quickly he can get downhill. But moreover, all of this is paired with terrific processing speed. He reads and reacts to what’s happening at a super high level. You see this most in his passing ability, when he hits the right guy almost every time while on the move. It’s not an accident that Arkansas is 15 points per 100 possessions better when Black is on the court versus when he’s off it per Pivot Analysis, and he’s the only player on Arkansas with whom the team is better both on offense and defense when he’s on the court. He makes his teammates better, and his presence helps his team. Teams are coming around on Black for these reasons, but he’ll need to prove that his shot isn’t entirely broken during the pre-draft process. The mechanics don’t look awesome, but he doesn’t seem to have bad touch. He’ll just need to show he can make improvement there, and he’ll go in the top 10.

Jazz take Rupert at 13... not a fan...

Jalen Hood Schifino goes at 14... the highest I've seen him.

Jazz take Kris Murray at 16... with Sensabaugh, Hendo, Hawkins, Lewis, Whitehead, GG (I hate GG but would understand the pick at least) on the board... I would literally throw up if this happened.

Dereck Lively at 26... Filipowski on the board still. I actually am cool taking a center there as I think Lively has upside and is an elite rim protector. If we had Robert Williams backing up Kessler that's okay by me. Would like be happier to see Terquavion Smith or Leonard Miller here.

Like that Sam is coming around on some of my dudes, Walker/Hawkins