2023 NBA Draft Megathread
- Thread starter Ferguson_Mellochill
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Yeah because he wasn't one of the most highly rated prospects in the country prior to skipping his senior year of high school to join Memphis. You just can't help yourself from being *** can you?
Handlogten's Heros
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I think I’ve decided to only use exaggerated comps where guys are either superstars or trash based on if I like them or not… get ready for some big swings.
Eddie Zero
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He showed he can score and it didn't hurt that the Jett choked going 2-8 for the Wolverines, but more importantly Bates can defend some now, so he will be back in the draft consideration range if he can get stronger. Lottery? maybe but I am leaning towards not yet. He was arguably the worst player in Memphis history before the transfer, So considering all the hype that surrounded him, it is nice to see he backed it up a bit at last.
Eddie Zero
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There are no superstars in this draft imo outside of maybe 3 long term and 1 of them is a freak none of us have probably heard of yet. Sans really good draft luck the Jazz are not getting one of them unless they make trades with dumb GM's who do things like trade for 1 and draft Fultz instead of the guy who was better.
I bet The Jazz can find a gem with Danny at the helm, there are some nice options in this draft that should be legit starters. But superstars? nah
That is a crazy statement. He wasn't even remotely close to being the worst player in Memphis history. He was actually pretty solid to start the season prior to his injury. Once he came back he played a few games and then was injured again. I think he has Brandon Ingram upside so I can't wait to see how he develops this year.
He was the 3rd rated player in the 21 class so that is just a stupid statement.
Truly not trying to be a jerk here but these takes frustrate me.
Every year people say this stuff and 2-3 years after every draft fantastic players emerge that weren’t on any radar to be a star.
Kawhi, Paul George, Steph, Don, Rudy, Jimmy Butler, Jokic. The list is so long here.
Then Desmond Banes, Mikal Bridges etc etc all over drafts.
There is no science to this. Dudes making millions a year to only get drafts right, get them wrong more often than not. Cy has a better eye than most GM’s and dudes writing about drafts all year do.
And I’m even better than him….
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Handlogten's Heros
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The prospects are also coming out and hitting the ground running in the nba… Paolo, Mathurin, hell even Sharpe looks great from this years draft and it was considered kinda mid. This years class has two guys that would be #1 in most drafts and a bunch of good upside dudes throughout the lotto. Some will disappoint but there will also be some risers… I think there will be 3+ all stars outside of the top two.
Without a doubt
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Based on 2 minutes of highlights… I like Keynote George a lot… he’s Donovan Mitchell with Chris Paul playmaking (I’m only doing superstar comps or busts for ***** and giggles this year… get on board with the hyperbole).
Kinda thiccish bulldog body with shooting creation and supposedly good defense. Think he’s in my top 5 (which will consist of 15 players this year… again hyperbole).
Kinda thiccish bulldog body with shooting creation and supposedly good defense. Think he’s in my top 5 (which will consist of 15 players this year… again hyperbole).
Handlogten's Heros
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As impressive as Dick is most mocks/experts have him in the 20s or 30s and some think he’s a two year prospect… and that gives you some idea of the initial projections on the depth of the draft here. Dick is likely to rise… but there is good reason some are pretty excited about this draft… gonna be some guys that get overlooked and some team finds a steal.
Wemby is one of a kind.
Scoot will be good. He probably projects to be similar to Donovan Mitchell, tbh, but you have to ask yourself if you want to build around a ball-dominant guard like him.
Amen Thompson can do some things with the ball in his hands that I haven't seen since Penny Hardaway and Kobe, but he's got to knock down his shots for his game to work.
GG Jackson might have All NBA potential if everything comes together for him. His shooting would really need to pop, almost like Jayson Tatum's did, and that could be a longshot. Or maybe he grows another inch or two the way Giannis did.
Ausar Thompson is being overshadowed by his brother to the point where he might be a bit underrated.
Otherwise, yeah there are a lot of interesting players who project to be starters or high-level starters.
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I think he's basically a slightly bigger version of Tyrese Maxey with potential to be Jamal Murray or Bradley Beal. What I like is that he plays with consistent energy and pace, he makes decisions extremely quickly, and his shot is consistent and reliable. He's not as explosive or athletic as Mitchell, but he could work on his body and optimize his game the way Brad Beal did, imo.
I've said this before, but I like his game overall more than Dariq Whitehead, whom I have some questions about.
Eddie Zero
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I get it, I just don't see it so far, with most of the currently lottery projected options, beyond normal NBA futures. At least that may or may not become worth paying a second contract.
If there are 10 players from this draft that turn into above average starters, that would mean the draft is in fact insane, if that proves true.
Me saying there are maybe 3 that become superstars probably just means my opinion on "what is a superstar" is different from some other peoples. or just that it is rare that 1 emerges from each draft anymore without years of developing.
Notice only 2 of those you listed as examples, have ever been the main reason their team won a championship.
Handlogten's Heros
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Just seems real smooth. Im going to watch some actual games to see the defense but love his control/poise that he operates with… moving him into my top 5 with Wemby, Scoot, Amen, Smith, Brandon Miller, Whitmore, Whitehead and maybe a couple others.
Jarace Walker is a guy with enough tools that he could *make* himself into a borderline star if he works hard enough. He'd have to maximize his talent and be put in the right situations, but there might be a few spots where he's just difficult for other teams to stop, like that mid-paint floater and mid-range jumpers. And damn, his legs are getting huge. You'd draft him with the same rationale as drafting Patrick Williams--he's an NBA athlete with an NBA body who can do a few things that should translate.
View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3-k7Af3EQGk
View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3-k7Af3EQGk
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He clearly isn't the generational next KD that he looked like at 15 years old but that doesn't mean he can't be a solid nba player. He is still very skilled offensively with a ton of room for improvement. At the end of the season we will see where he stands but my guess is he is viewed as a mid 1st rd prospect.