The 2015 NBA Draft Thread: Draft Day Is Here

[buc em]

We don't know if those rumors of him being late for some rehab work was true or not.

 

[dennistrane]

Joel Embiid ROTY 2016 

 

 

 

[mgrand15]

Embiid did get fined supposedly for the rehab stuff but he seemed to be in great shape by the end of the season. I think itd be a toss up if he and Towns were in the same draft. Both were somewhat limited by their coaches. Towns just fits the modern NBA perfectly.

 

[dacomeup]

Yet people in here were dumb hyped when KAT was hitting jumpers
Embiid is way better than KAT and Jah like its not even close

The guy who wasn't allowed to shoot jumpers based on the system he played in versus the kid with the broken jumper and bad form?

 

[hypebeast5]

Embiid did get fined supposedly for the rehab stuff but he seemed to be in great shape by the end of the season. I think itd be a toss up if he and Towns were in the same draft. Both were somewhat limited by their coaches. Towns just fits the modern NBA perfectly.

if they are a toss up to you, you gotta explain cause Embiid looks like the far better prospect, better footwork, low post offense, better defender in all areas, covering ground, post defender, protecting the rim

Yet people in here were dumb hyped when KAT was hitting jumpers
Embiid is way better than KAT and Jah like its not even close

The guy who wasn't allowed to shoot jumpers based on the system he played in versus the kid with the broken jumper and bad form?

Idc about the system i seen plenty of times, where they kicked out to him with the shot clock winding down and he wanted none of them shots, KAT isnt a shooter until he shoots in games f a workout

Even Michael Kidd-Gilchrist is a shooter in practices/shootaround, i seent it

 

[johnnyredstorm]

I'll take KAT 10 out of 10 times. Not interested in risking a potential lingering injury issue when I can have a guy that's healthy and fluid with a soft touch from the field. Maybe Embiid has a higher ceiling, but Towns has a higher floor.

 

[hypebeast5]

If both dudes play Embiid is head and shoulders better

Like better atm, better when they both came out of college and has a better ceiling

F all this foot injury stuff, D Rose got all yall dumb paranoid

 

[johnnyredstorm]

D rose? No a guy named Yao Ming. Foot injuries can be lethal for a 7 footer.

 

[pmatic]

D'Angelo Russell's rising NBA draft stock surprises many, including himself

Few players in the upcoming NBA draft have seen their stock rise as much as D'Angelo Russell.

It's not that Russell was a complete unknown before arriving at Ohio State. Most scouting services had him ranked as a top-20 recruit, with the guard placing 18th in the Rivals ranking for his high school class.

Other scouting services, such as ESPN (13th) and Scout.com (13th) had him similarly rated.

At the time, Russell was viewed as an NBA prospect. If he worked hard at Ohio State, rounded out his game, and improved his strength and conditioning he had a chance to go in the lottery, or so it was thought.

Few, however, predicted the incredible season Russell ended up having, a season that would cause him to be a one-and-done college player and vault him to the very top of the draft just seven months later.

You can include Russell among those who are surprised.

When asked if he thought he'd be in this position so fast, he said "No. Not at all. I always wanted to be an NBA player, but I definitely didn't have it in my mind to be a one-and-done."

Russell's rise to the top started quickly. A starter for the Buckeyes from Day 1, Russell averaged averaged 17.4 points per game in 2014 against Ohio State's mostly out of conference schedule. The talent was there, and Russell had proven himself to be the key to Ohio State's NCAA tournament hopes.

As the calendar flipped to 2015, Russell took his game to a new level. He scored 22 in a win against Illinois on January 3, then followed that up with 27 in an overtime win on the road against Minnesota.

Perhaps more important than the points Russell scored were the minutes he played: After playing all 40 minutes against Illinois Russell followed that up 3 days later by logging 43 minutes in the overtime win against Minnesota.

In less than two months time Russell had become too important to take out of the game.

Russell ended January with an average of 22.9 points per game for the month. His Buckeyes, at 17-5 overall and 6-3 in the Big Ten, were now in firm contention for an NCAA tournament bid, and Russell had risen to the top of virtually every draft board.

Russell claims he wasn't looking at the mock drafts, but his brothers kept him informed of his rise.

"They would always send me pictures of stuff during the season like 'This team said this, this mock draft has you here". I was just like 'Stop sending me this stuff. I don't care'," Russell said. "But I couldn't run from the opportunity too much longer. It kind of set in."

The improvement Russell showed throughout the season was something he noticed as well.

"When I was playing in college, every game I felt like I got better," Russell said. "Being in the league, I don't know how successful I'll be, but I know I'll work to do it."

When Russell arrived at Ohio State, one of the questions he frequently heard was whether he's a point guard or a shooting guard. After averaging 19.3 points, 5.7 rebounds, and 5.0 assists per game, Russell feels he demonstrated he could do both.

"I consider myself a basketball player," Russell said when asked about his position. "I always had that chip on my shoulder that I can dribble like a point, I can pass like a point, and I can score like a shooting guard.

"If you ask me, that's a basketball player," Russell concluded.

Russell's scoring numbers were downright gaudy, especially for a freshman. His 19.3 points per game were the highest by any freshman this season, and the highest freshman output in the Big Ten since Eric Gordon averaged 20.9 points per game for Indiana back in 2007-08. Despite those impressive numbers, it's his passing that Russell believes separates himself.

"I see plays a play or two ahead," Russell said. "I cherish that aspect of my game."

Next up for Russell is improving his body by bulking up and improving his conditioning. Russell, who called himself a skinny kid by nature, claims to have added 10 pounds of muscle mass since arriving at Ohio State.

"I got into a college weight system and my body changed," Russell said at the combine. "Everybody that's been in the [NBA] for a while, they gain so much muscle mass. They get faster, bigger, stronger. You're forced to or you'll get lost."

Judging by how quickly Russell adapted at Ohio State, getting lost doesn't appear to be in his future.

http://www.usatoday.com/story/sport.../dangelo-russell-rising-draft-stock/28432525/

 

[pmatic]

 

[Vincent Van Goat]

If both dudes play Embiid is head and shoulders better

Like better atm, better when they both came out of college and has a better ceiling

F all this foot injury stuff, D Rose got all yall dumb paranoid

Derrick Rose? Not really. More like Walton, Yao, Oden, Andrew Bynum, Sam Bowie, Brad Daugherty, Ralph Sampson.. etc.

All of these guys either had similar injuries or were hurt in college going into the pros

I would most definitely factor health in if I'm picking between Embiid and Towns

 

[johnnyredstorm]

At this point if I had the option, I'd sacrifice upside for insurance. Ain't like KAT is some bum and Embiid is going to light years ahead of him.

 

[carver]

Super Mario

 

[addict4sneakers]

Hezonja is looking like he's about to be my main man in this years draft class

 

[Quincy McCall]

 
Super Mario

5p 3r 3a 3stls in 10 min today 

 

[rck3sactown]

how he managed to stay in bounds 

 

[johnnyredstorm]

mario is gonna be a player.

 

[kal-el-8]

mario is gonna be a player.

Covincing yourself just in case you guys draft him huh?

 

[nick.]

it's gonna be Mudiay, Winslow, or Russell

 

[osh kosh bosh]

Super Mario

\

Crobe. Avy check.

 

[ValarMorghulis]

Super Mario coming for the L

His confidence gonna be through the roof.

 

[johnnyredstorm]

mario is gonna be a player.

Covincing yourself just in case you guys draft him huh?

sort of i wouldnt be angry with him. but i want mudiay.

 

[jpzx]

I'm pretty sure he did not stay in bounds though

 

[tomdiginson]

If both dudes play Embiid is head and shoulders better

Like better atm, better when they both came out of college and has a better ceiling

F all this foot injury stuff, D Rose got all yall dumb paranoid

Stay holding on to Roses swipe. Let go man.

 

[keel252]

He def stepped out