The 2015 NBA Draft Thread: Draft Day Is Here

Listen I'm not saying the kid isn't gonna be good. He is uber athletic and shifty with the rock. But the only thing I've seen from him is school footage. And I've learned lately not to buy into high school basketball. Once allot of these top ranked high school kids hit the next level they get way too exposed it's a different game. I just don't trust somebody I haven't seen play consistently vs a high caliber comp.
 
It would have been nice for Mudiay to go to SMU. I mean Okafor showed out in college but a lot of weaknesses were also somewhat exposed. Changed the perception of him real quick, especially with Towns showing his defensive prowess and versatility

If Mudiay goes to SMU, sure he probably shows out but over the course of the season weaknesses undoubtedly would have shown and we'd get a clearer picture. For now his China voyage not to his fault has prevented any real critical breakdown of his skill set

That's exactly what I'm getting at.
 
Listen I'm not saying the kid isn't gonna be good. He is uber athletic and shifty with the rock. But the only thing I've seen from him is school footage. And I've learned lately not to buy into high school basketball. Once allot of these top ranked high school kids hit the next level they get way too exposed it's a different game. I just don't trust somebody I haven't seen play consistently vs a high caliber comp.
And it isn't like Russell wasn't a 5 star recruit himself

Professional scouts, a ton of them have Towns as #1. A TON of those same scouts had Okafor as #1 before the college season

I guess they put too much stock into one year in college too?
 
Some of yall put alotta stock into one year of college basketball :lol: , acting like scouts haven't been keeping tabs on these dudes since Probly their soph/junior year in high school ....only similarity between Exums situation and Mudiay is that their both entering the draft coming from another country ...Anybody who follows high school recruiting know that's Mudiay and Okafor were seen as the clear top 2 picks in this draft heading into the college season , they were on their own teir of prospects ....difference is Fans get to see the top college players anytime they want , while Mudiay is out of sight out of mind ...if he goes to smu , he's the clear best guard prospect in this draft just like he was a year ago

So wait you buying what scouting says before you actually see the kid play a couple games vs high clabier competition?

You pretty much saw him play in a all star game (world vs us) that's it
I mean he balled out vs the top players in this draft too ...let's not act like he never played against these dudes, he was living /playing in America then went to China for a year to get that money ...I guess he shoulda just stayed at smu, played against uconn and temple so he could really get ready for the league and show out for fans huh
 
There is no similarity between Mudiay and Exum. There was zero footage of Exum

I do however don't take a high school career as my 100%, number 1 indicator of where they should go in the NBA draft

For instance, you bring up Okafor being seen as a clear top pick coming into the college season. I THOUGHT THE SAME THING as well but I did change my mind once Towns started doing his thing. Does that mean I "put too much stock into one year of college ball"? So be it, I'll take Towns #1 and not look back. There are a lot of INTELLIGENT folks who have Towns as #1 and not Okafor. Do they put too much stock into one year of college ball too?

That's a clear difference in what people are saying in here about Mudiay.

Okafor being a clear cut pick over Towns before the year started isn't exactly accurate. Plenty of reputable outlets were going back and forth about that. They were neck and neck before the year and still are. The difference is marginal. There are plenty of mocks and articles you can pull before the season started that had KAT going #1.


Dudes are in here questioning why Mudiay is being a considered an elite prospect at all...when he was going to be a top 5 pick since his junior year...just like Okafor and Towns.

If they skipped out on College Basketball too...they would still be considered the cream if this years crop. Scouts have been on these kids for a long time...not just for 5 months
 
Last edited:
That's a clear difference in what people are saying in here about Mudiay.

Okafor over Towns before the year started isn't exactly accurate. Plenty of reputable outlets were going back and forth about that. They were neck and neck before the year and still are. The difference is marginal. There are plenty of mocks and articles you can pull before the season started that had KAT going #1.


Dudes are in here question why Mudiay is being a considered and elite prospect at all...when he was going to be a top 5 pick since his junior year...just like Okafor and Towns.
I don't think it was marginal IMO. Okafor was the clear cut #1 with Towns lingering. Links would be useful in that discussion with mocks that had KAT as #1, I will look as well. I know OKB was one of the only ones in here giving KAT a slight chance and I don't recall anyone agreeing with him

Mudiay should go top 5, that's not even a debate. My point was more so of how folks view a high school body of work compared to one year in college
 
Last edited:
If you follow the draft and like to dig a lil deeper into it then you shouldn't base opinions off a year or 2 on any level , that's how Evan Turner, Derrick Williams and Thomas Robinson become top picks ...you have to look at players starting from sophomore/ junior year in high school through the time they enter the draft and that's what scouts do
I understand that, but you are avoiding my point

Do you have Towns as #1?
What point you trying to make ? Its 1a and 1b as far as towns/oakafor this year depending on team likes and needs imo
 
If you follow the draft and like to dig a lil deeper into it then you shouldn't base opinions off a year or 2 on any level , that's how Evan Turner, Derrick Williams and Thomas Robinson become top picks ...you have to look at players starting from sophomore/ junior year in high school through the time they enter the draft and that's what scouts do

I feel you but those 3 guys were clear at what they were gonna be. Williams wasn't fast enough to play the 3 and def couldn't guard the 4. It was clear what turner was and I def don't wanna speak on Robinson.
 
What point you trying to make ? Its 1a and 1b as far as towns/oakafor this year depending on team likes and needs imo
My point being that Okafor was the number 1 guy heading into college, your words

After the year of college he was no longer the clear cut number 1 guy, as seen by many scouts and analysts

Does that mean those scouts and analysts put too much stock into one college season?
 
I personally don't buy into this scouting system crap. I make my own judgement when I see a kid play. These scouts miss way too much for me to follow them. I'm not saying the kid isn't top 5 talent. I seen a couple tournies he played in. Kid has it but I'm not taking him over Russ or the other 2 bigs. After those 3 he's clearly the next pick.

You right Exum should not been brought up, that was way from left field.
 
Embiid, Noel and Russell is going to be awesome.

They got some nice spare parts in Grant and Covington too.
 
In the East, Philly can turn it around in 2 years.

Just need to pick up some solid veterans to complete the puzzle.

How's Dario Saric looking overseas? Is he coming over this year or next?
 
Last edited:
Yea' still feels like a lot is missing from the sixers, I kinda wanna belieb.

They got T- Rob and Cov tho, might be worth while
 
@100027 yea, I think a lot of depends on whether or not Melo will waive his NTC. I think he turns 32 this upcoming season, and you'd have to think that he knows deep down that even with the #4 pick, and cap space, he's probably no closer to winning a championship than he was before he signed an extension. On top of it all, you have to wonder about his body starting to break down. Who knows...maybe we'll see a Kobe/Melo tandem not before long.
 
For Timberwolves, Karl-Anthony Towns vs. Jahlil Okafor is a question of philosophy

With the first pick in the NBA draft, the Minnesota Timberwolves select ... a fascinating window into how Flip Saunders values big men. It's a sign of how quickly the NBA has evolved that Saunders has become an old-school basketball man.

The Timberwolves' coach and president of basketball operations ran a team that ranked dead last in three-point attempts, which was in keeping with his team's historical record of eschewing the three for long-range twos. Not so long ago that was a winning formula with the Pistons, who employed one of the game's last great mid-range artists in Rip Hamilton.

It's not that it can't work, it's just much harder to make a living that way in today's game. That was in evidence during Saunders' runs with the Wizards and last year's Wolves, whose injury-depleted roster was notably lacking in shooters of any kind.

Were this 10 years ago there would not be much of a debate. Jahlil Okafor has everything you'd want in a top pick. He was the first freshman to win ACC Player of the Year and he did it for a team that won the national championship.

Okafor is going to be a monster scorer, the kind of big you build with if you want to play inside out with a force on the low block. He brings elite size and a package of skills that include NBA-ready post moves, a shooter's touch and advanced footwork. Once he becomes established, he'll command double-teams in the post and use his passing acumen to find cutters like Andrew Wiggins, last year's top pick and the reigning Rookie of the Year.

The only problem is it's not 10 years ago and most teams don't want to play that way anymore. They value spacing on offense and rim protection on defense. Okafor's offensive strengths are minimized by his defensive shortcomings. Modern big men are also expected to step out and shoot 18-20 footers if not extend all the way to the three-point line, leaving the paint open for slashers and creators to drive to the basket.

That's what Karl-Anthony Towns brings to the equation, along with a defensive reputation enhanced by his one season at Kentucky where he focused on rebounding and blocking shots. While not a featured part of Kentucky's offense, Towns has shown an ability to extend his range to the perimeter. His rough edges offensively can be smoothed out in time as he grows into his body.

Just about every team in the league would happily make Towns the top pick and be perfectly content knowing they have the most expensive spot on the roster filled with a cost-controlled 19-year-old. Yet, only one team has the top pick and that team is said to be enamored with Okafor's game.

Okafor would be a huge boost offensively for any team, but the Wolves already have an offensive-minded big man in Nikola Pekovic who plays close to the basket and is a liability on the defensive end. Pek also happens to have three years left on his deal at around $12 million a year. No player is untradeable, but dealing the 29-year-old Pekovic after an injury-ravaged season would be selling extremely low.

Towns would offer the kind of rim-protecting big man they've been missing for years with a much-higher offensive upside than Gorgui Dieng. They'd still need shooting all over the floor, but Towns and Wiggins would have the makings of a terrific defensive combination. With Ricky Rubio back at full strength and Zach LaVine moved to the wing, Minnesota could be transformed overnight into a long and athletic marvel along the lines of the Milwaukee Bucks.

Saunders told reporters after the lottery that they haven't made up their mind about the selection. Okafor and Towns both skipped the Chicago pre-draft combine and their individual workouts will be crucial in the evaluation.

If the Wolves take Okafor the rest of the lottery selections will round nicely into focus. The Lakers can add Towns to pair with Julius Randle and maybe even rescue Rajon Rondo to stage a Kentucky-led revival. The 76ers would then have their pick of lead guards between D'Angelo Russell and Emmanuel Mudiay to team up with Sam Hinkie's stash of bigs. The Knicks would do whatever it is the Knicks do.

If Minnesota takes Towns, this could get messy. Would Okafor still be the clear-cut second choice for a team that already has a low-post option in Randle or would Mudiay be in play? Would Hinkie still get his man? The Knicks will do whatever it is the Knicks do.

The decision is in Flip Saunders' hands. He will either buck the modern basketball ethos with a nod to his old-school roots, or embrace it by passing on what once was the model of conventional wisdom.
http://www.sbnation.com/nba/2015/5/20/8628549/timberwolves-nba-draft-2015-karl-towns-jahlil-okafor
 
Could Towns/Dieng possibly work? Towns is a shooter but didn't get to display it at Kentucky

I would still try to see what I could get for Rubio... try my hardest to get anything for Pek 
 
Last edited:
Wonder who the Hornets take. Pretty sure it will be between Mario, Booker or Stanley.
 
Back
Top Bottom