I think he is going to be the most maddening prospect of the draft in years.
2016 NBA Draft and beyond (labelplant edition).. 4/4/16 UPDATE: 2017 Draft Big Board
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Wilt Chamberlain
Ok here is top 15 Big Board for 2017.
1. Josh Jackson (SF Undecided 6'8 185 2/10/97) - it's so close between the top 2 that i just said in the other thread that i think Tatum actually has more pro potential but now I'm flip flopping to Jackson because of his two way potential, passing and all around grit. If Tatum develops a consistent three point shot it will be a different story and I know he is workin on it so we will see. I hope Jackson doesn't commit to KU though since IMO Self doesn't really develop players for the NBA that well.
2. Jayson Tatum (SF Duke 6'8 180 3/3/98)
3. Harry Giles (PF Duke 6'10 230 4/22/98) - I'm not as high on him as others but as long as he gets back to full health he is still the 3rd best prospect here. I hear Big Dog Glenn Rob and Cwebb comparisons but what people don't mention is his defensive versatility and high ceiling on that end, which is arguably more impressive to me than the offensive side. His touch looked solid in the mid range when I saw him last summer so if he can extended his range that will really help him.
4. De'Aaron Fox (PG Kentucky 6'4 160 12/20/97) - I didn't even watch but I heard he was somewhat disappointing in the Mickey Ds game. Don't look into it that much, his length and basketball instincts are off the charts. He isn't as quick as Rose or Westbrook but he has solid mechanics on his shot and I think once that part of his game comes a long he will be as tough to stop as anyone.
5. Malik Monk (SG Kentucky 6'4 180 2/4/98) - scoring instincts are as good as any player I've seen at this stage in a long time. He is a 40+ inch vertical athlete , and his jump shot is solid although inconsistent. It should improve with time and he has made major improvements as a passer in the past year. As the NBA is getting quicker and smaller, his size shouldnt be a prob defensively at SG.
6. Lonzo Ball (PG UCLA 6'4 165 10/27/97) - I had some doubts because of the style of play his team has and because of lack of big AAU competition but he has proven himself this year. His passing is a well known commodity at this point but I think his athletic ability is extremely underrated. He has great size for a true point as well. Playing in a real system should really help take his game to the next level. Either that or it will expose him but for now he has proven successful in every setting he's been in, I do wonder how quickly will he be able to learn a real system. I would love to see a Chino Hills vs Oak Hill match up rn, I'd pay good money for that.
7. Dennis Smith (PG NC State 6'2 160 11/25/97) - As long as he comes back from injury, he has all the natural talent in the world. Extremely tough to keep in front on any level but I do wonder if NC State is the best environment for his pro prospects. Sort of like a Ben Simmons/LSU situation.
8. Markelle Fultz (SG Washington 6'4 170) - seems to get better every time I watch him play, he is really on the rise. Great senior season really made me a believer. At Washington he shpuld get playing time and touches necessary to help his stock but a lot of their top guys are graduating or leaving for the pros so they may struggle a bit and that might hurt him somewhat. Great scorer though and should be able to develop his all around game under Romar. Defense has a long way to go but who doesnt at this level.
9. Frank Ntilikina (PG France 6'5 170 7/28/98) - super talented European guard. Great size for a true PG. Already playing well against much older competition. Unselfish, pass first and is improving his shot all the time. Sometimes needs to assert himself more, considering his talent. Reported to have a near 7 foot wing span or something ridiculous like that. In another draft would be a top 3 pick. If the 2014 draft was the NBA reloading on the next generation of bigs, this is where the league is gonna reload on guards and perimeter players. The Sixers NEED a good pick in this draft.
10. Bam Bam Adebayo (PF Kentucky 6'9 225 7/18/97) - Terrific frame, excellent length and strength combo. Looks like he may have even grown another inch or two over the past year. Should eventually settle in as a small ball center. He dunks and blocks everything. Mini Dwight.
11. Jonathan Isaac (SF Florida St 6'10 185 10/3/97) - incredible ceiling. Reminds a bit of a Brandon Ingram/ Giannis hybrid. Uber long but fairly smooth and agile at his height. Does need to work on his game a lot still, especially putting it all together in each possession and taking full advantage of his talent. May struggle a bit at first even in college because of lack of strength but very intriguing prospect on both ends.
12. Wenyan Gabriel (PF Kentucky 6'9 185 3/26/97) - will be interesting to see the big man rotation at Kentucky. Especially if Bolden commits, Isaac Humphries might transfer. Willis and most likely Lee are coming back for one more year as well. I lowkey like Gabriel the most out of all their bigs, including even bam. He is another long smooth athlete, who may even see some minutes at SF but his future is an NBA stretch 4 with rim protection credentials. Serge Ibaka comes to mind. Gabriel is a little smaller but more agile.
13. Isaiah Hartenstein (PF Germany 6'11 225 5/5/98) - has a long way to go but has good size and is already a pure shooter. Should fit nicely for someone down the line in a sort of Ryan Anderson role. Will be interesting to contrast his development with Laurie Markkannen who is about the same age, and has a similar skill set. However, Markkanen decided to commit to Arizona instead of staying at Europe. Hartenstein is prob a bit more talented overall but Sean Miller could have a nice effect on Markkanens game, helping him adjust to the American game and improve defensively. On the other hand, Laurri may get stuck on the bench behind players Miller knows and trusts. Similar to Mykhailuks situation in Kansas. So we will see.
14. OG Anunoby (SF Indiana 6'8 215 7/17/97) - I'm a huge fan, seriously wanna name my son OG. Just a dominant force defensively in college already not to mention a terrific athlete. Reported a 7'7(!!!!) Wing span, is enough for Bilas to chum himself. Probably an exaggerated number but nevertheless he has potential to become a Kawhi like player as long as he has the work ethic and mental focus. Needs a lot of work but can already be a big time contributor in the college game of mostly just talent and natural ability. Love his demeanor as well.
15. Miles Bridges (F Michigan St. 6'8 230 3/21/98) - combo forward/future stretch 4 as long as he works on his defense. Izzo should be great for him on that end but also because Bridges is a bit of a chucker right now and Izzo's team usually have pretty good ball movement. I'm not as high on him as others but the athletic ability and aggressive play really separates him. Also had a terrific senior season putting up some huge numbers.
1. Josh Jackson (SF Undecided 6'8 185 2/10/97) - it's so close between the top 2 that i just said in the other thread that i think Tatum actually has more pro potential but now I'm flip flopping to Jackson because of his two way potential, passing and all around grit. If Tatum develops a consistent three point shot it will be a different story and I know he is workin on it so we will see. I hope Jackson doesn't commit to KU though since IMO Self doesn't really develop players for the NBA that well.
2. Jayson Tatum (SF Duke 6'8 180 3/3/98)
3. Harry Giles (PF Duke 6'10 230 4/22/98) - I'm not as high on him as others but as long as he gets back to full health he is still the 3rd best prospect here. I hear Big Dog Glenn Rob and Cwebb comparisons but what people don't mention is his defensive versatility and high ceiling on that end, which is arguably more impressive to me than the offensive side. His touch looked solid in the mid range when I saw him last summer so if he can extended his range that will really help him.
4. De'Aaron Fox (PG Kentucky 6'4 160 12/20/97) - I didn't even watch but I heard he was somewhat disappointing in the Mickey Ds game. Don't look into it that much, his length and basketball instincts are off the charts. He isn't as quick as Rose or Westbrook but he has solid mechanics on his shot and I think once that part of his game comes a long he will be as tough to stop as anyone.
5. Malik Monk (SG Kentucky 6'4 180 2/4/98) - scoring instincts are as good as any player I've seen at this stage in a long time. He is a 40+ inch vertical athlete , and his jump shot is solid although inconsistent. It should improve with time and he has made major improvements as a passer in the past year. As the NBA is getting quicker and smaller, his size shouldnt be a prob defensively at SG.
6. Lonzo Ball (PG UCLA 6'4 165 10/27/97) - I had some doubts because of the style of play his team has and because of lack of big AAU competition but he has proven himself this year. His passing is a well known commodity at this point but I think his athletic ability is extremely underrated. He has great size for a true point as well. Playing in a real system should really help take his game to the next level. Either that or it will expose him but for now he has proven successful in every setting he's been in, I do wonder how quickly will he be able to learn a real system. I would love to see a Chino Hills vs Oak Hill match up rn, I'd pay good money for that.
7. Dennis Smith (PG NC State 6'2 160 11/25/97) - As long as he comes back from injury, he has all the natural talent in the world. Extremely tough to keep in front on any level but I do wonder if NC State is the best environment for his pro prospects. Sort of like a Ben Simmons/LSU situation.
8. Markelle Fultz (SG Washington 6'4 170) - seems to get better every time I watch him play, he is really on the rise. Great senior season really made me a believer. At Washington he shpuld get playing time and touches necessary to help his stock but a lot of their top guys are graduating or leaving for the pros so they may struggle a bit and that might hurt him somewhat. Great scorer though and should be able to develop his all around game under Romar. Defense has a long way to go but who doesnt at this level.
9. Frank Ntilikina (PG France 6'5 170 7/28/98) - super talented European guard. Great size for a true PG. Already playing well against much older competition. Unselfish, pass first and is improving his shot all the time. Sometimes needs to assert himself more, considering his talent. Reported to have a near 7 foot wing span or something ridiculous like that. In another draft would be a top 3 pick. If the 2014 draft was the NBA reloading on the next generation of bigs, this is where the league is gonna reload on guards and perimeter players. The Sixers NEED a good pick in this draft.
10. Bam Bam Adebayo (PF Kentucky 6'9 225 7/18/97) - Terrific frame, excellent length and strength combo. Looks like he may have even grown another inch or two over the past year. Should eventually settle in as a small ball center. He dunks and blocks everything. Mini Dwight.
11. Jonathan Isaac (SF Florida St 6'10 185 10/3/97) - incredible ceiling. Reminds a bit of a Brandon Ingram/ Giannis hybrid. Uber long but fairly smooth and agile at his height. Does need to work on his game a lot still, especially putting it all together in each possession and taking full advantage of his talent. May struggle a bit at first even in college because of lack of strength but very intriguing prospect on both ends.
12. Wenyan Gabriel (PF Kentucky 6'9 185 3/26/97) - will be interesting to see the big man rotation at Kentucky. Especially if Bolden commits, Isaac Humphries might transfer. Willis and most likely Lee are coming back for one more year as well. I lowkey like Gabriel the most out of all their bigs, including even bam. He is another long smooth athlete, who may even see some minutes at SF but his future is an NBA stretch 4 with rim protection credentials. Serge Ibaka comes to mind. Gabriel is a little smaller but more agile.
13. Isaiah Hartenstein (PF Germany 6'11 225 5/5/98) - has a long way to go but has good size and is already a pure shooter. Should fit nicely for someone down the line in a sort of Ryan Anderson role. Will be interesting to contrast his development with Laurie Markkannen who is about the same age, and has a similar skill set. However, Markkanen decided to commit to Arizona instead of staying at Europe. Hartenstein is prob a bit more talented overall but Sean Miller could have a nice effect on Markkanens game, helping him adjust to the American game and improve defensively. On the other hand, Laurri may get stuck on the bench behind players Miller knows and trusts. Similar to Mykhailuks situation in Kansas. So we will see.
14. OG Anunoby (SF Indiana 6'8 215 7/17/97) - I'm a huge fan, seriously wanna name my son OG. Just a dominant force defensively in college already not to mention a terrific athlete. Reported a 7'7(!!!!) Wing span, is enough for Bilas to chum himself. Probably an exaggerated number but nevertheless he has potential to become a Kawhi like player as long as he has the work ethic and mental focus. Needs a lot of work but can already be a big time contributor in the college game of mostly just talent and natural ability. Love his demeanor as well.
15. Miles Bridges (F Michigan St. 6'8 230 3/21/98) - combo forward/future stretch 4 as long as he works on his defense. Izzo should be great for him on that end but also because Bridges is a bit of a chucker right now and Izzo's team usually have pretty good ball movement. I'm not as high on him as others but the athletic ability and aggressive play really separates him. Also had a terrific senior season putting up some huge numbers.
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Wilt Chamberlain
He is going to be in the D League next year
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Wilt Chamberlain
I may or may not make somr changes to my 2017 big board after the Hoop Summit and Jordan Brand game.
Also as the major AAU tourneys begin next month, I'll try to rank top 10-20 2018 draft guys. Probably a full list around August though. DeAndre Ayton, Wendell Carter, Michael Porter etc
Also as the major AAU tourneys begin next month, I'll try to rank top 10-20 2018 draft guys. Probably a full list around August though. DeAndre Ayton, Wendell Carter, Michael Porter etc
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Wilt Chamberlain
Here are the 2 most intriguing (not the best) team line ups for the next few seasons:
2. Raptors
Biyombo
Patterson
Ross
Joseph
Lowry
It seems like every game the Raptors starters dig a little hole and than these guys bring them back. Patterson is especially a huge upgrade over Scola and overall an extremely overlooked player whose floor spacing and intelligent play is always a net positive. But even someone as talented as DeRozan is having a very good season but it seems like for almost every basket he scores he gives one up on the other end. Overall they have played 285 minutes together (solid number, Toronto's 2nd most used line up this season) and have outscored the opponents by an average of 20.2(!!) points per 100 possessions. I wanna see what Casey's rotations will be like in the playoffs but if he plays these guys the minutes they deserve and in particular in crunch time, I'm picking Raptors over Cavs. On top of all that, btw, all 4 guys (outside Lowry) are all fairly young and Joseph, Ross and Big Bis should all improve to differing extents in the next few seasons. Lowry is 30 and he is clearly the best player on this team so thats a problem but he seems to be getting better every year, let alone showing any signs of slowing down. I honestly would say he is the 2nd best PG in the NBA rn outside of Curry rn and deserves more MVP consideration. Considering how much more useful his w/o the ball than Paul and Westbrook. Westbrook is also terrible on D and Paul has had to concentrate on the offense so much that he hasn't had done so great on D either. Lowry meanwhile is playing defense at close to all NBA level as well as being one of the best shooters in the league now so leaving him to help on someone is death. He also doesnt make many mistakes, doesn't overdribble and ball hog. He may not be as intelligent and consistent over his career as CP3 OR have the physical dominance and court vision of Russ but this year he has been the better overall basketball player out of the 3.
1. Thunder
Adams
Ibaka
Durant
Roberson
Westbrook
What people don't realize is that they still outscore their opponents by 17.5 points every 100 possessions. And even more overlooked: Westbrook and Durant are both still 27, younger than Steph curry for example and they are the 2 oldest guys of these 5. Adams is 22, Roberson is 24 and Ibaka is 26. I think Durant would be foolish to sign anywhere else. Even Golden State. No one knows how they will mesh. All signs would point to total dominance but who really knows?? Plus everyone around him is still improving. If Roberson and Ibaka get a little more consistent shooting the 3 and they improve their bench (Kanter is just sooo fukking bad defensively and Singler shouldnt be in the NBA) they can easily be a title contender, if they arent one already. LeBron is done and who knows what the Spurs will be like in a year. So all they really need is to catch a few breaks in a series against the Warriors and they are golden.
2. Raptors
Biyombo
Patterson
Ross
Joseph
Lowry
It seems like every game the Raptors starters dig a little hole and than these guys bring them back. Patterson is especially a huge upgrade over Scola and overall an extremely overlooked player whose floor spacing and intelligent play is always a net positive. But even someone as talented as DeRozan is having a very good season but it seems like for almost every basket he scores he gives one up on the other end. Overall they have played 285 minutes together (solid number, Toronto's 2nd most used line up this season) and have outscored the opponents by an average of 20.2(!!) points per 100 possessions. I wanna see what Casey's rotations will be like in the playoffs but if he plays these guys the minutes they deserve and in particular in crunch time, I'm picking Raptors over Cavs. On top of all that, btw, all 4 guys (outside Lowry) are all fairly young and Joseph, Ross and Big Bis should all improve to differing extents in the next few seasons. Lowry is 30 and he is clearly the best player on this team so thats a problem but he seems to be getting better every year, let alone showing any signs of slowing down. I honestly would say he is the 2nd best PG in the NBA rn outside of Curry rn and deserves more MVP consideration. Considering how much more useful his w/o the ball than Paul and Westbrook. Westbrook is also terrible on D and Paul has had to concentrate on the offense so much that he hasn't had done so great on D either. Lowry meanwhile is playing defense at close to all NBA level as well as being one of the best shooters in the league now so leaving him to help on someone is death. He also doesnt make many mistakes, doesn't overdribble and ball hog. He may not be as intelligent and consistent over his career as CP3 OR have the physical dominance and court vision of Russ but this year he has been the better overall basketball player out of the 3.
1. Thunder
Adams
Ibaka
Durant
Roberson
Westbrook
What people don't realize is that they still outscore their opponents by 17.5 points every 100 possessions. And even more overlooked: Westbrook and Durant are both still 27, younger than Steph curry for example and they are the 2 oldest guys of these 5. Adams is 22, Roberson is 24 and Ibaka is 26. I think Durant would be foolish to sign anywhere else. Even Golden State. No one knows how they will mesh. All signs would point to total dominance but who really knows?? Plus everyone around him is still improving. If Roberson and Ibaka get a little more consistent shooting the 3 and they improve their bench (Kanter is just sooo fukking bad defensively and Singler shouldnt be in the NBA) they can easily be a title contender, if they arent one already. LeBron is done and who knows what the Spurs will be like in a year. So all they really need is to catch a few breaks in a series against the Warriors and they are golden.
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Wilt Chamberlain
Draftexpress has Adebayo 9th and nbadraft.net has him 19th. I'm high on Gabriel and think he will play himself into a one and done.
I technically have Bridges 15th so not lottery. Still, ESPN has him ranked 6th in the class, 24/7 Sports and Future150 have him 9th. Also keep in mind, outside Anunoby I didn't really consider any returning players. If, for example, Deyonta Davis and/or Thomas Bryant come back I'd prob have them above some of these guys but for now I'm considering them as part of the 2016 draft
Adebayo is an energy big and will drop. The other 2 are tweeners. I like Josh Langford more than Bridges whom I think is a multi-year college guy.
Captain Crunch
Veteran
Josh Jackson can't play the 2 in the pros?
Yes just depends on the roster.
You're not worried about Tatums lack of speed explosiveness and athleticism?
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Wilt Chamberlain
Not unless he drastically improves his shooting. I think he is more likely to put on some mass and play small ball 4. Either way he is the prototype SF, why play him anywhere else. Pippen is his ceiling comparison that I and others have made
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Wilt Chamberlain
He seems fine to me in that department. Not like a dominant athlete but just fine. Durant is only slightly more athletic, and a lot of that came through experience and summer work outs. I dont think tatum lacks speed either.
