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Post by Admin on May 19, 2018 19:54:42 GMT -5
Good news for those of us hoping to move up in this draft ... Memphis will trade down if the player they want goes in the top three. They want a future FRDP and two players (a vet and 1 from this drsft or 2 from this draft). Grizzlies To Explore Trading No. 4 Pick?May 18th 2018 at 8:37am CST by Luke AdamsThe buzz at this week’s draft combine in Chicago suggests that the Grizzlies are a prime candidate to trade a high pick next month, according to Sean Deveney of The Sporting News. Deveney hears that the Grizzlies’ preference would be to move up to No. 1 or No. 2 to grab one of 2018’s top prospects, but a trade down is probably more likely. “If you have someone you like in the first few picks, they’re the first call you’d make,” one general manager said of the Grizzlies, per Deveney. “They obviously were the most disappointed with the way the lottery went and the options they have now. It seems like they want to try to turn that pick into something else. “Everyone’s going to talk before the draft, of course,” the GM continued. “But Memphis, I think they’re the ones who are going to be more ready to do something than others.” As Deveney observes, many of the most promising prospects who would be available for the Grizzlies at No. 4 are raw and wouldn’t necessarily be able to make an impact right away. Memphis hopes to return to playoff contention with a healthy Mike Conley in 2018/19, so moving down a few spots and picking up a wing like Mikal Bridges or Miles Bridges – along with an extra player – could be a favorable outcome for the club. The Grizzlies also owe their 2019 first-round pick to the Celtics if it doesn’t land in the top eight, so if they explore a trade down, they may look to pick up a first-rounder in that draft, Deveney notes. If Memphis stays at No. 4, the team’s top options figure to include the likes of Jaren Jackson Jr., Mohamed Bamba, and Michael Porter Jr., assuming Deandre Ayton, Luka Doncic, and Marvin Bagley III come off the board in the top three. While the Grizzlies may ultimately stay put, especially if one of those top prospects slips to them, we should expect them to be involved in trade discussions leading up to draft night, Deveney writes.
www.hoopsrumors.com/2018/05/grizzlies-to-explore-trading-no-4-pick.html
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Post by Admin on May 19, 2018 22:06:06 GMT -5
NBA draft combine’s biggest winners and losers, starring Grayson Allen, Mohamed Bamba and Trae YoungMeet the winners and losers of this year’s NBA draft combine. By Ricky O'Donnell
Photo by Stacy Revere/Getty ImagesCHICAGO — The NBA draft combine doesn’t quite make-or-break a player’s stock the way it can in the NFL, but it does allow prospects to separate themselves with their measurements and athletic testing, as well as provide an opportunity for less touted players to shine in scrimmages and drills. Day one of the combine kicked off Thursday in Chicago with the NBA world watching. This is the type of setting where you turn the corner and bump into Larry Bird, turn another corner and spot Magic Johnson. Just about every prominent executive in the league was on hand as the next generation of talent was poked, prodded and measured. Here are the winners and losers from day one at the combine. Winner: Mohamed BambaThe Texas freshman just put up the biggest wingspan measurement in the history of the combine. He’s also an incredibly impressive and self-aware speaker who seems destined to help himself in team interviews: I flew out to USA Basketball camp to profile Bamba as he was entering his junior year of high school. Even on a court with the likes of Jayson Tatum, Josh Jackson and Markelle Fultz, he stood out for his ridiculous physical tools. Bamba’s frame has filled out a good deal since then, and he still has so much more room to grow into his body. It’s also possible he’s just scratching the surface of his skill level. For now, Bamba is rather raw on offense. He’s going to be a lob target early in his NBA career, not someone who is going to put the ball on the floor or beat you in the post. There is some potential in his jump shot, though, which has been overhauled this spring: Bamba hit 14-of-51 threes at Texas, good for 27.5 percent. NBA teams are going to give him that shot all day when he enters the league. One day, Bamba might start making them pay. Loser: Trae Young and Collin Sexton’s height
Trae Young is going to be one of the smallest point guards in the NBA. From ESPN: Of course, Young’s game has never been predicated on size or athleticism (Young didn’t go through athletic testing). His game is all skill, entering the draft potentially as the best shooter and best passer in this class. Young is often pitted against Alabama’s Collin Sexton as the best point guard prospect in the draft. Sexton has been built up as the bigger, stronger, more athletic player. That remains true, but it’s also worth noting Sexton also measured small. He checked in at 6’1.5, 183 pounds with a 6’7.25 wingspan. That height is in the bottom 10 percent of players ever measured at the combine, per ESPN. Winner: Grayson AllenOh no. Grayson Allen just killed the combine: He also posted a 40.5-inch vertical, which was tied for sixth best among players who tested Thursday. What makes that even more impressive is that Allen did it as a one-footed leaper: The first two players in that video are Anfernee Simons (the fifth-year high school player in this draft) and Kentucky’s Hamidou Diallo, who were two of the other six players to post verticals of at least 40 inches. Notice how they took off from two feet. Scouts always look for one-footed leapers because they can get off the ground quicker. That’s a pretty ridiculous number for Allen off one foot. Loser: Teams hoping Jaren Jackson Jr. slips past No. 4
Jackson has such a rare combination of size, skill set and developing athleticism. He unquestionably offers the draft’s best combination of three-point shooting (38-of-96, good for 39.6 percent) and rim protection (No. 4 block rate in the country at 14.3). In a draft with a ton of bigs expected to go near the top of the lottery, no one fits better into the modern NBA than Jackson, even if his per-game stats are essentially half of what contemporaries Marvin Bagley and Deandre Ayton posted. I’ve had Luka Doncic as the No. 1 player in this draft since last June, but Jackson is giving him a hard push in my mind right now. I have him solidly as No. 2 on my big board. He’s talented enough to be a star in this league. Winner: Josh Okogie and Kevin HuerterOkogie is a high-motor sophomore wing from Georgia Tech who profiles as a potential 3-and-D player. He’s only 6’4, but he measured with a 7-foot wingspan and once again proved himself to be a monster athlete in the testing. He hit 38 of 100 threes this season and hit 82 percent from the foul line. Okogie made his SB Nation mock draft debut this week, as did another player who stood out at the combine: Maryland’s Kevin Huerter. Huerter is potentially one of the best shooters in this draft if he decides to stay in. He hit 41.7 of his threes (73-for-175) as a sophomore for the Terrapins this season, and also showed he can pass a little, too (3.4 assists per game). The NBA draft combine finishes on Friday in Chicago. www.sbnation.com/nba/2018/5/18/17367520/nba-draft-combine-2018-grayson-allen-mohamed-bamba-trae-young
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Post by thejuice on May 20, 2018 21:23:39 GMT -5
I like those 3 guys they have worked out recently a lot. All would be great picks at the end of rd 1. And call me stupid, but I want nothing to do with than tool that is Elijah Bryant.
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Post by Admin on May 25, 2018 23:32:21 GMT -5
Charlotte 49ers guard Jon Davis works out for C’s Monday By: Quenton S. Albertie
Charlotte 49ers point guard Jon Davis worked out for the Boston Celtics on Monday.
While the Boston Celtics were battling with the Cleveland Cavaliers in Game 4, they were also preparing for the 2018 NBA Draft. According to David Scott of the Charlotte Observer, Charlotte 49ers point guard Jon Davis worked out for the Celtics on Monday.
Davis is a 6-foot-3, 170 pound point guard who switched positions in late in his high school career. A former shooting guard, Davis brings his scoring chops to the position but he’s also still developing as a floor general.
That doesn’t mean he doesn’t have a knack for playmaking though. In 2017, Davis was invited to the Chris Paul Elite Point Guard Camp, an event held for the top 20 college point guards in the country. He was also invited to the Nike Basketball Academy, held for the top 20 college players in the country.
A junior who hasn’t signed with an agent, Davis can still return to school if he withdraws from the draft before June. Continuing to be coached by Hall of Fame point guard Mark Price, who has certainly been great for Davis’ development, would be a major reason to return. However, the 49ers hired a new head coach in March which makes it less likely David would opt to return for his senior season.
If Davis does remain in the draft, he does have a place in the league.
Compared to Portland Trail Blazers C.J. McCollum, a slightly undersized shooting guard who played his ball at little-known Lehigh University, Davis is a perimeter playmaker who can excel at getting into the lane, scoring off-the-dribble, finishing around the rim and knocking down jumpers.
Davis averaged 16.1 points, 4.8 assists, 3.3 rebounds, 1.1 steals and 3.2 turnovers per game in his career (92 games) while shooting 43.5 percent from the field, 35.4 percent from three-point range and 77.4 percent from the free-throw range.
As a junior, Davis shot a career-low 39.2 percent from the field as teams focused their energies on slowing him down. He shot both a career-low percentage inside the line (42.7) and from three (32.9).
However, with improved shot-selection and surrounded by other scoring threats, if Davis can play without being the focal point of an offense — at least early on in his career — he should be a surprisingly adept scorer at the NBA level.
Defensively, it wouldn’t be surprising to see him struggle. His size doesn’t lend itself to working around screens and though he’s athletic, he could struggle against point guards that utilize the pick-and-roll frequently and larger players that could try to exploit him in the post. In guarding spot-up shooters, chasing those players around screens might be a lot to ask of him physically.
He has solid athletic tools and a keen understanding of basketball concepts, so his position and team defense will be solid. However, putting him in the position to be a defensive stopper doesn’t seem ideal.
Nonetheless, Davis could replace a few guards on the Celtics roster if selected by the C’s in the draft or signed after going undrafted.
Shane Larkin and Jonathan Gibson, two undersized guards who will be unrestricted free agents this summer, come to mind. Abdel Nadar, who is playing for the veteran’s minimum and hasn’t been heavily utilized, comes to mind as well.
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Post by Admin on May 25, 2018 23:38:47 GMT -5
Purdue guard Carsen Edwards earns workout with the Celtics By: Quenton S. Albertie
Purdue Boilermakers guard Carsen Edwards, who led his team to the Sweet 16 in the NCAA Men’s Basketball Tournament, earned a workout with the Boston Celtics.
According to Indy Star’s J. Michael, Purdue Boilermakers guard Carsen Edwards earned a workout with the Boston Celtics ahead of the 2018 NBA Draft.
Per Michael:
Edwards, a shooting guard who averaged 18.5 points and shot 40.6 percent from 3, has generated at least enough interest to get workouts with the Oklahoma City Thunder, Houston Rockets, San Antonio Spurs and Boston Celtics.
Edwards just finished his sophomore season with the Boilermakers, averaging 18.5 points, 3.8 rebounds, 2.8 assists and 1.1 steals per game while shooting 45.8 percent from the field, 50.6 percent from three-point range and 82.4 percent from the free-throw line.
He’s a solid athlete with a great feel for the game. He knows when to pass, where to pass, when to drive, when to shoot and how to get free of the defense. On offense, his primary methods of scoring come from getting to the line and finishing through or around traffic or pulling up from beyond the arc, where he has the ability to be deadly.
On defense, he can wreak havoc on the perimeter with his quick hands and he does well staying in a low defensive stance and staying attached to his man.
At 6-foot-1 and 205 pounds, the biggest knock against Edwards will be his size. While he’s not slight of frame, NBA teams will attempt to target him defensively because of his height and should he prove himself incapable of using his strength to keep big men from barreling him over in the paint or perimeter players striding past him off-the-dribble.
Nonetheless, with a 6-foot-5 wingspan, Edwards could be capable of playing both backcourt positions in the NBA, just as he did in college.
Another concern teams will have with Edwards is that his production in his sophomore season was significantly better than his freshman season.
Edwards would average 8.2 fewer points in 6.4 fewer minutes per game as a freshman than he did as a sophomore but that, by itself, is not the glaring difference that teams are going to question.
His efficiency from every area of the floor is.
Edwards shot just 38.2 percent from the field, 34.0 percent from three-point range and 74.3 percent from the free-throw line as a freshman, numbers that would give him a true shooting percentage (TS%) of 48.6. He would have a TS% of 59.6 as a sophomore.
While there’s seemingly no issue with Edwards’ shooting mechanics, teams will want to know which Edwards they’re getting should they draft him. His private workouts will go a long way towards a team’s belief that he can continue his upward trend or at least as efficient as a scorer as he was when he led the Boilermakers to the Sweet 16.
Edwards is just one of the many guards that the Celtics have shown interest in prior to the offseason.
Villanova University point guard Donte DiVincenzo, Charlotte 49ers (University of North Carolina) point guard Jon Davis and Creighton University point guard Khyri Thomas have all had workouts or meetings with the Celtics as well.
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Post by Admin on May 25, 2018 23:45:47 GMT -5
Danny Ainge treats Villanova's Donte DiVincenzo to lunch By: Greg Cassoli
According to The New York Times’ Adam Zagoria, Boston Celtics’ president of basketball operations Danny Ainge took Villanova guard Donte Divincenzo out to lunch after his Monday workout with the team.
Whether or not the meal was indicative of the organization’s interest in DiVincenzo as a prospect is pure speculation. The Celtics hold the 27th overall pick in this summer’s NBA Draft, but have also expressed an interest in acquiring a second-rounder.
The Big Ragu has until the end of the month to decide whether or not he will return to Villanova University for his junior year. DiVincenzo has indicated an inclination to stay in the draft only if he has reasonable assurance that he’ll be selected in the first round.
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Post by Admin on Jun 1, 2018 23:37:12 GMT -5
Celtics among teams interested in Maryland's Kevin Huerter By: Kevin Parrish Jr
Kevin Huerter is tasked with deciding whether or not to return to Maryland for his junior season or declare for the NBA draft this week.
The choice became more complicated after a strong showing at the NBA Draft Combine earlier this month. Many scouts and analysts project him as a late-first-round pick.
As of now, the Boston Celtics, Utah Jazz, and San Antonio Spurs are among teams interested in the 6’7″ Maryland wing.
During his sophomore season, Huerter averaged 14.8 points on 50 percent shooting from the field, and 41 percent shooting from long-distance. Huerter entered the Combine as a relatively unknown commodity. He impressed in both shooting and agility drills, and appeared to be one of the best players on the floor during scrimmages.
NBAdraft.net has Huerter going No. 21 to the Jazz. Fox Sports placed Huerter at No. 24 with the Portland Trail Blazers. Bleacher Report listed Hurter going No. 27 to the Celtics, who worked him out before the Combine.
For now, it’s a wait and see game for the Maryland product.
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Post by Admin on Jun 8, 2018 23:44:02 GMT -5
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Post by Admin on Jun 9, 2018 0:01:18 GMT -5
Six potential Celtics draft picks in for workouts todayBy Tom LaneKenrich Williams Photo via Jamie Squire/Getty Images NA
The Celtics are bringing in at least six draft prospects for workouts today. Deng Adel is a 22-year-old, 6'7" - 200 pound forward from Louisville. He hails from the Sudan and Australia and projects to be a SF/PF in the NBA. Per DraftExpress, "Players in this mold who can effectively guard either forward position, while being capable of spacing the floor, attacking a closeout, and making the extra pass, are increasingly popular in today's NBA, so Adel does have a ready-made role if he's able to make strides in some of the areas he already showed impressive flashes in." Grayson Allen played for Duke, and at 6'4" and 185 pounds, he projects as a shooting guard at the NBA level. He has the toughness that Danny Ainge looks for in prospects, and per Draft Express, "Very good physical attributes. Strong frame. Good quickness. Explosive. Can play above the rim with ease -Versatile scorer -Excellent shooting mechanics and deep range. Capable outside shooter with feet set or off the dribble -Can create own shot. Drives hard to the rim. Gets to the free throw line at a good rate -Team player. Makes extra pass. Can drive and dish. -Good rebounder for position thanks to athleticism, strong frame and solid intensity level -Tough kid. Takes hits around the basket." Jeffrey Carroll is A 24-year-old senior from Oklahoma State. He lists at 6'6" and 215 pounds. Per NBAScoutingLive.com, "He is a skilled offensive player that can score in any number of ways, and he will actively crash the glass. However, he can be too consistent player in games, as there are some games where he can really struggle to make jump shots. Still, Carroll is an athletic, energetic swingman that can shoot the basketball, and he may project into a 3 and D role at the next level, as he could be a potential second round pick in 2018."
Billy Preston is a 6'10", 235-pound C/F who left Kansas to play ball in Bosnia. There are huge questions marks relative to where he will go in the upcoming draft. Some mocks have him going late-lottery and others leave him undrafted. Per Draft Express, "Extremely high skill-level for a big man. Terrific scoring instincts -Can create his own shot from the perimeter with strong ball-handling skills and excellent footwork. Strong first step. Draws quite a few fouls -Effective scorer out of isolation situations. Can even play some pick and roll as the ball-handler -Has range out to 3-point line. Can make shots with feet set and off the dribble -Career 31/78 (40%) 3P% in 40 games and 68% from the free throw line -Has great touch around the basket. Throws in smooth floaters from different parts of the paint." Allonzo Trier played for Arizona, and the 6'5", 205-pound junior's major strength lies in his scoring. Per Draft Express, "Trier's calling card as an NBA prospect lies in his scoring ability. He has a quick first step and an advanced series of crossover combinations that enable him to get into the lane fairly consistently when paired with his aggressive mindset. As a freshman, Trier averaged a strong 20.9 points per 40 minutes pace adjusted on a similarly impressive 61% true shooting percentage." Kenrich Williams hails from TCU and is a high-level defender and rebounder. Per NBADraft.net, "His calling card is his ability to rebound at a high level. At 6'7'', Williams is an elite rebounder for his size. He does a lot of the little things needed to succeed as a defender and rebounder, paired with his good energy, I feel he could be an effective rebounder at the next level as well ... Defensively, at 6'7'' and 210 pounds, he's a little small for an NBA small forward, but has the strength and tenacity to guard a large portion of NBA players at that position." www.celticslife.com/2018/06/six-potential-celtics-draft-picks-in.html
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Post by Admin on Jun 9, 2018 0:09:37 GMT -5
Boston Celtics draft 2018: Celtics have narrowed selections at No. 27 to about ten players By Tom Westerholm AP Photo/Charles KrupaWALTHAM -- The Boston Celtics have a wide variety of options with their selection at No. 27 in the 2018 NBA Draft, and according to Celtics director of player personnel Austin Ainge, the team has narrowed its focus with 13 days remaining. "I think there are about 10 guys that we've kind of narrowed it down to that we think have a chance to be there," Ainge said to reporters at the team's practice facility on Friday. "Like I said, we evaluate the whole draft all the time. But we've kind of tried to laser focus in to about 10 at this point." That doesn't really narrow down the options much for anyone looking to guess what the Celtics might do. Boston doesn't need much in terms of starting talent, but the Celtics could use plenty of help off the bench. At 27, the team has a lot to work with. "Minutes are going to be hard on our roster," Ainge said. "We like a lot of our players. But there are players we really like at 27." If current mocks are at all accurate, there will be a lot of guards within range for the Celtics, including plenty who have exhibited the type of toughness both Ainge and his father Danny seem to value. On Friday, the Celtics worked out Duke guard Grayson Allen, who could be the type of guard off the bench the Celtics covet, especially if they are concerned about losing Marcus Smart or Terry Rozier over the next few years. "Great shooter obviously," Ainge said of Allen. "Good athlete. Competitor. Won a lot of games, scored a lot of big baskets, good player. Classic shooting guard." But the Celtics aren't necessarily locked into taking a guard. The team could also take a risk on bigs like Mitchell Robinson, or combo forwards like Billy Preston and Kenrich Williams, both of whom worked out for Boston on Friday as well (although both Preston and Williams are much more likely to go in the second round). Ainge said the prospects the team has focused on are "all over the position scale." He was asked if the team's impending free agency has anything to do with their decision-making process. "If you look, we make draft decisions, free agency decisions, all these things, usually for more than one season," Ainge said. "You're trying to plan ahead. And we have guys whose contracts will be up at every position over the next three years. Rookie contracts and first-round rookie contracts are four years. And so, really, position -- we'll take the best player." Other notes from Friday's workouts: - The team brought in Allen, Williams, Preston, Allonzo Trier, Deng Adel and Jeffrey Carroll. - Allen was a controversial figure at Duke, and he admitted that teams might see him in a negative light. Since he keeps to himself off the court, he admits that's reasonable. "What you do see in me is on the court, and on the court, I am a competitive," Allen said. "I'm an irritant to the other team. Emotional. Fired up. And so that's what people see, and that's what they judge of off of. So, I guess that's pretty fair because that's all they know." - Trier was the second-leading scorer on Arizona this season, trailing only likely No. 1 pick Deandre Ayton. A versatile playmaker who could create off the bounce, he sees an easy-to-define role for himself at the NBA level. "Me being versatile, being able to make shots, being able to get to the basket and having moves and ways of being able to attack the defense," Trier said. "I think you see the way the game is played today, a lot of switching, a lot of one-on-one, so you have to be able to beat your guy and create shots, not only for yourself, but for teammates and others. I think that's one thing I can bring to a team." Asked about Ayton, Trier said he expects him to have an immediate impact. "He has physical traits and the abilities that nobody else in the world has," Trier said. "Just being 7'1, 260, athletic on the floor, moving gracefully, those are things that nobody can teach and you're pretty much God-given built with those things." - Last year, Billy Preston was competing against the likes of Michael Porter Jr. and Ayton, and he was holding his own -- the combo forward was a top-20 prospect entering college and appeared to be a likely first-round selection after a year at Kansas. Instead, Preston -- whose eligibility was a question mark for months leading up to the college season -- had his season cut short by investigations surrounding a car he drove around Lawrence and went overseas to play in Bosnia. After three games, he suffered a sprained shoulder (which he says is fully healed). Preston has been back in the United States for three-and-a-half months. Preston has the frame and potential to be a perfect combo forward in the NBA at 6-foot-9 with a 7-foot-1 wingspan. He said he's hoping to show teams how versatile he can be on both ends. "A lot of up and downs, but like I said, I'm in the position I want to be, headed to the main goal, which is the NBA, professional basketball, and all I can do is thank God," Preston said. "It's been a rough year, a lot of up and downs, so it's just a blessing I'm still able to continue to do what I've been trying to do this whole time." - If the Celtics are able to work their way into the second round, Kenrich Williams certainly fits the Celtics' mold. A 6-foot-7 guard/forward, Williams showed excellent defensive versatility while hitting 39 percent of his triples as a senior. "I think I was able to show I can guard a lot of positions," Williams said. "At least three positions. Offensively, I'm able to be versatile. I'm able to pass, rebound and knock that three down. I think that can translate both offensively and defensively to the league."
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Post by Admin on Jun 9, 2018 0:15:59 GMT -5
Kenrich Williams calls Boston Celtics’ draft workouts “different”By: Greg Cassoli
Every team has their own strategies heading into the NBA Draft, but all teams’ prep work includes workouts with prospects. According to TCU’s Kenrich Williams the Boston Celtics take a unique approach in that regard.
Williams described Boston’s workouts as different from other teams in the league.
“This was more based on defense and how tough you are,” he said, per MassLive’s Tom Westerholm.
The description fits the Celtics’ organizational ethos. President of basketball operations Danny Ainge’s most consistent point of praise during pre-draft evaluations in recent years has been highlighting individuals’ willingness to compete. He loves scrappy players, and Boston’s roster is chalk full of them because of it.
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Post by Cabutan on Jun 9, 2018 12:58:23 GMT -5
I like Donte and Billy Preston. Billy Preston in particular. Another one is Alkins. But i like the what he could become of Billy Preston.
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Post by Admin on Jun 17, 2018 14:42:03 GMT -5
Arizona's Rawle Alkins works out with Boston Celtics By: Greg Cassoli According to the New York Times’ Adam Zagoria, University of Arizona product Rawle Alkins worked out for the Boston Celtics last week.
Alkins is a burly, explosive guard who projects to be selected in the range in which the Celtics will pick (27th overall) in the upcoming NBA Draft. He’ll need to improve as an offensive player in order to garner consistent minutes in the NBA, but Alkins has the physical tools to stick in the league. He averaged 13.1 points, 4.8 rebounds, 2.5 assists, and 1.3 steals in his sophomore campaign last year, earning an All-Pac-12 Honorable Mention selection in the process.
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