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Post by Admin on May 16, 2019 22:50:26 GMT -5
By: Quenton S. Albertie
In an era where players at every position are capable three-point threats, Adelaide 36ers center Harry Froling has an offensive skill set that fits in perfectly with the style of play that’s become en vogue.
The NBL’s Rookie of the Year, Froling averaged eight points and 4.5 rebounds in 14.7 minutes per game while shooting 50 percent from the field, 43.8 percent from three-point range (on 1.7 attempts) and 75.7 percent from the free-throw line. Per 36 minutes, the talented big man averaged 19.6 points and 11 rebounds per game.
According to ESPN’s Nick Mettallinos, Froling has a workout scheduled with the Boston Celtics.
Froling has multiple teams interested in having him work out for them, and sources tell ESPN that he already has work outs for the Boston Celtics, New York Knicks, OKC Thunder, Utah Jazz, New Orleans Pelicans and the San Antonio Spurs planned. His team workouts will begin on May 10, so in the meantime Froling is working with an individual trainer to familiarize himself with the American style of game.
Froling — 21 years old, 6-foot-11 and 250 pounds — spent what would have been his freshman season with the NBL’s Townsville Crocodiles before heading to the NCAA’s Southern Methodist University (SMU) in 2016-17 and then transferring to Marquette University in 2017-18.
For Celtics’ fans, Froling’s brief stint at SMU is of particular importance. Celtics forward Semi Ojeleye transferred to SMU from Duke University and starred for the Mustangs in the 2016-17 season (even earning Player of the Year honors for his conference) before being drafted by Boston in 2017.
Celtics scouts likely first caught their first glimpse of Froling then.
Froling left the NCAA because he felt the “structured” collegiate game limited him from putting his full skill set, particularly his high basketball IQ and decision-making, on display. His hope at the NBA level is to emulate Denver Nuggets star center Nikola Jokic.
Those are lofty aspirations to be sure, but he is quick, intelligent and patient; he has nice footwork; and he can put the ball on the deck and score from the post or perimeter. As far as big men go, Froling has the talent and tools teams would find ideal on the offensive end.
He’s not a particularly impactful defender in the box score but with his basketball IQ, feel and physical profile, he can be a reliable defender for the team that drafts him.
Should that team be the Celtics, there’s a possibility the move could also signify that big man Al Horford will continue to play power forward as much as center in the near future.
Looking at a depth chart where Horford is the starting center, there are two defensive-minded centers behind the veteran, in Aussie big man Aron Baynes and “Time Lord” Robert Williams III. However, should Horford be moved to power forward, there’s not only an open spot for a center but a need for a big man with inside-outside scoring ability.
At power forward, behind Horford would be Ojeleye and Guerschon Yabusele, two versatile forwards with a mean defensive streak. Froling could play the role of a stretch-four as well, which is useful for Boston because Ojeleye may be asked to play small forward in the event of injury to Jayson Tatum (the team’s starting small forward) or Gordon Hayward.
Speaking of Tatum and Hayward, they are two players that could be on the table in trade talks if the Celtics try to pry All-Star big man Anthony Davis away from the New Orleans Pelicans. That would make selecting a player like Froling even more valuable because all the moving pieces would fall into place much easier due to an abundance of versatile players who are able to fill any potential holes on the roster.
As a relative unknown without eye-popping numbers, Froling will likely be a second-round pick but the Celtics could opt to select him with their own first-round pick if they don’t want to risk losing him to another team. Boston will have up to four first-round picks in the 2019 NBA Draft and one second-round pick.
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Post by Admin on May 16, 2019 23:34:22 GMT -5
John Reed - USA TODAY Sports By: Quenton S. Albertie
Per David Jablonski of the Dayton Daily News, Dayton Flyers forward Obi Toppin participated in a predraft workout for the Boston Celtics on Friday.
Dayton Flyers forward Obi Toppin had his third workout with a NBA team on Saturday, sharing photos on Instagram of a Boston Celtics T-shirt and shorts and a short video from the team’s practice facility.
Toppin, a 6-foot-9, 220 pound redshirt freshman, averaged 14.4 points, 5.6 rebounds, 1.8 assists, 0.8 blocks and 0.6 steals per game for the Flyers while shooting 66.6 percent from the field, 52.4 percent from three and 71.3 percent from the free-throw line. His impressive season led to him being selected as the Atlantic 10 Conference’s Rookie of the Year, as well as a member of the A-10’s all-freshman and all-conference team.
Lightly recruited out of Mt. Zion Prep, Toppin has shown himself to be an athletic and strong-bodied forward who excels as a rim-runner. Also able to put the ball on the deck to attack the rim in straight-line drives, be it in halfcourt or transition, will make his living around the rim at the NBA level. That said, Toppin can clearly stretch the floor and over time may become a respected three-point threat.
Defensively, he’s shown himself to be adept at defending along the perimeter and capable of being a shot-altering presence as well.
In many ways, he looks like a poor man’s Zion Williamson. Not as explosive nor a brute force inside as Duke University’s uniquely built forward is but a dynamic power forward with solid skill, basketball IQ and knack for making highlight-reel plays.
Should forward Marcus Morris leave Boston as a free agent, Toppin is a player who will provide great depth behind Semi Ojeleye and Guerschon Yabusele, two other forwards with versatile skillsets.
Steven Branscombe - USA TODAY Sports By: Quenton S. Albertie
According to Stadium’s Paul Steeno, DePaul Blue Demons shooting guard Max Strus worked out for the Boston Celtics last Friday. Strus, 6-foot-6 and 215 pounds, showed himself to be a particularly effective catch-and-shoot threat in 2018-19, his sophomore season.
Strus averaged 20.1 points, 5.9 rebounds, 2.2 assists, 0.9 steals and 0.5 blocks per game last season while shooting 42.9 percent from the field, 36.3 percent from three and 84.2 percent from the charity stripe. As a freshman, Strus averaged 16.8 points, 5.6 rebounds, 2.7 assists, 1.3 steals and 0.5 blocks per game while shooting 40.8 percent from the field, 33.3 percent from three and 80.2 percent from the free-throw line. Athletic and capable of putting the ball on the floor, Strus has also shown himself to be adept coming off of screens for scores.
He was named to the All-Big East second team in 2018-19 as he led DePaul to a 19-17 record, their best win-loss record since 2006-07. The Celtics, who lacked enough players who could thrive off-ball last season and could stand to add depth to their wing corps, may try to select Strus with their second-round pick.
Per an official press release by William & Mary men’s basketball team, Tribe big man Nathan Knight also had a workout with Boston on Friday. Knight is 6-foot-10, 235 pounds and as skilled as he is large.
After a breakout sophomore season, Knight averaged 21.0 points, 8.6 rebounds, 3.5 assists and 2.3 blocks per game in 2018-19 (his junior season) while shooting 57.8 percent from the field, 73.2 percent from the free-throw line and 24.4 percent from three. He’s averaged 15.9 points, 6.7 rebounds, 2.3 assists and 1.8 blocks per game for his career, shooting 57.7 percent from the field, 71.9 percent from the free-throw line and 25.8 percent from the charity stripe. Last season, Knight was named to the All-Colonial Athletic Association (CAA) first team and the All-CAA Defensive Team. Knight, as previously mentioned, is a big-bodied frontcourt player who knows how to utilize his physical profile on both ends. Offensively, Knight doesn’t shy away from contact, leaning in and attempting to throw his defenders off-balance in the post while often showing off graceful footwork down low. Defensively, he routinely uses his wingspan to be the long arm of the law, swatting away shots at an elite rate.It doesn’t hurt that Knight has shown the ability to make nifty, difficult passes on offense, nor the ability to attack the rim off-the-dribble on occasion. His three-point shot is mechanical rather than completely fluid, which likely effects his shooting percentage. Nonetheless, his willingness to stretch the floor shows that he’s a player that can fit in the modern NBA, especially with big men becoming increasingly comfortable taking shots behind-the-arc. Though listed as a forward, Knight’s future in the NBA will likely come as a center. As for Boston, though Celtics centers Al Horford and Aron Baynes could opt-out of their contract in the offseason, both are expected to return to the team for the 2019-20 season. Center Daniel Theis will be a restricted free agent in the offseason but rookie big man Robert Williams III appears to be on deck to take Theis’ spot on the depth chart should the German big man fail to return. Summarily, Knight may only be picked up by the Celtics if they lose both Theis and Baynes in free agency. An unlikely scenario given Baynes’ affinity for Boston and the Celtics’ franchise.
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Post by Admin on May 17, 2019 19:52:42 GMT -5
For 7'6" UCF Star Tacko Fall, There's No CeilingBy Eric Adelson March 20, 2019
ORLANDO, Fla. — The clock ran out on his last home game on campus, and Tacko Fall found himself swarmed at half-court by fans and friends. March Madness was coming, and UCF was going for the first time in 14 years. He bounced along, a grinning giant amid a sea of black and gold and waving cell phones. He then found his way through the crowd, into a vacant corridor, and he broke down. This was the first time his mom had ever seen him play in person. He pulled his jersey over his head, crumpled over at his waist, and let the tears go. Assistant coach Vince Taylor reached up to console him as he covered his face. Then, suddenly, he was composed again: back in the throng, lifting up his younger brother in celebration. At one point he realized he had dropped his jersey. He looked frantically, but it was no use. Someone had swiped it. “That’s the jersey I wore at my last game at UCF, on Senior Night,” he said a week later, offering a smile. “I want it back.” Since he arrived in this country from Senegal seven years ago, leaving his family and everything he knew, Tacko Fall has tried every day to give a little bit of himself. And every day someone has wanted a little bit of Tacko. He is, after all, so rare and precious: a 7'6" man in a world where 6'6" people stand out. Who wouldn’t want a selfie, an autograph, some souvenir from one of the tallest people on the planet? Even Mo Bamba, an NBA first-round draft pick who has become good friends with Fall, remembers cherishing an Instagram photo with him from years ago. “I knew of him for a while,” Bamba says. Fall has fought every day to fit into a smaller man’s world, ducking into showers and curling into Zipcars and lining up queen mattresses length-wise in his apartment. A smaller man’s world has tried to cut him down, whether through the difficulty of shopping for clothes or the frustration of opposing coaches who say, “Go for his knees.” Fall somehow stays above it all. “I don’t want to be seen as an attraction,” he says. “Obviously I’m tall. You don’t see a lot of 7'6" guys walking around. But there’s more to me than my height.” The world is about to find out how much more. Fall is the most interesting player in the NCAA tournament, which UCF has reached for the first time since the Knights were a No. 15 seed in 2005. This time they threaten to do more damage, and Fall is a threat unlike any other. “Tacko presents a lot of problems,” Cincinnati coach Mick Cronin said after a loss to UCF early in March. “Can’t let him get close to the basket with the ball.” VCU and its high-energy attack will have only a few days to prepare, and if UCF beats the Rams, the next opponent will almost certainly be Duke, pitting UCF coach Johnny Dawkins against Mike Krzyzewski, who coached Dawkins to a legendary college career, and matching Fall with the only player in college basketball whose physical gifts dominate the conversation the same way Fall’s do, Zion Williamson. “You have to have two different game plans going against us,” Dawkins says. “We also have to have two strategies as well. It’s a uniquely different game when he’s on the court.” Can Fall force a game to bend to his will? That’s the major question in March, and beyond. Will an NBA where seven-footers defend and shoot at the perimeter make room for an old-school center? A generation ago, Tacko Fall would have been touted as a budding Ralph Sampson, who was a 7'4" three-time AP Player of the Year and first overall pick in the draft. Now, in the KD and Giannis era, Fall may not even get drafted. “I feel I can impact the game like nobody else,” he says. How much can Tacko give? How much can Tacko take?
Icon Sportswire via Getty ImagesThe road to Orlando for Elhadji Tacko Sereigne Diop Fall was long and fraught. He was discovered in Dakar by a brother of former NBA player Mamadou N’Diaye, and he was recruited to play in Texas at a charter school at age 16. That school closed, and Fall, already homesick, was left without paperwork to stay in the U.S. He went to Ohio, where his father and younger brother had emigrated, and then Georgia and Tennessee—basically a nomad who spoke French better than English and understood soccer better than basketball. Finally a p.r. executive in Tavares, Fla., named Mandy Wettstein heard about Fall and opened her home to him and another boy from Senegal. That was not yet the happy ending they hoped. Wettstein had to scramble to get Fall and his friend the right I-20 form; otherwise, they’d be sent back to Senegal. Every day was scary for that reason. Then there was the adjustment: Fall was a Muslim at a tiny Christian school, with 15 kids in his class. He had never owned a pair of dress shoes; for his entire childhood he had to restore and repair one too-small pair of sandals. The younger kids at Liberty Christian adored him, and he loved them back. Fall hid any fear and frustration well, offering a smile and high-five to any second-grader who yelled “Tackooooo!” in the hallways. Daily life would have been enough of a challenge for someone so new to this country, but Fall was on a steep basketball learning curve, too. “At first, when I just started, was when I knew things were hard,” he says now. “You hear a lot of criticism, a lot of doubt. I was a soccer fan. I played soccer for fun. I wasn’t really into sports. I wasn’t prepared, especially here in America, where they’re crazy about sports. I wasn’t prepared for everything that comes with it. And with my height, and all those eyes on me. Thank God I was raised right.” At UCF, there would be so many more eyes on him. Even though it wasn’t a huge hoops school, a lot of people knew who he was when he arrived. “It was difficult only when I was about to be late,” he says. “I don’t like to be late. So when I have to be somewhere and people will stop me, I had to say, ‘I have to go.’ It’s very hard for me to say no. Especially at UCF, it’s the fans, and you want them to come to the games. It was really hard. But I had priorities. I had to get to class. So, ‘Next time.’” He smiles at this, but he looks as if he wishes he could stop for everyone. Fall loved the UCF crowd, but the real world was tougher. “In today’s share-it world it’s a conundrum,” says Wettstein, who visits twice a week. “He doesn’t want to appear rude. But almost every minute we are out in public there is some sort of disruption. If we’re having a meal, or at the grocery store, it’s a constant disruption.” Wettstein even made Tacko a T-shirt that had the answers to all the usual questions: I am 7'4". I play basketball. I am from Senegal. Tacko reluctantly wore the shirt in public. People still came up and asked the same questions. “That was the end of that bright idea,” she says. People would just throw an arm around Tacko, or snap a photo as he stood in line. “If he stops for one person,” Wettstein says, “the crowd is gonna come.” The two of them had an agreement that he would give her a signal if people were too invasive. Then she would jump in and be the bad cop. Tacko was never the bad cop. Dawkins’s first impression was pretty much everyone’s: “A really nice guy,” he says. “A good young man. The eye contact. The way he spoke. You knew he was a really good person.”
Matthew Visinsky/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images
But you can’t be a saint on the court—not when winning and losing depends on controlling and flustering the big man. Not when a cheap shot can wreck your ankles and the reason you left your family years ago. “Off the court you can be that guy, that super good guy, one of the best human beings anywhere,” Dawkins says. “On the court, you have to get into character. Nothing personal, but you have to change that character. You can’t come out there with that same personality. It’s not going to go over well, it’s not going to work out well for you. He’s had to learn to change that.” Tacko could be lethal with his frame and eight-foot wingspan—his standing reach is 10’4”—but it’s not that simple. There’s no such thing as a subtle retaliation when you’re Tacko Fall. “Sometimes you get a cheap shot and you respond and you get a call,” he says. “If they play physical and you play physical, since I’m the bigger guy, they see me. You have to be smart. It’s hard, to know what to do and know what not to do.” In that final home game, against Cincinnati, Fall’s arm was grabbed from behind and he moved to free himself. The ref saw what he thought was an elbow and blew the whistle—even though Fall’s elbow is at eye level with most opponents’ foreheads. The UCF staff has made a habit of sending videos to the American Athletic Conference offices, but that won’t be an option during March Madness. Officiating crews from elsewhere in the nation won’t be familiar with how Fall plays. And you best believe every opponent will go to great lengths to get him into foul trouble. “Know your value” is something Dawkins tells him, which means don’t get baited into bad choices. But where’s the line? How does Fall dominate and still stay somewhat delicate? That dilemma is made tougher by the fact that he only started playing hoops as a teenager. He’s still learning the game and learning his body. And that’s the other puzzle piece: Tacko is 300 pounds. One NBA scouting site said he “lacks a high level of lateral quickness to move in space or a strong frame to carve out space around the rim,” and those two things are not easy to combine when you’re both skinny and one of the heaviest players in the sport. Pretty much any other player can just get into the gym and dive into weights and band work. Tacko requires something more refined: He can’t do deadlifts because it will put too much pressure on his back, and he needs a cushion to do squats, lest he sink too low before popping back up. To watch Tacko in warmups is to envy him. He can dunk almost without leaving the ground. He palms the basketball as if it’s a tangerine. Almost any fan would see him and think, “It’s so easy for him!” But truly it’s just the opposite. It’s uniquely hard for him: running the court, getting the abuse in the paint, keeping his wind, twisting and turning like a smaller player, applying force like a giant. It’s a testament to Fall that he’s so accomplished with so relatively little experience. He even lost a chunk of his junior season to a torn labrum. Yet he might be peaking as he enters the postseason: He’s had double-doubles in two of his last five games, including a 23-point, 20-rebound game against SMU. “He’s still getting through the things other players go through in high school,” Dawkins says. “He’s changed [his mindset] to the point where he realizes how much he can impact a game.” Can he impact the pro game? The answer is yes, if he keeps scaling that learning curve. “He’s not going to be a pick-and-pop five man,” Dawkins says. “If he can pick and roll to that basket, I don’t know if anyone is going to be able to stop that, to be quite frank.” Justin Zormelo adds to that sentiment. He is a Miami-based analytics expert who trained Kevin Durant, and he has worked with Fall for the majority of his college career. Zormelo thinks Fall breaks the mold and warrants his own category. “If he catches the ball at the elbow and he puts his arm straight up in the air,” Zormelo says. “Now there’s a ball 10 feet high. You can run an entire offense where people just cut from him.” Zormelo also envisions Fall posting up from 15 feet or more, simply because he’s that long. “I get him to put the ball out to the side in one hand,” he explains. “Now he’s already beat the defender. He just needs some body contact and he’s at the rim. He’s one step away.” Sounds good, but it requires an offensive set that revolves to a great extent around one player. Will an NBA franchise see that? “If you think like somebody else thinks,” Zormelo says, “If you’re still in the ‘90s or 2000s, then no, he shouldn’t play in this NBA. Then it’s a risk.” Pre-draft camp will be crucial. Fall will either entice or repel, based on his play and the imagination of those watching. As with everything, it’s kind of up to him and kind of not.
Alex Menendez/Getty Images
As always, Fall has bigger things in mind. He wants to be an ambassador for the sport in his home continent. The NBA is starting a league in Africa, and Fall would be a perfect liaison whenever his career is over. When his mother visited Florida for the first time early in March, she wore a gorgeous Senegalese robe, called a boubou, to the game. Fall wants to wear one on the night of the draft. If he does, it would be a special moment for an untold number of African children, boys and girls. And unlike the Senior Night jersey, the boubou is something no one can swipe from him. When life gets a little too intense, Fall has what he calls “the bubble.” “I get in my room, I don’t talk to anybody,” he says. “I sit down, no TV, nothing. I sit down and I think, think, constantly think until I feel like I’m O.K. Then I put it behind, in my past, and move on. “I take it all in. You can’t ignore it. You find ways to go around it. I talk to my mom, but I don’t talk about my problems. I don’t want her to worry. I go to my home, by myself.” More and more, he’s learned to communicate with friends, including Bamba, who is further along basketball-wise but three years younger. The two are close. He also has an expansive mind: He knows several languages, he minors in psychology, and he loves astronomy. He says his next big purchase will be a telescope. “We are just so insignificant,” Tacko says. “The universe is so immense. We are so tiny. It amazes me how there is so much out there we don’t know about. It puts things into perspective. It teaches you to be humble. You see how small you are.” Only he would see how small he is, in a world where he’s anything but. That’s Tacko, though. He’s taller, older, wiser. He looks down on no one even though he can look down on anyone. And when he gazes at the stars, or at the world around him, he sees things most college students can’t. Because even with all the obstacles, when he looks out at his own horizon there is nothing in his way.
PS: No surprise at the Draft Combine when Tacko Fall came in with the largest height (7'5.25" w/o shoes), weight (288.8 pounds) and hand length (10.5").
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Post by Deleted on May 17, 2019 23:04:58 GMT -5
Damn good .On the potential picks. We are gonna need a big if we have any picks.
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Post by Deleted on May 17, 2019 23:28:13 GMT -5
How heavy was Shawn Bradley? He could never get any position because his center of gravity was so high that guys would get underneath and push him out.
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Post by Admin on May 20, 2019 0:08:42 GMT -5
Big Ten DPOY Josh Reaves to workout for the CelticsBy: Bryan Kalbrosky
Big Ten Defensive Player of the Year Josh Reaves will meet with the Boston Celtics, according to a person with knowledge of the schedule. The person spoke to USA TODAY Sports Media Group’s Celtics Wire on the condition of anonymity because they are not authorized to speak publicly on this matter. Reaves, who has previously worked out for the Memphis Grizzlies and the Minnesota Timberwolves, was projected as a second-round pick in a recent mock draft published by The Step Back. Boston’s second-round selection is the 51st pick in the draft.
He played four years and led the Big Ten in steal percentage and steals per game three years in a row. Ohio State Men’s Basketball head coach Chris Holtmann has called Reaves “the best perimeter defender” that he has ever coached against. While he was not invited to the G League Elite Camp or the NBA Combine, he was one of the top standouts among seniors at the Portsmouth Invitational Tournament. Reaves averaged 17.2 points with 2.8 three-pointers per 36 minutes while competing against the nation’s other top four-year players at the PIT. He also had the second-most steals (8) among all participants as well. During the regular season, the 6-foot-5 guard was able to score 1.10 points per possession as a spot-up shooter for the Nittany Lions. That ranked in the 81st percentile among all players in the NCAA, per Synergy Sports. While he ranks highest on The Step Back’s mock draft, he has appeared on several other big boards (ESPN, Bleacher Report and The Stepien) as well. Reaves projects as a serviceable 3-and-D player in an NBA rotation if his jumper off the catch continues to be reliable.
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Post by Admin on May 20, 2019 0:22:08 GMT -5
2019 NBA Draft profile: P.J. Washington By: Ky Carlin
Christian Petersen - Getty Images
It’s time to prepare for the NBA Draft after the Boston Celtics ended their once promising season with a humbling 4-1 semifinals loss to Giannis Antetokounmpo and the Milwaukee Bucks. Fortunately, the Celtics do have the 14th pick in the June 20 draft via the Sacramento Kings as part of trade. They have plenty of options at that spot that could be viable options for Boston, so we here at Celtics Wire will begin to take a look at some potential options. P.J. Washington, Kentucky Washington is a 6-foot-8, 228 pound, power forward who was named to the All-SEC team in his sophomore season under John Calipari. He averaged 15.2 points and 7.8 rebounds this season and he had 16 points and 28 points in two NCAA Tournament games. He missed Kentucky’s Round of 64 win over Abilene-Christian with a foot sprain.
Strengths
Washington is a highly skilled offensive player. He can score in the post as he’s able to use his wide body to get into position and he finishes well around the basket. He’s able to get to his jump hook over his left shoulder and he’s very comfortable out on the perimeter as well, a must in today’s game.
He shot 42.3 percent from deep in his sophomore season and he has a good, high release on his jumper with good mechanics. He’d be able to slide in perfectly next to a guy like Celtics veteran center Al Horford and his passing ability is impressive for a guy so young.
In the semifinals series with the Bucks, the Celtics were outrebounded 56-50 in the Game 5 loss to Milwaukee. Not a huge margin in the grand scheme of things, but Washington would be able to use his size to pull down some rebounds for Boston.
Weaknesses
While Washington has good size, he is not the most athletic guy in the world.
He will have to improve his ball-handling and shooting to make an impact long term. Washington will also have to get a little stronger in the league.
He was able to overpower guys in college, but in the NBA, he’ll meet some guys who have the strength to combat that.
Overview
While Washington is worth a look at the 14th pick, he most likely won’t be anything more than a role player. He will have a lot of developing to do and Boston might not have time for that.
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Post by drewski6 on May 22, 2019 7:22:28 GMT -5
PJ Washington would immediately replace Marcus Morris. There are probably guys with higher upside, but I feel like Washington will slide right in. The dude is one tough SOB too, and we'll certainly be losing some of that if Morris jets for a big payday.
I love Tacko Fall and made some money this year betting on UCF.
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Post by drewski6 on May 22, 2019 7:44:41 GMT -5
Both Tacko Fall and PJ Washington have a lot of growth ahead of them before they can become impact NBA players. That being said, I really enjoy watching both players
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Post by drewski6 on May 22, 2019 7:47:44 GMT -5
With Jaylen and Tatum, its obvious that the Celtics certainly target prospects who have "man bodies." I think its smart too, because you see guys like Brandon Ingram struggle. When you draft guys who do not have developed bodies, its a gamble. Some people, no matter how much they work out, struggle to keep weight on.
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Post by Admin on May 23, 2019 8:26:15 GMT -5
By: Quenton S. Albertie
Per The Athletic’s Jay King, the Boston Celtics hosted three prospects for predraft workouts on Monday, including Penn State’s Josh Reaves. CelticsWire originally reported that Reaves, the 2018-19 Big Ten Defensive Player of the Year, was set to meet with Boston.
The conversation with Reaves starts with his defense, as the 6-foot-5, 214 pound guard has shown excellent awareness and is often found jumping the passing lanes and racing the other way with the ball. Players that demonstrate the level of defensive awareness that Reaves has shown often have one of the highest basketball IQs on the team. A four-year starter for the Nittany Lions, Reaves’ experience also helps him be a pro-ready prospect despite not showing a high level of offensive skill. Reaves is a three-and-D wing archetype, taking 36.3 percent of his shot attempts from three for his career and 44.6 percent of his shot attempts from three last season. He shot 35.6 percent from three-point range last season but 37.7 percent from three in 2017-18, with a career three-point percentage of 32.4. He’ll need to sharpen up his shooting stroke but should he, there’s no reason that he can’t be a rotation-level player who sticks around in the league for a number of years.
Amir Coffey is a tall and athletic guard at 6-foot-8, 210 pounds and was named to the 2018-19 All-Big Ten third team following a season in which he averaged a career-high 16.6 points on 43.6 percent shooting from the field and 30.4 percent from three-point range. However, though Coffey was inefficient last season, he shot 45.9 percent from the field and 34.9 percent from three in the first two seasons of his three-season stint with the Minnesota Golden Gophers. He’s at his best in transition and at the rim, where he’s shown the ability to finish with a flush or finesse.
Finally, Gonzaga University’s Zach Norvell Jr. is a 6-foot-5, 205 pound guard from Chicago, notable considering the number of players to hail from Chicago and turn into fine pros, including Derrick Rose, Dwyane Wade and Anthony Davis, all potential Hall of Famers. Norvell hasn’t demonstrated the level of talent as the aforementioned players but like fellow Chicago-native Patrick Beverley, he could stay in the league for years with his three-point efficiency and defensive ability. Norvell has averaged 13.8 points, 4.1 rebounds, 2.7 assists and 1.2 blocks per game in his brief two-year collegiate career, shooting 44.4 percent from the field, 37.0 percent from three and 83.6 percent from the free-throw line. Named to the 2018-19 All-West Coast Conference (All-WCC) first team, the Celtics deciding to work out the lefty is further evidence that Boston is looking to add more players that thrive off-ball to their roster than they had last season. He, Coffee and Reaves, all likely to be taken in the second round if drafted, are all players who can space the floor for Boston as well as provide solid perimeter defense. With three guards on the roster last season at their best with the ball in their hands in Kyrie Irving, Jaylen Brown and Terry Rozier and the chance that Marcus Smart regresses as a three-point threat last season, adding a three-and-D wing would be best for their perimeter grouping. Even if Irving or Rozier was to leave the team in free agency, perimeter players like Jayson Tatum and Gordon Hayward are two other players at their best on-ball and should Irving leave, those two would have an even greater playmaking responsibility and the Celtics would retain their need for off-ball threats.
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Post by Admin on May 23, 2019 8:35:16 GMT -5
By: Quenton S. Albertie
On Monday, the Boston Celtics hosted a predraft workout for Ohio State big man Kaleb Wesson, Per Ohio State reporter Colin Hass-Hill. The Celtics were also reported to bring in three guard prospects earlier in the day.
At 6-foot-9 and 270 pounds, Wesson holds his weight well and moves well for his size but also is cognizant of how to use his physique to gain low-post position. When making a move from the the post, Wesson shows a high level of skill with his feel, patience, footwork and ability to shoot over either shoulder.
He’s the type of player whose throwback skill would be highly useful against teams that deploy more traditional lineups, like the Indiana Pacers but against teams that like to utilize modern day small-ball lineups like the Golden State Warriors, Wesson’s lack of lateral agility would likely be problematic. Furthermore, Wesson isn’t as assertive a rebounder as teams would like a player of his size to be and that dampens the benefit of having a player of his size on the floor although he’s had shown the ability to stretch the floor in his sophomore season.
Wesson, who played for the Buckeyes for two seasons, averaged 12.4 points (on 52.5 percent shooting from the field and 33.7 percent shooting from three), 5.9 rebounds, 1.5 assists, 0.8 blocks and 0.6 steals per game in his collegiate career. He averaged 14.6 points (on 50.0 percent shooting from the field and 34.7 percent shooting three), 6.9 rebounds, 1.8 assists, 1.0 steal and 0.7 blocks per game in 2018-19.
Frankly, there may be little need for Wesson on Boston’s roster in 2019-20 with defensive anchor Aron Baynes looking to return to the Celtics (and having a player option for next season) and the versatile Daniel Theis a restricted free agent who Boston could bring back as well. Aside from Baynes and Theis are Al Horford, who could start at either power forward or center and Robert Williams III, a soon-to-be second-year center with the potential to be a dominant big man.
For a big man such as Wesson to be drafted by Boston, likely with their second-round pick, would indicate that they’re not bringing back Theis or that they planned to start Horford at power forward next season. Drafting a big man would also become necessary if the Celtics traded for New Orleans Pelicans center Anthony Davis and lost depth at the center position as a result.
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Post by Admin on May 23, 2019 8:40:55 GMT -5
By: Quenton S. Albertie According to the IndyStar’s Tyler Kraft, the Boston Celtics are set to host Belmont University’s Dylan Windler for a workout ahead of the 2019 NBA Draft. Windler, represented by agent Mark Bartelstein, was a four-year player for the Bruins, and led Belmont to a 16-2 record and bid to the NCAA Tournament last season. Windler now travels to Chicago, where he is staying ahead of the draft to train with fellow clients of Priority Sports & Entertainment and agent Mark Bartelstein. He will then visit with the Utah Jazz, Philadelphia 76ers, Brooklyn Nets and Boston Celtics. Windler, a sharpshooting wing with great size (6-foot-8, 200 pounds), averaged 21.3 points, 10.8 rebounds, 2.5 assists, 1.4 steals and 0.6 blocks per game in 2018-19 while shooting 54.0 percent from the field, 42.9 percent from three and 84.7 percent from the free-throw line.
He’s averaged 16.1 points, 8.9 rebounds, 2.3 assists, 1.1 steals and 0.8 blocks per game since becoming a full-time starter in 2016-17, shooting 54.6 percent from the field, 42.2 percent from three and 77.4 percent from the free-throw line in that stretch.
For the Celtics, Windler provides Boston with a wing that can thrive without having the ball in his hands and a player with enough size, rebounding prowess, feel and defensive ability to play up to three positions depending on the lineup.
The 22-year-old earned first-team All-OVC (Ohio Valley Conference) honors in 2018-19 and has more career defensive rebounds (790) than any player in the Ohio Valley Conference as well.
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Post by cole on May 23, 2019 8:43:28 GMT -5
I don't know any of these guys. I used to love college basketball and I barely watch it at all now.
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Post by Deleted on May 23, 2019 15:11:21 GMT -5
I don't know any of these guys. I used to love college basketball and I barely watch it at all now. Didn't see any college games this except for Final-Four.
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Post by Admin on May 23, 2019 22:55:40 GMT -5
By: Nick Friar
With the 2019 NBA Draft less than a month away (June 20) and the Boston Celtics set to take three players in the first round, along with one in the second round (51st overall), it’s time to take a look at the prospects the green could select.
Bryce Brown
Height: 6-foot-3
Weight: 198 pounds
Age: 21
The first thing that jumps out with Brown is his smaller frame. Brad Stevens is one of multiple coaches who have adopted the idea of positionless basketball. It’s tougher for a smaller guy like Brown to fit into that type of system. While Terry Rozier (6-foot-1) is an example of a smaller guard that can fit in, he was a point guard. Brown was a shooting guard throughout college. Marcus Smart (6-foot-4) plays off the ball a fair amount now, as well, but his 220-pound build, combined with his quickness, allows him to handle taller, sleeker wings that he might otherwise struggle against given his height.
From his sophomore season to his senior year, Brown averaged a steal per game. So he can be a bit of a pest. However, his height remains an issue if he’s going to be the off-guard in a lineup that could include Kyrie Irving, who’s the same height and not an elite defender. Now, if Brown does go in the second round as he’s projected, it’s not likely he’ll be playing meaningful minutes for the Celtics in 2018-19. But if Boston is looking to take a flier on this guy, his transition to the NBA defensively has to be addressed.
Brown did show promise as an outside shooter in college. Throughout his four years at Auburn, Brown shot 39.2 percent from deep. He struggled early in his career within the arc (24.1 percent between his freshman and sophomore seasons) but in his last two seasons he cleaned that up when he began slashing in the paint more effectively. (44.0 as a junior and 51.2 as a senior).
He was a spot-up shooter who averaged 15.9 points per game at Auburn in his last two years on 12.2 shots per game. Size presents a problem there as well, but he’s a polished shooter nonetheless. There is value, but there are still question marks that make it seem like he wouldn’t be the Celtics ideal pick in the second round.
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Post by Admin on May 23, 2019 23:04:38 GMT -5
Andy Lyons - Getty Images By: Ky Carlin
As preparation for the 2019 NBA Draft continues, we here at Celtics Wire are continuing our draft profiles for potential picks for the Boston Celtics.
Previously, we took at look at Kentucky’s P.J. Washington who is a poential lottery pick which the Celtics have at 14. Boston does own a second pick in the first round at 22 overall and this edition will be focused on that second pick and a guy who could be a potential role player for them.
Grant Williams, Tennessee
Williams stands at 6-foot-7 and weighs 236 pounds and he enters the draft with a decorated resume during his three years in college. He was named SEC Freshman of the Year and Player of the Year in the conference twice while also being named a consensus All-American. He averaged 18.8 points and 7.5 rebounds in his junior year had 21 points and seven rebounds in Tennessee’s Sweet 16 loss to Purdue in the NCAA Tournament.
Strengths
Williams is a well-rounded offensive player. He can finish around the basket at a high rate, he has a smooth midrange game, and his 6-foot-11 wingspan allows him to be a force on the offensive glass. He can use that to reach over taller and more athletic players.
He’s not the most athletic player, but he makes up for that with an extremely high motor and his high basketball IQ. During his tenure with the Volunteers, he played with more talented players like Admiral Schofield and Jordan Bone, but it was Williams who was the leader on those teams.
Weaknesses
His lack of athleticism will hurt him at the next level. He won’t be able to put the ball on the floor and finish over bigger and stronger athletes in the NBA and he will struggle staying in front of guys on the perimeter defensively. Due to that deficiency, he uses his hands more often which caused him to foul out of four games this past season.
He also doesn’t have the most range on his jumper. While he can shoot the three-pointer, it isn’t consistent and he has regressed since his freshman season. He’s also hesitant on taking that shot which can cause issues at this level.
Overview
Williams has the potential to be a good rotational player in this league. Given the fact that Marcus Morris is a free agent this offseason, he may be a guy that Boston will take a long look at on draft night.
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Post by Admin on May 23, 2019 23:10:09 GMT -5
Brian Spurlock - USA TODAY Sports By: Quenton S. Albertie
Per ESPN insider Jordan Schultz, the Boston Celtics will host Purdue-Fort Wayne’s John Konchar for a predraft workout on Thursday. Konchar, a 6-foot-5 shooting guard, was a four-year player for the Mastadons and earned first-team All-Summit League honors.
Konchar averaged 19.5 points, 8.5 rebounds, 5.4 assists, 2.0 steals and 0.9 block per game last season while shooting 54.6 percent from the field, 38.1 percent from three-point range and 71.3 percent for his career. He also averaged a career-high .239 win shares per 48 minutes, a number indicative of a particularly effective brand of basketball.
Though playing at a mid-major program will affect the perception of him, Konchar has demonstrated himself to be a skilled and intelligent player with all of the tools — yes, even the athleticism — to succeed at the NBA level. He gets the bulk of his points around the rim and from three-point range, showing an advanced awareness of how to move without the ball and the craftiness to create separation from defenders on the perimeter.
Not to be understated is his defensive tenacity, with Konchar routinely making highlight plays on the less glorious end of the floor.
As versatile a player as can be found in the NCAA, it should have been expected for Konchar to set himself apart from his peers and he did just that, becoming the only player in NCAA history to record 2,000 points, 1,000 rebounds, 500 assists and 200 steals in his career.
Konchar has averaged 15.5 points, 8.6 rebounds, 4.2 assists, 2.0 steals and 0.6 block per game over the course over his career while shooting 55.6 percent from the field, 41.6 percent from three and 69.7 percent from the charity stripe.
He’s the type of player that could fit on any roster, assuming the team has a need for him. The Celtics, possibly sensing a need for added depth at shooting guard after Marcus Smart’s untimely oblique tear, could add Konchar as the third shooting guard behind Smart and Jaylen Brown.
If drafted, look for Konchar to be selected in the second round, where the Celtics have the 51st overall pick.
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Post by Admin on May 24, 2019 7:47:48 GMT -5
Patrick Smith - Getty Images By: Ky Carlin
The 2019 NBA Draft is now officially less than a month away and the Boston Celtics are doing their due diligence to make sure they’re ready to go on that June 20 night in Brooklyn.
The Celtics have four picks on draft night (three in the first round) and, with an abundance of picks, they can take a chance on a player or two. With the uncertain futures of point guards Kyrie Irving and Terry Rozier, who will both enter free agency this summer, the Celtics could look at the point guard spot in the draft.
On Thursday, the Celtics hosted Kansas Jayhawks freshman point guard Devon Dotson for a predraft workout. The 6-foot-2 dynamo averaged 12.3 points and 3.5 assists while playing in the unforgiving Big 12 Conference. He also shot 36.3 percent from deep showing off some touch in his game.
The Celtics have a very unpredictable offseason, so in terms of what direction they should take, plenty of their decision-making could hinge on what they anticipate happening in free agency. The franchise is in limbo but fortunately for Boston, they don’t have to rely on the NBA Draft to find their starting point guard, as the Celtics could retain Rozier as a restricted free agent.
Unless, of course, Rozier has burned bridges in Boston with his unabashed public criticism of the team following the season and his belief that he sacrificed to much for the good of the team to do again. Which then makes the draft even more interesting.
The picks the Celtics make (or trade) in June could very well change the shape of this team’s future.
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Post by cole on May 24, 2019 8:13:37 GMT -5
Dotson looked good in stretches. Potential is there.
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Post by Deleted on May 24, 2019 11:20:41 GMT -5
I don't watch collage ball like i used to either.
Don't have a clue and not going to pretend i do.
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Post by Admin on May 27, 2019 20:03:33 GMT -5
Projected first-rounder Daniel Gafford to workout for Celtics(Photo by David Sherman/NBAE via Getty Images) By: Bryan Kalbrosky |
Former Arkansas big man Daniel Gafford has a workout with the Boston Celtics, according to someone with knowledge of the team schedule. The person told USA TODAY Sports Media Group’s Celtics Wire on the condition of anonymity because they weren’t authorized to speak publicly on this matter. Boston has the fourteenth pick in the 2019 NBA Draft and the big man is expected to work out for teams selecting between ten and twenty. He’s already met with the Detroit Pistons, who select behind Boston at No. 15. Gafford earned SEC All-Freshman in 2017-18 and took first-team All-Conference and All-Deference last season. He led players in the SEC with a field goal percentage of 66.0 percent, which was fifth-best in the NCAA. He had the second-most rebounds per game, the third-most blocks per game and the fourth-most points per game while recording the second-best Player Efficiency Rating (PER) among all players in his conference.
Last season, the bouncy uber-athlete was most productive as a scorer when operating post-ups. But there were few other prospects who were as prolific and efficient at finishing near the basket on all other play types when running set offenses. During his trip to Chicago for the 2019 NBA Draft Combine, he measured at a half inch above 6-foot-10 with shoes. His 9-foot-2 standing reach was 10th-best among all participants, longer than what several starting bigs around the NBA (Anthony Davis, Andre Drummond, Steven Adams) recorded at their respective draft combines. His standing vertical leap (32.5 inches) was also the best among all big men at the combine. When added to his height, his total vertical reach trailed only 7-foot-7 Tacko Fall.
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Post by Admin on May 27, 2019 20:23:53 GMT -5
2019 NBA Draft profile: KZ OkpalaBy: Derek Hryn Darren Yamashita - USA TODAY Sports
The Boston Celtics’ season may have ended in utter despair, but their past dealings granted them three first-round picks in the 2019 NBA Draft. While it’s possible they could put those assets toward a trade for another superstar such as Anthony Davis or Mike Conley, they will likely be scouring the field for at least one more key component to their bench rotation. Pick Nos. 14, 20 and 22 all currently belong to the Celtics on June 20. KZ Okpala, Stanford Okpala is one of the most tantalizing, albeit underrated newcomers in this class. A mere two seasons at Stanford were all he needed to apprise the scouts. He quickly became the focal point of coach Jerod Haase’s offensive ecosystem — leading the Cardinal in scoring with 16.8 points per game as a sophomore this year, earning him first-team all-Pac-12 honors. He will also become the first player in school history to enter the NBA before his junior year since Brook Lopez and Robin Lopez. Strengths
Okpala’s age, and the extent of his growth are certainly enticing characteristics to NBA organizations. He already cavorts to the basket as good as any guard/forward in the league, and is a brawny finisher through traffic.
An explosive athlete with a 6-foot-8 frame, his promise as a two-way dynamo is looming. He was serene at handling the basketball last season, and oftentimes maneuvered around a defense to create for teammates. We’ll see if he can carry that into the more fast-paced pro game. Weaknesses
Though his activity on the offensive end is sound — defensively, he’s a bit askew. With such size and length, his career 1.0 steals and 0.5 blocks per game at the collegiate level is quite bland. His athleticism alone could easily keep him employed in the league for the duration of his rookie contract, but his overt basketball prowess could expedite his long-term value. He just needs to rectify the blase aspect of it.
Overview
Okpala could potentially be selected within the lottery. However, there is also a scenario in which he could slide as far down as pick No. 20, in what has the makings of a crapshoot-like draft. He would provide instant wing depth behind Gordon Hayward and Jayson Tatum.
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Post by Admin on May 27, 2019 20:47:11 GMT -5
2019 NBA Draft prolife: Coby White, point guard By: Simon Hannig
David Banks-USA TODAY Sports
North Carolina Tar Heels point guard Coby White is one of the most talented guards in the 2019 NBA Draft class. Although he is overshadowed by names like Ja Morant and Darius Garland, White would be a steal for any team in the lottery.
Here’s a look at his strengths and weaknesses:
Strengths
White, 6-foot-5, 185 pounds, averaged 16.1 points per game on 42.1 percent from the field in the 2018-19 collegiate season.
The best part of White’s game is his scoring ability. If you want to use the badge term in NBA 2K, White is microwave: He can get a shot off at any point. Further, with his height, he can usually see over the top of his defender. In the modern-era NBA, he’s also tall enough to play other positions along the perimeter.
Weaknesses
White didn’t really shoot the three-ball well in college, finishing his sole season at North Carolina with 35.3 percent made three-pointers. In this day and age, nearly every player needs to shoot well from three, but point guards in particular are expected to be long-distance marksmen.
Lastly, White needs to do a better job at being a playmaker offensively. His decision-making needs to improve.
Overall, White is oozing tons of potential and the cons that he has are very workable. White would be an excellent fit to Boston’s young core because he can be a valuable scorer, especially off the bench. If the Celtics lose Terry Rozier, White can help fill the void of Rozier’s production pretty easily, at least scoring-wise.
With the 14th pick in the draft this June, White should be in consideration for the Celtics. He has more pros, than cons in his game.
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Post by elvissurfs on May 27, 2019 21:04:11 GMT -5
Sounds OK, anything other than Rozier...not great at the 3 and also not good at being a playmaker sounds a tad worrisome though...
I am available...
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