Post by Admin on Jun 23, 2022 13:34:06 GMT -5
BIGS: We need one that can defend and score inside & out and help with spacing would be the icing
Dominick Barlow (PF)
6'9"214 lbs Overtime Elite
11 POS RK
48 OVR RK
Pre-Draft Analysis
November 11, 2021: (Mock draft) -- Automatically eligible for the 2022 NBA draft as a 2021 high school graduate who elected to sign with a professional league, some eyebrows were raised by Barlow's decision to forgo college considering he was only the No. 80-ranked recruit in his high school class. So far, that decision hasn't looked as bad as it did when announced in September, as Barlow had a strong showing at the OTE pro day in front of 60 NBA scouts, and has been performing very well in six games played thus far as well, improving his draft stock in the process.
What Barlow lacks in pure size (6-foot-9) or strength (214 pounds) he makes up for with an impressive combination of fluidity, explosiveness, smarts and budding skill. He's regularly tasked with guarding players much smaller than him on the perimeter, and does a nice job of getting in a deep stance, turning his hips agilely and covering ground to make plays at the rim. While he's not the most physical rebounder or interior defender, the fact that he can legitimately guard players much smaller than him gives Barlow great versatility to tap into, and the soft touch around the rim and intriguing passing creativity he displays hint at good things to come down the road offensively as well. Barlow has yet to make a 3-pointer in six games but is shooting 82% from the free throw line and has made a number of difficult pull-up jumpers inside the arc, indicating plenty of room for growth in this area.
It remains to be seen how much value NBA teams will see in a prospect like Barlow who isn't blessed with incredible long-term upside, doesn't play a position that is all that hard to find, and is probably pretty far away from stepping on a NBA court at 18 years old, making him far from a lock to hear his name called. With another year on his contract at OTE, it's not hard to envision him finding a niche at the pro level in the summer of 2023 with the many things he brings to the floor, and it would not be surprising to see him develop into a NBA player down the road if he continues to improve. -- Jonathan Givony
November 11, 2021: (Mock draft) -- Automatically eligible for the 2022 NBA draft as a 2021 high school graduate who elected to sign with a professional league, some eyebrows were raised by Barlow's decision to forgo college considering he was only the No. 80-ranked recruit in his high school class. So far, that decision hasn't looked as bad as it did when announced in September, as Barlow had a strong showing at the OTE pro day in front of 60 NBA scouts, and has been performing very well in six games played thus far as well, improving his draft stock in the process.
What Barlow lacks in pure size (6-foot-9) or strength (214 pounds) he makes up for with an impressive combination of fluidity, explosiveness, smarts and budding skill. He's regularly tasked with guarding players much smaller than him on the perimeter, and does a nice job of getting in a deep stance, turning his hips agilely and covering ground to make plays at the rim. While he's not the most physical rebounder or interior defender, the fact that he can legitimately guard players much smaller than him gives Barlow great versatility to tap into, and the soft touch around the rim and intriguing passing creativity he displays hint at good things to come down the road offensively as well. Barlow has yet to make a 3-pointer in six games but is shooting 82% from the free throw line and has made a number of difficult pull-up jumpers inside the arc, indicating plenty of room for growth in this area.
It remains to be seen how much value NBA teams will see in a prospect like Barlow who isn't blessed with incredible long-term upside, doesn't play a position that is all that hard to find, and is probably pretty far away from stepping on a NBA court at 18 years old, making him far from a lock to hear his name called. With another year on his contract at OTE, it's not hard to envision him finding a niche at the pro level in the summer of 2023 with the many things he brings to the floor, and it would not be surprising to see him develop into a NBA player down the road if he continues to improve. -- Jonathan Givony
Yannick Nzosa (C)
6'11"215 lbs Unicaja Malaga
7 POS RK
53 OVR RK
Pre-Draft Analysis
February 14, 2022: (Top 100) -- After putting together an excellent debut season in the ACB last year, Nzosa quickly fell out of favor with NBA scouts and executives, as he struggled to build on his 2020-21 campaign, regressing in an inconsistent role with Unicaja Malaga in Spain. Although he's been a big name in scouting circles for some time, most decision makers have yet to get a real in-depth look at the 6-11 rangy big man as he missed five months due to a groin injury in the offseason and Malaga practices were closed to NBA scouts early in the year.
On top of that, Nzosa's play in October-1.6 points, 2.0 rebounds and 1.1 blocks in 12.4 minutes over 7 games on 26.7% shooting - didn't exactly generate the type of intrigue that would lead scouts to make him a priority on their often-complex international scouting schedules. Nzosa played well when I saw him live at Murcia, blocking four shots in 18 minutes and showcasing the type of energy NBA teams look for in a run-and-jump big. It's been a roller coaster ride since then, however, with Nzosa's finishing taking a nosedive from 64% last year to 48% this season, raising legitimate questions about his hands, touch, and thin frame. While coaches and teammates have always raved about his intangibles -- which we saw first-hand when we sat down with him in Malaga -- scouts have also long questioned the legitimacy of his age (18.2 years old), and his sudden departure from Italian Academy Stella Azurra to Unicaja Malaga raised even more questions about Nzosa's path.
Even with the in-game struggles and question marks, Nzosa is one of the fastest 6-11 players on the planet and still has his fair share of eye-opening moments covering ground defensively for blocks at the rim -- Nzosa ranks 4th in the ACB in blocks per 40 minutes and 5th in block percentage. Since 2000 Nzosa is one of only five under-22 players to post a block percentage over 7%, joining names like Bismack Biyombo, Walter Tavares and Lucas Noguiera. While the 25-game sample this season suggests we have a pretty good sense of the type of prospect Nzosa is, the glimpses he showed last year makes you wonder if there's ultimately "buy-low" potential with the prospect once viewed by some as a first rounder.
Which version is the real Nzosa? The ACB All Rising Star Team member who can change games with his defensive versatility, energy and vertical spacing or the foul-prone, thin center who struggles to process complex actions, has issues catching and finishing in traffic, puts too much pressure on himself, and gets beat up on the glass? How much did Nzosa's five-month absence slow his progress? Would he look better on an NBA floor in a Nic Claxton type of role alongside skill players? Nzosa's extreme peaks and valleys along with the fact that top executives haven't seen him at his best makes him one of the more mysterious prospects in the draft. -- Mike Schmitz
February 14, 2022: (Top 100) -- After putting together an excellent debut season in the ACB last year, Nzosa quickly fell out of favor with NBA scouts and executives, as he struggled to build on his 2020-21 campaign, regressing in an inconsistent role with Unicaja Malaga in Spain. Although he's been a big name in scouting circles for some time, most decision makers have yet to get a real in-depth look at the 6-11 rangy big man as he missed five months due to a groin injury in the offseason and Malaga practices were closed to NBA scouts early in the year.
On top of that, Nzosa's play in October-1.6 points, 2.0 rebounds and 1.1 blocks in 12.4 minutes over 7 games on 26.7% shooting - didn't exactly generate the type of intrigue that would lead scouts to make him a priority on their often-complex international scouting schedules. Nzosa played well when I saw him live at Murcia, blocking four shots in 18 minutes and showcasing the type of energy NBA teams look for in a run-and-jump big. It's been a roller coaster ride since then, however, with Nzosa's finishing taking a nosedive from 64% last year to 48% this season, raising legitimate questions about his hands, touch, and thin frame. While coaches and teammates have always raved about his intangibles -- which we saw first-hand when we sat down with him in Malaga -- scouts have also long questioned the legitimacy of his age (18.2 years old), and his sudden departure from Italian Academy Stella Azurra to Unicaja Malaga raised even more questions about Nzosa's path.
Even with the in-game struggles and question marks, Nzosa is one of the fastest 6-11 players on the planet and still has his fair share of eye-opening moments covering ground defensively for blocks at the rim -- Nzosa ranks 4th in the ACB in blocks per 40 minutes and 5th in block percentage. Since 2000 Nzosa is one of only five under-22 players to post a block percentage over 7%, joining names like Bismack Biyombo, Walter Tavares and Lucas Noguiera. While the 25-game sample this season suggests we have a pretty good sense of the type of prospect Nzosa is, the glimpses he showed last year makes you wonder if there's ultimately "buy-low" potential with the prospect once viewed by some as a first rounder.
Which version is the real Nzosa? The ACB All Rising Star Team member who can change games with his defensive versatility, energy and vertical spacing or the foul-prone, thin center who struggles to process complex actions, has issues catching and finishing in traffic, puts too much pressure on himself, and gets beat up on the glass? How much did Nzosa's five-month absence slow his progress? Would he look better on an NBA floor in a Nic Claxton type of role alongside skill players? Nzosa's extreme peaks and valleys along with the fact that top executives haven't seen him at his best makes him one of the more mysterious prospects in the draft. -- Mike Schmitz
Trevion Williams (C)
6'10"260 lbs Purdue
8 POS RK
56 OVR RK
Pre-Draft Analysis
March 15, 2022: (2022 NBA mock draft: Drafting players competing in the NCAA tournament) -- Williams is one of the best passing bigs in the country and a true hub that you can run the offense through from both the post and the perimeter, at least in college. He's a risk-taker like you'll see from an NBA big such as Alperen Sengun, throwing behind the back passes out of the post, trying to thread the needle on backdoor feeds and working to break down his man with a variety of different dribble moves, showcasing the type of shift you don't usually see from a player with his body type. Williams doesn't quite look the part at first glance, standing no taller than 6-foot-10 in shoes with a 260-pound frame, average length and a below-the-rim style that forces him to rely on skill, strength and effort on both ends.
Williams' motor has fluctuated wildly this season, as he simply goes through the motions at times, especially on the defensive end, where he doesn't quite project as a rim protector or a switch defender despite being a stellar positional rebounder (14.8 per 40 minutes) with sharp instincts. Given Zach Edey's struggles staying on the floor late in games, Williams has a great opportunity to continue showcasing his passing, instincts and answering questions about his motor during what could be a lengthy Boilermakers run if Ivey is at his best.-- Mike Schmitz
March 15, 2022: (2022 NBA mock draft: Drafting players competing in the NCAA tournament) -- Williams is one of the best passing bigs in the country and a true hub that you can run the offense through from both the post and the perimeter, at least in college. He's a risk-taker like you'll see from an NBA big such as Alperen Sengun, throwing behind the back passes out of the post, trying to thread the needle on backdoor feeds and working to break down his man with a variety of different dribble moves, showcasing the type of shift you don't usually see from a player with his body type. Williams doesn't quite look the part at first glance, standing no taller than 6-foot-10 in shoes with a 260-pound frame, average length and a below-the-rim style that forces him to rely on skill, strength and effort on both ends.
Williams' motor has fluctuated wildly this season, as he simply goes through the motions at times, especially on the defensive end, where he doesn't quite project as a rim protector or a switch defender despite being a stellar positional rebounder (14.8 per 40 minutes) with sharp instincts. Given Zach Edey's struggles staying on the floor late in games, Williams has a great opportunity to continue showcasing his passing, instincts and answering questions about his motor during what could be a lengthy Boilermakers run if Ivey is at his best.-- Mike Schmitz
Karlo Matkovic (PF)
6'11"222 lbs Mega Mozzart
13 POS RK
58 OVR RK
Pre-Draft Analysis
May 24, 2022: (Winners and losers of the 2022 NBA draft combine) -- While NBA teams sometimes groan at the growing importance of pro days in the pre-draft process (although they never stop attending them), there is a certain type of prospect who can really benefit from the platform these workouts provide, especially when considering high-level decision-makers are always present en masse. Matkovic was one such prospect -- despite being ranked in ESPN's 2022 draft Top 100 all season, and being teammates with projected first-rounder Nikola Jovic, he wasn't taken very seriously as a legit draft option until an explosive showing in Chicago. Matkovic was one of the bounciest big men we saw all week on the pro day circuit, regularly putting his head on the rim and surprisingly showing a very natural stroke and impressive shot-making prowess considering he's attempted only six total 3s in his 137-game career, according to the DraftExpress database.
Matkovic's energy on the floor was infectious, and it was clear that his American workout partners gravitated to him and were having a great deal of fun witnessing his introduction to the larger NBA world in Chicago. Matkovic's agency says it has quite a few workout requests following the pro day, more requests than available dates at this point. There's a much better chance of Matkovic hearing his name called on draft night now than existed last week, but he also has the ability to withdraw his name on June 13 and try to ride his momentum into an even more favorable position next year. -- Jonathan Givony
May 24, 2022: (Winners and losers of the 2022 NBA draft combine) -- While NBA teams sometimes groan at the growing importance of pro days in the pre-draft process (although they never stop attending them), there is a certain type of prospect who can really benefit from the platform these workouts provide, especially when considering high-level decision-makers are always present en masse. Matkovic was one such prospect -- despite being ranked in ESPN's 2022 draft Top 100 all season, and being teammates with projected first-rounder Nikola Jovic, he wasn't taken very seriously as a legit draft option until an explosive showing in Chicago. Matkovic was one of the bounciest big men we saw all week on the pro day circuit, regularly putting his head on the rim and surprisingly showing a very natural stroke and impressive shot-making prowess considering he's attempted only six total 3s in his 137-game career, according to the DraftExpress database.
Matkovic's energy on the floor was infectious, and it was clear that his American workout partners gravitated to him and were having a great deal of fun witnessing his introduction to the larger NBA world in Chicago. Matkovic's agency says it has quite a few workout requests following the pro day, more requests than available dates at this point. There's a much better chance of Matkovic hearing his name called on draft night now than existed last week, but he also has the ability to withdraw his name on June 13 and try to ride his momentum into an even more favorable position next year. -- Jonathan Givony
Jabari Walker (PF)
6'8"200 lbs Colorado
14 POS RK
64 OVR RK
Kofi C0ckburn (C)
7'0"285 lbs Illinois
9 POS RK
65 OVR RK
Kenneth Lofton Jr (PF)
6'7"275 lbs Louisiana Tech
15 POS RK
66 OVR RK
John Butler (PF)
7'1"190 lbs Florida State < Skinny perimeter shooter and inside defender (not an inside scorer/rebounder)
16 POS RK
67 OVR RK
Moussa Diabate (PF) < Lots of Mocks see the Celtics taking Moussa
6'10"210 lbs Michigan
17 POS RK
70 OVR RK
Pre-Draft Analysis
August 11, 2019: (U18 European Championship) -- Averaging 18 points, 18 rebounds and 3.5 blocks per 40 minutes, Diabate was one of the most productive players at this tournament at a relatively young age. Shooting under 50% from the field and 41% from the line, he didn't quite find a level of scoring efficiency, but part of that came from playing out of position at power forward on a French team that didn't have any real playmakers. Standing around 6-10, with a wiry frame, long arms and nice fluidity, Diabate was simply too mobile and quick off his feet for most big men at this level to handle. That translated especially on the offensive glass, where he demonstrated impressive instincts going out of his area frequently to the tune of 10 offensive boards per 40 minutes, the best rate at this event dating back to 2000. In other settings such as the Nike EYBL this spring, Diabate wasn't anywhere near as productive, so it will be interesting to see how this translates to higher levels of competition.
Diabate's ability to sprint the floor, catch everything thrown his way, finish around the rim and make plays with soft touch give him a nice framework long term. He showed some potential both protecting the rim and stepping out on the perimeter, getting in a deep stance and sliding his feet to cover ground. His body still has a long way to go to fully fill out and allow him to anchor a defense, and he could be more physical on both ends. Continuing to expand his shooting range out to the 3-point line will also be a major key. Diabate plays a bit of a tentative style at times, as he's still figuring out just who he is as a player.
Based in the U.S. -- he recently moved to IMG Academy in Florida -- there is some talk in scouting circles that he may end up reclassifying to 2020, which could accelerate his NBA draft schedule. His frame, skill and feel for the game will all need to improve significantly to emerge as a legitimate one-and-done prospect, but he certainly helped his cause with a strong showing. -- Jonathan Givony
August 11, 2019: (U18 European Championship) -- Averaging 18 points, 18 rebounds and 3.5 blocks per 40 minutes, Diabate was one of the most productive players at this tournament at a relatively young age. Shooting under 50% from the field and 41% from the line, he didn't quite find a level of scoring efficiency, but part of that came from playing out of position at power forward on a French team that didn't have any real playmakers. Standing around 6-10, with a wiry frame, long arms and nice fluidity, Diabate was simply too mobile and quick off his feet for most big men at this level to handle. That translated especially on the offensive glass, where he demonstrated impressive instincts going out of his area frequently to the tune of 10 offensive boards per 40 minutes, the best rate at this event dating back to 2000. In other settings such as the Nike EYBL this spring, Diabate wasn't anywhere near as productive, so it will be interesting to see how this translates to higher levels of competition.
Diabate's ability to sprint the floor, catch everything thrown his way, finish around the rim and make plays with soft touch give him a nice framework long term. He showed some potential both protecting the rim and stepping out on the perimeter, getting in a deep stance and sliding his feet to cover ground. His body still has a long way to go to fully fill out and allow him to anchor a defense, and he could be more physical on both ends. Continuing to expand his shooting range out to the 3-point line will also be a major key. Diabate plays a bit of a tentative style at times, as he's still figuring out just who he is as a player.
Based in the U.S. -- he recently moved to IMG Academy in Florida -- there is some talk in scouting circles that he may end up reclassifying to 2020, which could accelerate his NBA draft schedule. His frame, skill and feel for the game will all need to improve significantly to emerge as a legitimate one-and-done prospect, but he certainly helped his cause with a strong showing. -- Jonathan Givony
Orlando Robinson (C)
6'11"240 lbs Fresno State
10 POS RK
76 OVR RK
Brady Manek (PF)
6'9"218 lbs North Carolina
18 POS RK
77 OVR RK
Darius Days (PF)
6'7"245 lbs LSU
19 POS RK
80 OVR RK
Bryson Williams (PF)
6'8"240 lbs Texas Tech
20 POS RK
81 OVR RK
Isaiah Mobley (PF) < is no Evan Mobley (brother)
6'10"238 lbs USC
22 POS RK
88 OVR RK