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The great NBA Lockout of 2011 cost us many things. But while no fan would readily admit the Lockout did anything good, it has created one thing – one hell of a 2012 Draft Class.
Many of 2011’s highest rated prospects—Harrison Barnes, Jared Sullinger, Perry Jones— all elected to return to school, and while none came out and said it, we all knew the prospect of a dragged out NBA Lockout played a significant role. At the expense of the 2011 class, the 2012 Draft is jammed packed with spread out talent. Scouts had been predicting this class would be one of the best in years.
But how good is it, really?
If there is one way to describe the 2012 NBA Draft class, think of Barry Bonds in his final year in San Francisco. In his final season as a Giant, Barry only cared about one thing—that dang home-run record. Of course, so did all the Giants fans, at least the ones who weren’t already erasing Barry from all the Giants history books.
Every time Bonds was at the plate, he wasn’t looking for a single, double, a RBI or any sort of strategic hit. He was swinging for the fences. He wanted that homerun, and if the opposing team struck him out in the process, oh well. Life goes on.
That is, in a nutshell, the basics of the 2012 NBA Draft Class. With nearly every lottery pick this season, teams will be swinging for the fences. Unlike most NBA Drafts, there aren’t any players who we can safely conclude we know how they’ll be in the NBA. Each player can be described with the sentence — “They can be a star, if only they fix _________. If they don’t, they won’t be anything special.”
This isn’t exactly an uncommon occurrence. What is uncommon is when nearly every one of the top prospects is a swing-for-the-fences type player.
Take likely number two overall pick Michael Kidd-Gilchrist. “He can be a star, if only he fixes….” His jump-shot. Everything else, he’s got. The body, the mental game, the intangibles. If he gets a jump-shot and consistent range, he becomes a home-run pick.
Then there is Kansas big man Thomas Robinson, a #2-#5 pick. Scouts say he’s just a hair too short to play, and his offensive game is anything but solid. That’s a pretty big weakness in a big man, no? But with his incredible motor and work ethic, if he gets good inside around the basket… home-run pick, baby, Out of the park.
Florida’s Bradley Beal? Hailed as the next Ray Allen, only in his lone year at Florida he was anything BUT Ray Allen in terms of scoring consistency. But he’s rocketing up the mock drafts, somewhere as high as #2. He’s got all the natural scoring talents, but inefficient shooting guards are a dime a dozen. If he develops a Ray Allen consistency to him… IT IS OUTTTA HERE!
Harrison Barnes has solid potential as a wing-man and a fantastic jump-shot, but no one knows how he’ll transition into the NBA game. Perry Jones III has top pick like potential, but he’s terribly inconsistent and consistently terrified. Kendall Marshall has Steve Nash like basketball IQ and passing skills, but no offensive game to speak of. Damian Lillard has great scoring instincts, but needs to prove himself as a point guard. John Henson has mountainous potential as a big man, if only he could pu on some weigh and become an actual “big man”. Terrence Jones has all the tools to be a star, but he comes with serious attitude concerns. And while Andre Drummond is a work ethic away from being Dwight Howard 2.0, he’d have to find that work ethic first.
Honestly, the only player who may be considered a “safe pick”, it’s Jared Sullinger, and that’s weird to say. Sullinger would have been the #4 pick last year—he could have paired up with Kyrie Irving in Cleveland and created a fandom revolution in Ohio. Now, he’s generally considered a #10 or later pick, because he’s just about tapped out his potential.
And is that really a bad thing? Sure, while Thomas Robinson may grow and become the next Karl Malone, he could also self-destruct and become the next Tyrus Thomas type player who couldn’t become more than a gifted leaper. Sullinger, meanwhile, has the floor of Glen Davis – he’s already there. Sure, he may have a ceiling of a slightly-better-Glen Davis. But hey, whoever gets Sullinger can at least take solace in the fact that, rather than gamble on potential, their team took a sure thing, even if that sure thing just isn’t all that good.
Yes, this class has the potential to be good. Really, really good. But even the most likable prospects (Thomas Robinson, Michael Kidd-Gilchrist) have significant red flags. Fans of teams in the lottery come June can’t celebrate when their squads pick is made. Because no one, outside of Anthony Davis, is a sure thing. The class of 2012 oozes potential, but it’ll take a longer time before we realize just how good they are. Or how good they aren’t all. Because that’s a problem with betting on potential—sometimes you lose. You get a home run, or an empty walk back to the dugout.
Posted in College Basketball | Tagged 2012 NBA Draft | Leave a comment
Name: Andre Drummond
Hometown: Hartford, CT
Physicals: 6′ 11″, 275 lbs, 19 years old
College: Connecticut
NBA Position: Center
Current Stats: 10.0 PPG, 7.6 RPG, 2.7 BPG, 53.8% FG, 29.5% FT
In August of 2011, Andre Drummond changed his mind and decided that college was, in fact, the correct decision for him. After originally deciding that he would skip college and spend his necessary “year out of high school” at Wilbraham & Monson Academy, Drummond’s change of heart was hailed by most as an excellent decision. After all, he was joining hall of fame coach Jim Calhoun and the champion UConn squad, and it was great to see Drummond make a decision that would certainly help his development as a player.
At least, that’s how it was supposed to work out.
Fast forward to March 15th, when Drummond’s Huskies were in the first round of the NCAA Tournament, playing against Iowa State. As they did against most squads all season long, UConn’s pure talent level drawfed their opponents. And while Iowa State had a potential first round pick in Royce White, Drummond had a distinct size advantage (and athletic advantage) that no one outside of Kentucky or Kansas could hope to match.
Drummond finished with just two points and three rebounds on 1-4 shooting, and was no only completely outclassed by his Cyclones counterparts, he was outhustled, outmatched and outran. White, a firebrand of enthusiam, dominated the Huskies for 15 points and 13 rebounds.
It was basically the crystallization of Drummond’s entire season. So much talent, minimal effort.
Hit the jump for the rest of Bryant’s report…
Posted in College Basketball | Tagged 2012 NBA Draft, Andre Drummond, Connecticut Huskies | Leave a comment
Name: Austin Rivers
Hometown: Winter Park, FL
Physicals: 6′ 4″, 200 lbs, 19 years old
College: Duke
NBA Position: Shooing Guard
Current Stats: 15.5 PPG, 3.4 RPG, 2.2 APG,2.3 TPG, 1.0 SPG, 43.3% FG, 65.8% FT, 36.5% 3P
The class of 2012 is full of players carrying around question marks. Can Terrence Jones keep motivated? Why didn’t Andre Drummond dominate college? Can Perry Jones play a full game without looking terrified?
But for being mocked to go in the mid to late teens, no ones question marks have been (or will continue to be) more publicized than Austin Rivers.
Rivers is the son of Boston Celtics Head Coach Doc Rivers. He was one of the top recruits in the nation last year, and spent the past season as the only weapon in Duke’s arsenal.
His potential is high, and he’s got some excellent tools. He’s a very solid shooter and should improve from here. He’s a good, if not elite athlete, and he knows how to use his body to get through defenders to the basket. When he’s hot, you can’t leave him alone anywhere on the court—his full offensive potential is definitely lottery worthy.
So what’s holding him back? Pretty much everything else, in one way or another.
Hit the jump for the rest of Bryant’s report…
Posted in College Basketball | Tagged 2012 NBA Draft, Austin Rivers, Duke Blue Devils | Leave a commentFor NBA fans, this season’s NCAA Tournament was a Godsend. Unlike the previous couple March Madnesses, this years tournament killed off the Cinderellas early, leaving the cream of the crop playing in some of the biggest games.
Three of the top four prospective draft picks—Anthony Davis, Michael Kidd-Gilchrist from Kentucky and Thomas Robinson from Kansas—played in the championship game. So did Terrance Jones, a probable lottery pick. Jared Sullinger, a lock for a top ten selection, was also in the Final Four. Perry Jones III (Baylor) and Bradley Beal (Florida) were both in the Elite Eight —as was North Carolina, which boasted four potential lottery selections (Harrison Barnes, John Henson, James McAdoo and Kendall Marshall). In total, that’s eleven players who could all legitimately hear their names called within the top fourteen picks on June 28th.
While many of the projected Class of 2012 have not made their draft intentions clear, we’ll know within four days—the NCAA has set the deadline at April 10th for players to decide to return to school. But how does the draft shape up for now? Let’s take a look.
1. Charlotte Bobcats: PF Anthony Davis, Kentucky
Bobcats fans, heed my cautionary tale. The year was 2009, and my beloved Sacramento Kings were a dreadful 18-63, worst in the league. Fans everywhere were already drooling at the prospect of Blake Griffin in purple. After all… the Kings hadn’t been relevant since 2004, we were fighting (and currently losing) a battle to even keep the franchise, and gosh-darn-it we’d lost 63 freaking games! We deserved that number one pick!
Of course, Sacramento didn’t get the number one pick. We ended up with number four. And while Tyreke Evans was a decent consolation prize, (and DeMarcus Cousins the next year even more so), we counted our chickens before they hatched. Or counted the pick before the ping pong balls. Whatever.
Yes, the Bobcats suck. Yes, the franchise has NEVER had anything to get excited about. Yes, the team has only won 13.5 percent of its games this year.
But don’t pin your hopes on Anthony Davis until Michael Jordan is holding up the ping pong balls after the lottery.
2. Washington Wizards: SF Michael Kidd-Gilchrist, Kentucky
I want to slide Thomas Robinson here, but when the Wizards got Nene for nothing more than Nick Young and the gigantic headache named JaVale McGee, the Wizards’ needs changed. Now they have their strong and capable post presence—they need help on the wing.
I could legitimately see Bradley Beal go here, if he kills it in workouts. He’d be a beautiful fit next to John Wall, giving the Wizards an outside threat to go with Wall’s slashing abilities. But Kidd-Gilchrist has proven for sure, without a doubt, that he’s worth a top three selection, even in this, a great draft class. He and fellow Kentucky alum John Wall would produce an athletic duo that would be hard for teams to match up with.
3. New Orleans Hornets: PF Thomas Robinson, Kansas
New Orleans needs talent of all size, and Thomas Robinson is a great face to give the struggling faceless franchise. Robinson has barely scratched his potential (he still lacks any consistent inside moves around the basket) and yet proved beyond a doubt that he’s a leader. A man among boys. You put him in any jersey, and he’ll end up leading the team. For New Orleans, with no plan for the future except for whatever works, Robinson would be a God send.
Hit the jump for the rest of Bryant’s mock draft…
Posted in College Basketball | Tagged 2012 NBA Draft | Leave a comment
What transpired at the Superdome last night was the perfect way for one of the best college basketball teams of the decade to go out. Over the past few years John Calipari has had several immensely talented teams at the University of Kentucky. His 2010 class with John Wall and DeMarcus Cousins had five NBA first round picks. His 2011 class led by Brandon Knight made it all the way to the Final Four and could have gone farther had the NCAA not stripped Enes Kanter away from the program before the season began.
But as good as those teams were, none of them were as good as this group. Because more so than any team Calipari has ever had, this squad actually played like a team. When John Wall, DeMarcus Cousins and Eric Bledsoe were on the floor together you knew you were watching some talented players, but you didn’t get the feeling that you were watching an elite team. There was no glue holding them together. It was a talented group but the players weren’t compatible. It felt obvious that Calippari took Wall and Cousins in solely because they were top players in the nation and not necessarily because he had a vision of using them together.
This year’s Kentucky team was completely different. Their pieces were compatible. Nobody needed to dominate the ball to be effective, nobody viewed themselves as big time scorers, nobody cried when their teammate took the big shot. In fact, after winning the National Title yesterday, Anthony Davis said he told his teammates that they should score all the points and that he was just going to defend and rebound. As good as he was, there’s no way in the world DeMarcus Cousins would have uttered those words even in the championship game, even if he had started off poorly.
Hit the jump for the rest of Mark’s piece…
Posted in Columns | Tagged Darius Miller, Doron Lamb, Kentucky Wildcats, Kyle Wiltjer, Marquis Teague, Michael Kidd-Gilchrist, Terrence Jones | Leave a comment
Who: #1 Kansas vs. #2 Kansas
Where: Mercedes-Benz Superdome, New Orleans, La.
When: Monday, April 2nd, 9:23 p.m. Eastern, 6:23 p.m. Pacific
Projected Starting Lineups:
For Kentucky -
Anthony Davis (14.3 PPG, 10.1 RPG, 4.6 BPG, 1.3 SPG, 63.3% FG, 71.2% FT)
Terrence Jones (12.6 PPG, 7.6 RPG, 1.8 BPG, 1.3 SPG, 50.1% FG, 64.1% FT, 33.3% 3PT)
Michael Kidd-Gilchrist (12.0 PPG, 7.6 RPG, 1.9 APG, 48.6% FG, 75.5% FT)
Doron Lamb (13.6 PPG, 2.8 RPG, 47.1% FG, 82.9% FT, 47.1% 3PT)
Marquis Teague (10.0 PPG, 4.8 APG, 2.6 RPG, 2.8 TPG, 41.2% FG, 71.6% FT)
For Kansas -
Jeff Withey (9.2 PPG, 6.2 RPG, 3.5 BPG, 54.8% FG, 79.4% FT)
Thomas Robinson (17.7 PPG, 11.8 RPG, 1.8 APG, .9 BPG, 51.2% FG, 68.1% FT)
Elijah Johnson (10.0 PPG, 3.6 APG, 3.1 RPG, 1.5 SPG, 42.5% FG, 69.6% FT, 33.5% 3P)
Travis Releford (8.5 PPG, 4.2 RPG, 50% FG, 64.3% FT, 31.2% 3P)
Tyshawn Taylor (16.7 PPG, 4.7 APG, 2.3 RPG, 1.4 SPG, 3.5 TPG, 48.2% FG, 68.2% FT, 38.5% 3P)
According to ESPN, a total of 9.8 percent of 6.45 million brackets had a Kentucky-Kansas matchup – not quite as unpredictable a matchup as last years’ UConn/Butler matchup, which only 881 brackets of 5.9 million from last year had correct. But on the flip side, this matchup certainly has more big time, big name matchups, including three players who will find their names called in the top five picks of this year’s NBA draft should they enter (Anthony Davis, Michael Kidd-Gilchrist and Thomas Robinson).
So 52 percent of ESPN’s brackets had Kentucky in the championship game, while 18.2 percent had Kansas in. And really, it shouldn’t be a surprise for Kentucky. If the Wildcats had lost along the way, it really would have been the utter nail in the coffin of Coach Calipari’s reputation as a leader who can’t lead you all the way. Kentucky has way, WAY too much talent, way too much size, and way too much motivation.
Can Kansas stop them? It’ll be close, but after Saturday’s contests, their chances in my opinion increased. Kentucky battled a tough defensive squad in Louisville, and while the Cardinals were a very deep squad they had no business sticking with Kentucky as close as they did. Meanwhile, Kansas AGAIN managed to come up big in the final minutes and pull off a last second 64-62 win over Ohio State.
The Jayhawks don’t have the depth or talent level the Wildcats do – of course, no NCAA team has – but they may have just enough. Thomas Robinson beasted down the stretch for the Jayhawks, Jeff Withey played huge against a very good Buckeyes big man line, and TyShawn Taylor played a very composed game. Kansas has the talent, but they’ll need to play a spotless game to win.
Hit the jump for the rest of Bryant’s preview…
Posted in College Basketball | Tagged Kansas Jayhawks, Kentucky Wildcats, March Madness, NCAA Tournament | Leave a comment
The Kentucky Wildcats and Kansas Jayhawks both earned spots in the National Title game yesterday thanks in large part to their larger players. National Player of the Year Anthony Davis delivered a tremendous performance against the Louisville Cardinals, scoring 18 points while grabbing 14 rebounds and blocking five shots. And while Thomas Robinson is the more celebrated Kansas big man, center Jeff Withey was vital in the Jayhawks’ win over Ohio State as he completely shut down Jared Sullinger. Withey blocked seven shots, a National Semi-Final record, and held Sullinger to five-of-19 shooting, often forcing him to freeze in the post by shutting down his way to the basket, which is the basketball equivalent of confusing someone so bad they begin stutter.
In an era in which small guards continue to thrive, especially at the college level, having a rim protector has become increasingly important. If you look at the teams that made the Final Four this season you’ll discover that three of them were equipped with shotblockers capable of shutting off lanes to the basket. Kentucky has Davis, Kansas has Withey and Louisville had Gorgui Dieng. The only team without a dominant shot blocker was Ohio State and you could see how that affected them yesterday as the Jayhawks got to the basket for 13 lay-ups on 23 attempts. For comparison’s sake, Ohio State had just five lay-ups on 18 attempts, and Withey was there to challenge almost every one of them.
Of course, had it not been for some academic issues, the team that may have been in Ohio State’s place is Syracuse, with shot blocker extraordinaire Fab Melo in the middle. Even without Melo, three of the 10 best shot blockers in power conferences played in the Final Four. Withey ranked first in the nation in block rate at 15.14%, Davis was second at 13.95% and Dieng was seventh at 10.47%. Shockingly, no team from last year’s Final Four had someone in the top 100 in block percentage, but I’m fairly certain that any team from this year’s group could beat last year’s VCU, Butler, Kentucky and UConn squads.
There’s no end in sight for the current trend of dominant point guards ruling things at the college level, so the importance of dominant big men that can control games with their length and can deter smaller players away from the hoop will only become more prominent. It’s obvious that Davis will be gone at the end of the season but guys like Withey and Dieng should be staying in college for another season. If that’s the case, keep an eye on how those teams fair against teams with smaller guards. And while the common perception is that the NCAA Tournament is dominated by the guards, this year may very well be the springboard for their archrival, the shot-blocking center, to start running the show.
Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged Anthony Davis, Fab Felo, Gorgui Dieng, Jared Sullinger, Jeff Withey, Kansas Jayhawks, Kentucky Wildcats, Louisville Cardinals, Ohio State Buckeyes, Syracuse Orange | Leave a comment
Who: #2 Ohio State vs. #2 Kansas
Where: Mercedes-Benz Superdome, New Orleans, La.
When: Saturday, March 31st, 8:49 p.m. Eastern, 5:49 p.m. Pacific
Projected Starting Lineups:
For Ohio State -
Jared Sullinger (17.6 PPG, 9.1 RPG, 1.0 BPG, 53.1% FG, 76.8% FT, 42.1% 3P)
Deshaun Thomas (16.1 PPG, 5.4 RPG, 53.0% FG, 74.3% FT, 35.5% 3P)
William Buford (14.4 PPG, 4.9 RPG, 2.7 APG, 41.5% FG, 82.6% FT, 35.1% 3P)
Lenzelle Smith, Jr. (6.7 PPG, 4.6 RPG, 2.0 APG, 47.5% FG, 60.9% FT, 37.7% 3P)
Aaron Craft (8.8 PPG, 4.7 APG, 3.3 RPG, 2.5 SPG, 50.7% FG, 71.1% FT, 34.4% 3P)
For Kansas -
Jeff Withey (9.2 PPG, 6.2 RPG, 3.5 BPG, 54.8% FG, 79.4% FT)
Thomas Robinson (17.7 PPG, 11.8 RPG, 1.8 APG, .9 BPG, 51.2% FG, 68.1% FT)
Elijah Johnson (10.0 PPG, 3.6 APG, 3.1 RPG, 1.5 SPG, 42.5% FG, 69.6% FT, 33.5% 3P)
Travis Releford (8.5 PPG, 4.2 RPG, 50% FG, 64.3% FT, 31.2% 3P)
Tyshawn Taylor (16.7 PPG, 4.7 APG, 2.3 RPG, 1.4 SPG, 3.5 TPG, 48.2% FG, 68.2% FT, 38.5% 3P)
All of the attention in today’s Final Four is on the first game, the big rivalry matchup between Kentucky and Louisville. I’ve already gone on record as saying I don’t think it’s going to live up to the hype (Kentucky will win and quite easily). But I’m also going to go on record as saying Ohio State v. Kansas is going to be a much more memorable game in ten years for anyone not living in Kentucky.
Thomas Robinson verses Jared Sullinger. Deshaun Thomas verses Jeff Withey. Tyshawn Taylors verses Aaron Craft. Yes, yes, these teams aren’t eternal rivals seperated by just 60 miles, but on paper? Better matchup by FAR.
By the way, if you don’t know which team to cheer for and you don’t live in Ohio or Kansas, check out this piece by BTGIOSN’s founder Mark Travis on Thomas Robinson. Even if you’re a Buckeye’s superfan, you can’t help but cheer for Robinson.
Hit the jump for the rest of Bryant’s preview…
Posted in College Basketball | Tagged Final Four, Kansas Jayhawks, March Madness, NCAA Tournament, Ohio State Buckeyes | Leave a comment
Who: #1 Kentucky Wildcats vs. #4 Louisville Cardinals
Where: Mercedes-Benz Superdome, New Orleans, La.
When: Saturday, March 31st, 6:09 p.m. Eastern, 3:09 p.m. Pacific
Projected Starting Lineups:
For Kentucky -
Anthony Davis (14.3 PPG, 10.1 RPG, 4.6 BPG, 1.3 SPG, 63.3% FG, 71.2% FT)
Terrence Jones (12.6 PPG, 7.6 RPG, 1.8 BPG, 1.3 SPG, 50.1% FG, 64.1% FT, 33.3% 3PT)
Michael Kidd-Gilchrist (12.0 PPG, 7.6 RPG, 1.9 APG, 48.6% FG, 75.5% FT)
Doron Lamb (13.6 PPG, 2.8 RPG, 47.1% FG, 82.9% FT, 47.1% 3PT)
Marquis Teague (10.0 PPG, 4.8 APG, 2.6 RPG, 2.8 TPG, 41.2% FG, 71.6% FT)
For Louisville -
Gorgui Dieng (9.2 PPG, 9.0 RPG, 3.2 BPG, 53.4% FG, 67.3% FT)
Chane Behanan (9.5 PPG, 7.4 RPG, 51.3% FG, 58.8% FT)
Kyle Kuric (12.7 PPG, 4.2 RPG, 1.2 SPG, 42.3% FG, 80% FT, 32.8% 3PT)
Chris Smith (9.7 PPG, 3.6 RPG, 40.9% FG, 74.0% FT, 39.8% 3PT)
Peyton Siva (9.1 PPG, 5.6 APG, 3.2 RPG, 40.3% FG, 73.5% FT)
Welcome to the Kentucky version of the Superbowl! Honestly, the only way this matchup could be better is if this was for the championship and not just the Final Four.
Now that the pleasantries are out-of-the-way, lets also get this out-of-the-way – if Louisville wins, this will be a big upset. Real, real big. All week the national talking points have been “Yeah, Kentucky is really, really good… so let’s try and figure out how Louisville can win.” And that has somehow morphed into “how the Cardinals can certainly win”, which is really, REALLY deluding the odds in this game. Kentucky is favored to win this by 9 – and I think that’s low.
So where am I going with this? Simple. Kentucky will (almost certainly) win this. It won’t be all that close, and it won’t be a nail-biting “I can tell my grandchildren about this game” type contest. Kentucky is really, really good. Louisville has been real good in the tournament, but Kentucky has been better. We just expected this out of the Wildcats, and didn’t expect it out of the Cardinals. That’s why the conversation has been so deluded.
Hit the jump for the rest of Bryant’s preview…
Posted in College Basketball | Tagged Kentucky Wildcats, Louisville Cardinals, March Madness, NCAA Tournament | Leave a comment
There isn’t a college basketball player in the country that has gone through as much as Kansas Jayhawk forward Thomas Robinson has during his college career.
Last season Robinson lost his grandmother, grandfather in less than two months, leaving him as the sole provider for his younger sister, who was alone at the time all the way in Washington. Just days after losing his mom, Robinson was on the floor for the Jayhawks, giving everything he had for his team during his short time on the floor. His teammates’ eyes were full of tears before the game as the school had a moment of silence for Robinson’s mother.
On top of having to deal with unthinkable tragedy off the court, the immensely talented youngster patiently waited for his chance to become the leader of his team. Many players blessed with Robinson’s talent would become frustrated with a lack of playing time, but Robinson handled it like a professional. After being overshadowed by the Morris twins during his first two seasons, Robinson has gotten his shot at being the focal point of the Jayhawks offense this season and he’s been able to lead them to a place Kansas has only been to once before during Bill Self’s tenure: The Final Four.
Hit the jump for the rest of Mark’s piece…
Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged Bill Self, Kansas Jayhawks, Thomas Robinson | Leave a commentBut The Game Is On Sports Network
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