Trae Young enters NBA draft

[OUSKINS]

Really going out on a limb there.

Point being, I DONT feel that way about most guys. Buddy had/has very little upside and also had very little busy potential. He was low-risk/low-reward type of pick in my eyes. TY is a total gamble. Personally, I wouldn’t take him in the top 10 because I can think of 10 players right now I think are better choices (including Sexton). Overall, I think TY would be a “pass” for me if I’m an NBA GM unless he was to fall to somewhere around 17-20.

 

[oudna]

Wrong. Some of his turnovers he trusted his teammates too much.. like passing to Lattin... turnover like 60% of the time ha

Yeah, any anticipation pass to Lattin or McNeace was a complete loss

 

[Ghost of Gar Heard]

I think you used a word that I've held back using for some time is that by the end of thet season Young didn't fully trust his teammates and that hurt the team. And to be honest, everyone is to blame for that.

I agree.

 

[Eielson]

Point being, I DONT feel that way about most guys. Buddy had/has very little upside and also had very little busy potential. He was low-risk/low-reward type of pick in my eyes. TY is a total gamble. Personally, I wouldn’t take him in the top 10 because I can think of 10 players right now I think are better choices (including Sexton). Overall, I think TY would be a “pass” for me if I’m an NBA GM unless he was to fall to somewhere around 17-20.

I feel pretty similar. I couldn't really see Buddy being a star, and I couldn't see Blake being anything less than a star. Although I will say that Buddy averaging 13.1 PPG while shooting 42% from 3 is pretty solid for a second year player. He's been lighting it up the last 4 games, and sometimes I feel I may have sold him short.

The one thing I'll disagree with is the idea that Trae could be a solid backup PG. In my mind, he's likely either getting a max contract at the end of his rookie deal, or he's heading to Europe. I don't see much in between with him.

Interestingly, we've had every kind of lottery pick in less than a decade. Blake was the can't miss, Buddy was the low-risk/low-reward, and Trae is a classic boom-or-bust pick.

 

[SoonerinNC]

Hard to comment on this because as usual we have people commenting who are extreme in their point of view in both directions. Too much blame going around both against Trae and against the other Sooner players. It was just something that stopped working and we never recovered. Ironic that a story broke saying that the Sooners were not a top 5 team just before the wheels started coming off.

Trae is a unique talent. He can be a big star in the NBA. I think the signing bonuses for draftees are predetermined and that there is a big difference between the #1 overall pick and where Trae is projected. I suspect one of the teams have assured him that they will pick him higher than the pundits predict and that is one reason he is going. Another may be that he believes that it will not be any better another year at OU.

I try to be fair in my observations. For example I feel that the claim that McNease blew a lot of assists for Trae is unfair. He had a ton of alley oops and I don't remember him blowing that many that were well placed.

Trae has to mature and develop better judgment to raise his game to NBA level. I didn't see all that much double teaming in the latter part of the season. A lot of hedging when he started to drive but that is just a part of the game these days. Instead I saw a lot of poor shot selection and too many turnovers probably by Trae trying to do too much. A fair number of the lobs that misfired were not accurate, either too high or too far away. In spite of that the guy still averaged a boatload of assists.

I really like Lon Kruger as a coach but he may have suffered from allowing too much equal oppotunity. Kelvin would have made them set many, many screens for Trae and I doubt that Odomes would have taken that outside shot late in the final game.

I feel that the thing that really hurt was when Manek stopped hitting his shots. Hopefully he can regain that touch next year. We will need it.

I have enjoyed the privalege of watching Trae in a Sooner uniform. I hope for great success for him in the League. We may never see another player in a Sooner uniform with his raw talent.

 

[AnotherSoonerInTX]

Best wishes to TY. He was a joy to watch. Unfortunately the season fell apart on them. Overall it was about what we expected from the team it just was superb early then disappointing.
TY was better than the very high expectations.

Who knows what he will do in the NBA. He will make a bunch of money and be given a chance to play. All anybody can ask.

Ray is a good guy. He was just talking. The decision was made easy with the way TY played early in the season. What choice did he have. You have to go to the league.

This.

The collapse of the season left a bad taste in all our mouths. However, I'm glad Trae chose to be a Sooner.

He has to go to the league. I wish him well.

 

[TulsaWorld]

Who will be picked higher in their respective draft: Baker Mayfield or Trae Young? Eric Bailey asked Bovada.

Mayfield’s odds are 1/4 to be picked first in the NFL Draft, which will be held April 26. He’s been selected among the top 10 picks in multiple mock drafts.

Young has 5/2 odds to be picked ahead of Mayfield. The freshman phenom declared for the NBA Draft earlier this week.

The NBA Draft will be on June 21.

 

[WTSooner]

I think Baker has a chance to go earlier, but Baker also has a chance to fall further. The Jets trading up I think helps Baker's chances of going in the top 5, which I think is higher than Young will go.

But if Baker doesn't go 5th, he could fall outside the top 10 pretty easily, and I think Young probably goes before that.

 

[coolm]

as much as I dislike his attitude I think Baker is going to do really well and whoever picks him will be very happy. I think others see that also and Baker goes higher.

 

[Matthew G]

Latest mock draft from CBS and Bleacher report have Trae going 11th and 12th to the Clippers. Honestly, I think Trae falls outside the top 10 if Sexton outperforms him at the combine based on the current picks, because you get down to Chicago, Knicks, Charlotte, and Philly, only 1 of those teams really needs a PG, and even then, they might be smarter to go SF/PF than PG. So the next team to need a PG is the Clippers who will be outside the top 10.


Like Chicago has Dunn who has performed well. Could go PG there to make sure you have one, but you could also get a SF.


Also, I'd argue that by combine, Alexander from UK will make a name for himself. 6'6" PGs are definitely becoming popular in the NBA.

 

[WichitaSooner]

as much as I dislike his attitude I think Baker is going to do really well and whoever picks him will be very happy. I think others see that also and Baker goes higher.

Dislike his attitude on or off the field? I'd argue that his attitude on the field is exactly what we need from guys on the basketball team. Zero fear, complete confidence in himself and teammates, and absolutely loved by basically everyone on the team because he is such a great leader. Cousins has a completely different personality, but he reminded me a bit of Baker in that he didn't take crap from anyone, was incredibly intense, and didn't play with fear. I think most good/great teams need at least one guy like that, even if it doesn't make them popular with opposing players/fans.

 

[coolm]

off the field.

 

[sperry]

Baker Mayfield is the GOAT, both on and off the field.

 

[Leroy]

Cool, I am impressed that you hang with Baker off the field. How many trips did you make to the very sick little girl and the other trips to the hospital in Norman seeing the little sick kids. By the way, he spoke at the little girl's funeral. Of course you know that because you hang with Baker.

 

[coolm]

whatever leroy. baker needs to learn his cliches and use his cliches.

 

[Max Power]

whatever leroy. baker needs to learn his cliches and use his cliches.

Oh no, a college kid over the age of 21 got drunk. Won't you please think of the children

 

[TulsaWorld]

Young has had starry NBA eyes for a while now. By that measure, he is the ultimate winner here.

The Sooners won, as well, even if they lost a few principles along the way.

Did OU sacrifice the development of select players by casting its lot with Young? Arguably. Did OU hurt the feelings of select players, causing angst within the program? Absolutely.

Don’t lose sight of the prime directive here: The Sooners added Young because he could help them out of their hole. He did that. They won, unlike the year before his arrival.

But you know who else won as a result of Young’s year-old decision? Kansas.

Link

 

[TINY]

Link

Article about Kansas? Hard pass.

 

[61sooner]

Just a note relative to Trae.
Yesterday LeBron scored like 45 points and Cleveland barely won their playoff game.
The guys on the radio were commenting how the rest of the team stunk up the place while LeBron carried them.
Sounds like some of OU's games this past season and Trae caught guff for doing all the hard work.

 

[vbdad]

Trae will have better finishers in the league as does every other point guard. His biggest adjustment will be being defended by bigger guards. He struggled with physical play and size late in the year compared to being guarded by smaller guys earlier. He obviously still produced historic numbers but the efficiency decreased. The supporting cast didn't help him here at all. The second one is finishing in the paint. He was less than 50% around the rim this year. The size and length of the NBA is dramatically tougher to deal with around the rim. No reason to suspect he won't get better but it will be an adjustment.

I think Baker goes earlier.