TY is quickly becoming a one-of-a-kind NBA Draft prospect

[slides]

Interesting read, relevant to a couple of threads here

Sporting News article

 

[Darwin]

Real educated analysis is in the minority here.

 

[pnkranger]

Real educated analysis is in the minority here.

This is definitely in line with what I've been saying. He's going to be a unique college player, maybe an all American and can compete for a wooden award if not this year, then next. He'll be a very, very good NBA player. Maybe a long term starter for good teams. But guys his size/strength who lack elite athleticism are not lottery picks except once in a blue moon.

Markelle fultz went #1 after his freshman year last year. He had numbers similar to what you'll see from Trae at the end of this year (except steals and blocks, where Fultz excels). But Fultz is 6'4", 195 pounds -- totally jacked -- and can jump out of the gym with an explosive first step.

I think trae is a lottery talent, I'm just not sure he'll be drafted in the lottery, even if he stays four years. I hope I have to eat those words.

 

[sooner 1234]

Real educated analysis is in the minority here.

He’s saying what most people have said ....a late 1st round pick right now .

 

[skyvue]

Real educated analysis is in the minority here.

Mr. Stone does not, in this story at least, allow for growth and improvement.

I wonder what he might have had to say about Buddy Hield during his freshman campaign.

 

[Max Power]

Mr. Stone does not, in this story at least, allow for growth and improvement.

I wonder what he might have had to say about Buddy Hield during his freshman campaign.

He would still say buddy was 6'4. And Buddy isn't a good defender. I love Buddy but lets be objective here.

 

[skyvue]

He would still say buddy was 6'4. And Buddy isn't a good defender. I love Buddy but lets be objective here.

Yes, let's do. When Buddy was a freshman, Mr. Stone likely would never in a million years have predicted that Buddy would go on to be the national player of the year and a lottery pick in the NBA Draft. In other words, he would have missed the mark, and badly, in assessing Buddy's prospects.

As I said, he does not, in his analysis, allow for growth and improvement.

 

[sooner 1234]

Yes, let's do. When Buddy was a freshman, Mr. Stone likely would never in a million years have predicted that Buddy would go on to be the national player of the year and a lottery pick in the NBA Draft. In other words, he would have missed the mark, and badly, in assessing Buddy's prospects.

As I said, he does not, in his analysis, allow for growth and improvement.

You can’t compare Buddy vs Trey as freshman .

Trey is lightyears ahead of Buddy developmental wise .Young has played more organized basketball 5 games into short career then Buddy had going into the draft .
Young was playing year round ,nation wide against the best players in the county as jr High kid when at that same age Buddy was shooting into a milk crate...... made into a basketball rim .

The point is young is much more mature( understanding the game ) ,much more developed fundamentaly....due to his dad,aau,and overall dedication to his basketball career.

This kids whole life has been in the gym and it shows .

 

[skyvue]

I'm not comparing them. I'm saying that, with any college freshman, prognosticators should allow for the possibility of growth and improvement. As great as he is, Trae is not a finished product. He won't be able to skate against D-1 competition they way he did in high school, so he'll have to work on even his offensive skills, and he'll be expected to play better defense than he was ever asked to play in AAU ball. None of us, including Chris Smith, knows how good a player Trae will be by the end of this season, much less a season or two down the road, if he should opt to stick around.

It appears to be Smith's gig to prognosticate about college players' pro prospects but it's a little silly to write off any aspect of TY's game, as Smith did in that story, five games into his collegiate career.