2023 NBA Mock Draft Thread

[gsmooth]

No. Way. On. Earth.

And his "issues have been other" count too. Teams draft players to win championships, not to win dribbling contests.

As far as skills and talent as basketball player Irving absolutely is. He is a first tier talent that really isn't all that debateable. His skills and talent were never in question, it's all the other stupid stuff he does and the baggage he brings. But just like caw said in his post, Leonard and Butler had issues a while ago and some say Leonard still does as he has become the face of Load Management in the NBA.

 

[auror]

I believe Kawhi Leonard has 2 championships, but the rest of your post is correct.

Did Kawhi's Toronto championship get wiped off the books or something?

"That’s what they got for the teams that drafted them."

 

[temery]

Please, post MORE paywall links that I have to use Archive.IS to decode. Thanks so much

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[nelsonmuntz]

As far as skills and talent as basketball player Irving absolutely is. He is a first tier talent that really isn't all that debateable. His skills and talent were never in question, it's all the other stupid stuff he does and the baggage he brings. But just like caw said in his post, Leonard and Butler had issues a while ago and some say Leonard still does as he has become the face of Load Management in the NBA.

Irving has become the new face of the “Ewing Effect”. Just about every time Kyrie gets hurt or leaves a team, the team gets better.

 

[Waquoit]

How good a draft can this be if those two stiffs from Arkansas are lottery picks?

 

[Fatroony5]

New mock out from complex. First one I’ve seen thus far that has Andre as a first round pick (#24 to Sacramento which would be interesting). It seems like Andre continues to move up the board, been some solid buzz on him at least being a top 40 prospect. Hawkins coming in at #11.

2023 NBA Mock Draft (V1): Wembanyama Goes No.1 to San Antonio

With the college season complete, the NBA Draft process has begun. From names like Wembanyama to Scoot, we projected the first round of the 2023 NBA Draft.

amp.www.complex.com

 

[Huskyforlife]

How good a draft can this be if those two stiffs from Arkansas are lottery picks?

Calling Anthony Black a stiff is crazy.

 

[HuskyHawk]

Hawkins made the right call coming out this year. This draft is a smoldering dumpster fire. This could be the worst draft since 2013.

Yeah, with three guys at the top the would have gone #1 most years. It’s a loaded draft and there was more tanking than ever.

 

[Hunt for 7]

Most people consider 2024 to be a weaker draft class.

It seems to me that there is very little correlation of CBB to NBA. Maybe there is some but I clearly don’t watch enough nba games to understand. I watched a lot of CBB this year almost every tourney game and pretty much two games a night every night of the week. Perhaps it’s a bias take but I did not see 20 players that were better than JH or AS. For me the nba game is the same it always has been. Defense in the regular season us optional and really all you have to do is watch the 4th qtr. But since the Knicks won today I mat watch more. I know one thing now I understand why Villanova was so good watching Brunson and Hart.

 

[husky429]

For me the nba game is the same it always has been. Defense in the regular season us optional and really all you have to do is watch the 4th qtr. But since the Knicks won today I mat watch more. I know one thing now I understand why Villanova was so good watching Brunson and Hart.

Tell me you don't know anything about the NBA without telling me you don't know anything about the NBA.

 

[HuskyHawk]

Tell me you don't know anything about the NBA without telling me you don't know anything about the NBA.

The defense doesn’t often look like UConn defense did last year, because these offenses would slaughter anybody who guarded that closely. It’s about forcing lower value shots. They essentially let those go up, so it doesn’t look as aggressive. I think people are confused by the lack of offensive rebounding too. A shot goes up and most of the time, 5 guys go back because NBA teams don’t miss in transition. If it’s a poor quality shot, it’s likely a change of possession. College is just so different with all the O Rebounds.

But defense is what wins, and a big part of what makes guys stars.

 

[PNolanFan]

The defense doesn’t often look like UConn defense did last year, because these offenses would slaughter anybody who guarded that closely. It’s about forcing lower value shots. They essentially let those go up, so it doesn’t look as aggressive. I think people are confused by the lack of offensive rebounding too. A shot goes up and most of the time, 5 guys go back because NBA teams don’t miss in transition. If it’s a poor quality shot, it’s likely a change of possession. College is just so different with all the O Rebounds.

But defense is what wins, and a big part of what makes guys stars.

This is the biggest misconception about the NBA, sure stars dont have to give it 100% every night on defense but if you arent a top guy you NEED to play good defense to stay on the floor. Look at bouknight, I am fairly certain offensivlely he could have been one of their leading guys last year but his abysmal defensive effort is why he was in the G league (also other reasons).

 

[nelsonmuntz]

Yeah, with three guys at the top the would have gone #1 most years. It’s a loaded draft and there was more tanking than ever.

We will know in a couple of years. It is good to get so many posters on the record that this is a great draft.

 

[gtcam]

I know one thing now I understand why Villanova was so good watching Brunson and Hart.

Nova has a fair share of recent players who are doing well in the NBA.

 

[gtcam]

Irving has become the new face of the “Ewing Effect”. Just about every time Kyrie gets hurt or leaves a team, the team gets better.

Perhaps because the trading team gets a boatload for him?
Don't get the "Ewing Effect" - if its Patrick, he played with the Knicks 15 of his 17 NBA years, not a journeyman by any means.

 

[huskiesNhoos]

Perhaps because the trading team gets a boatload for him?
Don't get the "Ewing Effect" - if its Patrick, he played with the Knicks 15 of his 17 NBA years, not a journeyman by any means.

The "Melo effect" is probably more appropriate

 

[Dogdeacon]

Perhaps because the trading team gets a boatload for him?
Don't get the "Ewing Effect" - if its Patrick, he played with the Knicks 15 of his 17 NBA years, not a journeyman by any means.

Knicks made the NBA finals one year, after Ewing got hurt at beginning of Eastern conference final series.

 

[bendm]

Miami PG Wong, ACC's POY, entering NBA draft

Miami guard Isaiah Wong announced Monday that he plans to enter the NBA draft.

www.espn.com

 

[AZHuskiePop]

Hawk has gone from 25-30 pre-season, to 20-25 mid-season and now has pushed himself into the lottery by showing out in the tourney.

His development has just been brilliant. Everyone involved (mostly Jordan) deserves a ton of credit. He was not this good a year ago.

He was injured a year ago remember he was a starter preseason .
When he was healthy he along with Polley were huge in the Auburn game . If not injured the dynamics of last years team are much different.
Everyone gets better looks .
an additional shooter helps everyone . Better looks = higher shooting % .

 

[auror]

I love this. I've always been dying to see the measurements and athletic testing of the elite prospects and the combine was getting to be a farce in recent years. (Note this doesn't compel 5v5 scrimmaging.)

 

[Matrim55]

As far as skills and talent as basketball player Irving absolutely is. He is a first tier talent that really isn't all that debateable.

It's entirely debatable. Dude has a career losing record when not playing with LeBron, and it's not like he's only had scrubs for teammates -- Tatum & Brown, KD & Harden, now Luka. Think about that.

He's a generational 1v1 player and an excellent shooter but is bad at almost every other facet of the game. And as much as he brings to a team's offense with his individual skills, he takes off the plate with his ball-stopping.

Kyrie's got a great highlight reel, but he's not a winning player.

 

[CardiacAndre7]

It's entirely debatable. Dude has a career losing record when not playing with LeBron, and it's not like he's only had scrubs for teammates -- Tatum & Brown, KD & Harden, now Luka. Think about that.

He's a generational 1v1 player and an excellent shooter but is bad at almost every other facet of the game. And as much as he brings to a team's offense with his individual skills, he takes off the plate with his ball-stopping.

Kyrie's got a great highlight reel, but he's not a winning player.

To be fair, that career record without LeBron is inflated by the early Cavs years which were bad teams.

 

[Matrim55]

To be fair, that career record without LeBron is inflated by the early Cavs years which were bad teams.

In other words he's not good enough to make a bad team decent, which is VERY different from being on the same tier as guys like Kawhi and Butler. And when he was on the Celtics, Marcus Smart had a much bigger impact on wins/losses -- per both the eye test and the advanced stats -- than Kyrie did.

Put him next to arguably the greatest player in the game's history and he can help you win a title. In any other situation he's going to cost you games, and that's before taking all the off-court bullshit into account.

 

[CardiacAndre7]

In other words he's not good enough to make a bad team decent, which is VERY different from being on the same tier as guys like Kawhi and Butler. And when he was on the Celtics, Marcus Smart had a much bigger impact on wins/losses -- per both the eye test and the advanced stats -- than Kyrie did.

Put him next to arguably the greatest player in the game's history and he can help you win a title. In any other situation he's going to cost you games, and that's before taking all the off-court Stop into account.

Oh I don’t disagree, and I don’t like him at all, what he stands for, and how hot and cold he is in every situation he’s been put in. But, that was at the beginning of his career and those Cavs teams kinda just sucked, at least the first 2 seasons they did.

He has the best situation in Cleveland with LeBron and pissed it away because he thought he could lead a great team, but obviously he couldn’t. Don’t care for the guy at all.

 

[nelsonmuntz]

In other words he's not good enough to make a bad team decent, which is VERY different from being on the same tier as guys like Kawhi and Butler. And when he was on the Celtics, Marcus Smart had a much bigger impact on wins/losses -- per both the eye test and the advanced stats -- than Kyrie did.

Put him next to arguably the greatest player in the game's history and he can help you win a title. In any other situation he's going to cost you games, and that's before taking all the off-court Stop into account.

Irving and Doncic turned a Conference Finals team into one that missed the playoffs in one year, and did this without a major injury. That takes some impressive underachieving.