DePaul Post Game Thread

[navery12]

it’s also interesting that guys with limited ceilings like Newton and Karaban are given the advice to come back to improve their draft stock but guys like Andre Jackson were pushed out the door with a similar grade to Karaban.

But that’s a whole other discussion.

Probably because Karaban came back and has improved his draft stock, and that wouldn't have happened with Jackson

 

[superjohn]

Probably because Karaban came back and has improved his draft stock, and that wouldn't have happened with Jackson

What makes you think AK improved his draft stock and Jackson couldn't have improved his draft stock?

 

[navery12]

What makes you think AK improved his draft stock and Jackson couldn't have improved his draft stock?

Karaban was being mocked in the early 2nd round last year and is now routinely in the low 20s. I think the disappointment over his season is being severely overstated by a lot of people here.

I guess Jackson could have improved his draft stock if he came back, but he was never going to become good at the things the NBA wanted in college so I'm skeptical. I don't see a world where he was a 1st round pick as a senior

 

[HuskyHawk]

Karaban was being mocked in the early 2nd round last year and is now routinely in the low 20s. I think the disappointment over his season is being severely overstated by a lot of people here.

I guess Jackson could have improved his draft stock if he came back, but he was never going to become good at the things the NBA wanted in college so I'm skeptical. I don't see a world where he was a 1st round pick as a senior

What? People are seeing Karaban in round 1 this year? I don't believe it. I think he's hurt his stock if anything.

 

[navery12]

What? People are seeing Karaban in round 1 this year? I don't believe it. I think he's hurt his stock if anything.

Yes, there's a whole thread on here about NBA mock drafts and he's routinely been in round 1. We'll see what this most recent bad stretch does though as more updates are made

 

[444JR]

Who knows - no one knows what Abraham really is. There are some very good 4's out there, the kid at St Joe's, Fleming is a junior and would be a get. He's 6'9 240 and grabbing 16ppg along with 9rpg. He's also shooting 40% from 3. Jersey kid so maybe they bond over Bon Jovi, otherwise will be a portal war for him if he doesn't go draft. Darius is gonna be good, but he's so thin right now I don't know how effective he can be in year 1. Steph and Liam came in with ready to go physiques.


Care to share who made that hot take? Coaches with high standards who've elevated a strategy built around great talent do much better when they have that talent. Dialing it all back to accommodate limitations can be a big adjustment/buzzkill, especially after the luxury of 2 consecutive superteams. Fans are spoiled, but so are the coaches. Some want to call it just another portal recruitment cycle, but don't agree as this is unchartered territory for Hurley, who is a complicated dude. He's human, will be interesting to see how someone who has kissed greatness, and gotten a ton of attention for it, now responds after a year that isn't. His body language at the podium this year has looked defeated at times.

DH was doing every podcast, interview, on the planet. Everyone wanted to talk to him. The Reddick interview was all about how advanced his offense was. He's been called the best coach in the sport, face of the sport. You don't think he loves that level of recognition? He took that into a preseason full of disrespect & 3peat talk every chance he got. The guy clearly loves the stage.

He crushed it on the HS side, but those kids likely won't ROI until they're sophomores.


Please fact check when you quote someone. I did not say he overstayed his welcome, it's just that sensitive little kitties insert it. I said he overstayed. For his personal benefit in terms of NBA stock, last year was his high window. He came back for Hurley & the program (and NIL), and that is noble. He was a year younger off a B2B in a historically weak draft. The taken risk to increase his stock doesn't appear to be offering ROI. I feel for him.

And yes, Samson Johnson frustrates me. Call me crazy but I prefer having centers who can rebound effectively and impose some level of physical presence to generate a brand of team toughness. I don't prefer finesse 5's with bad hands.

Not just bad hands from Samson Johnson. He consistently makes the same boneheaded/head-scratching plays. He’s really more of a redshirt sophomore in terms of on court minutes, but Hurley’s decided to ride or die with him as the starter. Perplexes me. Doesn’t win many opening tips either! But I did love his drive and reverse layup for the 2nd bucket of the game vs Depaul. More of that positive aggression. Think he’d bring such a better dynamic as 15 minute per game back up that always plays 5 minutes at the 4.

 

[superjohn]

Karaban was being mocked in the early 2nd round last year and is now routinely in the low 20s. I think the disappointment over his season is being severely overstated by a lot of people here.

I guess Jackson could have improved his draft stock if he came back, but he was never going to become good at the things the NBA wanted in college so I'm skeptical. I don't see a world where he was a 1st round pick as a senior

Mock drafts are usually garbage. What updated ones are you looking at?

The first three that come up for me are these three and I don't even know if they're updated...

NBAdraft.net has him going 48th
Tankathon has him going 30th
SB Nation has him outside the first round

Karaban hasn't become good at the things the NBA wants.

 

[Deepster]

Mock drafts are usually garbage. What updated ones are you looking at?

The first three that come up for me are these three and I don't even know if they're updated...

NBAdraft.net has him going 48th
Tankathon has him going 30th
SB Nation has him outside the first round

Karaban hasn't become good at the things the NBA wants.

He can't create his own shot. He can't defend in the NBA. He's slower than the pace of the game.

On the flip side, he's got a great IQ, he potentially could become a tall 3 pt option off the bench.

He feels more like a really good Euro player than anyone who'll clock meaningful NBA minutes. And if you think that's hate speak, just look at the minutes Jordan Hawkins is (or isn't) getting with his skillset and jump shot.

 

[navery12]

Mock drafts are usually garbage. What updated ones are you looking at?

The first three that come up for me are these three and I don't even know if they're updated...

NBAdraft.net has him going 48th
Tankathon has him going 30th
SB Nation has him outside the first round

Karaban hasn't become good at the things the NBA wants.

Agreed that most are terrible, really the only ones I even pay attention to are the ones from Sam Vecenie or Jonathan Givony and even those are barely useful.

Vecenie had Karaban at 24 on his last update on 1/9

2025 NBA mock draft: After Cooper Flagg and Dylan Harper, a whole lot of questions

Givony's most recent update wasn't a mock but had him at 26

Updated Top 100 rankings for the 2025 NBA draft: Who's rising and falling?

Players from Illinois and Oklahoma move up the ranks, but it's still Cooper Flagg's show as his impressive games of late keep him locked in at No. 1.

www.espn.com